Vultures

This morning we saw vultures circling the field opposite our house.  There was a carcase of a sheep or something equally as big that they were after.  Within fifteen minutes there must have been about 50 vultures picking at the carcase.  After about half an hour they had had their fill and flown away leaving a few crows to peck at the bones.  Amazing!  We were fascinated by the vultures' antics and the way they flew in and landed.  Pretty much like a busy airport.  They come and tidy up after death and leave just bones behind.  The wonderful thing is that the vulture population has been at great risk but seems to be bouncing back.  How do they communicate to one another the good news of food? I really don't know.

Vulture restaurant

Oh So Cold

We had minus eight deg C this morning. So my little truck (known locally as a Bakkie) was frozen and the guinee fowls were tiptoeing in the fields. Such is life in the mountains, glove and coat weather.

Fire Season

We are back into fire season.  Today we had a howling wind and two runaway fires in the district.  One was on a farm on the Drakensberg Gardens road.  Firebreaks were burned there yesterday and some logs were left smouldering.  The wind restarted the fire and it ran.  It has, after a couple of hours and a lot of help, been put under control.

On this side of the district one of our neighbouring farms had a fire in the mielie field.  Fortunately it did not run and was sorted out very quickly by responding farmers.

So, it's "here we go again" fire season.  Hopefully today is not the prelude to the terribly destructive fires we had last year.

Keep warm everyone.

Sunset And Signpost

Something special about the winter in our part of the world are the spectacular sunsets.  Well now, we just have to share one with you.  And, oh yes, our new "temporary" gate sign is also here for you to see.  The Jersey cows are ready for the winter and their coats are darkening.  They're putting on their winter jerseys as it were.  The marshmallows in the background are in fact bales of millet wrapped in plastic sheeting.  They are ready as feed for the cows during the long cold winter.  The green grass in the pic has now turned brown from the heavy frosts we have had.

Enjoy the pics!