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| Such a big scary world out there! |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| This is a Dark-Capped Bulbul, thanks to friends Lynne and Mick. |
It seems that never a day passes without us seeing something new and unique. It’s nearly a full-time job seeking the unusual, the heartwarming, and the exceptional sighting that evokes emotions we can hardly describe.
At times, we also seek the simple beauty of nature at its finest in photos taken to the best of our ability. Recently, I’ve considered taking some online photography lessons, hoping to improve the quality of our photos.
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| Mongoose regularly visit. Each time we give them a bowl of raw eggs mixed with a bit of sour cream. Their little faces get dirty, resulting in them cleaning each other after the feast. |
We aren’t sure where the time goes. Somehow, right now, there doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to spend time taking a course. Once we’re up and on the veranda, getting the post done and uploaded by noon or 1:00 pm, half the day is gone.
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| Lately, we’ve been hearing stories of ostriches attacking humans. There are many more here in the park now than there were four years ago. We always proceed with caution around any wildlife. |
Then, we hop in the little blue car to head out in search of more, usually returning by 2:00 or 3:00 pm. There’s dinner to be prepared, email to respond to, financial matters to attend to, and before we know it, the day has come to a close.
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| Yesterday, we spotted these two hippos by the river. |
On occasion, we take a short nap since neither seems to get enough sleep most nights. I guess it’s an “old age” thing when many of our friends our age seem to suffer from the same affliction, awakening in the middle of the night for no reason at all.
I’ve never been a napper, although I’ve tried off and on over the years. Realizing a short nap is most beneficial, I’ve recently discovered I may get in a 20-minute doze now and then, which perks me up. Tom doesn’t do so well, but he too tries for a short siesta.
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| Some of the rest of the family took Marta’s broom and decided to play with it. |
If the nap is too long, it seems to impede the ability to sleep that night. If too short, it doesn’t seem to offer much added benefit. That perfect 20 to 30-minute window always appears to do the trick.
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| Our housekeeper Marta lives in a guest cottage on the property. A few days ago, we noticed this Vervet monkey sleeping near her house. |
Thus, sometimes in the afternoon, when time allows, and we feel a little sleepy, we wander off to the bedroom, turn on the AC, pull on a light blanket, and try to wander off.
I suppose most retirees’ daily lives are filled similarly to ours; busy planned activities, “taking care of business,” almost daily outings to “here and there,” and responding to social media in one manner or another.
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| The kudus love munching on this tree in front of our veranda. |
The fact that we get dozens of email messages from our worldwide readers each day, which we usually answer in the afternoon, always attempting to reply within 24 hours at most, adds to the time spent filling up our day.
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| Regardless of how annoying monkeys are in the park, this tiny baby is irresistible. |
Tom also receives many email messages, Facebook, and Cruise Critic inquiries to which he always responds promptly. Also, he spends a certain period each day gathering more data for his Ancestry.com file, a genuine and enthusiastic passion.
Throw in the time necessary to continue to research future travels; our days are jam-packed. By the time we set up the veranda for our nighttime viewing, we’re finally able to relax and enjoy a glass of wine or beer; it’s time for the final prep for dinner.
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| View of the Crocodile River from the overlook in Marloth Park. |
It’s usually dark when we dine since we’ve changed our eating time closer to 7:00 pm than our last 5:00 pm in other locations. Somehow, the later dining time seems to work better for us while here. We eat while we “watch” for wildlife and the playful antics of the bush babies who only make an appearance after dusk.
We used to watch episodes of Shark Tank, Master Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, etc., during dinner; Now, in this extraordinary life in Marloth Park, instead we’ll watch for wildlife which has ultimately proven to be more entertaining than any show imaginable.
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| Another view of the Crocodile River. |
Once we’re off to bed, we bring my laptop into the bedroom and usually watch one episode of a favorite show. At that point, I have trouble keeping my eyes open, during which Tom constantly awakens me. He knows if I fall asleep too early, I’ll be up a long time during the night. At the time, it annoys me that he awakens me, but his intentions are spot on, so I don’t protest too much.
Ah, our lives sound so mundane and straightforward when I read this back to myself, checking for errors. We have difficulty wiping the smiles off our faces in the depth and meaning of these daily activities in this magical place.
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| A mongoose was resting on a root after an egg-feeding frenzy. |
Oops, I hear Frank, our resident francolin, making some noise in the bush. I’d better go fill up a cup of birdseed to toss his way, and soon, he’ll be making contented little sounds as he pecks at one seed after another.
Is birdseed for one bird? Doesn’t sound like much in the realm of things. But, for us, it’s all a part of the awe and wonder that washes over us, day after day in majestic Marloth Park.
May the simplicities of daily life bring a smile to your face.
Photo from one year ago today, April 4, 2017:
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| These houses are all valued well over AU $3,000,000, US $2,269,500. As we’ve mentioned in prior posts, home prices are high in Australia, more than we’ve seen in any country. We lived in the house on the far left with views of the bay. For more photos, please click here. |