An Award And Just Hangin'...

I was given the Liebster Blog Award by Annette over at "News from Aspen Meadows"

Thank you Annette!

She has listed a bunch of  fabulous blogs, so please go and check them out!

Lots and lots of glorious blog-hopping to do!!

I walked into my daughters bedroom latish this morning and found her and Trompie still in bed...

...just hangin'...

Hey,Trompie aren't you supposed to be outside in the bush..

...like..doing the warthog thing,..you know...?

.."But I am doing the warthog thing!..

...Look I am reversing back into my hole so you can't throw me out!"

"Hmmm,such a comfy old hole this..."

Minki's way of getting people up and out of bed.....

For a moment I thought she was going to succeed and get them up.....

Oh,you two are useless..!!!

The End

Baked Camembert Cheese And Other Weekend Goodies...

I have discovered baked Camembert cheese! Slice off the top bit (1/2cm),stick in some garlic pieces,dab the top with some extra virgin olive oil...or keep it plain if you don't want to spoil the plain goodness of it...and stick it in the oven at 180 oC for 15-20 min. If you buy the type sold in a little wooden box, make sure it is fastened together with staples,not the ones glued together because they tend to come unglued in the heat of the oven...ask me I tried it!!!

I stuck mine in the oven in a little bowl like this...

Serve it with some crusty french loaf..

Very,very nice!

I found these quirky little miniature loaf pans at a shop the other day and made some little quiches....

The kids loved it cause it looked like the Colonel's little bread loaves....

My efforts at domesticating my husband is paying of big time as he baked a batch of buttermilk rusks ALL by himself today!!

They are disappearing out of the oven as we speak..,they might not make the process of drying out and storing...

We named this guy  Trompie and he is doing great!

He has discovered dog food and is being slowly weaned of the bottle.

He has gained a lot of weight and is strong,healthy and playful.

As you can see, he is totally at home...

That's our weekend wrap up!

The End

International Rock Group Has Narrow Escape In Private Lodge Near Kruger!

Internasionale rockgroep vertel van wildtuin-drama

2012-01-19 22:25I got this article from a local newspaper,Die Beeld, this morning.Google translater doesn't make any sense so I translated the article as I couldn't find it in English.

• Artikelopsies
• Deel
• Kry Beeld op

Die internasionale rockgroep Kongos het gister ’n noue ontkoming gehad toe hulle van die vloedwaters by Klaserie gered is. Links staan Dylan, Jessy, Danny en Johnny. Foto: Cornél Van Heerden

Foto's   ·   Lesersfoto’s   ·   Nuus in Foto'sStuur vir ons jou foto's  ·  Stuur vir ons jou foto's

Pauli van Wyk

An International Rock Group has experienced an African adventure yesterday when the flood waters chased them out of the Lodge at Klaserie, where they had been staying, on the western border of Kruger National Park.

The four Kongos brothers are in the middle of their South African tour.

Johnny, Jesse, Dylan and Danny are the children of  John Kongos, who achieved local success in the  1960’s with the group "Johnny and the G-Men " and  as solo artist.

The brothers,now named "The Kongos",grew up in South Africa and later moved to England so that John could further his musical career.

“When I think back now,ten minutes meant the difference between life and death," said Johnny,the oldest brother.

“A worker at the lodge woke us up at 7:00 and told us we had better get out of there seeing as the other Lodge were under water already",said Dylan.

“I looked out the window,the previous night you couldn't even see the little river through the trees. 

“I got a fright when I saw how terribly close the water was." 

“We flew out of bed and was inside the Land Rovers and cars outside minutes later. In those few minutes the water levels rose terrifyingly fast and parts of the Lodge were already under water."

The group,together with friends of theirs,then tried to reach a nearby Lodge that was situated a little higher in Land Rovers and other vehicles.One of the vehicles hit a stone and had to be left behind.

“We had to search for a way through,so high did the water levels rise in the streams and riverbeds, it was crazy ” said Jesse.

Eventually the group was flown to the  O.R. Tambo-airport in Kempton Park by a military helicopter.

“The pilot said that by that stage he  had already airlifted 80 people to safety” said Dylan.

“With us in the helicopter was a family who had only hunting rifles and cell phones with them,that was all they could save,it was rough." 




A couple of dramatic pictures of some of yesterdays rescues,also published in "Die Beeld" this morning.

This man tied himself to the tree while waiting for the helicopter to come pick him up!

                                              Police man calling him over to strap him up and airlift him...

Up,up and away,safe at last!

The Blyde River Adventure camp being swept away,apparently only a part of one of those buildings are still standing...

This is the Swadini Dam wall that was feared to be cracked at one stage! The dam was 118% full the day before yesterday and they have now opened up the sluices..

This poor lady had her child strapped to her back when she was saved from the river!

Just terrible..

"We made it!!"

Shocked,frightened,but safe...

Thank you to all these brave policeman and rescue service people for doing what you do!!

The End

Flooding in Kruger Park

No lives lost so far,Praise be God! Extensive damage in Kruger Park. Yesterday, the combined efforts of the Air force,police,rescue services and private helicopters has led to the rescue of about 150 people from the roofs of houses and tree tops in the Hoedspruit region,guests in Kruger Park are being moved around in an effort to avoid the waters.Two Oryx helicopters have moved about 60 schoolchildren from two schools in the Bushbuckridge area.

Rescue efforts are continuing today.

I have no idea how many poor animals have drowned or been swept away...

Here is a video clip taken yesterday and shown on You Tube of the flooding in Kruger National Park. This was taken in the Letaba Restcamp.  You can watch it by clicking .here

Floods January 2012

Photo by Kruger National Park Sightings

This is what is happening in our area today! 

This pic was taken in the Kruger National Park today.

No one can reach or leave the towns of Phalaborwa or Hoedspruit unless you fly in by helicopter!

If you happen to be visiting Kruger Park,you stay there for however long it takes for the water to subside...the rains are showing no signs of letting up!

Photo by Kruger National Park Sightings

Same spot a little later...

Photo by Andre Weidemann

This is the R40 going to the town of Hoedspruit!

Helicopters are lifting people from trees and the river as we speak!

Absolutely no way other than helicopter to get in.

The air force from Polokwane has sent in helicopters as it seems the Military Air Force base in Hoedspruit is flooded...!

It is rumoured that the Swadini dam wall has cracked and EVERYBODY has had to be evacuated from  their homes there,reportedly already some houses washed away,and household contents such as fridges,furniture etc floating down the streets of Hoedspruit.

Swadini Holiday resort is flooded.

Picture by Africa Geographic

Letsitele area is safe at the moment.

We are totally OK here as long as the Tzaneen dam holds!

It would take a huge amount of water to damage that dam...but still...

I am off to see what they are reporting on the news!

Over and out!

White-faced Whistling Ducks

The past couple of days have been unseasonably windy here. The other day I took Minki for a walk on the farm to some of the places I have not visited in a while....and what do you know,...the pond on the North-Western side of the house seemed to have become a nursery room for two White-faced Ducks and their broods! They are extremely wary and I didn't want to make them feel threatened in any way so I took a quick couple of photographs of them swimming among the lilies and retreated before Minki became curious too.These are truly beautiful birds and I hope the rock monitors and snakes leave well alone! I think there are about fifteen or so ducklings.

This is the first time they have nested here in our fourteen years on the farm!

"Minki! Keep still you!"

Look at that load of babies!

Right behind the Mama duck,if you can just peek through the branches!

A better shot of the big brood,just look at that!

Aren't those lilies just gorgeous, they smell so nice..but a schlep to pick unless you want to go in the water with the monitors,catfish and phytons hiding in there!

When we expect important guests I bribe one of the labourers with a packet of cigarettes to go get me some!

It works every time!!

I thought it would be fun to post some Valentine related pics from Mother Nature and so 

I have  been keeping a look out for Nature's own little Valentine themed produce.  On that day got a very nice heart shaped something which I will post a pic of on Valentines Day!

Another reason for lots more fun walks in the bush for Minki and I during the next couple of weeks!

Are YOU going to join us on this little Valentines Venture????

xoxo

Baby Warthog

On New Year's Day,we aquired a new member of the family....Jess brought home a orphaned baby warthog from a friend's game farm...

The day of his arrival....

Minki takes him under her vigilant care...

Why do you want me to eat grass??

I want my bottle!

Do we all have to go down on our knees when we eat now???

"I may be small but I can keep four guineas at bay!!!"

The guineas inspect every strange, new animal on the farm....

Yeah,yeah...like that!!

I won't let them stalk me from behind!

"'Come on,give it your best shot!"

In just a week,he went from completely wild to completely in love with Jess!

This pic was taken today...after five days he is completely at home ....

The End