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A delightful evening with old friends…An amazing escape for a beloved wild animal…

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When Lisa put a plate of yogurt on the perch in her veanda, six bushbabies came to enjoy the treat. It was a treat for me to see them.

It had been quite a few years since I got together with Deidre, the director of Wild & Free Rehabilitation Centre, with Lisa, formerly referred to as the bushbaby caregiver. at Lisa’s home, a few kilometers from here.

Arriving at 4:30 pm as planned, Lisa and I had a few minutes to catch up while we waited for Deidre to arrive, after finishing her busy workload, caring for lost, injured, or ill wild animals in and around Marloth Park with a passion and dedication hard to match.

As the sun was setting at Ngwenya.

Deidre arrived with friend Karin, and the four of us enjoyed beverages and an endless stream of fascinating discussions about Marloth Park and its amazing wildlife, and the issues faced by the rescue center treating old, injured, and sick animals.

Of course, we discussed Norman at length, and when Deidre credited us for “saving Norman’s life” based on the video Tom took about ten days ago, which we sent to her. She and the vets had determined that Norman would be euthanized the next day. After reviewing our video, they determined he was doing better and appeared to be improving on his own, and the next day’s euthanasia was off!

The sunsets over the Crocodile River are always stunning.

Whew! We were both so happy to hear this. When Tom returned to pick me up, he joined the four of us on the veranda, and Deidre told him this story. He was also thrilled to hear that his video saved Norman’s life.

We also discussed Nathan’s injury to his horn, and with so many animals in the bush with horns, apparently, this is a common injury. Deidre and the vets agreed Nathan should heal without incident. That was a huge relief to hear as well. Tom enjoyed the lively conversation with the women, and then we headed home for dinner.

Deidre invited us to visit the rescue center next week, and we’ll write a comprehensive story with photos of the animals in her care afterward. We can hardly wait. The centre is not open to the general public due to the risk of diseases carried by humans. Without a doubt, we’ll be wearing face masks.

A kudu mom and youngster, of course, are looking for pellets.

Back at the house, we sat indoors to have a nice dinner I’d prepared in the morning, and before we knew it, it was time to wander off to bed, to stream one episode of a series, and eventually nod off for a good night’s sleep, which we both accomplished.

At 4:00 pm today, we’ll head to Jabula but stop at the Marloth Park Info Centre to see Louise and Danie for a few minutes. We won’t be going to Jabula on Saturday night since we’re invited to a braai at Daphne and Neville’s home, our teammates on Tuesday’s Quiz Nights. It will be another fun weekend.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, August 22, 2015:

As we approached Rusty’s Market in Cairns, Australia, we knew we were in for a treat. The counter at Fetish for Food is one of many international markets within the vast farmers’ market. For more photos, please click here.

Heartbreaking story of beloved animal…Our friends are leaving today…

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Norman arrived in our garden at 10:30 PM and didn’t leave until midnight, gingerly making his way back over the little fence.

Today, our dear friends Kady and Rich will be leaving Marloth Park at 2:30 pm, when driver Wayland arrives to drive them to the airport in Nelspruit to begin the long journey back to their home in Florida, USA. We certainly understand the rigors of the almost two-day trek with long layovers and uncomfortable flights.

It’s been fantastic having them here with us, with busy days and nights interspersed with an endless stream of wildlife visitors. Their favorite activity was sitting at the table on our veranda, watching the animals come.

Nina, Norman’s mate, seemed worried about him.

The past 24 hours have been a real treat for them and for us, sharing everything with them, which was especially highlighted with a few giraffes visiting so close to the house that they were in total awe, making videos and taking photos of the magnificent animals. It was the first time the giraffes came to call during daylight hours since their arrival 17 days ago.

How serendipitous it was for the giraffes to arrive on their last full day, while the four of us played the card game, Spades, enjoying sundowners on the veranda.

No doubt, with his seriously injured left front leg, he was tentative about leaping back over the fence.

So today, we send them off with love and friendship, along with a plethora of memories they’ll cherish forever, as they’d embarked on their first foray to Africa, surrounded by wildlife and nature they’ve never experienced before. For us to be able to share the wonders of Marloth Park is indescribable.

On another note, the past few days have been harrowing after discovering that our beloved nyala Norman was seriously injured, perhaps breaking his left front leg. The first thing we heard was that euthanasia was indeed a possibility. We were heartbroken. For the past several years, Norman has been a highlight of our time in Marloth Park.

His left front leg is seriously injured.

I found myself giddy each time he arrived in the garden. Quickly, I’d run to the kitchen to cut up apples and carrots for him. Whenever I’ve made salad, I’ve saved a big bowl of vegetable scraps for him, which he loves, particularly the cabbage and lettuce, which are moist and fresh for him.

When Louise heard he’d been seriously injured, perhaps breaking his front left leg, we were devastated, especially when the news floating around the park was that he was to be euthanized. After years of loving this animal, I was beside myself, unable to contain my sorrow.

He was uncertain as to his next move. Wild animals are always on the move by instinct to forage and to avoid potential predators.

Our friends Kady and Rich had already become attached to Norman and his precious family of children and grandchildren. How could this be? Many said, “It’s nature, the way it should be.” But that doesn’t negate the fact that many of us, entrenched in the wonder and beauty of these animals, don’t become attached even when we never have an opportunity to so much as touch them or hold them in our arms.

When he and his family arrived last night, just as we were about to retire for the evening, he suddenly appeared after jumping over the little fence into the garden area where we feed him. Could his leg only be badly sprained if he was able to jump the fence? No one knows for sure since he’d yet to be darted and x-rayed.

Nina and Norman are often affectionate with one another.

When he arrived last night with his family, who stayed for over an hour with his family at his side, we sat out here with him, feeding him a copious amount of apples and carrots. If he stayed well fed, could he possibly survive a six-to-eight-week recovery period? Had he arrived at this late hour to say his final goodbye to the place where he experiences such love and good treats?

We stayed outdoors with him until he finally jumped back over the fence. These wild animals instinctively roam the bush rather than staying in one place. Sure, our resident wildebeest, Hal, and impala, Mac, are here almost all the time, but every so often they wander off for short periods to search for water and possibly other food sources. Mac seldom leaves for more than a few minutes. He lives here.

Nina stayed with him for the majority of the time he was in our garden. The Kids were outside the little fence, watching and waiting for their dad/grandpa.

When Nina and the kids finally left, he made a plan on how he was going to scale the little fence with that injured leg. Watching a nearby Big Daddy, he fluffed up his hair to make himself appear larger. Soon, the Big Daddy took off, and shortly thereafter, Norman did the same.

I didn’t sleep well, thinking of him being euthanized, even to the point of dreaming about him. First thing this morning, after I was showered, dressed, and outdoors, I wrote a text to Deidre at Wild & Free Rehabilitation Centre, who, along with the rangers and Doc Peet, asked her what to expect. Was he going to be euthanized? I held my breath waiting to hear her answer.

Only a moment later, she responded in a voice text, stating that if his health and strength are maintained during the recovery period, he won’t be euthanized. But, it will require a concerted effort by everyone he comes in contact with to help feed him and keep him well-nourished.

It was wonderful having our dear friends Kady and Rich here for 17 days. We will surely miss them.

The park is lacking in food sources for the animals due to months of little to no rain. We will surely do our part to keep Norman well-nourished with the healthy fruits and vegetables we know he loves and are healthy for him to consume. Only time will tell if he can survive the six-to-eight week recovery period. We’ll keep you informed.

Tonight is Quiz Night. Around 4:30, we’ll head out to the little local market, Savemor, to buy more carrots and apples for Norman. We plan to spend all of our evenings outdoors as late as we can to ensure we don’t miss Norman stopping by.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, July 15, 2015:

There are laws regarding the collection of any pieces of coral in Australia. For more photos, please click here.

We’re back!!!…Wildlife and other animal myths…

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Many who’ve never been on safari assume tigers in the wild may be seen in Africa. That’s not the case. Most Bengal Tigers are found in the national parks in India. We visited three national parks until we spotted this female. We couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point when we spotted this beauty. See the post for more photos here.

Since commencing our world travels in 2012, we have experienced over 200 safaris, including trips to Africa, India, Alaska, and Antarctica. We have observed that some preconceived notions about wildlife are quickly dispelled upon seeing animals in the wild and conducting considerable research.

Another myth we often hear is that polar bears are found in Antarctica, but this is untrue. Polar bears are linked to the Arctic sea ice, where they hunt their seal prey. The bears are found in five range states: the U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway (Svalbard). Scientists have divided them into 20 populations, some shared by more than one country.

While on a guided safari in Africa, a few tourists assumed warthogs were miniature rhinoceros. We chuckled discreetly while the guide corrected them. When on safaris with other tourists, we keep our mouths shut and let the guide educate the other participants. When we are with visiting friends on safari on a self-game drive, we freely provide the narrative when requested.

However, we’re often taken aback by the misconceptions and myths about wildlife, some of which we share below.

Wildlife myths are often fascinating stories passed down through generations, blending cultural beliefs with nature’s mysteries. While many of these tales may seem outlandish, they reflect humanity’s long-standing curiosity about the animal kingdom. Here are a few interesting wildlife myths and the truths behind them:

1. Owls as Harbingers of Death

  • The Myth: In many cultures, owls are seen as omens of death. Their eerie calls in the night, often heard when the world is quiet, have made them creatures of superstition. For example, some Native American tribes believed that hearing an owl’s hoot could mean an impending death in the family.
  • The Truth: Owls are actually beneficial predators, controlling rodent populations. Their nocturnal nature and haunting sounds might have contributed to their mysterious reputation, but there’s no scientific basis for associating them with death.

2. Lemmings Commit Mass Suicide

  • The Myth: The idea that lemmings intentionally throw themselves off cliffs in mass suicides became widely popular after a 1958 Disney documentary, “White Wilderness.” The film staged a dramatic scene where lemmings were shown diving into the ocean en masse.
  • The Truth: Lemmings do migrate in large groups, but the “mass suicide” concept is entirely false. When populations become too large, they search for new territory, sometimes leading them into dangerous situations, but it’s purely accidental and not a deliberate act of self-destruction.

3. Sharks Don’t Get Cancer

  • The Myth: It’s a common belief that sharks are immune to cancer, which has fueled interest in shark cartilage as a potential cancer treatment.
  • The Truth: While it’s true that sharks rarely develop bone cancer (since they don’t have bones), they are not immune to cancer. They can still develop other forms of the disease, including tumors.

4. Touching a Toad Causes Warts

  • The Myth: Many people grow up believing that touching a toad will cause warts, probably due to the toad’s bumpy skin.
  • The Truth: Warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), not toads. While toads’ skin may look warty, their bumps are completely unrelated to the virus that causes warts in humans.

5. Bats Are Blind

  • The Myth: “Blind as a bat” is a common saying, suggesting that bats navigate purely by echolocation because they cannot see.
  • The Truth: Bats are far from blind. Many species have good eyesight. They rely on echolocation to navigate in the dark, but their vision plays an important role in hunting during dusk and dawn.

6. Goldfish Have a Three-Second Memory

  • The Myth: It’s long been said that goldfish have incredibly short attention spans, only capable of remembering things for a few seconds.
  • The Truth: Studies show that goldfish can remember things for months. They can learn and associate sounds or visual cues with feeding times, demonstrating a much longer memory than the myth suggests.

7. Mother Birds Will Abandon Their Babies if Humans Touch Them

  • The Myth: Many people believe that if you touch a baby bird, its mother will smell human scent on it and abandon it.
  • The Truth: Birds have a very poor sense of smell, and most will not abandon their chicks just because a human has touched them. If you see a baby bird on the ground, it’s often best to leave it alone, as its parents are likely nearby.

8. Wolves Howl at the Moon

  • The Myth: The iconic image of a wolf howling at the moon is deeply rooted in folklore and often depicted in art and media.
  • The Truth: Wolves howl for communication, not at the moon. They use howling to locate pack members, defend territory, or coordinate hunting, regardless of the moon’s phase.

9. Elephants Never Forget

  • The Myth: Elephants are often said to have perfect memories, never forgetting a face or experience.
  • The Truth: While it’s a bit of an exaggeration, elephants do have exceptional memories. This is especially useful in their social structures and navigating vast territories, where remembering water sources and migration paths is essential for survival.

10. Porcupines Can Shoot Their Quills

  • The Myth: There’s a popular misconception that porcupines can shoot quills like arrows when threatened.
  • The Truth: Porcupines cannot project their quills. Instead, the quills detach easily when they come into contact with predators. They serve as a defensive mechanism, but there’s no projectile involved.

While in Marloth Park, we’ve seen several bushbucks and other antelope encountering porcupines whose faces and bodies are filled with quills. Here’s a photo we took in October 2022 posted here.

This heartbreaking photo of a precious little duiker who encountered a porcupine,made us cringe in horror. How can she possibly survive these massive injuries? “Porcupines are solitary, slow-moving animals that largely keep to themselves unless threatened. The quills usually lie flat against the porcupine’s body until they encounter a threat, at which point they “puff up” and erect their quills, swinging their spiny tails until the threat either leaves them alone or gets a sharp whack and a face hand, or paw full of quills. Quills are stiff, hollow hairs with microscopic, backward-facing barbs at the tip (like tiny fish hooks), so when they come into contact with flesh.

Of course, there are dozens of myths we haven’t posted here. If you’ve encountered such myths, feel free to share your story.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 8, 2014:

We refer to these scenes with holes through the clouds with the sun filtering through as “the eyes of God.” For more photos, please click here.

Few animals stopping by…Photos from seven years ago…Boredom…

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A single beautiful lily in the lily pad pot in the yard in New Plymouth, New Zealand, in 2016.

Note; Due to a lack of photos right now, today’s photos are from a post on March 10, 2016, when we lived in New Plymouth, New Zealand, for three months on an alpaca farm. See the post here.

I think the black worm invasion is over. I sat at the table on the veranda this morning, and not a single worm fell on me. A few nights ago, when I got into bed, I felt something on the top of my foot. It was a black worm! I let out a little startled scream. I don’t usually scream when I see insects or even snakes. But, a hairy, slimy, black worm slithering on my foot surpassed my level of calmness.

I must have picked it up when I’d gone into the kitchen to turn on the little lamp, close the blinds and turn off the overhead light. Yuck. I’ve had it with them. This morning, when I didn’t see a single worm on the floor in the house or the veranda, I sighed in relief. They are gone. Finally. They were here for about four weeks.

Similar to Australia, many of the beaches in New Zealand are uneven and rocky.

As a result, I was able to sit at the table on the veranda to eat my breakfast of smoked salmon and two eggs atop two thin slices of homemade keto bread. What a treat! There’s no breakfast I could enjoy more. The only addition I could use is having breakfast outdoors with Tom. Gee…these next five days can’t pass quickly enough.

His absence has created a feeling of boredom I haven’t experienced in over ten years. I’m never bored when he is here. If a thought pops into my head, I need only to approach him, and he immediately stops whatever he is doing to pay 100% attention to me. Who does that? Of course, I’m not a pest, and when he’s engrossed in something, I can leave him alone until he’s done.

The nights are easier than the days. I’ve been binge-watching a TV series….911 Lone Star with Rob Lowe, and although it’s totally unrealistic, it’s entertaining enough for me to watch it while I play games on my phone. I should be done with it by the time Tom returns.

We often stopped at this favorite spot for photos of Mount Taranaki.

But, during the day with Tom away, when I’ve completed the post, usually by 1:00 or 2:00 pm, 1300 or 1400 hrs., is when I find myself feeling like a lion in a cage, practically pacing the house with nothing to do. In my old life, I would call a friend or family member, run an errand, work out at the health club, or work on a project around the house. I was never bored then.

But now, with the house always clean, the bed always made, and dinner prepared early in the day due to the heat, I find myself watching mindless drivel on a streaming service on my laptop to ward off my feelings of boredom, perhaps interspersed with profound feelings of missing my partner, my lover, my friend.

I may sound like I am complaining. I am not. It’s more of an observation I’ve experienced these past five days. It’s not as if we spend every moment in each other’s presence when he is here. It’s the calming and comforting sense that this delightful human being, my husband, is available to me at a moment’s notice to make me laugh, smile or feel loved. I am so grateful for him, as he is for me. We never take each other for granted.

The beach on a cloudy evening.

On occasion, Tom asks me, “Are you bored?’

I always say,  “No, are you bored? I am never bored”

His answer is the same. This life we’ve chosen to live, however peculiar it may be to some, never leaves us feeling bored. At any given turn, there is something that attracts our attention, often inspiring us to take photos or “write about it.” The anticipation of that fact alone prevents either of us from ever becoming bored. Even something as simple as each other attracting our attention is sufficient to keep us entertained, wherever we may be at any given time. We are very blessed to have one another.

Tonight, I will be entertained going to Jabula when my friend Sindee picks me up at 5:00 pm, 1700 hours, and bring me back to the house later in the evening. I haven’t decided if I’ll return to Jabula on Saturday night as we always do.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, March 10, 2022:

Helmeted guinea-fowl chicks have yet to develop the blue and red facial features shown on the adult on the far left. For more photos, please click here.

Humidity and rain continue…Kudu pulling down branches…Why???…Animal behavior…

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Right now, at 11:00 am, the weather is as follows:

  • Temperature: 77F, 25C,
  • Humidity: 100%
  • Dew Point: 78

Although the temperature is low, the humidity is unbearable. Wearing jeans and a long sleeve Bugs-Away shirt to keep from getting bites, I am drenched in sweat. It continues to rain a few times every 24 hours. I’d much rather have dry, hot days over this uncomfortable humid weather.

Even Little Johnny, with his tiny budding horns, digs in the dirt to get mud on his horns. What constitutes this behavior?

As shown in the above photo of Little Johnny, a young male bushbuck, many of the horned animals, even with tiny budding horns, are digging in the dirt to make themselves look bigger and more intimidating. Some animals dig in the ground with their tusks or horns, searching for edible roots.

With the dirt easily accessible after it’s been raining for weeks, we’ve seen many muddy horns. Even Norman stopped by a few evenings ago with his long horns covered in mud. Later we saw him digging in an anthill to add more dirt, the same anthill we’ve seen kudus, bushbucks, and warthogs attacking from time to time.

Animal behavior is quite interesting, and we look up information online about a particular animal’s behavior almost daily. Oddly, many wildlife species haven’t been studied extensively, and there may be little information about specific behaviors we observe while watching them day after day.

Little Johnny quickly learned how to stare us in the eyes, looking for pellets.

Many casual observers, such as us, speculate about animals’ behavior, but those observations may be incomplete and inaccurate. We often guess why a specific animal is acting a certain way, thus prompting us to conduct research. Of course, we’re always looking for information from reliable sources.

This morning, we watched a male kudu working very hard to take down a branch from a tree. We posted the above video about this behavior in 2018 and are excited to post it again today based on today’s topic. When looking online for “why do kudus knock down branches,” the answers are few and vague.

When we watch this behavior, we think it is for the kudu to eat the inaccessible leaves from higher up on the tree, as shown in our above video. But, often, as today, we watched a kudu pull down a large branch and never eat a single leaf once he’d knocked it down. Is there another reason he may have worked so hard to accomplish this feat?

There were other males and females nearby. Was he showing off his brute strength to intimidate the males and attract the females? It’s hard to find such information to substantiate this type of behavior.

Do these female kudus lie together in the bush for any reason other than to rest? The answers are hard to find.

When we’ve gone on a game drive with guides, their comments vary on animal behaviors. After watching wildlife daily for over three years, we keep our mouths shut about what we’ve observed when in a group. We’re no experts. Jane Goodall spent over 60 years studying and interacting with chimpanzees in the wild, yet she has said there is still much to learn.

As casual observers of animal behavior, our experience is uneducated, limited, and, at times, biased by our love and interest in certain animals. Not a day goes by that I’m not trying to discover the reason for the behaviors exhibited by nyala Norman. How did he and Nina kick Noah out of the family group to ensure he’d stop grazing with them and the new baby? We haven’t seen Noah since then. Others have reported they’ve seen him at least two kilometers from here. Will he ever return?

We’ll never know. Many observers claim to know and understand these various behaviors, but even with them, there is uncertainty. If only animals could talk and tell us the answers to these and other questions. But, like the mystery of life and the afterlife, we can only speculate. We, as humans, just aren’t meant to know some things.

We continue in our relentless pursuit of answers, which makes the search all the more fascinating. That uncertainty inspires us to be continually enthralled by wildlife and the world around us. From that source of motivation, we continue on in our world travels, hungry for more knowledge, connection, and fascination with Mother Nature’s bounty.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, February 17, 2022:

Last night we took this blurry photo of our visiting porcupine through the glass and the screen doors to the veranda. If we’d opened either door, it would have run away. For more photos, please click here.

The rains continue…More flooding…We’re hunkered down until tonight…Another sad animal injury…

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Roads have been closed in sections of the Kruger National Park due to heavy rain.
Image: SANParks

The rain stops for an hour, drizzles for another hour, and then comes down with an unspeakable force. It’s expected to continue until Tuesday. There continue to be more and more warnings in the Marloth Park Facebook groups about flooding on certain roads, vehicles getting stuck, and road closings. A lot could happen in the next four days.

We were so sad to see that this Big Daddy kudu, whom we’ve named Torn Horn, suffered such a horrific injury, most likely from a fight with another male kudu.

We’re considering heading out to the little market for a few items as soon as the rain lets up. The videos and photos online are astounding, and as much as we’d like to go out and take some of our own, the little rental car,  a lightweight KWID, would surely result in our getting stuck if we attempted to travel on any of the dirt roads. Neither of us cares to get soaked.

I just touched base with David, and he said it should be OK for us to get there. By going out soon, we can determine if it will be safe and sensible to go to Jabula tonight for dinner. If Olifant Road, the paved main road in Marloth Park, is passable, we will go. It’s about a 10-minute drive from here.

We’ve been surprised that many animals have stopped by during the storm. This morning there were four bushbucks and one duiker in the garden. We tossed pellets to them, but if they don’t eat them right away, they turn into mush from the rain, and they don’t eat the mush.

We put pellets, apples, and carrots on the railing so he wouldn’t have to bend to the ground.

We hadn’t seen Norman, Nina, and the baby for a few days, but they were here for a few hours yesterday afternoon when the rain let up for a while. It was good to see them again. We had more animals in the garden than we’d seen before the Christmas holiday. It was great to see them all together.

Even the mongooses stopped by a few times in the past two days, and we couldn’t cut up paloney fast enough for them. It was fun to see all their babies, already indoctrinated into the frenzy of eating paloney, cut into bite-sized pieces. They also recognize our clicking sounds that attract them to the garden. When a few show up, we make the clicking sounds, and they all come running from everywhere within earshot. It’s quite a sight to see.

Today’s photos of the injured kudu broke our hearts. We fed him apples, carrots, and pellets. He was looking thin. An injury as severe as losing a horn can cause significant disability and even death while the animal tries to recover. Nothing can be done other than to wait and see how he does.

Hopefully, this wound will heal, and he can go about his life in the bush.

Most of the wildlife is sturdy with robust immune systems and often recovers without infections or further harm to their health and well-being. We hope this will be the case with the now-named “Torn Horn” (a mouthful to say). We hope he’ll return to see us again so we can check his progress.

The sun is peeking out right now as it continues to rain. There’s an expression in the Afrikaans language, taught to us by our old friend Okee Dokey, frequently used when describing sunshine when it’s raining. It’s stated as follows:

Jakkals trou met wolf see vrou…which translates to “The fox married the wolf’s wife.” Go figure.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, February 10, 2022:

Rita sent me this photo on Whatsapp of a tiny newborn bushbaby they found on the veranda. One of the Honorary Rangers, Nadine, picked up the baby to have the bushbaby cared for and eventually released it back into the bush. So sweet. For more photos, please click here.

Wildlife returning?…Another sad loss of a favorite animal…

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Marigold was sipping on fresh water in the birdbath.

It couldn’t be a more beautiful day. The sun is shining, the humidity is moderate, birds are singing, and the garden is green and lush from recent rains. There are a variety of antelopes wandering about the grounds. Much to our delight, it appears Aggie, our resident agama, had a baby we saw running up the same tree where the mom resides.

The recent heat, humidity, and time outdoors at night have left me with a few dozen annoying mosquito bites, although I wear repellent around the clock. We keep two types of repellent, a roll-on cream and a spray, which I use every few hours outdoors, but it doesn’t seem to keep me bite-free.

Yesterday, bushbucks Stringy and Marigold were in the garden in the late afternoon. One by one, the wildlife is returning to see us.

Most of the bites are near and on my hands. I attribute this to the fact I often wash my hands and need to reapply the repellent each time. But I realize I haven’t been as good about doing this as I should be and have promised myself to ramp it up today. This is malaria time, and one can’t be too cautious.

No word on Tom’s missing bag yet, but we’re hoping that this week, it will be delivered. Otherwise, I will have to get back to work on filing the insurance claim with the credit card company next week. I’ve still worked on finding receipts for items that were in Tom’s missing baggage. I am putting a good-sized dent in it, just in case we don’t get the bag back.

As mentioned, I didn’t notice anything missing after emptying my returned bag. I was thrilled to have all my belongings back, some of which I’d purchased for upcoming cruises in seven months. Azamara Cruises have a  few special all-white dress-up nights, and I bought a few white dresses online for the occasion. Tom had purchased white pants, but those were in his missing bag.

Stringy was looking up at something with his mouth full of pellets.

As for the most recent sad loss of a favorite animal, I believe our dear Lollie has passed away. She had three piglets in early November, but after giving birth, it appeared she had intestines hanging out of her butt. This has worsened over the past weeks to a point where it was devastating to see. Only days ago, they were almost hanging to the ground. We both knew then she wouldn’t last long. As our resident warthog, Lollie was integral to our enjoyment in the bush.

We will miss her, the gentle pig she was, always happy to see us, friendly to other animals, other than when she was protecting those piglets, whom we named Leon, Dawn, and David, our dear friends at Jabula.

Marigold looked over the fence to see where her baby was. The little one was lying in the bush a distance away.

We assumed she died from an infection or worse. We could only imagine. This morning, the three piglets we easily recognized appeared without her. They are only two months old, and we’re hoping they can survive without their mother’s milk. We will be feeding them lots of pellets, fruit, and vegetables. About a month ago, we lost a little piglet, Hoppy, whose mom and two siblings stop by daily. She appeared to have a broken leg and finally gave up. We recall the day she passed.

Life is hard in the bush. In some cases, animals dart out in front of cars, and it’s impossible to avoid hitting them. We know this is nature, and these things happen, but it doesn’t lessen the emotions we feel when we see an animal has passed, whether it be from old age, a predator, an injury, starvation, an illness, or being killed by a careless driver on the road. That’s why driving slowly is vital while paying attention to the surroundings.

Although many animals haven’t visited during the busy holiday season, several impalas still stopped by to graze and beg for pellets.

A few days ago, on the one paved road in Marloth Park, we noticed a line of cars backed up, bringing traffic to a stop. Once the vehicles began to move again, we noticed a turtle had crossed the road. Fortunately, all drivers observed the precious animal crossing the road and stopped to let it pass. A smile came across our faces; grateful everyone had stopped. Many visitors care about the wildlife, as many people living and staying here do.

Today at 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs. (during lock shedding), we’re heading to Jabula to have dinner with four people we’ve never met, readers of our site. Regular reader Lisa has been in touch over the past few years, mentioning, based on our enthusiastic posts, that she and three others were coming here. We’re looking forward to meeting them and hearing about their worldwide travels.

We’ll report the details of our evening out with new readers/friends tomorrow. It’s always wonderful to meet our readers, wherever we may be in the world.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, January 3, 2022:

Not our photo. Due to the poor WiFi connection, our year-ago images aren’t visible today. We’d posted a story on this date in 2022 about the passing of Fluffy, the lone male lion living in Lionspruit, the game reserve within Marloth Park. Fluffy was enjoying quiet time with his mate and companion, Dezi, who has also since passed away. For our story, please click here.

One week from today and we’re off to Seychelles…Another horrible animal injury…Enough, already!!!..

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This is Bad Leg who had a leg injury a few weeks ago. In no time, he seemed to recover, and now, he showed up with this hole in his head. How in the world will he recover from this injury?

This morning, I awoke with my left eye really swollen, and itchy, the same side of my face where the headache and cheek pain is located. Unable to see Dr. Theo today, I decided to go to the local Marloth Park clinic and see Dr. Shane, a highly regarded doctor, also loved by many locals.

I guess I don’t have trigeminal neuralgia for which I am on a drug to help with the head pain. Instead, it appears I have chronic sinusitis precipitated by Omicron in April. Lately, I’ve been treated for a sinus infection which did resolve, but I am still left with inflammation in the sinus cavities on the left side of my head only.

Dr. Shane prescribed medication that should resolve this issue once and for all, with a strict regime of treatment I must follow at home, and continue on our upcoming trip in one week. I’m glad I got this addressed today rather than taking the risk it would worsen while we are away.

We spotted these two Cape buffalos this morning as we drove along the river. With all the rain and plenty of water holes, less wildlife head to the river. However, Cape buffalos and waterbucks always remain close to the river.

I will strictly adhere to the nasal treatments (three different procedures) each day, along with the meds and hopefully can get off the Amitriptyline before we leave next Thursday. This will require as many daily procedures as Tom needed when he had Covid-19 pneumonia in April, whereby every few hours there was something to take or do. I am highly motivated to get this never-ending discomfort under control.

After we returned to the house, Tom immediately took off for Komatipoort to pick up the prescriptions so I could begin the procedures and meds today, rather than wait another day until they could be delivered here to Marloth Park. Each day is important as the countdown to depart begins.

Last night, we had a lovely evening with Mario and Peter who joined us for sundowners on the veranda. It was a warm evening but fortunately, the humidity was low and the insects weren’t too bad allowing us to sit outdoors well after dark.  Before we knew it, they headed to their home in the bush and after we cleaned up the food and glasses, we were off to bed to stream a show and later drift off to sleep.

As we drove along the river we spotted these two Big Daddies resting in the shade on another hot day.

As I write here now, Norman is in the garden eating a few bananas, carrots, cabbage leaves, and of course, a few batches of pellets. I hadn’t seen him in two days which was unusual for him but this morning when Tom got outside by 6:30, he was waiting for him. Tom fed him some bananas and pellets. I was disappointed I didn’t see him then when I didn’t get up until 7:30.

I noticed Norman wasn’t eating pellets but was staring at me. There was something else he was looking for. I grabbed a few more overripe bananas from the kitchen and tossed them to him. in a second he was happily eating his favorite food. Bananas ripen quickly in the heat and humidity so we are happy to share them with the wildlife to keep the annoying flies out of the kitchen.

We purchased boxes of 12 bananas but after Tom eats a few over a few days, he’s had his fill and Norman will gladly eat the rest. They never go to waste, as is the case with any vegetables we buy.  Since I don’t eat fruit, and Tom only cares for bananas, we never buy fruit, only non-starchy vegetables, most of which the wildlife seem to enjoy.

We are thrilled with all the green vegetation for the animals, which sometimes makes them hard to spot.

Just now, after tossing some leftover zucchini to Norman, which he doesn’t love, I saw that mom and four piglets had arrived. Immediately, I jumped up to get them pellets. Even the piglets have started eating pellets. They chew each pellet for what seems like several minutes but immediately go back for more. They are delightful to watch.

At this point, we have no less than four sets of moms and piglets stopping by daily, including Hoppy and her family and of course, sadly, the mom with the awful injury and her babies who have been here a few times in the past several days. See this post here for photos of her horrific injury. We are devastated for her and this life-threatening injury.

That’s it for today, folks. We hope you have a fantastic day!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 17, 2021:

Little rested in the cement pond on a sweltering day, his ears flicking as he listened to me talking to him. We miss Little. He’s never found us here over 2 km away from our last location. For more, please click here.

Another horrifying and heartbreaking animal injury in the bush…See below for photos, adults only, please…Could it have been a lion attack?…

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Two moms and seven piglets stopped by this morning, and we couldn’t believe the injury on one of the moms, as shown in the photos below.

With all the wonders of the bush, we will inevitably witness horrific injuries inflicted upon wildlife by other wildlife and, sometimes inadvertently, by humans driving too fast on the roads. When feeding this and another mom this morning with their combined seven piglets, our jaws dropped when we spotted this horrific injury on one of the moms.

It may be why she joined up with another mom with piglets since she may know she won’t last long with this severe injury. This morning I messaged Ranger Jaco, sending him the photos, and he agreed this injury was from a leopard or lion.

Did a lion or leopard do this? We’ve never seen such an injury from a horned or tusks animal in the past.

Warthogs are not necessarily territorial but live in groups in a home range, called sounders, and may or may not be together at certain times. Males mainly live alone but may hang out together from time to time, but not in the female sounders and only with females during the mating season. We’ve often seen moms and piglets together and later aunts, nieces, and sisters. We have witnessed all of this.

Jaco also stated that although warthogs are sturdy and often recover from serious injuries, it’s unlikely that flies will eat away the dying flesh from this type of injury. Eventually, she’ll become septic and die.

Two things come to mind for us after this sighting. One, will she die nearby since we’ve seen her and her piglets several times since they were born a few weeks ago? Two, is the lion or leopard that inflicted this severe injury hunting nearby in our area?

At first, we were excited to see the two moms with seven piglets between them. We tossed lots of pellets and carrots.

We will be extra diligent in the future. Many have seen lions and leopards during the day and their usual evening hunting time. People walking and biking must be extra careful, knowing an attack is possible if getting too close. Often, unknowing tourists will go to inspect a “kill” only to put themselves in danger. What if the lion or leopard returns to eat the remainder of their kill?

I had a busy morning getting food prepared for tonight’s sundowner gathering. There will only be four of us since one of our guests had a family emergency out of town. It’s a scorching day, so I made a point of making easy snacks that won’t require any fussing when the power goes out for load shedding at 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, for at least two hours.

The seven piglets all looked healthy and active.

Right now, as I write, the temperature is 97F, 36C, but the humidity is only 29% with a dew point of 59, much more bearable than it has been for several days this past week, with tomorrow about the same. Saturday and Sunday, we’ll be looking at temps over 100F, 38C, and 103F, 39, respectively, with higher humidity and dew point than today.

I’m glad we planned tonight’s little gathering today rather than over the weekend. We’ll be back at Jabula on Friday and Saturday, but according to the load-shedding schedule, they should have power while we’re there. There’s aircon in the bar, which makes it quite comfortable during hot periods.

This poor mom. Her hind end is horribly injured. This could have occurred while she was attempting to protect her piglets. She must be in terrible pain. We fed her lots of pellets and fresh vegetables this morning.

Tom just took a short nap since he didn’t sleep much last night. Soon, I will join him for a bit of a rest while the fan is on. We don’t use the bedroom’s aircon during daytime hours, saving it for sleeping, which is more important to both of us.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 16, 2021:

Medium Daddy and his girls. For more photos, please click here.

Was lucerne a hit on a holiday weekend?…Funny photo of appreciative animal…

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Last night’s photo, taken in the dark from a distance, of Bad Ear resting in the remaining pile of lucerne. Later, his eyes were closed, and he was asleep.

Yesterday morning, after the bale of lucerne was delivered, we didn’t see any wildlife for quite a while. Finally, they started drifting in, one by one; wildebeests, Earl and Bad Ear (who ate the most); warthogs, Busybody, Lollie, Rueben, and pesky Trouble; bushbuck Marigold, Tulip, and Lilac, and a variety of impala, all of whom we call Chevy (there’s too many of them to name).

Last night, some activity was around the bale, but wildebeest Bad Ear laid right on top of it, as shown in today’s main photo. We couldn’t stop laughing after he claimed the entire balance of the lucerne. We took the main photo, and the trail cam picked up the other.

Two young kudus were nursing by one mom. It’s rare for kudus to have twins.

Today is a cooler day, and it feels especially good to be outdoors on a cloudy day. Load shedding ended this morning at 9:00 am, so I took my time getting up. With the increased dose of the medication for my headache starting two days ago, which makes me sleepy day and night, I somehow managed to sleep through the night and was still groggy when I started moving around.

The pain from the Covid-19 headache I’ve had since April tends to come and go right now instead of being constant. Doc Theo ordered a new prescription for me for 35 mg as opposed to the 25 mg I had been taking for two weeks when I reported the headache was still there. But, every few days, I experience relief for several hours, during which I hope it won’t return.

A giraffe visited our garden this morning.

Alas, several hours later, it returns. I can’t pinpoint what causes it to return. It’s not as if I am doing anything to precipitate it. This morning, after that long sleep, I awoke with it, but now a few hours later, I am pain-free for who-know-how-long? When it’s gone, I find myself having a little more energy and using the time to complete tasks around the house. I can’t wait for it to be gone.

Four Big Daddy kudus just arrived and are enjoying the remnants of the lucerne. Also, we had some potatoes left from our friend’s visit, and they are finishing those off. Vegetables are a safe food for the wildlife since many frequently dig up roots for sustenance when the trees are bare during these dry months.

Bad Ear was still sleeping on the lucerne this morning.

We’re staying in today, enjoying quiet time in the bush when fewer vehicles are driving on our dirt road. Many holidaymakers go to Kruger National Park on the weekends. During busy times, they must make an appointment to enter the park. We don’t care to go when an appointment is required.

If that many visitors are in the park, too many vehicles are gathered near a sighting, often too many for us to even take a single photo. We will return when this current holiday period ends in a week. Nor do we care to drive to Two Trees to search for wildlife on the river. We couldn’t find a place to park the last time we headed that way.

When Bad Ear left, Norman stopped by the lucerne this morning.

Sometimes, we worry that the magic of this special place will fade away as more and more houses are built. As more ground surface is covered by homes, driveways, and fenced gardens, there is less and less natural habitat for the wildlife to eat. We see this fact when we drive around and see so many houses being built. In time, the animals could be gone, mainly from dying of starvation. It’s an awful thought.

Many say that regular culling is a solution. But doesn’t that defeat this magical place’s entire value and purpose? There’s no easy answer. There are many sides to this perplexing situation, all valid to one degree or another.

Be well.

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

No photo was posted one year ago today.