Four seasons and a progress report

Hello Again!

Such strange weather we're having!!! Beautiful sunsets, gusty winds, rolling thunder, heavy rain and a sudden hail storm!!!
All in one single day!!!!!

It started with a really crisp, clear Autumn morning with not a cloud in sight.....

... the birds stayed a little later and the game, well, they also came just a little later than usual for a drink...(usually they dead on time)

The rest of the day was warm, lazy and windless,  'till early afternoon when suddenly and without the usual built up to a storm warnings....

... this monster came rolling in!!!  Just look at the sky above this monster, no real storm clouds!!! But it got D-a-r-k really quickly and we could actually hear the hail coming.....

... The sound was deafening!!! You can actually see the size of the hailstones in these photo's!!!  Luckily we suffered just a little wind damage, but this same storm caused huge damage and flash flooding elsewhere in the country!!! ...

....And about 2 hours later we were blessed with this incredible sunset!!! Unreal!!!!...

...You can still see some rain in the background....

...I think the moisture in the air washed....

...all the sunset colors together....

...to make these beautiful soft and washed....

                     ....  sunset colors....!!!!!!!!

         ... as if there hadn't been a storm with rain,                                                winds, hail or thunder!!!!!

....and that night it got really cold, not wintery cold, just crispy cold!!! Cold enough to grab a blanket....
And this is the reason for my progress report...
This blanket is making me so happy at the moment!!!!! It's so nice to cosy up in front of the telly and just work it....

I love the way the colors fit together......

...Soft, easy and flow-y....I love crocheting the blocks together into long strips of color....

   ...and then crocheting the strips together......

...and with a warm fuzzy feeling, you watch and feel your blanket grow...

...Slowly but surely!!!! But it's still a way to go!!!  For now though, I'm just loving this blanket!!!   And I love to look at it and think "I made it !!!!!!!!"

Are you loving what you're making?

See you again soon, dear Bloggy friends!!!
Love
AMarie

Hello birdie...

Well, Hello - Hello to you all!!!

Aaahh!!!  Birdwatching!!!!  What a lovely hobby it is!!!

Collared Sunbird

We love birds!!!  Why??!!!  Well, they are so truly independent of us, they really don't need us to survive!!!  They can be found anywhere and everywhere, cities, desserts, towns, fields, mountains, at sea, ... really anywhere that you can possibly think of, you WILL find a birdie or 10!!!

Redheaded Finch

It gets you outdoors and that is always a good thing!!!! I love being out in the bush and fresh air and before you know it, you're off looking for more birds AND you're walking!!!  Exercising!!!

Me, on a mission

And all you need is a good binoculars, a camera and a good bird book to help identify the birds!!!

Striped Kingfisher

They are so incredibly clever!!!!  They are the Masters of architecture!!! Have you ever watched a weaver bird built his nest!!!  Amazing!!! Weaved with grass and lined with feathers, it's warm, cosy and waterproof!!! 
They occupy prime properties with the best views and there are plenty of styles to choose from...

Common Weaver nests

If you're a weaver....

Masked Weaver

All they need is a tree, or a ledge, under the eaves, on mountain sides or just on the ground, a single blade of grass or a clump of floating debris, just a small little space is all they need and anywhere will do!!! And if you're lucky enough you'll find a special little home in a lovely garden!!!!

Feral Pigeon

Wouldn't we just love to be able to navigate like they do!!!  Over continents and the deep blue sea, to fly for days to a summer holiday home somewhere far away!!!  A journey once made, is a route remembered forever!!!

Greater Striped Swallow

And then there are the cleaner-uppers - the carrion birds!!!

Vultures Circling

Like vultures, kites, eagles, buzzards, hawks, harriers and gymnogene....

Whitebacked Vulture

There are the clever little honeyguides who guide badgers to a bees' nest and when the nest is broken they feed on the wax and grubs!!!

Barthroated Apalis

There are birds who sound the alarm on  pending danger, giving the animals time to escape either from predators or humans!!!

Scalyfeathered Finch

 They can soar.... or hover.... 

Jackal Buzzard

They can dive, swim, hop and run....and fly...

Saddlebilled Stork

They vary so greatly in size, from about 7cm to the biggest bird ... the ostrich, who stands tall at about 2m....

Male Ostrich

Some have brilliant colors ...  

European Bee-Eater

and some don't ... but when has white,black and grey ever looked better!!!

Blacksmith Plover

The males are almost always brighter and prettier than the females!!!

Blue Waxbill

They live on land ......

Crimson Boubou

....and in water....

Egyptian Geese

And then there are the nocturnal birds like ...

Spotted Eagle Owl

owls and others like nightjars!!!

Spotted Eagle Owl

They feed on a large range of insects, rodents, snakes, seeds, fish, frogs, worms and so on...

European Bee-eater

and then you get birds who filter the water to find their food!!! Like the beautiful, beautiful Flamingo!!! They wade in shallow water and feed on algae!!!

Greater Flamingo

I was so lucky to get this photo of flamingo's on our dam because I have never seen them again!!!  We just haven't had enough rain again like we did that year!!!

Forktailed Drongo

But inspite of all their survival skills and their abilities to adapt, there are still a LARGE number of birds on the endangered list!!!!  With humans being the their biggest enemy, destroying their habitat... and indiscriminately using poison in agriculture!!!
This beautiful bird is South-Africa's national bird....

Blue Crane

....our very own Blue Crane is high on the endangered list....

Blue Crane

and unfortunately, he's one of many!!!!
Can you imagine waking up one morning without the sound of bird - chirps??!!!  
Sadly that is not an impossibility!!!

European Roller

Next time you see a little birdie in your garden, I hope you'll enjoy it just a little more!!!

Laughing Dove

They really are incredible little creatures!!! And this is just what I see on my little piece of land....!!!!!
'Till next time dear friends..
Love
AMarie

***** PS: All the photo's on this post were taken here on our farm by myself and my sister, Margaret Klee!!*******

Easter with my Sisters

Hi Everybody

Can't believe it's been 2 weeks since my last post!!  Been busy and quiet at the same time??!!!   
Busy with farm things AND relaxing with my sisters!!!

Makie and husband Heinie came to visit for a couple of days, and of course, we had a wonderful time!!  
They bought a new 4x4 camping trailer and came to try it out for the first time here on the farm. 

It's wonderful, the tent sets up on top of the trailer so you're sleeping quite high off the ground and almost in the tree tops (Acacia thorn trees are not very high trees) so you wake up in the trees with the birds!!!  They also set up their outside shower and that too worked perfectly!! (The green add-on is the shower)
It has a built-in kitchen complete with fridge and stove, a double bed (see the little window? that is right at your head) built-in water tanks, and storage place galore!!! 

Really you can go anywhere, you don't need electricity or a big place!! As long as you have place for your vehicle and your trailer, you can stop anywhere, any time and within a few minutes you'll have a place to sleep for the night!!! 

             Cheers and happy camping!!!  
And what would camping be without a fire.... good company... some wine.... a really good stew (we call it a Potjie - a one pot stew made slowly (lots of visiting time) over an open fire) and lots of laughter.... ???!!!!

           And as Makie and Heinie left.......

.......Sister Zennet and hubby Alwyn came to visit!!!!

                    ....... for Easter.......

...... with the usual culprits like hot cross buns, lemon and poppy seed muffins, strawberry muffins and chocolate eggs........

     ( .... I just love this cute little rooster......)

                ...and more chocolate eggs...

   ....Funky hens clucking around  more                                                chocolate eggs....

 ......little chicks chirping with delight at more chocolate eggs......

..... and Happy-Hoppy Bunnies finding a                 Golden Egg.....

....and much, much more.... eating too much... but when there is the best spare ribs in the world!!!! What's a girl to do?.....
So a crazy-lazy fun-filled Easter was had by all and quality time was spent with my dear sisters!!!

                .... and here we are......

....from L-R...  Makie, Zennie and Moi....
The "Charmed Ones"... and with the power of 3, we're able to move heaven and earth... 

They also both found a new love......her name is Tjanga....

          
              .....and remember this?.....

                
                     ..... Tah - Dah!!!!! .......

....a birthday present for Zennie, 28th March and Alwyn, 30th March......

... it's quite large and difficult to get all of it in one shot AND the light was bad ....

...they love cats and have kitty nik-naks all over ....

..... Miss Molly did a really good job with the face.....

.... I really loved the different scrapbook            papers...

                        .... and colors...

.... and I think I'm happy with the end results but more importantly, they loved it and that mattered most!!!

This morning I woke up and the air was cool and crisp!!!! I think the seasons have finally changed and winter might very well be on it's way!!  Can't wait to snuggle under my blankets and eat lots and lots of soup!!!  

It's been fun visiting with you but now I am going to love you and leave you 'till next time!!!

Love
AMarie