Darling Offspring and Spouses, to say nothing of the sprogs
It's a lovely sunny morning (when isn't it?), the swimming pool's sparkling, birds large and small are darting from tree to birdbath, the coral trees are quietly bursting into bloom... and dad's making an awful row unpacking tumbling plastic bits of a bookcase he's assembling on the diningroom table. There's always one...
You've no idea (and this makes us weep!!) how lovely Matumi's looking at the moment. Each season has its beauties, we've now been here through late summer, autumn, and now winter, all are beautiful but so far, this is the best. Lovely colours: the grass is a tawny beige with pink tinges, and the sky's a deep blue, many trees are leafless so you can see right into the bush, the view all around us is liberated, and it's much easier to walk off paths.
All kinds of birds have taken up residence, including a pair of magnificent kingfishers. And then, of course, we've got our resident red duiker: a doe that comes to our back gate every evening, just before 5 o'clock and hangs around shyly waiting for the guavas. She's been coming regularly since I was in Addis, dad enticed her - and each day he puts a few pieces deeper and deeper into our garden, and she's been following the trail - though a couple of days ago, when we startled her unwittingly and she lost her head and leapt into a silly barbedwire fence, we thought she might be scared to come back in. But no, she'd still risk it for a guava. She looks as if she's pregnant, maybe we'll get a glimpse of the calf one day. Though guava season comes to an end soon, and what do we substitute to attract her? We've got several boxes of guavas, and we're eking them out to the end of the month, so that Andy Kate and Bobs can see her.
We've also been visited by a bushbuck - larger than a duiker, with a grey coat and large ears, also shy but apparently can be aggressive if they feel threatened. We've only seen her once, early one morning - but she obviously makes free with the garden, because all our roses have been eaten and there are telltale hoof marks around each one!
The monkeys drop in every day, and eat the seeds we put out for the birds -- it's the lean dry season....and as I wote these last words I spotted a monkey crouching in the corner of the swimming pool, scooping up water , and the Australian shade tree near it heaving with several of them - I think we have only one troop, quite large, that lives near us.
We've had a few guests these last weeks - Marius and Sherry two weeks ago, good company, and our artist neighbours the Voigt's came for dinner because Harry was at school with Marius (though much his junior) and was interested to meet him again.
We didn't do much walking with them (though we went up the hill with Sherry) - Marius' reaction to the suggestion was to pour himself another brandy and water and say:
"I didn't come all this bloody way to WALK".
And we've just had a pleasant weekend with nephew Dylan and his Sasha, both very sweet and full of bounce. We had a few good walks, and a few good meals - Sasha made us a herring and beetroot salad, we had a barbecue and sat round a log fire outside Saturday evening, v. nice.
_________________________________________
This whole thing took about 20 minutes, and really it haunted us the whole evening, it was so very extraordinary. As Dad said, it was as if the zebra were accepting that one of them had to go and saying to the lion, come on, get it over with.
_________________________
And on Sunday we took them to the Kruger Park for the day, and had an amazing day's viewing. Winter's by far the best time to go, because the bush thins out, and apart from the usual, we saw quite a lot of unusual - a disemboweled buck hanging from a tree, which is a leopard's larder, though no sign of the leopard; and a mob of hippos like huge rocks with backbones, in a pool sunning themselves, lolling on each other. But, most amazing of all, we watched all three acts of a lion kill drama, all laid out on a plain in front of us, only 200 yards away.
First act: a herd of zebra milling about uneasily, knowing the lioness was there somewhere, not spotting her where we could see her, behind an anthill - another lioness (we only saw her later) must have been upwind from them, pushing them towards the other. You could see the agitation in the zebras, swishing their tails from side to side, moving a bit forward, then a bit back, but always closer - and then act two: a sudden spurt of animals, a cloud of dust, the zebras scattering, but only a little: and one was down kicking with the lioness on top of it.
Then act three - out of the bushes strolls (really there is no other word for it) the lion towards the kill, growls at the lioness who retreats hastily and the lion takes her place on top of the zebra. Out of the opposite side comes a second lioness, both hang about but don't dare go too near, several blacktailed jackals slink onto the scene, a vulture or two start hovering, the lion pulls the kill further into the bush, the lionesses follow respectfully. And the remaining zebras move away slowly, no longer scared, though one zebra started whinnying, almost as if in mourning. And not too far away, an elephant browsing, not giving the scene a second glance.
This whole thing took about 20 minutes, and really it haunted us the whole evening, it was so very extraordinary. As Dad said, it was as if the zebra were accepting that one of them had to go and saying to the lion, come on, get it over with.
It's really great to know that it's so easy to go to the Park for a day's viewing - we left at 7.30, got there in an hour and twnty minutes, spent most of the day there - then drove to White River (actually from the gate just next to Komatipoort, the Mozambique border) for an earlyish dinner at the Bagdad Cafe. So, this is something else we are longing to do with you all, and I wish you would all get your arses over here!! Specially as we have now turned the cottage into a thing of considerable charm...it really is pretty and has comfortable beds. And the guest room en suite in the main house is, of course, smashing. It's REALLY frustrating to think that only Chris has an idea what it looks like now that we're settled in and has sampled Matumi's delights.
So: we are expecting A and K and Bobby end July. As previously promised, I will KILL them if the don't come. Also, CALMA PLEASE come in August during the kids' holiday, while To is in London/Mexico. I need your company, I won't be going off until late August, possibly only September. You can't leave me alone and pining all that time, can you? Our 40th Anniversary celebration next February has nothing to do with a holiday here this year, it can't be made an excuse. Feb 7 1999 will I hope be a huge beanfeast, with all of you there, and Granny, and as many friends as we can persuade to come up from JHB and maybe even elsewhere.
*****
Hi, Dad TG here, to add my plea for you all to make it here THIS year, specially for a while in July/August. Mom EG needs you to touch base with her in this lovely place. And even if I miss you in situ, I'm looking forward SO much to being with you for a while in August/September, partly when Mom is expecting to be Out of Station and On Mission.
I have an assignment of sorts myself over there, in Cardiff in September, to give a talk on media handling of third world public health issues, so I am geared to come over then. But more important, as Mom and I mutually decided, was to spend some weeks giving family support to Phil and Tere to prepare for the great migration. This will give me a chance, thanks to tickets from Chris, to be with you in London for a few days, to give Phil some backup, and to go and give Tere a hand maybe (I haven't told Lisa about this - hold off on telling her until I can work out when to fit in a few days with her (maybe I'll take Phil with me). Another gathering we're hugely looking forward to is Christmas together with you in London. God, it'll be great to see you all there at last.
Meanwhile, we are going to write to Paul and Barbara issuing a general invitation to come and stay with us, pointing out that October and November are good times. Also to Tric. And, for next year, to Teresa in Uruapan, to come maybe with Juan, Angeles, Carmen, or whoever can make it.
That's all for now, my darlings, Mom is calling to do our walk down the driveway before lunch.I'll be contacting you with more detailed suggestions and plans about my movements in a few days. Please pass this around.
Lots and lots and lots of love,
Mom EG and Dad TG
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lioness in the Kruger by Holtphoto
It's a lovely sunny morning (when isn't it?), the swimming pool's sparkling, birds large and small are darting from tree to birdbath, the coral trees are quietly bursting into bloom... and dad's making an awful row unpacking tumbling plastic bits of a bookcase he's assembling on the diningroom table. There's always one...
You've no idea (and this makes us weep!!) how lovely Matumi's looking at the moment. Each season has its beauties, we've now been here through late summer, autumn, and now winter, all are beautiful but so far, this is the best. Lovely colours: the grass is a tawny beige with pink tinges, and the sky's a deep blue, many trees are leafless so you can see right into the bush, the view all around us is liberated, and it's much easier to walk off paths.
All kinds of birds have taken up residence, including a pair of magnificent kingfishers. And then, of course, we've got our resident red duiker: a doe that comes to our back gate every evening, just before 5 o'clock and hangs around shyly waiting for the guavas. She's been coming regularly since I was in Addis, dad enticed her - and each day he puts a few pieces deeper and deeper into our garden, and she's been following the trail - though a couple of days ago, when we startled her unwittingly and she lost her head and leapt into a silly barbedwire fence, we thought she might be scared to come back in. But no, she'd still risk it for a guava. She looks as if she's pregnant, maybe we'll get a glimpse of the calf one day. Though guava season comes to an end soon, and what do we substitute to attract her? We've got several boxes of guavas, and we're eking them out to the end of the month, so that Andy Kate and Bobs can see her.
We've also been visited by a bushbuck - larger than a duiker, with a grey coat and large ears, also shy but apparently can be aggressive if they feel threatened. We've only seen her once, early one morning - but she obviously makes free with the garden, because all our roses have been eaten and there are telltale hoof marks around each one!
The monkeys drop in every day, and eat the seeds we put out for the birds -- it's the lean dry season....and as I wote these last words I spotted a monkey crouching in the corner of the swimming pool, scooping up water , and the Australian shade tree near it heaving with several of them - I think we have only one troop, quite large, that lives near us.
We've had a few guests these last weeks - Marius and Sherry two weeks ago, good company, and our artist neighbours the Voigt's came for dinner because Harry was at school with Marius (though much his junior) and was interested to meet him again.
We didn't do much walking with them (though we went up the hill with Sherry) - Marius' reaction to the suggestion was to pour himself another brandy and water and say:
"I didn't come all this bloody way to WALK".
And we've just had a pleasant weekend with nephew Dylan and his Sasha, both very sweet and full of bounce. We had a few good walks, and a few good meals - Sasha made us a herring and beetroot salad, we had a barbecue and sat round a log fire outside Saturday evening, v. nice.
_________________________________________
This whole thing took about 20 minutes, and really it haunted us the whole evening, it was so very extraordinary. As Dad said, it was as if the zebra were accepting that one of them had to go and saying to the lion, come on, get it over with.
_________________________
And on Sunday we took them to the Kruger Park for the day, and had an amazing day's viewing. Winter's by far the best time to go, because the bush thins out, and apart from the usual, we saw quite a lot of unusual - a disemboweled buck hanging from a tree, which is a leopard's larder, though no sign of the leopard; and a mob of hippos like huge rocks with backbones, in a pool sunning themselves, lolling on each other. But, most amazing of all, we watched all three acts of a lion kill drama, all laid out on a plain in front of us, only 200 yards away.
First act: a herd of zebra milling about uneasily, knowing the lioness was there somewhere, not spotting her where we could see her, behind an anthill - another lioness (we only saw her later) must have been upwind from them, pushing them towards the other. You could see the agitation in the zebras, swishing their tails from side to side, moving a bit forward, then a bit back, but always closer - and then act two: a sudden spurt of animals, a cloud of dust, the zebras scattering, but only a little: and one was down kicking with the lioness on top of it.
Then act three - out of the bushes strolls (really there is no other word for it) the lion towards the kill, growls at the lioness who retreats hastily and the lion takes her place on top of the zebra. Out of the opposite side comes a second lioness, both hang about but don't dare go too near, several blacktailed jackals slink onto the scene, a vulture or two start hovering, the lion pulls the kill further into the bush, the lionesses follow respectfully. And the remaining zebras move away slowly, no longer scared, though one zebra started whinnying, almost as if in mourning. And not too far away, an elephant browsing, not giving the scene a second glance.
This whole thing took about 20 minutes, and really it haunted us the whole evening, it was so very extraordinary. As Dad said, it was as if the zebra were accepting that one of them had to go and saying to the lion, come on, get it over with.
It's really great to know that it's so easy to go to the Park for a day's viewing - we left at 7.30, got there in an hour and twnty minutes, spent most of the day there - then drove to White River (actually from the gate just next to Komatipoort, the Mozambique border) for an earlyish dinner at the Bagdad Cafe. So, this is something else we are longing to do with you all, and I wish you would all get your arses over here!! Specially as we have now turned the cottage into a thing of considerable charm...it really is pretty and has comfortable beds. And the guest room en suite in the main house is, of course, smashing. It's REALLY frustrating to think that only Chris has an idea what it looks like now that we're settled in and has sampled Matumi's delights.
So: we are expecting A and K and Bobby end July. As previously promised, I will KILL them if the don't come. Also, CALMA PLEASE come in August during the kids' holiday, while To is in London/Mexico. I need your company, I won't be going off until late August, possibly only September. You can't leave me alone and pining all that time, can you? Our 40th Anniversary celebration next February has nothing to do with a holiday here this year, it can't be made an excuse. Feb 7 1999 will I hope be a huge beanfeast, with all of you there, and Granny, and as many friends as we can persuade to come up from JHB and maybe even elsewhere.
*****
Hi, Dad TG here, to add my plea for you all to make it here THIS year, specially for a while in July/August. Mom EG needs you to touch base with her in this lovely place. And even if I miss you in situ, I'm looking forward SO much to being with you for a while in August/September, partly when Mom is expecting to be Out of Station and On Mission.
I have an assignment of sorts myself over there, in Cardiff in September, to give a talk on media handling of third world public health issues, so I am geared to come over then. But more important, as Mom and I mutually decided, was to spend some weeks giving family support to Phil and Tere to prepare for the great migration. This will give me a chance, thanks to tickets from Chris, to be with you in London for a few days, to give Phil some backup, and to go and give Tere a hand maybe (I haven't told Lisa about this - hold off on telling her until I can work out when to fit in a few days with her (maybe I'll take Phil with me). Another gathering we're hugely looking forward to is Christmas together with you in London. God, it'll be great to see you all there at last.
Meanwhile, we are going to write to Paul and Barbara issuing a general invitation to come and stay with us, pointing out that October and November are good times. Also to Tric. And, for next year, to Teresa in Uruapan, to come maybe with Juan, Angeles, Carmen, or whoever can make it.
That's all for now, my darlings, Mom is calling to do our walk down the driveway before lunch.I'll be contacting you with more detailed suggestions and plans about my movements in a few days. Please pass this around.
Lots and lots and lots of love,
Mom EG and Dad TG
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Comments
Post a Comment