You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

I’m twixt ideas. Argh. After frantic writing for the past few weeks, I am suddenly at a loss. What to do, what to do?!

Ah yes, of course, the camera… So we set off to the Cape Point Nature Reserve which lies just 35 minutes south of Cape Town. It is the south-western most tip of Africa and it’s a beautiful drive along the coast. Since summer has decided to arrive unseasonably late this year, the weather was simply stunning.

Did you know, it was the circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope - ie Cape Town and Cape Point – that led to the establishment of a sea route to the East and subsequent trade?

The Reserve is well known for its preservation of the flora of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a highly endangered plant kingdom which consists of plants known collectively as “fynbos” - which literally translates as “fine bush”. The CFK is the smallest but most diverse of the world’s floral kingdoms. Fynbos is fire intensive and not only burns rapidly but needs regular burning in order to regenerate. Devastating fires are often a feature of the landscape. Fauna in the reserve is generally small although there are several species of antelope – though they tend to be shy. There are also troops of Chacma baboons…

The baboons (papino ursinus) are a protected species within the Cape Peninsula given their dwindling habitat, lost to increasing urbanization. The relationship between suburbia and baboons is not generally a happy one. The baboons are attracted by food and once habituated become aggressive and dangerous. They will not hesitate to raid rubbish bins and enter houses – where they will wreak havoc. In their natural state, however, they subsist on fruits, roots, bulbs, honey, insects and scorpions though these particular baboons have also adapted to include shellfish in their diet. They are highly sociable animals, living in groups of up to 40 or 50. Daytime is spent mostly on the ground, foraging and playing, while nighttime will see them roosting in a tree of a cave.

Social grooming is a feature of baboon behaviour and is usually done between same sex individuals and helps to form social bonds within a troop. When chilled out and relaxed, the baboons can be great fun to watch...

Right, my son, let's see about those fleas...

Bend over, then.
What, like this?
That'll do.

Ooh, er, that's nice... go on then, lower, lower. Ooh, no, that tickles!

There you go, that's the spot! Here, what are you looking at? Do I watch you when you bath? Bog off, then!

Right, my turn. I'll just stand, shall I, so you can get to the lower bits...

Ooh, I think I've found something... Wait, wait, don't move, yes, there it is!

That's my boy, you get it out of there. Can't have my coat messed up by fleas. Next thing you know they'll be wanting to open a flea circus on my back...

Ooooh, errrrr, aaaaah, now you've hit the spot, my boy... oooooh....

Flying...

The bird can fly...

And so can this guy...

But he thinks it's all rather a yawn...

I'm a bit out of words at the moment, for obvious reasons... So hope you enjoy the piccies, taken last weekend, instead! As you can see, summer is still with us - it arrived just in time for autumn!

For more scenes from my part of the world, do doddle over to my Flickr account. There are a bundle more to go up, but there are plenty to look at! Hope you enjoy them!

The Guinea Fowl and the Silver Evil

Once upon a time, about last week, when I was out in the garden with my camera, the following story unfolded...

"Bert, do you see that?"
"Ooh, er, indeed I do..."

"I think we'd better follow it, see what it's up to."
"Yes, indeed. One can't trust a cat."

"What's it doing, Bert?"
"Admiring its silly self."
"So typical of a cat!"

"We must show our intent, boys."
"Herd it, I say."
"Let it know who's in charge."

"Come along then, Kitty, this way."
"I'm being hounded, I am. No, wait, I'm being guinea-fowled..."

"Who do they think they are. I don't think I like this at all. Perhaps I shouldn't have eaten the little ones... but they were such easy prey. Muahahahahahaaa"
"Come along, Kitty, we're here to keep a beady eye on your perambulations."
"Yes, move along now, Cat."
"You may have fur and fangs, but we have beaks and claws - and much louder voices!"

"Wait, what is that, Bert?"
"Do you hear voices?"
"Indeed I do."
"It's the great Guinea God calling!"

"Guinea God, whatever next! There is only one God and it's Me!"

Oh yes, and in case you're wondering... that first draft is FINISHED!

Welcome to my Imagination - and Happy Easter

Oh woe... I'm still being a bad blogger. One post a week. The situation is dire. What can I say. I am gripped in the teeth of a story. I'm obsessed and distracted and barely know which way is up. I'm being tossed about by characters and consumed by words. And I'm loving it!

The word count is at about 45 000 and I'm on the home stretch. This will definitely be my shortest manuscript yet. But that's no bad thing. I'm guessing there are about three or four chapters to go. I've been writing between 3000 to 5000 words on good days - on bad days, I just stare out the window - or go and play in the digital darkroom while my imagination refuels.

But then, once this manuscript is finished, I have a brand new idea for the next novel - frankly, I feel like I'm being pursued by stories - I may well disappear into the Land of Story, never to be seen again. You may have to come and rescue me!

And aside from that I also have plenty of tales to tell you when I do come up for air - about the Silver Evil who was herded by guinea fowl - with pictures... the wonderful flower seller I found down a dirt road... the luscious grapes that tasted of honeyed sunshine that I bought at a roadside stall ... Oh, and there's other news... but I won't tell you that just yet. A bit of suspense is good in every tale.

Meanwhile, welcome to my imagination... And have a wonderful Easter weekend. Happy egg hunting!

Bad Blogger, Good Writer

I'm being a bad, bad blogger, I know, and I apologise. But I am being a good, good writer. I have my head down and am beavering away on my new manuscript. I'm afraid when I get into a manuscript in this way I become obsessive. It's a case of lock the door, throw away the keys and don't bother me - and don't expect me to make supper either. When I venture out it's usually with a glazed expression on my face and my conversation tends to be deeply distracted as though I'm on another planet. So that's where I'm at, at the moment.

The current word count is just shy of 30 000 words and I have a sense that this is probably going to be one of my shortest, sparest novels so far. The whole thing is proving to be an interesting experience as I'm trying to do something I've not done before in terms of plot and theme. We'll see how it goes and I'll know when I get to the end whether it's any good. I think it will certainly be different...

Anyway, by way of an apology, here are some shots of a walk on Sunday - out with the big lens which enabled me to get the kind of shots I don't normally take. I have a few more and I'll post them next time.

In the meantime, be well, take care and stay connected.

Egret sitting at the top of a willow tree

Blue Dragonfly

I'm not quite sure what these are - little brown jobs of some sort...

This was the most pleasing surprise - I didn't even know I'd got this shot!

And he was just my best - there is nothing happier than a wet, bouncy Golden Retriever!

The Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour

Yesterday, on what was conceivably the hottest day of a very belated summer, Cape Town hosted its annual Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour (the Cape Argus is a daily newspaper, Pick 'n Pay is a huge supermarket chain). The cycle tour is the world's largest individually timed race and this year attracted 35 000 entrants - locals, nationals and international riders all participated. The youngest entrant was 10 - she cycled tandem with her dad - and the oldest was 88.

The 109 km race which goes right around the Cape Peninsula was won by Robbie Hunter in a time of 2 hours and 27 minutes. Which was kind of the time I stood on the bridge taking photographs. Thank goodness for digital cameras is all I can say! No, do not ask how many photos now clutter my hard drive.

One of the things that makes the race remarkable is that all proceeds go to charity and the whole thing happens in the spirit of good and family fun. Because there are so many entrants the race starts at 05h45 and the start continues until 10h09! While I watched over 2000 cyclists went past - or rather - under the bridge I was standing on.

It's the most amazing spectacle of colour and the sense of camaraderie between cyclists and spectators is huge. And of course, the highlight is simply cycling around what is probably one of the most scenic routes in the world.

Riders come through in bunches of colour

These shots are taken at about the 21 km mark

It was about 8 in the morning and shadows were still long

Just look at that scenery...

Pedal power

Some get dressed up, just for fun, or to raise money for charity

And some are exhausted just watching...

Remembering the Balance - Scenes from a Walk

Panic

Beep-beep.
That’s funny, I think, why’s the alarm reactivating itself. It usually only does that after a panic button has been hit. I haven’t hit a panic button. Wait, maybe D did when he drove out the gate. I phone D.
“Did you hit the panic button?” I ask.
“No,” he says.
“Not even by accident?”
‘No.”
“Oh, okay.”
Well, I think, if the panic button has been hit, even accidentally, the alarm company will phone to check. But they don’t. Oh well, I think, blip on the system.
It’s 06h45, I decide to go back to bed for a bit to gather my thoughts for the day. I lie back against the pillows and close my eyes. I’ve a lot on my mind, there’s too much to ponder about. I tell myself to relax, to be in the moment.
But in the moment something doesn’t feel right. I can’t hear anything untoward but my sixth sense is twitching.
Then I hear a whistling call. It may be someone whistling for their dog. Only it sounds like it might be in the garden, or just beyond the perimeter wall.
I push myself up, listening carefully.
The chime on the alarm sounds.
Which zone? The patio.
There’s something or someone out there.
I tell myself it’s probably a guinea fowl, a dove or a cat.
The chime is going crazy – bee-bee-beep, bee-bee-beep.
That’s not an animal out there. It doesn’t feel like an animal.
I start to sneak down the passage. I glance through the spare bedroom window. I can’t see anything in the garden – not even a dove or a guinea fowl.
I edge forward, towards the family room and the patio doors. I still can’t see anything. I’m glancing left and right.
There’s a rush of wings past my study window. Something, or someone, has startled a guinea fowl – really startled – they don’t usually fly off so fast.
A shadow appears at the edge of the window and the next second a huge shape fills the window.
A man - big, black, peering in.
All I feel is heat. The most phenomenal heat rising in and around me. Everything goes utterly silent. We stare at each other. I’m paralysed, standing there in only a t-shirt, the man staring at me.
Then he turns, points to the badge on his lapel.
The security guard!
But what’s he doing here.
I fumble with the door key, trusting that he is who he indicates he is. Trusting on my sixth sense that automatically assures me his is ‘okay’.
“The silent alarm was activated,” he tells me.
“But why didn’t you ring the gate bell?”
“We’re not allowed to.”
“Why did no one phone to check, like they usually do?”
“I don’t know,” he says.
“How did you get in?” I ask.
“I came over the wall.”
“You nearly scared me to death,” I say and tell him about the attack on my mother – a month ago, now.
I let him out the gate and thank him, despite scaring the living daylights out of me, for coming so quickly.
Oh be still my beating heart.

An award and a meme

Awards time again. This time an art award from Sameera


The blurb reads as follows:

Art Prize and Award
"This prize has arisen from the daily visits that I dedicate to many blogs which nourish me and enrich me with creativity. In them I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, ART, much art. I want to share this prize with all those bloggers that entertain me day to day and to share this prize with those who enrich me every day. Doubtlessly, there are many and it will be hard to pick just a few, the people I will name today deserve this prize, as do the very long serious list of bloggers I also enjoy to read, but I will name the first 10 and will leave the rest of the work to all the bloggers that visit other's blogs and are nourished by them."

The usual rules apply, post award on blog, pass award on to five others. You know the drill.

I've been struck by some of the most stunning photography in blogosphere, so I'm giving this award to some people whose images just blow me away.

In no particular order:

Reya
Jefferson
Kyklops
Merisi
the Mouse
Julie

(Yeah, I know, I can't count.)


And then there's this meme that's been going around blogosphere and the coolest thing is that no one seems to be tagging anyone else to do it - just the way I like it!

The rules are:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

So here goes:

"Yet however hard ego may try to sabotage the spiritual path, if you really continue on it, and work deeply with the practice of meditation, you will begin slowly to realise just how gulled you have been by ego's promises: false hopes and false fears. Slowly you begin to understand that both hope and fear are enemies of your peace of mind; hopes deceive you, and leave you empty and disappointed, and fears paralyze you in the narrow cell of your false identity. You begin to see also just how all-encompassing the sway of ego has been over your mind, and in the space of freedom opened up by meditation, you glimpse the exhilarating spaciousness of your true nature."

From: The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche (10th Anniversary Edition Revised and Updated 2002. Published by Rider)

And I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to do it, go for it.

And now back to my new manuscript.