On the morning of Christmas eve, I was brushing my teeth when a mighty explosion rent the air. I assumed it was something that had happened underground as the area is quite often subjected to minor quakes due to rock bursts in the abandoned mines, but it was far worse. The driver of a tanker carrying 60 000 litres of LPG took a wrong turn and got stuck in an underpass and in spite of the fire brigade being fairly quickly on scene, it was soon ablaze and then exploded. Unfortunately a lot of locals had been attracted to the scene and at least 30 were killed including a dozen kids and two firemen. Not a good start to Christmas.
On Christmas Day I was busy cooking a pork belly roast when I noticed a lot of activity around this flower spike. Think it is some kind of chlorophytum with a large wasp in attendance and a bee on it's way from the right.
On what was traditionally Boxing Day but now Family Day apparently, I headed off for Durban for a house-sitting stint at a friends beautiful place in Kloof. Duties included food and love for dogs including Rolo, who's party trick was to sit up on his haunches.......except when you wanted him to!
This is the very laid back and gentlemanly Larry, who was a bit aloof at first but soon became my favourite.............
.............and the very Tiggerish Brin who was all licks, bounces and mischief..........
................such as this that greeted me one morning!
Jenny's garden is superb and host to many species of birds...........
........including these two woolly-necked storks who waited for breakfast to be served every morning. This consisted of small lumps of cheese that needed to be thrown onto the garage roof to maintain peace between them and hysterical mutts.
We were sitting having sundowners on the veranda shortly after I arrived when Jenny spotted something unusual in the adjacent reserve. Fortunately the camera was within reach and I managed to get a shot of this European roller with dinner. Only remember seeing them in the area on two previous occasions.
Took the Honda out along the Old Main Road to Pietermaritzburg one morning and stopped for a break in Monteseel with views of the Valley of a Thousand Hills.
Attention was drawn to some scarlet flowers which turned out to be a dwarf coral tree Erythrina humeana.
Returned via Inchanga and was pleased to see that the Umgeni Steam Railway yard is still a hive of activity. Must be one of the last trains running in RSA as most of the others have been brought to a halt by rampant thievery and corruption.
Was joined by Wendy for a stroll in Pigeon Valley which has been badly affected by the floods and was fairly quiet. Did find something that my brain refused to identify but fortunately it had a label, wild loquat Oxyanthus pyriformis
All too soon it was back to Boks but the bike at least provides some entertainment. Mostly I just take roads I don't know and see if I can find a way home. There are still some quiet tree lined suburbs but the potholes are ubiquitous. Most of the parks are either going or have gone downhill and Jo'burg central is now a high-rise squatter camp. Almost all of the traffic lights don't work and those that do are generally ignored and the whole of Gauteng is returning to darkest Africa status as only a fraction of the street lights are still functional.
Stopped in at the War Museum for a break and found this monument to those South Africans lost in the First World War. That's an angel of mercy on top but the light was wrong so she's facing the other way!
As it is right next door to the Zoo, I assume that is where these little ground squirrels came from. Was cameraless so had to use my phone, hence the limited magnification.
Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is only about 30 km away and is always worth a visit. When I got to the gate I was told I could pay on the way out as the cashier was running late. When I left I was told that their card machine wasn't working so I should pay double on my next visit!
Always fascinated by these mushrooms that are strong enough to crack open a termite mound, guess the phallic shape helps. The spores are apparently carried into chambers where other fungi are grown for food and obviously require some roof repairs once they die back.
First up a mountain wheatear whose stance would please any sergeant major...........
...........while a Levaillant's cisticola preferred a slouch. The dark streaked back and reddish cap make this one of the easier members to recognise in a notoriously difficult group of LBJ's.
Suikerbosrand which boasts the highest point in Gauteng, is very hilly compared to the surrounds and covers an area of just under 12 000 ha. It is home to a range of ungulates including large herds of zebra, black wildebeest and red hartebeest.
After some of the heaviest rains in many years it was sporting some flowers including African bluebells Wahlenbergia undulata ...........
.............a pineapple lily Eucomis sp............
..........and these that I believe are rabbit's ears Haemanthus humulis as they have hairy stalks. Not a species I have ever encountered before so rather exciting.
A particular treat to see these days, was a pair of secretary birds doing their stately rounds.
They eventually had enough of the loon with the camera and took to an even more stately flight.
Finally on a ride to nowhere in particular I came across a small group of the prettiest little falcons around, Amur's. First the female...........
.......and here a male with his dashing red pantaloons.
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