Monday, 2 February 2026

Blue Planet, Green Planet, Cornerstones Bathroom...

My orchids are spending the winter on the bathroom windowsill [waiting, like Eliza Doolittle, for spring to creep over]

If you look closely, you will see a little person in each pot. Despite his advancing years, Sir David Attenborough gets everywhere. These cute little resin figures were a gift from Julian. "David Attenborough will look after your plants" it said on the box. I thought maybe they were waterers or feeders or something. No, they are just little figures on spikes.

Julian admitted that he too thought they would do more than just stand there...
I'm not sure which one I like best. Top left with the butterfly is sweet. I think top right is a chameleon [but if so why is it still dark green?]  They one with the binoculars is looking for a better orchid, as the leaves on his are going yellow. And the pose with the camera looks a bit formal. I think butterfly wins.

It reminds me of the legend of St Kevin, an Irish monk who lived very close to nature, and all the wild creatures came and lived round his hermitage back in the 6th century
He is said to have been sitting in his monk's cell praying when a blackbird settled on his hand. The bird proceeded to build a nest and lay an egg - and the saint sat perfectly still until the egg had hatched and the mother and fledgling flew away. David Attenborough has been sitting on the bathroom windowsill for at least 8 weeks now, and his butterfly has not moved!
My beloved Auntie Peggy [Julian's Grandmother] almost met him once [that's DA not StK] He came to a bookshop in Romford to sign his latest publication. She spent about 30 minutes plucking up the courage to speak to him, but was so nervous, she never actually got to the front of the queue. I think she always wished she'd been more confident. 
There are a few buds coming on the orchids, so I hope for blossoms before too long.
Do you enjoy DA's programmes?
Which have been your favourites?


24 comments:

  1. They are curious figures. I like DA very much though as a child, I was a bit bored by his programmes. Now, I find them interesting!

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    1. Perhaps one appreciates him more as one gets older!

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  2. I've given all my orchid away, I only sort of liked them. They're with someone loves them. Myy mother had a spectacular display of HUGE orchids on a windowsill overlooking the street whencthey lived in Falmouth; passers-by used to stop and stare!
    I did like DA's latest film about wildlife in London.

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    1. I love mine when they bloom. Right now they are less interesting

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  3. I love DA's films. I particularly enjoyed one where he talked about his childhood and where his love of nature came from. The other favourite has to be the one where he sat in the middle of a troupe of gorillas - pure magic!

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    1. Oh yes, I remember the gorilla 🦍 one

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  4. Local king George he Chris Peckham prog 'Earth'. Photography is stunning although I'm more amazed that it doesn't matter where in the world he is, windswept Faroe Islands or tropical beach somewhere, never a hair out of place!!At least Attenborough 's comb over flapped around occasionally!

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    1. I couldn't bear having lots of "product" on my hair

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    2. What the heck? Local King George he'!!???? Which in actual fact should be 'loving the'

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    3. I just couldn't work it out,I was hoping you'd elucidate! Autocorrect is a challenge sometimes

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  5. I've always enjoyed David Attenborough's programmes, but just occasionally find his enthusiasm a bit tiring!

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  6. I love DA's programmes, find Chris Packham a bit shouty and lecturey. What a shame your figures are just ornamental not useful, and do you think DA gave his permission for his likeness to be used. My orchid is sitting on the living room sill flowering away, one of Ikea's best. Xx

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    1. I hope he did! My orchids were all gifts

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  7. I sometimes find the reality of the wildlife programmes a bit too raw. Animals fighting and eating each other gives me nightmares these days!

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    1. I wonder if it is hard sometimes for cameramen not to intervene to protect the weaker creatures?

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    2. Do you remember the time the cameramen did intervene? There was some sort of march of the penguins and the baby penguins couldn't get on the ice shelf, and they were falling and dying. After a lot of debate, the cameramen dug little ice steps for the babies. It was very moving.

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  8. I walked right past him once. He was coming out of the National Gallery. He looked a lot older than I thought he would. Mind you, he still seems to be going strong and he is a legend.

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  9. I have watched a few programs featuring DA and bought a companion book that went with the program. It might have been Planet Earth or something like that; this was back in the 1980s. Not sure if I would want little figurines of him in my plant pots, though!

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  10. DA's programmes are always informative and thought provoking whether you agree with everything he says or not. He has done a lot to bring the natural world much closer to many of us and highlighted many issues over the years.

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