Five kitties get the treatment

Hi Bozo and all Mum's blog readers; this is Ambrose with this week's news. We all had worm treatment.

UGHH!

It's awful!

But it's done!

Oh, I hear the two dogs also had the treatment! So, we are all free of parasites and internal bugs for the next three months! 

Yay! 

Unca Shadow says he's already forgotten the indignity of the treatment! 

Dad Ginger says he was a little fed-up but will forgive Mum as she does this for our own good!

Mum caught me unawares and I'd swallowed the treatment before I knew what it was! 

We heard that Cousin Tipsy hid away under a quad on the patio. But Mum got him as well; so he's also been "treated"

Aunty Chappie was the worst, says Mum. She bellowed and scratched and caused a mighty uproar. Maybe that's what girl kitties do! 

For more cute pet posts, please click here

Crazy mix of critters, flora and nature

This week I'm continuing to post about the rains which have soaked our part of the world, the flora and lush surrounding which have resulted from this and the critters enjoying it all! 

As always, I've been to the golf course with the dogs every morning this week. 

Skabenga decides - without Eddy's guidance - to test the waters... 

...sinks in over his head...

...and pulls himself onto the bank looking most embarrassed   

Our bovine friends had moved further down to join a herd of black cattle

Little egret reflected almost perfectly in the water

The occipital (ornamental) plumes indicate a breeding male

Egret in flight 

Red-billed Quelea warming up in the early morning sun (before going to the Hedges for breakfast!) 

Skabenga barked at a man walking in the field next to the course - the flock of birds flew up into the air!

Wildflowers are sprouting up all over the course

My dog takes great interest in his mama's photography subjects!

These beauties are growing next to the 17th hole

So many small blooms make a cluster of flowers 

I tried (and failed) to capture the beauty of this tiny little flower

Another exquisite little flower in the veld

Waning Gibbous 74% visible; 20 days old

I'm linking my post to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Final moon phases January 2016

Full moon 24 January 2016;  100% visible 

Full moon 24 January 2016; 15 days old

Full moon 25 January 2016; 98% visible 

Full moon 25 January 2016; 16 days old

Waning Gibbous 26 January 2016; 95% visible

Waning Gibbous;  17 days old 

I'm linking my post to Skywatch Friday here

Good fences great reflections

Today I'm doing a fence post with a difference. With all the water puddles lying around after the rains, I photographed the fence at the municipal workshop (just up the road from us) which is reflected in a deep pool of water. 

The inverted fence around the municipal workshop

Much to the interest of the workers walking to work, I knelt down on the street to fit the mast pole in on the right

An afternoon shower yesterday left pools of water on our patio, lawn and the concrete slab near our garden tap. 

Our back fence is reflected in a puddle of water 

And again where we're succeeding in growing a lawn after the horrendous dry condtions

The pink stripes are the palisades between the brown slats as the late afternoon sun catches the fence

I'm linking my post to Good Fences Thursday here

Red-headed Finch

Recently we've had finches in our garden: Red-headed Finches. These delightful and colorful little birds are common residents and near-endemic, usually in flocks and nomadic in non-breeding season. 

They land on our lawn (yes, we have lawn again now - whoopee!) in small flocks and work the area for seeds and insects. 

Here's a close-up of a Red-headed Finch (male) foraging on our lawn (before the rains, you'll notice)

They love our elevated sandstone bird bath and gather there to drink and socialize! Above are several males while the females don't have red heads but are also pretty

Here's a full frontal photo of a male catching forty winks, an intermediate male behind him and a juvenile at the back (slight red tinge on the latter's head)

On another occasion while we were sitting on the patio, I focused on a finch on the garden wall. As I zoomed in, I realized it was another Red-headed Finch - Juvenile

Note the slight trace of red on this bird's head

It flew down onto one bird feeder and I had a field day taking photos of it

I love the scaly pattern on these birds

Red-headed Finch (Juvenile)

I'm linking to Wild Bird Wednesday here

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

First school race

Some of you may remember how - in November - our granddaughter, Abby had a fever convulsion. She was rushed to a city hospital 160 km away. Once she'd been stabilized and had stayed overnight for observation, her parents brought her home. She subsequently had a tonsillectomy and has been fine since. 

Little Abby being taken from the ambulance at the hospital in November last year

At almost four years old, Abby is very tiny for her age - her younger brother, Liam at a year old, weighs more than she does! 

Last Friday Amanda invited me and Rina to watch Abby and Joel take part in races at school. 

Friend, Stella and Abby waiting for the race to begin

Below is a video of Abby taking part in her first-eveer race of 60 meters. It was amazing to see how this little girl, who gave us all such a fright at the end of last year, is now filling out; she ran so well that she came second. The voice-over is supplied by Angus; we laughed afterwards because Angus was never as athletic as our older son, John was; yet here he was bellowing at his daughter to "go-Abby-go", "faster, faster, faster" and "you're winning"! 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

Scavenga Hunt Sunday # 1

LIGHT

The grandchildren are the light of our lives: Bethany is in the foreground; at the gate, Eryn (our oldest grandchild) presides over the race regulations! Abby is at her right, with Israel holding onto her shoulder. Next to Israel is Elijah and Joel standing with his back against the gate

We only have two sons but between them they gave us nine grands. What blessings! 

Eryn carries Elijah as she races the other children! 

Eryn, the oldest (almost thirteen) and Liam, just turned one, is the youngest Hedges . Eryn, Joshua, Bethany, Elijah. Israel and Kerren-Happuch belongs to our older son, John. Liam, Abby and Joel are Angus, our younger son's children

Abby and Joel and Liam (shown in photo above) live right next door to us; we see them often

SKY

An African Reed-warbler sitting atop an electrical pole - with the gorgeous African sky behind it. I love birds/birding and love Africa - especially her big sky ! 

UNDER 

The cattle gathered under this windmill during a very dry spell earlier this summer

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

Christmas lights adorn the tree at our community Carols evening before Christmas. The carols sung are alternately sung in Afrikaans (as above) and the next on  in English

SPACE

Traveling home on the country roads, we often come across agricultural vehicles which are not legally permitted to use public roads. Fortunately this one moved over to give us space as we passed

Like her big sky, Africa offer big spaces as well. Here the dogs run down to the golf course which we visit every day. Note the dry surrounds - it has greened up beautifully since mid-January when the drought was broken by good rains which are still falling! 

Our plumpest cat, Chappie always finds the smallest space to lie in. Here she is in the chest of drawers

I'm linking my post to Scavenga Hunt Sunday hosted by Ashley Sisk here

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL.