Snap it {inside plants}

Today's Snap it theme is inside.

Excuse me while I become a botanist for a minute.
When I used to demonstrate in the undergraduate practical classes with Rob, one of the activities we did a lot of was hand sectioning of plants.
This was something that takes a little practise, to get a perfectly even slice of stem or leaf with a razor blade (and not slicing the top of your finger off). The plant material is sandwiched in preserved carrot to make it easier to slice. Then once all your little sections are swirling around in a bowl of water you would pick out a few nice ones, pop them on a glass microscope slide and apply some Toluidine blue stain. This stain is taken up by the different cells and if a cell wall contains lignin it will go sky blue or pectin it will go purple. A cover slide was placed carefully over the top and then onto the microscope platform to examine. That's when the fun begins, identifying the cell types and drawing them. This was the bit I used to help the students with.
Australian native plants have to deal with a very harsh environment. Examining their anatomy (how their cells are arranged) you can find out how they adapt to combat the stresses they must overcome to survive. Hiding stomata in furrows so that the plant doesn't lose too much water, thick waxy cuticles to reflect light, increased numbers of lignified cells to create hard leaves that protect the plant from wilting.
Here are a few of the resulting sections through various plants. I think they look stained glass windows.

Playing along over here today.

Friday Flowers

Camellias - I love them. We have been collecting some of my favourites in pots for a while now. Just trying to work out the best place for them at the hut. The gardens at uni are a bit eclectic, but behind one of the big buildings is a lovely planting of camellias. Here are a couple of my favourites. I'm thinking of taking some cuttings from them in summer.

You have to start somewhere.

Well, I’ve done it. I’ve been thinking of starting a blog for a couple of months. Problem was what about? I thought originally it would follow the building of our hut. Unfortunately that has been delayed a little while, so I was a bit lost for inspiration. Then I’ve become wracked with doubts. Will my writing be of any interest to anyone else? Will I start then lose interest myself? Am I ready to make public some of my thoughts & experiences?

I have become an avid follower of a few blogs and they are usually connected with food. Most of the writers are Tasmanians. I guess I feel more at home with familiar places they describe or topics they discuss.

So what will I talk about?

I do love food and eating out, but there are already several excellent local blogs:
–Rita’s Bite- a comprehensive coverage of Tasmanian restaurants & cafes, thoroughly informative and entertaining- but I don’t eat out enough to warrant an entire blog on this;

–The view from my porch- a look at the other side of the restaurant industry- often amusing and thought provoking, with a steady undercurrent of love of the local produce; well having never worked in the industry I obviously can’t go there;

–Hugo & Elsa-beautiful photos of an idyllic life in the Tasmanian countryside, including plenty of (wickedly) decadent cakes; this one is a favourite, always a refreshing insight into an enviable life- but sends me into a confidence spin- I bake cakes but I’ll need to work on my presentation & photo skills!

–Reminiscence of a Food Tragic-Thoroughly knowledgeable & instructive, describing a life-time love of food- I’ve only just begun my own journey with food, how can my memories compare?

–Food Trail-an exotic ride to destinations with fantastic food along the way- travel? I do enjoy travel and certainly food is always a major factor in where I go and why – but I’m really a homebody so it’s going to look a bit lame!

–Once A waitress, always a waitress-a writer with 10 years experience as a waitress, another insight into food and local eating in Hobart- gulp, a writer? Damn my science background with its near complete lack of training in communication skills!

So as you can see, I’ve nearly convinced myself I should stop before I begin.

But then there is this niggling need to share in this web community, instead of being on the periphery.

So what will I write about?

Food/cooking/eating: sure why not? It dominates my life- and is something that ought to be shared for full enjoyment rather than partaken alone.

Produce, Gardening & plants: I’m a botanist, I live with another one, what can I say? Plants are ingrained in my psyche now, but don’t worry I won’t go too heavy on you.

Nigella: the German Shepherd, not her namesake, well I may not write so much as feature her in the pictures- she certainly the most photogenic of us all, and doesn’t mind if I take her photo (in fact she expects it I’m sure). She’s my fur baby, and ironically enough, a connoisseur of food herself. Her favourite food you ask? Roast duck.

The hut: it has been my home for the last 4 years, even though it hasn’t been built, yet. We’re working on it, got the block, driveway, power & orchard sorted.

So I hope you will join me on the hut chronicles.