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| This is the same family with seven chicks we’d seen a few months ago. See how the chicks have grown by clicking here at our earlier post. |
“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”
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| A muddy ostrich meandering down Volstruis St. In Afrikaans, Volstruis means “Ostrich.” There are usually ostriches on this road. Go figure. |
Today, we include photos from yesterday’s two-hour drive through Marloth Park, some close to the river, others in the bush. We have many more to share over these next few days. We’ve had safari luck each time we’ve gone out, often more here by the fence than on those days we’ve visited Kruger for a self-drive photo safari.
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| This time we counted only six chicks, one less than our earlier sighting. Could this be a different family, or did one of the chicks not make it? |
For clarification’s sake for our newer readers, whenever we use the word “safari,” it’s always about “photo safaris.” Under no circumstances would we ever participate in a safari intended to kill wild game for “trophies.” I won’t get into the politics on this topic, but it simply does not fall within the realm of our beliefs about wildlife.
Another holiday weekend has begun, and the pounding next door is earsplitting. Often part-time Marloth Park owners/dwellers come here during the short or long holiday periods to work on their houses.
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| It is pretty interesting to us as to why ostriches always hang around at this particular bush house. Nine of out ten times we drive by, there are ostriches there, including when we were here in 2013/2014. |
There are specific rules in Marloth Park stipulating that no building work with any noise can be conducted after 1700 hours (5:00 pm) on weekdays or after 1300 hours (1:00 pm) on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.
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| A Big Daddy and his harem on the side of the road. |
Last night as we set up the veranda for the evening after 5:00 pm, Tom walked next door to ask the workers to cease working for the evening kindly. If we don’t ask, we have the option of “reporting” them anonymously to Field Security, who will send a security officer to the property to tell them to stop. Fines are possible if work doesn’t cease within the specified timeframes.
Marloth Park is intended to be a quiet and peaceful place without blaring music, loud talking, and rowdy social interactions. Unfortunately, not all holidaymakers and residents appreciate this concept.
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| It’s always a joy to see elephants along the Crocodile River from the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park. |
The wildlife is often frightened off by human noises, as evidenced by the fact that we haven’t had a single visitor this morning other than much-appreciated and admired birds who are currently clamoring around our birdfeeder. Yesterday, when the holidaymakers moved in, the wildlife visits diminished exponentially.
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| This big girl was quietly enjoying time by the water. |
We took off for our usual two-hour drive in the afternoon and found many beautiful sightings by the river, a few on the bumpy dirt roads, and in the bush. Those incredible, almost daily drives provide us with our wildlife fix during these busy weekends when few visitors make an appearance.
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| The elephants were many, but they were scattered about the river bank. |
As we continue to write post after post, adding new photos each day, we revel in how much it means to us to share the morsels of our daily lives with all of our worldwide readers. In doing so, we are gifted with something we’ll treasure for years to come, such as being able to look at old posts from years past.
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| One hippo was within range for a photo. |
This morning I looked up the post from the first year we’d begun to post in 2012, specifically the post from September 15, 2012, six years ago today. Looking back at these older posts certainly puts big smiles on our faces as we often read aloud to one another.
What a wonder it is that in two clicks, we can reread a story and see its photos from years past, just like that. Neatly organized in our archives on the right side of the page, you can do the same if you’ve missed older posts having joined us a few years into this journey.
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| There’s often a cattle egret near the elephants, partaking of their insects and scraps. |
Here’s an excerpt from that September 15th post from six years ago:
“As a person entrenched in the details, it’s not unusual to me that I have six tools one could use to crack crab legs: two types of crackers, two types of crab scissors, a pick, and a small fork, service for eight. It’s not coincidental that I have service for eight. Who would want to “shell out” (couldn’t resist) enough crab legs for more than eight people?
This came to mind yesterday when I recklessly spent $48 for two bags of king crab legs plus $28 for the accompanying grass-fed New York strip steaks.
This is for three of us for Sunday night’s dinner; Tom and I and our friend Sue, who comes for dinner every Sunday night since the passing of her dear husband and our beloved friend Chip. She’s a trooper. Our hearts break for her. They were our role models as a happily retired couple. Now, we witness the depth of the loss of a beloved partner, excruciatingly sorrowful, a double whammy.
We laugh, cry, and tell endless stories of our 26 years here on the point. (You can read about Chip in my post on June 1, 2012, found here in the archives). We three deserve steak and crab.”
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| A mom and her growing calf. |
If you’d like to read the balance of this old post, please click here. We still talk about our friend Chip and have seen Sue each time we’ve returned to the US for a visit. We relive beautiful memories we all shared over many years as great friends and neighbors.
Hmmm…life was good then, and life is good now, just very different. No more do we have kitchen gadgets for eating crab. No more do we eat crab legs. We don’t see them in Africa. No longer am I so “detail orientated” or…do you look up a photo of Martha Stewart and see me (an expression used by a friend in Minnesota). That life is no more and most likely will never be the same again.
This is our “new normal.” Tonight, we’ll head out to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for yet another fine dinner, often running into friends we’ve made in this magical place. We’ll sit at the bar and commiserate with owners Dawn and Leon and chat endlessly with other friendly Marlotians.
I don’t know if we’ve earned the right to call ourselves Malothians, but for now, we’ll afford ourselves this luxury, as opposed to others.
Have a very happy weekend, wherever you may be!
Photo from one year ago today, September 15, 2017:
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| The blue locomotive at the train depot with a dual cab, Puente Ferrocarril Rio Grande Atenas in Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here. |