Yikes!…Yellow Burmese python…Another event in the park…More lions…

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This is Barend Bloem, nicknamed Slangman (snake man in Afrikaans). We’d have loved to be able to “wear” this Yellow Burmese Python for a photo, but it wasn’t possible when children were waiting for a chance to touch it.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We stopped along the river on the return drive for a few exciting photos, more of which we’ll share tomorrow.

Over the years, we’ve made a point of participating in more and more local events wherever we may be living at any given time. Doing so gives us a better opportunity to learn more about local culture and mingle with people we encounter at these events.

Here’s the flyer from yesterday’s fundraiser at Henk Van Rooyen Park, located in Marloth Park.

As it turned out, based on the busy school holiday season in South Africa at this time, soon coming to a close, many of the fair-goers were tourists. As a result, we ran into few people we knew instead of the last fair we attended a few weeks ago for the Honorary Rangers annual event, which included many local citizens. Click this link here for details of that event.

The morning was busy preparing the post and sorting through many photos we’d recently taken. Shortly before heading out, Tom noticed a comment from a Marloth Park resident stating they’d seen lions at the Crocodile River through the fence. 

The event wasn’t as crowded as the Marloth Park Honorary Rangers Winter Fair of a few weeks ago at this exact location.

There are several overlook areas on Seekoei Road that run along the river. This is the road on which friends Kathy and Don live, who are now back at their home in Pretoria and soon embarking on several exciting travel adventures, including visiting Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to see polar bears in a few months. Maybe, someday, we’ll do the same! Humm…that sounds interesting.

A real estate company was promoting its business at the event.

Anyway, one of the most popular overlook areas is called “Two Trees,” a short stretch of land on the riverside of the road with ample parking without too much of an obstructed view by trees and vegetation. We often stop there on our almost daily drives in the park to check out the wildlife on the river.

When lions were spotted from this location, we couldn’t get there quickly enough. Tomorrow, we’ll share those photos. Today, we wanted to focus on yesterday’s fair.

Many of the same vendors presented their products at the winter fair.

The entrance fee to the fair was ZAR 20 (US $1.51) per person. Where in the world is an entrance fee for any event only this much? (This upcoming week, we’ll be doing a story on the cost of living based on our experiences in Marloth Park thus far). 

Once again, we found a good parking spot and proceeded to explore the displays, entertainment, and informational booths. In no time at all, we’d wandered through the entire fair and found our way back to the little car, deciding to give the river one more drive in hopes of seeing more wildlife.

Some participants drank beer under the tents on the ground.

And, we did, more than we’d expected, enjoying every moment. We don’t need movie theatres, fairs, parks, and zoos to entertain us. Mother Nature continually provides a plethora of exciting events right before our eyes, although it may be a little sparse right now at our holiday home during this busy time.

Unfortunately, back at home, we’ve had fewer visitors than ever over these past few days. A tourist wrote on Marloth Park’s Facebook page, “I’ve been here since Thursday and the only animals I’ve seen from our holiday home is bushbabies at night.”

Lots o kid-friendly products were offered for sale.

We certainly understand their frustration. People come here to experience wildlife. Last night, much to our delight, we had eight warthogs stop by at dusk, staying well into the evening, some we’d never seen before. Interestingly, these animals, who all look alike, are easily distinguishable by specific markings they possess.

Whether it’s the color of their coarse hair, the shape of the male’s warts, the size of their tusks, and for those we’ve come to know, their response to my annoying high pitched voice, in most cases, we recognize the frequent visitors. The same applies to the other species.

Several “bouncy” activities were available for kids.

With high winds picking up, we called it a night earlier than usual. We streamed a few shows from Showtime, “Billions” and “The Affair,” both of which we’ve watched through their previous seasons. Sometimes, it feels good to get “out of our heads” by watching a few shows. 

This morning we awoke to rain pounding on the roof. It hasn’t rained here in a few months. It wasn’t enough to do any good for the wildlife and vegetation, but it was enough to keep nature even further undercover in the parklands, often where they “hide” when there are too many visitors in the park.

Our friend John from Daisy’s Den had an excellent display at the fair.  John is actively involved in community safety as well as running the store with his family.

Most of the European summer “school holidays” will end in mid-August when the commotion settles down in Marloth Park until Christmas time. In the interim, we’ll continue to scour the river and look forward to any visitors who’ll come our way. At this point, we find a single frog interesting. 

Happy day to all!

Photo from one year ago today, July 15, 2017:

Climate data for Henderson, Nevada
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24)		 86
(30)		 91
(33)		 97
(36)		 111
(44)		 114
(46)		 117
(47)		 112
(44)		 110
(43)		 100
(38)		 90
(32)		 78
(26)		 117
(47)
Average high °F (°C) 54
(12)		 59
(15)		 67
(19)		 75
(24)		 85
(29)		 95
(35)		 101
(38)		 99
(37)		 91
(33)		 78
(26)		 64
(18)		 54
(12)		 76.8
(24.8)
Average low °F (°C) 41
(5)		 44
(7)		 49
(9)		 56
(13)		 65
(18)		 74
(23)		 79
(26)		 78
(26)		 71
(22)		 60
(16)		 48
(9)		 40
(4)		 58.8
(14.8)
Record low °F (°C) 11
(−12)		 12
(−11)		 25
(−4)		 31
(−1)		 37
(3)		 41
(5)		 56
(13)		 59
(15)		 43
(6)		 30
(−1)		 4
(−16)		 9
(−13)		 4
(−16)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.70
(17.8)		 0.96
(24.4)		 0.57
(14.5)		 0.23
(5.8)		 0.11
(2.8)		 0.11
(2.8)		 0.46
(11.7)		 0.72
(18.3)		 0.42
(10.7)		 0.36
(9.1)		 0.49
(12.4)		 0.60
(15.2)		 5.73
(145.5)
It was scorching while we were in the Las Vegas area last July, the hottest month of the year.  For more, please click here.

Two delightfully fun social nights in a row…

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Louise and Danie joined us for dinner last night at Kambaku, the popular restaurant at the golf course in Komatipoort, as we celebrated their belated birthdays.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A troop of baboons on the road in Kruger National Park.

Last night, to celebrate Louise and Danie‘s belated birthdays, only days apart, we were finally able to get together for dinner at Kambuku Golf Course in Komatipoort for a leisurely happy hour and dinner.  

Louise has been busy handling her many holiday rentals in Marloth Park, and with Danie‘s construction projects in the works, coupled with our busy last few weekends, it was hard to pin down a good time that worked for all of us.

We didn’t mean to wear matching BugsAway shirts, but it just worked out that way.

We love spending time with this thoughtful, fun, and kind couple filled with local wisdom and knowledge about the bush and South Africa’s history. It’s easy to find ourselves entrenched in the engaging conversation each time we all get together.

The view of the Crocodile River at dusk from the veranda at Kambaku.

Add plenty of laughter and stories to tell among the four of us. Being with them results in one memorable experience after another. How did we get so lucky to have such fine friends in Marloth Park?

Tom had two Margaritas while the three of us drank wine. I always bring along a bottle of my favorite low alcohol/low tannins red wine to willingly pay a corkage fee. 

Lisa’s rescue bushbabies are doing well living in her closet.  Soon, all but one who is permanently disabled will be able to return to the wild.  This little one was hanging onto the door hinge as I took this photo.

At Kambaku, the corkage fee is ZAR 85 (US $6.40) for bringing in the bottle of wine. It’s so worth it to avoid the effects red wine can have on me after not having any alcohol for over 20 years. This way, I can have a few glasses with no ill effects. 

From this site: “Bushbabies are also known as galagos. Bushbabies are small primates that live in Africa and have thick fur, long tails, big ears, and huge, round eyes. Their huge eyes allow them to see in the dark. They get their name because of the loud noises they sometimes make that sound like crying, shrieking babies.”

My wine of choice is Four Cousins Skinny Red, a brand produced in South Africa for which I’ve acquired a taste. Sure, I like the taste of other dry red wines, but health is always of my utmost concern.

The dinner was good, the evening spectacular. The three of us had tasty chicken dishes while Tom has the ribs, and we were all satisfied with our fresh and well-prepared meals. This was the first time since our arrival over five months ago that we dined outside of Marloth Park, where we’ve enjoyed dining and supporting the local establishments.

At night, the healthier of the bushbabies head out of Lisa’s bedroom window to explore the nighttime world, preparing them for eventual release. They return early each morning to sit on Lisa’s head while she’s sleeping.

This is often the case for locals who prefer not to drive at night on the unlit roads to Komatipoort. Generally, it is safe to do so, but we hear about “incidences” prompting a degree of concern from time to time.

By 10:00 pm, we were all sitting at the big table on our veranda, enjoying the last minutes of our enjoyable evening together. Of course, we look forward to many more such evenings with the two of them during our remaining seven months in Marloth Park.

Lisa generously allows the little creature to sleep in her closet.  Nocturnal animals sleep during daylight hours.

On Thursday evening, Tom dropped me off at Lisa’s home to engage in a little “girl time” with her and Deidre, both from Wild & Free Wildlife Rehailitation. As it turned out, our fun get-together was more about wildlife and the joys we all experience living in this unique environment than general “girl” chitchat. 

But now, living this life, there’s no conversation more appealing than sharing our personal stories of life in the bush. Plus, the dedication these special women have to care for rescued animals is beyond reproach. 

Could these faces be any cuter? Lisa, from Wild & Free, devotes a tremendous amount of attention, love, and devotion to caring for rescued bushbabies, always with the intent of releasing them into the wild as soon as they are able.

Earlier, in February, we’d done a story with photos about the bushbabies that may be found here, and later, in June, we prepared two posts about Deidre’s rescue center in Hectorspruit in this and this second post.

Later on, Tom picked me up, visited with Lisa and Deidre for a few minutes, and we were on our way back to our veranda and the upcoming evening’s activities. Due to the number of tourists in the park, the visitor visits have lessened considerably.

This morning, other than a few birds, the only visitors were several gangly baboons trying to eat the seeds out of our birdfeeder. Subsequently, Tom took it down since we’re leaving soon to attend the Marloth Park CPF Fireman’s Fundraiser and drive around the park. Off we go! Lions were sighted this morning.

Have a spectacular day!

Photo from one year ago today, July 14, 2017:

The Lymans
‘One year ago today, our story was published in the Chanhassen Villager newspaper in Minnesota about our world travels.  For the full story, please click here.

Part 2, Kruger never disappoints if patience prevails…I’m here now…

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 After many elephant sightings, we’d never seen anything like this…please take a moment to watch this short video which will leave you as amazed and in awe of these majestic beasts as we are.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This frog was swimming in our pool at night and jumped out to be on its way.

It was a spectacular day in Kruger National Park on Wednesday, leaving us with enough photos to share for days which we’ll include with other posts over these next few weeks.

We couldn’t believe our eyes when we spotted this elephant digging a hole to access water in the ground below.  Please take a moment to watch our video at the top of the page.

The vast array of wildlife, each with its own distinct and diverse qualities, always finds us longing for more and more information about each species.  The learning curve on wildlife behaviors can take a lifetime to achieve, and over time, we whittle away at an undertaking we’ll never accomplish in our lifetimes.

I believe this is a grey heron we spotted at Sunset Dam in Kruger.

Part of me had wished that I’d have pursued an education and career in the field of wildlife, conservation, and animal behavior many years ago. But that time has long since passed, and at the time, I had other responsibilities to attend to, none of which I regret.

Giraffe with a pretty sky in the background.

As we age, we can always look back at our lives and wish we could have done things differently or better; be a better parent, a better child, a better friend, work harder, work smarter, take better care of our health and the list goes on and on.

From this site: “The stomach of the giraffe is also very sophisticated as it has four chambers as all ruminants. They chew the food, regurgitate it, chew it again, and then pass it to the stomach. This organ can digest food very well, so most foods are used positively for the body.”

Yesterday was my long-since-passed mother’s birthday. In the last years of her life, during which I was actively involved in her care, I’d often visit her daily at her assisted living facility in Minnesota. In her later years, she developed dementia to the point she didn’t recognize me at times.

Nothing beats stopping traffic in Kruger.

On many occasions, she’d snap at me, saying, “I hadn’t seen you in weeks (or months)” when I’d been there the previous day. This hurt me so much at the time until a kindly nurse said to me, “Ignore her comments that she hasn’t seen you in a long time. Instead, say, “But, Ma, I’m here now.

Elephants form a line to stop traffic.

This stuck in my brain, and each time she accused me (wrongfully) of not visiting, I said, “But, Ma, I’m here now.” And that’s how I look at my life…I’m here now….with no regrets, no wishing I’d pursued different career choices, no sense of loss of what “could have been.”

And now, the fulfillment and fruition of what had been a lifelong dream to visit Africa are right before my eyes. Here we are, after five months, with seven more to go. It couldn’t bring me more joy.

We waited patiently, and finally, they began to disperse.

Each day delivers a new experience, a new adventure, and a new challenge.  Whether it’s searching for the lions in Marloth Park or the noisy frog in the garden at night, it all matters.

From this site:  “The most awesome of all cape buffalo facts is that they are so dangerous they are referred to as “the Black Death”! Highly prized by big game hunters, these incredible creatures are members of “Africa’s Big Five” – the five most difficult African animals to hunt on foot.”

For Tom, who’d never dreamed about coming to Africa, due to a certain degree of fear and apprehension, now embraces it with a passion and interest he never expected.  When we were here 4½ years ago, his fears dissipated, and he also fell in love with it. Coming back this year further illustrates how much it meant to him as well.

Sure, I could say he came back for me, which is entirely possible in his realm of love and kindness but, he loves it too. And in 2020, we’ll be back again.  Africa does this to many visitors. It draws you in amid its valid reasons for fear and apprehension, but it “draws you out” of your hesitancy and your fear.

From this site: “Monitor lizards are large lizards in the genus Varanus. They are native to Africa, Asia, and Oceania but are now found in the Americas as an invasive species. A total of 79 species are currently recognized. Monitor lizards have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. The adult length of extant species ranges from 20 cm (7.9 in) in some species to over 3 m (10 ft) in the case of the Komodo dragon. However, the extinct varanid known as megalania (Varanus priscus) may have been capable of reaching lengths of more than 7 m (23 ft). Most monitor species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known. While most monitor lizards are carnivorous, eating eggs, smaller reptiles, fish, birds, and small mammals, some also eat fruit and vegetation, depending on where they live.”

So, what could have been or should have been years ago, becomes a reality today, and every day we continue on our search, our hunger, and our passion in embracing every possible aspect of this incredible life.

From this site: “The elephant’s trunk contains over 40,000 muscles, divided into as many as 150,000 individual units! Compare that to the human body, which contains a paltry 639 muscles, and you start to get an idea of how intricate the appendage is.”

When we leave Africa in a mere seven months, we’ll carry with us everything we’ve seen, everything we’ve learned, and that which we hope to learn in the future, with us in our hearts and minds forever.

We’re here now…we’re living in the moment.

Photo from one year ago today, July 12, 2017:

While in Las Vegas last year, I frequently visited my sister Susan and her chubby dog Owen who’s since passed away. He’d often sit up like this when he saw me. For more, please click here.

Part 1, Kruger never disappoints if patience prevails…

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We laughed so hard when we saw this baby baboon grabbing its mom’s hair to hold on while sitting in this unlikely pose.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

These are the nests of Red-billed Buffalo Weavers seen on a tree growing in the water at Sunset Dam.  Thanks to our friend Lynne for identifying these nests.

Each time we go to Kruger, the same thing transpires. While about an hour into the drive, we both resign ourselves that we’re going to come up empty-handed with few sightings and even fewer photos to share.

Proud wildebeest.

Actually, during many visits to the national park over this past five months, we’ve yet to come up empty-handed. In each case, continuing to drive, we encounter one magical moment after another. 

It’s exceptional to have zebras visit us in Marloth Park as well as spotting them in Kruger.

We always laugh at the irony of the situation. Are we saying the day will be a dud to alleviate any potential disappointment? Or do we believe it?  Invariably within minutes after making such comments, we come across something extraordinary.  

An “implausibility” of wildebeest in Kruger.

Yesterday’s trip to Kruger National Park was no different than usual…the abundance is mindboggling. With all the holidaymakers in this area right now due to the school holiday ending on July 17th, we anticipated a huge queue awaiting entry to the park.

Yesterday, we encountered more wildebeest than in any past trips.

Alas, we were pleasantly surprised when we were second in line, not that being second is a quick process. Most visitors to the park don’t have the “Wild Card” year-long pass that we purchased when we arrived. 

It was a perfect day for a self-drive in Kruger National Park.

Thus, the process of registering new visitors is long and laborious and can take as much as 15 minutes for one car to pass. This was the case yesterday but knowing we were up next was comforting. Even with our passports, the required form completed, and our “Wild Card” pass, it still takes a good five to seven minutes during our turn.

There were numerous sightings of giraffes on the side of the paved road.

We anticipated an hour-long wait at the Crocodile Bridge entrance gate, where visitors are processed from their vehicles. Once we were on the paved road, we sighed with relief that we could get going in under 20 minutes. 

The black spot inside a zebra’s leg is intended to protect the legs from their sharp hooves when at rest. Please click our post here from January 3, 2014, with this and other exciting zebra facts for more on this topic.

Also, we expected a lot of vehicles on the road. Still, surprisingly, unless there was a spectacular sighting tying up traffic, such as dozens of elephants crossing the road, there were no more cars than we’d seen on prior non-holiday visits.

Throughout the day, we spotted no less than 100 elephants at different points along the road.

We decided that Wednesdays may be the best day of the week to visit when many holidaymakers arrive for a four or five-day weekend visit. This makes Wednesdays the perfect day in between those visits.

Cape buffalo, one of the “Big 5,” hanging out near the Sabie River.

We’d hoped to return in time to do the day’s post. Typically, we allow ourselves about four hours in the park plus driving time to and from the gate from Marloth Park when we’ve often left too early in the morning to complete the post.

Sunset Dam is located on the road beyond Lower Sabie, where we stopped to enjoy the scenery and wildlife, of which there was plenty, including these hippos lounging in the water with impalas in the background.

It all worked out well when we arrived back at the house at 2:30, even after a stop at Daisy’s Den to purchase repellent oil for our outdoor lantern, leaving time to complete the post and get things ready for dinner.

Another “bloat” of hippos! 

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with Part 2 of “Kruger never disappoints…” when we’re looking forward to sharing an exciting video and more photos. Please check back then! 

Be well.  Be happy.

Photo from one year ago today, July 12, 2017:

We dined at this restaurant when they had several options that work well for my way of eating. For more details, please click here.

Returned from Kruger…Marloth Park…To feed or not to feed…Oxpecker invasion…

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Surprisingly, the animals don’t send the oxpeckers on their way, but it may not be easy to do. They hang on tightly with their clawed feet, determined to feed off their “host.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This female kudu has a heart-shaped marking on her neck.

Today marks our fifth month since we arrived in Marloth Park on February 11th. It’s hard to believe how quickly time has passed. We’ll be leaving South Africa in seven months to travel to Kenya for an exciting adventure, not returning to Marloth Park until  December 2020 for a short 90 day stay.

That sounds like such a long time away, but in this life of world travel, time seems to pass more quickly than at any other time in our lives. Perhaps, it’s related to “old age” or, on the brighter side, from having such an exceptionally great year in Africa. 

If anything startles the oxpeckers, they fly off one kudu to another.

We just returned from several hours spent in Kruger National Park.  om’s busy grating cheese for taco salad night here in the bush (no cheese for lactose-free me) while I’m quickly pounding away on the keyboard in hopes of uploading today’s post before 17:00 hrs. (5:00 pm) when the evening’s action begins, and visitors come from all over.

Last night was no exception when at one point, we had nine warthogs, dozens of mongooses, eight kudus, Frank, and the Mrs. all in the garden simultaneously. 

We were so busy tending to them and fawning over them. We barely had dinner ready by our usual time. It was a splendid evening we look forward to repeating tonight.

Oxpeckers eat insects off the host but also can cause sores and infections.

As for the day spent in Kruger…as much as I dislike this expression…OMG! OMG! OMG! We can’t wait to share our experiences in tomorrow’s post. The first hour, we didn’t see much, and then, safari luck kicked in. 

On the return drive, I said to Tom, “Where in the world might one live to be able to jump in their car, drive for 20 minutes and go on a self-drive safari?”  There’s no trip to Home Depot, Target, or Whole Foods in this lifestyle. 

This kudu had eight oxpeckers, some of which are on the other side of her body. Excuse the blur. It happens.

There’s only driving in the vast wilderness of massive Kruger National Park to see some of the most majestic animals in the world in their natural habitat, the struggles they bear, the behaviors we find breathtaking, and above all, their innate ability to survive.

There’s been no rain in almost two months. The riverbeds, streams, and rivers have dried up, yet somehow these resourceful creatures have found a way to survive. 

Nine female kudus came to call last night shortly before dark.

Unfortunately, some do not survive the harsh winters without rain or abundant vegetation. Finally, in the spring and summer months, the park will once again thrive.  We see this possibility in Marloth Park.

There’s a lot of controversy over whether to feed the wildlife in Marloth Park during this time of year. We understand about nature “taking its course, with the good and the bad.”

Their yellow eyes and orange beaks make them stand out on the similarly colored kudus.

But, when we animal lovers in this magical place see these beautiful creatures hungry and thirsty this time of year, it’s impossible not to provide some appropriate sustenance. Unfortunately, Lucerne bales, hay, salt licks, and troughs are breeding grounds for spreading disease among the wildlife.

If one must feed, as we do, tossing pellets and vegetables onto the ground is better than the above. And also importantly, keeping watering holes clean is another vital means of reducing contamination to some degree.

When the kudus showed up last night, there were dozens of oxpeckers hanging around and on them.

There’s no perfect world. There’s no easy answer. We all live by our own beliefs and choices, and those may not always be ideal, but most of us do the best we can.

Now, I must wrap this up and finish chopping and dicing for tonight’s dinner with leftovers planned for tomorrow evening. Our evening begins soon enough, and there’s plenty to do to get ready for the evening’s adventures.

We didn’t recognize these four warthogs whose hair is almost black instead of the brown and greyish tones.

Have a fabulous evening! We sure plan on it!

Photo from one year ago today, July 11, 2017:

The Choctaw Casino and Resort is located in The District in Henderson, Nevada. It’s always fun spending time in Las Vegas in its most unique environment centered around nightlife, gambling (we don’t gamble), and luxury.  For more details, please click here.

Off to town to shop…My weird voice may to irritating to some…

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Cattle egrets often stay close to wildlife.  From this site: “Being an opportunistic feeder, the cattle egret is most often seen in the company of animals such as buffaloes, plains zebra, and wildebeest in the wild. During grazing activities, the large beasts churn up the ground to a degree, exposing organisms and insects in the soil below, which are eagerly snapped up by the waiting birds. They are sometimes seen perched on top of these animals, helping themselves to any ticks they find. The presence of the birds does nothing to harm its hosts, and it is even believed that cattle egrets reduce the number of flies found around these ungulates.”

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A mom waterbuck and her calf.

We’re late posting today after deciding to head to Komatipoort and Lebombo to shop for groceries earlier in the day rather than our usual time after uploading the day’s post. Sorry for the delay!

We’ve rarely observed this many waterbucks lying down.

After several cloudy days, the sun is shining, and we wanted to get back after it warms up a little to enjoy this gorgeous weather. Perhaps, later in the day after we return, put everything away and do a little prep for dinner, we’ll embark on one more of our exciting drives in Marloth Park on the never-ending search for the unique and the unusual.

There were a few dozen waterbucks.  We’ve seldom seen so many at once.

There’s no word yet regarding the status of the lions-on-the-loose and if they’re still in the park, but we can’t help but continue our search, just in case we get lucky once again. One never knows or can estimate how long it takes for wildlife to relocate from one location to the next.

They are nice-looking animals with circular markings on their backsides.

Last night was great fun on the veranda. With the outdoor heater on low, we stayed comfortable, and much to our delight, we had no less than ten warthogs, including Little Wart Face, Tusker, Mom and Tiny Baby, Mom, Auntie, and Two Babies, Medium Wart Face, and a few we didn’t recognize. 

From this site: “The waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is a large antelope found widely in sub-Saharan Africa. It is placed in the genus Kobus of the family Bovidae. It was first described by Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1833. The thirteen subspecies are grouped under two varieties: the common or Ellisprymnus waterbuck and the Defassa waterbuck. The head-and-body length is typically between 177–235 cm (70–93 in), and the average height is between 120 and 136 cm (47 and 54 in). A sexually dimorphic antelope, males are taller as well as heavier than females. Males reach approximately 127 cm (50 in) at the shoulder, while females reach 119 cm (47 in). Males typically weigh 198–262 kg (437–578 lb) and females 161–214 kg (355–472 lb). The coat color varies from brown to grey. The long, spiral horns, present only on males, curve backward, then forward and are 55–99 cm (22–39 in) long.”

In addition, nine female kudus stopped by for pellets and veg, Frank and the Mrs. enjoyed some seeds before “making their noise” at dusk, and Noisy Frog was at it all evening long. 

Just before we packed it in for the night, Wildebeest Willie and three friends stopped by. Willie has this way of making eye contact that lets us know exactly what he’d like on the menu for him and his friends. Of course, we always comply. 

Elephants on the Crocodile River.

We laugh out loud when we think of how other residents of Marloth Park each have their own names for “our” favorite animals. Our only permanent resident who appears to stay in and around our garden day and night are Frank and the Mrs.

It’s astounding how they pick up their heads and make eye contact with us when we call them by the names we chose for them. Can you imagine how many names they’re called as they wander from property to property? And, how smart are they to respond to all of them?

A fish eagle was watching the elephant’s activities.

Not every animal enthusiast may use a similarly annoying sound in their voice as I do, embarrassing that it could be, that may inspire the animals to look toward the source of this weird sound coming from a human. 

I’m not ashamed by this high-pitched voice I’ve used with all of our dogs over the years and nowhere in Marloth Park. In this regard, I have no modesty in spewing out the most peculiar sounds that seem to elicit an enthusiastic response from our wildlife friends.

This parade of elephants consisted of no less than 30.

No doubt, my voice may irritate any neighbors within earshot, but I do tone it down in the evening or when I see people outdoors on their verandas. I certainly don’t want to be one of those “noisy tourists” to which I’m so vehemently opposed.

Finally, back from shopping, I still have lots to put away and items to prepare for tonight’s dinner. We purchased pellets at the Obara store, carrots and apples at the Lebombo market, a much-needed plastic cutting board from the Crazy Store, meat from the Butchery, groceries from Spar Supermarket, and refilled my prescription meds (without a prescription needed) at the local pharmacy. (More on that later).

Obstructed by the fence, we capture this mom and baby.

We accomplished all of the above in less than two hours, including driving time. We have a great system down where we waste no time since we’re always anxious to be on our way back to our holiday home in the bush, just in case someone comes to call.

We’ll wrap it up for today to get on with other projects at hand for the remainder of the day, hoping to get everything accomplished, leaving us ample time for our drive in the park in search of whatever treasures come our way.

Have a day filled with treasures of your own!                   

Photo from one year ago today, July 10, 2017:
Lighted cup holder built into son Richard’s high-tech sofa if one can’t find where to set their drink in the darkened room while watching a movie. For more details, please click here.

Safari luck at it’s finest!…A most outstanding Sunday after all….

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Such a handsome male lion. These lions shown today are not necessarily the lions recently spotted inside Marloth Park.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

What a charmer!

Sundays have always been my least favorite day of the week. I suppose it goes back to being a kid, and Sunday night meant early to bed and back to school the following day.

As an adult, Sunday’s meant somewhat of the same thing…early to bed and back to work on Monday morning, except being in real estate for most of my adult life and the company’s owner, I never really had a day off.

Snoozing female and male lions on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Once done working on Saturdays or Sundays, I often “pushed things off” to be handled on Monday morning, particularly those running-the-business type of tasks of which there were many.

Even after I chose early retirement at 62 (shortly after the housing market crashed in the US), dreading Sundays was deeply ingrained in my psyche. I couldn’t seem to shake the lifelong perception that Sundays represented the upcoming litany of responsibilities that were often mired in worry and concern.

From time to time, he’d pick up his head.  Mostly, the female maintained “watch,” only occasionally putting her head down to sleep.

Now, after traveling for almost six years (three months until our sixth anniversary), I still possess a certain dread of Sundays and the resulting Mondays that I try to shake off, often to no avail.

Yesterday, Sunday, was no exception. Awakening early to a cloudy day, knowing we couldn’t go into Kruger due to the holidaymakers and, with little to no visitors stopping by,  I felt a little of my usual Sunday apprehension.

Although we seniors sometimes forget what day of the week it is, which is entirely ‘normal” when one doesn’t have a strict routine to follow, Sunday is always at the forefront of my mind. 

We were so far away. It was hard not to have blurry photos without a tripod with us.

I never have to ask Tom on a Sunday flippantly, What day is this?” as I may on a Tuesday or Wednesday, while lost in our blissful routine.

I’d decided to make a typical Sunday dinner of slow-cooked braised short ribs with garlic, carrots, onions, leftover mashed potatoes, sweet corn (fresh uncooked from Friday night’s dinner party), garlic bread, and salad. Although definitely not his usual diet, I decided to give him one more day of a fattening, high-carb meal with these items on hand.

The female and male rested near the large rocks on the opposite side of the river.

Today, Monday, he’s back to our usual low-carb routine, leftover short ribs, salad, and vegetables. He ate the remainder of the apple crisp from Friday night’s dinner party, so sweets are off the menu. I had salmon on the grill (I found some frozen that is quite good) and grilled vegetables. Tonight, I’ll have prawns and grilled vegetables.

At the moment, I’m cooked two meals; keto for me and low carb for him. So far, I’ve been losing weight steadily, but I won’t announce how much until I’ve reached my goal. It’s a slow process.

Anyway, after finishing the day’s post, doing laundry, hanging it on the line, and preparing the vegetables for dinner, we decided to head out around 2:00 pm to see if we could spot any wildlife to offset any potential boredom on an otherwise somewhat dull Sunday.

After observing wildebeest in our garden this past week, we’ve developed a special interest in them.  Surprisingly, they are good at making eye contact.

Once we began our usual course through Marloth Park, mainly focusing on driving along the river road, after about an hour into it, we were convinced this would not be a day of many sightings, which we hadn’t expected anyway due to the abundant amount of tourists in the park. We could head back to our holiday home to wind down an otherwise quiet day.

As we neared the last 15 minutes of our usual course, we noticed several people standing at the fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks and decided to stop to see what all the commotion was about. There was many pointing going on, phones raised into the air, and binoculars being passed around. 

It was lions lounging on rocks on the opposite side of the river! We couldn’t have been more excited. We parked the car, walked through the scratchy bush on somewhat of a path, and made our way to the fence.

This “Implausibility” of wildebeest was resting in the garden of a home along the river.

Regardless of how hard I tried, I couldn’t bring them up on the camera’s view screen. Tom, with his trusty binoculars, looked for several minutes, and then, he saw them, a female and a male lounging in the warmth of the sun on the massive rocks across the Crocodile River.  

Tom took today’s lion photos, and I’m so proud of him for being able to capture these images. We were no less than .8 km (.5 miles) from their location and, we don’t have those massive lenses used to capture distance scenes. They’re are too big and bulky for us to carry in our travels. We were thrilled with the photos he managed to get.

These were the first lions we’ve seen since we arrived in South Africa almost five months ago. After many trips into the Kruger, we’d yet to see any lions.  This was exciting, to say the least.

This baby wildebeest tried to nurse off dad.  He gave her quick a shove.

After quite a while at the sighting, we were on our way for the remainder of the drive, sighting the following: kudu, wildebeest, elephants, impala, waterbuck, and several birds. 

By the time we returned to our holiday home, it was time to set up the veranda for the evening, but the short ribs in the oven, and finish a few tasks for dinner. Once settled at our usual spots at the big table, we downloaded our photos, thrilled with what we’d captured.

It was a good Sunday after all, and last night there was no sense of Sunday night angst especially knowing we could share these photos with all of our readers today.

It’s a good Monday morning. Sleep came easily for both of us for a change. When dawn broke, we were feeding a forkl of lovely female kudus pellets, carrots, and apples on the veranda.

May your Monday be good as well.

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

The white lattice pergola in son Richard’s lovely yard provided shelter from the scorching sun in Henderson, Nevada, which reached  47C (116F) that day.  We stayed at his home for three weeks.  For more details, please click here.

Where are all the animals?…Holiday time in Marloth Park changes everything…What’s the difference between a tourist and a traveler?…

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A calf is born weighing 100 to 150 pounds and measuring in at 6 feet tall. A calf will begin to forage at about four months old.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A dove was standing on the edge of our birdfeeder.

It’s a quiet day in the bush. As of this moment, at 10:00 am, we’ve had no visitors except the bothersome Vervet monkeys who attempt to knock down our birdfeeder to eat the seeds and a few birds.

Ostriches in the bush.

Although appearing cute and inquisitive, these smaller-than-baboons monkeys can wreak havoc in a house or garden, as we’ve mentioned in prior posts. It’s been an issue only over the past few weeks, and we’re wondering why they’re hanging around our garden now instead of a month earlier.

We’ve discovered a few areas in the park where we’ll often find flocks of ostriches.

We’re patiently waiting for visitors to stop by, but our expectations are in check when there are so many tourists in the park right now, continuing through August.

We can’t wait until it makes sense to go back to Kruger sometime shortly. We’ve seen photos of cars, bumper to bumper on the tar road in Kruger, including some of our own similar experiences lately, and we prefer not to deal with the traffic.

These parents have one chick as opposed to the seven we spotted a few days ago seen here.

A car drives down our street every few minutes when weeks ago, an hour could pass before a car would. It’s an entirely different world right now, and we’ll be glad when it’s over for a while. 

We’re amazed by how often we see elephants from Marloth Park, actually more than we usually see while in Kruger National Park. Tourists driving through Kruger cannot see this area of the Crocodile River and are not allowed out of their vehicles.

Last night, while cozy and comfortable on the veranda with the gas heater on, we could hear loud voices, loud music, and yelling. The noises were so loud we couldn’t hear when visitors walked through the bush as they approached the garden. 

There’s nothing quite as exciting as close encounters with giraffes.

Even with Tom’s less-than-ideal hearing after years of working on the railroad, he could hear the loud sounds in every direction. The “school holiday” ends on July 17th, but more tourists will arrive during their summer holidays throughout the northern hemisphere. Hopefully, by mid-August, all of this will taper off.

No other wildlife eats the leaves at the treetops than the giraffes making their food sources more readily available during the dry winter months.

Yes, some may say, ‘Who are you to complain about tourists?  Aren’t you tourists as well?”

The difference between us is clear. We are travelers, not tourists

The definition of a tourist is:

A person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure. Example: “the pyramids have drawn tourists to Egypt” 

synonyms:  holidaymaker, traveler, sightseer, visitor, excursionist, backpacker, 
globetrotter, day tripper, tripper; explorer, pilgrim, voyager, journeyer. vacationist, out-of-towner

 

The definition of a traveler is:

A gypsy or other nomadic person. A person who holds New Age values and leads an itinerant and unconventional lifestyle.

synonyms: gypsy, Romany, tzigane, didicoi, nomad, migrant, wanderer, wayfarer, itinerant, drifter, tramp, vagrant, transient, vagabond,
I won’t say that gypsy, tramp, vagrant, didico, or transient necessarily apply to us, but surely we fall into the category of the other synonyms to one degree or another. Nor do I imply there’s anything wrong with being a tourist.
Scratch that itch!

Tourism is the lifeblood of countries throughout the world, and we feel blessed and honored to visit these countries, their points of interest, and mingle with their people.

Wildebeest Willie and his friends returned late on Friday night after our dinner guests had departed.
But, as we all know, some have little regard for the culture they are visiting, who continue in their loud and boisterous ways, upsetting the delicate balance of peace and purpose wherever they travel, whether they are tourists or travelers.
Blue wildebeests, regardless of gender, have horns. 
No doubt, when peace, quiet, and safety for the wildlife (and the people) return to Marloth and Kruger Parks, we’ll comfortably settle back into the routine we’ve come to know and love in this magical place.
 
May your day bring you peace, quiet, and time to revel in your surroundings.

Photo from one year ago today, July 8, 2017:

Tom’s taco salad at Lindo Michoacan in Henderson, Nevada, where we all dined the day we arrived. For more details, please click here.

Fabulous goodbye-for-awhile birthday party in the bush…An appreciated addition to the veranda…

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This space heater will keep up warm as we spend each night outdoors during the cool winter nights. See the details in the story. 

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A hornbill sitting in the top section of the bird feeder. From this site: “Most are arboreal birds, but the large ground hornbills (Bucorvus), as their name implies, are terrestrial birds of open savanna. Of the 24 species found in Africa, 13 are birds of the more open woodlands and savanna, and some occur even in highly arid environments; the remaining species are found in dense forests.”

I had promised food photos from last night, but I fail to live up to my promise. Sorry about that! We just had too much fun and, other than the few we’ve included here today, I was just too busy and engaged in the festivities to think about taking many photos.

Aloe Vera is known to be one of the most healing plants on the planet. They grow wild here in the bush. We took this photo yesterday at the brick overlook in Marloth Park on the Crocodile River when we drove around the park looking for the lions.

Nonetheless, here’s the menu from the birthday dinner, overall, an all-American feast:

  • Cheese sticks
  • Moist less-fat biltong (amazing jerky found in South Africa)
  • Marinated grilled pork chops on the braai
  • Marinated grilled pork tenderloin on the braai
  • Roasted vegetables
  • Sweet corn cooked on the braai
  • Garlic mashed potatoes
  • “Par 30 Salad” (a recipe from our old lives given to me by a chef at a golf club)
  • Ciabatta garlic bread, dusted with Parmesan cheese and broiled to a light brown
  • Homemade gluten-free apple crisp served warm and topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
Our guests, Kathy and Don and Linda and Ken, arrived with heavy coats, not knowing we had the heater.  It kept all of us comfortable all evening.

Actually, this was an easy dinner to make. The only time-consuming items were peeling the apples for the apple crisp and then peeling the potatoes. I hadn’t made either of these items in seven years since I began my way of eating. 

Instead of birthday cake for Kathy’s birthday, I made gluten-free apple crisp, served warm and topped with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. I didn’t eat it due to the sugar content, but everyone said it was delicious. 

My potato peeler that travels with us finally bit the dust, and the one in the kitchen was equally dull. Thus, I had to use a paring knife which was slow and cumbersome. In my old life, I had an electric peeler that worked fabulously.  But, this isn’t my old life, and the trade-offs are worth it. 

On the 4th of July, this past week was Ken’s birthday, yesterday was Kathy’s, and on the 16th was Linda’s. We celebrated all the birthdays with champagne, gifts, and merriment.

Last night, Ken walked out to the pond and took this photo of the noisy frog we’ve heard each night.  It’s actually tiny, as shown while it’s leaning on a leaf, next to a Helmeted Guinea Fowl feather.

It was a fantastic evening for all. All the food came out as we’d hoped, and the drinks flowed, starting with Pina Colada’s, then to champagne (sparking brut), and then to each of our own preferred wine and cocktails. I drank my usual low-alcohol red wine, and Tom had his usual brandy and Sprite Zero.

Tom backing away from the band of mongoose after he sets down the bowl of eggs.

In Marloth Park, it’s a tradition that dinner guests bring their own preferred beverages such as wine, beer, or liquor. It’s a great tradition since it keeps the cost and convenience of entertaining within reach for everyone. In some cases, hosts will start the evening with a special celebratory beverage, such as the Long Island Ice Teas, at Kathy and Don’s home on the 4th of July.

At times, we have dozens in the yard.  Yesterday, only about 25 mongooses were clamoring around the bowl of raw eggs.

I don’t consume any mixed beverages of any type (due to sugar), nor was I able to eat anything on the above menu except for the pork and roasted vegetables. The remainder had too many carbs or included dairy, not befitting my diet. I didn’t mind a bit. As the proverbial hostess, I always love seeing our guests enjoy our offerings.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Earlier in the day, while on our daily drive searching for the lions currently in the park, I had an idea about the cold nights we’ve been experiencing on the veranda. There’s no way we want to have to be indoors in the evenings.  What if we could find some space heater or outdoor heater? After all, winter has only just begun, and it’s very cool at night.

Even after the bowl is empty, they lick the bowl, trying to get the very last drop of the eggs.

We stopped at a few places while we were out yesterday but couldn’t find a thing that would work for us last night and, in the future, certainly not in Marloth Park shops. There wasn’t enough time to drive to Komatipoort or Malelane with the busy day to see what we could find.

We resigned ourselves that our dinner party would require warm jackets once the sun was set around 17:30 (5:30 pm). As we often do when we have questions, I sent Louise a message asking where she’d recommend we go on Monday to purchase some outdoor heater.

We were busy inside the house preparing for last night’s dinner party.  But, we knew the mongooses had arrived by the high-pitched cackling and squeals.  Tom always drops a few uncracked raw eggs on the ground to keep them around while we make up the bowl of six to eight eggs (depending on the size of the “band”).

Within seconds, she replied, “Hahaha, I’ve got one for you.  Just wait and see.” “What???” I asked in a state of total shock.

Zef and Vusi showed up in the “bakkie” (truck) within ten minutes, with one of those fabulous gas heaters seen in some outdoor restaurants on a chilly night, as shown in today’s main photo. We had a bottle of gas on hand, and in a manner of minutes, it was all set up and ready to use. 

How did we get so lucky to have Louise and Danie as our friends and our “landlords?” Their kindness, attention-to-detail, and generosity are like none we’ve seen anywhere in the world. 

Oh, don’t get me wrong, we’ve had nothing but wonderful landlords over these past years of world travel, many of whom we still stay in touch with. But, these two? Over-the-top, all the way around. If you’re looking for a property to rent or build in Marloth Park, these are the people to see. The friendship and socializing with them is such a bonus. We’ll always treasure it.

The heater kept us all warm and comfortable, and tonight while we dine on leftovers, we’ll be right here on the veranda as we are now, lapping up every moment of life in the bush.

Have a spectacular weekend wherever you may be!

Photo from one year ago today, July 7, 2017:
There was no post on July 7th, the date we flew from Minnesota to Nevada, where we spent three weeks with son Richard at his home in Henderson.  More will follow.

Another busy day in the neighborhood…Chicks, chicks and more chicks!…Fun video in Sighting of the Day”…

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This cute little chick was one of seven we found in the neighborhood in Marloth Park. Thanks for the tip, Louise!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush” 

 What a hysterical night when we heard this noise that lasted for hours! 
A friendly visitor stopped by amid the noise and didn’t seem to mind a bit.

With Louise and Danie frequently moving in Marloth Park with their property management and building businesses, they’re often the first to discover interesting sightings.

We were thrilled to find the ostrich parents with seven chicks exactly where Louise had said she’d seen them 10 minutes earlier.

Knowing and appreciating how enthusiastic and passionate we are in great photo ops to share here on our site, they never hesitate to let us know about unique and special sightings. Obviously, if they spot a kudu, bushbuck, or warthog, they don’t notify us. Plenty of them visits us each day.

Mom and Dad were obviously very proud of their family.  Ostriches mate for life.

Over the past few days, when they’d spotted ostrich parents with seven or eight chicks, they didn’t hesitate to let us know. Yesterday, when Louise sent me a Messenger note stating that she’d spotted the ostrich family near the corner of Volstruis (oddly, Volstruis means “ostrich” in Afrikaans) and Hornbill, we were in the car and on our way within two or three minutes.

The chicks weren’t concerned about wandering a short distance from their parents, making it impossible to get one photo with all seven of them.

We didn’t expect to find them when we were deciding which way to go as we reached the intersection of the two streets with four options in front of us.  Tom, with his watchful eye, noticed a stopped car on Volstruis a short distance down the road and said, “Let’s go see what they’re looking at!”

Alas, safari luck prevailed, and there they were, in the garden of a house that didn’t appear to be occupied. Brazenly, Tom pulled into the driveway so we could have a “bird’s eye view” (no pun intended), and we were as close as we could be without intruding on their “pecking” as a family.

Peck, peck, peck.  They seemed to fit edibles in the dirt.

We observed them for quite some time, not only to take photos but also to enjoy this magical sighting. Tom turned off the engine as we sat and watched. There was no point in getting out of the car, although our photos may have been better.

If they stopped by our garden, which they may eventually do, we’d have some ostrich-appropriate treats for them.

Ostriches can be dangerous. From this site: “Ostriches can be found in the wild, on safaris, or ostrich farms. But regardless of where you find them, treat them with the utmost caution. Although they do not prey on humans, they have been known to injure and kill when provoked. Extremely fast on foot, they can deliver mortal blows by the sheer force of their legs, never mind the lethally sharp talons at their toes. The best thing you can do is steer clear of them. Failing that, ducking for cover and hiding works best. As a last resort, you may even have to fight them.”

These three chicks of the seven seemed to stay close to one another.

That’s exactly why we didn’t exit the car. However, we’ve seen visitors in Marloth Park getting dangerously close to ostriches with little regard for their own safety of the magnificent birds, the largest on earth.

From this site:  “Ostriches are large, flightless birds with long legs and a long neck protruding from a round body. Males have a bold black-and-white coloring that they use to attract females. Females, on the other hand, are light brown. (Continued below).

Their young feathers and markings are adorable.

Ostriches are bigger than any other bird in the world. They can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and can weigh up to 320 lbs. (145 kilograms), according to the African Wildlife Foundation, and an ostrich’s eyes are 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter — the largest of any land animal. The ostrich is the only bird that has two toes on each foot. All other birds have three or four toes, according to the American Ostrich Association.”

At one point, Dad didn’t seem to be happy with us being so close.  Ostriches can be dangerous if they feel threatened, especially with their chicks nearby. We rolled up our windows and moved back. 

After we returned with the above photos, I attempted to get back to work on yesterday’s post. As we’d planned, Ken stopped by (with Don) to provide me with some useful camera tips. He’s quite the expert, and I had many questions. He adeptly answered all of them, providing me with several important bits of information.

Here we were able to get six of the seven in one photo.

Tom and Don chatted while Ken and I, both with similar cameras, spent about an hour reviewing many aspects of photography that will surely help me in the future. I’m not promising my photos will substantially improve, although they may gradually become more professional-looking.

I’d never taken much interest in photography in our old lives. It just didn’t interest me. Now that we’re traveling over the years, I’ve wanted to improve my less-than-ideal skills. We’ll see how it goes.

Mom frequently stood up from pecking to check her surroundings for any threats.

Many photos we’re sharing over the next several days were taken before “camera school.” I’ll attempt to use what I’ve learned to up the quality of my photos in the future.

Saying this put just enough pressure on me to use what I’ve learned and not fall back into my old patterns of often using the wrong settings for the scene.  Please be patient with me.

“Ostriches normally mate for life, and they share the task of incubating the eggs. Ostriches form bisexual groups with a complex structure. Territorial males compete for flocks of three to five hens. Mating includes elaborate displays of hisses and dancing.”

Last night, even in the chilly weather, we managed to stay on the veranda until bedtime. Bundled up in warm clothing, we enjoyed several visitors, including four wildebeest who must have been friends of Wildebeest Willie since I recognized him in the “implausibility of wildebeest.” (Yep, that’s what a group of wildebeest is called, an “implausibility”). Go figure.

Today, we’re busy getting ready for tonight’s dinner party. We’re having a traditional American-type pork braai (barbecue). We’ll share photos, the menu, and details in tomorrow’s post.

I was up very early this morning chopping and dicing, so to say, so there would be time to get today’s post uploaded by noon our time. Hopefully, it will be a little warmer than last night for our outdoor dinner party.

Have a fabulous weekend wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, July 6, 2017:

Tom, Tammy, and Vincent on our last night in Minnesota when we all said goodbye. For more photos, please click here.