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Sunday, January 29, 2012

Jelly At The Zoo

 

 

 

IMG_7313_Moon Jellyfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7314_Moon Jellyfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7316_Moon Jellyfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7318_Moon Jellyfish

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_7319_Moon Jellyfish

Moon Jellyfish

 

 

When a person goes to the Zoo most people think of Lions, Tigers, Giraffes, Elephants, Monkeys and such. I decided back in Sept. I would check out a few different species in the Pavilions. I found it challenging due to the lighting in these buildings, and of course the crowds of onlookers, but thought I would give it a try.

I could spend hours at the zoo in awe of all the amazing animals that I see, and want to see. I find it so fascinating. I think I could spend weeks there and not have enough time to spend with all my animal friends. I love animals and so does the One who Created them all. What an imagination our God and Creator has to make such a vast diversity of life on this planet called earth, and we humans haven’t discovered it all yet and probably never will. Scientists are no match for God The Creator of all life, including them. :)

These pictures were taken at the Toronto Zoo which has over 5000 different animal species to see. At some point I will post some of my other zoo pictures.

I will leave information on the Moon Jellyfish at the end of this post for anyone who may be interested in reading it and finding out some fascinating information on this animal. There are plenty of good sites on the internet as well.

I haven’t been out with my camera in quite awhile due to life circumstances. It has been on the shelf for now, but when the time is right I will be back out capturing the beauty that surrounds me each and every day. For now I am just thankful for eyes to see the things around me day by day. I am thankful for many things in my life. Life is precious. I hope to find you all well. Thank you for those of you who remember my mom in your prayers as she suffers from Chronic Kidney Disease. Life is challenging and an uphill battle for her. She is very courageous, and a woman of Faith. I am a much better person because of my mom. She has always been there for me, and I for her.

Hope you all take care and have a wonderful week whatever you do or don’t do.

Until next time and I hope to visit you all soon.

xx’s Dianne :)

 

 

IMG_7316_Moon Jellyfish

 

Moon jellyfish

 

Location at the Toronto Zoo: Australasia

Region:

Australasia

 

Scientific Name:

Aurelia aurita

Description

: Jellyfish are ancient creatures. Fossils have been found in rocks that are 650 million years old. Today there are more than 2000 species. Jellyfish are 95% water, 3% protein, and 1% mineral. There are four life stages from birth to adult. There is no backbone, brain, or heart. Adults drift with the currents, but can swim horizontally by pulsations of the bell to keep close to the surface. A primitive nerve net controls muscle contractions as it swims. The adult form is a transparent bell shape that ranges between 5 and 40 cm wide. Underneath is a central mouth surrounded by four oral arms that carry the stinging tentacles. From above, four crescent shaped gonads surround the mouth. On the rim of the bell are eight sets of eye spots sensitive to light and eight statocysts that help orient jellyfish when swimming. Jellyfish are primitive organisms with an outer layer (ectoderm) that covers the external surface and an inner layer (endoderm) that lines the gut. Between these is a jelly layer or mesoglea. The simple digestive cavity acts as a gullet, stomach, and intestine. There is one opening between the oral arms that acts as a mouth, anus, and entrance for sperm (in females).

Distribution

: Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.

Habitat

: Shallow coastal waters as well as brackish waters with a salt content as low as 0.6 %. Jellyfish can survive in water from 6 ˚C to 31 ˚C. The optimum temperature is 9 ˚C to 19 ˚C.

Food

: Jellyfish are carnivorous plankton eaters. They feed on fish eggs and larval fish and other plankton, such as mollusks, crustaceans, and copepods etc. Food is collected on the mucus surface of the jellyfish and by the tentacles. Flagellar action of the tentacles passes the food items to the margin of the bell and then up into the mouth and stomach.

Reproduction and Development

: Jellyfish are either male or female. Sexual reproduction begins when a male medusa releases sperm through its mouth. The sperm swim into the mouth of a nearby female where fertilization occurs. Further development into free swimming planula (larval stage) occurs in brood pouches along the oral arms. The planula settle on the ocean floor and attach to the bottom forming the polyp. Polyps bud asexually to produce free swimming larvae known as ephyra, which grow into the adult medusa.

Adaptations

: The transparent body makes a jellyfish less visible to predators. Oral arms have tentacles that carry nematocysts (stinging cells) that stun prey or deter predators. About 70 species are harmful to humans. The medusa can shrink in size when food is scarce and grow when it is abundant. Radial symmetry permits finding food in any direction.

Threats to Survival

: Predators include sea turtles, ocean sunfish, spade fish, tuna, swordfish, and other large fish. Humans, particularly in some Asian countries, capture and eat dried non-venomous jellyfish.

Status

: IUCN: Not Evaluated; CITES: Not Listed.

Zoo Diet

: Cyclopeeze, and live brine shrimp.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Sunset

 

 

IMG_9476Sunset

 

 

 

As I was walking I came upon this sunset.

It was a cold night but I didn’t notice or feel the cold while I admired and focused in on the the radiant light that filled the sky and washed over me.

The trees looked so pretty all dressed in a  lace of silhouettes.

The sky was glowing on the edge of night.

I thought to myself , there is a time for the sun to set and a time for the sun to rise.

It is all part of God’s Plan.

May the sun follow you and make your heart glow.

And may you feel its warmth where ever you go.

And when it’s dark

Just rest in Him.

And remember, The Sun Will Rise Again.

Written by Dianne © dsphotocats

 

 

 

Darkness Gives Way To The Light

 Darkness Gives Way To The Light

Sunrise!

 

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I hope you are all doing well.

ox Dianne :)

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Beginnings and A New Year

 

 

 Baby Michael's 1st Christmas

Baby Michael’s First Christmas

               

 

The girls and Santa 2011            Baby Hope’s First Christmas

Hope, Tesa, Jenna and Courtney.

 

 

It seems strange looking back when we have a New Year ahead of us with new beginnings. I haven’t had a lot of time to reflect on this past year, but one thing that stands out for me personally is what a Blessing my Family, and my Grandchildren are to me. Life and Family are precious treasures that I hold dearly. Friends are treasures I hold dearly also. I am so Blessed beyond measure. I have so much to be thankful for.

This past year I have been Blessed with two more of Grandma’s Little Angels as I like to call them. :)

Hope was born premature back in May, and with God’s Grace she has come a long way, and is doing just fine, and just had her first Christmas. Thank you for all who kept her, and us in your prayers for her safe arrival. God heard each and every prayer.

Baby Michael arrived not long after and experienced his first Christmas also. We as a family are so Blessed. Thank you for all who prayed for his safe arrival also.

I now have 5 Grandchildren. Time keeps ticking as the years come and go. Life goes on. We can look back and reflect, and then must move on, and look forward to a New Year and New Beginnings. I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3 in the Bible, where it talks about “There is a time for everything under the sun.

 

As a New Year is upon us we hope for a Happy New Year filled with good things. We all have things we wish for ourselves, and those we hold dearly, friends and family.

The reality is that life is full of good things , and also many hardships, and even disappointments. It is filled with many Happy moments, and also sad moments and even losses. None of us know what is down the road on our Journey Of Life. None of us know what this year will bring but we have Hope for a bright future. In saying all of this I want to wish and pray that each and every one of you will have a Happy and Healthy New Year, and God’s strength, and endurance to get over the times when the road may be a  rough. Keep loving, sharing with friends, and family, and your neighbors, as well as new persons you will meet along your path. There may even be those you will need to forgive, and hopefully reconcile with. Life is too short not to show one another Grace.

I know this post is wordy and long. I haven’t been able to post as much but many of you remain in my thoughts, and prayers. Thank you for your friendship, prayers and support. I look forward to visiting you and your blogs when I can.

Love and Care

Dianne :)

 

I will leave a portion of Ecclesiastics 3 for those who may want to read it.

God Bless each and everyone who may stop by and those who leave their heart prints. Thank you.

Happy New Year !!!

 

…….. 

 

 

Ecclesiastes 3 (New International Version)

 

A Time for Everything

1 There is a time for everything,
   and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
   a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
   a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
   a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
   a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
   a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
   a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
   a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that people will fear him.

15 Whatever is has already been,
   and what will be has been before;
   and God will call the past to account.[b]

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