Merry Christmas, everyone…It’s a good day in the bush…

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Little doesn’t disappoint. He stopped by this Christmas morning and began walking up the steps to the house. I found him on step #3 and encouraged him to eat outside. He complied. I tendered pellets, apples, and carrots. He ate the produce and left the pellets thinking about the human leftovers he could get elsewhere at a holidaymaker’s house, maybe chips, Christmas cookies, and marshmallows (not suitable for him).  But, after all, he is a pig, and he likes junk food, too.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Ms. Bushbuck (no baby for this one) stopped by today on Christmas morning. We rewarded her generously.

This is our seventh Christmas since we left Minnesota in 2012 to travel the world. We don’t have a Christmas tree, decorations, gifts, or a kitchen filled with baked goods and holiday treats.  We didn’t send Christmas cards. 

We didn’t awaken early this morning to make hot chocolate, coffee or savor the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven. We didn’t listen to Christmas music, turn on all the tree lights and the switches for the animated characters scattered about the house. 

We didn’t look out the windows to see billowy puffs of snow atop the Weber grill, tree limbs sparkling with crystal-like coverings, and a frozen lake inviting ice skating, cross-country skiing, or ice fishing. Those days were over, eight Christmases ago.

Instead, this morning we awoke to intense humidity with the inside of the house feeling like an oven…it never seemed to cool off. Today’s expected high temperature should be about 40C (104F), and the thickness in the air leaves us sticky and sweaty.

The floors, washed yesterday, are sprinkled with live and dead insects that collected over the night. In the heat, the trash bin begins to smell from remnants of foods we cooked in the past 24 hours, but we can’t take outdoors for fear the monkeys or baboons will come. When the boys return to work tomorrow (after only one day off for Christmas), they’ll take it away as they always do. 

This Big Daddy stopped by for a visit on Christmas Day five years ago, at the Hornbill house. Tom said, “Here’s my Christmas gift for you…a reindeer.”  I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

I’d promised to bake Don’s favorite, a cherry pie, to bring to tonight’s Christmas dinner at his and Kathy’s bush home. But again, due to the intense humidity, I struggle with the pie crust.

Oh, oh, will this be another “pie day from hell” similar to my experience making pumpkin pies in the heat last month for our Thanksgiving dinner party?  (See here for details).

But then, we threw open the two large front doors, and there it was, the bush green and lush from recent rains, Ms. Bushbuck and Baby waiting in the wings for their turn at some pellets, Frank and the Misses, chirping from a tree and walking up the steps and so far, on step #3, was my boy “Little” who’d come to call on Christmas morning.

Suddenly everything is right with the world. This is where we’re meant to be on this seventh Christmas of our world journey. In only 51 days, our time in Marloth Park will come to an end, and off we’ll go on to new wonders, new experiences, and making new friends, as we revel in Mother Nature’s magical hold on this planet.

This Christmas and every day, we are reminded, as Tom would say, “We are humbled and blessed to be able to live this life.” And that we are. It’s another good day in the bush.
Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate) and a sunny day to those who do not.

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

Here was our Christmas Eve dinner last year in Palermo, Buenos Aires,  which we repeated on Christmas Day when all the restaurants in the area were closed except for a few fixed-price menus served at 2100 hours (9:00 pm) with many foods I couldn’t eat. Instead, we stopped at a mini-mart deli to purchase this goofy meal. Nonetheless, we had a good Christmas as the only guests in the boutique hotel. For details of this and other Christmases in past years of world travel, please click here.

Shaken, not stirred…A special birthday for Tom filled with surprises…Merry Christmas to all…

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The festive spirit took over. Danie, Rita, me, Tom, Gerhard (in the back), Kathy and Don from left to right.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Party or not, this is Africa, and a scorpion visitor joined the party on the back of the bathroom door.

It’s not easy to pull off a surprise birthday party. Tom began to wonder when I packed two bottles of gin and two bottles of vodka with about 30 lemons to make sugar-free Lemon Drop Martinis for Rita and me. Most likely, neither of us would drink more than two.

The bright light behind us wasn’t the best vantage point in taking this photo. From left to right: Don, Kathye me, Tom, Danie, Gerhard with Louise and Rita in front.
But, in Tom’s usual go-with-the-flow mentality, he went along with the premise that I always make a lot of whatever we’re having, and he brushed it off as my usual nonsense.
Beautiful platters of snacks.

We made our way to Rita and Gerhard’s giant condo at Ngwenya Lodge. We made our way down a few steps carrying the apple crisp dessert I’d made earlier in the day, a box of four fancy martini glasses, an electric juicer Louise had provided, and two chill boxes (coolers in SA) filled to the brim with ice.

Jandre, Danie, Kathy, Tom, Rita, Louise, and Gerhard on the veranda overlooking the Crocodile River.

Rita and Gerhard greeted us with much hoopla and enthusiasm as we entered the condo to find it beautifully decorated with balloons, streamers, blowers, and sparkly “Happy Birthday” confetti strewn about. We gasped in sheer wonder.

The outdoor table is set for 10.

It was apparent they’d gone to a lot of work for the dinner party for four. But wait.  Moments later, Kathy and Don, Louise and Danie, son Jandre, and girlfriend Michelle popped into the living room with blowers in their mouths shouting, “Happy Birthday, Tom!” 

Our hosts, Rita and Gerhard, couldn’t have done anything more to make this a spectacular birthday for Tom and a celebration for all of us.  Our heartfelt love and thanks to them both.

A surprise birthday party was born, albeit with only 10 of us but easily some of our most beloved friends in the bush. Tom couldn’t stop smiling as I “oohed” and “aahed” over every detail, gleefully taking photos of the stunning spread.

We mulled around chatting until dark when we finally sat down to dinner.

There were appetizer platters made by Rita and Louise, the outdoor table set for 10, with the aroma of delicious foods cooking on the stove and in the oven. How did we get so lucky to have such fine friends?

With the help of Jandre, who juiced all the lemons, after some photo-taking, Tom and I got to work making the Lemon Drop martinis, after everyone who wanted one, eight out of ten, specified if they’d preferred Bombay Gin or Seagram’s Vodka (the only vodka brand we could find at the local liquor shop).

Jandre and Michelle.

“Shaken, not stirred,” we made the martinis which everyone seemed to enjoy, several asking for seconds a while later. Rita was busy in last-minute preparations for the fantastic meal she’d prepared while Kathy and Louise also helped in the kitchen. 

The festive nature of this special night was easily felt by all. The spirit of Christmas wafting through our heads, coupled with the smells of great food, the sights of the decorative setting, and the joyful nature of each one of us in attendance, created a night we’ll never forget.

Danie and Louise.

The night flew by too quickly. From the food served seamlessly on a buffet table in the kitchen to fill our plates and return to the outdoor table to the giant scorpion Michelle discovered on the back of the bathroom door, every moment was memorable.

As the evening ended and we packed up our remains, glassware, juicer, and two cool boxes, we hugged everyone goodnight, thanking them for sharing Tom’s special night.

Jandre, Michelle, Tom, Rita, Louise, and Gerhard huddled together for a photo.

And what can we say to Rita and Gerhard that could praise the depth of our appreciation? Thank you didn’t seem sufficient enough, but for now, we hugged, we praised the fantastic job and hard work in putting it all together, and we walked out the door, looking forward to today when they’re joining us tonight for Christmas Eve dinner.

Our dinner tonight won’t be quite as elaborate. We’re making homemade pizza, salad, and garlic bread (for the boys) with more of the delicious apple crisp for dessert, which everyone seemed to love.

Tom and Don, celebrating together. We met him and Kathy five years ago today, Christmas Eve, when they invited us to their bush home, having never met us but heard about us from friends Lynne and Mick, who we’ll all see again sometime in January.

So, now we change gears for the Christmas celebration in the bush, our second such affair in the past five years. But, this time, our circle of friends has expanded, and the meaning and blessings of the holiday season hold all the more joy. 

Tomorrow, us and Rita and Gerhard will join Kathy and Don at their home for Christmas dinner, and the good times with friends will continue. 

A few weeks ago, Kathy and Rita nonchalantly asked Tom, “What’s your favorite meal?”  He replied, “meat, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, and green beans.  Well, look here! All his favorites and more, steamed cauliflower, potato salad, Greek salad, and spinach salad. What a fantastic meal!

May your Christmas season (should you celebrate) be filled with the company of those you love, with the spirit of the holiday season embracing your heart and soul.

 Note: On December 26th, we’ll be posting photos from Kathy and Don’s two-holiday events. Please check back.

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

Another colorful building exterior as we made our first walk in the neighborhood in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina, one year ago today. For more, please click here.

Remembering Tom’s birthday over our years of world travel….Happy birthday, Tom!!!…

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December 23, 2013:  We were so preoccupied with a “safari luck” day in Kruger, we didn’t take photos of Tom on his birthday.  Instead, here’s a favorite hippo photo we took on the sunset game drive. Click here for details.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

We were thrilled to see Wildebeest Willie stop by for a bit of hay, some pellets, and a nap in the shade.

Looking back at posts on Tom’s birthday since 2012, after we’d left Minnesota to begin our journey, we’re reminded of how few photos we’ve taken of us over the years. 

It’s not as if we’re particularly camera shy. It’s more about the fact that we’re preoccupied with our surroundings, finding using the camera’s timer to take a photo of us a bit cumbersome, and preferring not to disturb other travelers to take our photo.

December 23, 2012:  At that time, we rarely posted photos, unaware of how big the commitment to posting would eventually become and all the worldwide readers we’d finally have. Click here for the text from the post on Tom’s birthday in 2012.

Also, I guess I wasn’t diligent enough over the years to take photos of Tom on his birthdays as often as I could have.  Tonight, at Rita and Gerhard’s temporary home at Ngwenya, where they’re making a special birthday dinner for him, I promise to take photos.

December 23, 2014: Click here for a video taken on Tom’s birthday while in the Pahoa, on the Big Island in Hawaii with our kids and grandkids.

 Last night, we did take photos at Kathy and Don’s party. Still, once again, none of us, as we were preoccupied chatting with everyone, dining on excellent starters, appetizers, or PuPu platters as Kathy and Don, who also live in Hawaii, refer to a variety of platters of delicious foodstuffs suitable for nibbling or dining. We’ll post those photos soon.

 But today, Tom’s birthday is my primary focus. I know I could go on and on extolling his virtues as a husband, lover, travel companion, and best friend, but you’ve heard it all before.

December 23, 2015:  Tom’s birthday dinner in Fiji. My rumpled lobster juice-soiled clothes were a sight to see after dinner. Click here for details.

Recently, I read some reviews from another travel writer’s post, and the wife was severely criticized for raving on and on about how wonderful her husband is. I cringed, thinking, “Oh, good grief, that could be me.”

 We don’t get many “haters” and are incredibly grateful we don’t have to deal with the emotional upheaval that can be precipitated by negative comments from readers.  

 Thus, I learned a lesson from someone else’s experience and tempered my enthusiasm to describe Tom’s fine qualities. Above all, on this day of his, I’ll say I am grateful…for him…for our lives together…for the friends we’ve made along the way and for this magical world we live in.

December 23, 2016:  Mersey Beach bluff in Tasmania, where we dined on Tom’s birthday. The outdoor food wasn’t exceptional, the live band was festive, and the ocean views were exquisite. But, again, I failed to take photos of him that night. Click here for details.

It’s not just Marloth Park. It’s also all the other places we’ve visited in the past six years. It’s all the different experiences we’ve had along the way. And, we can’t forget the joys of our “old lives” so many moons ago that linger as distant memories that flood our hearts and minds when we stop for a moment to recall.

Tonight we’ll celebrate with friends. Today, we’ll revel in the day, and whatever morsels of nature wander our way. We’ve already been greeted by Ms. Bushbuck and Baby and, of course, our friend “Little,” who loved eating the apple peels from the birthday dessert Tom requested for tonight – homemade gluten-free apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.  

We have no doubt tonight will be wonderful at Rita and Gerhard’s birthday dinner.  We’re bringing all the ingredients to make sugar-free Lemon Drop Martinis for this special occasion and his non-traditional birthday cake of apple crisp.
December 23, 2017:  Happy 65th birthday to my darling husband, lover,  travel companion, and forever friend who has made this special and unique life of world travel possible. Click here for details.

We’ll be back tomorrow with photos from last night’s party and tonight, including photos of our friends and us.

Christmas is almost here. May the blessings of the holiday season (for those who celebrate) fill your hearts and homes with love.

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

Panamanian hats for sale in Manta, Ecuador. This was the last post with favorite photos from the 30-night South America cruise, which ended on this date, one year ago. Click here for details.

The holiday festivities have begun…Sparse photo situation at present…Losing weight isn’t easy…

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The baby bushbuck took cover behind mom when she wasn’t sure what to do when she saw us.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

With the small amount of rain, the bush has begun to green, creating more vegetation for the wildlife.  But, it still has a long way to go to nourish them fully.

We can hear the cars and bakkies (trucks) driving down our road, minute after minute on what is not necessarily a thoroughfare. Our road, Swartwitpens, is one of the bumpiest dirt roads in the park and isn’t the first choice for residents to get to their homes. 

As a result, most of the passing vehicles, often driving too fast are holidaymakers finding their way through the maze of dirt roads when the only paved roads in Marloth Park is Oliphant Street (the main road) and Maroela Road (for a short distance from Oliphant to the municipal park and building).

Why people drive so fast here baffles us. It’s not as if the roads are comfortable to maneuver when passengers bounce around as if on a boat in rapids. In my old life, I’d never been able to ride on these dirt roads.  

Now, with renewed health due to my eating, I no longer have pain that would prevent me from doing so.  For this, I am eternally grateful and maintain this strict diet with relative ease.

Unfortunately, over the next few weeks, we aren’t willing to tackle the traffic on the river roads. Tom is an impatient driver, and it’s just not fun being stuck behind multiple vehicles on the narrow dirt roads.

The lucerne lays scattered about the garden uneaten. The warthogs move it around with their snouts but eat very little.

Instead, we’ll stay at our bush house, relishing every moment we can, even with the few visitors we’re getting right now. This morning was better when we had a few bushbucks, and eight kudus stop by for pellets.  

It was exciting to see the kudus. I told Tom to keep tossing pellets while I went inside and chopped carrots and apples for them. A neighbor stopped by while I was tossing them and scared them off.  Hopefully, they’ll return soon.

Without our usual drives in the park, self-drives in Kruger, and with less wildlife visiting us, right now, our photos inventory is sparse. I know I should take photos when we’re out to dinner and at social events, but once I start having such fun, I forget about taking photos and live in the moment instead.

I suppose in the realm of things, enjoying the moment instead of stopping to take photos isn’t always a bad thing. I will start working on this tonight when we go to Kathy and Don’s bush home for their holiday cocktail party. But, during this time, I’d be wise to take photos of social activities to ensure we have fresh photos for the next day’s post.

And then, tomorrow is Tom’s birthday which, as mentioned, we’re celebrating with Rita and Gerhard. They’re doing the cooking, and all I’m bringing is one of Tom’s favorite recipes, gluten-free apple crisp, which is not low carb.  

Mom and baby stop by for some treats.

I found a low-carb version I’m going to make tomorrow for Rita and me. It has a total of 10 grams of carbs per serving, so I’ll have to carefully consider what I consume for the remainder of the day to stay within my daily allotment of 20 grams.

A while back, I’d mentioned I was trying to lose the 11.34 kg (25 pounds) I’d gained when I was suffering from the now non-existent gastrointestinal issue for two and a half years. Eliminating all dairy several months ago put a quick end to my woes.  

By dropping dairy from my diet and cutting back a little on fat and protein, so far, I’ve lost over 9 kg (20 pounds) with only about 2.5 kg (5.5 pounds) to go to be back where I was when we began traveling six-plus years ago.  

Need I say, I’m thrilled to wear my limited wardrobe without lying on the bed to zip my pants and constantly feeling as if I had to “tuck in” my love handles which have now all but disappeared.  

It’s been a slow process. While I was suffering from the condition, I was constantly eating to stop the gnawing pain in my gut. Sure, I continued eating a low carb, grain-free, starch-free, and sugar-free diet, but one can certainly gain weight if overeating any food.

Mongooses often stop by looking for eggs.

These last few pounds have been tricky. When Tom and Lois were here, we were dining out more often than usual, and the weight was packed on. During their three-week visit, I gained back 2.27 kg (5 pounds).  

Since November 1st, when they left to return to the US, it’s taken me to get back to the point where I was before they’d arrived. That’s slow! However, I stayed determined and on course, day after day.  If I lose the remainder by the time we leave here in February, I’ll be content.

In the interim, the clothing I purchased in the US in 2017 is now too big, and before we leave here, I’ll donate everything that doesn’t fit and purchase some new items when we return to the US in April. Wearing the same clothes over and over again with frequent washings results in wear and tear, and every few years, we must replace some items.

Today, I’m trying to dry a pair of white denim capri pants to wear to the party tonight. Without a dryer, the heavy denim fabric often takes two days to dry in the humid climate. Tom set us a chair in front of the portable fan, and I’m hoping it’s going to dry them in time.

That’s it for today, folks. We’ll be back tomorrow on Tom’s 66th birthday, looking back at his past birthdays since we left Minnesota on October 31, 2012. 

Have a fantastic day as many of us delve into the spirit of the holiday season, wherever we may be.

Photo from one year ago today, December 22, 2017:

Many of the streets in Montevideo, Uruguay, reminded us of other historical cities we’ve visited. For more photos as the 30-night cruise came to a close, please click here.

Baking Tom’s favorites for his birthday and the holidays…

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The humidity made it difficult for the Rice Crispy bars to harden, so I trimmed the edges, placing them in the red bowl as shown. Tom can snack on the edges today after they firm up in the refrigerator as well.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This croc was half the size as the one shown below.

Each year around Tom’s birthday on December 23rd, I ask him what special desserts or meals he’d enjoy for the occasion. This year, we’ll be dining at Rita and Gerhard’s temporary condo at Ngwenya since the Hornbill house wasn’t available for the few weeks at Christmas time when they’d come to Marloth Park without reservations…brave folks…lucky folks…Louise worked it all out for them.

I offered to bring a dessert Tom loves – gluten-free apple crisp made with “real” sugar using both white sugar and brown sugar in the interim. Whatever she’s making is a total surprise to us, and as good guests, we won’t ask.  We do not doubt that whatever it will be, we will love and appreciate it.  

We’re bringing vanilla ice cream and aerosol whipped cream, none of which Rita nor I will eat now that she’s joined me in this way of eating. We’ll stay true to our healthful commitment.

An Egyptian goose standing in shallow water.
For today, I started baking the “sugar frenzy,” which Tom will surely enjoy over the holidays and will abruptly come to an end on January 1st. Most likely, he’ll gain a few kilos (pounds) in the process. 

Let me explain, white marshmallows don’t exist in this area. The only option is pink and white. So, pink and white it was! As for the Rice Crispies themselves (the dry cereal in a box), Tom scoured a few warehouse-type stores on the way to Lebombo while I shopped at Spar in Komatipoort. Miraculously, he was able to purchase two giant boxes.

The first thing I did this morning was getting to work on making the bars. Today it’s hot, and it’s humid after last night’s glorious rainfall, not the ideal conditions for expecting the bars to firm up. In any case, I made three batches of Rice Crispy bars using the two giant boxes of the cereal, 500 grams of real butter, and four big bags of pink and white marshmallows.
A few elephants in the Crocodile River from quite a distance.
When they didn’t fully firm up sitting on the kitchen counter, I stacked them (uncut) atop one another, each batch separated with parchment paper, and placed them in the refrigerator, hoping they’ll firm up enough to make the cutting easier and the eating less messy and enjoyable. The photo above was taken before I placed them in the refrigerator.

Tomorrow night, we’re going to a party and Kathy and Don’s, and she insisted I don’t make a thing. Instead, when we go to their home again on Christmas Day, I’ll be baking Don’s favorite…cherry pie with a handmade lattice crust. We’ll see how that goes in the heat and humidity on Christmas morning.  

On Sunday, Tom’s birthday, I’ll make the apple crisp. I’m making an extra batch to have for Christmas Eve when Tom and Gerhard can dig in once more. That’s a hard one for me to resist. I love it warmed with vanilla ice cream and topped with a hefty dollop of whipped cream. But, that was then, and this is now, and I remind myself that I’m traveling the world due to renewed health from drastically changing my diet. 

As we perused the river for wildlife sightings, finding few, we took a few distant photos on a cloudy evening.
I didn’t eat many sweet desserts in my old life, but on special occasions, I did partake. Now, traveling the world makes every day is a special occasion, and I avoid starches, grains, and sugars as if they are poison. It’s a small price to pay to live this “wonderful life.” (No pun intended. It’s a great Christmas movie).

I’d hope to make a low-carb dessert for Rita and me, but I couldn’t find the ingredients needed to do so. Today I’ll go through my recipes and see if I can roust up a decent dessert item for us girls.

Last night, we headed to Ngwenya for dinner on our own since Rita and Gerhard were busy packing to move there today. Tonight, Tom and I will go to Jabula on our own since they’ll be busy getting unpacked.  

Mom and youngster heading back up the hill after a swim.
We’d promised Leon (of Dawn and Leon, owners of Jabula Lodge and Restaurant) that we’d bring him some Rice Crispy bars, a favorite childhood memory which we’re excited to do.
 
We’re staying put for the rest of the day until around 1700 hours (5:00 pm). We’ll be off for another fun evening at our favorite restaurant.  
 
We’ve had one Ms. Bushbuck and “Little” stop by this morning for some pellets, which of course, we provided, happy to see them both. As for the others? They are off and about visiting holidaymakers offering them all kinds of foods, some good for them, some not so much.  
Last night we saw a few crocs at the Crocodile River from the veranda at Ngwenya.
If you had a choice to go where the sweet treats are being offered instead of the dry pellets, carrots, and apples, where would you go?
 
Happy day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 21, 2017:

Christmas display aboard the ship as we’re nearing the end of the cruise. For more details, please click here.

Marloth Park, five years ago today…The wonders never cease, then and now…It rained and cooled down!…”Little”…what a cool guy!..

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It was hot at 42C, 108F, and “Little” needed to cool off yesterday. The water in the cement pond was most likely hot as well but cooler than the air temperature.  It was only after it had cooled down that he lumbered out of the pool and then, only then, was he looking for a good meal. We complied with pellets, ice-cold diced carrots, and diced apples. He took one last dunk before he left for the evening.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Closeup of “Little” cooling off in the cement pond. During the worst part of yesterday’s unrelenting heat, he stopped by, not for food but to sleep in the cement pond for over three hours!!!

As mentioned in an earlier post, with it now nearly impossible for us to do our daily drives in Marloth Park with the roads blocked with holidaymaker’s vehicles, considerably less wildlife in the garden and our unwillingness to deal with the crowds and long waits to get inside Kruger National Park, we’ll be reiterating a number of our past posts from five years ago.

There will continue to be new relevant content, and we’re not “copying and pasting” entire posts, only photos and a small amount of content. We’ll be sharing new photos from several of our planned social activities through the busy holiday season, as outlined in yesterday’s post here.
Treefrog nest made overnight over the pool by a female frog.  

Five years ago is a long time. We lived in Marloth Park from December 2, 2013, to February 28, 2014, for a total of 88 days. Many of our more recent readers may have not read the past posts nor have they seen the photos included therein.

Subsequently, over the almost three weeks until things get back to normal in Marloth Park, as mentioned earlier, we’ll be incorporating some of the stunning experiences we had five years ago.
I’d taken this photo while sitting at the outdoor table of the Hornbill property where Gerhard and Rita have been living recently. The white foamy ball can be seen on the left of this tree, opposite the bush baby house on the right. from this vantage point, we kept a watchful eye as the life cycle of the tree frog eventually unrolled before our eyes.

By the time we left here on February 15, 2019, we’ll have spent a total of 15 months of our entire 76 months of our world travels right here in Marloth Park. (The exception is the total two weeks we spent in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana).  As a result, we’ll have spent almost 20% of our entire travel time in South Africa.

At this point, we have no desire or intention of spending so much time in one location. But, this time here was special and we don’t regret one moment of it.  It’s been a memorable and extraordinary experience, one we’ll always treasure.

For the sake of our many worldwide readers who may follow us off and on or consistently, few will recall what we shared five years ago. Thus, we hope that which we include over these next three weeks (not every day) will be fresh and new information. 
Many male treefrogs mounted the nest to fertilize it.  What a sight to behold!

We apologize for any redundancy if you’ve followed us from the beginning and possess a keen sense of recall, But also keep in mind, we’ll be sharing considerable new information as well, and you may want to check each day to see “what’s new.”

As for the balance of today’s post, which information and photos we gathered from the posts of December 20, 2013, and December 29, 2013, we excitedly share these photos, the video, and the statement below directly from those posts.  Please click the above-dated links if you like to read those posts in their entirety.

Male treefrogs fertilizing the foam nest. Here’s the video we’d taken in December 2013.
 

It was the sudden overnight appearance, of a foam treefrog nest, hanging over the swimming pool in the Hornbill house, where we lived on December 20, 2013 (the same house where friends Rita and Gerhard have been living), that precipitated the story, the photos and the included video. Nine days later the tiny tadpoles began to drop from the nest into the pool below.

From that post:

“Fascinated by this anomaly, (to us anyway), we both immediately began searching online for more information such as:
1.  How many eggs are in that white foamy ball?  500-1200
2.  How will they hatch? They’ll drop from the foam ball within a week falling into the pool as Tadpoles.
3.  Did the female make this foamy nest overnight since we hadn’t seen this on Wednesday? Yes, it takes seven hours to make the foamy nest at night.
4.  Will the Tadpoles swim in the pool before the metamorphosis begins and they become treefrogs? Yes! 
5.  How long does this process take? It could be as quickly as 24 hours. 
6.  Will we have the opportunity to watch and photograph this process? Hopefully! We’ll certainly try.”

As it turned out, we had an opportunity to see the treefrog nest process unfold before our eyes, shared in the two dated posts above. What a fantastic experience!

An hour later, they started climbing off the foam nest which appeared to have been well fertilized!
When we first arrived in Marloth Park in February 2018, we had the opportunity to see a treefrog nest suddenly appear overnight. However, the story wasn’t quite as significant as it had been five years ago. On February 26, 2018, we posted the story of the recent nest.
 
Many people who’ve lived in Marloth Park for years have yet to see a treefrog nest. Now, with both a tiny male and a huge female treefrog occupying the light fixture on the veranda, we anticipate we may actually get to see this one more time. More “safari luck” we assume.
 
In any case, we don’t anticipate a lot of “safari luck” over the next few weeks but look forward to January 9th, when the extended holiday season comes to an end and Marloth Park will return to its place of wonder, peacefulness and quiet with wildlife visiting and freely wandering this magical place.
 
Last night it rained throughout the night and today, although quite humid, it is considerably cooler. What a welcome relief for the wildlife and for us to finally cool off a bit!
Enjoy this day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 20, 2017:

One year ago today, we participated in a tour of the ship’s bridge. There were dozens of pieces of equipment for the staff to monitor 24-hours a day. For more details, please click here.

Busy social calendar over the holiday season…Link to two favorite holiday recipes from our “old lives”…

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It’s a sad time right now without enough rain to sustain the wildlife.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This is one of our favorite pairs of warthogs, Mike and Joe, named after two US vice presidents, non-partisan of course, Mike Pence (current) and Joe Biden (last presidency). Tom always says, “The VPs are here.”

We had a busy social calendar in our old lives, most often with us doing the bulk of the entertaining. Scattered among our events were several parties and get-togethers, some work-related, some family events, and some with long-time friends/neighbors.

It was a festive time we always enjoyed, although, at times, it proved to be exhausting when I made too much work for myself while Tom continued to work long hours, day after day.  

Handsome male zebra.

As a business owner for most of my career, I’d take time off work during the holiday season when possible to plan and orchestrate holiday events, including decorating, shopping, gift wrapping, baking, and always sending hundreds of Christmas cards, each handwritten inside the card.

Each year we made over one hundred bottles (wine bottle sized) of Tom’s Homemade Irish cream with hand-designed and printed labels and delivered these in person as gifts to special people on our list. It was a daunting task, but we both participated in the process and loved sharing the holiday treat with family, co-workers, and friends.

Sustenance is low in the bush right now.  Zebras often graze on the dry bush.

When we left Minnesota to begin our world journey, those days were over. There are no more Christmas cards to be sent, no more decorations, no more baking, no more handmade dog biscuits for our animal lover friends and family, and no more Tom’s Homemade Irish Cream. This part of our lives was over.

If you’re interested in Tom’s Homemade Irish Cream recipe and my 
Polish Poppy Seed Bread (Strudel) recipe, please click here.

Only hunger will bring a shy impala to our garden.  

The only shopping we do now is for gifts for our six grandchildren. We agreed with our adult children that we’d no longer exchange gifts or cards. It was too difficult to do so from afar.

Thus, when we “left,” we also left behind all of the festivities, social gatherings, camaraderie, and events we so much. This will be our seventh Christmas since we left Minnesota. Of course, we’ve missed the activities with family and friends, but oddly we don’t miss all the commotion and work.

Impalas are very resourceful in finding food. Plus, they are one species we see out and about on the hottest of days, whereby others find shelter from the sun and the heat.

Overall, we’ve spent the bulk of the past Christmases on our own except for the first in 2012, when we rented a holiday home in Henderson, Nevada, and spent Christmas with some of Tom’s siblings and spouses, my son Richard, my sister Julie, cousin Phyllis and daughters Robin and Wendy and a few friends.  

And then, in 2014, three of our adult children, spouses, and six grandchildren joined us on the Big Island in Hawaii for the Christmas season. During that time, all of us saw lava for the first time, flowing from Mt. Kilauea, and the festivities were many.

The symmetry of the bodies of impalas is a beautiful sight to behold.

The remaining Christmas eves (we spent 2013 Christmas Eve with friends Kathy and Don at their lovely bush home here in Marloth Park) and Christmas days, we were on our own, although we spent all of those in restaurants and hotels. In each case, we had a good time.

Last Christmas, we were in Buenos Aires, Argentina, awaiting the Antarctica cruise departing on January 23rd. Everything was closed, so we ended up eating cold cuts we found at a local minimart. We were the only guests in the hotel. Here’s the link and a photo of our Christmas Day meal. We had to laugh!

Our Christmas Eve dinner last year in a boutique hotel in Buenos Aires, which we repeated on Christmas Day.  We were the only guests in the hotel.

This year, everything is different. Here are our plans over the upcoming holiday season:

Thursday, December 20, 2018: Dinner-buffet at Ngwenya Lodge and Restuarant (we have a standing reservation)
Friday, December 21, 2018:  Dinner at Jabula Lodge and Restaurant (we moved our standing Saturday reservation to Friday)
Saturday, December 22, 2018:  Holiday sundowners and starters at Kathy and Don’s river-view bush home
Sunday, December 23, 2018:  Tom’s birthday dinner at Rita and Gerhard’s temporary home at Ngwenya is a fully equipped luxury on-site holiday home
Monday, December 24, 2018:  Christmas Eve at our house with Rita and Gerhard joining us 
Tuesday, December 25, 2018: Christmas Day dinner at Kathy and Don’s
Thursday, December 27, 2018: Back to Ngwenya with Rita and Gerhard for the Thursday night buffet dinner
Saturday, December 29, 2018:  Jabula Lodge and Restaurant for our standing Saturday night reservation with Rita and Gerhard
Monday, December 31, 2018:  New Year’s Eve party at a popular local resort, details to follow.

Usually, males stop by together while females also visit separately.  

As for New Year’s day, we’ve yet to make a plan, but surely something will be on the agenda. Whew! This busy schedule makes us smile and, of course, feel grateful for our beautiful friends who have included us in their inner circle.

Whatever you do (for those who celebrate), we hope you’ll have a festive and meaningful holiday season.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2017:

Shipwreck in Puerto Madryn in Patagonia, Argentina, a town we toured as a port of call on the South America cruise.  For more photos, please click here.

Hot, hot, hot…And, the beat goes on…WiFi out all afternoon…

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Even the minuscule amount of rain brings greenery to life.

“Sighting of the day in the Bush.”

Baby impalas, sheltered from the heat of the midday sun, guarded by one of the attentive moms.

What can I say to avoid sounding as if we’re complaining? We’re not. Instead,
we consider today’s comments as an observation. It’s hot, hot, hot. Today’s high temperature was 42C (108F) which it has reached now at 1700 hours (5:00 pm).

Most often, the peak temperature for the day occurs around 1500 hours (3:00 pm) and begins to taper off an hour or two later. The evenings aren’t nearly as
bad but it’s impossible to stay indoors in the living area of this house. The
massively high ceilings contribute to a level of heat indoors that is hard to
take.
An awkward sitting position for a female ostrich. Could she be on her nest?
It’s like an oven with no way to cool it off, even late into the evening. We run a
fan in the living room, but all it does is blow hot air around. Thank
goodness we have an aircon in the bedroom, but even that chugs along in this intense heat.
How much hotter can it get? We heard from locals that in 2016, December highs were in the 50C range (122F). Over the next few days, even higher temperatures are predicted. 
Cape buffalos on a hill on the Crocodile River in Kruger National Park.
We recall it being hot here five years ago but not quite this hot day after day. It
has a tendency to make one feel exhausted and listless although we both make
every effort to go about our days as we would during cooler periods.
Now, we’re having wi-fi issues due to all the “extra” people in Marloth Park
during the holiday season. The system can only handle so much. Fortunately, the load shedding power outages are on hold at the moment. 

We’ll see how that goes over the next few weeks during the holiday season. As I write on an offline app, I realize I may never have an opportunity to upload this post before the day’s end.
Two male cape buffalos, who most likely were ostracized from the remainder of their “obstinacy” when a more significant or stronger other male won the favor of the females. These males form groups for life since they’ll never be allowed to return to the herd.
In South Africa, the school holiday ends on January 9th, when most holidaymakers will leave Marloth Park, their holiday having ended when their kids return to
school. That’s almost three weeks from today.
We understand and respect the importance of tourists coming to the park to
generate revenue for shops and homeowners of holiday properties but even they,
fully grasp how everything changes when the tourists are here.
Baboons and monkeys are our least favorite animals. Due to their intellect, they are crafty and dangerous and can destroy a house or garden in minutes, searching for food or merely being destructive for entertainment.
We won’t be able to go to Kruger for the next three weeks either. We’ve already
heard about the delays at the Crocodile Bridge, and soon, guests will have to
pay a fee to enter at a specific time of day on top of the regular entrance
fees.  

Our annual “Wild Card” doesn’t afford us any extra privileges. We’d
also have to pay additional for a “reservation.” Only 600 cars are allowed into the park at a time at any of the many entrance gates.

An elephant family drinking from the river.  The drought continues relentlessly.
Over the past few days, to cool off, we’ve driven through Marloth Park looking for wildlife photo ops but more so to stay cool for a few hours during the day.  

This morning at 7:30 am, we headed to Komatipoort for my dentist appointment at 8:00 am. After the appointment, we walked the short distance to Stoep Cafe for breakfast, grabbing our favorite table on the veranda. 
Eating a hot breakfast in the heat proved to have been a bad idea. We were both
“sweating up a storm” while we ate, and foolish me had ordered hot tea. By the time we finished our meal and headed back to the air-conditioned comfort of the car, we were drenched in sweat. I don’t usually sweat much, but the humidity, coupled with the high temps, has changed everything.
Two males impalas stop by for food and a rare visit.
We remind ourselves, over and over again. This is Africa, and we chose to be here. Most of the time, it’s been a glorious experience. And we face the reality, that along with amazing adventures of our lives, there is a price to pay, beyond money, beyond mere inconvenience. It’s all part of the experience.

So today, as we wait for the temperature to drop and the WiFi to come back on, we look forward to our evening on the veranda tonight, as always, hoping a few, if only a few of our wildlife friends will stop by.  

Last night we had 10 warthogs come to call. Let’s see if they return tonight. We have pellets, a fresh batch of lucerne, ice-cold carrots, apples, celery tops, and lettuce, and we’ll be waiting for them.


Have a great holiday season evening.

Photo from one year ago today, December 18, 2018:

Stunning view of Ushuaia from the veranda while on the cruise in South America. For more photos, please click here.

Fun photos of “small things” from five years ago…

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This was our first photo, five years ago, of a dung beetle in action. The female often sits atop the ball of dung while the male moves it along using his back feet while his front feet grasp the ground for stability. The female lays eggs in the ball, so she tags along as he rolls, and they search for an adequate hole to bury the ball. The ball is used as sustenance for both of them as well as the larvae. See this post here.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

This pretty female bushbuck effortlessly balances on three legs to attend to an itch. Many animals are adept at contorting their bodies to scratch an itch.

If you’ve been reading our posts for the past five years or more, you’ll have seen all of these photos we’ve posted today. At that time, we did a recurring series entitled “Small Things.”

 Over the past 10 plus months, we’ve done a daily “Sighting of the Day in the Bush” feature, which may consist of small or more significant sightings. In reviewing these old posts, we thought it might be interesting for some of our newer readers to see some of the photos from the posts five years ago when we were in Marloth Park, especially those “small things” we haven’t seen again since arriving last February.

Five years ago, Zef, one of our two housemen yet today, took this beetle out of the pool to show us.  See this post here.

Looking back at the photos, we easily recall the sightings of each of these little treasures and how much we enjoyed them at that time and still do now. How fortunate we are to review old posts so easily and continue to enjoy all that we’ve seen and done.

 Today’s post is #2333. Yep, that’s correct. We’ve done two thousand three hundred thirty-three posts, including today’s post on December 17, 2018. It’s hard for us to believe how many there have been and how, day after day, we’ve mustered up the fodder and the desire to continue.

Five years ago, I’d taken this shot of the underside of a gecko as it crawled on the outside of the sliding glass door in one of the living rooms. See this post here.

On Saturday night, our friend Don (of Kathy and Don) asked me how I managed to keep doing this. The answer is easy…it’s become as integral a part of our lives as traveling the world has become.  

We can’t imagine life without it, and we’re ultimately grateful to all of our worldwide readers who motivate us and spur us on by continuing to read it and share it with others who may enjoy reading it. Thank you for this. YOU mean the world to us.

 Subsequently, having the ability to reflect on past stories and their photos, such as we’re doing today, and may well do in the future, extends the story of our experiences in Africa.  
Another dung beetle couple was aiming for the hole where they’ll keep their fertilized ball of dung.  See this post here.

No, we won’t be reposting past stories themselves unless it is on a special occasion and provides a relevant and distinct purpose in doing so. If so, we’ll describe that purpose. 

Photos are timeless, and sharing what this magical place has to offer has no time constraints or restrictions. And we’re assuming many of our current readers started reading our posts long after we started in March 2012. Who in this busy world has time to read from the beginning?
After Zef gently placed this monstrous insect on a limb of a tree, it grabbed hold of the branch, hanging on for nearly a full day.  See this post here.

Surprisingly, we’ve received countless email messages over the years where new readers coming in partway, have told us they started reading from “Day 1” on March 14, 2012, by use of the archives on the right side of our page, found by clicking on the little arrow, like this ► which when clicked next to a month, opens up all the stories and days of the month in chronological order.

If you haven’t had time to read from the beginning and if you’re interested in doing so, some have mentioned they read the current post and add two or three old posts in chronological order to eventually “catch up.”
These mushrooms are growing in our yard. Of course, we didn’t pick them without knowing if they were safe for consumption. See this post here.

This is a continuing story. Hmmm…kind of like a soap opera without the “soap” and definitely without the drama of an “opera.” But, it’s our story told in a vulnerable and revealing manner, sharing the finite details of our lives while entirely excluding our views on these topics:  politics, religion, and sex.  Good. Who cares to hear about those topics anyway?  

And so, dear readers, from the past, of late, and in the middle, we’re a little redundant with photos here today and perhaps will be so in a few upcoming posts. Feel free to post your opinion or comments on this fact at the bottom of any post or write to us via email.  

 We hope all of our readers enjoy whatever holiday preparations they may be making (or not) at this time or in the future. Have a fantastic day!

      Photo from one year ago today, December 17, 2017:

We were bundled up in Ushuaia in the cold air, knowing we’d be back in a few weeks to sail away on the Antarctica cruise. What a beautiful city! for more photos, please click here.
The sign reads, “fin del mundo,” the end of the world. For more photos, please click here.

The holiday season has begun in Marloth Park….Warnings for holidaymakers with children…

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Island life for this cape buffalo with a friend on the river’s edge.

“Sighting of the Day in the Bush”

Our resident frog, which we mistakenly assumed was a male is a female. The frog male is much smaller than the female. The male took up residence with her overnight last night. We’ll continue to observe to see what transpires for this mating pair. She’s been sitting there for months, although she took off during the rain last week, returning three nights later. When we turn on this light fixture at night, the insects are prolific, and she sits there darting out her tongue for tasty treats. We’ll see how it goes tonight, with two of them sharing the nighttime opportunities.

We were both up at the crack of dawn, hoping to reach grandson Vincent to wish him a happy birthday. The time difference is 12 hours. He and his family are in Maui, Hawaii, for the holiday season, snorkeling, boogie boarding, and scuba diving.

As holidaymakers and activities have ramped up this weekend in Marloth Park, we are seeing a distinct reduction in the number of wildlife visitors and more and more vehicles on the roads.  
The only elephant we spotted on the river this morning with a cattle egret in flight near its trunk.

So far today, we’ve fed a few bushbuck moms and babies. Perhaps by early evening, when the garden is usually filled with a wide array of wildlife, we’ll have more visitors. But, for now, we’re on our own.

We took off in the red car around 8:00 am to drive around the park. We encountered many vehicles but few animals other than those we’ve shown here today, with fewer sightings on the Crocodile River than usual.

A pair of male ostriches wandering through the bush this morning.

On Facebook this morning and we noticed this warning about children in the park written by a conscientious and dedicated ranger:

Good morning everyone.
Please warn all your guests not to leave small children to explore the bush without an adult. We do have a lot of snakes out and about at the moment. 

There was also an incident this morning with 2 small children going right up to Kudu bulls to feed them without an adult nearby, we luckily had an owner stop them. (Kudu bulls have massive horns and, although not necessarily aggressive animals, could easily and unintentionally impale a child or adult).

All animals are wild; before we have serious injuries, please educate those who think we are a petting zoo. Thank you.
CPF/SECTORS/RANGERS AND SECURITY.” 

For the first time, we noticed ostrich’s ears which may usually be hidden under layers of plumage. Unlike humans, birds’ ears are holes on either side of their heads, with no cartilage. Contrary to what most humans believe, ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand.

We see this type of behavior all the time, especially during holidays when the park is filled with tourists. Once again, we’re driving past cars with children, young children, sitting on the parent’s lap driving the vehicle, often a large SUV or truck.

Recently, we encounter two girls alone in the front seat of an SUV, with one driving, neither of whom could have been over 12 years old. Who are these parents that allow this dangerous activity?  

During the mating season (June- November), the male ostrich’s beak and legs turn red/pink to attract the female for mating.

Sure, there are many periods of time where there are no police in Marloth Park for long stretches although, in the past few days, we have seen a few police vehicles. We hope they stay through the holiday season.

Does this fact give people the right to ignore laws, endangering not only their own children’s lives but the lives of others including the wildlife? Last holiday season, spring break, 12 animals were killed from speeding and careless driving in the park. This was devastating news to all of us who love this place and its wildlife occupants.

A peculiar-looking bird, isn’t it?  Ostriches are remnants of the prehistoric era.

Besides the risk to humans, wildlife and property there is also a lack of consideration by some holidaymakers over noise (and trash) restrictions as part of the regulations in Marloth Park.  

This is supposed to be a peaceful and quiet place where wildlife and humans can co-exist in a stress-free environment. Sadly, that’s not always the case during holiday periods and, at other times as well.

From this angle, it’s difficult to determine the species other than due to the long neck.

We’re hoping after posting this on several Marloth Park pages in Facebook some holidaymakers may have an opportunity to realize the value of a chance to experience this magical place.

The rules and regulations for Marloth Park may be found here at this link.  Although many of these rules apply to construction and building, in reading through the list, toward the end, each regulation has a deep and genuine purpose of maintaining the integrity and value of this particular community and safety for all blessed to be here.

A saddle-billed stork on the Crocodile River this morning.

Sure, we are only visitors ourselves here (for almost one year, leaving in February and who are we to tell others how to behave?  But, our motives are not entirely altruistic.  

We plan to return to Marloth Park 21 months after we leave and we can only hope we’ll find it to be as meaningful and magical as it’s been for us for this entire year we’ve spent living here.  

Perhaps this is selfish but if everyone shared a similar selfishness to keep Marloth Park as wonderful as it is, we’d each commit to a personal role in appreciating our time here and dedicating our efforts for the benefits of the wildlife and the surroundings.  

Ultimately in doing so, humans will continue to relish in the beauty and wonder of one of the most unique places on earth.

Be well.  Be happy during this holiday season and always.
                       Photo from one year ago today, December 16, 2017:

Views of Cape Horn, known as the bottom of the world, from the ship’s bow.  For more photos, please click here.