Time flies by and I fear I will always be behind from now on, but, I have a few things for you. This was my submission to Leanne’s Monochrome Madness this week.
Our west coast forest floors are laden with the ancient fern while giant fir
trees keep the sky from collapsing. Ferns, cycads and tree ferns have been around for 300 million years since they first sprang up in the savage paleozoic garden.
In the Devonian period, some trees grew to over 30 meters. Dinosaurs didn’t arrive until the mesozoic era and flowers only came into being during the cretaceous period but insects had already appeared (Devonian) and often grew to a meter long although they may have been wingless for a further mere 100 million years. Some arachnid ancestors (spiders) had 6 inch legs. They would definitely have been unwelcome guests at a picnic.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Vancouver Island was once covered by a shallow sea where great marine reptiles lived but by the Cenozoic the earth had shifted again and land had risen up. These amazing creatures can now be found beside river banks and highways. Plesiosaur, Mosasaur, and ichthyosaur bones have all been located at the confluence of the Puntledge and Brown rivers up island, as well as huge ancient cephalopods like Amonites. Many are on display in the Courtney Museum. Slabs of fossilized ferns have been found in the shale of the Nanaimo area and many have been polished and lacquered into coffee table tops by those lucky enough to find them
We are but a moment’s sunlight, fading in the grass__________________________________________
the runes of the gatekeeper's daughter- dedicated to Nick 
Incredible photography here. You have quite the skill!🙂
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thank you so much!! Sorry I took a while to respond!
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No worries, it happens to all of us🙂
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🙂
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This reminds how we evolved. We are in a deep connection with nature. Thanks for this post
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thank you very much for reading and your lovely comment!
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80,000 year old tre colony in Utah https://declutteringmylifeweb.wordpress.com/2017/07/17/80000-year-old-tree-colony-in-utah-a-new-timescale-is-needed/
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Lovely images, Cybele. Ferns are so beautiful. Love them all, but parrticularly #5. Hope you’re having a great weekend. xx
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thanks so much Sylvia!!
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There’s something about the primeval forests that stirs something in many of us and your photos are just mesmerizing. I really enjoyed reading your summary of the geological time scale, too. It took me back to my geology degree, especially one particular course, simply called Evolution. It was interesting information about Vancouver Island as well! Great post, Cybele, and your wonderful photos really got my imagination going.
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So happy it spoke to you!!! Thanks Millie!
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This was a great entry! I notice that you haven’t been posting as often & hope you are okay. I’ll call you ….xo DG >
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I love ferns. One has sprung up next to my backdoor step. Mister says he thinks it’s rare and I’m guessing it is, as I can’t find a picture of it anywhere on the internet. I might have to post it on my blog, to see if anyone can identify it. Those are beautiful photos, Cybele, as always 🙂
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Many thanks Sarah!! Ferns are so ancient and ethereal!!
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Beautiful shots, as usual, Cybele. I would love to walk in the middle of that forest one day. And the dragonfly, they’re my favorite 🙂
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thank you so much Nurul!!
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You’re most welcome, Cybele 😄
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🙂
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Reblogged this on Ann Cavitt Fisher and commented:
Every time I visit Cybel’s blog and look at her amazing images, I feel like I’ve fallen into the middle of a Tolkien novel — her photographs are so magically beautiful!
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Every time I visit your site and look at your images, I feel like I’ve fallen into the middle of a Tolkien novel — they are so magically beautiful!
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Oh dear Ann!! What a lovely thing to say!! So glad you popped by! and for the reblog! I’ve left a comment on your blog! A safari!! so exciting!!
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What a wonderful post full of your gorgeous images .. I love dragonflies, but a 2 ft wingspan sounds interesting 😃
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lol! indeed! thanks Julie!!
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So interesting and so beautiful.. 6 inch legs oh dear me! 😄
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oh yeah!! 😀 Thanks Julie!
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I love your posts. They’re like stepping through the gate into another magical world! Lovely images too.
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and I love your wonderful comments! Thanks so much Patti.- I’m running always behind these days!
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Beautiful, atmospheric images, my friend – and you’re talking to a former geologist here, so much music to my ears! A 🙂
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oh! then that is a real compliment!!! Thanks Adrian!
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that last line…….. Beautiful ❤
wonderful post with great info. and all your photographs, I can't pick just one as a single fav. Though McMillan forest does seem to invite me in for a wander! stunning 🙂
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Thanks so much Deb! The last line is from that song from the sixties – Crosby Stills etc. I can’t remember the name!
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my pleasure! 🙂
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Engaging images.
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thank you Sally!
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Fabulous Cybele, I was right back in the ancient depths with you 🙂
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So glad you felt it Andrea! Thanks for visiting!
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your post on the forest is dream like, surreal, just beautiful. Love your style!
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thank you so much Ritva!
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Gorgeous pictures, Cybele! When we lived in the west country Cornwall, there was this kind of secret valley, which because of its fortunate geological position was blessed with a hotter than average microclimate. The owners (it was within their park opened to the public during the tourist season) planted a few tree ferns there and within 10 years the whole valley was like something out of the prehistoric age with massive tree ferns growing all over the place, ferns and rhododendrons underneath and dragonflies in the summer as they put in a small wildlife pond, too. It was magical enough for adults to wander around in, but the children were in heaven and I’d often hear them making up games about dinosaurs in the undergrowth. My own daughter used to adore going here and was quite cross to discover that it wasn’t open all year round 🙂
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oh that sounds wonderful! It must be still there? We love going up island and rummaging around for fossils, mostly bivalves and gastropods but every once in awhile something more interesting. Our rain forests are beautiful and old growth. Thanks for popping over!
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Absolutely love your photos and the timeline explanation. Truly wonderfully done.
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It is so interesting to me! Thanks Renee!
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Ah prehistoric Nature! Always such fascinating stuff.
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it is! thank you for visiting Anita!
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Nice. I was waiting to see huge insects and amphibians in the Devonian forest video. Alas, only plants.
Also, it figures that as soon as grass became available, humans showed up.
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lol!! oh yes, savannah manna!! I couldn’t find one with insects!!
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Just looking at the first photo I thought prehistoric before reading anything. Excellent!
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It does have that feel! Thanks Maverick!
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I think at one time, the earth was full of giants. Giant animals, giant trees, even giant people. I saw a photo of a Zulu King (c. 1575) on Wikipedia. He is so massive. So tall and so gigantic. I kept wondering whether perhaps people had been so in the good old days of this now retiring planet.
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human beings! such an incredible and complex lot! The further we go into “civilization” the less civilized we become! Our poor mother earth! Thanks Peter for your always thought provoking comments!
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Wonderful photos and the information you have included expands my world view. Thank you.
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thanks so much Suzanne! There are new discoveries everywhere!
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It’s good to see you are finding new things to enjoy and explore with the spring.
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so sorry to be late with my reply Suzanne. I’m still struggling but hanging in there!! Thanks for coming by and I will be over to visit!!
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Sorry to hear you aren’t doing so good. Sending you love and light 🙂
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thanks Suzanne!! It’s improving!!
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Stunning photos, Cybele! Thank you so much for sharing the information with us.
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you are most welcome and thank you too!
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Oh..oh… my breath went to the pit of my lungs there, just looking at these images, especially the last ones. Beautiful.
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thank you darling Shey!!
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You are welcome. I love your posts.
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🙂 ( a bit late as usual!)
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Hell with post like yours dinnae worry xxxxxx
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you are too kind!! 🙂
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And hell….better late than never x
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😀
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Lovely photos, as always. Looks like shimmering leaves in the video. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
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many thanks dear Linda! you too!
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We have only just got a look in and we are well on the way of destroying the lot.
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so true Paula!
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Simply beautiful
As always
I hope all is well
Sheldon
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thank you Sheldon!
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what? no flowers? no Devonian period for me, then! 🌹🌷🌻 Hi Hannah. 🙂
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aww I hear you Robert!!Thanks for time traveling over!
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Love the McMillan forest image, Hannah!
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thanks so much Sue!
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😊
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I love the light on the forest, and ferns! Great history lesson too. 🙂
I hope you have a lovely week-end!
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thank you Deb! I love the forest!
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It’s so interesting to learn about the earth’s changes… The photos are stirring, evocative, and gorgeous! Have a wonderful weekend ahead, Cybele 🙂
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thank you so much Christy!! it is very interesting to me! Blessings!!
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