I have been trying to update my Blog for ages but without much news that anyone else might be interested in and unable to drag and drop pictures it has been futile. Much as I love living in the bush it does have its drawbacks. Solar power at this time of the year is scarce as the rains continue to fall sporadically. When its not raining then cloud cover obscures the sun or thick mist envelops the surrounding hills and we get a strong feeling that we have been transported to the Scottish Highlands! Only the yellowing grasses and indigenous birds remind us that we are definitely in Africa.

A Purple Heron plods hesitantly along the muddy edges of our dam while a pair of Crowned Plovers scream at a troop of mischievous baby Vervet monkeys intent on tweaking a tail feather or two. Much as I dislike the monkeys in the house their antics are a delight to watch, especially when there are so many babies in the troop. A Brown-Hooded Kingfisher sits on the rail around our stoep, watching the bush intently. It swoops on a grasshopper and flies back up to a higher perch where it proceeds to kill its prey before eating it. I am amazed at how large the beak is for so small a bird.

All our Weavers are gone, they were very half-hearted about breeding again since the Boomslang took their last remaining egg. In fact they pulled that nest to pieces before building another and laying again, only to be pipped at the post by a Klaas' Cuckoo, who laid her egg in the nest and ejected theirs.

So here I sit in Mugg & Bean where they have Wi-Fi (and lemon meringue pie) and I can download and upload to my heart's content!