It's Spring everywhere

Fun fact, the Hibiscus Harlequin Bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) has been described as a new species 16 separate times due to the wide colour variation among the adults and nymphs

So, my biotope project started out in September of this year.  The biotope I wanted to create was the one with a Shigaraki ceramic water lily bowl.  Shigaraki is a name of a town in Japan where some scholars suggest that they used to have a capital or a metropolis prior to 742 AD before the capital moved to Kyoto.  Much more solid origin of the Shigaraki wares appears towards the end of the 12th century.  Shigaraki wares are much more famous due to the tanuki or racoon fugres.  But I found out they make some water lily bowls, too.  They are amazing looking, especially more expensive ones.  I couldn’t afford fancier ones.  So I settled with this beautiful tiny bowl.

I started out the Shigaraki biotope with a few white Medakas or Japanese rice fish (Oryzias latipes).  I washed Akadama (red granular) soil several times and embedded it in the bottom.   Then poured water treated by a chlorine neutralizing agent.  After that, I put some water plants, some ceramic shelters and ceramic floating balls called Ukidama.  I also put some Ishimaki snails (Clithon retropictus) so they will eat up some algae.  

Rod Serling - The Twilight Zone

"Human beings must involve themselves in the anguish of other human beings. This, I submit to you, is not a political thesis at all. It is simply an expression of what I would hope might be ultimately a simple humanity for humanity's sake."

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill, and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own for the children, and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone.

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill, and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own for the children, and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone.

Freddie Mercury's favourite movies:

Chappell Roan on the Grammys 2025 red carpet in an archival Jean Paul Gaultier look from his Spring 2003 couture collection.

The skirt is printed with images from Degas' ballet dancer paintings of the 1870s.