“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| A foam tree frog nest, made overnight by the female frog awaiting up to one dozen males to fertilize it. We’ve been watching for the males but have yet to see them. In this post, four years ago, we had the opportunity to see the males fertilizing the nest. After an incubation period of a few weeks, the tadpoles will drop into the pool of water to complete their growth cycle. |
It’s so easy to become caught up in the simple and yet outrageously entertaining life in the bush. Both the human and animal friends provide a steady stream of exciting and somewhat unusual activities we never imagined in our old lives.
Each day brings new and exciting opportunities to learn more about nature. Even after the seminars and classes aboard the Antarctica cruise, where we expanded our knowledge about unique scenery and wildlife, we weren’t quite as challenged as we are here.
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| This morning upon close inspection, we realized the mating process had transpired during the night while we were sleeping. Our post from four years ago and the above video we made, show the process. Today, tiny frog footprints on the foam nest indicate the males had already been here. Fascinating! Who’d ever think of this? |
The mere 16 nights in the magnificent Antarctic wasn’t quite as comprehensive as the education we’re deriving now as we continue to discover new species, new scenarios, and animal behavior we never dreamed would roll out before our eyes.
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| We’ll post photos of the tadpoles and frogs as they mature. |
Sure, we witnessed exciting scenarios four years ago, but as we mentioned a few days ago, we do so now with new eyes and a new perspective. This week, we’ll head over to Kruger to discover its added wonders, much of which we may not experience here in Marloth Park.
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| A bushbuck in the yard considering a drink from the pond. |
Is it possible we’ll ever be bored while we’re here? Sure, wherever we may live, there are always a few occasions where boredom may set in for short periods. But, our journey has never been about constantly being entertained. Its always been about the magnitude of our experiences superseding any insignificant moments of boredom.
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| The action became rather rambunctious while the baby held his own. |
During the “movie in the bush” night, Louise was sitting next to me while Tom and Danie sat behind us before the movie started. Constantly thinking about the comfort and ease of others (Danie is this way, too), she turned to me and asked, “Are you bored? Are you comfortable?”
I giggled at her question, answering, “No, I’m not bored. I’m easily entertained!”
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| Could this be mom teaching the young warthog how to protect herself? |
Later, when I reflected upon her question and my answer, I realized it’s much more than being entertained. One is not always considered when engaged in quiet contemplation.
One is not always entertained at any event or at “home,” and conversation quiets for a few minutes. The entertainment factor can dissipate to a low hum, hardly detectable in the realm of things. But boredom is a rare thing, for me, for Tom.
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| This Angulate tortoise that stopped by yesterday afternoon is one of many species of ground tortoises. We offered it some cabbage and carrots, but it was too fearful and wandered off. |
Of course, when the power or Wi-Fi is out, which frequently occurs in most countries, we may experience a period of boredom while we wait for it to return. We don’t carry paper books with us when we travel, nor would we want to.
During outages, we don’t use our phones or laptops to read if the power doesn’t return by dark. However, picking up a paper book during those periods of power outages might be helpful. By saving the batteries until dark, we are assured we’ll be able to read or watch a movie in the dark, should the need arise.
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| We were surprised by how quickly it moved away. |
Otherwise, we’ll play cards or a board game to keep our minds occupied. We noticed there’s a giant puzzle here and, of course, a dartboard and pool table, all of which will keep us busy during outages.
Although we don’t typically drink alcoholic beverages when it’s just the two of us, it’s not a bad idea to have a beer (for Tom) and a glass of wine (for me) during an outage, turning it into a “party for two.” At the same time, we play pool or darts, providing our form of entertainment.
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| The tortoise had little interest in our veggie offerings. |
Other than those scenarios, we don’t think about being bored, nor do we experience boredom. There’s always a future booking to research, a country we’d like to see, a place we’ve longed to visit, providing us with a steady stream of conversation, thought, and research. Essentially, what could be more fun than that…making our dreams a reality?
May your dreams be realized, and you find yourself free of boredom, worry, or strife. Happy day to all!
Photo from one year ago today, February 26, 2017:
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| Exterior view of the house on the Huon River in the Huon Valley in Tasmania. For more photos, please click here. |