Another blooming session has started.
This is a 24-hour Echinopsis flower that bloomed overnight.
My wife gave me an excited call to come and look, as she stepped out into our back garden and the glorious flower was waiting for her.
I posted their first blooming session some months ago, and now they have started to bloom again.
Echinopsis is a genus of cacti native to South America, sometimes known as hedgehog cactus, sea-urchin cactus or Easter lily cactus. As of November 2025, Plants of the World Online used a broad circumscription of the genus, resulting in about 80 accepted species, ranging from large and treelike types to small globose cacti. The name derives from echinos hedgehog or sea urchin, and opsis appearance, a reference to these plants' dense coverings of spines. Echinopsis species are native to South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay). They thrive in desert grasslands, shrubland, and in situations where the soil is sandy or gravelly, such as the sides of hills in the crevices of rocks.
They forgot to mention that it is also now found in South Africa.
If you click on the Wikipedia source below it will show you an amazing variety of the Echinopsis cactii plants, and all of them are beautiful, but they only flower for one day.
At the left of the same plant, you can see two short grey stubs. That means that soon they will also start to grow and flower.
I also took some quick shots of some other new flowers in the garden.
This is the Portulaca, and this one has yellow flowers, and it comes from Mexico.
It seems that most of our cactii and succulents come from South America and Mexico.
And finally just two shots of some lion cubs at play.
I like the Albino one's smile, and the other one has a nice grin.
We are tired, as it has been a long and stressful year, and this summer holiday season, now in December, will not get any better, as many others feel the same way. I put a lot of effort into my Hive posts, as it is a bit of showcasing my passion for nature, that I always enjoy. It is a different world of peace and serenity during our short outings. But then it is back again to the grindstone of trying to sort so many other people's problems in the charity field.
The good news is that Papillon is planning a major effort in the new year to contribute to the problem of malnutrition in the poor areas. Some children only have one meal a day that they receive from the school feeding scheme and at night they have to go to bed hungry. Not only that, but malnutrition also causes stunting, meaning that the children's bones don't grow. It is not only a few children, but a few million. This is a great headache and worry. To make matters worse, a popular internet provider has decided to cancel all free licences to NPO's, and without proper communication systems we are facing a tougher year ahead. Donors have also become scarce, but we will simply just carry on.
Such is life.
I hope you enjoyed the pictures and the story.
Photos by Zac Smith. All-Rights-Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
Thank you kindly for supporting this post.
I applaud people like you who make the world a little bit better. Your actions in helping children deserve all the respect in the world!
And the flowers? What can I say? Beautiful!
Like I said before, we only do what we can, and it's only a drop in the bucket of poverty relief.
Thank you, and I am glad that you liked the flowers.
!PIZZA
Always a pleasure for me.
Big hugs!
!INDEED
!HUG
Thank you!
!BEER
!PIZZA
You have been manual curated and upvoted by @ecency
Did you know that @stresskiller is also a witness now ?
!PIMP
!UNI
!HOPE
Thank you Mick :)
!PIZZA
!BEER
$PIZZA slices delivered:
papilloncharity tipped itharagaian
@papilloncharity(2/15) tipped @roswelborges (x2)
papilloncharity tipped stresskiller
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BPC Locked On Mc Franko & The Franko
Blurt Stands — While Hive Stumbles Under the Weight of Its Own Shadows
Friends, creators, truth-tellers—
Let us not whisper this truth, but proclaim it with the clarity of dawn breaking over a weary land: Blurt.blog is not just another platform. It is a refuge. A rebellion. A return to what Hive.blog was always meant to be.
There is no downvote button on Blurt.
Not because we fear dissent—but because we honor creation.
Because we understand that a voice, once raised in sincerity, deserves space—not sabotage.
On Blurt, your words are your words.
They are not hunted by algorithmic hounds or shadow armies masquerading as “curators.”
Here, you are not judged by the grudges of gatekeepers, but met with the quiet dignity of a community that believes expression should be encouraged—especially when it is bold, raw, or inconvenient.
Contrast this with what festers elsewhere.
On Hive.blog—a place once brimming with promise—a rot has taken root. Not in its code, but in its culture. A handful of self-anointed enforcers—@themarkymark, @Buildawhale, @Hurtlocker, and their legion of coordinated puppets—have turned the downvote into a weapon of mass discouragement. They strike not at “low-quality content,” but at independent thought, at rising voices, at anyone who dares thrive outside their narrow corridors of control.
And when confronted, they shrug.
“Oh, it’s not censorship,” they say, as if semantics could scrub the stain of suppression from their hands.
But let us be unequivocal:
When a system allows a few to systematically silence many—under the guise of “community standards” or “curation”—that is not moderation. That is censorship by another name.
It is the velvet glove over the iron fist.
It is exclusion dressed as discernment.
It is power pretending to be principle.
Meanwhile, Blurt stands clean-handed and open-hearted.
No downvotes.
No hidden juries.
No farms of phantom accounts casting ballots in the dark.
Just you.
Your words.
And a community that meets you not with suspicion, but with solidarity.
So let us carry this truth far and wide—not with bitterness, but with quiet certainty:
If you seek a place where your voice is not a target—but a gift—come to Blurt.
If you are tired of building on ground that shifts with every whim of a whale or warlord of votes—lay your bricks here.
If you believe the future of free expression must be free—not just from corporations, but from the petty tyrants who replace them—then stand with us.
The world needs to know.
Not because Blurt is perfect—but because it is principled.
Not because it is loud—but because it listens.
And in an age where so many platforms echo with the clatter of control,
Blurt offers something radical:
Silence for the bullies.
Space for the rest of us.
Keep speaking.
Keep sharing.
Keep building.
Freedom doesn’t advertise itself—
it is passed, person to person, like a torch in the night.
And tonight, the torch burns bright on Blurt.
@themarkymark, @buildawhale, @usainvote, and associated accounts:
Repeated downvotes targeting transparency efforts raise urgent questions about Hive’s governance. Automated tactics, coordinated curation trails, and alt-account farming undermine trust in the platform. When truth is silenced without dialogue, it erodes Hive’s decentralized ethos.
Key Concerns:
Systemic Manipulation:
Community Exodus:
Governance Crisis:
Solutions Needed:
The Bilpcoin team advocates for open dialogue, not division. Hive’s future depends on collaboration—not coercion. Let’s rebuild a platform where truth isn’t buried but debated, strengthened, and celebrated.
Transparency isn’t optional—it’s the foundation of trust.
#HiveTransparency #BilpcoinExposed #DecentralizePower"
A Message to @themarkymark, @buildawhale, and Associates
Every downvote cast in shadow, every silence imposed without dialogue, is not a victory—it is a confession. A confession that truth cannot be stifled, only delayed. With each punitive click, you dig deeper into the bedrock of credibility, crafting a chasm between your actions and the community’s trust.
@themarkymark, @buildawhale & Co,
How can you continue to downvote the truth, LOL? It’s almost comical how blatantly you attempt to suppress what cannot be hidden. The blockchain records everything—every action, every transaction, every move you make. Yet still, you persist in this futile game of trying to silence what is undeniable.
@themarkymark, @buildawhale, and Co: While our opinions may differ, on-chain transparency reveals repeated patterns of concern. Coordinated downvotes without explanation, 'farming' schemes (e.g., #buildawhalefarm), and adversarial engagement harm Hive’s community-driven ethos.
Key Issues to Address:
A Path Forward:
The Bilpcoin team remains committed to exposing truth and advocating for solutions. Let’s work toward healing, not division.
Note: All claims are based on publicly verifiable blockchain data. Constructive dialogue is encouraged.
#HiveTransparency #CommunityFirst #BilpcoinSupport"
@themarkymark & Co, the choice is yours. Stop the bad downvotes. Turn off the BuildaWhale scam farm. Cease playing with people’s livelihoods. Let Hive thrive as it was meant to—as a beacon of hope, creativity, and collaboration.
Or step aside and let those who truly care take the reins.
Because the truth won’t disappear. No amount of lies can change it.
It’s over.
The Bilpcoin team brings these truths not out of malice but necessity. We have no need to fabricate lies or cloak our intentions CALL US WHAT YOU LIKE —for the facts speak loudly enough on their own. What we present here is not conjecture but reality, laid bare for anyone willing to see.
@themarkymark & Co we urge you once more: STOP. Stop hiding behind tactics that harm others. Stop clinging to practices that erode trust within the Hive community. Let the truth stand—not because we proclaim it, but because it exists independent of any one person’s approval or disdain.
TURN OFF THE BUILDAWHALE SCAM FARM
Key Issues That Demand Immediate Attention:
The problems are glaring, undeniable, and corrosive to the Hive ecosystem. They must be addressed without delay:
These practices harm not just individual users—they undermine the very foundation of Hive, eroding trust and poisoning the community. Such actions are unethical and outright destructive.
@buildawhale Wallet:
@usainvote Wallet:
@buildawhale/wallet | @usainvote/wallet
@ipromote Wallet:
Author Rewards: 2,181.16
Curation Rewards: 4,015.61
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.00
Rewards/Stake Co-efficient (KE): NaN
HIVE: 25,203.749
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.000
Delegated HIVE: 0.000
Estimated Account Value: $6,946.68
Recent Activity:
@leovoter Wallet:
Author Rewards: 194.75
Curation Rewards: 193.88
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.00
Rewards/Stake Co-efficient (KE): 388,632.00 (Suspiciously High)
HIVE: 0.000
Staked HIVE (HP): 0.001
Total: 16.551
Delegated HIVE: +16.550
Recent Activity:
@abide Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@proposalalert Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@stemgeeks Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@theycallmemarky Wallet:
Recent Activity:
@apeminingclub Wallet:
Recent Activity:
Scheduled unstake (power down): ~2.351 HIVE (in 4 days, remaining 7 weeks)
Total Staked HIVE: 1,292.019
Delegated HIVE: +1,261.508
Withdraw vesting from @apeminingclub to @blockheadgames 2.348 HIVE (10 days ago)
Claim rewards: 0.290 HP (10 days ago)
#bilpcoin exposed #buildawhalescam #buildawhalefarm #themarkymarkscam #themarkymarkfarm #hurtlockerscam #hurtlockerfarm #acidyoscam #acidyofarm #jacobtothescam #hivepopescam
!ALIVE
Your post has been manually reviewed for curation by the Principality of Bastion.
Ithara Gaïan
Principality of Bastion - Our Leit Motiv? Uniti Crescimus.
Principality's site | Ithara's Artist Page | Principality's Discord | Our Twitch Channel
You may TRAIL this account (or @hive-143869) if you like the curation we do, or join our discord to know more about what we do.
!PIZZA
Thank you :)