Bossy was spared!!!…Tom and Gerhard’s Marloth expedition…Three days and counting…

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Although blurry and without showing his head, Tom captured this photo of a crocodile on the river.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 18 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Benny, Henny, Lenny and Penny, Mom and Babies, and more
  • 12 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Torn Ear, Spikey, Stringy, Young Ms. Bushbuck, and others
  • 6 kudu – Bossy and family are back!!!
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 31  helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 hornbills –
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

After Tom dropped me off and Gerhard dropped Rita off at the local spa for our pedicures, the two guys took off in their new bakkie (truck) to explore Marloth Park. We knew it would take at least two hours for our pedicures to begin at 1100 am, giving the guys plenty of time to venture out on the bumpy dirt roads.

A crocodile is lounging on the bank of the river.

I was happy for Tom to be able to have some “guy time” while Rita and I certainly enjoyed our “girl time,” a rarity in our lives of world travel. Tom rarely has time away from me, and I was thrilled to have a few hours on his own. Neither of us longs to have time apart or even “alone time,” as many seem to cherish. We’ve always adapted well when in one another’s presence day and night.

After our fabulous pedicures, Rita and I took off in our rental car, which she drove toward our house, where we were to wait for the guys. But, as it turned out, they encountered us only a few blocks from the spa when they’d come to collect their respective wives. Rita jumped out of the car to join Gerhard, and Tom jumped in, and we were on our way back to our holiday bush home.

Tom enthusiastically shared the stories of his and Gerhard’s adventures in the park while I perused the photos he’d taken. No, Tom’s not the best photographer, especially using our less-than-ideal camera. But, he got enough photos for us to share here today, albeit blurry. I was content.

The area where Gerhard and Tom spotted while walking in Marloth Park.

Once back home, we got back to work on the final touches of our upcoming travel to the US, which begins in a mere three days. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely President Cyril Ramaphosa will extend foreign national visas again before we depart, and we’re committed to continuing on our way to the US.

In the afternoon, I had an excellent opportunity to continue working on the corrections I have made almost every day over the past few months. I’d intended to get further ahead by now to avoid doing them while in the US. But, I decided when and if I have downtime, I’ll attempt to tackle them again.

Much to my delight, mid-afternoon, Bossy made an appearance with some of her family members. I couldn’t have been more thrilled to see her. Somehow, she avoided the helicopter round-up but most likely was terrified and stayed undercover for a few days.

The crocodile returned to the water with plenty of fish for him to devour.

Today, I will be spending the afternoon trying to find where we can get the J & J vaccine in the Minneapolis area. If any of our readers know of such a location, don’t hesitate to contact us by email. In reviewing numerous “vaccine finders,” I am not having much luck. If we get the one-shot J & J vaccine, we’ll be able to visit Tom’s sister Beth in Milwaukee a few days before we leave, which will be two weeks later. If not, we won’t be able to see her.

Last night, once again, we headed to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for dinner with Rita and Gerhard, our usual Friday night out. As always, the food, ambiance, and service were exceptional. Now, I only order the lamb shank and three butter-fried eggs. Invariably, Tom always orders ribs, chips (fries), and bread. It’s always predictably good food.

The croc was working his way back onto the bank of the river.

Back at home early, we streamed a few shows, but I nodded off during the second. For some odd reason, I was exhausted, and by 10:00 pm, 2200 hrs, I was asleep, ending up with a total of eight hours for the first time in weeks.

This morning on the veranda, our usual visitors were here, and we enjoyed every moment. News has been posted on Facebook that the warthog culling will begin in July. Only time will tell. I can only hope and pray that our favorite warthogs will be back to see us when we return at the end of July.

A massive bird’s nest in a tree near the river.

Tonight we’ll be attending “Movie Night in the Bush,” a fun experience we’ve participated in a few times in the past. This is a fund-raiser for Wild and Free wildlife rescue, and we hope to see a good turnout.

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 26, 2020:

Tom, at the park by the river in Bagni de Lucca, Tuscany, Italy, in 2013. One of our readers commented that his white tennis shoes are a dead ringer for a tourist. Europeans wear darker-colored shoes. But, we’re not ashamed to be tourists, spending money and savoring every moment in the current country in our journey. For more photos, please click here.

Girl time today…Couples time in the evening…Four days and counting…

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This is so typical for Broken Horn. He peeks around the house to see if we’re outside. He always makes us laugh!

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 18 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Benny, Henny, Lenny and Penny, Mom and Babies, and more
  • 13 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Bad Leg, Spikey, Stringy, and others
  • 1 kudu – Big Daddy – Did we lose Bossy and family?
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 31  helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 hornbills –
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
This same bushbuck that visited a few days ago with vines/roots on his head has now been aptly named Stringy.

I am rushing through today’s post.  At 11:00 am, Rita and I have pedicure appointments with Patience which could easily last for 2½ hours. It was only about 6 weeks ago that Linda and I had pedicures at the same spa here in Marloth Park. Since it will be hot in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and especially in Nevada, another pedicure for my two pairs of sandals was on the agenda.

As I’ve aged, and especially after open-heart surgery, as much as I dislike admitting this, I’ve found doing my own pedicures isn’t as easy as it used to be. Then again, I notice some other tasks are a little more challenging than they used to be, such as chopping and dicing. My hands are not as adept as they used to be. But, Gee…as they say, it’s hell to get old.

A short time later, Stingly used the bark of a tree to remove these vines/roots from his face.

On the other hand, there’s never been a time in my life when I’ve enjoyed myself more. Is it maturity that makes this life so fulfilling, or is it the fact that we’ve been living in “Paradise” for the past five months? This morning with no less than six wildlife species in the garden and the remainder of the day spent engaged in social activities, including dinner out tonight with Rita and Gerhard, and I couldn’t ask for more.

There’s been an uptick of Covid-19 cases in Marloth Park, most likely due to the influx of guests staying in the holiday homes in the park, many coming from Johannesburg, where there’s been a tremendous surge in cases, inspiring President Ramaphosa to enact tougher lockdowns.

Today, there are 10 new, active cases here in Marloth Park, which put us on alert while we continue to dine out and interact with our friends in tiny gatherings. In addition, we received new masks in the most recent package sent to us a few months ago. These masks were approved for military use in the US with enhanced protection. So today, during our pedicures, I will wear that mask, hoping it provides ample protection.

This is One Tusk, who’s become quite a regular. Most likely, while in the US, we’ll purchase a new camera. The camera we have is now several years old, and after years of humidity, the lens has been ruined, resulting in poor-quality photos.

As of yesterday, there were 16,078 new cases in South Africa. Detailed information may be found at this link. As a result, South Africa moved up the list of countries globally with the most number of cases and deaths to the 19th position from the 20th, which held for many months.

When at Jabula, we make a particular point of maintaining social distancing, frequently using sanitizer, and avoid contact with others.  We’re curious to see how it goes in the US when we will be out and about every day and evening. At this point, 45% of the US population has been fully vaccinated. But, they are a long way from herd immunity. When there, even after our vaccinations, we will proceed with caution.

We’ll head to Komatipoort for our Covid-19 PCR test on Monday, receiving our test results first thing Tuesday morning. We had to schedule our tests as close to our departure date when airlines and countries we’ll enter on the long journey require test results to be no older than 72 hours.

Tiny and Broken Horn are frequently in the garden at the same time.

We won’t be required to quarantine in the US. Also, the majority of our family members have been fully vaccinated. But, we’ll continue to exercise caution once we arrive as to who we see the first several days. It would be unrealistic not to be concerned about contracting the virus while traveling for two days.

As we’d done when we flew here from India over five months ago, we will be as cautious as we possibly can be, wearing masks, face shields, gloves, using sanitizer frequently, and social distancing. It will be interesting to see how many travelers will be at the various airports.

So, that’s it for today, folks. With only four days until we depart Marloth Park, our thoughts are wrapped around packing and getting everything in order before we leave.

Be safe. Be well. Have hope for the future.

Photo from one year ago today, June 25, 2020:

This was the steepest hill in the neighborhood in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy, in 2013. For more photos, please click here.

The helicopter noise has ended…The result, unknown as yet…5 days and counting…

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A red-backed shrike was sitting atop Rita’s hat while we were at Two Trees.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 12 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul, Mary, One Tusk, and more
  • 10 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Bad Leg, Spikey, Big Spikey, and others
  • 1 kudus – none-did we lose Bossy and family?
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 27  helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 24 mongoose
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

We are so relieved the helicopter herding of kudus and impalas has ended. Unfortunately, at this point, we have no idea how many animals were moved and culled in the process. The only place to find the stats is on various groups on Facebook. There have been many posts that both espouse the approach and criticize it.

I had posted some frustration and mistrust of the process but got such negative feedback. I removed the post. I have no interest in getting into online altercations. And yet, a day later, dozens of comments were made stating my same concerns, often vehemently expressed back and forth between Facebook users.

Two giraffes, at a distance on a hill, at the Crocodile River.

At some point soon, warthogs will be culled, perhaps while we’re in the US. We’ll keep watching the various Facebook groups for more information. However, my biggest question will remain prevalent in my mind – will Little and Tiny still be here when we return, four weeks later.

On another note, last night, there were seven of us situated on our veranda for sundowners and appetizers. What a fabulous evening we had! It started at 4:00 pm, 1600 hrs, and ended after 10:00 pm, 2200 hrs. We are so blessed to have such good friends here in Marloth Park and look forward to seeing them all again when we return at the end of July.

A turtle on the opposite side of the Crocodile River.

And now, as we plan activities in the US, we are arranging some get-togethers with some of our friends in Minnesota between family visits. On the 4th of July, my son Greg and family will meet us for dinner at Maynard’s Restaurant on Lake Minnetonka, followed by an evening of fireworks at our former next-door neighbor’s house.

Greg will bring chairs for all seven of us, sit on Nelleke and Dave’s lawn, and watch three or four sets of fireworks over Lake Minnewashta. It will be a fun experience for three of our six grandchildren and reminiscent of years past when we watched the fireworks from our dock on the lake.

A distant hippo and a few cattle egret, who often hang around with hippos, on an island in the Crocodile River.

But, we won’t be too sad. We appreciate and love this nomadic life we live. Memories bring a smile to our faces, reminding us how grateful we are for all of the experiences of our lives. Some of our friends/neighbors have moved away from the neighborhood but live nearby, and hopefully, we’ll see them as well.

Of course, we’re looking forward to seeing both sides of our families. Tom is from a huge family, and he’ll visit them on his own when I am with Greg’s family and, at other times, with me tagging along. I have always enjoyed his family and look forward to seeing them, too.

A hornbill and a red-backed shrike were wondering if we had some snacks. We did not.

With the number of cases of Covid-19 rapidly escalating in South Africa, we’re hoping there won’t be an issue when we attempt to return on the new flight we booked with United Airlines on July 24 from Las Vegas to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger, arriving on July 26th. Unfortunately, it’s a long haul both ways, consisting of over two days of travel time each way.

The hardest part of such long travel periods is the lack of sleep. We can easily handle jet lag, time differences, and waiting at various points along the way. But, the lack of sleep in two days is tough to take especially, when neither of us sleeps well sitting up.

Soon, there will be a full moon.

We’ll arrive in Minneapolis at our hotel around dinnertime on July 1st and will undoubtedly look forward to a good meal and a restful night’s sleep. The following day, the first thing we’ll do after breakfast is head to a location where we can get the J & J vaccine. It’s imperative we can get the one-dose to head to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to see Tom’s sister Betty, who is in a nursing home.

As is the case at most nursing/assisted living facilities, visitors must have had their vaccines at least two weeks before visiting friends and family. If we can’t get the J & J vaccine, we won’t see Sister Beth (a retired nun), which would be a big disappointment for her and us.

Today, we’re staying put, gearing up to start sorting and packing for the upcoming journey. We’ll be spending one night in Joburg and need to carry on overnight items accordingly, checking the remainder of our luggage. In addition, we’ll each check one suitcase with clothes and things we’ll need.

Have a great day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 24, 2020:

This buffalo was not happy to see Tom when he went for a walk in the neighborhood in Sumbersari, Bali. He didn’t use any zoom to capture this photo when this monstrous, agitated buffalo suddenly started to approach him. Tom ran like a “bat out of hell” to get away, telling me the story while still breathless from running. For more photos, please click here.

Day 3 of culling…An early morning live alarm clock!…Young kudus visiting without their moms?…Could it be?…

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This may look like a bird when, in fact, it was the helicopter we spotted this morning, flying overhead herding animals for the bomas, where they will then be transferred to Lionspruit. Their fate is yet to be confirmed.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 15 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul, Mary, 2 Moms and Babies, and more
  • 10 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck, Bad Leg, Spikey, Big Spikey, and others
  • 1 kudus – inc. Bossy
  • 3 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn, Old Man, and Hal
  • 19  helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 38 mongoose
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
Excuse this blurry photo, taken from quite a distance. This is a red-billed hornbill described here: The red-billed hornbills are a group of hornbills found in the savannas and woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. They are now usually split into five species, the northern red-billed hornbill (Tockus erythrorhynchus), western red-billed hornbill (T. kempi), Tanzanian red-billed hornbill (T. ruahae), southern red-billed hornbill (T. rufirostris), and Damara red-billed hornbill (T. damarensis). Still, some authorities consider the latter four all subspecies of Tockus erythrorhynchus. The female lays three to six white eggs in a tree hole during incubation, blocked off with a plaster of mud, droppings, and fruit pulp. There is only one narrow aperture, just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks. When the chicks and the female are too big for the nest, the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall. Then both parents feed the chicks.

The helicopter is flying overhead right now and has been doing so for the past 3 hours. The sound of the whirring blades makes me cringe. Bossy, my favorite kudu, who’s pregnant, ran off terrified when the helicopter swooped in over her head.  Did she follow the stampede of scared animals to the bomas, where they are being held until they are moved into Lionspruit?

Is Bossy now gone? Only time will tell. She was a daily visitor, often stopping by as many as four or five times a day. She’d look into my eyes, with what almost appeared to be a smile on her “got milk” white mustache, typical for all kudus. I will feel lost without her daily presence.

We spotted this giraffe on our way to Two Trees to meet up with friends.

There are many opinions and rumors about what’s happening with animals once they are gathered. Some say they will be shot. Others say they will live peacefully in Lionspruit with their only threat, the two lions, Dezi and Fluffy, who permanently live in Lionspruit and have for years. Here again, only time will tell what’s happened to the hundreds of kudus being moved over these past three days.

The more I speak to locals, which we’ve done quite a bit over the past several days, the more I accept the reality of this seemingly humane thing to do. Is it a quick and painless death or a slow, painful death of starving with no readily available vegetation during the long winter months?

Three ostriches along the side of the road on our way to Two Trees.

Humans who feed them can’t possibly provide enough food to keep them going throughout the winter. Imagine how much food it takes to feed a 250 to 500 pound, 113 kg to 227 kg animal in a day? It would be impossible to provide them with adequate portions to sustain life.

If they were in Kruger, they’d have larger foraging areas to wander for food. But here in Marloth Park at 6.76 square miles, there isn’t enough vegetation to feed them, the hundreds of impala, the bushbucks, wildebeest, and other foraging animals.

The three ostriches with their heads up.

Even the giraffes, who mainly eat from the treetops, are running out of suitable vegetation. Soon dozens of them will be culled. What will happen to them? It’s a painful reality for all of the wildlife in Marloth Park.

This morning at 6:00 am, while we were still asleep, we were both awakened by repeated loud barks coming from the garden. I jumped out of bed and looked outside to find Broken Horn staring at the veranda door, wondering when we were coming outside to feed him. In one way, we found it humorous, but moments later, I stopped my giggling in the sad realization he, among others, is hungry.

The Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca) is a duck, goose, and swan family, Anatidae. It is native to Africa south of the Sahara and the Nile Valley. Egyptian geese are commonly seen at the river. Egyptian geese were considered sacred by the Ancient Egyptians and appeared in much of their artwork. However, because of their popularity chiefly as ornamental birds, escapees are common and feral populations have become established in Western Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

The trees, plants, and bushes they all consume are sparse. But, of course, they’d come to see us and others living/staying in Marloth Park for whatever morsels we can provide. I get it. Over the past few days, I’m off my “high horse” and surrendered to reality, albeit sadly and painfully so.

Yesterday afternoon Tom witnessed five young kudus alone in the garden with no moms present, which is a rarity. I was indoors finishing the post (I had to get away from the distractions in the garden) to focus and finish up for the day. Tom waited and watched, and none of the usual moms appeared. Undoubtedly, the moms have been captured, and now the youngsters must fend for themselves—another harsh reality.

This distant elephant was making her way to the river.

We met up with Rita, Gerhard, and Don at Two Trees overlooking the Crocodile River yesterday afternoon. I was able to take some interesting photos, which we’ll share over the next few days. After the river, Tom, Don, and I headed to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for another outstanding dinner while Rita and Gerhard had a quiet evening at home.

By 9:00 pm, 2100 hrs, we were back home relaxing while watching another great episode of the streamed Africa series on Amazon Prime, Wild at Heart. In no time at all, I drifted off for a good night’s sleep. Tom often stays awake until midnight reading on his laptop.

Impalas on the hill in Kruger above the Crocodile River.

This afternoon we’re having sundowner guests. There will be seven of us for snacks, drinks, and undoubtedly more great conversation. We’ve been quite busy socially these past weeks, which we have thoroughly enjoyed. Now, with only six days until we depart Marloth Park to begin the long journey to the US, we’re winding down the socializing to get ready to leave for almost a month.

With our return flight booked through United Airlines, all we have to do now is figure out a way to get a refund from the former canceled flight. Unfortunately, it’s time-consuming and tricky.

Have a pleasant day!

 Photo from one year ago today, June 23, 2020:

Houses we encountered on a walk through the village of Bennabio in Tuscany, Italy, in 2013. For more photos, please click here.

We can hear the helicopters rounding up our animal friends…The close proximity of sightings…

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Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 12 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul, Mary, and more
  • 10 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, Big Spikey, and others
  • 7 kudus – inc. Bossy, Notches, Little Daddy, and others
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 19 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

The sound of the helicopters overhead is making me cringe. But, with seven kudus in the garden right now along with Little, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Fred, and Ethel, and seven bushbucks, we’re hoping they’ll hang around with us today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. If they stay nearby, they may be safe, according to Louise’s input.

The male bushbuck we call Bad Leg stood close to us on the veranda.

Animals are amazing. If they stay in this general area, they are less likely to be herded to their demise. Nevertheless, it will be a tense three days on this end. Now, here comes Broken Horn, with lucerne hanging from his mouth. As he approached, he stepped on the long grass in his mouth and pulled hard to get it out.

We underestimate their intelligence. But, then again, do we? As we sit here day after day, totally enthralled, watching them and their behaviors, we’re continually in awe of their innate ability to communicate with one another, let alone with us from time to time.

For the first time, gray louries pecked at Frank’s seeds.

Yesterday, while observing dozens of birds who’ve become regulars, we commented to one another how each day is different from the next. So it’s no wonder it’s difficult for us to feel a need or desire to go away for the day. Even visiting Kruger National Park, which we’ve promised ourselves to visit more frequently when we return from the US, doesn’t consistently deliver the thrills we encounter right here in the garden.

No doubt Kruger has its array of thrills; seeing the Big Five is only a tiny part of it. The endless videos we’ve made and photos we’ve taken over the years of extreme sightings in the national park have left us reeling with wonder. We often refer back to them, astounded by what we’d seen.

The gray louries are typically shy around humans. So it was fun to see them up close.

But, the garden is another matter, requiring no hours-long rides in the car without seeing anything and often managing to maneuver for a good spot when other vehicles are crowded near a special sighting. So, for us, it’s usually about the “little things” we see along the way.

That’s not to say we are tired of game drives. Suppose we could add all of our safaris and self-drives in our visits to national parks. In that case, we could easily say we’ve had hundreds of experiences in several countries, including South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Morocco, and most recently, India.

A gray lourie landed on the table on the veranda while we were seated, a first for us.

In India alone, we visited three national parks during our private tour before the Covid-19 lockdown. We counted 24 game drives in those locations, always on a search for the majestic Bengal Tiger. Mission accomplished. The Big Five performed in many of the above-listed countries, beginning in Kenya in 2013.

That’s not to say more thrills aren’t awaiting us on more game drives. Most certainly, they are, and we look forward to those opportunities, in many ways inspired by our commitment to sharing them here with all of our worldwide readers. But, of course, doing so makes the sightings all the more exciting and rewarding.

Unusual. Three gray louries (go-away birds) descended on the grill for the first time.

Yesterday, we focused on the dozens of birds visiting the garden, drinking from the birdbath, eating seeds, and even getting up close and personal with us by landing on the veranda table while we were seated here, as we are now. Whether it is the sighting of a dung beetle rolling his ball, a bird splashing in the birdbath, or a band of mongoose munching on leftover meat and fat from a prior meal, we love it all. The proximity certainly is a factor in our degree of enthusiasm.

Yes, we love it all. And soon, in a mere eight days, we’ll be leaving all of this behind us for four weeks and heading to a world so far removed from what we’ve experienced here on a day-to-day basis. Oddly, once again, it will be a culture shock. I can only imagine the day we walk into a Costco store to buy a few of their popular five-dollar roasted chickens to eat in our hotel with a microwave and full kitchen, and our eyes will open wide in shock over all the “abundance.”

Little, on the left, and Tiny were sitting closer together than we’d seen in the past. They are our favorite pigs, and yet their personalities are so different. Little is pushy and bossy, and Tiny is gentle and accommodating.

Life in the bush is abundant in other ways.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 21, 2020:

The ocean is behind this old vine-covered garage in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal, in 2014. For more photos, please click here.

Culling in Marloth Park begins tomorrow…Will some of our favorite’s lives come to an end?…A birdie morning…

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We had set Frank’s seeds on the table to keep the warthogs and bushbucks from coming onto the veranda to eat them. Suddenly four hornbills decided to dig in.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 10 warthogs – inc. Little, Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul, Mary, and more
  • 11 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, Big Spikey, and others
  • 4 kudus – inc. Bossy, Notches, and others
  • 5 hornbills – currently banging on the kitchen window
  • 2 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn, Hal
  • 25 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
  • 4 gray lourie (“go-away” bird) – currently making their unique sounds

    First, there was one, then two, and it grew from there.

On a day-to-day basis, there’s a good amount of information about what’s transpiring in Marloth Park on Facebook. We both belong to several MP groups. Yesterday, in the group entitled Marloth Park Sighting Page, the following post was listed:

“CULL TO START THIS MONDAY:
Dear Property Owners, MPRA received an email from the Wildlifevets that they will be doing MASS CAPTURE of Impala and Kudu in Marloth Park from the 20th to the 25th of June (as they believe that these animals will be easiest to capture in high numbers) and that all other species can be caught in passive capture bomas after that (excluding Giraffe as they want to make a large scale reduction of Giraffe as well, but don’t have an abattoir that can handle a Giraffe carcass at this time). I phoned Cobus Raath this afternoon to make sure I read the email correctly, and he confirmed that they would be installing bomas in Marloth Park this Sunday (MPRA is not aware where these bomas will be erected in Marloth Park). They will then chase the animals into these bomas by helicopter on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The animals will then be moved from these bomas to Lionspruit and will be culled there. MPRA did send an email as to the risks of helicopter chase and capture, due to the alarming rate of development in Marloth Park, employees, tourists, and visitors and suggested that we instead use passive bomas to capture as from 1 Mayor soonest as we would have enough weeks to capture enough animals passively. Passive capture worked last year even though it was only implemented between Sept and Oct the previous year. Unfortunately, we received no feedback from the Wildlifevets or the “forum,” which includes MPPOA, HR, WILDLIFE FUND, MARLOTHI CONSERVANCY, and recently THE WILD & FREE REHABILITATION. MPRA, however, is shocked that neither the municipality nor any of the other organizations have given property owners, visitors, tourists, and employees enough warning as to the helicopter capture; and therefore IMPLORE you to warn fellow property owners, employees, rentals, tourists and your visitors on an URGENT basis, please.”
Then, there were three.
Of course, I was shocked and disappointed, but Tom was less so. He accepts the reality there are too many animals in Marloth Park at this time. The overabundance presents a feeding issue during the sparse winter months and the more lush rainy season in the spring, summer, and fall.
My logical mind understands this harsh reality. But, my heart aches at the prospect of losing some of my favorites to this upcoming cull. Plus, I can’t grasp why they must be killed. Why not gather them up and take them into Lionspruit, where nature may or may not “take its course” or send them to other less abundant conservancy areas?
I wasn’t able to adjust the camera when, if I did, they’d fly off.
The answer to these questions can easily be argued by advocates of culling. They even may make a strong case. But, the prospect of killing many of these precious animals tears at my heartstrings, leaving me sad and bereft. What if Little and Tiny are in the culled group, along with the many kudus we’ve come to know and love. They will even be culling giraffes! That makes no sense to me.
Over the next three days, we’ll be hearing the helicopters overhead, gathering them up into the bomas. This will be tough to hear, knowing the fate of so many of the precious animals.
Little was in the photo.
Of course, I can’t help but worry about my two favorites, warthogs, Little and Tiny, who just spent the entire morning here. What if suddenly they are gone, caught up in the culling effort? We can only wait and see what transpires over the next three days and who will be back in our garden on Thursday morning. Then, of course, we will report back here.
We are still working on rebooking the canceled flight from Las Vegas to Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger on July 24th. We should have it resolved in the next day or so. We aren’t apprehensive about this since there appear to be several other options that will work for us.
Bushbucks in the photo.
We’ll be back tomorrow with more. Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 20, 2020

I found this rose in a neighbor’s garden in Campanario, Madeira, Portugal. Not wanting to disturb the neighbor’s garden, I shot this without moving the stem in front of what appears to be an almost perfect rose. For more photos, please click here.

A soaking rain in the bush…Good for the animals…Our ads…A photo shortage…

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Lots of pigs!!!

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 8 warthogs – inc. Little, Lonely Girl, Lonely Boy, Fred, and Ethel, and Peter, Paul, and Mary,
  • 9 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, and others
  • 6 kudus – inc. Bossy, Notches, and others
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

In the past year, with the assistance of our web people, we added advertising links to our site. We fully understand and appreciate the annoyance of these ads popping up when you’re opening our pages or reviewing any of our archives. We are sorry for the inconvenience of dealing with these ads and hope this won’t deter you from enjoying our posts.

Over the years, we’ve mentioned we weren’t using this site to make money, and we did not, other than a few dollars each year from our ads listed on the right side of the page. But, during this past year, when our site was redone, we had to change to a costly hosting company to handle our 3200 posts and employ our current web developers to handle day-to-day issues as they occur.

There are always bushbucks in the garden, even at night seen on the trail cam.

There are annual fees for all of these services and features, and we hoped to offset some of the costs by implementing an advertiser program. Slowly, our revenue is increasing but not enough yet to cover the expenses. It may take a year or more to reach such a status.

In the interim, we appreciate your understanding and patience in either using some of these links for your purchases or not, per your preference to move them out of your way. For example, on the side of our page, the Amazon link doesn’t cost you a penny more to use but, when doing so for your purchases, it helps us reach our goal of covering our website expenses. We so appreciate this use and others; when the new ads pop up, should they serve any of your needs.

The commission we receive is pennies per transaction, but over time, they can accumulate. Advertising also applies to our YouTube page, found by typing my name in google: Jessica Lyman YouTube to see our hundreds of videos, now with ads. We both thank you for continuing to read our daily posts and for watching our videos.

We are always thrilled to see kudus and, of course, their youngsters, as shown here.

On another note, the past week, our photo ops in the garden have been fewer, not due to fewer animals but only due to my failing to take many photos. When photos appear to be blatant repeats, I tend to avoid taking them. As of the next few days, when the rain stops, our goal will be to find more exciting photos to share here.

Also, we will strive to take plenty of photos while in the US, in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nevada. However, to respect our family member’s privacy, we won’t burden them with posing for photos too often. Also, some prefer not to have their photos posted online, which we always respect and honor.

Today, with the rain, we’ll stay put until it’s time to head to Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for our usual, always delightful weekend dinner with dear friends Rita and Gerhard. We do not doubt that owner/friend Dawn and her excellent assistant Lyn will seat us at a table out of the rain, should it continue.

Big Daddy is always welcomed in the garden.

We continue to count down the days until we depart Marloth Park, now with only 10 to go. We can’t believe how quickly it’s coming up. Bit by bit, I’m packing in preparation for the departure date of June 29th.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, June 19, 2020:

In the 300-year-old stone house we rented in 2013, the authentic Tuscan kitchen in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. Unfortunately, there was no dishwasher, microwave, small appliances, or electric coffee pot in the otherwise well-stocked kitchen with items used to make pasta, bread, and sauces. For more photos, please click here.

Our return flight from the US back to South Africa was canceled…Now what???…

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Lots of helmeted guinea-fowls in the garden. They kept coming and coming!

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 11 warthogs – inc. Little, Lonely Girl, Lonely Boy, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Benny, Henny and Lenny
  • 9 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, and others
  • 8 kudus – inc. Bossy, Notches, Little Daddy, Mom and Baby, and others
  • 21 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 2 hornbills
  • 1 grey lourie (go-away bird)
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

When we received an email two days ago stating that our return flight from Las Vegas to Johannesburg on July 24th had canceled the leg of the flight with British Airways, we didn’t panic. Instead, we decided to wait a few days to book anything in hopes of some additional flights opening up. Also, we didn’t want to be on hold for two hours, as many have experienced when trying to rebook canceled flights.

Tiny and Bossy are waiting for treats.

But, today, for peace of mind more than anything, we’ll rebook the return flight but may have to sacrifice price and convenience. We don’t want to change our departure date when our hotel in Las Vegas is already booked at exceptional pricing.  Also, we got an excellent price on the rental car we’ll be picking up upon arrival.

In this case, the car rental was a great price, a fluke with Dollar Rental at the Nelspruit/Mpumalanga/Kruger Airport when lately fees have been almost twice as much as we paid last January when we first arrived in South Africa. Rental car prices have been increasing this year, all over the world.

Bossy and a youngster were waiting for pellets.

We weren’t surprised to see the cancelation come through when our friend Kathy experienced several cancellations for her return flight to Marloth Park in mid-July. Therefore, when we rebook the flight today, we will not select British Airways for any legs of our flights, fearing this would transpire again.

It’s scary enough traveling such a long distance in light of Covid-19, but at least by the time we return, we’ll be vaccinated, easing a little of the concern of flying and waiting in airports. Several airlines are hesitant to schedule flights to and from Johannesburg when cases of Covid have been rising daily, especially in this hub.

New lockdown restrictions have returned in South Africa, as listed below from this site:

The new restrictions include:

  • The hours of the curfew are from 22h00 – 04h00
  • Non-essential establishments such as bars and fitness centers must close at 21h00
  • All gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. Where the venue is too small to accommodate appropriate social distancing, 50% of the floor space may be used.
  • Attendance at funerals and cremation may not exceed 50 people.
  • Night vigils and after-funeral gatherings remain prohibited.
  • The sale of alcohol for off-site consumption is permitted between 10h00 – 18h00 from Monday to Thursday.
  • On-site alcohol consumption may continue until 21h00, subject to liquor licenses.
  • Alcohol in public is strictly prohibited.
Big Daddy was looking forward to pellets.

None of these restrictions impact us at this time, but the fact that there is more infection certainly affects everyone, and added caution must be exercised during this spike in cases. Of course, when we depart in 11 days, we will use every available resource we have to protect ourselves; masks, gloves, face shields, and hand sanitizer, as well as social distancing when possible.

Bossy is pregnant. We’re looking forward to seeing her youngster when we return or shortly after that.

No, we’re not excited about traveling right now without having had the vaccine, but we feel we don’t have many choices when our visas expire on June 30th. Once we arrive in Minnesota and get the jab, we’ll be very relieved, especially after the waiting period has ended.

That’s it for today, folks. I will head to the kitchen as soon as the floors dry (Zef and Vusi are cleaning) and make cheesy scrambled eggs for breakfast. We’ll dine on the veranda, as usual, enjoying every visitor that wanders into the garden. At the moment, the two hornbills are banging on the kitchen window, an almost daily occurrence.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, June 18, 2020:

The back of the 300-year-old stone property we rented in 2013 in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. For more photos, please click here.

Busy morning in the bush…Last night’s new experience…

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The sun began to set while the four of us were at Buckler’s Lodge, a short distance, outside the gates to Marloth Park.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 18 warthogs – inc. Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, 2 sets Mom and Babies and others
  • 10 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, and others
  • 7 kudus – inc. Bossy, Big Daddy, Notches, Little Daddy, Mom and Baby, and others
  • 19 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • 1 impala
  • 1 wildebeest – inc. Crooked Face
  • 2 Frank and The Misses

It was a busy morning. We had our teeth cleaned in Komatipoort at 9:00 am with Luzanne and had to leave the house by 8:30 to arrive on time. Although my recent root canal was still a little tender, the cleaning went well, and we were both happy with the results. We’ve been trying to get our teeth cleaned as often as possible to avoid dental issues in the future, if possible.

Regardless of how often we get our teeth cleaned, floss, and brush, it’s no guarantee that dental problems won’t occur, as evidenced by my need for the root canal this week and a subsequent crown when we return from the US. Typically, I floss a few times each day and brush my teeth two to three times a day. Tom does the same. But, still, from time to time, we need some dental work.

Quickly, the sun began to disappear on the horizon.

After our teeth cleaning appointments, we shopped at the Spar Centre, shopping for wine, brandy, and food. We did a careful assessment of what food we’d have left on hand and what we’ll eat during these last 12 days until we depart. We have it carefully figured out, so by the time we go, the refrigerator and freezer can be defrosted. Unfortunately, few refrigerators in the bush are self-defrosting.

Yesterday, I made a favorite ultra low-carb hamburger dish which we’ll have tonight and tomorrow. I made three extra tin foil pans, good for two more nights, and froze them. Tom will eat one each of the two nights, and I’ll split one in half for me. A few weeks ago, I made him one of his favorites, low-carb pot pie, which is too high carb for me. So I’ll have whatever is left in the freezer those two nights, leaving us with six dinners covered.

Also, we’ll be dining out at least four times between now and then, leaving us with one only one more dinner to figure out since we’re going on the morning of the 12th day. This is ideal. As for packing, we won’t be packing many of our clothes when we plan to make some purchases in Minnesota. We plan to leave room in our luggage for the new items.

Friendly visitors to the garden on a sunny day.

Yesterday, son Richard wrote that the temperature in Las Vegas was 121F, 49.4C. We don’t plan to purchase clothing suitable for such hot weather since we’ll seldom leave the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa, and Casino. Casinos typically keep air conditioning very low to keep “players” comfortable while gambling. So any warm clothing we’re wearing now will be suitable while there.

I’d ordered three quality sweatshirts/jackets from Takealot, similar to Amazon in the US. The items arrived yesterday, and I was delighted with all of them, all American brand names, at half the usual prices. Lately, when we’ve needed supplies, Takealot has done a great job with the availability of products and quick, free shipping. With careful planning and shopping in the US, we may not need to order any shipments from the US over the next year.

Tom is trying to take a nap right now, but I doubt he’s having any luck. I am outside on the veranda, but three hornbills keep banging on the kitchen window, making quite a commotion. Then One Wart showed up, ate all of Frank’s seed from the container on the veranda when I went inside to get some cabbage for the seven bushbucks that suddenly appeared.

Just as I was adding this photo of wildebeests, Crooked Face stuck his funny face around the edge of the house to see what was going on here. Seconds later, Little made an appearance. Busy day, wildlife friends!

Moments later, a small band of about 18 mongoose showed up, and I went inside to cut up some Paloney (a South African type of baloney in big thick rolls) in bite-sized pieces for the little characters. Unfortunately, I have been so busy with the wildlife, I’ve hardly had time to work on today’s post. A young male impala entered the garden and is being chased off by One Wart, Fred, and Ethel. It’s a busy afternoon.

Last night, we headed to a restaurant we’ve never tried, at Buckler’s Lodge, a short drive outside of Marloth Park, partway to Komatipoort. It’s a BYOB establishment with no bar. Rita and Gerhard made the reservation, and once we arrived at the scheduled 5:00 pm, 1700 hrs, we were thrilled to see the gorgeous location on the Crocodile River.

Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any wildlife on the river, but we were delighted with the beautiful location, excellent service, and good food. Mine and Tom’s total bill was US $20, ZAR 282, including tip. I had fish grilled with butter, not oil, and three fried eggs, fried in butter.

Tonight, we’ll cook our beef dish in the oven and enjoy a quiet evening in the bush. The weather has warmed up this afternoon, making the evening all the more enjoyable.

Have a fantastic day and evening!

Photo from one year ago today, June 17, 2020:

In Venice, Italy, with the hot sun, the massive crowds, the going rate of $125 to $150 a couple, and as evidenced in the gondola traffic jam, we decided to forego the 30-minute ride in the congested canals. Instead, we walked the sidewalks and were quite content. For more photos posted one year ago, please click here.

Visitor in the kitchen on crumb patrol…Little pleasures…

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Our friend Frank, of Frank and The Misses francolins, had a self-tour of our house, including the kitchen.

Who’s in the garden this morning?

  • 20 warthogs – inc. Tiny, Lonely Girl, Fred, and Ethel, Peter, Paul and Mary, 2 sets Mom and Babies and others
  • 7 bushbucks – inc. Chewy, Thick Neck/Bad Leg, Spikey, and others
  • 12 kudus – inc. Bossy, Big Daddy, Notches, Little Daddy, Mom and Baby, and others
  • 21 helmeted guinea-fowl
  • One wildebeest – inc. Broken Horn
  • 1 female duiker
  • 12 mongoose
  • 2 Frank and The Misses
Moments later, he turned around and went the other way.

When I entered the house to refresh my glass of ice tea, I nearly fell over laughing. Frank was wandering about the kitchen, perhaps looking for bits of food on the floor. Fearful of scaring him off, I quickly grabbed the camera to take the two photos included here today. Please excuse the blur in the photos caused by my laughter and inability to hold the camera still.

After taking the photos I wandered into the kitchen to find him quite “at home” to see me there. I didn’t have to do a thing. Also, he had no issue or confusion in finding his way out the door. After a few minutes, he wandered toward the veranda door and “saw himself out.”

Every day, it’s something new that piques our interest, leaving us in awe of nature and the world around us. Whether it is a laugh-worthy experience or a tender or disappointing moment, we can’t help but notice little details. These “little things” make our time in Marloth Park and elsewhere in our world travels that make life so fascinating.

Spikey and kudus.

While seated at the table on the veranda, Little appeared as he often does, multiple times each day. But, this morning was slightly different. His right eye was oozing blood, not from the eyeball but the corner of his eye. We wondered what had happened to him, concerned for his well-being.

Could he have been in a fight with another animal? Could he have incurred the injury while walking through the spiked branches of trees and brush in the bush as he continues on his daily tour of the park? We’ll never know. The injury doesn’t look life-threatening. Warthogs are sturdy animals, and most likely, in time, they will heal on their own.

Lots of kudus in the garden.

With so many warthogs in Marloth Park, few with injuries are attended to by the rangers and local vets who oversee the well-being of the animals. The attitude is to “let nature take its course.” When an animal is caught in a snare or suffering significantly, the vet may work with the rangers to treat the animal properly.

But if it’s a warthog, which many consider annoying and less “important,” they may be “put down” if they suffer from a disabling or life-threatening condition. This is a reality in the bush that all of us animal lovers must face. One day, a favorite “visitor” may not appear in the garden, leaving residents wondering what happened to that animal when in fact, they may have been killed on the road, died in a fight, or died from natural causes.

Some of these animals are old. Tiny is one of them. Warthogs can live 15 to 18 years, although the average lifespan in the wild is 7 to 11 years due to stats when they are killed by apex predators. But, here in Marloth Park, where they rarely face a lion, cheetah, leopard, or other apex predators, they can live many more years.

Another busy morning in the bush.

We consider the reality that when we return from the US at the end of July, having been gone for 28 days, some of our favorite animals, including Tiny, Little, Frank, and others, may never be seen by us again. They could easily be killed or lose interest in returning here when we’ve been gone so long.

The only encouragement I have is the fact that almost two years after we left Marloth Park in 2019, Little found us once again and visits every single day. We’ll hang onto the hope that we’ll see them all again, maybe not immediately upon our return, but in the days and weeks to come.

May your day bring you joy in the little things…

Photo from one year ago today, June 16, 2020:

We highlighted Venice, Italy, one year ago. Check out the crowds! For more photos, please click here.