Our social life continues…A friendly visitor in the restaurant…Nature can be both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time…

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Tom at sunset as we dined with Rita and Gerhard at Ngwenya on buffet night. Rita took this great photo so indicative of the peaceful and views from this excellent location.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Rita and I were captivated by a visitor who entered the restaurant, a friendly little dung beetle. We both held him and felt the ticklish feel of his spiny legs moving rapidly in our hands.

Last night, Rita and Gerhard picked us up at 1630 hrs (4:30 pm) for sundowners on the veranda at Ngwenya overlooking the Crocodile River to be followed by the buffet dinner inside the restaurant after darkness fell.

We’ve so enjoyed spending time with new friends Rita and Gerhard who came to Marloth Park after reading our posts years ago. Through our site, they found the holiday home they’ve rented and also found Louise to help them get situated.  They’ll be here in Marloth until February. Hopefully, we’ll be here as well for more fun times together.

We have a lot in common with this lovely couple and the conversation flowed with ease, animation, and enthusiasm.  They, too, have traveled all over the world and have great stories to tell. Our mutual love of nature and wildlife precipitates an endless flow of interesting conversation.

From quite a distance Tom spotted this elephant with an obvious problem with his left tusk.

This Sunday friends Kathy and Don return to Marloth Park and more social activities will ensue over these next few weeks. Next Saturday is our Thanksgiving dinner celebration here at the orange house.

It was apparent this elephant’s left tusk has been damaged affecting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that hold it in place. We hoped he wasn’t in pain.

Today, I’m working on making the equivalent of canned pumpkin using lumpy frozen pumpkin. I’ve processed the first two bags and I think it’s going to work well. 

Another view of the elephant with a damaged tusk.

As soon as I upload today’s post, I’ll prepare the homemade pumpkin pie spices using multiple spices. There’s certainly no prepared pumpkin pie spice to be found anywhere in South Africa or even on the continent. It’s a USA thing used for a specific USA holiday.  

From there, I’ll make the from-scratch pie crust, a favorite recipe from Martha Stewart, the best pie crust in the land.  If you’d like the recipe, please click here.  It’s a little time-consuming but worth the extra effort.  

A black-winged stilt we spotted at Sunset Dam in Kruger.

For the first time in seven years, I purchased a bag of white flour and another bag of sugar. I won’t be even tasting the pie so Tom will be on his own to determine if this pie will be worthy of making in number for our guests arriving for dinner on the 17th.

Tonight, Tom will dine on marinated pork chops on the braai while I have salmon steaks, along with roasted vegetables, mashed cauliflower, and salad. And then, for dessert (a rare treat in this household) Tom will have a piece of the pumpkin pie.  He doesn’t care for Cool Whip (which isn’t available here) or whipped cream atop his pie. Plain and simple, that’s how my guy likes it.

A crocodile made an appearance to check out his surroundings and possible food sources.

Back to last night, after our fine buffet dinner, a “visitor” walked into the main door of the restaurant, my favorite “bug” of all time, the fascinating dung beetle.  

He didn’t have his ball of dung with him or had yet to prepare it but as summer approaches, we’ll surely find plenty of these interesting creatures with their ball of dung in tow. More on that later when we see one with his perfectly shaped ball and perhaps a wife running atop it as he pushes it along with his bag legs.

While I was indoors preparing dinner, Tom called me to hurry and come outside. He’d taken these photos of Wounded with an oxpecker “working on” the severe injury near his left eye.

Rita and I held him in our hands. I was so excited I could hardly hold the camera straight to take a decent photo. That happens to me sometimes…my enthusiasm supersedes my ability to hold the camera steady.  

As I always say, I’m not a professional photographer. I’m an enthusiastic photographer which sometimes results in my emotions getting in the way of the perfect shot.

Here again, is another example of the symbiosis between certain animals. The oxpecker eats the maggots and decaying debris from his injury while he cooperates with the intrusion.

Also, included today are several photos took of our new friend and now frequent visitor “Wounded” who showed up about a week ago and now visits every day. His obvious facial injury is heartbreaking but he wastes no time eating plenty of pellets and vegetables.

Wounded is very shy around other warthogs so we imagine he may have been wounded by another warthog in a fight for dominance or food. We make a point of fussing over him whenever he arrives, hoping in time his injury will heal. It’s too soon to tell if he was blinded in his eye from the injury.

Nature can be both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

What astounded us about yesterday’s visit by Wounded was when he walked into the garden he had an oxpecker, as shown in the photos, working on “cleaning out his wound.”  

The oxpecker may or may not be helpful when they may become too aggressive in clearing an injury from maggots or other insects, only making matters worse. We can only hope Wounded starts to heal at some point soon. Such a grievous injury can result in a long and painful death.

Three giraffes stopping for a drink in the river.

Today is a warm sunny day, not too cool, not too hot. It’s comparable to what one may experience on a tropical island.  But, the bush is no tropical island.  And life happens for these creatures as shown in the above photo of an elephant with an injured tusk. There’s nothing we can do but let nature take its course.

So for today, we’ll let nature take its course as we’re delighting in a number of visitors stopping by on this perfect day. The pellets and veg are plentiful as is our enthusiasm in sharing it all.

Happy day!

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

A fiery-billed acara in Costa Rica says, “I’ve got mine!” For more photos, please click here.

Nothing compares to you…Each and every one of you…

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We encountered this stunning scene of zebras and wildebeest from the fence at Marloth Park. One reason zebras and wildebeests hang out is that they love to eat the taller grass and wildebeest the shorter grass – it’s a type of symbiosis. There is no competition regarding food. Also, wildebeests have a better sense of hearing, while zebras can see very well. Another reason is zebras and wildebeest prefer to be in the open savannahs…the concept of safety in numbers comes into play. It’s always great to have an ally to warn of any impending danger.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Hippo being escorted by a family of Egyptian geese.

It’s Thursday afternoon, and we just returned from a shopping trip to Komatipoort. With plenty of meat, chicken, and fish still on hand in the freezer, we only needed to round out our meals for the upcoming week.

Wildebeest are so expressive. They literally stop whatever they’re doing to make eye contact.

On November 17th, we’re hosting a small dinner party for 10 to 12 friends to celebrate US Thanksgiving, which is actually on Thursday, November 22nd in the US.

Originally, we planned this event as our “going away” dinner party for close friends when we thought we might have to leave South Africa due to visa issues.  

“The hippopotamus is often cited as the most dangerous large animal in the world, killing an estimated 500 people a year in Africa.”

However, after we recently applied (and are awaiting a response) for an extension, we realized we might be able to leave and immediately return if our extension isn’t approved. We should have a response in the next two weeks.

Having an opportunity to takes photos of these unusual animals is exciting.

Thus, we decided to go ahead and have the Thanksgiving dinner party anyway for friends who are currently in the park and played a significant role in including us in their social life over almost nine months we’ve been in Marloth Park.

The typical Thanksgiving meal is relatively easy to make since most cooks have all the recipes for the traditional items in their heads. There’s no need to look up and follow complicated recipes.

“Unlike most other semiaquatic animals, the hippopotamus has very little hair. The skin is 6 cm (2 in) thick, providing great protection against conspecifics and predators. By contrast, its subcutaneous fat layer is thin.”

Unfortunately, finding ingredients for those items is a pointless task. The local stores don’t carry turkeys, let alone the canned pumpkin for the pumpkin pies and many other ingredients I used over the years.  

 “When hippos sleep in the water during the day, they generally prefer to sleep in areas of shallower water. … Hippo, as mentioned, are very closely related to whales and dolphins, and similar to these other aquatic animals, hippos sleep with only one half of their brain at a time.”

So, we have to improvise: stuffed chickens instead of turkey, frozen cranberries, not fresh, local sausage for the stuffing instead of sage flavored sausages found in the US.  It goes on and on.

Tomorrow, I’m making a “test” pumpkin pie using the only pumpkin we could find, which is frozen. I’ll defrost it, thoroughly drain it, and put it into the food processor to see if I can get the proper consistency. We’ll report back on how this goes.

“A good point of distinction occurs around the differing geographical distribution of the Cape buffalo and Water buffalo. As its name suggests, the African buffalo is distributed throughout the African continent, whereas the Water buffalo is native to Asian countries.”

Of course, Tom will be the sole taster and recipient of the “test” pumpkin pie. As a picky eater, I assure you that everyone else will as well if he likes it. As always, the pie crust will be made from scratch, but there’s no rolling pin anywhere to be found. Do people roll dough anymore?

A tower of giraffes on the Sabie River embankment.

Instead, I’ll wash the exterior of a wine bottle and use it as the rolling pin. This definitely will work but will require a little more enthusiastic rolling. I’m good at this task.

Thanks to Louise, who picked up frozen cranberries and spices in Nelspruit this week, and friend Kathy (of Kathy and Don), who made multiple trips to various markets in Hawaii, California, and Pretoria, many of which will fill in the blanks on many of the side dishes.

Mom and baby hippo grazing along the river’s edge.

Authenticity?  Not so much. In reality, the Pilgrims didn’t make many of the side dishes that have become traditional in the US. Over the past centuries, recipes have been passed down from family to family and have become a part of the standard and traditional Thanksgiving meal items.

The challenge of making this meal both traditional and delicious clearly fits into my wheelhouse. Hopefully, everything will be as close to the traditional meal as possible, and if not, the new tastes act as good alternatives.

Next week, I’ll post the menu for our Thanksgiving meal, and if time allows, take photos of the meal on the day of the party and post them here the following day.

A female lion is on the lookout for the next meal.

This afternoon, we’re beginning the process of researching for future travel plans.  We have several holes to fill in our itinerary, but over these past 9 months, we’ve been preoccupied with “living in the moment” in this magical place. It’s time to get back to it!

Tonight, we’re heading to Ngwenya with new friends Rita and Gerhard for the Thursday night buffet and back to Jabula with them on Saturday night.  

Unfortunately, they’ll be gone for a few weeks and won’t be able to join us for the Thanksgiving meal. After living in the US for the past 30 years, this surely was a tradition in their home.

Have a special day filled with wonderful surprises.

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

One must walk carefully on the uneven sidewalks in Atenas, Costa Rica, and many other towns worldwide. For more photos, please click here.

An adorable face and a 40-minute traffic jam in Kruger…A story unfolds..A sad visitor to the garden…

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It’s a rarity for us to see impalas in the garden, but several stopped by to partake of pellets. No doubt, they are hungry this time of year, put aside their apprehension of humans, and came to call. This adorable girl was chewing pellets when I shot this photo. Too cute for words!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We are saddened to see who we now call “Wounded.” He was stabbed near his eye by another animal’s horn or tusk.

It was a rare occasion when a herd of impalas, one male, and 12 females, stopped by to see if we had something for them to eat. Of course, we did! It’s tough for the wildlife this time of year when the dry bush offers little sustenance for the hungry animals.

We were on a dirt road in Kruger making our way back to the Crocodile Bridge entrance to the park when we encountered this elephant blocking the road.

There’s a lot of controversy about feeding the wildlife in Marloth Park but most residents have a hard time resisting giving them the nutritional pellets (made from plant matter) when we see how hungry they are, especially before and in the early part of the rainy season.

We got as close as was safe.  He wasn’t about to move for us.

Well, the rainy season has begun, and we see tiny buds on the dry bushes and trees, knowing full well, in due time, leaves will blossom, and Marloth Park will be rich in healthful nutrition for the many herbivores and omnivores that dwell herein.

He was enjoying his meal of dry bushes and wasn’t about to move over for us.

Last night, it rained throughout the night, what seemed to be a good soaking rain, precisely what is needed now. Hopefully, this will continue to ensure a food-rich environment for the wildlife.

We didn’t hesitate to remain at a distance to ensure our safety while we waited patiently.

In some years past, many wildlife didn’t survive during droughts, but those in Marloth Park had a better chance of survival when residents and visitors faithfully fed the animals that came to call.  

While we waited patiently, we took the time to observe some of his features through the camera’s lens.

It has been a dedicated process for us, and I must add that we believe it has been the right thing to do, although some don’t always agree. We’ve been going through a 40 kg (88 pounds) bag of pellets every four to five days at the cost of about ZAR 223 (US $16) per bag.

We noticed as we waited, that he had a hole in his ear which could have been during a fight or damage from a tree or bush while grazing.

We easily rationalize this expenditure. If we lived in the US we’d be spending a lot more than ZAR 1395 (US $100) a month on some form of entertainment. (Gosh, while in the US, we went to one movie and spent ZAR 698 (US $50) for two tickets and snacks. That’s for two hours of entertainment.

The diameter of his foot was astounding.  An elephant’s foot can range from 40 to 50 cm (1.31 to 1.6 feet in length.  

This expenditure is for the great pleasure of feeding hungry animals and lasts for 16 hours every day. No comparison, is there? For us, the entertainment factor is a piece of the experience.  

We kept in mind that this is his terrain, and we respectfully waited to avoid upsetting his meal.

But, in the process, we learn so much and look forward to sharing it with all of our worldwide readers who may never be up close and personal with African wildlife.

The end of the elephant’s tail has hairs that act as a small brush, suitable for swatting flies, bees, and other insects.

So when the 13 impalas stopped by, we squealed with delight over the “honking” sound made by the females announcing their arrival and desire to be fed. It was enchanting.

Another elephant stayed away from the road while grazing.

In the process of enjoying them, I took today’s main photo, smiling all the while over their adorable and whimsical faces. Often, visitors dismiss the impalas since they are so abundant in the bush. But, we’ve both taken an affinity to their beauty and nature and truly appreciated their visit to our garden.

Can we even imagine the strength and weight of these massive feet?  An African bush elephant can weigh up to 6000 kg (13,228 pounds). The average automobile weighs 2268 kg (5000 pounds) for comparison. 

A few days ago, we continued our 40-minute delay in Kruger when an elephant blocked the dirt road preventing us from safely passing. Please read the captions under the included photos to see how the story unfolded before our eyes.  

Finally, after no less than 40 minutes, he crossed to the other side of the road as we watched hoping he’d move into the bush.

In today’s “Sighting of the Day in the Bush,” we’re sharing a sad photo of a warthog who’s had a severe injury to his eye. We can’t tell if he was blinded in the eye, but it’s easy to see he is suffering.  Because warthogs are in significant numbers in the bush, no efforts are made to treat them for illness or injury. This is a hard reality.

He’s come by each day for the past several days, and we freely feed him as much as he wants to, including fruits and carrots. Hopefully, over time he’ll heal and be able to live an entire life in the bush. Many of these animals are very resilient in healing on their own.

It was at this point that we were able to pass. But, the 40 minutes of observing was well worth the wait.

It’s raining off, and on today, so we’re staying put. After a stormy night’s sleep, a nap may be on the agenda.  I’m not good at dozing off during the day, but on a rare occasion, I drift off for 15 to 20 minutes, all that’s needed for either of us to feel revitalized.


That’s it for today, folks. Have an excellent day and be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 7, 2017:

The adorable costumed girl waved when she spotted us with a camera at the Metrocentre Mall in Managua, Nicaragua. For more photos, please click here.

Back into the groove..Visiting the holiday home we rented years ago…

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Danie had renovated the pool and braai area at the Hornbill house where we lived for almost two months in 2013/2014 during our first visit to Marloth Park.  To rent this property when Rita and Gerhard are done, contact Louise here.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A woman in Komatipoort carrying paper products on her head for possible recycling

Gosh, the adventures keep coming and coming. It’s ironic how we never run out of anything to share with our worldwide readers each day. This morning I started preparing today’s post, but we decided to stop what we were doing and head out to the Crocodile River to see if anything was happening.

This is the veranda where we spent many hours watching wildlife so long ago.

Throughout each day, we check the various Marloth Park Sighting pages on Facebook to see if anyone has posted comments and/or photos of any events occurring on the river that can be seen from Marloth Park.

New friends, Rita and Gerhard, readers of our site, are now renting the Hornbill house, also have a resident frog.

When nothing was posted this morning, we decided to take our chances, and off we went. Wow!!! We can’t wait to share the photos we took today of the magic presented to us, and other fortunate visitors of scenes one can hardly imagine are possible in this life. Please check back tomorrow for the photos.

This is the corner where the Mozambique Spitting Cobra moved to while we waited for help.  See this post here for details.

Since I’d already started today’s post and uploaded these photos, I decided to proceed with today’s topic and photos and leave this morning’s sightings for tomorrow. So please bear with us.

The living room and sliding doors with security gates on the windows and doors.

Today we’ve included a few photos of the holiday home on Hornbill we’d rented five years ago when we were in Marloth Park for the first time. A few weeks ago, we were excited to hear that our readers and now new friends Rita and Gerhard came to Marloth Park, met Louise, and booked that particular house based on what we’d written in our posts in 2013 and 2014.

Ostriches in the neighborhood.

As has been the case in the past, periodically, we have an opportunity to meet some of our readers. What an indescribable joy this is! When we meet, they already know us from reading our posts, and we look forward to getting to know them.

Ostriches and warthog were hanging out.

Such is the case with Rita and Gerhard. We’ve already been to each other’s holiday homes in Marloth, and tonight they’re joining us at Jabula for dinner. They plan to be in Marloth for three months, so we’re certain we’ll spend more time with them in the future.

This bird in our birdfeeder appears to be a lesser-masked weaver.

It felt odd to see the Hornbill house again. We have many wonderful memories of the time we spent in that house.  If you’d like to see our photos from that period, please see our archives on the right side of the home page from December 2, 2013, and continuing from there for three months, part of which we spent on two other properties of Louise and Danie‘s.

Sunset in Kruger.

Tom had the biggest scare of his life in that property when the Mozambique Spitting Cobra dropped from the ceiling of the veranda to within centimeters of his feet.  

Mom and offspring cuddling during a nap in our garden.  Note the oxpecker on mom’s head.

He had quite a scare while I ambitiously attempted to take photos, my hands shaking with excitement.  Little did I know the type of snake it was as I bent down to take photos. That was dangerous and foolish!  Lesson learned.

Kudus visit for pellets on the veranda.  This prevents the helmeted guineafowl from eating all the pellets.

The remainder of today’s photos are shots we’d yet to share taken over several days. For now, we’re wrapping it up and look forward to returning tomorrow with our exciting new photos.

Have a spectacular day and evening

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

It’s hard to believe we had our required physicals for the Antarctica cruise one year ago.  Please click here for details.

Winding down time with friends…Two days until their departure…The activities will continue to the last minute…

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A cattle egret standing in shallow water in the Crocodile River.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

The monitor lizard in our garden came out from her burrow for a refreshing drink of water from the cement pond.

As Tom and Lois’s time here comes to a close on Thursday when they depart to return to the US, we’re packing in every moment with quality time, not only together as friends but also in taking advantage of every opportunity for them to experience more wildlife.

The monitor lizard took off back into the bush.

This afternoon at 1515 hours (3:15 pm) a safari vehicle will arrive to pick us up for an evening at Kruger National Park which includes an afternoon game drive, a bush braai (dinner out in the open in the park in the dark), followed by another game drive in the dark.

Elephant we spotted close to the fence between Marloth and Kruger Parks.

With a spotlight to help us see, we’ll have an opportunity to see those special nocturnal animals that are elusive during daylight hours including many of which are never seen during daylight.

The sausage tree at the hippo pool and bird blind is bursting with these giant pods which will eventually bloom into bright red flowers.  From this site: “The sausage tree of sub-Saharan Africa is beautiful in flower. The blood-red to maroon flowers hang in long panicles. The fragrance of the flower is not pleasing to humans but attracts the Dwarf Epauletted Fruitbat (Micropteropus pusillus), its pollinator. As the flowers drop from the tree, animals come to feed on the nectar-rich blooms. Impala, duiker, baboons, bush pigs, and lovebirds all feed on the flowers of the Sausage tree. Grey fruits grow out of these flowers. These grey fruits resemble sausages and can grow for months to become over a foot long and weigh over 10 pounds.”

We may have safari luck or we may not but in either case, it will be fun to dine in the bush, an experience we had a few times when we were here five years ago. 

Both Toms splurging on strawberry milkshakes at Aamazing (spelling is correct) River View restaurant when we took a break from our usual drive in Marloth to stop for cool drinks.

Those five-year-ago exceptional occasions were hosted by Louise and Danie, an experience we cannot expect to match in elegance tonight although based on very positive reviews we’re anticipating a wonderful experience. For details and amazing photos for our former Valentine’s Day bush braai may be found here at this link.

Lois, the two Toms and I had a great break in the action.

Of course, tomorrow, we’ll post photos of tonight’s bush braai and game drives, hoping to share some unique wildlife sightings. Tonight’s event is hosted by another company, Royal Safari Bush Braai dinner since Louise and Danie no longer conduct these events in Kruger.  

A warthog stops for a sip.

The ease of booking with Royal Safari Bush Braai makes us feel confident this will be an excellent experience for the four of us and any other participants who will also be included.  

A female bushbuck standing in the water on the Crocodile River in Kruger.

Last night we returned to Ngwenya Lodge and Restaurant for Crocodile River viewing and dinner. Ordering off the menu wasn’t nearly as good as Thursday night’s buffet dinner. There’s wasn’t much in the way of wildlife viewing but we took many photos of a stunning sunset (photos to follow soon).

Cape buffalo aren’t the most handsome of wildlife but we’re always thrilled to see them. They are one of the Big Five.

Back at the house early, we prepared the veranda for our usual nighttime viewing but had missed the primetime viewing which is usually before and after dusk.

Two male cape buffalos on the river’s edge.

This morning was quite a treat when 15 kudus stopped by including one “Big Daddy,” four warthogs including “Little and the Girls”, a plethora of helmeted guineafowl, and of course, Frank and The Misses. who’ve yet to produce any chicks.

 As I write here now, Vusi and Zef are here cleaning the house and the veranda. Its been fantastic to have the two of them coming in each day and eliminating the massive amounts of dust that enters the house from the action in the dirt garden when the animals come to call.

Lois feeding a large number of kudus who stopped by. She puts the pellets on the veranda’s edge to keep the helmeted guineafowl from taking them all.

For the next few hours, we’ll relax on the veranda until it’s time to head out for our exciting upcoming afternoon and evening.

 Be well.  Be happy. 

Photo from one year ago today, October 30, 2017:

On Saturday night, after dinner, in Managua, Nicaragua, we wandered through the pool area of our hotel.  For food photos from the dinner, please click here.

A giraffe story unfolds before our eyes…Frikkie’s Dam bush braai…

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When we turned onto Swartwitpens Road, we spotted this giraffe with a dilemma when returning from the river. She wanted to cross the road to join her tower of giraffes but could not cross this deep trench.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

A young male kudu learns how to be so cute it’s impossible to resist giving him pellets.

It was an excellent Sunday in the bush. We began our day, as always, with coffee and tea on the veranda. I’d gotten up early to start cooking the crustless cheesy sausage and egg quiche to bring to the bush braai at Frikkie’s Dam and made a pan of well-seasoned chicken wings, both of which we shared at the gathering.

The trench was dug to make way for power lines and had yet to be completed from what we understand.

Lois sliced cheddar cheese sticks and brought along crackers for the two of them. We packed the cooler with ice, beverages including beer, wine, gin and tonics, and vodka and Sprite Zero for some options during the day-long event. The two Toms drank Lion brand beer while Lois and I had a few lightweight gin and tonic cocktails and vodka and Sprite.

Her “friends” or family members on the opposite side of the road noticed her dilemma between nibbles on treetops.

After paying the required ZAR 100 (US $6.87) per carload at the entrance gate to Lionspruit, a game reserve within Marloth Park, we were on our way to Frikkie’s Dam down a series of bumpy dirt roads, hoping to see a few of the wildlife that lived therein.

It didn’t appear there was any way they could help, so they went back to eating.

We arrived at the braai area in Frikkie’s Dam to find Louise and Danie had everything set up as usual.  It was a pleasure to have Tom and Lois along with us for yet another fine African experience, unlike anything they’ve ever done in their lives.  

She continued to contemplate a solution.

Who has the opportunity to enjoy lunch among the wildlife in a game reserve in Africa?  It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And for us, we’re grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in social events in this magical place, Marloth Park.

The giraffe on the far left seemed more concerned than the giraffe in the forefront.

As for today’s giraffe photos, these were taken on Saturday when we embarked on the usual two-hour drive in the park searching for unique and unusual sightings, along with all the typical sightings we’ve encountered in Marloth Park.

Again, she considered her options. Surely, the crossing could easily lead to a severe injury.

After several excellent sightings, we decided to head back to the house for some relaxation time and shower and dress for our upcoming evening and dinner at Jabula.

Finally, she gave up, considering crossing, and walked along the trench to its end.

Little did we know, we’d encounter the giraffe situation represented today in our photos. Yes, it was a simple situation; a giraffe unable and unwilling to cross a deep trench that had been made in preparation for laying new electrical lines.

The one giraffe continued to follow her with his eyes.

Had she tried to cross the trench, she could easily have been injured, perhaps even breaking a leg or worse.  She knew this was a precarious situation and didn’t want to risk life or limb. She looked at her friends/family members from time to time seeking help, and one of them responded in contemplating what could be done.

He desperately wanted to help.

Realistically, her only safe option was to walk all the way to the end of the trench, cross the road and double back to meet up with her tower of giraffes.

Watching her indecisiveness along with her desire to get across was tender and elicited considerable emotion from all of us.  We were in awe of her determination and innate sense of caution at the same time.

Finally, he took off down to road to see where she went.

Finally, she gave up and decided to walk the length of the road on her side of the trench. When she reached the end, she made her way to the road and surely met up with the remainder of her group. It was a special sighting, one we’ll all always remember.

He was stymied as to where she may have gone.

This morning we drove to Komatipoort from breakfast at Stoep Cafe, which we hope to return to one more time before Tom and Lois depart on Thursday to return to the US.

As soon as we upload this post, we’re on our way for the final time for the four of us to Ngwenya for river viewing and dinner. There’s no buffet tonight, but we’ll all order off the menu after spending time on the veranda perusing the Crocodile River for whatever Mother Nature wants to present to us tonight.

Finally, she made it to the open road and waited for her friends to arrive.  Happy ending. Happy giraffe. Happy us for witnessing this event.

May your day and evening present you with those unique things that make your heart flutter.

Photo from one year ago today, October 29, 2017:

A massive bull on his way to…who knows what? For more photos from Managua, Nicaragua, please click here.

Croc shock!…Stunning Crocodile River sightings from Ngwenya…

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One mean looking croc!

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Last night’s sunset from Ngwenya Restaurant’s veranda overlooking the river.

At times, I almost don’t know where to begin to tell you about our past 24 hours, which is exactly what we share on most days. Sure, we may describe sightings and events that may have transpired on other days, but overall, our goal is to divulge the most recent.

Elephants were making their way toward the sparse water in the Crocodile River.

So, today, as I share the events of yesterday, I can’t help but smile over how Mother Nature (i.e., safari luck) continues to come our way wherever we may be in this utopia of wildlife, scenery, and nature.

What a breathtaking scene as they crossed the dry riverbed!

For example, last night’s photo of the sunset at Ngwenya was genuinely breathtaking. So quickly, it vanishes into the horizon for darkness to fall and a single sentence spoken to each other or our friends, and we’ve missed the entire event.

Moms, the matriarch, and several youngsters, including a tiny baby, made their way to the water.

It also was the case when yesterday, we decided to leave the house for Ngwenya at 1630 hours (4:30 pm) instead of our usual almost 5:00 pm. Had we lingered for 30 minutes, we have missed most of today’s photos. I suppose it’s all about timing and sheer coincidence.  

They kicked up a lot of dust as they made their way over the dry riverbed.

It’s certainly has nothing to do with any skill or innate perception on our part, except for the fact that we’re aware that sightings are better at certain times of day than others.

This baby couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old.

With only six days until Tom and Lois depart to return to the US and only three months and 25 days until we leave South Africa for Kenya (if a visa extension is provided), I’ve begun to feel a sense of loss over our eventual departure.  

When we leave on February 20th, should all go as hoped, we’ll be returning to South Africa on December 2, 2020, a mere one year, nine months, and 12 days, arriving in Capetown by cruise where we’ll spend a few days and then head directly back to Marloth Park.

The mature elephants indeed protect the little ones.

But, so much can change between now and then. The park could be different with less wildlife, and changes could transpire that we can’t even conceive of at this point.  


Life is unpredictable. So much is beyond our control. Merely fantasizing about how we’d like it to be and what it subsequently “will be” can be but a figment of our imagination. The world is rapidly changing. We are all evolving as we age, and no one can predict a few years from now.

Finally, they approached an area with easier access to the river.

In our “perfect world,” we’d still be traveling as we are. We’ll have been to many more places, seen many more wonders, and perhaps even finding ourselves loving other sites as much as we’ve loved it here.

We shall see. Neither of us is caught up in any dreadful type of expectations. We roll with it as we go and strive to do our best to make our ongoing dreams come to fruition. There will never be a time that we’ll stop dreaming.

From quite a distance, we spotted a female lion.

Today, we had another exceptional experience when the four of us took quite a drive to see an authentic African village, outstanding musical production, and learns about the culture. We’ll be sharing that story and photos tomorrow.

Please check back.  We have so much more.

Have a pleasant and peaceful evening.

Photo from one year ago today, October 26, 2017:

In Kauai, Hawaii, our dear friend Louise wrote to tell us this bird we spotted in the yard in Costa Rica was a Fiery-billed Aracari. What am a fantastic bird!  For more photos, please click here.

There’s no place on earth…

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Oh, my goodness…hippo with ducks and chicks.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Yesterday, we spotted this female lion on the move. What a joy to behold!

With our friends Tom and Lois here over these past two weeks, we’ve been able to see the wonder in their eyes each and every day over the endless array of sightings we’ve been blessed to encounter. From lions to wild dogs, to hyenas to elephants, cheetah, and cape buffalo, we’ve seen it all.

Hippos on the banks of the river.

We already knew and appreciated the magic of Marloth Park/Kruger National Park but being able to hear their excitement in their voices and see their never-ending enthusiasm in their eyes over every sighting has greatly enhanced our own personal experience.

Cape buffalo with an egret on her back along the river.

A week from today they’ll be returning to the USA, to their homes in New Jersey, Florida, and Maine based on the most desirable seasons during various times of the year.

Mr. Kudu at Sabie River in Kruger National Park.

It will be quiet for us when they leave. The whirlwind of added activities has been refreshing for us. We have more plans on the horizon over the next week including tonight’s repeat visit to Ngwenya for more river viewing and buffet dinner; dinner at Jabula on Saturday night and again on the 31st to celebrate our upcoming travel anniversary.

On Sunday morning, we’re joining Louise, Danie, and Rita and Gerhardt (who joined us for dinner last Sunday evening) and other friends for another bush braai at Frikkie’s Dam in Lionspruit bringing food to share and food for ourselves. It will no doubt be another fine experience for them in the bush (and for us as well). 

Waterbucks are beautiful animals.

On the afternoon of October 30th, we’ll be picked up at 1500 hour (3:00 pm) to begin an evening in Kruger National Park for a braai in the wild, surrounded by elephants, lions, and all the other majestic wildlife in the park and then onto a nighttime game drive to see the nocturnal side of life in Kruger.

Handsome male waterbuck on the banks of the Crocodile River.

At this point, we’ll only be preparing food to take to Frikkie’s Dam for Sunday’s event and then again for Friday evening’s meal, a light meal for Sunday evening after the day at Frikkie’s Dam, and dinner on Monday evening for a total of three upcoming evening meals.

Where on this earth could Tom and Lois visited for a three-week stretch and seen such abundant wildlife and experienced the wide array of activities as we have together during this special time? Nowhere in the world that we are aware of.

Another waterbuck.

Surely, they could have stayed at various bush camps but even so staying at a camp or resort is an entirely different experience. Being here with us, truly experiencing life in the bush, is a unique adventure unto itself.  Where in the world is there such a place like Marloth Park?

We watched this elephant for quite a while.

If we knew, we’d definitely have it on our itinerary. We often search for similar holiday/vacation properties to no avail. The abundance of wildlife as there is here in Marloth Park is simply out of the question in other parts of the world, especially including the comfortable lifestyle we’re blessed with in this magical place.

Over these past few weeks, I’ve been very distracted by them being with us (in a good way) and haven’t given the text in our posts the same degree of attention we usually do. I hope our readers understand that once they depart, we’ll be able to devote more time and effort to creating quality posts.

Hippos staying out of the hot sun.

However, we have been pleased with the photos we’ve added each day when our focus has been on finding the best possible sightings for them during this period of time.  

We are especially pleased to share today’s photos with each sighting creating a high degree of pleasure experienced by all four of us. They return to the US with a plethora of memories and photos they’ll always treasure, as will we as well, having shared this special time with them.

It’s always a treat to see hippos.

Tonight, we’ll have no doubt we’ll treasure more time at Ngwenya as we search for more spectacular wildlife on the river, as we chat and dine on the veranda at the beautiful resort.

There’s no place on earth comparable. We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Have an incomparable day!

Photo from one year ago today, October 25, 2017:

Old sewing machines, comparable to those we’ve seen in our home country at the Railway Museum in Costa Rica. For more details, please click here.

Immigration appointment day…Lunch at the country club and golf course, overlooking the Crocodile River, of course….Superb hippo sightings…

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Last night’s full moon.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

When we headed out to the immigration office in Nelspruit early this morning, we saw our favorite bushbuck with her tiny offspring. She’d kept her baby tucked away for a few months to keep her safe and finally brought her around to visit. No wonder she’s been coming to call several times each day over these past few months. She’s nursing and needs nourishment.

We’d been anticipating the return appointment to the immigration office in Nelspruit for the past six weeks.  When we’d delivered our massive number of documents on September 6th, we’d been turned away and told to return on October 24th. We were too early to apply for the extension, as we’d advised by an immigration consultant. 

View from the veranda at Kambaku Komatipoort Golf Club.

We have to make the long drive back to Nelspruit from Marloth Park (103 km, 64 miles), plus the idea of possibly waiting in chairs for hours left us with somewhat of a sense of dread.

View upstream of Crocodile River.

Today at 6:30 am, we were on our way on a beautiful sunny day, hopeful for a good outcome and determined to maintain a positive attitude regardless of any inkling we may receive as to our potential approval or denial to stay in South Africa until February 20th on which our flight to Kenya is booked and paid.

Lush vegetation and birds.

It’s risky. They require us to have purchased final departure airline tickets, which are non-refundable should the extension not be approved. If we’re rejected, we’re out the money for the tickets at the cost of ZAR 16,242 (US $1132) plus the thousands of dollars of expenses we’ll incur to leave the country.

Ducks on the river.

Well, there’s so much more to it if we’re refused, but we won’t get into that again today. We were told to check the website in about three weeks to see when our next appointment is scheduled. Now, the waiting game begins.

A bloat of hippos on the bank of the river.

Back at the house by 10:30, much earlier than expected, Tom and Lois were relaxed on the veranda, enjoying the few visitors that came to call. Today for an unknown reason, is a surprisingly quiet day in the bush.

We couldn’t get over how relaxed they were in the sun. Hippos have very delicate hides subject to sunburn, which attributes to their need to stay submerged in the water.

Yesterday, we decided to have lunch at the Kambaku Komtipoort Golf Club situated on the Crocodile River in Komatipoort. With an entirely different perspective of the river from this location, we were able to take many of today’s photos, particularly enthralled with the bloat of hippos as shown.

The river continues to provide a wealth of sightings, day after day, always presenting unique and exciting sightings we never tire of. As soon as I upload this post, the four of us will take off in the little car to see what today’s river views have to offer.

Two hippos were resting away from the remainder of the bloat.

Tonight, we’ll dine in for the second evening in a row having homemade burgers and chips (fries). I hadn’t cooked homemade fries in over seven years since I began this way of eating.  

Peaceful river environment.

Of course, I won’t be eating any of them, but Tom undoubtedly is enjoying this rare treat. Instead, I’ll have lettuce wrapped burger with tomato, sauteed onions, and mushrooms with homemade sugar-free ketchup while Tom adds bacon to his burger (without the bun).

Vegetation on the shore of the opposite side of the river from our vantage point.

We’ve been eating more than usual with our friends here but will quickly readjust after they leave in eight days.  After all, they are on holiday/vacation, and food often becomes an essential part of the experience for travelers.  

We’ve been dining out three or more times each week since their arrival, having had great meals at all but two local establishments. As a result, we’re doing several repeats of their (and our) favorites.

When the rains come, this area will be covered in water.

We promise to do the same! Have a fantastic day and evening! Everyone’s anxious to get going, so I’m wrapping this up now.

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

Insulators for telegraph of electric wires at the Railway Museum in Costa Rica.  For more photos, please click here.

Scenes from a day in the park with friends…More lions…

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Elephants crossing the Crocodile River.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We wondered why this female kudu has black around her eyes when the others don’t.

The time is going too quickly.  In nine days Tom and Lois’s three weeks with us will end and they’ll head back to the US. It’s been such a pleasure having them here. We’re busy planning how we’ll spend their remaining days.

A family crossing the river together.

So far, we have an evening bush braai in Kruger dining among the wildlife, a Sunday morning bush braai at Frikkie’s Dam in Lionspruit with Louise, Danie, and friends, our six-year anniversary celebration at Jabula Lodge, several evenings out at favorite dining spots and more and more wildlife viewing.

Elephants walking close to the fence between Marloth Park and Kruger National Park.

In addition, the time came quickly for us to return to Nelspruit for our immigration appointment. Tomorrow morning at 6:30 am we’ll drive to Nelspruit in order to arrive at the immigration office by 8:00 am when they open. 

Single file, from matriarch to baby.

We won’t have an answer as to whether or not we can stay until the middle of November or later. We’ve decided not to worry and just continue to enjoy each and every day, especially as we wind down our time with Tom & Lois.

Yesterday afternoon we took off for the river in the afternoon, not expecting to see much. As we drove through Marloth Park on a lovely day we spotted very few animals until we reached the area near Two Trees.

Climbing back up the hill from the river.

Often, from the fence, we can see elephants, cape buffalo, impalas, and in every case, we spot waterbucks who thrive on living on the banks of the river. As we drove the long distance along the river, we stopped several times for photos and viewing.

With fewer tourists in the park at this time, we couldn’t be dependant upon “following the crowds” to see if anyone has spotted lions across the river. Instead, we were on our own, perusing the riverbank to see if a lion or two was on the rocks or under the base of trees.

Giraffe on the river bank with dark spots.

We were all thrilled when Tom zeroed in on a few lions on the hunt in the late afternoon. Although they were quite far from us, even after we moved along the fence to be as close as possible, it was tricky taking photos from such a distance. Thus, our few lion photos aren’t as clear as we’d prefer.

Large male lion at quite a distance.

Last night, we dined at a local restaurant with disappointing service. It took about an hour for our food to arrive which was mediocre at best but the atmosphere was pleasant and as always we had an enjoyable evening.

As soon as I upload this post we’re off for Komatipoort to have lunch at the Komatopoort Golf Course restaurant which overlooks the Crocodile River. From there, we’re heading to the grocery store for tonight’s and tomorrow’s dinner.  

Tom shot this distant photo of a female lion.  

We’ll make enough food tonight to last for leftovers for tomorrow night so we won’t have to do much prep when we return after the appointment in Nelspruit. Tom and Lois will stay behind while we’re gone. We’re hoping to return by 1400 hours (2:00 pm) or so at which point we’ll do the day’s post.

Have a great day and we’ll “see you” again tomorrow after we return.

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

This style of feeder attracted plenty of hummingbirds in Costa Rica. For more photos, please click here.