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My weblogs . |
The year 2006 brought paradise to the Namib desert. |
| Every year the grass seeds are blown from the grasslands in central South Africa over the desert up to the west coast of Namibia. Many small animals and birds benefit from the seeds and dry grass, but in the year 2006 the seeds were stopped by rain. The desert turned into grassland creating nourishment that will last a long time. |
| The rain started January, it is now end March and the grass are already in seed. Nature knows when to rush. |
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The naked rocks and sand are covered in a soft grass coat. |
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This corn cricket joined us for a beer. He sipped a few large drop-mugs and walked away as if he had nothing but water to drink. |
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Dunes reflecting in the water. Sossusvlei gets some water every few years. The water dries up very quickly. |
| Photo right shows only a small part of the floodplain which was very much larger than the pan of water from previous good years. Plants and seeds tries to make the best of the opportunity. Maybe one of the seedlings below will end up like the camelthorn tree Acacia erioloba on the photo bellow right. |  |
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| Mariental in the green but a touch too wet. Apparently this small town should never have been build right next to the riverbed on this low area, but it seems to be easier to clean up every 30+ years than to move the town. This year had the worst flood in a century. |  |
| Cingular Wireless |
