Tomorrow morning, Connie and Lindsey begin the journey back to the US…And for us?…

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This lush green tree attracted many of the giraffes. There were nine giraffes in the garden.

Today, Connie and Lindsey are organizing and packing, which includes countless pieces of medical equipment, they’ll be hauling back to the US. They are leaving one wheelchair with us, which we’ll keep upstairs to be used by whomever we encounter who may need it. Also, if Louise has any renters who may need it, we’re happy to provide it for their temporary use.

This was the first giraffe to arrive.

Once they leave, I’ll have to go through our refrigerator and clear out any food that may have begun to spoil since we’ll have eaten out four days in a row this week, including tonight at Jabula for the four of us and again tomorrow for the two of us, for our usual Friday night. Connie and Lindsey loved the idea of going to Jabula one more time before they departed, and we agreed enthusiastically.

It was fun to watch the youngsters eating leaves with their parents.

Last night, we headed to Giraffe, where we had a great conversation at the bar and a lovely dinner in the outdoor area where there were no insects. Compared to the number of bugs pestering us outdoors a few nights ago, it was a welcomed relief to be outdoors without the pesky springtime flying insects.

There’s Lollie in the background, as always.

It’s pleasant weather today, and the four of us are currently sitting at the table on the veranda, watching wildlife, and working on our phones and laptops. After Jeff’s passing, Connie has a lot to figure out with arranging memorial services in Minnesota and South Dakota and handling financial matters, which are daunting tasks for a grieving spouse but necessary to handle.

There are some fresh buds on other trees since the good rain last week.

As for us, we’ve stayed on top of our financial matters these past two weeks, including record keeping and setting up our regular payments in BillPay for the first of the month. I’m happy we got our taxes done through our accountant in Henderson, Nevada, and we have nothing hanging over our heads now.

A mom and a baby was included in the tower of giraffes that came to call

Tomorrow, we have to pay the final payment for the upcoming Seychelles cruise in November. We don’t have to pay other final cruise payments until next March. We’re still uncertain if South Africa will let us enter after the Seychelles cruise, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed and our thoughts positive.

Such beautiful animals.

Last night, after dinner at Giraffe, we tried to stream a show on my laptop in our bedroom. But, I was so tired from the medication I was on for the headache that I couldn’t stay awake. The drug makes me sleepy during the day, but I cannot nap, which might make it possible for me to stay awake a little longer. The literature for the medication suggests taking it an hour or two before retiring for the night to reduce daytime sleepiness, but that isn’t working for me.

We couldn’t tell what this giraffe was doing by the ant hill.

I will return to Doc Theo in about a week to discuss increasing the dose since the head pain has produced the past few days, much to my frustration. I was so hopeful it was gone. Perhaps the past week’s events have been instrumental in the headache returning, but at least the face pain is gone.

The garden was busy with zebras and giraffes.

Based on our photos, we’ve had a lot of wildlife in the garden the past several days. We’ve been especially thrilled that Connie and Lindsey have been able to see so much over the past several days. Another holiday weekend will begin when they leave, the “school hoildays,” lasting for ten days. We’ll be glad when that’s over so we can return to our everyday life of enjoying wildlife in the garden and making plans for the future.

More parents arrived with youngsters.

Ah, dear readers, that’s all I have today. I hope you are doing well and enjoying life.

Photo from one year ago today, September 29, 2021:

Little was picking up the pellets I dropped on the veranda without hesitation. For more photos, please click here.

The viewing is completed…Now, we wait for the ashes…

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Our friend Connie, wife of Jeff, has been able to enjoy time here in Marloth Park amid all the sorrow of losing her beloved husband.

What a busy morning! At 6:00 am, Tom bolted out of bed to get ready to drive Connie back to Tonga for the final viewing. The mortician will drive Jeff’s remains to Nelspruit, and the ashes will be delivered to us tomorrow, Wednesday. This will be an emotional event.

Connie has a lot of paperwork to complete before they depart for the US this Friday, only three days from today. It’s hard to imagine that they will be gone. We’ve become closer than ever under these sorrowful circumstances. Once they depart,  we’ll strive to return our lives to a familiar pace.

Of course, having almost completely recovered from the headache and facial pain, I am in a much better state of mind. It’s not as if I was down in the dumps during those painful months, but it undoubtedly impacted my quality of life. We went out for dinner; we socialized; we visited Kruger National Park, and we spent countless days and nights enjoying the visiting wildlife.

But, now, everything has changed, and I am glad I started to improve, after three weeks on the meds, to be present for our arriving guests ten days ago and the tragic loss that transpired last Wednesday, stretching well into the remaining time that Connie and Lindsey are spending here with us.

We all agreed to dine out the next three nights with load shedding continuing and high temperatures. We’ll spend their last night in the bush on Thursday at Jabula. They both love the food and atmosphere at the Cheers-like bar and wanted to spend one more evening there. Tom and I will still spend our usual Friday night at Jabula after Connie and Lindsey have left for the US.

Lindsey, Jeff and Connie’s daughter, has been quite a trooper after losing her beloved Dad. Photos were taken at Jabula last Friday night.

Today, we’re heading to Ngwenya Lodge for sundowners at sunset and later dining indoors away from the flying insects we encountered last night. Last night, we had no choice but to come inside the house to eat at the dining room table when insects beyond any past experiences bombarded us. TIA…This is Africa…this is what happens here in the spring and the heat.

My desire to cook has waned considerably in the past few days. The number of flies that mysteriously appear in the kitchen while preparing a meal is in the dozens, longing to land on any meat they can. Yuck. Flies annoy me more than most other insects.

I suppose we will most likely dine out two or three times a week over the upcoming hot summer months to make life easier. We’ll cook on the cooler days, but on the 42C, 104F days, we will go out to dinner. I have no desire to prepare meals and leave Tom in the kitchen in the dark at night, during load shedding, trying to do the dishes using a battery-powered lantern. The warmer the temperatures, the more flies, join me in the kitchen.

Right now, Connie and Lindsey are visiting the little shops here in Marloth Park. Tom is on the veranda watching football on his laptop via NFL Game Pass. As soon as I am done here today, I may take a little break and lounge in the bedroom with the big fan running off of  the inverter.

The house is clean, animals have returned to the garden after the holiday weekend, and we’re bracing ourselves for the influx of tourists who will be flooding Marloth Park, starting this weekend and continuing for ten days, due to the “school holiday,” which brings people to Marloth Park from all over the country and some from other countries.  We’ll see less wildlife and hear more cars passing at the house and when out and about.

Thank you to many of our readers who’ve written to express their condolences. If we missed responding to you, please bear with us. We’ve had more responses than we could count.

Have a great day and evening!

Photo from one year ago today, September 27, 2021:

Peter, Paul, and Mary (she’s in the center) couldn’t have posed better for this shot. For more photos, please click here.

Moving through the days and nights with hope and love…

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Early last week, when Jeff was still with us, he dropped a chunk of chicken on the veranda during a meal together on the veranda. Later that night, after they’d gone to bed, Tom spotted this genet enjoying the piece of chicken.

This morning, Lindsey and Connie took off for a day in Kruger National Park. We decided to let them go on their own to be able to have some private time without us in tow. They wanted to exchange all the clothes Connie purchased for Jeff in the shop at Lower Sabie for special gifts for his closest friends back in the US. How generous and thoughtful.

But generosity and thoughtfulness have been the nature of all our experiences over the past five days. Many of our readers have written to us with kind condolences, including friends from all over the world. Many have expressed concern over how Tom and I are doing under these circumstances.

Our only concern has been to make Connie and Lindsey feel as much comfort and love as we could provide during this sorrowful time. Neither of us has given a thought to our emotions. For us, our focus has been on their well-being and comfort.  We discussed the day’s events at night when we were alone in our bedroom. We are both sad this happened but glad we were able to share this sorrowful experience with Connie and Lindsey.

But, most of all, we are grateful Jeff was able to see the unique wildlife in our garden and then experience the wildlife in Kruger National Park, fulfilling his lifelong dreams of Africa. It was a joy to watch his expressions of sheer wonder when Mother Nature bestowed her treasured gifts upon us as we gawked in awe at the majesty of wildlife in Africa.

We took these three photos through the glass on the veranda door in the dark, resulting in poor-quality photos. If we’d added light or waited, we’d have lost the opportunity since any sound would drive the genet away.

Now, as the time Connie and Lindsey are staying in Marloth Park with us winds down, we’ve packed the remaining time together with more beautiful experiences; dinner out on Friday night at Jabula, where they were greeted with warm hugs and sincere condolences, let alone the great food, festive atmosphere and friendly banter among strangers who felt like friends before the evening ended.

Then, there’s been the two evenings we dined out since Jeff passed away; Amazing Kruger View with Louise and Danie on Thursday and, as mentioned, Friday night at Jabula. For the remaining three evenings, we dined on our veranda with good food, animal watching, and plenty of wine and drinks amid countless conversations and topics; many centered around Jeff and his life.

Last night, we made our low-carb pizza and salad, and the four of us dined and lounged on the veranda until well after dark and load shedding started again. Finally, the bugs got so bad that we had to go inside and all headed off to bed for an early night. Tom and I streamed a TV series on my laptop, and after I started nodding off, he stayed up and watched the Minnesota Vikings game until almost midnight.

I don’t ask Tom to wear earbuds when he watches the game in bed. For some odd reason, the sound of the football game is comforting to me, and I sleep right through it. Plus, the pills I take for headaches and facial pain make me very sleepy. I take the one tablet at 9:00  pm, 2100 hrs., to ensure I am not too sleepy in the morning. But, after taking the pill I can stay up for several hours if necessary.

Loouise and Danie told us that recently the genet has been eating their francolin’s chicks. They had six and now are down to one.

During the day, I feel a little sleepy but not enough to require a nap. However, the headache and facial pain are almost entirely gone. I hold my breath when I say this since suddenly, for no reason at all, it is painful  again but improves a short time later. I have no idea how long I’ll have to take the drug. Right now, I am not concerned about that. In a few weeks, I must return to Doc Theo for the next refill.

Today, with Connie and Lindsey gone for the day to Kruger National Park, we’ll work on future planning and financial projects we’ve postponed. Nothing was urgent since we’d prepared for their arrival and had addressed most tasks we had pending.

When they return and when Tom returns from returning the car to Nelspruit, we’ll cook another fresh homemade pizza we saved for tonight, having pizza two nights in a row. Tonight will be another evening on the veranda commiserating over the events of the past five days and mutually sharing stories from our lives and our adventures. Of course, we’ll be enjoying wildlife visits now that the holiday weekend is over.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 26, 2021:

A thick-tailed bushbaby was eating yogurt we left out. For more, please click here.

The wonders of the bush continue to thrill our guests…A first time visitor…

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How wonderful this lovely lizard stopped by for our guests to see! “Agama is a genus of small-to-moderate-sized, long-tailed, insectivorous Old World lizards. The genus Agama includes at least 37 species in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where most regions are home to at least one species. Eurasian agamids are largely assigned to genus Laudakia.”

No words can describe how meaningful it is to have friends from afar experiencing Marloth Park with us. Meeting the wonderful locals and our friends and seeing all the stunning wildlife is hard to explain to an outsider. For those who are not animal lovers, these experiences may hold little significance.

“Reptile. Agama lizards are sometimes called rainbow lizards because of the colorful displays put on by the dominant males. While most agamas are green and brown, dominant males show off by rapidly turning their bodies blue and their heads bright red or yellow. Most agamas live in small groups, with the dominant male ruling over several females and sub-males. While sunning themselves each morning, the dominant male will claim the most elevated spot, with subordinates in lower areas. Agamas hunt by vision and prefer to wait for an insect to come by. Their sticky tongues help them hold onto prey.”

But, for the rest of us, each interaction leaves us reeling with pure delight. Once our friends leave at the end of the month, Tom and I will continue to treasure every day as we always have.

Now, as I write this, everyone is taking a much-needed nap. Our days and nights have been filled with one activity after another. Tom and I, used to all the commotion, are still sitting at the table on the veranda, watching numerous birds stopping at the birdbath, as shown in the photo below, to drink and bathe in the clean water.

Do you recognize this birdbath? Louise had the boys bring it here from our last holiday home, Lovebird’s Nest. We love all the birds and animals stopping by for a drink. In the background is a pile of lucerne we placed on a cement structure after receiving our second lucerne delivery this week.

Numerous animals have stopped by to drink. Now that the weather is warming up again, having access to clean drinking water is essential for our animal friends. Sure, they can search throughout Marloth Park to find a suitable waterhole, but such water sources are often dirty and filled with mud. Tom refills the birdbath a few times a day with fresh water.

With two bales of lucerne(hay) delivered here this week on Monday and Thursday, we had an opportunity to see many animals at one time. In some cases, there were no more animals than usual since our garden appears to be a desirable place to visit.  You may say, “No wonder! The animals are being fed.”

An adorable bushbaby stopped by to partake of the little yogurt cup we left for her in the evening. Our friends loved seeing her.

But it’s much more than being about food. The number of animals that come here often clearly illustrates how safe they feel here. It is instinctual for wildlife to remain on alert for life-threatening predators. Sure, there are lions and leopards in Marloth Park. Recently, they’ve just about obliterated the entire ostrich population in the park, along with countless impalas and warthogs.

To see these beloved animals feel safe around us is heartwarming on the one hand but terrifying on the other. Lions and leopards could just as easily come to our garden as anywhere else in the park. At night, we often hear the roar of these dangerous beasts. On Facebook, we often see photos of the remains of an animal that the large cats had partially devoured.

Lots of bushbucks, kudus, and wildebeests hanging around.

They can “run, but they can’t hide.” Nature always wins. A starving lion is as entitled to eat as the gentle little bushbucks that come to our garden for pellets, carrots, and other vegetables and fruits. Who’s to say one wild creature is more or less deserving of eating than another? It’s all a part of the life cycle in the wild, and we have no control over how it ultimately plays out.

This morning Tom took some photos and a video while Connie and I were getting our pedicures at Imbewe Spa (where I go once a month to have my toes done) when he spotted Norman and his son Noah, who’s maturing quickly in what appeared to be a horns-to-horns scuffle. Was Norman teaching Noah how to defend himself, or was he giving Noah the message that it’s time for him to move to another territory and let loose of following his mom and dad around?

Tulip and her daughter, Lilac.

We’ll only know the answer to this question soon if we see Norman and Nina visiting without their son. The three of them often visit two or three times a day. Will we ever see Noah again when so many residents in Marloth Park have never seen the nyala family as those of us in this area have been blessed to witness, day after day?

Ah, if only “they” could talk and tell us their intentions. How fascinating that would be. But, like us humans with a degree of uncertainty about our eventual demise, we don’t get to know precisely what our wildlife friends are thinking. It’s another one of those “mysteries of life” we don’t get to know.

Soon, we’re off to Jabula with friends for our usual Friday night dinner.  May all of you have a lovely evening as well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 23, 2021:

A new bushbuck to our garden, Short Horn. Notice the size difference between his right and left horns. For more photos, please click here.

The remainder of our Kruger photos…More exciting photos to come…

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Lindsey’s incredible photo of two hippos carrying on.

Today, we share more photos from our Tuesday visit to Kruger National Park. Our guests are still reeling from the adventure.

Early this morning, Norman, Noah, and Nina were waiting for us when Tom opened the doors to the veranda. He came to tell me, and I bolted out of bed to toss them some carrots while Tom refilled the bucket of pellets from the storeroom across the car park.

A bloat of hippos in the Sabie River.

In moments, the garden was packed with wildlife, and we both were busy feeding the various animals. In no time, our guests joined us at the veranda table, coffee in hand, and reveled in the wonder of the wildlife visiting us.

Our guests had some paperwork to tackle and preferred to stay in while I busied myself with household tasks and piles of laundry now that it was sunny again. Our linen napkins were dirty, and I wanted to get them washed before our next meal at the house.

We enjoyed watching this elephant.

Based on our plan to go to Amazing Kruger View for dinner and Crocodile River viewing tonight before sunset and tomorrow night at Jabula for our usual Friday night dinner, I won’t be making dinner again until Saturday. Rita and Gerhard will join us tomorrow evening.

Adorable baby elephant.

We are staying busy with our guests and looking forward to returning to Kruger in the next few days. They loved lunch at the Mugg & Bean and shopping in the fabulous gift shop at Lower Sabie. Of course, the wildlife sightings were the highlight of the day.

Moms and babies…

Tom and I are doing well. Neither of us stresses when we have houseguests. We maneuver through the days and evenings with ease. These wonderful friends are especially easy to host since they are blissfully resourceful and independent.

Plus, with them living in the two flats with their kitchen suitable for making a hot breakfast, coffee, and snacks, my only contribution is making dinner (with Connie’s help) and Tom doing his usual job of washing dishes, pots, and pans.

The moms and babies were fun to watch.

With Zef and Vusi cleaning five days a week, there’s little else for us to do otherwise: pick up after ourselves and clean up the kitchen after prepping and cooking meals.

They have also made their lunches since we stocked their flats with plenty of breakfast and lunch foods.  Most days, when we stay in, they make sandwiches for themselves and bring them to our house for more wildlife watching during their meal. Easy-peasy for us.

An elephant at the Verhami Dam.

As mentioned above, soon we’ll head to Amazing Kruger View for sundowners and dinner later. Hopefully, we will spot some wonders on the river, adding to the repertoire of photos they have collected during their stay.

Stay well. We will be back with more tomorrow!

Photo from one year ago today, September 22, 2021:

Impalas have such pretty faces and markings. A helmeted guinea fowl manages to “photo-bomb.” For more photos, please click here.

More photos from Kruger National Park with friends…

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Safari luck prevailed when we spotted these two cheetahs.

In a short time, Connie and I will head to the Imbewe Spa to have pedicures. It will be a fun break for us to luxuriate in the excellent service Patience and her staff provide. We’ll get our treatments simultaneously from two technicians, which will take about 90 minutes.

When we return, they’ll have lunch, and I’ll get back to work making bacon-wrapped meatloaf. We’ll add mashed potatoes, butternut squash, and salad to another excellent meal for the five of us. Last night, we did takeaway for dinner since we returned late from Kruger.

We couldn’t get a full-face photo of each cheetah when they never turned around before wandering off.

It was the first time since we’d been at this house. We did takeaway for dinner. Nothing on the menu worked for my way of eating, so I had leftover chicken salad and coleslaw from the previous day. We all had enjoyed our special day in Kruger and had worked up an appetite.

While I wrapped up yesterday’s post, Connie headed to the Tin Shack to pick up the four meals. At the same time, Tom and Jeff sat at the dining room table, since it was pelting rain outside, watching the Monday night football game between the Minnesota Vikings Game and the Philadelphia Eagles. Of course, the Vikings lost, and both were disappointed.

A bloat of hippos is seen from the bridge crossing the Sabie River.

Connie, Lindsey, and I sat at the table with the guys, chatting and sharing stories while the football game echoed in the background. The atmosphere was fun and festive while we all stayed indoors, reveling in our day’s adventures in the national park.

We ended up not getting off to bed until after 10:00 pm, 2200 hrs., and set up another episode of season nine of The Blacklist. Unfortunately, I nodded off midway through the show when Tom woke me up, suggesting I get under the covers and sleep. The past few days have been busy and fun since our friends arrived, after spending the past several months nursing my aching head and face and spending a part of the day resting.

Not long in the park, we spotted two moms and two babies. Our friends were so excited!

But, amid all the good times and commotion, I am finally beginning to feel better after almost a week on the increased dose of the medication. I can hardly express how grateful I am to be improving a little more each day. I still get the headache a few times each day, but the facial pain is gone as of a few days ago.

This morning we had a close encounter with a single giraffe who came up the veranda. She was gone when I got the camera, and we never got the photo. We were pleasantly surprised by how many animals came to visit this morning in the rain, but we took the time to enjoy each one of them, tossing pellets into the garden.

This photo was taken about one kilometer across the Sabie River. That’s the best my camera could capture.

We’re staying in today since it’s raining hard, off and on, every hour or so. Tonight, after sundowners, we’ll have a nice dinner inside the house and continue the delightful conversation.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 21, 2021:

This morning, the mongoose’s fur got wet and looked spikey! Ironically, it’s raining today. They’ll look the same if they visit. For more photos, please click here.

Safari luck has begun for our guests…

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This oxpecker let out a call while standing on a giraffe’s neck.

Yesterday, we had only a few visitors stop by during the day since it was a Sunday and the park was still busy with tourists. As a result, we wanted Connie, Jeff, and Lindsey to see wildlife as soon as possible. We all got into their rented van and drove around Marloth Park to see what we could find.

Much to our delight, the animals didn’t disappoint. Today, we’re sharing some of the photos from that outing. We were glad to know we could all view the wildlife we encountered through the windows in the roomy van. Connie drove while the rest of us searched the bush for more sightings. It was an enjoyable time.

Note the oxpecker on the side of this giraffe’s neck.

Our guests used their phones to take photos, while I used the camera to get the shots we’re sharing today and tomorrow. We’ve found that most first-time visitors to Marloth Park often use their phones for photos but usually bring a camera when they return.

We’d invited Rita and Gerhard to join us for dinner, and we barely got back to the house in time for their arrival. Of course, I had to get busy preparing some starters. I decided to make easy starters and an equally easy dinner. We served peanuts, crackers and cheese, and biltong for the starters.

Giraffes are such attractive animals.

We served filet mignon, baked potatoes with sour cream, white rice, steamed broccolini, and mixed greens salad for dinner.  We didn’t do dessert since no one cared for sweets after dinner. However, on Saturday, I’m going to make a big pan of apple crisp.

Miraculously, I don’t have a headache today, nor is my face hurting. I’ve had periods over the past few days when the pain has  disappeared intermittently. But today, three weeks after I started the medication, the drugs seem to have fully kicked in. How long this pain-free state will last is beyond me, but I am savoring every moment right now.

Three giraffes in a row.

Dinner progressed without incident, and Tom did a great job cooking the steaks on the braai, perfectly cooked to each person’s preference. He did mine and Connie’s rare steaks precisely as we’d like. By the time dinner was over, I was exhausted. I couldn’t do another thing.

Over the past several months while I had the headache, since April 20th, when we tested positive for Covid-19, I’ve spent much time resting each day. However, we continued to entertain guests, go for dinner, and even travel out of the country; I never rebuilt my stamina.

Once I’ve been pain-free for a while, I’ll start walking again, trying to get close to 8000 to 10000 steps per day, and will spend less time sitting as much as I have these past few months. I’m looking forward to feeling more like myself again, active, energized, and full of enthusiasm.

Look at all these oxpeckers on the giraffe’s neck.

A bale of lucerne was delivered today, the first of two we ordered this week. The next one will come on Thursday, and we’ll also repeat this cycle next week while our guests are here. To our surprise, only a few animals have eaten off of the bale so far, two wildebeests and Tulip and Lilac. Hopefully, today more animals will come.

We hope to go into Kruger tomorrow based on how everyone feels and the weather. Rain is predicted this week which wouldn’t be an ideal time to go into the park. As always, we’ll “play it by ear.”

Have a fantastic day!

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

One Wart is a frequent visitor. For more photos please click here.

It’s wonderful having houseguests…Can’t wait for Monday!…Exciting new sighting!…

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Sorry, this is the back of a ground hornbill, a large bird we’d never seen in Marloth Park in the past. We couldn’t grab the camera quickly enough, but they moved away fast; these two shots were all we could get.

Why would I possibly wish time to fly at my age? There are only two reasons: one, the holidaymakers will have left after the weekend, and the animals will return to our garden; two, we’re having lucerne delivered, and more animals than we’ll be able to count will finish off an entire bale in one day.

Sundays are always quieter in the garden except, so far this morning, Norman, Nina, and Noah, several bushbucks, Delilah, and three ground hornbills (the first sighting for us other than when we’re in Kruger) also ran through the garden quickly preventing me from taking good photos other than the few I have posted here today.

Another distant view of the ground hornbill.

Our guests are still in their little cottages after a long flight and two travel days, but as I write this now, Lindsey just arrived and was happy to see a bushbuck in the garden. They missed the morning influx, but hopefully, more will come throughout the day.

This was a little lunch I put together yesterday for my boy Norman. He loved every bite.

Last night during dinner, which turned out well, we only had three huge warthogs in the garden napping at the edge of the veranda. From the size of the tusks, we determined it was Mom and Babies, and they hung around for a few hours.  But our guests enjoyed seeing the pigs but weren’t quite able to understand my affection for warthogs. In these next few weeks, I genuinely believe they will understand why.

My boy Norman came to call this morning before our friends were up. We hope that he and his family return soon.

We are thrilled to have Connie, Jeff, and Lindsey here. We have had a great time commiserating with them since we’ve been friends for over 30 years, have many great memories, and are excited to make new memories.  Last night’s dinner was fantastic, and now as I write this after taking many breaks, the three of them are sitting at the table on the veranda.

Nina, Norman’s partner, also stopped by this morning.

It’s a beautiful day today, thank goodness not as hot as yesterday’s 98F, 37C. There’s a slight breeze, and the humidity is relatively low at 26%. By dark, it cools down considerably when we’re sitting outdoors enjoying our dinner and watching for wildlife.

Last night’s dinner was a huge success. We were surprised the our three houseguests held up so well after the two travel days, including yesterday’s long drive from Johannesburg to Marloth Park. By 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs., they headed to the two cottages for the night. After a good night’s rest this morning, they are all feeling better and ready to enjoy time in the bush.

Norman was sniffing Nina.

This morning Louise dropped off another battery-powered lantern, so each of us has enough to get us through the frequent load shedding that escalated to Stage 6 as last night. This means that for 10 hours a day, we won’t have power for 12  hours. This is too much. Eskom is supposed to have a big press conference today to discuss the 500 billion rands they need to stop load shedding, which translates to about 28.4 billion US dollars.

We doubt that will ever happen, so we don’t see an end to this. There’s no way this country can come up with that sum to alleviate the possibility of a total blackout. I just read an update from Eskom stating that Stage 6 is unavoidable, or there would be a total blackout. This would be a fiasco and certainly impact our desire to continue our desire to stay here much longer.

Norman and Nina…

We can only wait and see what happens. As I’ve been typing this post, our power went out again. It’s been a few hours, and it hasn’t come back on yet. Louise checked on it, and apparently, it’s a  municipal fault, not more load shedding. We’ll get more of that starting in a few hours. Oh, good grief.

My boy…he’s so handsome.

TIA…This is Africa. This is what happens here. We do everything we can to get through this. Meanwhile, we’re enjoying time with our friends and looking forward to seeing more of our wildlife friends.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 18, 2021:

When peering out the kitchen window, we saw this image in the front of our house. For more photos, please click here.

Guests arriving today…Busy cooking (menu shown below) and getting their cottages well stocked…Stage 5 load shedding…

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Two very young kudus showed up today without their moms for the first time. Maybe she’s sent them off on their own or she was nearby.

Our friends Connie, Jeff, and daughter Lindsey arrived in Joburg last night, sending us to text to alert us to their arrival. They spent the night at the airport hotel, where we stayed a few times. The City Lodge is conveniently located within the airport and provides a good place to stay to avoid driving to Marloth Park in the dark, which is highly dangerous due to the risk of a carjacking on the highway.

“The hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedash), also called hadeda, is an ibis native to Sub-Saharan Africa. It is named for its loud three to four note calls uttered in flight especially in the mornings and evenings when they fly out or return to their roost trees. Although not as dependent on water as some ibises, they are found near wetlands and often live in close proximity to humans, foraging in cultivated land and gardens. A medium-sized ibis with stout legs and a typical down-curved bill, the wing coverts are iridescent with a green or purple sheen. They are non-migratory but are known to make nomadic movement.”

It’s a 4½ hour’s drive from Johannesburg to Marloth Park. Once they arrive at the Gate 2 entrance to Marloth Park, they will call us, and we’ll drive to meet them at the gate while they register for their entrance pass, which they’ll keep while they are here. There are no numbers on our house, which would be impossible to find when the numbers in bush houses in the park aren’t necessarily sequential.

We’ve been busy getting ready for their arrival. Everything is all set. We’ve loaded their fridge with foods they like and stocked the two cottages with repellent, insect spray, emergency lights, soap, battery-powered fans, and more. They have everything they need for comfort, including during load shedding.

Today, there was a mating pair in our garden.

Speaking of load shedding, here is the schedule for the next few days:

Sunday Load Shedding, Stage 5

1:00 – 3:30 am

7:00 – 9: am

3:00 – 5:30 pm

11:00 am – 1:30 am

Load shedding is most challenging during the night when it’s hot. Also, as shown below, a huge consideration with food in the refrigerator and freezer during the four-hour outage is expected on Monday morning. We’ll move the perishables to the chest freezer and also put a bowl of ice in the fridge.

Searching for even the tiniest morsel in the dry bush.

Monday Load Shedding, Stage 5

7:00 – 11:30 am

3:00 – 5:30 pm

11:00 am – 1:30 am

Louise stopped by this morning to drop off two dozen eggs from a local farmer who breeds chickens that produce eggs with double yolks. Thanks, Louise! We haven’t seen an egg with a double yolk since we first arrived in Africa nine years ago. (Can you believe it?) Soon, when I get further in this post, I’ll make a few eggs to hold me until tonight’s big dinner.

Connie, a professional chef, is particularly interested in trying foods popular in South Africa, and we included several items on today’s menu

They were off on their own for awhile but joined up a short time later.

Speaking of tonight’s big dinner, here’s the menu:

Starters, sample tasting

  • Traditional beef biltong
  • Biltong seasoned bacon

Main

  • Three flattie chickens, roasted on the braai; two home seasoned and one peri peri spiced
  • Skilpadjies –  is a traditional South African food, also known by other names such as muise and vlermuise. The dish is lamb’s liver wrapped in netvet, which is the fatty membrane that surrounds the kidneys. Quite delicious
  • Boerewors – (pronounced BOO-ruh-VORS) is a fresh South African sausage that is perfect for the grill. The name means “farmer’s sausage” and comes from a combination of the Afrikaans words boer (‘farmer’) and wors (‘sausage’).Locally made and seasoned “game meat” bors – a standard type of South African sausages, cooked on the braai
  • Steamed buttery white rice
  • Roasted root vegetables
  • Mixed lettuce salad with homemade dressing

Since they don’t eat desserts, it made no sense for me to make one, but at some point, we will introduce them to the very popular Malva Pudding and Milk Tart.

After a few hours,, they suddenly flew off in a hurry making their usual “Hadada” sounds. Earsplitting, to say the least

Surely in their two weeks here in the bush, they’ll have an opportunity to try many other dishes such as Pap and Sheeba, described as  “Pap & Sheba with Grilled Sausage … This classic South African dish is also a popular braai side, served with rich tomato relish (known as sheba) and grilled.”

We look forward to sharing many of the wonders of South Africa with them, hoping they’ll leave here with the same passion for the bush we acquired over the years.

We will continue to post while they are here, albeit shorter posts on the days we go to Kruger National Park.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 17, 2021:

That morning, when we spotted this injured kudu in the garden. We watched this over time; eventually, it completely healed, and we could hardly see a scar. These animals are resilient with robust immune systems. For more photos, please click here.

Adults only, please…Mating efforts in the garden…The best thing since sliced bread…

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Young duiker Derek was trying his hand at mating with Delilah. She wasn’t interested. Note: the observer is on the other side of the fence.

We feel privileged to witness the cycle of life in the bush while sitting on our veranda, day after day. We watch all aspects with a sense of awe and wonder over the relationships of wildlife right before our eyes. Most of the wildlife are loving to their mates and exhibit gentle behavior. We find a great joy to behold.

From time to time, he took a pause to allow her to eat pellets.

Even resident warthog Lollie, with two “boyfriends,” Reuben and Busybody, shows loving interest when either of them is here. The tricky part is when both males are here simultaneously, during which they often get into a scuffle. Rueben is more aggressive and often chases Busybody away.

He was very determined.

Gosh, it’s fascinating to witness all of this exquisite animal behavior. Hours pass in a blur when we’re watching the wonders in the garden, day after day. No wonder we have little interest in going out when the “show” is right here, before our eyes.

A female bushbuck observed the activity.

Here’s some information about the breeding habits of bushbucks.

From this site:

“Common Duiker Breeding

After a gestation period of about six months, the females gives birth to one young weighing about 175 g, and very seldomly gives birth to twins. Before giving birth, the female will hide in dense vegetation. The young are well-developed at birth and can run within their first 24 hours, yet the mother hides them at first. Females give birth once a year, and first mate at the age of 8 – 9 months, only being fully grown at 7 months. Having no specific breeding period, duikers give birth at any time of year with a possible peak during the summer months. According to habitat and locality, their mating systems vary from monogamous pairs to males with more than one female.”

It’s spring here in a few days, perhaps attributing to this mating ritual.

From this site:

Mating Habits

These animals form monogamous breeding pairs. This means that one male mates and lives only with one female. No evidence for a peak breeding period has been found. Females are known to produce young at any time of the year, with gestation probably lasting 4-7 months. A female will seek out very secluded and thick cover for the birth. Normally one young is born, though sometimes there are two. Newborns are well developed when born and are able to run within a period of twenty-four hours. Both parents look after them. Young are weaned at 2 months of age and reach adult size in 6 months. Females attain reproductive maturity at 8-9 months and males at 12 months of age.

Perhaps, success? With a pellet in her mouth! Who eats during sex?

Ewes reach sexual maturity at 14 months. Even though rams reach sexual maturity at 11 months they generally do not mate until socially adept at the age of three years.”

This morning Tom was up and about at 5:00 am and did two loads of laundry while I stayed in bed, wide awake but still too sluggish to get up. These drugs I’m taking for the head and face pain knock me for a loop for about 12 hours. I started taking the 25 mg dose at 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs., and today, I awoke with no pain for the first time.

Derek’s enthusiasm continued over about 30 minutes,

I don’t know how long that will last since it’s been coming and going over the past few days since I upped the dose. I am finally very hopeful—perfect timing with our friends arriving tomorrow. I still feel sleepy during the day and will lie down for a few minutes when I have time. According to the literature, the drowsy side effect will diminish over time.

Finally, Delilah rests after the challenging events of the day.

We were concerned about our houseguest suffering on the hot nights when there were 2½ hours of load shedding during the night. There are no inverters in those two units, and it can be hot at night on 100F and 38C days. When we expressed our concerns to Louise, within hours, she and Danie made the long drive to Nelspruit to purchase three chargeable fans, one for each of the two flats where our friends will stay and one for us to use while sitting outdoors when the temperatures rise very soon.

Here’s a photo taken of one of the fans, which are all charging right now since load shedding ended a few minutes ago:

The greatest invention since sliced bread…a rechargeable fan, ideal when power interruptions occur frequently. The fan will last 10 hours on a low setting, and six hours on a high setting, making it suitable for load shedding.

Louise pays all the utilities, but we are very mindful about using electricity, especially for the air con unit in the bedroom. Now when it’s outrageously hot during the day, instead of going into the bedroom and turning on the air con, we can sit in front of the quiet rechargeable fan. We appreciate the fans for our guests and us. She never misses a beat on satisfying the needs of her guests. She and Danie are both fantastic!

Now, I have to return to work in the kitchen making 24 regular (non keto) blueberry muffins and two pans of mushroom, onion, cheese, and crustless sausage quiche, a pan for each of us for breakfast over the next few weeks while our guests are here.  For freshness, we’ll freeze individual portion sizes to keep in the freezer at both houses.

I will post again tomorrow since we don’t expect our guests to arrive until the afternoon. I’ll go back and forth, making the dinner for tomorrow night and working on the post, getting everything prepped by the time they arrive.

Tonight? Jabula with Rita and Gerhard!

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, September 16, 2021:

A helmeted guinea fowl and her chick are looking for pellets at the veranda’s edge. For more photos, please click here.