We couldn’t ask for nicer weather today. As always, the sun is shining, and the temperature is fast approaching 75F, 24C, today. It isn’t always this warm in Las Vegas in the winter months when we’ve seen it as cold as 30F, -1.11C in the past almost two months since we arrived here. There have even been a few days when it’s been colder here than in Minnesota.
It’s not as if we’re spending much time outdoors. Occasionally, we head out for a walk in the Village during the day. But, most often, we’re outdoors when we walk the short distances to dinner every Friday and Saturday night.
In 25 days, when we arrive in Marloth Park, it should start cooling off from the hot summer season. Coincidentally, it was also 25F, and 24C in Marloth Park today. But on Saturday, it will be 94F. 34C. In March, the high is usually under 90F, 32C, which is easy to take for Africa. As time passes, during our first 90-day stay, the temps will continue to drop, keeping in mind the seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are opposite the Northern Hemisphere. Winter is from June to August.
Since we’re returning to Minnesota for granddaughter Maisie’s graduation in June 2025, by the time we return to Marloth Park in June, winter will be at its coldest with a high of 81F, 27C. We love winter in the bush, but other than that, there’s a lack of vegetation for the wildlife in the winter months when the residents ramp up feeding the wildlife pellets, lucerne (hay), and various fruits and vegetables.
In those winter months, I’ve often spent a few hours each day cutting fruits and vegetables into bite-size pieces, befitting the size of the animals we’re feeding (never by hand…they are wild animals). Many disagree with humans feeding the wildlife and prefer to “let nature take its course,” but turning away starving animals is pretty tough. We often order hay bales to spread in the garden and the animals come in droves to dine on the fresh lucerne.
For us and many other residents in the bush, the cost of feeding the animals is merely a related expense in enjoying the conservancy and its endless stream of wildlife to our gardens. Plus, the cost of fruits, vegetables, and lucerne is about 80% less than those items in the US.
A 50-pound bag of carrots costs only a few dollars, and apples aren’t much more. We often drive to Lobombo, about 30 minutes from Marloth Park, to buy giant bags of carrots, pears, and apples at ridiculously low prices. There’s no doubt that inflation has increased the cost of food products in the past two years since we’ve been gone. We’ll report back as to what we pay when we shop.
Greg and Heather arrive today, but we told them to enjoy their first night without us since the two brothers hadn’t seen each other in quite a while, although they’ve stayed in close touch. The six of us will have fun together tomorrow night and the other nights while they are here.
Today will be another pleasant day as we go about a day’s typical tasks and pleasures in Lake Las Vegas. Soon, I’ll have to start preparing 2024 tax info for our accountant, lightening our load, and start packing. After all, we leave three weeks from tomorrow. Wow…the time has flown by!
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, February 6, 2015:
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| We spotted a cattle egret while out and about in Princeville, Kauai. For more photos, please click here. |