Mkhado on my mind

Had an absolute downpour last night, so loud on the roof I couldn't hear the TV.  Still drizzling so excellent time to do a little scribbling.

There are an astounding array of places to visit around here and first stop was Hangklip Forest a small remnant hidden among the vast plantations on the slopes above the town.  Stopped for a wander around the picnic site and right above my head...........

........a Narina trogon trying his best to attract a mate.  Wouldn't have thought the ladies could be picky when you look like that.  Competition came from the erythrinas that were showing off their scarlet finery.

The eucalypts, by contrast, were deadly quiet but rather hypnotic, standing rigidly to attention and reflecting the sunlight.

Hard to believe that Zimbabweans are having a hard time economically when you see vehicles from there loaded like this heading for the border.  The other day there was a huge collection of stuff next to the main road near Mountain Inn and a little further on a trailer turned upside down for running repairs,  Saw them re-loading the trailer the next day so they must have been successful.

Even the cross border buses tow an immense trailer to accommodate the passengers gear.


                                

The Zoutspan part of the Zoutspansberg  is Dutch for salt pan and the other day I discovered that there actually is one that still has two companies mining salt from it.  Its situated right at the end of the range near Vivo.

An interesting tree flowering at the moment is the Worm-cure albisia, Albisia anthelmintica, the bark and roots of which are used as a cure for intestinal worms particularly tape worm.  It's actually been tested and found to work with no side effects - one wonders exactly how do people from ancient cultures find these things out?

Went in search of Blue-spotted wood-dove at Muirhead dam without success but while in the hide watched this little Cape white-eye gathering spider web for it's nest.

Finally found Blouberg Nature Reserve (after three attempts) which boasts a large breeding colony of Cape vultures and a patch fig forest. Not quite on the same scale as Mkuse but some impressive specimens of Ficus sycamorus. 

There's also this rather large baobab...............

..........with pristine bark as there are no elephants in the reserve.

Went to have a look around Levubu a rather scattered village surrounded by fruit and nut farms.  Came across this on the way back and rather wondered what overseas visitors would make of it.  Imagined bells on little legs holding their clangers while scampering across, Bell is a massive, local, earth-moving machinery manufacturer.

How about this for the ultimate social climber - a Forest cabbage tree Cussonia sphaerocephala in the Entabene forest

Was invited to join friends at Mkuse for a weekend and as it's 900 k's from here thought it would be a good idea to take time out and look for the next stop.  Spent two nights in Modimolle (Nylstroom) and was amazed by the size of the Black monkey thorns Acacia (I refuse to bow to the Aussies) burkeii, which were in flower throughout the suburbs.

Two nights in Boksburg and an overnight in Piet Retief made the journey less wearying and on arrival at Mantuma Camp found this majestic Nyala hoovering up the crimson flowers fallen from a sausage tree.

Spent time with my beloved Jo at her exceptionally well chosen final resting spot and hope to join her there some day - it's in the will guys.

 

Still a pod of hippos very close by - probably the same ones that were there when I scattered her ashes.

Chris Smart has had four goes at finding Pel's fishing owl in the fig forest - alas still without luck.  See you all next year then?

Even dead common birds can look appealing, a Cape turtle dove appears content.

The drive back was a bit more hectic with just an overnight stop at Loskop, the clouds were building up at sunset and later there was an almighty highveld thunderstorm that flashed, crashed and banged for several hours - bliss.