Contrary to popular belief, there still are snakes slithering about in cold weather…Last few night’s trailcam treasures!!!…

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There are no captions on today’s photos. They speak for themselves!

Many locals and visitors to Marloth Park perceive that they won’t encounter snakes in cold weather. But, this is not the case, as illustrated below from local Juan de Beer’s Facebook entry, which he posted yesterday. Juan is a young, highly skilled rescuer of reptiles and other animals found in the bush and nearby outlying areas.

It astounds us how successful and experienced he has been. We knew him when he was a teenager, and many of us here in Marloth Park feel safer knowing he is at our beck and call if we encounter a snake in the house or on the veranda.; Of course, if a snake is spotted in the garden and wandering off, there’s no need to call Juan.

Snakes and other reptiles are a part of Marloth Park and have as much a right to be here as we do, if not more. They were here long before humans inhabited this area. It is sad to see snakes driven over by vehicles on the roads and the countless wildlife killed on the roads here. More on that tomorrow. We were horrified to read the latest update on how many animals have been killed on Olifant Road, the main paved road in the park, in the past week.

So, here is Juan’s update on how many reptiles were captured and transferred to parkland and wildlife areas in the past two months, and June isn’t even over yet.

Juan’s Reptile Rescue

April and May 2022🐍🦎 🦂🐊

Rescue’s for this month from the Unit⚠️☠⚠️
1.Black mamba= 25
2.Puff Adder= 24
3.Mozambique Spitting cobra= 25
4.Rock Monitor= 17
5.Spotted bush snake= 14
6.Eastern Tiger snake= 1
7.Common wolf snake= 1
8.Olive grass snake= 2
9.Boomslang= 7
10.Southern Twig snake= 2
11.Southern African python= 1
12.common file snake= 1
13.Brown house snake= 4
14.Crocodile= 1
15.Chameleon= 1
16.Marbled tree snake= 1
17.Eastern bark snake= 1
18.Tree agama= 1
19.Short snouted grass snake= 1
Rescue’s in total ~ 130
Juan’s Reptile Rescue Unit 🐍🐊🦎🦂🕷
Safe removal and release of all Reptile’s❗❗
(Marloth Park, Kruger National Park, Komatipoort, Hectorspruit and surrounding area’s)
Juan’s Reptile Rescue Unit:
060 665 5000📲
Available 24/7
No charge for a call out❗❗
To know that he rescued 25 black mambas, one of the most dangerous snakes in the world, leaves one a little more cautious when walking in the garden, on the dirt, in the bush, and even in the house. When snakes seek warmth, they may enter the house. We’ve heard stories of highly venomous snakes being rescued from homes on many occasions.
Of course, we must remain vigilant every day and evening, keeping doors closed, especially since the veranda is on ground level. We keep our bedroom door closed, day and night, mainly to keep mosquitoes and other insects from entering. But, this measure is also vital to keep snakes from entering a bedroom that may have snuck into the house when occupants weren’t watching.
We shout out to Juan and the other reptile rescuers residing in Marloth Park and surrounding areas, who also provide superior support and handling in this area.
Here’s some good advice for anyone who encounters a snake such as a black mamba or many others:
“Black mambas are territorial, so don’t go looking for a fight. If you see or hear one, leave it alone. Do not go near the snake; if it tries to escape, let it. If it feels cornered, you’ll face its wrath.”

There are countless reliable sites online that can be useful regarding safety when encountering snakes or other dangerous reptiles. For example, this site from Kruger National Park is a good source of information, as many others. For those living or staying in Marloth Park and other conservancies and camps in Africa, it’s imperative to conduct research and become educated on safety around all forms of wildlife, even those who appear to be gentle and non-combative.
Enjoy today’s photos from our trail cam taken over the last few days. We were thrilled to see the visitors that arrived when we were either inside making dinner or later in the evening, during the night or in the early morning.
Be safe. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 11, 2021:

Tom stayed busy for quite a while tossing pellets to these five wildebeests. For more photos, please click here.

Part 3…This house…

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View from the dining room to the kitchen.

It’s been a busy morning. Many animals came by for pellets, mainly warthogs and kudus, including an adorable baby kudu, perhaps less than a month old. We don’t have a birdbath at this house, but most wildlife drink from the pool. When summer is sweltering, we’ll put out a pot of water for the mongooses, warthogs, and birds who can’t partake of the water in the splash pool. The mongooses and warthogs can’t reach the pool, and the birds don’t seem interested in drinking from a pool.

Another view from the dining room to the kitchen.

Very little chlorine is used in private pools in Marloth Park since it’s common for the wildlife to drink from them. We never use splash pools when we prefer a normal-sized pool and aren’t interested in languishing in a pool of water filled with a wide array of “bush” things. Zef and Vusi clean the pool regularly, but they have no control over the dust in the air, falling leaves and debris from vegetation, dead scorpions, and other insects that may fall in day and night.

As we sit on the veranda, day after day, we’re in awe of what treasures may appear at any given moment. Whether it’s birds, rodents, lizards, snakes, or the many other animals that come to call, we never tire of seeing them. Plus, it’s extra exceptional living in this house which abuts the parkland, and we have even more expansive views than we had at the last house.

We are thrilled with this colossal refrigerator, twice as big as the last house.

Don’t get me wrong, we loved that location, but the house was small, although it had all the needed amenities. But, here, it’s entirely different. A few years ago, Louise and Danie lived in this house before they built the Marloth Park Info Centre, to which their current home is attached.

Theirs is a fantastic house, and we see many personal touches they incorporated into this house when they remodeled it, serving us well right now. The only peculiarity is the lack of electric outlets and conveniently located light switches. But that is typical in Africa. In South Africa, there aren’t the regulations we found in the US requiring so many outlets in each room, based on its dimensions.

This huge oven is a real plus for us since we oven-bake.

The electric plug-ins here make using small appliances very tricky. Many small appliances such as mixers, hair dryers, and blenders have different types of plugs, none of which work for our bevy of adapters and converters. But, somehow, we figure it out and manage to use what we need.

We’re grateful to have a food processor, blender, hand mixer, and several types of coffee-making devices. Tom uses the French press for his coffee, and I use decaf coffee crystals with hot water from the teapot, which surprisingly makes excellent coffee. After living in India in a hotel room without laundry facilities, we’re grateful to have a good quality washing machine.

The separate area is called the scullery, where dirty dishes can be out of sight.

As I’ve previously mentioned, clothes dryers are rare in the bush. Houses here don’t have city-supplied natural gas. Propane is used as an alternative. Electric clothes dryers use a lot of electricity, and with the power problems in South Africa resulting in load shedding (planned power outages), having a clothes dryer makes no sense. Besides, most days are sunny here, making outdoor drying easy.

There’s limited cabinet space since there are no above-counter cabinets. But we’ve made it work for us.

Oops, I just had to run outside while putting a few things away in the bedroom. A zebra looked in the window at me, wondering where the pellets were. We took several photos, which we’ll share in the next few days. How fun is that!

The coffee, tea, and toast prep area.

As for today…this is Friday, and at 1700 hrs, 5:00 pm, we’ll head to Jabula to have fun at the bar, followed by dinner, enjoying the fabulous service and consistently great food. Tomorrow evening friends Fiona and Alan are coming for sundowners. We’ll put together an array of appetizers and be bundled up for the evening in this cool weather.

View from the kitchen to the dining area. The main bedroom is in the background.

Danie had the outdoor heater repaired for us while we were away. Based on the forecast, I think we’ll need to use it tomorrow evening and on many other evenings to come. It’s almost winter in the bush!

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 10, 2021:

Tiny and the first monkey we spotted this morning. For more photos, please click here.

Part 2…This house…An easy method for storing locally grown avocados…

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Our primary bedroom on the main floor has a comfy king-sized bed with fine bedding and an ensuite bathroom.

Yesterday, we posted a few photos of this holiday rental, and today we’re adding a few more of the interior. We may have shown these photos in the past but bear with me for those who may not have seen them.

I got a late start to the post when I was busy making blueberry muffins for Tom in the kitchen. He eats two each morning with his coffee, and since I had enough ingredients, I decided to triple the batch.

I didn’t realize how hard it would be to make 42 muffins from scratch. By the time they were all ready for the oven, I was pooped. (Thanks, Louise, for the three muffins pans). After being sick for six weeks and mostly lying around, relatively inactive, I realized how important it is that I get back into a consistent walking and exercise routine.

Still feeling run-down and tired from Covid-19, I committed to myself that by next Monday, the work must begin of getting in no less than 8000 steps a day along with some stretching and mobility enhancing exercises. I must admit I am not looking forward to it when still feeling out-of-sorts and lethargic. But, I know that I must do this.

The decor in the bedroom and the remainder of the house is calming and pleasing to the eye.

I’ll begin slowly, building up stamina. Once we left here on March 23, I stopped the daily walking, although I got in plenty of steps once we got to Las Vegas, staying in the massive Green Valley Ranch, Spa, and Casino. But, we arrived here a week later and got sick with salmonella; I haven’t resumed significant vigorous walking due to a lack of strength. It’s only been a little over a week since the awful gastrointestinal illness abated.

I am trying to assign myself one project daily that requires me to stand on my feet. The muffin baking project took everything out of me, and now I find myself sitting on the bed, propped up with pillows to get my feet up, recovering from the 90 minutes I spent standing in the kitchen. I’m sure in time; this weakness will pass. But, the sooner I start walking, the better.

It’s so easy to get lazy and spend the better part of each day sitting outdoors, reveling in the endless stream of treasures before our eyes. Certainly, the mental and emotional benefits of enjoying nature are worthwhile. But, sitting is not. I must and will make every effort to end this cycle of inactivity.

The master bath has a large walk-in shower (not shown in the photos) and this oversized tub, which I’ve yet to use.

Well, in any case, the 42 blueberry muffins came out perfectly and now are in sandwich-sized Ziplock bags, two muffins per bag, and are in a specific “muffin drawer” in the freezer. Each day Tom takes out one pack of two and defrosts them for the next morning’s coffee.  I still have some low-carb blueberry scones left; I’ve savored each morning with my decaf coffee—what a treat.

The low-carb blueberry scones recipe requires the use of almond flour. Yesterday, at Spar Market, I purchased four small bags of almond flour. There were each ZAR 135, US $8.87. I bought four packs, significantly adding to our grocery bill when we checked out. It’s a little less costly at Takealot, South Africa’s Amazon look-alike, and they offer free shipping, so that I will purchase it there from now on.

Otherwise, most items at Spar are very reasonable. We stocked up yesterday and may not have to shop for a few weeks. Meat is still a good buy as well as locally grown produce. Tom’s been eating bananas again, and they are priced as they were in the US 20 to 30 years ago.

Each week I buy a one kg bag ( 2.2 pounds) of ten small-sized avocados at ZAR 34.99, US $2.30, and make a point of eating one daily. I ripen them in a wooden bowl on the counter, and once they are ripe, I transfer them to a tightly sealed container in the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. This way, they keep for weeks. I don’t put any of those that aren’t ripe yet into the fridge. Otherwise, they will be hard and inedible. With this method, I never have to throw away any avocados.

Today? We’re both feeling a little tired and will continue to work on improving our health. Tonight for dinner? Grass-fed burgers on the braai, no bun, with bacon, purple onion, sliced tomato, aged cheddar cheese, and lettuce. On the side was a big coleslaw salad and steamed white rice for Tom.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 9, 2021:

Here is our new friend, One Tusk. We’ve seen another warthog with only one tusk, but this one has a substantial remaining tusk. For more photos, please click here.

Part 1…This house…

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As shown in the photo, this house has a few extra rental units to the left if we should have guests and need more room than the two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.

We couldn’t be more thrilled with this house. (Note: All of today’s photos were taken by Louise). Not only does it provide us with added space and a more functional kitchen, but the veranda is ideal for our needs, roomy for entertaining and multiple guests. In the old house, 2 km from here, we were limited to the number of sundowner events or dinner guests we invited. Here we have more flexibility and can easily accommodate 12 guests, which we may entertain from time to time.

In the old house, Love Bird’s Nest, we were limited to six guests at any given time, and even that was tight. Although the current veranda dining table is best suited to six, we can easily accommodate eight with the addition of a few chairs. Plus, as shown in today’s photos, we have the bar, where we can seat six more.

We don’t have all the chairs we’d need if we invited 12, but all we’d have to do is tell Louise, and she’d arrange for Zef and Vusi to bring extra chairs, dishes, silverware, or anything we may need.

There’s an array of attractive serving pieces to accompany any sized meal, kept in the store room off the living room, some of which we’ll use for smaller events. Besides all of this, Louise left the kitchen well-stocked with abundant spices and condiments and tea with several coffee-making accouterments, some of which we may never use but certainly look pretty on the cement kitchen counters.

We have moved the two bamboo chaises to the far left to avoid impeding the view of the animals. Note the firepit and stone benches to the far right.

The countertops are cement, which I would have found too commercial-looking and lacking in style in my old life. But, here in Africa, they are modern and practical. They are easy to clean, can handle any hot pans, and are unlikely to chip or crack like granite or other surfaces in this environment.

Another feature in the kitchen, which we love, is the scullery kitchen, a separate area for dirty dishes and cleanup. There’s no dishwasher, but two sinks aren’t always included in many bush houses. The hot water takes time to get to the faucet, requiring we turn it on well ahead of doing dishes; for the first time, we leave dishes in the sink for the subsequent washing.

Of course, Tom does all of the dishes after dinner each evening, and if I am prepping for a meal, using multiple pots and pans, one of us will take care of those during the day. We don’t want to attract ants and other insects from food left on plates. We are mindful of reducing the number of insects that enter the house.

Speaking of insects, this is chiggers/no-see-ums season. Once it is more consistently cold, with winter officially starting on June 21, they should be less of a nuisance soon. I am covered with hundreds of bites, that I get every year when we’re here. This morning I protected myself from head to toe with repellent, and I am wearing a bugs-away shirt with a long-sleeved body-hugging shirt underneath.

Here is the bar on the veranda with comfy high-top chairs on both sides. We can seat six at the bar.

My only exposed skin is my neck and hands, both of which most of the bites are concentrated. At night I wear a lightweight hoodie to bed and cover my neck and ears. Instead of using night cream right now, I am using repellent on my face. In the past week, I got several bites on my face. These bites are slow to heal and stop itching, easily lasting two to three weeks. Tom doesn’t attract any insects and doesn’t get a single insect bite. Lucky guy!

We will be shopping today and looking for a continuous repellent dispensing device in the bedroom. Right now, Tom has been spraying in the late afternoon, leaving ample time for the smell to dissipate before we head to bed. This helps but is not a perfect solution since I still get bit during the night.

Hopefully, the season will soon change sufficiently for this to stop being a problem. Many Facebook posts have been discussing this issue in Marloth Park right now. As we always say, “It’s the nature of the beast.” which is more accurate here than anywhere.

Now, we’re off to Komatipoort for shopping. We have a few shops we need to visit and our weekly trip to Spar. We’re getting well stocked each time we shop at Spar and soon won’t be spending as much as we’ve been this first month.

Have a fantastic day, and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 8, 2021:

An elephant we spotted during our visit to the Crocodile River. For more photos, please click here.

A drive through the park searching for photo ops…Staffing issues throughout the world…

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For a moment, my heart skipped a beat when I thought this was Little. But the tusks were too big and the body too small. We’ll keep watching for him.

Yesterday afternoon after uploading the post, we headed out to drive through the park for the first time since we arrived two weeks ago, searching for photos for our posts. After driving on the pot-hole-ridden, uneven dirt roads, we decided to head back to the house, bouncing in the little rental car for 90 minutes.

We didn’t take a single photo when we didn’t encounter any wildlife except for a few impalas and zebras at too far a distance. In the same manner that visiting Kruger National Park can be a bust, we returned, accepting that sometimes sightings are limited. We weren’t disappointed. We’ve learned to accept such an occurrence. After all, it’s nature that can be unpredictable at times.

Big Daddy gracefully jumped over the fence.

Next week, we’ll head to Kruger to purchase our one-year pass to the park at SanPark‘s business office at the Crocodile Gate entrance, the closest entry point to our location.. At this point, staffing is an issue due to the pandemic, and we’ll get faster results if we apply in person rather than online.

This is the case with many businesses in South Africa and as we’d observed in the US. Many shops and restaurants either went out of business or are operating on a short-staffed basis. It’s sad to see how people haven’t gone back to work and there are hiring signs everywhere. While in the US we were shocked to see that some of our favorite restaurants were no longer in business.

It’s great to see Stringy here. He now stops by each day as he did at the old house.

This is the case worldwide, not just in South Africa and the US. On top of that, many customers become angry and frustrated when service is slow due to staffing shortages. While we were sick in Minneapolis and ordered unwiches, the delicious bread-free sandwiches from the chain Jimmy John’s. As ill as Tom was, we drove to a nearby location a few times to order.

No longer could we go inside the shop and place an order.  We had to go back out to the car, place and pay for the order online on my phone, and wait for the designated time to enter the shop to pick up the two unwiches. A sign at the shop said, “Please be kind to our staff. Due to staffing issues resulting from the pandemic, we are grateful for the staff we have.”

Chipotle, another fast food restaurant from which we ordered food while sick with Covid (we tested negative before entering the US), had a similar situation. No longer could a patron stand at the glass-covered counter and point to the ingredients they wanted in the order. All orders had to be completed and paid online. Ready orders were placed on a shelf with the customer’s name.

A female kudu and young bushbuck, we’ve yet to name.

It would be the same scenario here in many cases, especially if travelers wanted to apply online for visa extensions. There is such a backlog of applications it’s unlikely an approval would come on time. Subsequently, there is the necessity to use a law firm to process the application.

Also, we’re hearing about backlogs on driver’s licenses and other licenses for locals, which has been the case for over two years since the onset of the pandemic. Nothing will ever be the same. The world deals with the long-term impact of this pandemic, let alone the massive numbers of people who’ve lost their jobs, income, and sources of income and financial security. For the poor, this has only exacerbated an already impossible situation.

Yes, we appreciate the ease with which we continue to live our lives. Yes, we’ve had to be ultra-aware of increased costs and lack of services. But we remain grateful and humbled by the quality of our lives and our renewed good health.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 7, 2021:

An elephant was drinking and playing in the river. For more photos, please click here.

How do we feel about cruising after getting Covid on a ship?…New video!…

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At this point, we have four cruises booked. The first three are back to back, back to back, and back to back for 42 nights on the same ship. We’ve been looking forward to this lengthy and exciting itinerary for a long time. It will bring us back to South Africa via Cape Town a few days before Tom’s birthday and Christmas.

We’ll have kept this house in our absence, preventing us from the necessity of moving into another house when we return, which we may not like as much as this one. As we settle in more and more each day, we’re finding that this is the perfect environment for us. It fulfills all of our needs and desires.

We gave the mongooses Tom’s rib bones from dinner at Jabula and a good-sized portion of Paloney, cut into bite-sized pieces.

It’s not uncommon in Africa for a shortage of electric outlets in houses and for switches for the existing lights to be in odd locations, far from where one might expect them to be. Yes, there were a few workarounds we had to make to make it suitable for us. But, with Louise and Danie’s help, we have it all figured out.

But, in the almost two weeks since we arrived, everything has worked out, and we are as content as we could be in a holiday rental. Subsequently, we have no desire to move to a different house during the year we’ll be living here, except for the trips we must make for visa stamps and, as mentioned, upcoming cruises.

This female kudu jumped over the little fence to get closer to us.

So now, after contracting Covid-19 which we believe was Omicron, and having such awful cases, especially with Tom ending up with pneumonia, we can’t help but wonder what will happen going forward when we begin to cruise again in five months.

When listening to cruising podcasts the past week, there’s a lot of talk about requiring masks to be worn while on board a ship except when eating and drinking, which wasn’t the case on this last cruise when we became infected. But couldn’t one become infected while in the dining rooms with hundreds of guests at any given seating?

Tom walked to the edge of the veranda to offer pellets to the kudus and a few warthogs.

There’s no easy answer, and I must admit, I am concerned about getting Covid again while on a ship. What if we became ill on the first week or two of the 42-nighter? That would be a nightmare. At this point, with cruising rules changing, we can’t be assured we’d get our money back. We’re still waiting on a refund from Azamara for over US $8000, ZAR 122950. This was for the cruise formerly planned to go to Ukraine. We all know what happened there.

We’re hoping that Covid will die down a little more between now and then. But, it doesn’t necessarily look like that could happen. Ah, these times we live in! How peculiar it is!

What a joy when Big Daddies stop by!

Today, Monday is a quiet day. We have no plans other than to cook a roast on the braai, with rice for Tom, avocados stuffed with seafood salad for me, and coleslaw salad. This morning, I made low-carb homemade ketchup, which we’ll use for the roast beef, burgers, and other meats. I prepped everything else for dinner, making it easy later on in the day.

Tom enjoyed his homemade blueberry muffins each morning with his coffee while I’ve been savoring my homemade low-carb blueberry scones, a rare treat to my morning coffee. We don’t eat anything the remainder of the day unless we get starving. We’ll have some meat and quality cheeses to hold us until dinner, but that rarely is necessary.

Rueben and Lonely Girl.

Since Tom lost so much weight and is feeling good, he’s been able to eat the high-carb muffins I made for him using regular flour and sugar. He’s been able to keep the weight off since we arrived. We’ll see how that goes. We both continually strive to keep weight off since we don’t want to have to replace our clothes for bigger sizes, nor do we want the potential health risks of carrying excess weight. It’s a constant struggle when we both love good food so much.

Be healthy and enjoy life!

Photo from one year ago today, June 6, 2021:

Wildebeests in the driveway near the rental car. For more photos, please click here.

Sunday in the bush…An easy day…An easy life…Staying engaged in life…

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Late yesterday afternoon, this baby bushbuck found a comfortable spot inside the fence and rested in this spot for a few hours. Could she be any cuter?

Did it take two months of being away to realize how much we treasure this easy life in Marloth Park? No doubt, we appreciated being here in the past. But, after all the challenges we encountered during those two months, we are in a different head space right now.

Over the past few days, as we’ve begun feeling better at almost 100% of our old selves, it’s been all the more relevant for us to be ultra-aware of our surroundings, especially how few requirements there are of us to enjoy daily life. Other than the daily tasks of cooking, tidying up, doing dishes, and laundry, so little is required of us. We pay our bills once a month, do taxes once a year, and keep our posts updated daily.

Jumping over the fence to eat the vegetation on the other side.

Taking photos for the posts doesn’t feel like a chore, nor does preparing the post incorporating those photos therein. If we didn’t do the posts, we’d still take pictures. But, like many tourists, what do you do with all those photos? Have a slideshows for guests when they visit? You know how unenthused guests are to that prospect. See your vacation photos? Nah, not interested.

That’s not to say that everyone in our old lives is interested in our travel photos or posts. Some of our family members read our posts, but many do not, and at any given time, other than our kids, may not have a clue where we are and what we’re doing. We get that.

Fluffed up female bushbuck.

We may read a blog or website by other travelers from time to time. But, we stop in for a quick view and skip through the majority of the content. We are always amazed by how our readers continue to read our posts, day after day, year after year. We’re sure that many of you read like we do, skipping over content to glean a morsel of information that piques our interest.

What do we do all day after we’re done with the post and the day is still young? We don’t watch TV, go to Home Depot or make repairs around the house. We don’t work in the garden, sweep the driveway, paint a wall, or pick up our dog’s poop in the grass. We don’t walk dogs. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in Marloth Park.

Two bushbucks and two duikers.

But, pets aren’t befitting our lifestyle. We have all the “animal joy” we could want with all the wildlife visiting us all day. And even when the wildlife is sparse on some weekends, we still revel in the sights and sounds of the bush and, of course, the constant anticipation of who might suddenly appear.

This is Bad Ear. He stops by each day.

Funnily, it’s like fishing. It may be quiet for a while, but the anticipation of a nibble on the hook keeps an avid fisherperson engaged for hours. That’s us. We never get bored. So how do we fill our time?

As always, we’re outdoors on the veranda. There are a half dozen kudus in the garden which backs up to parkland. A gentle breeze is wafting through the trees, adding another layer of sound typical for the bush. The sun is shining. The temperature is mild with low humidity. It’s a perfect day. What more could we ask for? Nothing.

Yep, that’s Bossy. She’s found her way to us once again.

Besides our favorite Garage Logic, we listen to podcasts on topics that appeal to us. After dinner, we stream shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu at night. Occasionally, we add another streaming service to one of these apps when there’s a particular show we’d like to see. It’s a simple life.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 5, 2021:

A little altercation between Medium Daddy and warthogs. For more photos, please click here.

Oh, what a night!…The social life begins…Pig on the porch!!!…

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Wouldn’t you know? A pig on the porch. It’s quite a hike to get up onto the raised veranda but leave it to a determined warthog to figure it out.

The social life has begun. Last minute, Louise and Danie stopped by for sundowners on Thursday evening. I put together a little cheese board and the conversation, as always, was lively and animated. We had a lot of catching up to do.

Last night, we commenced our usual Friday night tradition, hanging out at the bar at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant to later order dinner. Based on how cold it is outdoors at night, we dine indoors at the bar. Often Dawn and Leon dine with us. As more and more guests join the “party,” the decibel level increases along with the pop music in the background. It couldn’t be more fun.

Last night, we met a delightful couple from Nelspruit whose upbeat and playful attitude only added to the evening’s festivities. By 8:00 pm, we were both ready to return to our bush home, especially since we hadn’t socialized in so long due to our recent illnesses.

We couldn’t stop laughing over Mom (of Mom and Babies) foray onto the veranda.

Feeling much better, I drank a few glasses of my light red wine, Skinny Red, by Four Cousins, a South African winery, and Tom sipped on a few brandies and Sprite Zero. Ironically, last night I slept better than I had in the past six weeks. When I awoke this morning, my phone’s battery was still at 93%, indicating how little time I spent playing Scrabble with strangers during the night. Tom also slept well, and we both feel great today.

We feel confident we can start planning more social events, including heading out with our portable chairs to watch wildlife on the shores of the Crocodile River, often an environment for meeting new people and commiserating over the wonders along the river.

Today, we’re staying in, making a lovely dinner, doing some laundry, and observing the wonders in the bush on the veranda. With plans set for what we’ll do for our next visa stamp, we can relax and enjoy ourselves at long last, feeling well and like our “old” selves. We appreciate feeling well more than we can say.

She scoured the area, but we didn’t put pellets there, instead of placing them on the ground outside the little fenced area.

Wildlife visits aren’t as plentiful right now over the weekend since the park is busy with lots of tourists. Either the animals are busy with the newcomers or hiding from the added commotion. One can never know for sure. We often assume they are being fed food not suitable for wildlife that tastes a lot better than the dry pellets, but unaware tourists who don’t realize the harm they are doing feeding the animals human snacks and treats.

Yesterday, we finally found the camera bag that contained the charger for the camera’s battery. We unpacked when we were sick and haven’t been able to find a few items. The loss of the camera bag would have been frustrating, but we felt we couldn’t have lost it or left it behind in a hotel on this last awful trip since we hadn’t taken the bag with us. However, we had brought along the camera, the battery, and the charger.

We never used the camera on this dreadful trip and, thus, would never have a reason to use the charger. We knew it was somewhere in this house, but we weren’t sure where. After going through all the luggage and removing all of our clothes from the shelves in the bedroom, we finally found them tucked away behind some beach towels on a top shelf in the bedroom. We were thrilled.

Even Big Daddy feels like he has a right to be inside the little fence.

At that time, we realized we only had one battery that worked for our newest camera. Since we will be going on safari in Botswana in a few months, we’d need another battery. Looking online at Amazon, we couldn’t find the exact model. Instead, I found it at Walmart in the US. It will ship to our mailing service, where we are accumulating another order to be shipped, mainly with enough Crystal Light Ice Tea to last us through this upcoming year. Once the battery arrives on the 17th, we’ll be able to order the package with the help of our mailing service in Nevada.

Once again, it will cost a fortune to ship, but that iced tea is just one of those things we don’t choose to forego in our world travel lifestyle. After shopping for a few items in the US, I realized how many food products we miss using. But, once again, it’s all about adaptation, and we’ve learned to find alternatives for many items we used in our old lives.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you may be, heading into summer in the Northern Hemisphere and heading into winter, like us in the Southern Hemisphere. What a weird phenomenon that is!

Photo from one year ago today, June 4, 2021:

We were worried for Broken Horn, who was picked on by the three other wildebeests, including Crooked Face. Maybe now, that explains why he often visits alone instead of with “friends. For more photos, please click here.

Lions in Marloth Park…And other warnings…

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Lion prints were found here in Marloth Park a few days ago.
Let’s face it; life is dangerous in most parts of the world. Whether it’s wars, natural disasters, crime, or animal encounters, one can never sit back and feel entirely safe. South Africa is listed as #8 in the list of the world’s countries for the highest murder rate, details of which may be found here at this site with updated stats for 2022.
Also of concern for humans are the world’s most dangerous animals listed on this site, most of which may be found in South Africa and other countries on the continent and other parts of the world. The majestic lion is listed as #10, certainly not the most dangerous to humans, but without a doubt, falling into a difficult position.
No one wants to come face to face with a lion, although many videos on YouTube may lead some to assume human interactions with lions is safe. It is not. Subsequently, with lions on the loose in Marloth Park, every local visitor must exercise caution daily and night.
A resident of Marloth Park took this photo from their vehicle.
No one is exempt from the possibility of a life-threatening or life-ending attack by a lion, even right here in this paradise-like conservancy where wild animals surround us at any given moment. A few minutes ago, I walked by the bedroom window to see our new wildlife visitor, Bad Ear (his left ear is bleeding), a huge wildebeest looking into the window at me, inquiring about the possibility of some pellets.
Of course, we were happy to see him, but we don’t forget for a moment his size, as indicated here:
“Males typically weigh 165 to 290 kg (364 to 639 lb), and females weigh 140 to 260 kg (310 to 570 lb).”
With their sharp horns and seeming gentle disposition, a human could be impaled instantly if a wildebeest becomes frightened or defensive.
Thus, we don’t take our presence here in the bush lightly. We proceed with caution at every turn while still taking time to enjoy the frequent visits from wildlife. But lions, hmmm…if a lion approached us while we were on the veranda, we’d have to move quickly to get inside the house to protect ourselves, keeping in mind how fast ions can move.
Fortunately, by nature, lions don’t generally seek human interactions. But, here again, if frightened or provoked, an attack could be imminent. We are more well protected in this house by a short fence bordering a portion of the veranda, providing some protection. But, if we hear a lion’s roar nearby, I assure you we won’t be racing out to the garden for a photo.
More lion footprints were recently spotted in Marloth Park.
It is difficult for residents to take photos unless they happen across one of the lions while in their vehicle. The images we’re sharing today are not ours. They were on a public forum on Facebook, which we watch diligently for new sightings on a few select Facebook groups for Marloth Park.
In the case of today’s photos, we “borrowed” all of them from Facebook to make an illustration of this reality in Marloth Park and other areas. Are we frightened? No. But we certainly would be if we were up close and personal with one of these beasts.
On another note, there is considerably more to fear from humans, the criminal kind who have been attacking and, in some cases murdering drivers on the N4 highways after dark, often early in the evening. As indicated in the post, we spotted it this morning on Facebook. These two attacks occurred as early as 2100 hrs, 9:00 pm. Anyone could be traveling back to Marloth Park after enjoying dinner in a restaurant on the N4 or visiting family and friends.
We have decided to avoid traveling on the N4 whenever it is dark, with no exception. The risk is too high based on the circumstances, such as listed below, posted by a Marloth Park official this morning.
The carcass of an ostrich found in Marloth Park results from a lion attack (or possibly, a leopard).
“Fyi
Good morning everyone.
Please warn your guests to try not to travel late at night.
We had two spiking incidents last night.
Both about the same time. 21h00
1. N4 Impala Station (between Hectorspruit and Malelane. Mozambique Truck.
2. Bethal, near the offramp, two vehicles spiked.
The problem is that the suspect is in groups.
1. Avoid driving over any foreign object on the road.
2. If you cannot avoid it, and your tires do hit an object which causes any damage, please continue driving as far as possible. The ideal will be to a garage or toll Plaza.
3. Suspects target what’s in your vehicle, cell phones, bags, cash, etc.
4. Don’t carry a lot of cash.
Keep the TracN4 ready at all times so that you can call them immediately.
Be vigilant at all times.
Thank you, and be safe.”
This frightens us, as it should. We are not foolhardy and take no such risks. Then again, nor should anyone, anywhere in the world, in these frightening times. We all must proceed with caution while still striving to find joy and fulfillment all around us in whatever we choose to do, wherever we choose to live.
Be well. Be safe.

Photo from one year ago today, June 3, 2021:

Hornbills certainly enjoy Frank and The Misses’ seeds. We don’t have any Franks at this new house. For more photos, please click here.

Getting into the groove…It’s heavenly…Plans for our August visa run revealed!!!…

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This female kudu jumped over the fence to see if the “grass was greener.” We don’t feed them when they jump the fence so they’ll avoid eating the grass and vegetation which is newly seeded and planted.

Wow! It’s Thursday morning on a perfect weather day. It’s cool, the sun is shining, and we’re comfortably ensconced at the table on the fantastic veranda. We’re feeling so much better today. The gastro issues are gone. The awful feeling of exhaustion from Covid-19/Omicron continues to improve daily, and we’re almost back to our old selves.

The sights and sounds in the bush are making us both smile. Birds are singing, screeching, and flying overhead. As I write this, the same five kudus, including a baby, have been hanging around for the past few hours. We named Pushy a very bossy warthog since he growls when we don’t give him pellets fast enough. He makes us laugh. We can’t help but respond to his goofy personality.

Bushbucks are sharing pellets with a warthog.

There are a few “Spikey’s” hanging out, young bushbucks with tiny horns, and one of our old favorites, Stingy, from our old house, 2 kilometers, 1.2 miles away. He responded to his name, and we recognized him for the markings and size of his horns, which are always muddy from digging up roots. Indeed, we’ll see some of our old animal friends in time, but it’s easy to welcome new friends when they are so adorable.

Gosh, this feels good. Tom is streaming Garage Logic on his laptop. we’re sipping on ice tea in the big mugs Louise gave us a few days ago, and we’re snacking on chunks of delicious aged cheddar cheese and a fine quality ham. Dinner is made for tonight’s meal, and I’ve already done two loads of laundry.

A Mom and Baby bushbuck partaking in some pellets.

Danie arranged for a plumber to come today since the water at the kitchen sink wasn’t hot enough for washing dishes. There’s no dishwasher here. Tom did all the dishes but quickly became frustrated when the water wasn’t satisfactory for sanitizing the dishes. As soon as we mentioned this issue to Louise, she and Danie were all over it and the plumber arrived this morning to make the necessary repairs. By tonight’s dinner Tom should be able to do the dishes in hot water. The remaining faucets in the house are fine.

With our plans set for the necessary visa run on August 20, as of two days ago, we have peace of mind and can relax until then. We definitely decided that neither of us feel up to any long flights and layovers to go far away. We’ve decided to head back to Zambia.

An adorable baby bushbuck.

Once we arrive at the small airport in Livingstone, our former tour guide Chris will pick us up at the airport and drive us to the rive where four countries intersect, the only such place in the world. We’ll take a little boat across the river to the other side to Botswana where a guide will meet and take us through immigration, and then to Chobe Safari Lodge, where we stayed a few times in 2018.

Each time we were at the resort and went on safari, we longed to spend more time there. This time, we’ve booked five nights at the lodge and two nights at the Protea Hotel to round out an entire week we’ll have been away, hopefully long enough to satisfy South African immigration to give us a new 90-day visa stamp.

Three bushbucks are sharing pellets. Now that we’re back to using the camera, we’ll zoom in more for better shots.

Fortunately, the flight to Zambia is non-stop on Airlink in Nelspruit and is less than a two-hour flight, making the trip easy for us. We’ll pick up a new rental car when we return to Nelspruit, and the 90-day clock will begin once again. But, 70+ days later, we’re heading to Athens. At the end of the cruise from Athens, we’ll return to Cape Town South Africa, about 45 days later.

We are thrilled with this plan. It’s easy, affordable, and less work than applying for another visa extension which we may have to do again sometime down the line. But, this one trip and the cruise take us to March 2023, when again, we’ll leave South Africa for a while to explore other options. All of this, of course, is based on travel restrictions because the pandemic is not over.

There are several Mom and Baby bushbucks. Soon, we’ll identify features and start naming them.

So, God willing, we’re back to life as we knew it, comfortable and content to be here, feeling well, enjoying our animal and human friends. Life is good, once again.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2021:

Little Daddy comes to call. As a youngster, he certainly knows how to give the “look,” indicating he’s up for some pellets. For more photos, please click here.