Stones that Bloom

We took a marvelous hike in the karoo with Dr. Tim P.  He showed us the hammerkop nest, the evidence of over-grazing, the best forage for cattle and antelope.  He showed us the edible berries, and the old exploratory diamond mine that abide on his 600 hectares of karoo (neat word, eh?).

At one particular spot he exclaimed with great glee, “stoneflowers”.  And sure enough, in groups of twos and threes were these delightful little succulents (fat leaves like aloe) with little blooms on the very top.  This particular species, we later learned, was a “conus” because the fat little leaves were bunched tightly like a pine cone with the bloom at the very top.

 (Yes, this photo is upside down).

In books and in the SA Museum, we saw many other types of stone flowers.  These little flowers look like greenish or gray stones that are really plants.

G^d is creative indeed.  Being able to see such a variety of birds, animals, trees, shrubs, plants, topographies, and people is a great blessing indeed.

Even the “rocks cry out”, as Scripture tells us.  Maybe the Writer was thinking of stone flowers at the time.

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the
Lord!”“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”    Lk 19