Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Freedom Day and Early Morning Road Trip



It's Freedom Day today and Jess and I had to leave home at five o'clock this morning to drop her of in Polokwane in time for her lift back to varsity.
Before I continue, let me just say that I loaded these photos on the computer when I got back home at nine and went outside to check on the animals.........Thinking about the nice post I was about to put up today....Little did I know that the sheep and goat ewes decided that they would all (Ok, a few of them) choose to start lambing before 12 noon today! Cules is NOT home today, I opened a maternity ward in the back row of stables and they are filled with mama goats and sheep and their babies. I am covered in placentas,afterbirth yellowish gunk,blood,snottish stuff and what not! I am taking a tea break now and hopefully all the other mamas to be is too! To put the icing on the cake,as I stepped onto the porch just dying to wash off all the gunk and snot...Minki and I came face to face with another spitting cobra,I started screaming and dear old Riempies dived in between the snake and I, and quickly (and expertly ) killed it! All that before twelve in the morning!

Dare I wonder what the rest of this day holds?

Let me continue with my original post for today...





Coming back from Polokwane and driving through the lovely mountains,I decided to turn off into the quaint little village of Haenetsburg. Boer war battles were also fought here until 1901 and this is the last of the Long Tom canons that were destroyed by the Boers rather than letting the British get hold of it. It is huge,if you could see the mountains around here,you would be just as baffled as I am as to how horses could pull this heavy canon through these mountains!

Note: I had no idea I was going to open a maternity ward the minute I got home! I had a Freedom Day post planned! 

Anyway....






Is this called a bullet or a canon ball, it isn't round....??? ...and part of the barrel of the famous canon...






War Memorial






A little interesting info about the famous Long Tom canon for you...The middle part is in Afrikaans,my family's first language....







Some info about the Concentration Camps...





A map of the mountain area.....






I then drove up to the highest part of the village and took some more pics...






I loved the balconies on this house..






Some old machinery....





A kind of fir tree...






We had some more heavy rain showers last night and the smell of mountain heather, fresh after the rains, I could not express...





If I had known what was waiting for me at home, I would have stayed right here until everything on my yard have had their babies!

The End

11 comments:

  1. Love the picture with the bench...can't wait to see the babies.

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  2. Rather you than me Liesl! I think I would have passed out! Us men aren't good in those kind of situations are we?
    Love the photos - you've captured the clear autmunal skies beautifully.

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  3. What a day! If you can handle all of that you can handle anything. Love the graphic descriptions.

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  4. oh liesl! you've got your hands full! (of gunk and afterbirth, apparentely!) :)

    i just googled what freedom day in s. africa represents. that's a wonderful commemoration of a momentous day in history for your country! all people deserve equality.

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  5. Good to have found your blog...glad to read a local...hope you can get over all the birthings soon...

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  6. OMG! Liesl, how many babies in total? What a day for you! And the snake! Can't imagine!
    The phots are great and I've learned a little more about your history, thanks.

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  7. Whew! What a day. Cannot imagine all of those animals giving birth at once and then a spitting cobra. I do hope you post pictures of the babies!

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  8. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!!!

    I could hardly enjoy the rest of your post after your expertly understated introduction. Cobras? No no no!

    I hope you got your tea and ... a bath! What a life you lead! Your blog definitely adds a bit of spice to mine!

    :)

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  9. WOW! You were one busy girl.

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  10. So how many babies did you have? Are pictures coming? Cobra!

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  11. Those are some great pictures. And those cobras are putting my rattlesnakes to shame. Stay safe, OK.--Inger

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Hi,thank you for stopping by "A Little African Magic" and joining my adventures in South Africa. I do enjoy and appreciate to hear from each and every one of you!