Happy Mothers Day!

To all the dear mothers reading this, may you be blessed today. It is great to be honoured on this day, but it is also worthwhile re-thinking exactly what we're doing and why.

The Girl I Used To Be

by Rowena K. Lewis

She came tonight as I sat alone, the girl I used to be.

And she gazed at me with her earnest eye, and questioned reproachfully:

Have you forgotten the many plans and hopes that I had for you?

The great career, the splendid fame, all the wonderful things to do?

Where is the mansion of stately height, with all of its gardens rare?

The silken robes that I dreamed for you, and the jewels in your hair?

And as she spoke, I was very sad, for I wanted her pleased with me.

This slender girl from the shadowy past, the girl that I used to be.

So gently rising, I took her hand, and guided her up the stair

Where peacefully sleeping, my babies lay, innocent, sweet, and fair.

And I told her that these are my only gems, and precious they are to me;

That silken robe is my motherhood, of costly simplicity.

And my mansion of stately height is love, and the only career I know

Is serving each day in these sheltered walls, for the dear ones who come and go.

And as I spoke to my shadowy guest, she smiled through her tears at me.

And I saw that the woman that I am now, pleased the girl that I used to be.

Autumn 2009

It is Autumn here in South Africa. Everything is looking tired and dry after a long hot summer. We also need rain rather badly. But the trees are looking lovely, of course it's mainly the exotics, but no matter. When we went to the lawns James also took some pretty shots.

Family Pictures April

On my birthday we went for a picnic on the lawns outside an old chapel. The chapel is on the campus of Rhodes University, so lots of students do this. However, as it was a public holiday it was actually very quiet. It was a lovely mild day, and in fact it started drizzling twice whilst we were there. We had a "Mama treat", ready bought take away meal, so I did not have to prepare on my birthday. That was a break!

The students passing by enjoyed the children and they in turn had fun running around and jumping all over the grass. Isn't it beautiful how a large area of grass always makes a child want to run?

We took a short stroll around the lovely old buildings and just before we left a choir assembled in the chapel and we listened to a them singing some beautiful spiritual songs.
I had a happy birthday, indeed.

Time to change my ticker!

Newsflash!

After months of not blogging, I have to make a quick entry here tonight. About a month ago, Shelley, our youngest, was finally weaned, after feeding for 2 years and 5 months. Yippee! So, for the first time in seven years, I am not pregnant, breastfeeding or both ;-)

I thought I would be rather sad about this, but it was a very happy ending for us both, the time was ripe, and I feel I need a bit of "re-charging" now.

So, I'll be on the look out for a new ticker to put on my blog... I wonder what else is out there...

Addo Elephant Park

Last night our family did our first real camping trip- to a nearby national game reserve, called Addo elephant park. We took along two tents, some food, eating utensils and I think for a first camping trip it was all very civilised indeed. The loo was a long walk away for (me) and a child who only wants to use the loo now (Miss S), but very clean and so that was fine.



The animal viewing was stunning. We thought we'd struck it bad because we hit an unusual heat wave and had been told the animals would be hiding in the bushes. Well, maybe we could have seen other species, but we saw elephant aplenty. It was beautiful. The park is well set up with drives around water holes for good viewing and then also hidouts at various spots were you can get out in safety and take a closer look. We never saw lion or caracal, but we did see jackal. We also saw and heard a variety of birds: different barbets types, plovers, dikkops, weavers, red and yellow bishops, and larger birds of prey which I am not great at identifying. We also say Kudu, male and female, lots of warthog, some with cute little babies, and tortoise.



The elephant enjoyed bathing at the waterholes, squirting themselves with water, rolling in the mud and splashing with their feet. It was quite noisy as they made low rumbling noises, and occasional soft trumpets. Beautiful music to the ears. Though the water hole was a distance from our tent you could hear the sounds from our tent, they carry far.

When the warthog tried to get near the mud the make elephant were a bit cheeky and chased them off, often giving a mock charge, or squirting them with water, which I do not think they minded too much. Amongst the warthog there was much squealing for a spot of cool mud to roll in as they faught for a little patch of coolth between the sessions when there were no elephant.

I was amazed to see the tiniest elephant calf I have ever seen. It was still very hairy and it really struggled to reach up to drink to its mother. I could not get a good shot as it was very well protected by the herd. It was a lovely sighting.



Just before we left this morning we stopped at a hideout and were a few metres from a waterhole, we were able to get the closest to the sound, sights and smell of the elephant. First one herd was at the water, then it was joined by another herd, which had a calf. The calf had an absolute ball in the water, it rolled over and over in the muddy poolo, squirting the water and flapping it's ears. It was very clumsy so it looked so sweet. The adult protectively draped their trunks over it every now and again.

I hope we can go back again. It was about a 3 hour drive to the camp site, taking the slow scenic route.