On the Seventh Day he rested… in the Kalahari…

I had to go to Upington for my son yesterday. Linda was to accompany me on the long 400 km round trip, but due to 12 stitches in her foot, she stayed behind…

Now this trip alone would normally have been taken at breakneck speed, but for a change I merely tootled along and admired the scenery…

The Kalahari is flat, the roads straight, and normally everyone is breaking the speed limit… I didn’t…

Interspersed in the long straight roads will be a range of hills as you can see in the photo, but I’m now convinced that the Lord created these flat areas with his hand so that he could spread his blanket and enjoy a picnic in one of the most beautiful areas of South Africa… the Kalahari…

“What is so brilliant about the Kalahari? It’s damn hot or bloody cold, it never rains and it is so flat there is nothing to see…” this is the normal reaction to my stating I love the place…

Go slow people and look around… the area is ablaze with flowers at the moment… that purple haze on the ground? Look closer its flowers…

as far as the eye can see is this purple haze

The yellow is now breaking out all over….

This area is the garden of Eden.. there is not a thin sheep, cow, horse or for that matter donkey and they never look fat…

Happy Thanks giving to all my American friends…..

Ver in die ou Kalahari…. far in the old Kalahari….

Jim Reeves sang a song titled “Old Kalahari”, not sure how many of you know of the song or for that matter Jim Reeves. But here are a few lines of the song ‘cause that is where I am and busy, busy, busy….

Ver in die Ou Kalahari daar sing die Boere so (far in the old Kalahari the farmers are singing thus) 
Gee ons die Ou Kalahari die Ou Kalahari bo (Give us the old Kalahari, the old Kalahari is tops)
In misty plains all around me the burning sun and sand
Lovely and peacful surroundings my old Kalahari land

Sonbesies sing in jou bosse die hittige son te versmaai (Sun Beetles sing in the bushes the suns heat to scorn)
Rooi Afrikaner-osse sien jy om elke draai (Red Afrikaner Oxen to be seen around every turn) 
Ver in die Ou Kalahari tot daar in die Molopo (Far in the old Kalahari up there in the Molopo)
Gee ons die Ou Kalahari die Ou Kalahari bo (Give us the old Kalahari, the old Kalahari is tops)

When I am called on safari by him whom I cannot deny
I pray that the old Kalahari will be part of that land in the sky.

Well that is where I am and I have a contract to complete here, so I might not be around for a while, but will pop in when I can… saw this bird this morning and had to capture it for you all…..

Entertaining squirrels of the Kalahari….

Just some more photos continuing on the theme of Fridays post…

“Oh, Oh, who’s that behind me..???……”

“Hello hello hello… what have we here?? A camera with a face attached to it…”

“Think I’ll dig a new hole… hope the wife keeps out of it this time…”

“Damn here she comes..”

“Hey Hubby.. digging a new hole…. let me help…”

“Get out the way… you are making a mess of this… let me show you how…”

“Gone off sulking again… will never listen, just like a man who will never ask directions…”

“She really thinks she’s a know it all…. I’ll just hide behind my tail… anyway I’ve never been lost a day in my life….”

It is such fun to listen to these animals talk to each other…..

All Things Large and Small…..

When one takes to the Kalahari, specially the Kgalagardi Gemsbok Park.. you are all excited about the possibilities of seeing one of these… ‘specially a close encounter like this…

But there are other smaller animals that can be as entertaining if not more so and the yellow mongoose is no exception specially when so close… what? sharing the food again…

Or the ground squirrels that can be so entertaining and “in your face” close…

Wonder where he stores his nuts.?????…….

More Squirrels on Monday………..

The Beauty of the Beast…

When one witnesses the kill of a lion, it is with a certain amount of sorrow for the victims demise, yet for the Lion’s survival it is necessary. The lion, however is a majestic beast and considered the King of the Jungle. The king of the jungle can be disputed when one watches the video on YouTube a link to which I add here…. (do go and look, all involved survive the encounter)

But the beauty of a lion male is in disputable… his majestic look is there for all to see, and those in the Kgalagadi are probably the most beautiful… But they are so damn lazy…

They even look as though they’re dead…

Fortunately they occasionally raise their heads enabling a good capture…

and then this guy looks over to two of his mates that are “spooning”, do you know what spooning is ??

You married people should know.. I do it every night…

I hope I don’t upset anyone with this joke, but I did enjoy it…. “Once upon a time, a lion, a tiger, and a bear were sitting on a hill. They were getting hungry. Below them, three men walked by, a Frenchman, an Italian and a Czech man. The lion said ‘I haven’t had French food in a while’. So, he ran off and ate the French man. The tiger said, ‘I’m hungry for some Italian food’. So, he ran off and ate the Italian man. The bear looked at the sole remaining man, and said ‘I guess it’s my turn to spring for the Czech’!” … not a good joke… maybe this one is better…

Two lions were sitting outside a clinic. One of them was crying like hell. So the other asked, “Why are you crying?” The first one replied, “I came here for a blood test” Second one asked, “So, are you afraid?” First one replied, “No, not that. During the blood test they cut my finger.” Hearing this, the second lion started crying. The first one was astonished and asked the other, “Why are you crying?” The other replied, “I have come for my urine test.”