Hundreds of trees have been panted on this farm over the years some as windbreaks some just for their aesthetic value. Apart from the pine trees that I photographed today there are also dozens of oak and other species of trees.
A three row windbreak of pine trees, these trees will also provide shelter for cattle under them on cold winters nights and shade on hot days.
A long single row of pine trees stretching of into the distance to join up with another row at right angles. The grass growing here is kikuyu grass, fast growing, lush, and animals just love it, mow it and it makes a lovely lawn.
A yellow wild flower looks a bit like a daisy.
Hidden away in the grass I found these flowers. I don't know what they are called but the whole bunch was not much longer than my index finger. I need to get a book on wildflowers of Natal.
Rich grasslands in the foreground stretching away to the hills in the distance. The amount of plant species among the grass is simply amazing, flowers of every colour of the rainbow, most of them very small.
Lone tree against the evening sky.
On my evening walk today I concentrated on sunsets.
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Bruno posing against the sunset.
Sunset over the water.
Silhouette.
After my fishing outing at the farm dam yesterday evening I took a slightly round about route home and came across this iKhowe mushroom.
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Placed my watch on top of it to give an indication of it's size. These mushrooms are delicious pick the wrong one though and eat it, you're a dead man. About a month ago a whole family of 5 or 6 people, here in Natal, was wiped out after eating poisonous mushrooms.
Apart from the Bushman's river that runs through the farm there are several farm dams all of which are stocked with large mouth black bass. So how lucky can a man get?
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This morning while having my first mug of coffee and watching the sun come up from my veranda, I spotted this Long crested eagle hunting from this perch on the center pivot irrigation system. (Today was the first full day of sunshine, without rain, for several weeks) His main prey are rats and mice, which would be abundant in the ripening wheat below him. Every now and again he would swoop down into the wheat to catch something, he was too far away for me to actually see what he caught.
At about 5:30 this afternoon I walked down to the biggest of the three farm dams that lie close to the farmstead. This one is about 600 meters from my cottage.
The head of a terrapin, (turtle) sticking just above the surface of the water. Note the rings on the water of fish taking insects just below the surface. Bass can sip rising insects as delicately as any trout.
Looking across the water from the dam wall to the farmstead.
Looking from the dam wall down this long shallow valley/wetlands, know here in South Africa as a "vlei", (pronounced flay). This will be a good spot to look out for wetland birds such as blue cranes.
I managed one hook up with a black woolly bugger but lost the fish when it jumped and threw the fly.
Some photos of a very relaxed cat.
A very blurred photo of a very relaxed cat.
Cat the cat lying with the dogs, this has never happened in the past.
Well I'm almost done settling in my new cottage, most things have found a place and my books have been pack out. Some adjustments will have to be made to find the best place for each item. My next task is to set up my fly tying corner in the spare room, I'll try and get that done Saturday.
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View of the lounge from the bedroom end. Cat the cat in the foreground, Sissy and Lady on the couch and Tombi on my chair. Bruno was stretched on the bed. The boxes on the right of the photo contain books on their way to the hospice/SPCA shop.
Kitchen is just separated from the lounge by this counter unit. I spy my weed-eater hiding and it needs a more appropriate home.
Photo taken from my chair in the corner, my knees in the foreground. The spare room is just around the corner behind the bookcases, my bedroom door can just be seen, and the bathroom just to the right.
The dogs and I are at our ease listening to some Beethoven (Appassionata) playing, and all is well with the world.
Well this time, as far as fishing goes, I think I've fallen with my bum in the butter!
The dogs and I took our usual evening walk and walked right to the Little Bushman's river that runs through the farm. All in all I recon we covered between 6 and 7 km, down hill most of the way there, and up hill most of the way back. The river lies in a "kloof", (gorge) with typical African bush along it's banks, also very typical snake country, especially puff adders, Cape cobra's and rock pythons. So on hot days I will have to step very carefully.
We left home at 4:30 pm and only got back after seven.
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A section of the river looking up stream, with a nice long, deep pool on the right. This river is a tributary of the Bushman's river, which flows through Estcourt, it joins the Bushman's river just below the town.
Downstream view of the pool, lovely water for small mouth bass, sharp tooth cat fish, (barbel) and maybe carp.
A short stretch of rapids below the pool.
Looking downstream from the rapids. Chances are good that the fast water with have Natal yellow fish, also known as scaleys. Yellow fish are indomitable fighters and give you a good run for your money.
So Lord willing, I know where the dogs and I will be Saturday. And with a bit of luck I might even post some photos of the fish I've caught.
