Getting outside of our heads in this chaotic world we live in…Distractions…More lions..Giant lizard!…More, more, more!…

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Traffic jam on the way to the river.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Monitor lizard breezing through the garden yesterday afternoon.

For those of our readers who may have missed yesterday’s post please click here regarding our goof-up on the arrival date of our friends who actually will be here tomorrow around 1300 HOURS (1:00 PM) not today as we’d originally thought.

Then there were two more, both youngsters.

We certainly do become distracted from time to time. It’s hard to avoid becoming doing so when there are so many distractions around us at any given moment. 

A bloat of hippos.

Last evening while still light, Tom spotted a monitor lizard in the garden and we both went into action taking the above photo we’re sharing here today. Whether it’s a lizard, a frog, a wildebeest, or a pair of duikers, it’s all worthy of our undivided attention.

 As I prepared this post there were four bushbucks, two duikers, eight helmeted guineafowls, dozens of birds hovering by the birdfeeder waiting their turn, and a handful of mongooses wondering if they’ll get eggs. They will. They always do.

A hippo plowing through the vegetation in the river.

Much to our relief, yesterday we heard both Frank and the Mrs. making their noise. She’s been incognito for the past week and we were worried something had happened to her. Alas, she’s been off with her eggs, soon to be hatched into adorable little francolin chicks. And yes, we do get attached to birds.

Lately, there have been countless cape buffalo on the river.

Before too long the chicks will magically appear and we’ll have to keep a close watch each day to make sure the mongooses don’t go after their eggs or eventually the little chicks. This could be challenging. Talk about distractions.

 Yesterday afternoon after getting many tasks completed, we jumped in the little car and once again headed to the Crocodile River. To get there, we choose a fairly long route that takes us through areas on or near the river that often results in some spectacular sightings. Yesterday was certainly no exception!

What a face!

We saw it all; elephants, hippos, cape buffalos, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, and lions. What an adventure! What a fantastic distraction from thoughts that occasionally flutter through our minds on the horrible news we read online about what’s transpiring in our own country, here in South Africa, and many other countries throughout the world.

Female lion checking out the territory.  Earlier in the day, two females killed a warthog, the males took it from them but eventually, they all feasted.

Did we run away to escape it? In part yes, we did. Unfortunately, with the internet before our eyes, several times a day, there is no escaping the harsh reality. We’d love to be able to ignore it but it doesn’t seem possible when it’s smack-dab in our faces everywhere we turn.

 Marloth Park and Kruger National Park have become our ideal distractions pumping our bodies and our minds with feel-good hormones released each time we see something that piques our interest. 

Two males with full bellies.

Whether it’s that same frog that comes to call every night, sitting atop the outdoor light fixture snapping at insects, a monitor lizard slowly wandering through the garden, or lions at a distance in Kruger Park, we love it all and, indeed it does take us outside the noise inside our heads.

Contemplating a nap after a big meal.

And soon more distractions will come our way when our friends come to visit for three weeks, where we’ll surely have some great times together.

 Tonight, to make it easy, we’re heading to Aamazing (yes, spelled correctly) River View Restuarant located on the Crocodile River where we’ll have more distractions, along with sundowners and a good meal.

Yep, a nap definitely is in order.  Lions tend to hunt during the mornings and late afternoons after it cools down.

Have a fantastic day and evening, finding distractions that take you away to a wonderful place.

Photo from one year ago today, October 9, 2017:

Sinkhole as a result of flooding from Hurricane Nate, courtesy of the Costa Rica Post.  For more photos, please click here.

Giraffes came to call!…Preparing for our house guests…Six days and counting…

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This morning when feeding this Ms. Bushbuck (one of many Ms. Bushbucks), we noticed a giraffe in the garden.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Many cape buffalos resting near the river’s edge during yesterdays 39C (102F) scorcher.

Last night, after we’d prepared the veranda for the evening with the big bowl of freshly cut vegetables filled to the brim; the container of pellets; two different types of insect repellents including one lit coil and one lit oil lantern; various lights turned on; the table set for dinner; bushbaby yogurt placed on the little stand and beverages ready for 1700 hours (5:00 pm) we noticed two giraffes in the garden.

Since generally giraffes aren’t fed by humans, they are very skittish.

Since arriving in Marloth Park many moons ago, we hadn’t seen many giraffes in the garden, spotting more when on our daily drives in Marloth Park or on self-drives in Kruger National Park.

 It was getting dark, and taking photos of the giraffes was challenging especially when we didn’t dare get too close. Giraffes can be very dangerous if they feel threatened. We kept our distance, thinking this might be one of the very few opportunities to see them in the garden.

As I attempted to get better shots, he moved back, concerned about my presence.

Alas, this morning, while feeding one of many bushbucks that stop by, the two giraffes were back. With our friends Tom and Lois arriving in six days, we’re hoping the giraffes will return during the three weeks they’ll be staying with us beginning next Tuesday, October 9th.

We’d seen this large male at other locations in the park.

We’re busy getting ready for our guests to arrive. On Monday, Louise has arranged for Zef and Vusi to do yet another “spring cleaning.” With the constant stream of dust kicked up by wildlife, the house and veranda must be cleaned daily. But even so, there’s so must dust it’s difficult to attend to each day.

 The spring cleaning on both the main floor where our bedroom is located and the second story where Tom & Lois will sleep is imperative, primarily when the upstairs hasn’t been attended to for months. Overnight, insects and cobwebs accumulate in every nook and cranny. After all, this is Africa.

A female joined the male in munching on the treetops.

We’re busy planning the first week’s meals and activities, realizing that anything can be changed if our guests prefer another plan. But we anticipate they’ll be excited with our planning, including dinners out, sundowner wildlife river watching, self-drive safaris in Kruger, and dinners on the veranda, all of which will provide them with the whole African experience.

He stood there for quite some time.

Oddly, this will be the first time any friends from the US have come to visit us.  Let’s face it. This is far from the US and has nearly a 24-hour travel time that many vacationers prefer to avoid. 

 Plus, many people prefer to stay in resorts and hotels while on holiday and not stay in a house.  In essence, staying in a resort is considerably easier with no concern over meals, transportation, activity planning, etc.

Soon, they began to wander off toward the nearby parklands.

They are a hectic and well-traveled couple who spend a lot of time on a motorcycle traveling the USA. We plan to make this visit as relaxing and enjoyable as possible for them. Of course, continually searching for wildlife sightings can be very active and time-consuming, which we have no doubt they’ll love.

 Also, we feel confident they’ll be OK with the heat, insects, and dust. They aren’t as delicate as some may be under these conditions. I can think of many of our friends who’d find these conditions uncomfortable and subsequently avoid visiting us in Africa and certain other countries where conditions may be a little rough.

About a dozen bushbabies stop by the little stand for yogurt, which we purchase weekly for the nightly feedings.

We’ve asked Tom and Lois about their favorite beverage options and are already well-stocked for their arrival. They’ve generously offered to share in the cost of food and beverages while here since they’re staying for three weeks. But, we’re not accepting any money for rent.  

 They are our guests, and we’re grateful they’re taking the time and expense to visit. Our goal is to make this time as memorable and enjoyable for them as possible. We’re leaving plans flexible and wide open if they’d prefer to head off on their own for safaris, dinners out, or any other events.

 On the other hand, if they’d like us to join them in any activities, we’ll surely be happy to do so.

 Today is much more relaxed than yesterday. Later on, we’ll head down to the river to see if we can spot the lions we hear have been working on a recent kill. We’ll be back with more soon.

 May you have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 3, 2017:

The pretty little hummingbird was stunned after hitting the glass wall in Costa Rica and landed on a chaise lounge.  A short while later, she recovered and flew away, much to our relief. For more photos, please click here.

Summer’s coming…hot, hot, hot!…Humans and animals feeling the heat…How do we manage in over 40C, (104F) temps with no AC?…Giraffe traffic…

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It’s essential always to stop and wait patiently when wildlife is crossing the road. No honking necessary! They’ll move on.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

After eating a good-sized share of pellets, Baby Bushbuck needed a drink from his mom. Soon, she’ll wean him since, most likely, she will be pregnant again. Bushbucks can give birth twice in one year.

First, let me clarify the “Orange” house (see link here for the listing). There are wall air conditioners in each of the three bedrooms and two units in the living room high up the wall on the massive vaulted ceiling.

If we move forward gently, they’ll usually move on. This giraffe had no intention of getting out of the way. We waited patiently and finally. She moved along. 

When we first arrived here last February 11th, it was still summer, ending around March 21st. It was sweltering, comparable to August heat in the northern hemisphere.  

She joined her “tower” of giraffes on the other side of the road.

During the first few nights after we arrived, we tried using the air con in the living room after sitting outdoors, usually around 9:00 pm. The inside of the house felt like an oven. The air con was no help whatsoever. The massive room and high ceilings made it impossible to cool down at all. We haven’t used it since.  

They went about their business eating leaves from the treetops.

When we go to bed, we use the high-on-the-wall air con unit, and it works well regardless of the temperature to keep us cool while sleeping. This is all we need. During the days, we tough it out.

Right now, at 10:45 am, it is 34C (92.3F). It’s expected to be a high of 39C (102F) today, peaking at around 1500 hours (3:00 PM). Since it’s not summered yet, we’re still experiencing many relaxed and comfortable days of perfect weather.

Cape buffalo were cooling off on a hot day.

Once summer arrives and the rains come, we’ll experience both heat and humidity. Now, the humidity is very low, with no rain in many months. Thus sitting all day outdoors on these high temp days is somewhat tolerable.

When we were here in 2013/2014 (December through February), it was during the peak of summer, and it was sweltering and humid every day with hardly a day’s relief. We managed then. We’ll manage now.

Elephants gathered at a waterhole by the river.

I’m not attempting to allude that this heat is easy. Even in desert climates such as Nevada, our state of residency, anything over 39C (102F) is hot and uncomfortable.  

Elephants were digging holes for fresh, clean water.

When we were in Henderson, Nevada, in July 2017, the temperature reached as much as 47C (117F), if not more. We still managed to use son Richard’s pool and sit outdoors for a few hours each day, mainly in the shade. At most, we each spent 20 minutes in the sun for vitamin D.

The sun is so hot here we haven’t been sitting in the sun at all, although we do quite a bit of walking in the sun when we visit the fence at the Crocodile River.  To purposely sit in the sun here is highly uncomfortable, especially right now.

As hot as it’s been lately, it still springs here, and birds are preparing their nests. A pair of blue African starlings have taken over the formerly unoccupied bushbaby house from a couple of hornbills. 

Regardless of how hot it gets, we always know, if we need a 10-minute break, we can go into the bedroom, turn on the AC and get relaxed. A better alternative is jumping in the little car and going for our usual drive in the park during the high-temperature peak mid-afternoon.   

Each day the female and male bring bits of dried brush and other vegetation to build their nest inside this house.

Tom’s already washed the little car’s windows which he must do each day before we head out when the windows are covered with dust, like every surface around us both inside and outside the house. Everything must be dusted daily to feel some semblance of cleanliness.

No, it’s not easy living in the bush, but the fantastic aspects are well-worth the inconveniences. Last night was exceptional when wildebeests Dad & Son stopped by, warthogs Tusker and his girlfriend, Seigfried, and RoyLoud frogged Mouth, francolins Frank and the Misses. and, Mr. Frog (who visits the light fixture on the veranda every night).

“Incubation: lasts about 12 days. It begins with the next or next to last (penultimate) egg. We expect to hear the chicks before too long. Both sexes develop an incubation patch and brood the eggs, but incubation is mostly by the female (70% during the day and all night long).”

Two kudus visited before we went inside, which we hadn’t seen in days since the school holidays began. By this Sunday, the school holidays will end, and we can expect to see many more visitors and, once again, enjoy the peace in the park.

Also, one week from today, our friends Tom and Lois will be arriving from the USA to spend three weeks with us. How exciting! Tomorrow, we’ll share some of the preparations we’ve begun for their arrival.

May your days be peaceful and fulfilling!

Photo from one year ago today, October 2, 2017:

It was one year ago today we posted about the horrific shootings in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more on this sorrowful event, please click here.

“Overstaying our welcome?”…When is too long?…

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An old weathered elephant wandering the dry bush on his own. Soon, the rains will come and the vegetation will be lush and green again. It can’t come too soon.

“Sighting of the day in the Bush”

This is Tusker’s girlfriend. It was a very hot day when we took this photo and she showed up covered in mud.  He didn’t seem to mind a bit. After all…pigs…mud…they kind of go together.

Yesterday afternoon when Danie stopped by, as usual, the three of us had a good chat. As often is the case, we couldn’t help but discuss some of the local politics in South Africa and especially in Marloth Park.

Lately, it has become commonplace for us to see lions across the Crocodile River. However, we never will take these sightings for granted.

If it appears this “little piece of paradise” is free from strife, politics, and a variety of outspoken opinions, we’re kidding ourselves. Like anywhere in the world, whether a town, a city, or a tiny village, there are issues and concerns that impact its residents in one way or another.

 In most of our world travels, we’ve had little exposure to the political atmosphere other than what we’ve heard from locals as we learn about their culture.  

 It’s not easy to take good photos from such a distance but we continue to try.

However, staying in a country for an entire year (visa extension providing) we haven’t been able to escape frequently hearing and reading about the opinions, ideas, and frustrations of the local people living in this unique environment.  Without a doubt, it had an impact on us.

 And, like other municipalities throughout the world, it is not always pleasant.  Having joined several Marloth Park Facebook groups, in order to stay in touch regarding local events, unusual sightings, and concerns, it has been impossible to avoid hearing negative comments. Sadly, isn’t that what people do on social media? Express their good and bad opinions??? 

Busy day to the river.

To tell the truth, hateful comments on any social platform make us cringe. If it weren’t for our need and desire to stay in touch with family and friends, I’d most certainly not have a presence on Facebook. The hatefulness is rampant. Plus, we prefer to avoid attaching any political opinions and ideas to our posts. 

 Most days, I post a photo or two on Facebook of recent sightings along with the link to that day’s post so our family and friends can see what we’ve been discovering in our travels. Some of them read our posts and others do not.  That’s up to them.

These types of scenes are so satisfying to encounter.

After reading negative comments regarding many topics regarding Marloth Park, we’ve made an attempt to stay neutral in keeping our opinions to ourselves.  We’ve written a few posts suggesting concerns over the wildlife in the park and how tourists must follow the guidelines for behavior while in the park to preserve and protect the wildlife.

 Speeding on the paved and dirt roads has been a serious problem, resulting in the senseless slaughter of wildlife in the park and yes, it makes sense to address this and other safety issues on social media.  

Two friends of Wildebeest Willie stop by now and then when they’ve heard we are generous with the pellets.  Notice the helmeted guineafowl and warthog in the background. They also love pellets. The only animal we’ve seen refuse to go near the pellets are the mongooses. The 30 species of mongoose are mainly carnivores and have no interest in pellets or vegetables we toss.

But many non-wildlife and safety issues have been addressed causing us to step back and realize we cannot get involved. As long as our year here is concerned, we still have no right to get involved. But it’s not always easy to ignore hostile comments and criticism.

 The bashing of local businesses has been a sore spot for us. Why not address the issues with the owner of the business directly or the property owner who may not be complying with local ordinances?

A pair of unattached female zebras stopped by in the early evening.

I suppose it’s a part of the worldwide culture that’s evolved today. If you have an opinion, express it whether it hurts someone or not. Yes, we do believe in having conversations face to face on a wide array of issues which we do freely with our close friends.  

 Perhaps, even come up with some solutions that may be implemented if taken to the right resources in a professional and organized manner? Ah, but in a perfect world…

Shortly later, another female entered the garden looking for food.

Overall staying in Marloth Park for this extended period has been blissful.  Spending time with our human and animals friends has been indescribable, an experience we’ll never forget and surely miss once we’re gone. 

 But, as we discussed with Danie yesterday, staying this long in any country is way too long. After he left, Tom and I discussed this topic further and have decided we will not, unless a medical necessity, stay any longer than three months in any country we visit in the future.

We welcome every visitor except monkeys and baboons who are horribly destructive.

For us, this has been a magical number, long enough to really come to know the area, its people, its culture, and natural beauty but any longer results in us feeling too engaged, too responsible, and too affected by what’s going on.

 We decided almost six years ago to embrace the nuances of each country we visit but not to get caught up in the negativity. As much as we’d love to say we “could change the world,” we cannot.  

Zebras usually “eat and run.”

But surely, we can share the beauty, the dignity, and the uniqueness of every special place we chose to visit, sharing it with our worldwide readers each and every day. Thank you for traveling with us!

 Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 1, 2017:

Low-lying morning clouds as seen from the veranda in Atenas, Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

What are these elephants doing?…Mysterious behavior…Intelligent beings, beyond belief!…

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 What were these elephants trying to accomplish?  Any ideas?

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A little affection between the two warthogs in the garden.

For us, the fascinating aspect of living in the bush is the opportunity to observe animal behavior. We’re not animal behavioral experts, but after watching wildlife full-time for over a year based on our current and previous time spent living in the bush and on endless safaris, we’ve been able to learn a little.

We couldn’t help but wonder what was going on here.

At times, we see interactions and behaviors that leave us wondering what could be going on. Such was the case when we spotted elephants on the river engaged in a most peculiar pattern while attempting to break down or dig into an embankment on the Crocodile River.

 We watched for a while before taking the above video, and today’s included photos trying to formalize an opinion as to what was transpiring. We were never able to conclude. 

One lone elephant decided not to participate in the action at the wall.

As we’ve reviewed the photos and video, we’re still at a loss. But we’re willing to leave it at that…we don’t always get to know what’s in the minds of these and other fantastic creatures. Instead, we made the video, took the photos, and watched and waited until they finally wandered off to the river to drink, eat and clean off.

Even the youngsters got in on the activity.

However, these and other animals we’ve observed have left us reeling with excitement to do some further research to see what we can learn. Many online sites offer a wide array of information on elephant behavior, but the one we found most interesting is here.

Trunks were covered in mud.

We realize many of our readers prefer not to click on links and videos, so today, we’re sharing some of the excellent information we discovered on the above website as shown below:

 Elephants continue to fascinate both scientists and general observers alike. They are recognized as being among the most intelligent creatures on earth. Some enthusiasts believe that their intelligence rivals that of human beings.
 Aristotle even said of elephants: “The beast which passeth all others in wit and mind.” 

It appeared they were using their mouths, not as much as their trunks, to dig into the dirt wall.

Proportionally, the elephant’s brain is the most sizeable at a mass of just over 5kg. Although the largest whale is 20 times the body size of an elephant, its brain is just under twice the size. 

The need for such a large and complex organ becomes clear when we consider the behaviors and abilities of these animals. Elephants are capable of a range of emotions, including joy, playfulness, grief, and mourning. In addition, elephants can learn new facts and behaviors, mimic sounds that they hear, self-medicate, play with a sense of humor, perform artistic activities, use tools, and display compassion and self-awareness.
 
Part of the reason that elephants possess such a superior level of intelligence is their brain structure. Their neocortex is highly convoluted, as it is in humans, apes, and some dolphins. This is generally accepted to be an indication of complex intelligence. The cortex is thick and comprises many neurons. The elephant is one of the few creatures (along with human beings) that is not born with survival instincts but needs to learn these during infancy and adolescence. The brain is specially designed to accomplish this sort of life learning. Elephants and humans have a similar lifespan, and plenty of time, approximately ten years, is allowed to learn before they are considered independent adults. 

The insight and intelligence of the elephant are particularly noteworthy in their ability to mourn their dead. This behavior has only previously been noted in humans. Recently deceased elephants will receive a burial ceremony, while those already reduced to a skeleton are still paid respect by passing herds. The burial ceremony is marked by deep rumblings while the dead body is touched and caressed by the herd members’ trunks.

 Intelligence is also manifested in the elephant’s ability to self-medicate. When a pregnant mother is due to give birth, she will chew on the tree’s leaves from the Boraginaceae family to induce labor. 

Every so often, they backed off and took a break.

The ability to mimic sounds is another indication of the impressive intelligence of these beasts. Elephants have been recorded mimicking passing trucks and even the sounds made by their trainers. Often, the elephant manages to articulate certain sounds to bear a strong resemblance to the spoken word. 

Elephants can use tools or implements to accomplish a task they cannot perform on their own. They have been observed digging holes for drinking water, molding bark from a tree into the shape of a ball, placing it on top of the hole, and covering it over with sand to avoid evaporation. They also use sticks to scratch their backs when their trunk cannot reach and have been known to drop rocks on electric fences to damage them. 

The elephant’s problem-solving abilities are another impressive facet of their boundless intelligence. Incredibly, the elephant can change its behavior based on a given situation. Bandula, an Asian elephant in captivity, had learned how to release the complex hook on her shackles and would then assist her fellow “inmates” to escape from theirs. 

Self-awareness is yet another indication of the vast capacity for thinking and intellect that exists in the elephant. They can recognize themselves in a mirror, something that is extremely rare in the animal kingdom. 

These capabilities are merely touching the tip of the iceberg of the elephant’s capacity for insight, thought, and discernment. And it is this capacity that continues to captivate researchers and onlookers alike in their eternal quest to understand the mystery of the elephant psyche.”

Later, they went down to the river to drink, eat and clean off.

No doubt, this information is astounding.  And yet, as we spend so much time watching elephants in the wild, we remain in awe of the depth of their intelligence and emotions. It appears they have many of the good qualities humans possess, leaving the more negative and critical behind.  We have so much to learn from them.

Today, a perfect weather day, cool with temps in the high 20C’s (high 70F’s) range with a few billowy white clouds drifting across a bright blue sky, will keep us on the veranda hoping to see visitors who continue to be at a minimum right now.

This morning, we had a few bushbucks stop by, Frank and The Misses., dozens of helmeted guineafowl, and many birds and hornbills eating the seeds in the birdfeeder. We can always depend on them!

Have a fantastic day filled with wonder.Photo from one year ago today, September 30, 3017:

Tom’s burger and fries at Donde Bocha Antogeria in Atenas.  I ate the little side cup of guacamole when I could eat nothing else on the menu. For more photos, please click here.

Wildlife being darted and moved!…What’s going on?…

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From a recent visit to the “hippo pool” in the Crocodile River bordering Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Frank and the Mrs. show up every night at dusk in this little garden area where we give them seeds. Then, they take off for the bush to make “their noise,” a loud earsplitting call that can last several minutes.

It’s Friday morning, hot, humid, and dusty. Tom’s streaming the Minnesota Vikings football game on NFL GamePass while preparing today’s post offline. 

Frank and the Mrs. are moving to get to the little garden area where we give them seeds each night. They are always together.

The Wi-Fi signal is too weak with all the tourists in the park for him to stream the game while I’m also online. No matter. I’m sitting here watching the game with him while multitasking, arranging photos, and preparing the text on Word’s offline blog posting page.

Today is a low-key day with little to do other than the matters on hand—no chopping and dicing today. Tonight we have a reservation for dinner at Jabula, which will surely be yet another enjoyable evening. 

As we mentioned in yesterday’s post found here, sometimes just watching and waiting (patience and perseverance) produces excellent results. See below the result of doing so when we spotted this giraffe sitting in the bush.

Right now and over the past weeks, the “visitors” to our garden are limited; a few bushbucks, lots of helmeted guinea fowl, with an occasional mongoose or two running through the park. We can’t wait to see kudus, zebra and warthogs, and more during the daylight hours, but that won’t be happening for a few more weeks when the school holiday is over.

We’re happy the holiday ends before our friend Lois and Tom arrive on October 9th. It would be quite a disappointment for them to come all this way to see a few wildlife in our garden during the days. The evenings are better. Last night, Wildebeest Willie, Tusker and Ms. Tusker (mating pair, it seems), Siegfried and Roy (male warthog buddies), Mom and Baby Bushbuck, Mr. Duiker and Frank, and The Misses. made lengthy appearances, thrilled with less competition for food. They all got along well.
After watching this seated giraffe for some time, a monstrous dad, mom, and baby appeared. Please look carefully to spot the baby. Could the giraffe seated be there young from last season’s birth?

The previous night Siegfried got into an altercation with Tusker resulting in such loud warthog squeals that Martha came running out from her little house, wondering if everything was OK. A short time later, they returned, none the worse for the wear after the noisy fight. 

It’s easy to see how warthogs end up with holes in their faces when they fight for dominance with such vigor, usually over food and “women.” Aren’t those the exact reasons for starting wars?

After watching further, this family of five wandered off together into the bush.

In a local news article, we read that several animals are being darted and moved into Lionspruit, a game reserve within a game reserve located right here in Marloth Park. Lionspruit is the area where we’ve participated in braais, hosted by Louise and Danie, at Frikkie’s Dam. 
It’s incredible to see how quickly the ostrich chicks are growing.

There are two lions in Lionspruit, Dezi, and Fluffy (female and male), who will be happy to see the influx of possible food for them. There are adequate food sources for them in Lionspruit, but this choice made by locals rangers and veterinarians who will oversee the operation will add to their fodder.

This option, although daunting, is better than culling when food sources in Marloth Park are dwindling over the years, with more and more natural habitats being overrun by the building of bush homes. In defiance of the municipality’s rules, many owners grow grass and plant invasive alien plants, which they ultimately enclose in fences. 

They seem to enjoy hanging out with their siblings but once grown. They’ll be off on their own to start their own families.

This severely reduces the vegetation coverage from which animals can graze.  We often wonder what the status of Marloth Park will be in 10 to 20 years. This reality is relevant all over the world when natural habitat is destroyed by human intervention. It’s a sad situation as we see more and more wildlife becoming extinct.

Ten kudus, five zebras, five wildebeest, and two giraffes will be relocated, of course keeping the dependent youngsters intact with their parents. See the information we read on Facebook concerning the move.

Mom and Dad keep a watchful eye to ensure the safety of their chicks.
“The Marloth Wildlife Fund has been in contact with Wildlife Veterinary Services, who have proposed an excellent opportunity to move some of the excess game from Marloth Park to Lionspruit as part of their veterinary training courses. Qualified vets will, for a week, commencing on Monday 1 October, be available to dart and move animals free of charge.

 As no firearms are permitted to be used in Marloth Park, this is an ideal solution to the excess wildlife population in Marloth Park, which is devastating the natural environment. The population of animals in Lionspruit is at an all-time low, and the environment can accommodate more animals. The gene pool of different species is very low in Lionspruit. If more animals are not introduced, it could result in interbreeding, and the mutations that result will cause deformities, brain damage, etc.

The Marloth Wildlife Fund is concerned about the welfare of the animals and wants to ensure that they live as natural an existence as possible, have the correct nutrition, and build up a healthy population.
This initiative has been approved by the Municipality, and we have received the full support of MPPOA, MPRA, and the Honorary Rangers.
We appeal to property owners and members of the public not to interfere with the Vets who will be undertaking this task in the coming week.”
We wonder if any of those being moved are part of the many that visit us regularly.  We’ll have no way of knowing if they’ve been moved, injured, or passed away from other causes. But, I assure you, we’ll be waiting to see Wildebeest Willie in the garden, hoping he’s not in the lot that is going to be moved.
More beautiful impalas, as mentioned in yesterday’s post here.

Many homeowners are upset by this decision, but culling is undoubtedly a less appealing option. At least those who are moved have a chance of a beautiful remaining life if they can avoid being captured by Dezi or Fluffy. 

As mentioned above, there are dwindling numbers of animals in Lionspruit. We’ll be paying close attention to the results of darting and moving the wildlife and, subsequently, the long-term residual effect.
That’s it for today, folks. Have a fantastic day!
Photo from one year ago today, September 28, 2017:
Long view of the altar at San Rafael in Atenas, Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

Yikes!!!…A snake in the bedroom???…Or, what?…Adults only photo today.

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A waterbuck with it’s circular-shaped marking on its rear end.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Only 3% of birds on the planet have penises. For a scientific perspective, in an article entitled “Ostrich penis clears up an evolutionary mystery,” please click here.

Yesterday on the N4 Highway not far from the entrance to Marloth Park, a male lion was spotted on the highway and reported as follows:

A lion spotted by motorists along the N4 near Marloth Park in Mpumalanga is thought to have escaped from the Kruger National Park.
A lion spotted by motorists along the N4 near Marloth Park in Mpumalanga has escaped from the Kruger National Park.
A lion spotted by motorists along the N4 near Marloth Park in Mpumalanga has been darted and captured.
A spokesperson for the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, Kholofelo Nkambule, told SowetanLIVE that the lion would be returned to the Kruger National Park from which it is understood to have escaped.
“The lion has been found and darted. It is ready to be sent back to the park where it escaped from‚” said Nkambule.
The lion was sighted in the early hours of Sunday by motorists who posted a video and pictures on Facebook.”

This story created quite a flurry of activity on the various Marloth Park pages on Facebook. We followed throughout the situation, pleased to discover the lion had been darted and returned to Kruger National Park by helicopter. Thanks to all the local people, including Marloth Park rangers, for participating in this successful recovery. 

Ostriches strutting their stuff!
Our friends Lois and Tom will be arriving here in 15 days traveling on that same road from the airport. We didn’t send them this link to avoid any concerns before arriving here and becoming more informed and familiar with such occurrences.
Crossing the road…

None the less the situation caused quite a stir on social media in Marloth Park, and of course, we enjoyed reading about it throughout the day.

Also, yesterday a Marloth Park resident posted the above photo of a venomous boomslang snake devouring a lizard from her veranda. Quite an interesting sight to see. 

This morning when the power had been out for several hours, and we weren’t able to finish the post, we jumped in the little car for a drive through the park.

Giraffes, like most animals in the wild, are always on the lookout for food.  From this site:  “In Africa, there is a rainy season which allows giraffes to feed on fruits, leaves, twigs, and water, but there is also a drought season when they will try to forage for all that they can, mainly acacia trees and bushes. During these rainy months, they eat deciduous plants, and during the dry season, the evergreen plants are more consumed. They eat between 34 and 75 kg of vegetation every day.”

At the Crocodile River, we spotted five lions, but we were too far away for good photos. Now back at the house at almost 1:00 pm, we’re settled in for the remainder of the day and evening.

From this site: “The giraffe’s main predator is the lion, which can accelerate to almost 50 miles per hour. His second worst enemy, the hyena, can reach 35 mph. If a lion and a giraffe ran a race side by side, the lion would beat the giraffe to the finish line. However, the giraffe is not about to give a predator an even start. He uses his great height and excellent eyesight to spot a pride of lions as far as half a mile away and gets a head start. Lions can sustain their top speed for only about a hundred yards, so they run out of gas before the giraffe does. Hyenas can be more dangerous because they hunt cooperatively. They can take turns sprinting to keep the giraffe from slowing down to catch his breath.”

It’s not as hot today as it had been several days last week. It’s a paltry 30C (86F), but oddly, with no rain for months, it’s humid today. The holidaymakers are beginning to leave after the long weekend, but many remain.

Giraffes move quickly, so when we spot them, we always stop for photos and observe their fascinating behavior.

There are many cars on the road, and more will come when the school holidays begin this week. As a result, we’re hardly seeing any visitors other than bushbucks, helmeted guineafowl, mongooses, and a few warthogs.  

Giraffes crossing a dirt road in Marloth Park.

Once the commotion thins out in a few weeks, it will be quiet and peaceful, with visitors clamoring in our garden for pellets, carrots, apples, and eggs. We’ll stay busy in the interim doing our favorite pleasurable activities; daily drives to the river; dinner out each week at Jabula Lodge & Restaurant where the food and companionship are divine; socializing and entertaining friends for dinner (this coming Saturday); and continuing to post stories and photos every day.

It’s dark in our bedroom. Upon awakening, with Tom already outside on the veranda, I looked out the window to see if we had visitors. Then I noticed this and backed up slowly and calmly.

As for the above photos of what, at first, appeared to be a snake, I called Tom into the bedroom, and he grabbed the huge telescopic pole he uses to chase off monkeys and baboons and carefully approached the scene.  

When Tom grabbed the telescopic pole to pull this out from behind the wooden chest, he discovered this. See the story below.

Oh, good grief. It was his belt that had fallen behind the wooden chest. We couldn’t help but laugh out loud, especially as we’ve recalled the situation several times since that morning.

Do we ever get bored? Never. Certainly not in this environment. But, like many other retirees throughout the world, we occasionally conjure up some added activity to keep us enthused and thoroughly entertained.

Oops, gotta go! Ms. Bushbuck just arrived. The pellets are ready for her, along with some iced cold carrots, apples, and lettuce…her favorites.

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 24, 2017:

Elephant topiary on the church’s grounds and topiary in Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.

Exquisite scenery from the Marloth Park side of the Crocodile River…Staying healthy, a must for this life!…

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It was hard to believe we captured this scene close to sunset.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Notice the appearance of a face in the rocks near the top center of this photo.

It’s almost noon on Sunday and I’m getting a late start to today’s post. Recently, on a relatively strict diet to lose the weight I’d gained these past few years since my gastrointestinal problems began, I’m only 2.5 kg (5.5 pounds) away from my goal.  

A pair of retired generals, perhaps?

Once I reach that goal, I will post the details here including what I’ve been doing to lose weight which is difficult with my already strict way of eating, what I did and didn’t give up, my weight at the start, and the final total weight loss.

Zebras were standing in a waterhole drinking and cooling off.

It’s been slow, averaging only a .45 kg (one pound) loss per week but I’m thrilled to be able to fit back into clothes I’ve dragged around the world for a few years hoping I’d fit in them once again.  

A mom and youngster grazing near the water’s edge.

Of course, now I’m stuck with many items that are way too big, which I’ll donate before we leave South Africa, whenever that may be. In the interim Tom who’d also gained a few kilos is now gradually returning to his lowest weight which was when we were in Belize almost six years ago.

This elephant was trying to figure out how to climb these steep rocks. Eventually, she turned and took a different route.

We’re hell-bent on not carrying excess weight when our goal is to stay fit and healthy so we can continue traveling. We’ve both found we feel our very best at the lower end of our weight ranges which like everyone, fluctuates from time to time.

Five giraffes at the river’s edge.

No, we’re not obsessed with the “numbers’ but we’re definitely determined to keep our lipids, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and weight at a level of optimum wellness for our ages.

Zebras coming down the steep hill to the Crocodile River.

No doubt, I’d had my share of medical ups and downs these past several years.  But, now I see I need to pay more attention to wellness and less attention to the vulnerability of advancing age.  

The hot weather brought many animals down to the Crocodile River.

Fortunately, none of my issues had left me wanting to stop traveling. At times, it was difficult to carry on but the sheer love of our lifestyle has kept me motivated to forging ahead. Now that I’m feeling so well I never forget to be grateful each and every day while continuing on the mission to maintain good health.

Giraffes rarely bend to the ground other than to drink.  They are vulnerable to predators in this position.

One’s mental health is equally important in this process and nothing could bring us more joy than the amazing relationship we share as we travel the world.  This extended stay in South Africa, hopefully lasting until February 20, 2019, when we fly to Kenya (providing we are able to get visa extensions) means we only have 150 days remaining until we leave.

A few male impalas and two giraffes could be mom and youngster.

The remaining 150 days constitute a total of four months and 28 days. We both want to thank all of our worldwide readers for staying with us as we’ve continued to write and post photos of some fairly repetitive scenarios.

Giraffes heading back up the embankment while zebras languished in the water.

We present today’s photos with a little different perspective, not just animal photos per se but scenes with the wildlife we’ve been fortunate to see while on the Marloth Park side of the fence, overlooking the Crocodile River, taken on the two outrageously hot days this past week.

A few of the zebras began to wander off while the others stayed behind.

Enjoy our photos and especially, enjoy YOUR day!

Photo from one year ago today, September 23, 2017:

Much of the produce at the Central Market in Atenas appears to be imported when it’s perfectly shaped and mostly clean. At the feria, the Friday Atenas Farmer’s Market, the vegetables appear to have been “just picked” with excess leaves and insects still on them. That’s the type of produce we prefer to buy.  For more photos, please click here.

Mongoose mania in the morning…Delightful little critters we’re coming to know..What’s our weekly expense for is feeding the wildlife?…

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The mongoose now comes up the steps to let us know they’d like some eggs.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Mr. Tree Frog has become a regular fixture hanging out on this light fixture every night after dark. Most likely he’s attracted to the possibility of eating many insects around the light.

Mongooses fascinate us. (Yes, the plural of mongoose is most often mongooses, not necessarily mongeese). There is no biological connection between mongooses and geese.

The mongooses get along well with Ms. Bushbuck and Baby.

A group of mongooses ranging from 20 to 50 participants is called a band. In our area in Marloth Park, most often we see the banded (striped) mongoose. Most often they visit us in small groups of 20 or so but we’ve definitely had visits from as many as 60 or 70 of the funny little creatures 

“Only one more step to go,” says one mongoose to another.

In Africa, there are 34 species of mongooses but there are also these and other species in parts of Asia and Europe. In many countries, they are highly revered for their ability to fight with a venomous snake, surviving many bites.  

 Mongooses are adept at killing snakes due to their agility, thick coats, and specialized acetylcholine receptors that render them resistant or immune to snake venom. Thus, we welcome them as visitors hoping their presence, which is daily, keeps the snake population at bay during the upcoming spring and summer months.

“I made it all the way to the top. Now, let’s see if the humans notice me!”

Some mongooses are strictly carnivores but those that visit us, the banded mongooses, seem to enjoy eating the small apple chunks that we toss to a wide variety of visitors although not with the enthusiasm as when we provide the bowl of scrambled eggs as shown in today’s photo with a mongoose lying in it.

“I’ll hide under the braai so they don’t see me.”

Each week, while I shop for groceries in Komatipoort Tom heads to the market in Lebombo where he purchases five dozen eggs for the mongooses and carrots and apples for the remaining wildlife which we “serve'” along with the pellets.

 Our weekly cost for feeding wildlife is as follows:
Carrots 5 kg:  ZAR 34.90  (US $2.44)
Apples 2 bags: ZAR  39.80 (US $2.78)
Eggs 5 dozen:  ZAR 79.80  (US $5.57)
Pellets 60 kg:  ZAR 329.29 (US $23.00)
Total: ZAR 488.79 (US $33.79) 

“Hmm…should I try it too?”

We also eat the carrots in the 5 kg bag since they are of exceptional quality.  However, we don’t consume apples with our way of eating and prefer buying “free-range organic eggs” which we purchase weekly at Spar for our own use.

 The total weekly/month cost may seem like too big a number to be tossing out to wildlife but the amount of enjoyment we get derive while providing wildlife with added sustenance is well worth the money.

“Gee…the eggs are all gone but I think I’ll lay in the bowl to let them know we want more.”

We never go to a movie, dine out only once per week on average, don’t have the cost of upkeep and home maintenance (including cable bills, lawn service, utilities, and trips to Home Depot) results in the most exquisite entertainment found anywhere in the world as far as we’re concerned.  

 In our old lives, it was nothing unusual to drop ZAR 7159 (US $500) during a single trip to Costco, considered in itself to be quite entertaining, while loading up on massive sizes of household goods and food. Those days are long past.

“Trying a different position.  Maybe this will work.”

We do not feed the wildlife our leftover food. We plan our meals carefully and rarely have leftover food to toss. Nor would we feel it is safe for the wildlife to be fed human food. Their digestive systems are developed to consume vegetation and for the carnivores, like the banded mongooses that visit us, they consume insects, small rodents, frogs, lizards, snakes, and eggs. 

We often hear stories of holidaymakers and some local residents feeding the wildlife totally inappropriate foods, such as potato chips and fries, pasta and desserts, and other sugary, starchy foods that aren’t befitting their physical makeup.

“That didn’t work.  Maybe I’ll take a nap.”

In a perfect world, the bush would be rife with greenery, vegetation, and water sufficient to feed the wildlife. But, the reality is such that it’s not always possible and the sustenance we provide is only a tiny portion of what they need to be well-nourished.

Soon, when the rains come, we’ll be excited to see the wildlife thrive in a richer greener environment. Even so, we have no doubt they’ll continue to visit us whether or not they’re hungry as they are now in this parched dry terrain.

May your day be rich in experience and purpose.

Photo from one year ago today, September 22, 2017:

After many inquiries as to these low-carb chicken stuffed loaves, this recipe is included in the link below. Food is a big part of our world travels as we’re sure it is for most of you when traveling, whether homemade or dining in restaurants.  We tripled the recipe in order to result in four meals, freezing part of it.  For the recipe and instructions, please click here.

Cape buffalo day!…Difficult day for wildlife in Kruger…

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No expression on this cape buffalo’s face can more clearly illustrate his disdain over the hot weather and lack of water nearby.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

I took this photo of Tom at the Mugg & Bean in Lower Sabie on the hottest day we’ve experienced since we arrived in South Africa last February. It was 42C (108F). Moments later, we moved to a table in the shade so Tom wouldn’t get sunburned.

Actually, it made sense to be in Kruger on the hottest day of the year. It allowed us to see how the wildlife stays as cool as possible under such stressful conditions.

Three cape buffalos crossing the road in Kruger.
In one single outing, we saw so much wildlife. We were stunned. For us, it isn’t always about spotting the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo. We’ve accomplished this on several occasions during our extended periods in Africa.
Thirsty, hot, and exhausted cape buffalo by the almost completely dry Verhami Dam.

We tend to focus on the wildlife we encounter along the way, never specifically searching for any particular species. Sure it’s exciting to see “cats” and rhinos and appreciate every sighting.  

Cape buffalo stay close to any water they can find.

But, we also get wrapped up in many other species, especially when there’s a story to tell, such as in yesterday’s thrilling newborn elephant sighting, as shown in this post.

A lonely-looking cape buffalo.  

In the case of today’s cape buffalos, we didn’t glean a specific story over our many sightings. Still, we did extract a common theme on the hot-weather day…cape buffalos, along with many other wildlife species, need proximity to water to find any degree of comfort during the hottest days of the season, as described here at this website:

“The African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large African bovine. The adult buffalo’s horns are its characteristic feature; they have fused bases, forming a continuous bone shield across the top of the head referred to as a “boss.” Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies and the largest one found in Southern and East Africa. S. c. nanus (African forest buffalo) is the smallest subspecies, common in Central and West Africa forest areas, while S. c. braceros are in West Africa and S. c. aequinoctialis is in the savannas of East Africa. According to some estimates, they are widely regarded as hazardous animals, as according to some estimates, the gore and kill over 200 people every year.

Only arid bush for sustenance.

The African buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle and is only distantly related to other larger bovines. Owing to its unpredictable nature, which makes it highly dangerous to humans, the African buffalo has never been domesticated, unlike its Asian counterpart, the water buffalo. Other than humans, African Cape buffaloes have few predators aside from lions and large crocodiles and can defend themselves. Being a member of the big five games, the Cape buffalo is a sought-after trophy in hunting.”

When male cape buffalo don’t “win” the right to mate, they are ostracized from the herd and left to wander in combination with other males in a similar situation.  Our last guide in Kenya, Anderson, called them “retired generals.”

One of the “big five” African game, it is known as “the Black Death” or “widowmaker” and is widely regarded as a hazardous animal. According to some estimates, it gores and kills over 200 people every year. Buffaloes are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal, although the same claim is also made of hippos and crocodiles. These numbers may be somewhat overestimated. For example, in Mozambique, attacks, especially fatal ones, were much less frequent on humans than those by hippopotamuses and Nile crocodiles. In Uganda, on the other hand, large herbivores were found to attack more people on average than lions or leopards and have a higher rate of inflicting fatalities during attacks than the predators (the buffalo, in particular, killing humans in 49.5% of attacks on them). However, hippos and even elephants may still kill more people per annum here than buffaloes. Buffaloes are notorious among big-game hunters as very dangerous animals, with wounded animals reported to ambush and attack pursuers.”

These cape buffalos hung out with hippos at the Sunset Dam, a short distance from Lower Sabie.

A few months ago, we posted our video of two cape buffalos whose horns had become entangled, which ultimately was posted on Kruger’s website per their request. Click here to see our video and here to see it again on Kruger’s own site.

Having access to water surely made life easier for these cape buffalos on a sweltering day.

We’re often able to spot cape buffalos on the Crocodile River, as shown below in one of today’s photos taken from the fence at Marloth Park overlooking Kruger.  We took this photo only two days ago. With all the zebras in the photo with the buffalos, we were pleased with the sighting.

Cape buffalo and zebras on the Crocodile River.

Today, the holidaymakers return for the upcoming two-week school holiday officially beginning on Monday. We can already tell the influence of the rush of visitors is impacting the peace and harmony of Marloth Park with many vehicles on the roads and less wildlife visiting us.  

An unbearably hot day in the bush.

Many animals head to the parklands with all the commotion, where they’ll stay until quiet is returned to the bush. This morning we had quite a few visitors, including 15 kudu, a half dozen warthogs, and our usual bushbucks, whom we expect will continue to visit several times a day, even during the busy time.

A cape buffalo hanging out with a yellow-billed stork.

The construction next door has ended, which has provided us with the quiet we so much treasure. We’ll see how these next few weeks pan out with all the tourists here. We’ll continue our daily drives to the Crocodile River, where once the wildlife is in Kruger National Park, they pay no attention to what’s transpiring in this little piece of paradise in Marloth Park.

Water and vegetation surely made this cape buffalo content.

May your day bring you peace and comfort.

Photo from one year ago today, September 21, 2017:

A beautiful scene in the yard at Iglesia de Catholica Zarcero in Costa Rica. For more photos of the church, please click here.