These special moments

The simple things matter - a lunch under a tree on a summers day with family. Bliss.

Leafy Greens Cafe

Jill and I have had been wanting to go for ages, to the Leafy Greens Cafe. Jill is a vegetarian and I enjoy a good vegetarian meal. We had the boys with us and it was a beautiful sunny day. We got there to have brunch but decided to wait for the lunch buffet. Mmmm, well worth the wait. It was so delicious. We each bought their recipe book.

It was so delicious I went back. 

After lunch walked through the fields and saw rows of wonderful vegetables, chicken running around  and sunflowers reaching for the sky. I returned to the restaurant for coffee and a take-away slice of cheese cake. Bought a few things for the pantry in the shop as well.

Klipriviersberg nature reserve

What a wonderful day. Got home exhausted but felt great.

This is a great reserve to walk/hike at. There are many people and some are faster than others but everyone is enjoying the great outdoors. I only did some of the trails, the brown one, bit of the blue, red and green but a mish-mash and in a loop to get back where I started from. Crossed over on the pipeline and avoided the steep and rocky hills because my intention had been to go for a leisurely walk. But five hours later when I ran out of water I really wanted to call it quits. I started chatting to this guy and the went right past the exit so I had to go all the way back again. Argh. Ha, ha!

Rhino and Lion Park revisited (again)

Went along to the Rhino and Lion Park with another group of friends. Always a great day out, I would recommend it. Better than a zoo. Great for kids. We had some wonderful moments watching the rhino and the lions. Pack a picnic or have a braai.

Pottery classes

Started pottery classes with Digby this year. Having a lot of fun. Hand work at the moment, and Digby is teaching me the wheel. I have made 2 lopsided bowls on the wheel and 5 lopsided bowls by hand and will do glazing next week. Everything is unknown and doesn't turn out as per my vision. That what makes it exciting.

Finding sanctuary

For so many years I have been wanting to go to Mountain Sanctuary Park. Friends that went and raved about it have divorced while I am still getting my shit together to book and go. It's not even that far, I don't understand what the delay was other than procrastination.

Of course as soon as we check in and they say: It's a bit of a steep climb I know that I have been dazzled with pictures of water pools and streams and failed to realise it was in the mountains, despite the name Mountain Sanctuary Park, duh! Pay attention, sweet thing. 
They also tell us that because there has been the drought there is no water in the pools. What? We just passed the Buffelspoort Dam and it sure was full. Okay, so I am not going to see any of those amazing sights you have on your website, hmmm. I don't really care. The quiet is so wonderful - die stilte. 

As soon as our things are in the cabin we take the hike to the rapids, it's just after noon and it is very hot, I am grateful I brought a hat. The only sound I hear are my shoes dislodging the stones on the gravel as I walk. When we stop I can hear the birds, insects, baboons calling and my stomach rumbling. We don't see another person. Even when we go to the West Pool there is no one. We only see the soles their shoes imprinted in the sand. We sit in the shade on a rock and enjoy where we are. A deep breath and a prayer of thanks.

The baboons are getting closer and their grunts are intimidating enough to make me want to move on. We go across the rocks, up above the pool and on the way back we see the baboons in the tree we had been sitting under. Yes, your territory, I understand. 

The swimming pool at Mountain Sanctuary Park is an oasis, a beautiful spot and with the sun going down it is a remarkably romantic setting. 

Although there is electricity in the cabin we don't switch on any lights. We sit outside and watch as more and more stars are revealed in the darkness. Wonderful. I cannot imagine the sky able to support the weight of all those stars. It takes one's breath away. 

Next morning we are up early, we had planned on being out before the sun crept over the mountain but really what's the rush? So then to the pools (with no water) in the east. Yes, one can imagine how magnificent it must be when each hollow is filled with water. Imagine how the river splashes from pool to pool, the water clean, clear, cool and refreshing. Exactly as per the photographs on the website. Sigh.

After that, past the reservoir and climbing, climbing (not that steep really). I keep thinking I can't go any further, it's too hot and we still have to go back but I want to see want is beyond that ledge, and the next and the next. Until we peer over one and discover water. Not like the discover of water, duh. The grotto, the water source, that has trickled down the narrow crack between the rocks and cut itself a groove across the stones, that followed the easiest path down the hill. Refreshing. Sat here for awhile, and ate our breakfast. Cheese, biltong and nuts. 

On the way back, we didn't want to rush it, so we climbed up onto a rock and wondered why we were alone, where is everyone? The sun on your face and clean air, really, who needs anything else.

But back we must go, and back home too.

Met a couple going up as we were going down, the girl looked happy, the guy looked grumpy, and sunburnt.

Baboons never the camp, gosh, but they are big. Apparently there are two groups that often have a territorial fight, tearing trees down and scaring the campers.

Ai, on the dirt road driving out thinking we should have booked for longer. So lucky to have these moments and experiences. 

A day in the long grass

Early one Saturday morning we leave for Dinokeng. 

Honestly, about 6kms to go and the traffic is diverted off the highway because of an accident. Argh! It takes forever to get onto the offramp then down the other side and back on the highway. It's hot, but we have plenty of water and we are listening to all the callers on 702. 

Dinokeng. Let's just say we won't be back. Driving in thick bush all day with little likelihood of seeing anything in the long grass. Must be hell in summer, hotter still and even less chance of spotting anything. We also made the mistake of thinking that the Elephant Wateringhole would actually be a watering hole with or without elephants but it isn't. Don't follow these signboards unless you are looking for a fenced off area where you can braai a chop and go to the toilet. But before even that let me tell you what happened - I didn't follow the map so ended up on a 4x4 track that was getting more and more difficult to manoeuvre and the only way out was going back or down a 30° incline, through a sandy dip, or sand pit, depending on your view. Yes, we choose to go back the way we came. First gear up the hill, all the way. Argh, again ;-) Our map flew out the window and no one realised until we had to decide west or south and could not find our piece of paper that would reassure us we were making the right choice. Argh, yet again. Just take me home country road, I am done. 

 

Starting the weekend

Last Friday we started the weekend with an evening braai, as we say in South Africa: tjop en dop. Lovely to sit outdoors and chill.

Field and study, without the studying

To tell you the truth I had nothing in the house for breakfast and didn’t want to sit indoors at a restaurant so we took ourselves off to the Field and Study market. What a great surprise. It was casual and comfortable, nice vibe. Unhurried and engaging. A great family market.

I meet the two ladies at the Umba stand. They make crocheted soft toys, really beautiful and with lots of personality. We swopped stories on toy making and I would like to get together with them again. Their group meets every Friday in Parkhurst and I might take a day off work to join them.

I bought proteas, a goose, a gift for a friend and ordered some Christmas decorations. A man on the guitar provided background music. A sweet young woman tried to persuade me to have a draught of beer for breakfast. No thanks. Loved her display, though. We settled for an almond croissant, eventually.

We will most certainly be back here. You should go, take the kids, there are activities for them and some horses to ride.

Rhinos trot and lions feast

It was a family outing to the Rhino and Lion Park this past Sunday. It's still winter, so a chill in the air but not a cloud in the sky. The veld is the colour of liquid gold and its edges strawberry gold from the red dust the vehicles churn up on the road.

Of course we would immediately see guinea fowl and as luck would have it my camera wasn't ready so there's no photo of one of my favourite things. Usually they run for cover but this group was also curious about meeting us.

At the first waterhole we see roan, zebra, warthog and ibis. A little further on ostrich, buffalo and rhino. Then another roan, another group of warthog, more zebra and some waterbuck. We are enjoy every moment.

Driving towards the lion camp we see a group of rhino in the valley, so that our next stop. The rhinos and eland are feeding it the same area. From further up the hill a young rhino trots down with the mother close behind. As soon as the little one gets too far ahead he pauses and waits for his mother to catch up, then they travel on side by side but before you know it the little one is trotting ahead again because he just can't wait to get to the feeding station.

Into the lion and predator camps, read the long indemnity form and soon we see wild dog in a group to the right and another group to the left on the hill. The group on the right runs up the hill through a field of aloes so that eventually all the wild dogs are gathered on the rocky outcrop. Gorgeous image.
You can't take a picture of every remarkable moment, you miss engaging with the experience if you do. 

Where the wild things are next - the white lions. OMW, they are so big. They were lazy as all hell and looked like they couldn't eat another morsical, except the one male who was still feasting. Then the one female decided another bite would do not harm, but the male said: no ways bitch, this is mine. A tug this way and that and then they sat down together to eat. Minutes later the male gets up, yawns, licks his lips, looks at the scene in front of him: hmm, a lot of cars and humans today, this is all so boring. I am doing to lie down over there away from all this fuss. He walks towards us and we assume he is going to cross the road in front of us. But no, he is headed straight for our car. I swear he brushed the dust off the side of our car that how close he was. Although logic tells me he wouldn't fit in the gap of the window I still wind it up. We all hold our breath and there is total silence in the car as we each try to process what has just happened. There is nervous laughter, just the other side of a hysterical giggle, once we allow ourselves to blink again. Wow.

We take the road less travelled and see no lions, so up the road most travelled and there they are. Ordinary lions. Magnificent lions. One by one they get up to move into the shade under the tree until they are all lying under it and you could drive past the tree without even noticing them.

More eland in the dry river bed, crows flying off the mountain, we are on the road between the two.

We avoid the vulture restaurant, I went there before and is was a revolting sight and the smell.... no ways. Stopped to watch zebra rolling in the dust. Wildebeest, hardebeest, impala.

Drove to the day visitor's camp where we had our picnic, although we had been snacking in the car throughout our drive. The kids wanted to see the snakes. So we strolled over to the enclosures.

Okay, so for me personally, this almost ruined the wonderful day we had thus far. I didn't like the small areas the snakes were caged in. I didn't like the enclosure for the Eagle Owl, his head was touching the ceiling. Bad planning guys. The enclosures for the other animals - black leopard, cloud leopard, lynx, tiger, cheetah - no, guys, no. All were identical and no efforts was made to create an environment native to the animal. The exchange of cash for selfies with cubs. Ag nee man. Bitter taste in my mouth. Sadder conditions than a zoo, in my opinion. Sorry.

Sigh! Every day ends, so a slow drive before the sun bows out for the day. The light brushes the grass with pale yellow, and the horizon with white. On the way to the exit impala, springbok and guinea fowl line up to say goodbye. Thank you.

The narrative and the photos don't follow the same sequence but your eye should marry up the right image to the correct part of the story.

A horse grazes in the field

All is calm and quiet on Saturday morning while a horse, with crazy eyes, is grazing in the field ;-)

Gentle but wild things

Up the next morning, Sunday, and off to hike at Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve. The sun was out so it is hot, and it's in Pretoria, so hotter than you think. But we had hats and water, so all good.

From the car park you can see the buck, and zebras. 27 steps later and the ostriches put on a display, not for us, but for love, I think.

A much gentler climb than yesterday and walking through the woods expecting to see duikers but didn't. Wouldn't you expect to see duikers on the Duiker Trail?  Beautiful drapes of moss everywhere, in different shades of green. More grasses and pretty flowers and different from the ones we saw at Kloofendal. 

So good to be outside, good thoughts and plans for the year start to take shape as we amble along the path. 


A most enjoyable morning.

Along the ridge, east to west

You know how you drive past a place and you think: I should go there some day and have a look. Then years pass, but one day you do it, you follow the directional boards and you're actually there. So this is how we ended up doing a hike at Kloofendal Nature Reserve on Saturday morning. 

We selected the Dassie Trail because it wasn't the shortest, or the longest. I should have realised that I would need the agility of a dassie, or mountain goat, for this terrain. We only saw one dassie but I am sure many of them saw us. I stop to photograph every little flower, yes I know, so very annoying. That's why we can't hike in a group with others. But the flowers and grasses are all so pretty. Wonderful bird life. It was a great walk and we will be going back.

Stop and take a look

Some moments on the drive down. I would also have stopped for the single sunflower on the side of the road, the man relaxing under the tree, the boys herding cattle, the man walking his dog, the ladies walking through the long grass, the washing on the line. Sigh! Compromise ;-)

Where the wild things are

We couldn't face another full weekend of DIY, so we went to a place, close to home, where the wild things are ;-)

I love the waterbuck, and the eland and seeing the string of wildebeest walking down we ask ourselves: Are we in the Serengeti? Ha, ha, kidding. The day was hot and the grass is still dry and I imagine once we have had some rain it will be difficult to find the animals. 

Wild dog, aaah! Made my day. 

Blowing away in the wind