Part 3…Extraordinary Kruger National Park experience…Safari luck prevails…Funny giraffe event…

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Please watch this video. It’s unlike any video we’ve taken in the past when this giraffe got its hairy tail stuck in a thorny bush. We didn’t know it was going to be able to get loose. But, with her massive size and strength, she could wrangle herself free and wander off.

It was one more of the enchanting sightings we experienced in Kruger National Park on our visit on Thursday this past week when finally, the holiday season had ended, and we felt comfortable entering the park. Previously, there were so many visitors in Kruger it was impossible to get photos at a popular sighting. The vehicles would have been congested at sightings with 20 to 30 vehicles. That wouldn’t have been our idea of a good time.

When we spotted this giraffe, we weren’t aware of her stuck tail.

But, when we conducted a self-drive after the holiday, we encountered few vehicles, even at the leopard sighting shown in the post two days ago, found here.

By no means is today’s post the end of our sightings on Thursday. It could go on for many more days while we accumulate new photos from sightings in our garden over the past few days. Right now, as I write here on Sunday at 1:00 pm, 1300 hrs., we have no less than six kudus lying down in the garden with another six standing. They’ve been here for hours.

The animals seem to love it here and feel comfortable hanging around for hours, letting their guard down long enough to sleep, rest and munch on leaves on the bushes and trees, along with our occasional offer of pellets. The longer we are here, the more wildlife seems to make this garden their part-time home in the case of warthog, Lollie, her permanent home. She leaves for a few hours during the afternoon but always returns late afternoon, staying through the evening.

As she moved, we realized her tail was stuck.

As for giraffes, well, what can we say? They are magnificent animals, and we’ll never tire of encountering them, whether here in Marloth Park or Kruger National Park. For a few updated facts on giraffes, please click here.

What are giraffes?

They are the world’s tallest mammals. They are uniquely adapted to reach vegetation inaccessible to other herbivores. Unusually elastic blood vessels and uniquely adapted valves help offset the sudden buildup of blood (to prevent fainting) when giraffes’ heads are raised, lowered, or swung quickly. Their “horns” are actually knobs covered with skin and hair above the eyes that protect the head from injury. Their necks contain the same amount of vertebrae as we do (seven) except their bones are extremely elongated making their neck a long length of 2.4 meters.

SCIENTIFIC NAME

GIRAFFA CAMELOPARDALIS

WEIGHT

MALES: 1,930 KILOGRAMS (4,254 POUNDS) FEMALES: 1,180 KILOGRAMS (2,601 POUNDS)

SIZE

5.7 METERS TALL FROM THE GROUND TO THEIR HORNS (18.7 FEET)

LIFE SPAN

AVERAGE 10 TO 15 YEARS IN THE WILD; RECORDED A MAXIMUM OF 30 YEARS

HABITAT

DENSE FOREST TO OPEN PLAINS

DIET

HERBIVOROUS

GESTATION

BETWEEN 13 AND 15 MONTHS

PREDATORS

HUMANS, LIONS, LEOPARDS, HYENAS, CROCODILES

ESTIMATED POPULATION OF
68,293
MATURE INDIVIDUALS
CAN GALLOP AT
32-60
KM/H
NATIVE TO MORE THAN
15
AFRICAN COUNTRIES
The hair on her tail was caught up in the thorny bush.

Challenges

Humans hunt giraffes for their hides, meat, and body parts.

Giraffe tails are highly prized by many African cultures and are used in good-luck bracelets, fly whisks, and even thread for sewing or stringing beads. The world’s tallest land animal has lost 40 percent of its population in just 30 years, and recent reports show poaching and wildlife trafficking are contributing to this decline. Giraffes are easily killed and poaching (now more often for their meat and hide) continues today. (Today, giraffes are often killed for their tails which are used as jewelry. Horrible!)

Giraffes are quickly losing their living spaces.

The number of giraffes in the wild is shrinking as their habitats shrink. In the late 19th and 20th centuries herds of 20 to 30 animals were recorded, now on average herd sizes contain fewer than six individuals. The IUCN lists four main threats to this species: habitat loss, civil unrest, illegal hunting, and ecological changes (climate change and habitat conversion). As human populations grow and increase agricultural activities, expand settlements, and construct roads, the giraffe is losing its beloved acacia trees, which are its main source of food.

Solutions

Our solutions to saving the world’s tallest land animal from extinction:

Reforest key areas.

AWF has reforested acacia trees in West Africa to provide more food for the giraffe and allow it to expand its habitat.

Educate local communities in conservation.

We educate communities living near giraffes on the importance of sustainable practices for agricultural and settlement growth by providing training on sustainable — and more productive — agricultural practices and incentivizing conservation agriculture when appropriate.

Behaviors

Young giraffes are self-sufficient but vulnerable.

Calves are about two meters tall and grow rapidly as much as two and a half centimeters a day. By two months, the calf will start eating leaves and at six months is fairly independent of its mother. A young giraffe can even survive early weaning at two or three months. Although few predators attack adults, lions, hyenas, and leopards take their toll on the young. Scientists report that only one-quarter of infants survive to adulthood due to the high rates of predation.

Diet

Giraffes are extremely picky eaters.

They feed 16 to 20 hours a day, but may only consume about 30 kilograms (about 30 pounds) of foliage during that time. These two-ton mammals can survive on as little as seven kilograms (15 pounds) of foliage per day. While these browsers’ diverse diets have been reported to contain up to 93 different plant species, acacia trees have been found to be their favorite food source.

They are not heavy drinkers.

Giraffes drink water when it is available, but they don’t need to drink water on a daily basis, which allows them to survive in areas with scarce water.”

When we spotted  this precious giraffe and its stuck tail, we were reminded of the poaching happening today for their beautiful tails. From this site here.

“There have always been animal parts that drew humans’ attention, without any clear reason whatsoever. Sadly, we’re used to crimes like the slaughter for elephant tusks, rhino horns and crocodile skin. So, the fact that giraffes are hunted and killed for their tails could appear as new to us. Yet, this is what’s happening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and what’s pushing a rare giraffe subspecies, the Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum), to the brink of extinction. According to Julian Fennessy, co-director of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), less than 2,000 individuals now survive in the wild.”

Finally, she broke free and wandered off. Please watch the above video for details.

Last night, we had a great evening at Alan and Fiona’s. They put on quite a feast of mostly low-carb options we could enjoy. The conversation was fascinating, profound, and thought-provoking, along with enjoying the plethora of wildlife visitors that visited their garden while we were there.

I’ve been busy all morning making a special Sunday dinner, photos that will follow in a few days. Have a fantastic day and evening!

Photo from one year ago today, July 24, 2021:

There was no post on this travel day, one year ago.

Part 1…The earth is vast and fascinating…A view from space…

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Note: Not our photos (obviously).

We write about beautiful and exciting countries we’ve visited, stunning scenery, and exquisite wildlife. We’ve yet to write about the Earth itself for its vast expanse and perspective as seen from space. I’ve always dreamed of going into space, but realistically the cost and my age are hugely limiting factors.

When we’re flying, I am mesmerized by the scenery below, but I can’t even imagine seeing earth from space and how mesmerizing it must be. I always envy astronauts’ opportunities to see this earth from their viewpoints. Now, with technology at an all-time pinnacle, records from space stations have sent the space community into a frenzy.

There’s no point in using my own words to describe these events when I am certainly no expert and only a casual observer of what I see and read from reports along with photos from ultra-high-powered telescopes.

Thus, today, I am sharing an article I read that offers some new insight, some of which you may be aware of and others that you may not. Bear with me as I relay the words of the writer of this article that piqued my attention and interest. Perhaps, you may find it interesting as well.

Here it is from this article:

“Space Station Records Remarkable Phenomenon That Left Astronauts and Experts Bewildered

Outer space is something many of us have a fascination with, as well as a hard time completely grasping. Endless space is something most of us have only seen through television and film. With our curiosity and desire for discovery, we must also remember to look homeward and all the amazing things that take place on Earth.

As humankind has explored more and more of space, it has also grown a little bored with the findings, as many of them repeat themselves. However, these recent images taken from a space station have captured a phenomenon that reminds us that Earth is still filled with mysteries that need to be answered.

The astronauts saw something. 

Space, as we know so far, is filled with planets, stars, and endless discoveries. With the advancement of technology, we have made tremendous strides in exploring space. We view it with admiration and never-ending study to try and find out more about all of the uncharted territory that surrounds our planet.

Recently, a group of astronauts who has been living at the space station, spotted an event on Earth that left them totally baffled. They had never seen anything like it.

Overlooking our own planet

While a possible extraterrestrial sighting would be top headline news, there is another truly mystifying place that we keep overlooking – our own planet.

Earth has been occupied by us for as long as humans have been around, naturally, and we have therefore lost some of our appreciation for the fact that there is a lot about Earth that we don’t know, and the fact that it, too, is taking up a place in space. Maybe thins change of perspective will help convince you…

Only astronauts can take these photos

From their spot on the International Space Station, astronauts are able to take photos of Earth with their high-powered camera and lenses that are retrofitted to the space station itself. Over the years that they have been on the vessel, the men and women on board have snapped some absolutely incredible sights.

Getting a view like that only happens with you are hundreds of miles away from the Earth’s surface, floating right outside its atmosphere. These are breathtaking images.

The Milky Way as a backdrop to Earth

In this image, you can see the far away edge of the Milky Way as a spectacular background to Earth. What you are seeing below, on Earth, is the Sahara Desert in Africa, which tends to tint the atmosphere with an orange hue as the sun begins to arrive on that side of the planet.

The sun makes the Earth seem orange as the light bounces off the sand. The stark contrast between Earth and space is a bold one in this photo.

They see the moon 16 times a day

The International Space Station orbits Earth every 90 minutes. As it goes through these motions, the astronauts aboard the vessel see the moon 16 times a day. This is one of the photos that their camera caught during one of their rotations.

It is part of their daily life, seeing the moon so many times. Sounds disorienting to us, but these men and women were trained for all of this prior to entering the Space Station. This is nothing compared to the other phenomenon they encountered.

 They get a front row seat to see the auroras 

Another event these astronauts got to see on a regular basis is the auroras. These take place in the north and south poles on Earth. The International Space Station gets front row seats to one of Earth’s most magical phenomenon.

Seeing these auroras is possible from Earth, but seeing them from above, with no light pollution diminishing the view, is something else. They snapped this photo, which they said barely did the magnificent event justice. This is just the tip of the iceberg, though.

Breathtaking lights of Spain as it almost touches Morocco 

The astronauts up there are also able to see just how active we are down on the ground. The lights that beam from our respective homes and businesses collect together to show where the population is.

From space, these are the kinds of views that the men and women see. Cloudless nights look like this – whole cities and countries lit up in spectacular fashion. You are looking at Spain, where it almost meets Morocco. You have to be as far as the space station to get a view like this.

They don’t always want a front row seat to see human impact on the environment

The astronauts on the International Space Station also have a front row view to human impact on planet Earth. It is not always good to have such a view. The impact we humans have had on the environment and the manipulation through technology has truly taken its toll.

 They see the world from a wholly different point of view

They do, however, get to see some of the world’s most incredible wonders from a point of view that only a select few – those in space – can. They are able to zoom in with their camera, like in this instance, to take this photo of the Himalayas.

To those on the ground, the Himalayas are a series of mountain peaks, but from space, you see the rivers that cut through the snow and make the natural terrain the formation that it is.

The Earth can sometimes be confused for an oil painting 

Unbelievably, what you are looking at is the desert in Iran that looks more like a painting than a massive sunny wasteland. There are no trees or any sort of coverage for the land in that area, all there is for miles and miles is sun-soaked sand and stone.

The astronauts were not sure what they were looking at the first time they got to see this. However, this is just a small part of what they see from their incredible vantage point.

Not every photo they took had a clear explanation 

They are also able to view famous spots like the Great Barrier Reef in an unprecedented way. It is already incredibly impressive when you see it from Earth, but from Earth’s orbit – it is a whole new level of wonder.

While these photos are undeniably breathtaking, there have been other photos that the crew aboard the International Space Station captured that have been much more baffling and distressing to them. Not everything had an explanation, and this was one of those times.

Terrifying views of natural disasters

From their position outside of Earth’s atmosphere, the astronauts also have a terrifying view of natural disasters. While they are out of harms way, being up there and all, they cannot help but fear as though they were on the ground.

This photo was taken in 2003 during Hurricane Isabel as it was taking shape over the Atlantic prior to hitting the eastern coast of the United States. They could see the storm collecting power as it moved across the ocean.

They helped with disaster relief efforts

Following monsoon rains that took place in Thailand, the Mekong River was flooded over badly, so much so that the Space Station was able to see just how overflowing it was.

The International Space Station, from their unique vantage point, were able to be of help in this instance, as they were able to help with relief efforts by outlining just how bad the flooding was so that the rescuers could get to the most hard-hit locations in the most timely manner.

They spotted a phenomenon that they couldn’t ignore

However, in 2019, another distressing natural disaster loomed that sent the men and women on the Space Station grabbing for the camera. Despite the fact that this phenomenon is not a new one, the scene that was unfolding before their eyes was one that they could not stop watching, let alone ignore.

The powerful camera located on the International Space Station captured incredible footage, some of which did not make much sense. They were bewildered, and so were the experts who were getting their documentation.

One day, they came across this…

Initially, the astronauts could not really make out what they were looking at. There was heavy cloud coverage that day that had made viewing very difficult. However, a small plume of smoke was entering the higher levels of the atmosphere.

The team waited until they were more in orbit, and until the clouds cleared the way a bit. When everything did come into focus, the crew was absolutely in awe of what they were seeing. This was unlike anything they have ever seen before.

They were seeing a rare volcanic eruption

Incredibly, what they were seeing was a volcano erupting! The massive explosion caused a huge cloud of gas and fire, scattering debris and ash in every direction for thousands upon thousands of miles.

The crew then wondered, what volcano could be responsible for such an amazing sight? They were also concerned if there was anyone around that this could pose as a danger to. They continued to take photos of the breathtaking event as it was happening. What a sight!”

We’ll finish with Part 2 in tomorrow’s post.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, July 20, 2021:

A small section of the Las Vegas Strip from the highway. For more photos, please click here.

What a morning!…How much do we spend on pellets?…What???…No water???…

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Could this be a mom and baby impala fawning over one another?

It’s Saturday morning. The power is out due to load shedding. Still, we are quite content sitting at the table on the veranda and entertained every so often by another visit by wildlife, whether several members of a species or single holidays. Whether it’s a lone Big Daddy, a male bushbuck we call Spikey, or a  female we call Marigold, the visitors wasted no time visiting us throughout the day and evening.

This morning there were over two dozen impalas in the garden.

As I type this now, warthog Mom and Babies arrived. I stopped to get them some pellets they devoured and now are on their way to the next bush house to see if they can find even more pellets than we’re willing to toss. After all, pigs are pigs, and they’d eat all of our pellets in no time if we let them.

Big Daddy shared pellets with some of the impalas.

Yesterday, we ordered three more 40 kg, 88-pound bags. A guy with a truck stops at Louise and Danie’s office, the Marloth Park Info Centre, selling pellets every Friday. The cost for each bag is ZAR 260, US $15.46. We go through about two bags per week, costing us about ZAR 2237, US $133 per month. We don’t flinch. Paying this when feeding the animals brings us so much joy and hopefully provides them with an added bit of sustenance.

It was fun to see so many antelopes in the garden simultaneously.

Oops, I had to stop again. Wildebeests Bad Ear and Crooked Face just stopped by but only stayed long enough to eat the first batch of pellets we tossed and then were on their way. A herd of about 30 impalas has been hanging out in our garden since early this morning.

After the impalas took off, the four zebras arrived while Big Daddy watched.

Of course, Lollie is our permanent fixture. She went out on a stroll for about an hour this morning, but we can always count on her return a short time later. She’s back here now searching for any residual pellets some other visitors may have missed. She’s often successful in locating a few. Plus, we don’t hesitate to toss her some from the four-cup plastic measuring cup we use to scoop them up.

We are always thrilled to see zebras in the garden.

Yesterday afternoon, when I went to wash my hands, there was no water. At 3:00 pm, 1500 hrs. each day, Tom showers, while I prefer to shower when I get up in the morning. We were due to leave for Jabula for our usual Friday night outing at 4;45 pm, 1645 hrs. Tom wasn’t able to shower before we left. He cleaned up the best he could with bottled water, filled a bucket with water from the pool for the toilet, and we went about our plans.

Zebras don’t hesitate to kick one another when vying for pellets.

Some repairs were being done, and the pipes to Marloth Park were empty. Once the repairs were complete, they’d turn the water back on, and the lines would refill in a few hours. We had water once again when we returned home from dinner at Jabula.

Big Daddy jumped the fence when the zebras were here. He wanted to show us how majestic and powerful he is.

The water pressure isn’t good here. But TIA, “This is Africa,” and that’s how it is. No power? No water? It’s the “nature of the beast” (no pun intended). We’ve become used to these issues, but we always like to know if the information is available and when the services will be restored. That way, we can plan accordingly. Louise provides the most up-to-date information, allowing us to plan as necessary.

The zebra we named Mr. Dot has a perfectly shaped polka dot on his left shoulder with a few more on his back.

We had a fantastic time at Jabula, enjoying the lively bar chatter, the excellent food, and drinks.  Dawn carries my favorite wine, Four Cousins Skinny Red, I usually drink a few glasses from the new bottle we purchase, and they save the rest for me for the next week. Surprisingly, it stays fresh in their fridge until I finish the bottle the following week. I don’t care for chilled red wine, but this way seems to work best. Once the bottle sits out for 30 minutes, it returns to room temperature.

Today, we’ll cook dinner on the braai while continuing to enjoy time on the veranda as the stream of visitors never fails to entertain us and warm our hearts.

Have a lovely Saturday.

Photo from one year ago today, July 9, 2021:

The mongoose went into a frenzy, taking the whole eggs out of the pan, cracking them on rocks, and eating the contents. This is so fun to watch! For more, please click here.

Happy 4th of July to all of our US family, friends and readers….Oops!…Did load shedding cause our refrigerator to die?…

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Three different breeds of antelope in the garden today…nyala (dad) Norman, kudu Big Daddy Thick Neck, and bushbuck Lilly. What a joy to see them all together! 

We send our warmest wishes to all our family and friends in the USA on this special day of celebration of Independence Day. Use extra care when handling fireworks, cooking on the grill, and building bonfires. Also, be safe driving to visit family and friends on the highways and lakes when boating. We’ll never forget this special day with those we love and all the festivities we enjoyed together.

Life is different now and today is like any other day. Well, except for a few things. This morning, when we were digging through the kitchen’s freezer section of the big side-by-side refrigerator, we noticed blueberry juice spilling from the drawer where we keep Tom’s blueberry muffins frozen. He takes out two each evening with his coffee in the morning.

Nyala Nina and her son Noah jumped the fence to visit us today.

Why were the muffins defrosting in the freezer? Also, for the past few weeks, we noticed water on the floor in front of the refrigerator each morning. We attributed it to load shedding…on and off…on and off…power to the fridge three or four times a day.

I contacted Louise, and she suggested we empty everything in the refrigerator and the freezer and put it all in the extra refrigerator on the veranda. She told us we could ask Vusi to move it all when he arrived. Of course, it was packed. She then said to turn it off and back on in 24 hours to see if it would work properly. From experience with load shedding, Louise stated, it might reset and be OK. The load shedding could quickly be causing the “fault.”

Nyala’s dad Norman was drinking from the pool after eating pellets. Note his fluffed-up hair, due to the presence of a Big Daddy nearby. See more below.

Realizing that if the refrigerator didn’t come back on after the 24-hour pause, it could require repair, we felt it made more sense if we moved the food, placing everything where we wanted it to go into the smaller fridge on the veranda. Plus, we also have a chest freezer to store frozen items.

Most frozen food in the freezer was frozen, including mince (ground beef), steaks, and chops. But on the bottom shelf, two packages of chicken breasts were very cold; they still had ice on them but were not frozen. We needed to cook them right away. The ice cubes in bags were still totally frozen.

Norman fluffed up his hair all the more, knowing a Big Daddy was nearby.

Immediately, I lined two large baking pans with tin foil, seasoned the chicken, and immediately got it into the oven. In the next few hours, I boiled eggs, chopped celery, and onions, diced the chicken when it was done and cooled, and seasoned the entire batch using a homemade sour cream dressing I made while the chicken was cooking.

Also, I made a fresh batch of coleslaw to go with the chicken salad. We filled two good-sized containers with the chicken salad, which we’ll have for dinner for the next few nights with the coleslaw, rice, and veggies. It’s nice to know we have dinner made for a few nights after all that work.

We both got busy in the kitchen, moving all the food, utilizing the outdoor refrigerator and freezer, and cleaning. We must have run back and forth a hundred times between the two of us. We were very organized, consolidating, and organizing. As usual, neither of us complained and stayed cheerful during the entire process, which took a few hours.

Norman really fluffed himself up including his tail to let the Big Daddy know he was well aware of his presence,

We figured if we moved everything, we’d ask Vusi to clean the walls of the problematic fridge while Tom washed all the shelves and drawers. By the time Vusi arrived, we were ready for him to do his part.  Tom stayed busy in the kitchen washing all the pots, pans, and containers.

It’s still school holidays in South Africa, and the park is filled with tourists. However, there’s still plenty of wildlife stopping by to see us. The nyala family, consisting of Norman (dad), Nina (mom), and teenager Noah (their son), have started visiting us two or three times a day. It’s delightful to see how this family stays together with both parents, which is not always the case with the antelopes or other wildlife.

It’s another gorgeous day today with perfect sunny weather, no wind, and minimal humidity. Gosh, I love winter in the bush! After our busy morning and the number of tourists in the park, we’ll stay put and enjoy another blissful day with our wildlife friends who come and go throughout the day and evening.

Have a fantastic 4th, people in the US, and may everyone else enjoy their Monday, wherever they may be.

Photo from one year ago today, July 4, 2021:

Little, please be there when we return at the end of the month! He was. But he’s yet to find us at the new house, which is two km from the old house. For more photos, please click here.

Big Daddy haven in the bush…What do they think of us?

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We couldn’t believe how many male kudus of varying ages and sizes appeared in the garden simultaneously.

Last night there were 129 photos on the trail cam of a Big Daddy over several hours, all while we were sleeping. We wonder what’s in the minds of the wildlife. No one knows, not even the most knowledgeable scientists and researchers. Do the animals think like us, not in words but pictures, as we do, our minds always active, thinking, planning, imagining, and remembering?

Tom and I spend the better part of each day watching them, curious about their behavior, fascinated by their reaction to one another and their perception of us.  What do they think of “these two-legged human creatures who always seem so happy to see us and oddly toss pellets our way?”

So many Big Daddies at once.

We’d like to believe they “feel” some connection to us, to our attention, to our snippets of generosity. Many casual observers believe they only respond to us by route, instinct, and hunger.

But, after years of observing them, we can’t help but believe it’s so much more. Who are we to think we are superior to them in such a manner that they can’t feel like us to some degree? There’s controversy regarding this topic. Will science ever know the truth?

They drank from the splash pool.

No, we don’t possess expertise or education in etiology, as described below:

“Ethology is the study of animal behavior. It is a discipline with long traditions and one of few non-medicine biological disciplines that have generated Nobel prizes.”

Also, from this site:

Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior, usually focusing on behavior under natural conditions and viewing behavior as an evolutionarily adaptive trait. Behaviorism as a term also describes the scientific and objective study of animal behavior, usually referring to measured responses to stimuli or trained behavioral responses in a laboratory context, without a particular emphasis on evolutionary adaptivity. Throughout history, different naturalists have studied aspects of animal behavior. Ethology has its scientific roots in the work of Charles Darwin and of American and German ornithologists of the late 19th and early 20th century,[citation needed] including Charles O. Whitman, Oskar Heinroth, and Wallace Craig. The modern discipline of ethology is generally considered to have begun during the 1930s with the work of Dutch biologist Nikolaas Tinbergen and Austrian biologists Konrad Lorenz and Karl von Frisch, the three recipients of the 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Ethology combines laboratory and field science with a strong relation to some other disciplines, such as neuroanatomy, ecology, and evolutionary biology. Ethologists typically show interest in a behavioral process rather than a particular animal group, and often study one type of behavior, such as aggression, in several unrelated species.

They waited and watched to see if we’d toss more pellets. We did.

Ethology is a rapidly growing field. Since the dawn of the 21st century, researchers have re-examined and reached new conclusions about animal communication, emotions, culture, learning, and sexuality that the scientific community long thought understood. New fields, such as neuroethology, have developed.

Understanding ethology or animal behavior can be crucial in animal training. Considering the natural behaviors of different species or breeds enables trainers to select the individuals best suited to perform the required task. It also allows trainers to encourage the performance of naturally occurring behaviors and discontinue undesirable behaviors.”

They continued to see our next move.

It’s all fascinating to us. But, with our lack of expertise in this area, we are left as laypeople purely observing and reveling in their behavior, wondering how they feel and what they think. In the interim, we believe that they think, feel, and respond to us, which only adds to the wonder of our everyday experiences, living in the bush in this magical place.

Today is yet another perfect day with comfortable, warm weather. It was cold this morning but has since warmed up to a high of 82F, 28C, with a low of 50F, 10C, with humidity at a low of 33%. Sitting outdoors on the veranda is exceptionally comfortable today, and indeed we’ll stay here to savor the arrival of our animal friends, whoever they may be, whatever they may “think.”

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, July 3, 2021:

We can always count on Mr. Hornbill making a noisy appearance. For more, please click here.

Rainy day, perfect for the vegetation in the bush…Excellent car rental news…

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Check out these wonderful white markings on Noah, the young nyala.

Today, it’s raining. But, it’s a steady soaking rain which is ideal compared to heavy rains that would run off. The animals are hunkered down under the trees, waiting for it to end. Little do they know how crucial this rain is to provide them with much-needed nourishment.

We can’t possibly provide sufficient food to satisfy all their needs by offering pellets. Pellets are a treat, although healthy, made from vegetation suitable for varied species. All the wildlife eats them, except for the carnivores such as mongooses, genets, wild dogs, lions, leopards, etc., who continually search for meat in one form or another.

When I first stepped outside this morning, Lollie was sitting in her usual spot waiting for her pellet breakfast before the rain started. I didn’t hesitate for a moment to fill up the four-cup measuring cup with pellets and toss them her way. In only one or two minutes, 12 kudus joined the feast, including moms, babies, and a few Big Daddies.

Norman, the dad nyala, also has beautiful white markings across his nose.

Tom was taking a shower, and the five-gallon bucket of pellets we keep in the house was empty. The 40 kg, 88 pounds bags of pellets are located in the store room across the driveway and are too heavy for me to lift to refill the bucket. With no pellets left in the bucket to tender to the impatient kudus, I grabbed a few packages of celery, lettuce, and carrots from the fridge.

I quickly cut several carrots into bite-sized pieces and cleaned up a few heads of iceberg lettuce and two bunches of celery. They love the scraps. Within five minutes, I was back on the veranda, tossing all the goodies to them. They couldn’t have been more excited to see the vegetable scraps hit the ground.

Then, I remembered that a container of grape tomatoes had become too ripe for our liking, so I grabbed that container from the fridge and tossed the entire container. Wow! They sure loved them. Most vegetables except corn are acceptable for the animals to eat. The birds can eat corn. Nor can the animals eat bread, chips, sweets, and human snacks and treats.

The nyala family stops by once again.

Unfortunately, many tourists will feed the animals their leftovers. Sure, they like the taste of human food, but they are not healthy for them, even foods we may consider to be healthful. Most of the animals in Marloth Park are used to consuming the indigenous, naturally occurring vegetation typical in the African bush.

We’d considered going to Kruger National Park today, but with the rain and how most of the wildlife stay undercover when it’s raining, there was no point in going. Instead, we’ll stay in, working on various projects we’ve started online while enjoying this quiet day together, as we often do.

Bossy comes up to the door looking for me. She did the same at the old house.

This morning, we received an email from the car rental company we’re using in Nelspruit for the little blue car. Tomorrow, the 30-day rental expires, and it was expected that Tom would return the vehicle to sign a new contract. With all the car-jackings, spiking, and crime on the N4 Highway, we were more concerned about driving on that road than we had to. The three-hour turnaround to return the car is worrisome.

Thus, today, we could extend the contract until July 23 over the phone, avoiding the necessity of the long drive. The price was a little less than we’d paid for the first month so that we couldn’t be more thrilled. They sent us a contract extension document with the adjusted lower price, and we’re good for now. Hopefully, in July, they will extend it until August 20 when we fly to Zambia.

Handsome Big Daddy.

Currently, we are without power. We have no way of knowing if it’s due to load shedding or a result of the rain. We had no WiFi for about an hour, but now that has resumed. We’re in good shape if the power doesn’t continue for a while since the inverter is running to keep our laptops and phones charged.

Since I have two laptops, both charged, and Tom has one, if the inverter runs out, we can use one of our laptops to watch movies on the external hard drive that Rita and Gerhard gave me for my birthday last February. Gerhard had installed over 1000 movies on the hard drive, so we’ll have plenty to keep us busy when and if we’re in the dark tonight.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 22, 2022:

Poor little male bushbuck got caught up in some roots he was digging up. Too cute for words. We later named him Stringy, and he’s found us here at this new house. For more photos, please click here.

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads and grandpas!!!What did you do on your special day?….

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Is this the Crooked Face we knew from the old house? We looked up a past post and found that this is him! If he’s found his way here, surely Little can do the same. 

It’s a perfect day. The sun is shining. The temperature is currently at 73F, 23C. There’s a slight breeze, and the air quality is “excellent,” per the AccuWeather app on my phone. With many tourists in the park this weekend, we will stay put and enjoy the day and evening on the veranda watching nature at its finest.

There aren’t as many animals visiting with all the attention and food they’re getting from the tourists, but our loyal visitors waste no time stopping by to see us. So far, this morning, we’ve had the shy duiker couple, warthogs Mom and Babies, Lollie (a permanent fixture), and a few bushbucks. Kudus love to show off for the tourists, so I doubt we’ll see any today.

We’ve yet to come up with a name for this bushbuck.

This morning I baked a new batch of low-carb blueberry scones, which are cooling now, and I’ll place in twos in re-used Ziplock bags to keep in the freezer, taking out two each day to have with my coffee, topped with a bit of butter. We individually wrap portion sizes of my scones and Tom’s blueberry muffin.

We save the sandwich-size Ziplock bags by storing them on a shelf on the refrigerator door to prevent any remaining crumbs from getting moldy. Then, we re-use them for the next baked batch, saving on plastic waste. We may reuse them three or four times. We keep Tom’s muffins on one shelf in the freezer and mine on another, making it easy to find to take out for the next day.

Kudus with their heads down eating pellets, except one youngster.

Earlier in the week, I made Tom a coconut banana bread for those times after dinner when he’s craving something sweet. Here again, we store individual portions in the freezer. If I don’t bake something for him, he’ll often buy whatever they have at the market, which is made with chemicals and preservatives. If he’s going to eat sweet treats, at least homemade with fresh ingredients is ultimately better for him.

Of course, my little blueberry scones are made to be very low carb, and I only allow myself two per day since they are calorie-dense and made with almond flour. When Spar Market was out of almond flour, I purchased macadamia nut flour which is even lower carb than almond flour.

This is Rueben. He is in love with Lollie.

Today, I made low-carb scones using a half-and-half mixture of almond and macadamia nut flours. I am confident the taste will be just as good, if not better. Since I’ve received several requests for the recipe, here it is for our low-carb/keto readers.

Mom and Baby bushbucks were eating the grass inside the fenced area. We couldn’t believe how gracefully the baby jumped over the fence.

Raspberry/Blueberry Drop Scones
Makes 24 cookies/scones 

8 large eggs, beaten until frothy
4 cups almond flour
46 drops liquid sucralose or 1 1/3 cup sugar substitute or other equivalent sugar
2 T aluminum-free baking powder
2 T vanilla extract
2 cups fresh raspberries, blueberries (unsweetened), or any berry and nuts

 Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with parchment (a must) paper. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the raspberries or blueberries (or both), and mix well to create a batter that will be lumpy. Gently fold the raspberries/blueberries into the batter and use a tablespoon to drop evenly spaced scones on the lined pan (about 2 heaping tablespoons for each scone). 

Bake for about 18 minutes until scones begin to brown lightly.  Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the parchment paper, or they will fall apart and serve warm or room temp.  These freeze very well and defrost in about 10 minutes or use the microwave for 30 seconds to defrost 2 or 3.

Nutrition Facts
125 calories
9.5 g fat
5.5 g protein
2.5 g fiber 
1 g net carbs

This is Bossy, from the old house. She was looking inside the house for me while Tom took the photo.

 This recipe takes very little time to prepare. I had them made and in the oven within about 15 minutes. Those who don’t eat low-carb will also enjoy these delicious treats. They aren’t hard like a typical scone but soft like an oatmeal cookie.

After making the above, I’ve kept at my usual walking pace to ensure I am fast approaching my daily goal of 8,000 to 10,000 steps. It’s much easier to accomplish while living in this property as opposed to the last, which was much smaller. We’re undoubtedly enjoying the extra space, especially outdoors.

The zebras returned yesterday for another visit.

We’re missing the animals today, but I feel confident they’ll be back in the next few days. Even the birds aren’t as active in the garden today as they were a few days ago. But, we’re content nonetheless.

For all the dads, grandpas, step-dads and step-grandpas out there in the world, we wish you the very best on this special day. We hope your loved ones will make this day all about YOU!

Photo from one year ago today, June 19, 2021:

Lots of pigs!!! We aren’t getting as many warthogs at the new house, but soon they will come. For more photos, please click here.

Power outages all day today and tomorrow….Eskom repairs…No-see-ums solutions!…

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This handsome Big Daddy is missing a huge section of his left horn, most likely due to a hostile encounter.

We changed our minds about going to Kruger National Park. Last night, I was awake for several hours, itching from sand fleas (midges, no-see-ums) bites, and I was up several times using various creams and lotions, including Calamine, some of which may work for a few hours. I’m a little too tired to ride in the park for hours.

Invariably, I fall back to sleep, waking up a few hours later with the itching worse than the last time. Last night, a bite on the bottom of my foot was the worst culprit, along with the nagging dozens of bites around my neck. However, with our ramped-up preventive measures, I am only getting one or two new bites each day, far less than a few weeks ago.

This was a first for us. We’d never seen a Big Daddy missing part of his massive horn. That must have been one aggressive encounter!

The itching lasts from one to three weeks, which can be just as awful the second or third week as when the bites were new. At night, warming up under the covers in the cold weather exacerbates the itching, particularly on my feet. I have implemented the following measures to reduce the likelihood of being bit and the itching:

  1. Wear repellent with DEET, not only on all exposed skin but under my clothes, reapplying every six hours
  2. Wear thick socks, leaving no gap between the sock and the bottom of my long pants
  3. Wear a “bugs-away” long sleeve shirt over a long-sleeve tee-shirt
  4. Spray the area where we’re sitting outdoors, day and night
  5. Spray the bedroom with Doom in the late afternoon
  6. Keep the bedroom door shut at all times.
  7. At bedtime, reapply repellent, wear long leggings and a long-sleeved hooded shirt to bed, pulling up the hoodie when going to sleep to keep my neck and part of my face covered
  8. Use anti-itch creams as needed, including cortisone, antihistamine, and calamine lotion
  9. Shower using exfoliant cream and sponge to remove any remaining insect larvae on my skin.

    This is our boy, Dot, who has a few polka dots on his back and above his left leg, as shown in this photo.

I can’t think of anything else I can do. Please let me know if you’ve had experience with these types of insects and their terrible bites. Tom hasn’t had a single bite. Go figure!

The power just went out a few minutes ago. It is supposed to return by 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs. Yesterday, Danie came over and re-did the inverter system in the house. There were two inverters, one upstairs on the second level and the other on the main floor. The unit on the main floor died, so he had to hook up the upstairs unit via a long power cord hanging along the wall by the stairway. He is so on-the-ball about getting things to work well for us, just like his lovely wife, Louise.

Seeing the zebras return so soon after their first visit was excellent.

Also, yesterday Danie added a handrail leading to the second level. We were so grateful he did this, making it easier for us to go up the stairs. There’s another living room/lounge up there, as well as another huge veranda. It will be fun to entertain up there if it’s raining. Now, with the handrail in place, we’ve added another floor of usability to this house.

Tom tossed quite a few pellets at the pool’s edge. Afterward, they all took a drink.

Plus, there’s an air-con unit in the lounge upstairs, and on sweltering days and nights in the summer months, we can always go up there to hide away for a few hours. Also, there’s a big TV monitor up there with Netflix; if we’d like, we can watch a movie up there.

The power will supposedly be back up by 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs. Today, with more of the same tomorrow. Tom placed the large metal bowl filled with ice in the refrigerator. Everything in the freezer will be fine for this short period.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 14, 2021:

We haven’t seen Thick Neck at the new house since we arrived three weeks ago. Hopefully, someday soon. For more photos, please click here.

Contrary to popular belief, there still are snakes slithering about in cold weather…Last few night’s trailcam treasures!!!…

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There are no captions on today’s photos. They speak for themselves!

Many locals and visitors to Marloth Park perceive that they won’t encounter snakes in cold weather. But, this is not the case, as illustrated below from local Juan de Beer’s Facebook entry, which he posted yesterday. Juan is a young, highly skilled rescuer of reptiles and other animals found in the bush and nearby outlying areas.

It astounds us how successful and experienced he has been. We knew him when he was a teenager, and many of us here in Marloth Park feel safer knowing he is at our beck and call if we encounter a snake in the house or on the veranda.; Of course, if a snake is spotted in the garden and wandering off, there’s no need to call Juan.

Snakes and other reptiles are a part of Marloth Park and have as much a right to be here as we do, if not more. They were here long before humans inhabited this area. It is sad to see snakes driven over by vehicles on the roads and the countless wildlife killed on the roads here. More on that tomorrow. We were horrified to read the latest update on how many animals have been killed on Olifant Road, the main paved road in the park, in the past week.

So, here is Juan’s update on how many reptiles were captured and transferred to parkland and wildlife areas in the past two months, and June isn’t even over yet.

Juan’s Reptile Rescue

April and May 2022🐍🦎 🦂🐊

Rescue’s for this month from the Unit⚠️☠⚠️
1.Black mamba= 25
2.Puff Adder= 24
3.Mozambique Spitting cobra= 25
4.Rock Monitor= 17
5.Spotted bush snake= 14
6.Eastern Tiger snake= 1
7.Common wolf snake= 1
8.Olive grass snake= 2
9.Boomslang= 7
10.Southern Twig snake= 2
11.Southern African python= 1
12.common file snake= 1
13.Brown house snake= 4
14.Crocodile= 1
15.Chameleon= 1
16.Marbled tree snake= 1
17.Eastern bark snake= 1
18.Tree agama= 1
19.Short snouted grass snake= 1
Rescue’s in total ~ 130
Juan’s Reptile Rescue Unit 🐍🐊🦎🦂🕷
Safe removal and release of all Reptile’s❗❗
(Marloth Park, Kruger National Park, Komatipoort, Hectorspruit and surrounding area’s)
Juan’s Reptile Rescue Unit:
060 665 5000📲
Available 24/7
No charge for a call out❗❗
To know that he rescued 25 black mambas, one of the most dangerous snakes in the world, leaves one a little more cautious when walking in the garden, on the dirt, in the bush, and even in the house. When snakes seek warmth, they may enter the house. We’ve heard stories of highly venomous snakes being rescued from homes on many occasions.
Of course, we must remain vigilant every day and evening, keeping doors closed, especially since the veranda is on ground level. We keep our bedroom door closed, day and night, mainly to keep mosquitoes and other insects from entering. But, this measure is also vital to keep snakes from entering a bedroom that may have snuck into the house when occupants weren’t watching.
We shout out to Juan and the other reptile rescuers residing in Marloth Park and surrounding areas, who also provide superior support and handling in this area.
Here’s some good advice for anyone who encounters a snake such as a black mamba or many others:
“Black mambas are territorial, so don’t go looking for a fight. If you see or hear one, leave it alone. Do not go near the snake; if it tries to escape, let it. If it feels cornered, you’ll face its wrath.”

There are countless reliable sites online that can be useful regarding safety when encountering snakes or other dangerous reptiles. For example, this site from Kruger National Park is a good source of information, as many others. For those living or staying in Marloth Park and other conservancies and camps in Africa, it’s imperative to conduct research and become educated on safety around all forms of wildlife, even those who appear to be gentle and non-combative.
Enjoy today’s photos from our trail cam taken over the last few days. We were thrilled to see the visitors that arrived when we were either inside making dinner or later in the evening, during the night or in the early morning.
Be safe. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 11, 2021:

Tom stayed busy for quite a while tossing pellets to these five wildebeests. For more photos, please click here.

Getting into the groove…It’s heavenly…Plans for our August visa run revealed!!!…

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This female kudu jumped over the fence to see if the “grass was greener.” We don’t feed them when they jump the fence so they’ll avoid eating the grass and vegetation which is newly seeded and planted.

Wow! It’s Thursday morning on a perfect weather day. It’s cool, the sun is shining, and we’re comfortably ensconced at the table on the fantastic veranda. We’re feeling so much better today. The gastro issues are gone. The awful feeling of exhaustion from Covid-19/Omicron continues to improve daily, and we’re almost back to our old selves.

The sights and sounds in the bush are making us both smile. Birds are singing, screeching, and flying overhead. As I write this, the same five kudus, including a baby, have been hanging around for the past few hours. We named Pushy a very bossy warthog since he growls when we don’t give him pellets fast enough. He makes us laugh. We can’t help but respond to his goofy personality.

Bushbucks are sharing pellets with a warthog.

There are a few “Spikey’s” hanging out, young bushbucks with tiny horns, and one of our old favorites, Stingy, from our old house, 2 kilometers, 1.2 miles away. He responded to his name, and we recognized him for the markings and size of his horns, which are always muddy from digging up roots. Indeed, we’ll see some of our old animal friends in time, but it’s easy to welcome new friends when they are so adorable.

Gosh, this feels good. Tom is streaming Garage Logic on his laptop. we’re sipping on ice tea in the big mugs Louise gave us a few days ago, and we’re snacking on chunks of delicious aged cheddar cheese and a fine quality ham. Dinner is made for tonight’s meal, and I’ve already done two loads of laundry.

A Mom and Baby bushbuck partaking in some pellets.

Danie arranged for a plumber to come today since the water at the kitchen sink wasn’t hot enough for washing dishes. There’s no dishwasher here. Tom did all the dishes but quickly became frustrated when the water wasn’t satisfactory for sanitizing the dishes. As soon as we mentioned this issue to Louise, she and Danie were all over it and the plumber arrived this morning to make the necessary repairs. By tonight’s dinner Tom should be able to do the dishes in hot water. The remaining faucets in the house are fine.

With our plans set for the necessary visa run on August 20, as of two days ago, we have peace of mind and can relax until then. We definitely decided that neither of us feel up to any long flights and layovers to go far away. We’ve decided to head back to Zambia.

An adorable baby bushbuck.

Once we arrive at the small airport in Livingstone, our former tour guide Chris will pick us up at the airport and drive us to the rive where four countries intersect, the only such place in the world. We’ll take a little boat across the river to the other side to Botswana where a guide will meet and take us through immigration, and then to Chobe Safari Lodge, where we stayed a few times in 2018.

Each time we were at the resort and went on safari, we longed to spend more time there. This time, we’ve booked five nights at the lodge and two nights at the Protea Hotel to round out an entire week we’ll have been away, hopefully long enough to satisfy South African immigration to give us a new 90-day visa stamp.

Three bushbucks are sharing pellets. Now that we’re back to using the camera, we’ll zoom in more for better shots.

Fortunately, the flight to Zambia is non-stop on Airlink in Nelspruit and is less than a two-hour flight, making the trip easy for us. We’ll pick up a new rental car when we return to Nelspruit, and the 90-day clock will begin once again. But, 70+ days later, we’re heading to Athens. At the end of the cruise from Athens, we’ll return to Cape Town South Africa, about 45 days later.

We are thrilled with this plan. It’s easy, affordable, and less work than applying for another visa extension which we may have to do again sometime down the line. But, this one trip and the cruise take us to March 2023, when again, we’ll leave South Africa for a while to explore other options. All of this, of course, is based on travel restrictions because the pandemic is not over.

There are several Mom and Baby bushbucks. Soon, we’ll identify features and start naming them.

So, God willing, we’re back to life as we knew it, comfortable and content to be here, feeling well, enjoying our animal and human friends. Life is good, once again.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 2, 2021:

Little Daddy comes to call. As a youngster, he certainly knows how to give the “look,” indicating he’s up for some pellets. For more photos, please click here.