Cattle Egret

Living on a dairy farm, it goes without saying that I'll see Cattle Egret. 

And I do.

And I photograph them.

The first two images I took where while walking along the kraals with Skabenga. 

The egrets in the high tree caught my eye the first morning after I'd moved in.  I walked out and looking up saw the small flock of egret warming up in the early morning sun.  

I'm linking to Wild Bird Wednesday here


HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL! 

State vet at Cedarwood

As with several things in my house, last week I remembered that my pets were due for their rabies injections. Every year, Grant and I would buy the meds and syringes from the vet, bring them home and administer them ourselves. The dogs were reasonably easy: Grant would get hold of a scruff, I'd insert the needle and squeeze. Sometimes the dog would feel the prick but more often than not, as we let go, it would dash off across the lawn and run around in circles!

The cats are another different ball game;  Grant would grip the cat's neck, hold its body firmly under his arm and I would inject. Only to have a mad explosion as the cat felt the needle. Often with claws extended which always freaked Grant out! 

Then, because we have four cats, I'd grab a second one before it bolted (somehow they just KNOW), Grant would grip the scruff, body under his arm and I inject. 

This morning the state vet visited the area. There was a notice in our local Valley newspaper and also on Facebook. I was just wondering how I'd manage this year, even bringing the cats in cages to the center. when the neighbor's daughter, Jenna said she would collect innoculations from the vet, have the books stamped. She'd take the meds home and this evening, her dad will inject with her assisting him. 

The people  started arriving as soon as the vet opened his mobile clinic.

Soon Jenna arrived with three small dogs in her car. Because she was going to request meds for 27 dogs and cats (yes, that's not a typo - 27!) her mum suggested she take the little dogs along as proof that we actually do have dogs on the farm!

 Jenna counts the pets' medical passports - there are 27!

 Snookie on the right, belongs to Fran and Neil who own the supermarket near the caravan park. th eother little dog is owned by 82 year old Di WIlkenson who is the local postmistress and has her own business setting out pamphlets in all the businesses in the Valley and in Winterton. Di has decided I  When Di saw me, she bent down to her little dog (which she says is very old) and said: Benji, say hi to Jozie. I bent down and patted the dear old head!

 Frant's larger dogs were in the back of her vehicle. She opened it a crack and the vet injected both dogs through this gap!

 Jenna's dad's dog, Scooter, sniffed at my camera lens as I took a photo of her

 This feisty Scottish Terrier snapped at the vet as he inserted the needle into her neck! Typical Scottie!

Two farm dogs on a the back of their owner's landcruiser 

As I watched from the veranda, my friend Lynette arrived with her cat - the only one to be brought for anti-rabies inoculations today! 

 Champ - the only cat on the block today!

Chanp and his mama, Lynette

So all that remains now, is for my four cats and big black dog to be injected this evening. An update to follow later! 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL!  

Beautiful rains at the end of January

Since Wednesday last week, the Central Drakensberg and surrounds have been blessed with abundant rains.  The farmers are smiling and the earth is green and lush. 

Here a few photos taken while Skabenga and I walked along the farm road earlier. (we couldn't walk yesterday afternoon as it was pouring when I returned from walk - I got drenched running from car to cottage!)

 Being a dairy farm, we pass a paddock with calf nurseries

 A close up of this cutey

As soon as possible after birth, the calves are seperated from their mothers. Every morning and evening I watch the lady from the dairy take buckets of mother cow milk and let the calves drink 

 A slightly older calf resting out of its nursery confines in the long grass 

 As we continue on our walk, Skabenga hurtles along exploring as he goes 

 Wildflowers abound

 A dog patiently waits for his mum to take photos

 Close-up of the wildflowers

 A white variety of the same flowers

 Dots of yellow as the daisies make their appearance

Fuzzy or clear - they're beautiful 

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! 

 

Unca Shadow in trouble

Hi Bozo and Mum's blog readers; this is Ambrose and Mum's letting me tell you about something serious. 

Last week Uncle John from next door arrived to help Mum with a faulty switch board. He came into our house with his Jack Ruseel dog behind him. We kitties ran into the bedroom although the JR didn't even take notice of us. 

Unca Shadow  and I saw that the dog wasn't a problem and wandered out onto the veranda. And there came face to face with the Staffie from next door. I dashed across the lawn and up a tree in our garden. This dog chased after Unca Shadow and chased him up the wire fence and over it. Unca Shadow ran across the road to the next door house and clawed his way up a B E E G tree. 

I was still clinging to the tree in our garden and could see everything from high up. Mum ran over to the next door house and tried to call Unca Shadow down. But he just climbed higher and higher. There were many dogs in the next door house and all barking up at the tree. They were behind a fence so couldn't have got to Unca Shadow. But I don't think he knew this.The young ladies from next door  sprayed their dogs with water which made them run away but come back again to see the cat in the tree! 

Mum came home and called me down. I was very afraid as cats don't easily do trees downwards. I later got down and went into the house where Mum grabbed me and hugged me. But Unca Shadow was sitting on a branch high up in the other tree.  

Unca Shadow high up on a branch

 Mum said I should add these photos to show how high the tree is

Unca Shadow got up on the tank platform and then into the tree 

Mum tried and tried to call Unca Shadow all night but everytime she knocked on Shadow's food bowl, the dogs next door would start to bark. Of course, we kitties could've told Mum that no self-respecting cat will come down while there are dogs below.  

Unca Shadow stayed in the tree all night although it rained hard. The next morning when it got light. Mum was out there calling Unca Shadow quietly so as not to alert the dogs. But they heard her, and set up a noisy barking session. Unca Shadowe just looked down at her.

I think she went off to work feeling very sad at leaving Unca Shadow in the tree. But she left a bathroom window open which is far away from where the dogs are. Aunty Ronnie told her that it's very quiet during the day (we could tell her that too!) and she was sure that Shadow would come down on his own. 

At work Mum spoke to a policeman in the nearby town about the problem. He said if she got home and the cat was still in the tree, he would send a fire truck with ladders. 

When Mum got home though, she was so pleased to find Unca Shadow in the bathroom. She opened the door and he came into the house where we kitties were very glad to see him! 

He and I are taking a long time to relax. We heard Mum tell Aunty Ronnie, if Uncle John comes in here again to help her, she will make sure the gate is closed and the black cat-chasing dog can't come in. 

Even I remember that this isn't the first time Unca Shadow has been chased up a tree by dogs. It happened to him when we lived in a F A A A R place long ago. Mum has had to help me by putting the link here below if you want to read about it here

For more pet posts, please click here

Springbok seen from the shop

Earlier this week a small group of Spingbok walked up along the fence of the sports resort across the road from the shopping center. What a privilege to view wildlife from the comfort of my workplace. 

 I loved this shot where two deer meet up and touch noses

 The springbok is a medium-sized antelope found mainly in southern and southwestern Africa. The sole member of the genus Antidorcas, this bovid was first described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1780. 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here 

Here's wishing you a happy Saturday! 

Computer issues

Hi everyone;' I've been rather absent from Blogger this week and with good reason. 

On Tuesday evening with no warning suddenly certain keys didn't work on my laptop keyboard. When I googled it and also receiving links from my dear friend, Sandra, I found that Windows 10 updates can cause these issues. 

I checked all the relevant videos and followed the instructions but with no success! Eventually I closed up shop early yesterday and took my laptop through to Mo More Magic Computers in Estcourt, a town about 45km from my place of business. 

Mo was most complimentary about my laptop but also pointed out that it has an embedded keyboard. This meant that he couldn't remove the errant keyboard and replace it with a new one at a minimal cost. He suggested an external keyboard which is connected to the laptop with a USB cable. 

After removing all sorts of gremlins (Defender being one), and reactivating Windows for me, my laptop was good to go for another good while! Mo was also most generous towards me: for two hours work and the external keyboard, he charged me R100/US$8.62.

 This is now my new office setup 

Happy Friday to you all ! 

Hedges pets at home

 Hi Bozo and all Mum's blog readers; this is Ambrose with the latest Hedges pets' news.  (there are no photos of me as I was too busy writing the post to look in Mum's pictures.)

 Unca Shadow outside near the gate

 The dog plodging in his bowl because it's so hot 

Dad Ginger playing with a piece of cowhide Mum brought from the O T H E R kitty's house 

 

 Aunty Chappie watching Dad Ginger 

For more cute pet posts, please click here