The longest neck...

One of my favorite stopovers was the Mokala National Park, in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It is one of the newest national parks in South Africa. In the same region we also visited Marrick Game Farm, another nice stop. One of the animals we found on both locations was the Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis).

[caption id="attachment_374" align="aligncenter" width="474"] 3 Fairly young Giraffe[/caption]

Males are larger than females, and the estimated maximum for males is 5.5 meter (head), 4.5 meter for females, and 1.9 ton (900 - 1.4) males, 1.2 ton (700 - 900 kg) for females. Lifespan about 20 years.

Like woodland areas, traveling only in grassland. Feeding on Acacias is main source of food, but various other trees also frequented. Interestingly, they do chew bones, when soil in especially low in phosphorus, which can lead to vulnerability to anthrax and botulism.

Always a nice find and my personal favorite is seeing them run or gallop. Difficult to describe the body, legs and neck/head working together. We all know the kneeling that goes on when the drink water. Those hooves are defensive weapons, that can even kill lions.

The dolerite hills seen in the background of above picture and Camel Thorn trees, unique to dry areas of Southern Africa are some additional points of interest, and with many other factors, create fairly unique feeling of serenity with me.

As they disappear, gracefully walking off till we meet again, take a moment, and remember to enjoy them next time you see them again. Our mammals with the longest necks.

Reference notes

Smithers Mammals of Southern Africa: A field guide. Edited by Peter Apps. Struik publishers, 2000

The good and the not so good about parenting - first 12 months

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

We decided to make this a regular type post as a way of remembering everything. Have you noticed parents seem to get amnesia the older they and their children get? They seem to forget the not so good parts totally with age, which is totally understandable, I guess but interesting non-the-less. Early years especially! Most of us do not remember our early years, seems like nobody else (family) remembers it too.

We are not going to do best of or top ten scenario either, not fair in this context. Just mentioning a few things in our experience. Join in with comments if you like. It is a fun exercise.

The Good

One of the best moments to talk about is when you are about to put your baby to sleep or when he sometimes wakes crying and you pick him up and put him on your shoulder. In the first months this is seen as bonding and importance thereof has been written about, but as time marches on and we run around playing, feeding, bathing and all the other activities you do in a day, this becomes rare chances to take a breath.

Every now and then, within a day, you get the chance to sit in the rocking chair, with his head on your shoulder, falling asleep or being half asleep after he woke from a nap, and in that moment, all is quiet, you hear his calm breathing and you know he wants to be only there and nowhere else, his safe and warm place. You also do not want to be anywhere else, you cannot think of anything better - total bliss - you give him a little soft squeeze (baby hug). A truly special moment!

The not so good

If anyone tell you getting up in the middle of the night, multiple times, for whatever reason, was fun, they are liars! When the little alarm goes off, from the crib, you look at each other in the hopes that one would take charge. I am a light sleeper, so it usually ends up being me (shame), but mom does try to do her bit, to her credit, mentally charging herself before bed, and then when the little alarm goes, all hell breaks out in bed, with the duvet suddenly being airborne, mom charging off, halfway realizing she is going the wrong way, changing lanes, missing the furniture by millimeters, all before she really opened her eyes, saying as she nearly leaves the bedroom, "I'll go!", leaving me in pieces, cold and wide awake in any case.

While this is funny, in one sense, we were very happy when he decided to give us a break and slept through the night, around his 4th or so month. I should also mention that after ascertaining the cause of the unhappiness, being hunger, nappy, winds, sounds and so forth, we are right back at "the good"!

Protective mother - be careful

Recently a news article of an elephant trampling a worker, got me thinking about one of my pet hates in visits of natural reserves, where people get out and on top of vehicles to look and photograph elephants. Guys it is not a zoo or better circus! I thought I would link an article and when I searched it, I immediately got a whole list of tragedies.

The photos I want to share are from a previous visit to Addo elephant national park, a cute scene, but also a dangerous scene. We were driving down one of the roads and coming around a corner we ran straight into a group coming down the road.

It was a wonderful sight, and if you look carefully, you see why. The cows, on average round 2.7 m high at shoulder, and average weight of around 2.6 - 3 ton, where making their way down to our position.

The little one was suckling while mom had lunch, but we got a little warning by the group member in the background. Clearly a little irritated, we backed off.

We kept our respectful distance and watched as they came closer, then suddenly they went off-road and vanished into the bush again.

A minute later and you would not have known they were just a few meters away from the road. Being elephants, you would have known they were there, broken branches and what not.

My point is this, we had fun, but we respected their space as well. I have seen a mother charge a Landrover 4x4, and how these animals can make a large off-roader look very small. The driver got in-between mom and baby. Having witnessed this, you can understand my reluctance to go closer.

Do not get me wrong, they will not storm for fun, but silly people who try to feed wild animals, like these have come second by a long way. So, please, enjoy them and any other wild animals you encounter, but respect them as well.

Finally, for those who climb out of vehicles in natural wild areas with no regard for their safety, here is a warning pic for you!

Kalahari

We love traveling to various spots in South Africa and one of these trips ended in Red Sands Country Lodge, about 15 km outside the Northern Cape town of Kuruman. The town is in the green Kalahari.

We love the drier regions of South Africa (Karoo, Little Karoo, Namaqualand and Kalahari), because these areas are sparsely humanized and it is a real recharge for the soul.

[caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands Country Lodge[/caption]

Although we usually barbecue ourselves, we also had a big T-Bone at the restaurant, and in all cases the food seemed just to taste a little better, maybe because we were relaxed and peaceful, I do not know, but it just tasted better. Maybe we were just hungry!

[caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Kalahari[/caption]

Our mission is to do birding, look for animals and just be. We tend to drive with my 99 suzi (Isuzu), to get where we want and then find a spot, drop the back and sit there.

[caption id="attachment_337" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Taking in the scenery and being.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Another stopping point.[/caption]

The idea for this post is to introduce this Kalahari stop. I will add a link to a page and as time goes by add pictures of birds and animals in the old fashion of our previous posts.

[caption id="attachment_336" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Impalas[/caption]

Here are some more shots of this stop and I hope with them you can get a feeling of "tranquility and peace", as we enjoyed on this trip.

[caption id="attachment_341" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_340" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari - Sundown[/caption]

Father's Day : 3 Quotes

I am keeping it simple today, by using 3 quotes to describe my thoughts. When I think of my dad, I think of countless hours of playing by the beach, walking in nature, discussions by the fire or any place opportune, laughter, excitement, unconditional support, strength, being an example, love, religion and many others. To this day, he is still all that and more and we still learn from him. So to honor him, maybe this quote:

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes a someone special to be a dad, and that's why I call you dad, because you are special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right." - Wade Boggs

As for me, the last 12 months has been by far the most rewarding time of my life, in sharing our love for our son, with my wife and being a dad. This quote would give some insight:

"Being a father has been, without a doubt, my greatest source of achievement, pride and inspiration. Fatherhood has taught me about unconditional love, reinforced the importance of giving back and taught me how to be a better person." - Naveen Jain

As for my son, what would I love his little 12 month old brain to think? My hope would be that he would feel protected and safe, loved, able to express himself, confident to explore and free to laugh at any time. My hope is that he would echo the following one day:

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give a person, he believed in me." - Jim Valvano

It is truly an honor to be a dad, but I also realize that it is a lifelong responsibility, this my father thought me, and as I look at this blog and previous posts and the mission, it so reminds me of what we did together.

Thanks DAD! Love you!

Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

[caption id="attachment_316" align="alignnone" width="474"] Kudu Bull[/caption]

Tall and majestic buck found in their hundreds in the Addo Elephant National Park.  Males are around 1.4 m tall at shoulder and females 1.2 m with an average weight of around 230 kg for bulls. Males are fawn grey and females cinnamon, and only the males have the impressive spiraling horns.

[caption id="attachment_317" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Female Kudu[/caption]

They love savanna woodland and do not occur in forests or deserts and they are found on farms given the conditions are favorable.

[caption id="attachment_323" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Browsing bull[/caption]

They brows a wide variety of plants including aloes and Acacia.

[caption id="attachment_321" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Kudu bull on his way to join mates in next picture.[/caption]

Bulls, from 3 years, join to form small groups of up 6 and they join the female groups just before winter to spring.

[caption id="attachment_322" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Group for Kudu Bulls[/caption]

They can clear 2 m high fences with ease and although nervous in open ground they stand motionless in cover of bushes to avoid detection. One of the most beautiful animals, especially the large proud bulls.

Reference: Smithers Mammals of South Africa: A field guide, edited by Peter Apps, Struik publishers, 2000

 

Parents do not leave footprints!

[caption id="attachment_306" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Boeta enjoying the walk[/caption]

Today is one of those perfect winter days again and I decided to take him for a walk. Before you think long post about him, not so, I can talk about full moon, or the fact that I cut my finger without knowing how, at 5 am this morning, his grumpiness with new teeth coming, or even the fact that I was stubborn or stupid to decide to walk in soft sand with a stroller, meaning I mostly walked vertical not horizontal - what we do for our kids.

[caption id="attachment_309" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Looking out over the ocean - what is that little mind thinking?[/caption]

The reason for this post is for all parents out there. Everybody knows the multitude of pictures regarding the "Footprints" poem. Well, it came to me that we are parents - we do not leave footprints, we leave "stroller prints"! Thousands and thousands of them.

[caption id="attachment_311" align="aligncenter" width="474"] A parent's prints![/caption]