‘Nuff said…
We tend to try to preserve ourselves for reasons that are only apparent when we eventually are about to shuffle off this mortal coil. Not having enjoyed ourselves for fear of breaking or getting injuries that we cannot recover from.
We populate our lives with dates that recognize those who have left before us and the build-up to those anniversaries places stress on both us and those who love us.
So why do we do it? “It is only ‘x’ days to the anniversary of Troy’s death” we remind ourselves every year. Troy does not care, he is not reading Facebook posts…or this Blog for that matter.
BTW, the name Troy was used as an example only…to the best of my knowledge, I do not know anyone named Troy.
Not many of us have a DeLorean that can time travel, therefore our lives tend to be lived by resurrecting memories from our past that were important and that we still have an emotional connection to for reasons that are good, or bad but never indifferent.
So, I sit at my desk with country music playing softly in the background while I construct this post of memories that are important to me and perhaps the pictures will resonate with you, the reader, making you think of times and places and situations that you can relate to.
Don’t let the milestones of our lives become the millstones that will keep us from enjoying our time on this piece of rock we call Earth.
A frog went a-courtin’ and he did ride, M-hm, M-hm.A frog went a-courtin’ and he did ride,Sword and pistol by his side, M-hm, M-hm. Tex Ritter (1945)
Did you know?
The song started as a Scottish nursery rhyme in about 1600.
More Monday trivia than is required. However, for those who want to know what this species ACTUALLY is, it is a Red-legged Kassinas that I found every night in the pond between the lounge and the dining room at a lodge in Northern KZN. The males are very vocal as it is their way to attract a mate and there is a LOT of competition.
Turned out that these frogs are endemic to tropical and subtropical regions of the east coast of Africa.
They are also known as Vlei frogs or red-legged running frogs as they tend to walk or run rather than hop.
“Take, for example, the African jungle—the home of the cheetah. On whom does the cheetah prey? The old, the sick, the wounded, the weak, the very young, but never the strong. Lesson: if you would not be prey, you had better be strong.” – G. Gordon Liddy
Watching this cheetah family walking away from me at a game reserve reminded me just how strong the female of the species is. Not only does she have to raise and provide for her family, but she does this without complaint or the expectation of help from the father.
This is one of those images where some of you will see a rhino and some of you will see a tree stump!
For me, this is the epitome of a game drive, with wildlife trying to hide behind the smallest object.
At the end of the day, if all the animals were standing on the road posing, it would be no fun.
As a long-time Gary Larsen (of Far Side cartoon fame) I have a suspicion that animals hide like this and watch us as we pass by. I am certain that Mr Larsen could come up with an iconic cartoon to immortalize this.
Another post, another waterfall. This one is in a forest in Croatia.
“Flee”…elephants do NOT like to share waterholes, even if there is space for other species.
Jumping for joy…it’s Spring in the Southern hemisphere.
This looks like it could be part of a prison or a detention centre, however, it is the luggage tunnel at a small railway station in the middle of KZN.
The juxtaposition of the tunnel and the symmetry of the bars attracted my attention.
Like many small towns, the rest of the station is rundown and in need of repair. An unfortunate situation brought about by corruption and greed.
I have an affinity for the South African Railways (and Harbours) as the organization was known when I completed my electrical apprenticeship there between 1971 and 1975.
I spend those years working on stations and railway buildings in the Eastern Cape, many of which are no longer operational.
The moon? The surface of Mars? Nope, it is the crater at the top of Kilimanjaro.
This is from my second successful summit attempt in 2016. It was a tough week, but the view from Uhuru Peak was well worth it…no matter how short the actual time at the summit was.
My first attempt was successfully completed in 2004. Both occasions were to help raise money for needy charities.
Come to the light…Like a moth to a flame, or in this instance, to a torch.
And it was that same torch that was responsible for THIS damage!
It fell off a window ledge and into the bowl before I could get a hand on it.
It worked underwater, and years later it is still working and accompanies me on many occasions. I am now far more cautious as to where I put it when using a toilet.
And staying with the torch theme.
Did you know that scorpions glow under U/V light?
This image is proof of that. It entire Arachnid glows, yet none of the scientists can explain why.
FYI: They fluoresce due to the presence of beta carboline in their exoskeleton. Beta carboline fluoresces when exposed to UV light, causing the scorpion to glow an eerie greenish-blue glow.
Waiting for Godot?
In a Johannesburg shopping mall.
Cock-a-doodle-do… from a slum in Mumbai.
I wondered if this would eventually end up in a pot.
Up close and personal.
The shadow in the lower right-hand corner of the image is my bush hat, don’t think that we could have got any closer.
In fact, we had been sitting and watching the rest of the herd when this youngster ‘snuck’ up on us. Our guide informed us that it was being inquisitive and not threatening, and he was right.
After a moment , it moved off to join the rest of the herd as they made their way back into the bush.
A memorable encounter to be sure.
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