Where is Easter observed worldwide?

Happy Easter, Everyone!

People who celebrate Easter around the world are incredibly diverse, but they’re often tied together by a few beautiful common threads: community, tradition, hope, and renewal. Let me paint you a little picture:

  • In Europe, you’ll see grandmothers in Poland carrying baskets of food to be blessed, kids in England chasing chocolate eggs across village greens, and entire towns in Spain solemnly marching in centuries-old processions, wearing traditional robes and carrying statues of saints. Some people are deeply religious, while others enjoy the festivities and the sense of springtime.

  • In Latin America, Easter feels almost like a full-body experience. Streets fill with color, music, and devotion — think families weaving huge palm fronds in Guatemala, or entire neighborhoods in Mexico creating carpets of flowers and colored sawdust for processions to walk over. It’s emotional, joyful, and very communal.

  • In Africa, Easter is often a mix of deep religious observance and vibrant celebration. You’ll find congregations in Nigeria dressed in their absolute best, wearing brightly patterned and embroidered clothing, as they sing and dance in packed churches. In Ethiopia, after weeks of fasting for Lent, families come together to feast and pray, connecting generations.

  • In North America, it’s a blend — you’ll see families getting dressed up for Easter Sunday services, parents hiding colorful eggs in parks, and huge brunch gatherings. Some people focus on the religious meaning, while others see it as a time for family, joy, and the beginning of spring.

  • In Asia, especially in the Philippines, Easter Sunday can feel like a joyful explosion after a long, serious Holy Week — big, outdoor masses at dawn called Salubong celebrate the meeting of the risen Christ and his mother Mary, with singing, dancing, and sometimes fireworks. In other parts of Asia where Christians are a smaller group, Easter is quieter, celebrated mostly within tight-knit communities.

  • In Oceania, Australians and New Zealanders might be off camping for the long Easter weekend, bringing chocolate eggs to the beach, or attending relaxed church services. There’s a laid-back, outdoorsy spirit to the way they celebrate.


At the heart of it, Easter people — no matter where they are — often celebrate lifehope, and new beginnings, whether through sacred rituals or simple, joyful gatherings.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 19, 2015:

Formerly, Taylor Camp in Kauai, beyond the second row of trees, is a. dense forest and cliffs that we weren’t about to tackle. For original photos of Taylor Camp, please click here.

Day 8…Kruger National Park…Stunning sighting in Marloth Park last night!…Leopards and lions…

Last night, Honorary Ranger Jaco Minnaar took this leopard photo in Marloth Park.

South Africa’s Easter holiday season begins today with Good Friday and will continue through the end of the month. With so many tourists in Marloth Park, we will see fewer animals in our garden. As we’ve mentioned many times, when the park is packed with tourists, the wildlife scatters to their holiday homes for not-so-good treats.

Interesting rock formation in Kruger.

Hopefully, animals will visit us in the garden during the remainder of the month, allowing us to continue enjoying activities with Lisa for the next 12 days, until she begins her return journey to the US.

Here is an article we came across today from The Citizen newspaper.

Search for Kruger National Park lions continuing into Easter weekend.

By Jarryd Westerdale\

“Lions were spotted outside the Kruger National Park on Sunday, and provincial authorities are continuing the search.

Elephants in the Sabie River.

The search for escaped lions near the Kruger National Park is continuing into the Easter weekend.

Multiple communities bordering the park have reported possible lion sightings after four of the predators were believed to have escaped the park.

Areas near Bushbuckridge and Hazyview have reported lion sightings, and officials say they will continue searching until the park confirms their return.

There were countless elephant sightings in the park.

Dogs are called to assist.

Two lions were initially reported to be on the loose on Sunday, with that number rising to four by Wednesday.

A resident near Belfast sent a grainy snapshot of a lion on a tar road to the Lowvelder on Sunday, prompting the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) to begin a search.

As of Thursday, MTPA was still searching and had brought in canine reinforcements to assist.

Along the drive, we spotted many giraffes.

“Our team is still on the ground searching for these lions. Today we are searching with dogs. We are confident that we will find the lions if they are still outside the park,” MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube told The Citizen.

“We advise the community to avoid any confrontation with the lions and to report sightings to the authorities,” he added.

Loss of habitat is a concern.

Loss of habitat and disease are listed as one of the biggest threats to the African lion population, with African Impact warning the animals could go extinct by 2050.

Traffic stop.

“Lions now occupy less than 92% of the land they once did. This loss of habitat has severe consequences. Lions no longer have access to the vast stretches of savanna grasslands they need to find food, viable mating partners, and thrive as a pride,” African Impact states.

This has resulted in increased interaction between lions and communities, while a range of illnesses has affected the lion population.

Our guide explained that elephants brought down this tree. Elephants rub against trees for several reasons, including removing parasites, keeping their tusks sharp, and accessing nutritious bark and roots. They also use rubbing as a form of communication, particularly males during musth, marking their territory with secretions. Additionally, elephants may rub against trees for comfort and to help them fall asleep.

“The spread of feline herpes virus and feline immunodeficiency virus has devastated huge populations due to the low pathogenicity of these diseases,” it said.

May those who observe the Easter Holiday have a blessed Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 18, 2015:

Tom donned a huge leather hand and arm protector and was handed a massive chunk of fresh meat to feed this vulture at the rehabilitation center. It was quite a thrill to get this photo. I love the look on Tom’s face! As their injuries healed, these vultures would soon be returned to the wild. For more photos, please click here.

Day 7…Kruger National Park…Birds in the park with our photos…Exciting experience last night…Thermal Game Drive…

It’s always challenging to photograph a hippo with its mouth open. This was safari luck!

Although we aren’t avid bird watchers, we enjoy seeing some of the many species of birds in Marloth Park and Kruger National Park. We see many interesting species while stopping at Sunset Dam in Lower Sabie.

How Many Types of Birds Are in Kruger National Park?

A Cape Buffalo on the shore of Sunset Dam in Lower Sabie. Also, another yellow-billed stork is standing on the back of a submerged hippo.

When people think of Kruger National Park in South Africa, they often picture lions lounging under acacia trees, herds of elephants crossing dusty roads, or leopards draped over branches. But there’s another world in Kruger that’s lighter, faster, and more colorful — the world of birds.

A spoon-billed stork.

Kruger National Park is home to an astonishing 500 bird species. That’s right—within its 19,485 square kilometers (7,523 square miles), Kruger holds one of the richest bird diversities on the African continent. This vibrant collection of feathered creatures includes everything from massive eagles to tiny sunbirds, offering a full spectrum of colors, shapes, and sounds.

Of those 500 species, about 253 are permanent residents. You can spot these birds year-round, no matter when you visit. The remaining species are either migratory — flying in from Europe, Asia, or other parts of Africa during certain seasons — or nomadic, moving based on the availability of food and water.

Another view of the spoon-billed stork.

The sheer variety is breathtaking. You might see a lilac-breasted roller flashing its iridescent wings as it swoops to catch insects, or a martial eagle surveying the savannah from high above. In the riverine forests, if you’re lucky and very quiet, you might even spot the elusive pel’s fishing owl, a bird so secretive that finding it feels like winning a prize.

More spoon-billed storks.

Among Kruger’s many bird species, a few stand out so much that they’ve earned a special title: the Big Six Birds. Modeled after the famous Big Five mammals (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo), the Big Six Birds include:

  • Lappet-faced vulture: The largest vulture species in Africa, with a wingspan reaching up to 2.9 meters (over 9 feet).

  • Martial eagle: A powerful bird of prey known for its strength and sharp eyesight.

  • Saddle-billed stork: A striking wading bird, unmistakable with its bright red and black bill and towering height.

  • Kori bustard: One of the heaviest flying birds in the world, often seen solemnly striding across open areas.

  • Southern ground hornbill: A large, charismatic bird that spends most of its time walking the ground, foraging for insects and reptiles.

  • Pel’s fishing owl: The mysterious, nocturnal hunter, usually found near large bodies of water.

Black-winged stilt

Each bird species contributes its thread to Kruger’s life fabric. The park’s diverse habitats — from dense riverine forests to open grasslands and thorny bushveld — create countless niches where different birds can thrive. Whether it’s the acrobatic swoop of a bee-eater catching a dragonfly mid-air or the solemn flight of a heron skimming over a dam, every moment feels alive with movement.

An Egyptian goose at Sunset Dam.

Visiting Kruger during the summer months (October to March) can be especially rewarding for birdwatchers. Many migratory species have arrived to breed during this time, and the park pulses with even more energy. Birds wear their brightest breeding plumage, and their calls fill the air from before dawn until long after sunset.

A Cape buffalo with numerous oxpeckers on its hide.

Birdwatching in Kruger isn’t just about spotting species to tick off a list, though many enthusiasts enjoy that aspect. It’s about slowing down and tuning into a world that’s always there but easy to miss. It’s about noticing the tiny weavers meticulously building nests, the stealthy herons poised at the water’s edge, or the flash of a kingfisher darting like a jewel across a river.

In short, Kruger National Park is not just a paradise for the “big” wildlife seekers; it’s equally a treasure trove for bird lovers. With around 500 species filling the skies, trees, rivers, and bushveld, the park offers an endlessly rewarding experience for anyone willing to look a little closer and listen a little longer. Every visit holds the promise of a new feathered friend to discover.

Lots of hippos.

Last night, we went with resident Rodger on his Thermal Game Drive in Marloth Park. Rodger is sending me a few videos of what we saw. Once we receive them, we’ll post the videos and our photos. It was a fascinating experience we’re anxious to share.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 17, 2015:

A lone female was stopping for a drink. The edge of the open vehicle is shown in this photo, illustrating how close we were to her. For more photos, please click here.

Day 5…Kruger National Park…We’re back from another game drive…

Last week, we spotted a lion with a Cape buffalo kill on the guided game drive.

Here are some facts about Kruger National Park we’d yet to share:

Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s most iconic and expansive wildlife reserves. Located in northeastern South Africa, it spans the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga and covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers (7,700 square miles)roughly the size of Israel or New Jersey. It’s a major bucket-list destination for nature lovers, safari-goers, photographers, and anyone seeking a wild, immersive experience in the African bush.

With the dense bush, taking photos was tricky.

Highlights of Kruger National Park:

1. The Big Five:
Kruger is one of the best places in the world to see the Big Five—lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and buffalo—in their natural habitat. Spotting all five in one trip is common if you’re lucky and spend a few days exploring. There are no rhinos in the areas we visit on our safaris. At some point, we’ll drive further north to spot rhinos in a protected area to avoid poachers.

A “parade” of elephants crosses the paved road.

2. Biodiversity:
The park is home to an astonishing diversity of life:

  • 500+ bird species

  • 140+ mammal species

  • 100+ reptile species

  • Countless plant and tree varieties

3. Self-Drive Safaris:
Unlike many other parks in Africa, Kruger is self-drive-friendly. You can rent a car, grab a map, and set out on your game drive. It’s safe, relatively easy, and gives you total freedom over your safari adventure. We make a point of embarking on a self-drive in Kruger once a week. We prefer self-drive to guided safaris since we can tour at our own pace. We often arrange a guided safari for the extra experience when guests visit.

It’s always exciting to see elephants cross a road.

4. Accommodations for All Budgets:
From luxury lodges like Singita and Royal Malewane to SANParks rest camps (like Skukuza, Satara, and Lower Sabie), there’s something for every budget and travel style. Many rest camps even have shops, restaurants, and guided game drives. Since we have such a lovely holiday home in Marloth Park, we don’t see a reason to pay for the rest of the accommodations in Kruger.

The females always protect the calves.

5. Night and Guided Walk Safaris:
Beyond daytime game drives, Kruger also offers night safaris and guided bush walks—incredible ways to see nocturnal wildlife and learn about smaller animals, insects, and plants you’d probably miss otherwise. We are going on a Thermal Night Drive in Marloth Park tomorrow night.

A lone elephant, perhaps searching for the family.

6. Nearby Attractions:
While Kruger could easily fill a trip, it’s also close to scenic areas like the Panorama Route, featuring Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, and Bourke’s Luck Potholes, all of which we previously visited.

We must keep our distance from large male bulls who can easily charge a vehicle and tip it over.

The three of us are going to Quiz Night at Giraffe Pub and Grill tonight. At 5:30, friends Kathy and Don, her sister Connie, and Don’s cousin Sandra will join us for dinner and to play the game. It should be extra fun with our friends.

Have a fantastic Tuesday!

Be well.

Photos from ten years ago today, April 15, 2015:

In Kauai, the sun is waning on a less cloudy evening. For more photos, please click here.

Day 3, Kruger National Park…Guided game drive…Leopard day…excellent night game drive and dinner…

Of course, the leopard was seen at quite a distance in a tree, which hampered the photos’ quality.

As mentioned earlier, seeing the Big Five is unlikely in this area since the rhinos have been moved further north to more protected areas. Poaching has caused the obliteration of tens of thousands of rhinos in South Africa for many years.

Leopard loungin in the tree.

Here’s a chart with rhino poaching statistics from this site:

South Africa: A rhino poaching hotspot

Chart showing rhinos poached in South Africa 2006 - 2024

As a result of moving the rhinos, the likelihood of seeing The Big Five in this area is slim to none. The Big Five are described as follows:

The Big Five refers to African lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and Cape buffalo. Today, the phrase is usually used to market safaris, but it was first coined by big-game hunters more than 100 years ago.”

When sharing a vehicle with other passengers, we can’t sit as long as I’d like to get good shots, as the leopard frequently moves on the tree.

Thus, spotting four of The Big Five, except the rhino, on our morning drive on Monday was quite a thrill to share with Lisa and a joy for Tom and me. But, it isn’t so much about The Big Five as the experience of being in the park and the sightings of many other species, which we’ll continue to share over the next several days, including photos from last night’s night drive and dinner in the bush.

The heaviest wild leopard in Southern Africa weighed around 96 kg (212 lb) and measured 262 cm (103 in).

Today, we only have to run to the ATM at the Bush Centre, and tonight, we’re taking Louise and Danie out to dinner with us in Ngwenya for the Thursday evening buffet. It’s hard to believe the cost of their “all-you-can buffet” is only ZAR 200, US $10.30! Amazing!

The heaviest wild leopard in Southern Africa weighed around 96 kg (212 lb) and measured 262 cm (103 in).

We’ll be at Jabula tomorrow and Saturday evenings, so I won’t cook again until Sunday and Monday. It’s fun being so busy with so many activities.

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll be back tomorrow with more photos of our adventures.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 10, 2015:

These Angel Trumpets at the Princeville Botanical Gardens are known to be hallucinogenic and abused by some who partake in its effects. We’d seen these flowers in Madeira, Portugal, and had no idea their drug-like properties. For more photos, please click here.

Day 1, Kruger National Park…Guided game drive…Very cloudy day…

This scene at sunrise prompted us to take photos.

Being ready to head out the door to the safari vehicle at 5:00 am was a bit challenging. Still, the three of us managed to be prepared to go when Martin, our Kruger guide, arrived in the 10-person safari vehicle with two other guests already in tow.

We were concerned that in a 10-person vehicle, one or two of us may be stuck in the middle of three seats across and unable to take photos easily. As it turned out, there were only five of us. Lisa and I sat in one seat with Tom alone in front of us. We’d have no problem taking photos from our prime positions in the tiered seating game drive vehicle.

What’s the difference between a black-headed vulture and a red-headed vulture? But once again, they found that hemoglobin — and not carotenoids — is the main pigment responsible for the red coloration of the turkey vulture’s head skin, whilst eumelanin is the source for the coloration of the black vulture’s black head skin.

Since it was so early in the morning, the 20-minute drive to the Crocodile Bridge Gate was windy and cool. We’d all bundled up in layers and wore hats, and the time passed quickly while we were cool in the early morning temperatures.

Once we arrived at the gate, the guided safari vehicles were first in line, while tourists self-driving were in another row. By 6:30, we were processed and heading into the park. We used our Wild Card annual pass, and Lisa purchased a single-entry pass. Louise had arranged the guided tour at Marloth Park Info Centre for the six-hour morning game drive at the cost of ZAR 980, US $50.33.

Vultures only eat dead meat. They do not hunt for live wildlife.

Although we saw four of The Big Five with no rhinos in the areas we traveled since they’ve all been moved for safety reasons (to avoid poaching), we didn’t see a tremendous number of animals, not as many as we often see when we do a self-drive.

However, the sightings that Martin pursued after communicating with other drivers were worth the long distances we drove to specific locations. There, we saw the elusive leopard and, later, further away, male and female lions with a Cape buffalo kill.

Vultures are often seen in dead trees because the sturdy, leafless branches provide stable perches, unobstructed views, and a safe place to roost, especially for scavenging birds with flat, chicken-like feet.

We spent most of the six hours racing in the bouncing vehicle. My Fitbit registers the bouncing as if it were steps. At the end of the six hours, my watch registered almost 6000 steps when we only walked from the parking lot where Martin parked the vehicle to the Mugg & Bean restaurant in Lower Sabie, where Lisa and I had an early lunch. Tom wasn’t hungry and didn’t order.

An hour later, we were back on the road, with multiple elephant sightings in the process, as we returned to the Crocodile Bridge, where our six-hour tour was ending.

Spotting elephants in the wild is always an extraordinary experience.

We generously tipped Martin for a good day and were anxious to get in the house to review our photos. Later, we had a lovely dinner, and we all headed to bed early to make up for lost sleep. For the first time since we arrived, I slept well for over eight hours, woke up refreshed, and was ready for a new day.

The three of us are seated at the table on the veranda using our laptops. Tom is listening to podcasts using his earbuds, and Lisa and I are working on our respective websites, posting photos and information about our safari day. Here’s the link to Lisa’s site.

This is a younger elephant whose tusks are continuing to grow.

Tonight, the three of us are going to Girafe Bar & Grill for dinner and then “quiz night,” a three-hour group trivia game with many other locals and tourists in attendance. The locals take this game very seriously, so it should be fun.

We’ll add the remainder of our many photos over the next several days. Please check back.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 8, 2015

A juice bar on wheels in Hanalei, Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

Important travel news about Venice this June…A visit to Two Trees for river sightings…

Several waterbucks across the Crocodile River.

Note: Today’s photos were taken quite far from where we were seated at Two Trees river-viewing area.

From Travel & Leisure, we encountered the following article, which may be significant to many of our readers traveling to Venice in June. We are not interested in celebrity news; we are sharing this important article for any of our readers considering a visit to Venice.

Venice is a fantastic tourist experience, which we thoroughly enjoyed in June 2013, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime travel treasure. However, if you have plans to travel to Venice

“Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s Wedding Has Travelers Worried About Visiting Venice This Summer—Here’s What You Should Know

Venice has hosted bigger events, but you may have some trouble in one area of planning.

  • Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are tying the knot in Venice.
  • Amid reports and fears of travel disruptions in the popular Italian destination, the city claims it “will be easy for Venice to accommodate such an event.”
  • For anyone overlapping with the wedding, there’s one booking you should make ASAP.

When one of the wealthiest men in the world gets married, you know it will be a scene. And that’s exactly why travelers are already bracing for the impact of Jeff Bezos marrying Lauren Sanchez in Venice this June.

I caught this bird in flight, but what a strange photo!

“It seems that Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez have decided to get married in Venice on June 24-26. Reports say that they have reserved all water taxis in the city and will be taking over many of the high-end hotels,” one Redditor recently lamented on the Italy Travel subreddit. “I would not want to be anywhere near Venice during that time. Make alternate plans to go somewhere else if you value your sanity and your health.”

However, it appears this was all by design. Morris Ceron, the director general of the Venice council, told the London Times he actually campaigned for the couple to have their wedding here. “Seven months ago, Domenico Dolce told me Bezos was getting married,” Ceron said. “I got to work to bring this marriage of the century to Venice—that’s how it started.

But these upcoming nuptials have drawn almost too much attention—so much so that the local government felt compelled to share a statement about the wedding to dispel any fears.

“The many speculations and fake news circulating about Jeff Bezos’ wedding are completely unfounded. Only two hundred guests will have been invited, and therefore it will be easy for Venice to accommodate such an event, without any disruption whatsoever to the city, its residents and visitors,” Luigi Brugnaro, the mayor of Venice, wrote.

Waterbucks are beautiful animals, much larger than they appear in these blurry photos.

As Brugnaro noted, the city has hosted “international events much larger than this.” He also squashed the rumor that the Bezos wedding party has already rented out all the gondolas in the city. “The organization has categorically not booked large amounts of gondolas or excessive numbers of water taxis, and it is their utmost priority to make sure the city functions as normal, for all, with no abnormal disruption to anyone.”

In fact, people may not even realize the wedding is taking place. A spokesperson for the mayor of Venice told CNN that the wedding is likely taking place on Bezos’ superyacht, which will be anchored in the lagoon.

That said, people may have trouble finding a luxury hotel room. According to CNN, the city’s best hotels—including the Belmond Hotel Cipriani, the St. Regis Venice, and the Gritti Palace—are almost all completely booked for the end of June.

Which celebrities fellow travelers may spot over the wedding weekend is really anyone’s guess, but TMZ is speculating that Eva Longoria, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Kris Jenner, and Kim Kardashian have all made the list.

So yes, it will be busy. But if you’ve already got plans to visit, you don’t necessarily have to re-book if you don’t want to.

“As Municipality of Venice, from the beginning, we are mutually working and supporting the organizers to ensure that the event will be respectful of the fragility and uniqueness of the city,” Brugnaro added. “For this reason, we will work together for best result. Whoever loves Venice will always be welcome.”

If you plan to be in Venice during this hectic period, which will extend to the end of the month, and “celebrity” doesn’t appeal to you, there are countless amazing places in Italy to choose from as an alternative. Perhaps you can save a trip to Venice for the end of your Italian vacation when this massive event is over.
On another note, we headed to the Two Trees viewing area a few days ago but only spotted the above-shown waterbucks. But Lisa was thrilled to see a species she had yet to see. We are having such fun with her. We booked some activities for next week with the help of Louise when we stopped at the Marloth Park Info Centre, owned and operated by Louise and Danie.
We will be sharing photos here after each event. We are all looking forward to these activities.
Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 5, 2015:

It is not an Easter lily but an orchid. It was spotted in Princeville, Kauai. For more photos, please click here.

Lisa made it to South Africa!…Wildlife in abundance to meet the new human…Names of groups of wildlife?…

Look how many mongooses stopped by to see Lisa today. 

Yesterday, when we hadn’t seen a text from Lisa telling us if she had made the flight, we waited, hoping we’d hear she’d arrived in Nelspruit so Tom could begin the drive to the airport. Finally, she texted, saying Airlink allowed her on the flight at last minute, and she didn’t have a signal to text once she boarded the plane. She was waiting for Tom at the airport.

He took off immediately and arrived 90 minutes after refilling the little white car’s petrol. It was easy for Lisa to find him at the small airport. When they arrived, I was busy feeding eight zebras while she squealed with delight, seeing her first wildlife at our house. It was very exciting for her and us.

A flock of helmeted guinea fowl in the garden.

Since then, they’ve been coming in droves, and she loves every moment while we enjoy having her with us. We sat on the veranda, had dinner, and chatted well into the evening with countless animals stopping by, including the elusive genet.

After her long trip from the US, at about 9:00 pm, she headed off to bed while we tidied the kitchen and also headed to bed.

This morning, the names of groups of wildlife were discussed, and although we’d written about this topic years ago, we thought it was a good time to write again for our new readers and those who may have missed the original post.

“If you have a knowledgeable guide on an African safari, you will likely learn all sorts of new and interesting information about the animals you see, including their collective nouns.  What is a collective noun? It is a word used to describe a collection of animals, people, or things.

The Big Daddy jumped the fence looking for pellets. We put the pellets on the ground outside this area of the garden.

Most people usually know that a group of lions is called a PRIDE, that a family of elephants form a HERD, or that ants can be found in a COLONY.  However, do you know the name of a group of giraffes? Or even a group of hippos? How about a group of rhinos? Learning these names will make you seem like an aficionado on safari!

An armoury of aardvarks
A shrewdness of apes
An army of ants
A troop of baboons
A cete of badgers
A cloud of bats
A herd of buffalo
A coalition of cheetahs

A bask of crocodiles
A murder of crows
A pack of wild dogs
A herd/parade of elephants
A flamboyance of flamingos
A tower/journey of giraffes

A band of gorillas
A pod (raft) of hippos
A cackle/clan of hyenas
A leap of leopards
A conspiracy of lemurs

A pride of lions
A troop of monkeys
A band of mongooses
A parliament of owls
A pandemonium of parrots

A prickle of porcupines
A crash of rhinos
A venue of vultures
An implausibility of wildebeest
A dazzle of zebras”

As we busy ourselves on our laptops, we’re constantly distracted by visiting animals. It’s a wonderful day.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 3, 2015:

Based on appearance, we speculate that there’s some permanent pouch beneath this shedding skin of this Green Anole. We had difficulty finding details on the shedding process of these lizards. For more photos, please click here.

An exciting nocturnal visitor…Soon, Tom leaves for Nelspruit to pick up Lisa at the airport…Tom’s fun night out without me…

Last night, our trail cam picked up this photo of a genet. We’ll start putting meat out for him. “A genet is a member of the genus Genetta, which consists of 17 species of small African carnivorans. The common genet is the only one in Europe, and it occurs on the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and France. Genet fossils from the Late Miocene have later been found at sites in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Morocco.”

What a delightful sighting on the trail cam last night while we slept. This genet stopped by inspiring us to leave meat out for her or him in the future. As carnivores, they’ll eat any meat, raw or cooked.

Most nights, the trail cam picks up sightings of the same wildlife we take photos of during daylight hours. As a result, we only post unusual sightings from the trail cam.

With no luck finding meat, he ended his search and jumped off the railing. Genets are carnivores, like other feline species.

At the moment, Lisa is in a long immigration queue in Johannesburg, unsure if she’ll make the Airlink flight to Nelspruit. Tom won’t leave for the airport until we hear from her that she made the flight. If not, she’ll have to take the 4:00 pm flight, arriving at 4:50, which is cutting it close for driving on the N4 before dark. The sunset is at 5:50. Driving on the N4 in the dark is too dangerous.

We’ll wait to hear from her about whether she will make the flight. As of this writing, the flight leaves in 40 minutes.

At this table, from left to right, is Sidney, his wife Patty Pan, Lorraine, Michael, friend Don’s cousins, all of whom we know. Tom played trivia with this group.

Last night was unusual for us. Tom went out without me. I would have gone to “Trivia Night” at Giraffe, but I was suffering from a gastrointestinal issue, which resolved overnight. We had committed to Patty Pan, who coordinates the event each week, that we’d both come since there were limited seats. It made sense for Tom to go without me.

He left the house at about 5:30 and returned at 9:30. They started playing at 6:30 and continued until just before he returned. I stayed in the bedroom watching movies while he was gone. He said he had a great time during the game. Since it was April Fool’s Day, many participants wore hilarious costumes and hats, as shown in today’s photos.

We don’t recognize anyone at this table since the men are dressed like women due to April Fool’s Day!

We just heard from Lisa that she made it through immigration and picked up her one piece of luggage. She’s now waiting in the security queue, which is also long; Tom won’t leave until we know she made the flight. Oh, dear.

I’ll start chopping and dicing once Tom leaves for the airport and I upload this post. For dinner, I am making a chicken peanut stir-fry with rice and a salad. I’m making enough for two nights, and then on Friday, we’ll all go to Jabula for dinner.

Tom recognized some of these participants but not necessarily by name.

It will be a fun month with Lisa here with us. It’s so enjoyable for us to share the wonders of the bush with friends. No word from her yet. Will update her arrival tomorrow!

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, April 2, 2015:

On a walk in Princeville, Kauai, I was enthralled by the view as I approached our condo (not shown in this photo). For more photos, please click here.

An injured little bushbuck living in the garden…Graphic photos…Please don’t look, if disturbing to you…

This precious little bushbuck had a seriously injured leg and has been living in our garden for several days, during which time we have fed her. Help is on its way.

It’s been raining off and on since the middle of the night. Right now, the temperature is only 76F, 24C, but the humidity is  83% with a dew point of 70°, which is considered oppressive. In other words, while sitting outdoors, we are sweating. I finished my two cups of decaf coffee and am sweating more. Soon, I’ll switch to Crystal Light Lemonade in my big mug with lots of ice. (Tom drinks the iced tea).

When the sun comes out, the humidity and dew point will drop as the temperature rises. Today’s high is expected to be only 86F, 30 C, warm but bearable compared to the 90s of the past several days. The weather is expected to begin cooling down as we enter winter in the southern hemisphere.

As shown, her little knee was severely injured and nothing could be done.

The above-shown little bushbuck, maybe a few months old, has been living inside the fence surrounding the garden for several days with an injured leg that appeared swollen at the joint. Her mom came by several times a day to check on her. It was sad to

But we knew we had to report it since she would most likely never be able to jump over the little fence. We fed her several times daily, and she drank water from the birdbath. There was nothing more we could do.

This morning, I contacted Louise, and she called the rangers. Within a half hour, three rangers were here with the vet, Dr. Piet. He examined her and determined the injury was so bad she couldn’t be saved. They showed me the injury to give me peace of mind, knowing there was nothing that could be done for her.

Honorary Ranger Mark, owner of Daisy’s Den, whom we’ve known for years, carried her lifeless body out to his truck.

They shot her before my eyes, and I flinched with tears in my eyes. This is the reality of living in the bush. I hesitated to post the graphic photos, thinking they might be too much for some of our readers to see. But we’ve always promised to ‘tell it like it is,’ and this scenario was no exception.

If any of our readers are uncomfortable, please know that the continued suffering of the little bushbuck was more inhumane than the outcome. Although it touched our hearts, we knew it had to be done.

Her mom showed up again, and I gave her some lettuce and cabbage. She’ll likely continue to look for her for several days, but she may soon be pregnant again as the life cycle continues.

Her mom stopped by shortly after they took her baby away, looking for her.

Once I upload this post, we’re heading to the local Savemor Market for a few things since we haven’t shopped in Komati since last Monday, and we need to fill in a few things for the upcoming week.

Our dear friend, Lisa, flies out of Florida tonight and will arrive by noon on Wednesday when Tom picks her up at the airport in Nelspruit. I’ll stay behind when he collects her and the next rental car and make dinner. She may be too tired to eat dinner and sit on the veranda that night, but we’ll have a meal ready for her when she feels like eating.

That’s our story from today.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, March 31, 2015:

There’s always a chicken on the beach in Kauai. For more photos, please click here.