Monday 1 June 2009

The Giraffe Method of Stress Release ...

There are pressured times on Planet Earth, and I know that many of my human friends are feeling stressed.

I thought therefore that I would tell you about our gentle giraffe method of stress release ...

We giraffes love to eat fruit, and one of our favourites is raspberries. There is an area of land behind the shops along Neckelchester Front Street used for fruit and vegetable cultivation. Here you will find our lovely all-year-round raspberry patches.



Imagine a warm June evening. As the sun sets, the full moon rises in a pink sky, haloing the edges of the raspberry stems and leaves with light. The atmosphere is tranquil as the residents of the village move quietly among the plants.

Come and join us, dear bloggy friends. Don't let your stress build up ...





Join us in our peaceful method of stress release ... blow a gentle giraffe raspberry!

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AWARD! A warm thank you to Mad Aunt Bernard for giving me the Zombie Chicken Award for silliness. I take my silliness very seriously, and really appreciate this. Do visit her splendid blog, where you can see the award, (I can't seem to load awards up on my computer), and read her tortoise poetry and other wonderful posts. (You know, I think she is rather neccentric too!)

48 comments:

Kitty Stampede said...

mmmm...Raspberries,Giraffes have very good taste. These are amazing illustrations!!! What a great blog!
Thanks for popping by my silliness!

Janet said...

Oh boy! I'll be there to join you. A gentle giraffe raspberry sounds just like heaven to me!

marigirl said...

Ooo, raspberries in a pink night! Lovely. :) Traditionally in May i go hunt for blackberries, and just today I walked by a hillside/road embankment of blackberry brambles here in Japan! I'll keep an eye out for rippening berries (this would be a good time to have a long giraffe neck...). What is it about picking/munching berries that is so stress-relieving?

Heather said...

What bliss Raph - all-year-round raspberries. I can remember being allowed to pick them from my grandmother's garden to have on my breakfast cereal before going to school. That was life on another planet too.

Mad Aunt Bernard said...

Thankyou Raph, and you're welcome! I shall spend this warm June evening in the garden, under a pink sky, blowing gentle giraffe rasperries in honour of your splendid post. I might even buy some for puddies after tea, too....

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Clorivak! I'm honoured that you like my blog. I shall be popping by yours again too.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

You're very welcome to join us here, Janet!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hello Marigirl! A long neck is definitely most useful for eating fruit! Enjoy your blackberries.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Ooh, raspberries on breakfast cereal, Heather! I shall have to try that - I wonder if they go nicely with porridge?

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Raspberries for puddies after tea, Aunt Bernard! Now there's a good idea. With cereal for breakfast, puddies for tea - I wonder what recipe we should have them in for lunch?

Unknown said...

Hi Raph,

Raspberries go very well with porridge and you could try putting a few into a nice refreshing salad for lunch. I always think fruits such as kiwi and physalis (cape gooseberries) go well in salad.

Great stress relief!

Rosemary said...

Here in my Human world , the stress relief you have described sounds perfect, raspberries (a favourite) can do; the pink sky might be a bit more of a challenge. Hum..............

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Ooh, yes that sounds great, Derrick! I think we'll have cold pasta mixed with onions, garlic, peppers, banana, mayonnaise, a little curry powder, and lots of cheese grated over it. The raspberries will make a lovely garnish!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Some of the best pink skies are at dawn here, Rosemary. At around 5am today, there was a wondrous pink sky, and the sun was gleaming a gentle gold on the tree-trunks.

Unknown said...

Since I'm personally under a lot of stress these days, I'll give raspberries a go.... blueberries definitely don't work!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hope the raspberries work, Gaston Studio - let me know!

Jeane Myers said...

aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh - felling much better! thanks Raph :)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

That's great, Jeane! Planet Earth raspberries must be as de-stressing as Camelopardalian ones!

The Weaver of Grass said...

I am glad you do not live near to our raspberry patch - otherwise I would not be able to make so much raspberry jam! I never thought Raph, when I posted the picture of the grass, how it would make your mouth water.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I don't usually eat grass, Weaver - but it just looks so nice and spinachy on your photo!

Barbara Martin said...

Walking in nature or a park always reduces my stress, Raph. But, raspberries sound divine.

bindu said...

Your illustrations are so serene! It would be great to join you there.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

We don't have much in the way of stress here in Giraffe World, Barbara, and what little we have - raspberries take care of! (And sitting reading with the teacosy on one's head!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Bindu! You are most welcome to join us in the serene landscapes of Camelopardalis!

Rune Eide said...

A bit early for the common, garden variety of raspberries, but the human variety works well. Maybe the giraffe one would too?

Raph G. Neckmann said...

The Giraffe Method of Stress Release always works, RuneE! :)

Lyn said...

A grateful thank you for your lovely suggestion..funny how similar all our dreams and wishes really are..and the reality of raspberries..yes!!

Eleanor said...

Sadly we don't have a lot of wild berries around here and at present, in spite of very sunny days, the nights are chilly. It is hard to pick berries when one is all bundled up! By the way you did identify that plant correctly in a previous blog - common name wild dagga. Dagga is the African equivalent for marijuana. But I have never chewed any leaves, at night or day, to see if it lives up to its name! I have another pic in Monday's post.

Thank you for all your visits.

Heather said...

Thanks for the tip about paragraph spacings Raph. I'm not clever enough to play about with colours but Maggie Grey uses full stops between photos to stop them bunching up, so I have tried that. Between you, you have sorted me out.

Madame DeFarge said...

Looking at your wonderful drawings is relaxation enough for me. I find them a great stress reliever, as they suggest a gentler, more peaceful world.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

It is interesting, Lyn, as you say, how similar all our dreams and wishes are - even across the Intergalactic miles!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Hi Eleanor - I imagine it would be difficult to pick fruit when all bundled up! Here the raspberries are cultivated not wild, and grown in special patches.

I had to check over at your blog which plant you meant when you said 'Dagga' - I only know it by the name Leonotis. You may remember my posts on Garden Design Giraffe Style (http://raphs-ramblings.blogspot.com/search/label/Giraffe%20Gardening)- I wanted to include Leonotis 'Staircase' (which is a nice tall variety) in my garden. I like the little pom-pom shapes that grow up the long stem - very giraffy! The plants didn't grow in time for the design, so they are not on the photos. (I wasn't aware of it's other properties - we don't smoke here in Giraffe World!!)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Glad you are sorted, Heather! I shall come and see the full stops!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

I'm glad you find my pictures a great stress reliever, Madame DeFarge! It is a great honour.

A gentle and peaceful world is good to live in.

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm blowing one! Oops, I didn't mean to spray you with slobber!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

It's OK, Willow, I always take my umbrella with me to the raspberry fields!

Cloudia said...

Thanks!
I needed that.
Tonight I shall dream of halo-ed rasberries, and of gentle giraffes dreamily moving among them of a June eve. LOVELY, Mr. NECKman
ps: You are invited to a virtual celebration of life ay my blog tomorrow (Weds).
Aloha my dreamy friend-

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Cloudia! Glad you enjoyed the raspberries, and hope you had peaceful, halo-ed dreams!

A celebration! Sounds good ... thank you!

Diane AZ said...

Aha, I see why your favorite color is orange! I love those tall raspberry plants. Delightful post!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Diane C.! 'There is no blue without orange ...' Glad you enjoyed the post!

Brenda said...

I stuck my neck out and became a follower. I love silliness. I will be back to read more of your creative blog.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Brenda, I am honoured! You are very welcome, and will find plenty of silliness here as we all stick our necks out for our dreams!!

Cloudia said...

WELL worth a second go!
Aloha

Raph G. Neckmann said...

A second go, Cloudia! I am honoured - glad you enjoyed our halo-ed raspberries again!

A Cuban In London said...

Loved it. Totally loved this giraffe raspberry kiss. Many thanks. Will try it tonight. I hope she won't mind the long neck :-).

Greetings from London.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Cuban in London! Have a lovely evening:)

olivia said...

Lovely raspberries ... I will definitely blow some the next time I'm stressed, and will have to get some for eating too ... yum. :)

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Thank you Olivia - enjoy the raspberries!