This morning I didn’t awaken until 7:30, after a somewhat fitful night. I woke no less than six times, tossing and turning, and when sleep wouldn’t come, I eventually played a game of mindless drivel on my phone. I’m well aware that looking at one’s phone in the middle of the night may exacerbate periods of insomnia. But, for me laying there, unable to sleep only seems to make matters worse.
With a silly matching game on my phone, eventually, I get bored enough to drift off again, often with my phone in my hand and my reading glasses on. Hours later, I may awake in the same position. Overall, on nights like these, I end up getting enough sleep overall and feel fine the next day. Anxiety about not going back to sleep is more frustrating than playing with my phone.
Today, at 11:00, Dawn and I will get pedicures at a local spa, where I’ve gone several times in the past, often bringing a friend. Two nail techs work on us simultaneously, and we get done 90-minutes later. It’s an excellent opportunity for “girl talk,” which I always enjoy. Tom will drop me off and pick me up later because the road to our house is too bumpy to ask friends to transport me.
Last night, seven of us arrived at Buckler’s Africa resort at 3:00 pm, 1500 hrs, for river watching and sundowners while overlooking the Crocodile River. We didn’t see much wildlife, but the conversation was lively and entertaining, the food was good (but late in arriving), and by 8:30 pm, we were back at the house.
This morning, our garden was packed with wildlife, including all of the regulars. As I write this, we have Bad Eye and her three kudu sisters, Broken Horn. Holey Moley, Thick Neck, Spikey, Stringy, and a newly named Sylvia (my mother’s name). When I was pulling up the shade in the bedroom, Thick Neck was standing at the window looking at me. “Good morning, Thick Neck!” I spewed, happy to see him once again.
Each morning before I start the post, I view the photos from the trail cam. It always makes us laugh when we see one photo after another of Thick Neck, hanging around most of the night. We wonder if he ever sleeps. Here are exciting morsels about male bushbuck behavior from this site:
“Usually most active during the early morning and part of the night, Bushbucks become almost entirely nocturnal in areas where they are apt to be disturbed frequently during the day. When alarmed, individuals react in a variety of ways. When surprised in the open, they sometimes stand still or slowly walk to the nearest cover. Sometimes they will sink to the ground and lie flat or bound away, making a series of hoarse barks.
The Bushbuck is primarily nocturnal, but it is also reasonably active during the day. Half of a Bushbuck’s day is spent standing and grazing. Around dusk, the Bushbuck move toward their night range to feed. The Bushbuck is also the only non-territorial and solitary African antelope, with neither males nor females defending any part of their home range.
Though Bushbuck have small home ranges which may overlap with those of other bushbuck, they are solitary animals, with even females preferring to keep social interactions with their young to not more than a few hours a day. Mature males usually go out of their way to avoid contact with each other.”
After three nights of socializing, tonight we’re staying in and will surely enjoy time on the veranda with our wildlife friends, reveling in Mother Nature’s wonders.
Be well.
Photo from one year ago today, November 2, 2020:
