Weekend Critters

Last weekend, Grant, Rina and I took a trip to Kwa-Zulu Natal. We stayed with old school friends, Brian and Gene, who have a B&B on the Mooi River. 

While the men rode around the property and Gene got on with the hospitality business, Rina and I strolled the mammoth garden watching for birds. 

I, of course, took photos. 

 Amethyst Sunbird 

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

Gene has a mother-and-son pair of Black-footed cats. The son, which I photographed  below, is tame but the mother only allows Gene or Brian anywhere near her. 

Tame Black-footed Cat (male) 

The same Black-footed Cat spends all day on top of the dassie's day enclosure (see below)

Gene also has a tame dassie (rock hyrax) which sleeps in her and Brian's bedroom at night along with the two Black-footed cats, two grown Alsatians and a domestic ginger cat called Max (see further down) I couldn't get Brian's comment on this state of affairs, LOL. 

During the day the dassie stays in a wire enclosure near the house. With the Black-footed cat (male) on top. 

The dassie in its day-time enclosure which is fitted out with rocks, tree stumps; blankets and grass. And bowls of food and water. 

The dassie (rock hyrax) is the African Elephant's closest living relative. Do please read the links in this post to find out more about all I've written here.

Max, the ginger domestic cat

Here Max checks in our luggage boot that we've not taken anything from the Guest House! Zak, the Alsatian male,  looks on

Ambrose is going to sulk when he sees another cat in his Mum's car

Brian, Gene, Grant and I.  Grant, Gene and I have known each other for 50 years; we've known Brian since he and Gene married 41 years ago. 

After bidding our wonderful friends a fond farewell (such a great weekend spent with them), we set off home. 

About 30kms from Muden we pass through a teeny, sleepy, dusty town called Weenen. Just beyond Weenen, we drive through the Weenen Game Reserve. 

We were thrilled to see a small herd of five giraffe; three adults and two young ones. 

Giraffe in Weenen Game Reserve

Another watching from the bush

Two more adult giraffe in the bush

A young giraffe on the other side of the road; very wary and aware of our presence

An even younger giraffe peers at us from behind the thorn bush

With the recent cold conditions, the Maluti mountains in Lesotho and the  Kwa-Zulu Natal Drakensberg were covered in snow. Below I photographed the latter in the far distance and while the car speeded northwards to the Free State. 

Part of the snow-covered Drakensberg Mountains last weekend

I'm  linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!