Ambrose recovered and posting

 Good morning to Mum's blog followers; this is Ambrose with news of the Hedges household.

I have had a sore paw but am fully recovered now again. Mum tried to check it when I came in limping but I growled softly at her Sorry Mum. 

I slept all day in a sunny spot under the bushes in the garden and on Mum's bed every night. Now I am better! 

Keeping the noise out and resting 

Missy always sleeps on Mum's bed with me

Mama asleep on a chair in Mum's office 

Chappie sleeps on matrasses in a corner which Mum says needs tidying! 

Skabby the doggie sleeps indoors but goes out in the morning 

We are very lucky, well fed and sleep warmly with our Mum every night.

Two, four and eight-legged critters

 Good afternoon Blogger friends. This week in South Africa has been freezing cold - 0 degrees Celsius to minus 5 and 6. That's cold for us warm blooded critters here in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Today the weather has been peachy and sunny. As always Skabby and I had our walk. In fact he's been spoiled. On two occasions this week he and I have walked up to the farm turnoff to meet guests. Yes, we are up and open at the Bunker again and business is brisk. Thank goodness. 

Back to our walk and the critters we encountered. I heard it before I saw it: a Blacksmith Plover. The name speaks for itself. 

Blacksmith plover

Its open bill - even in the reflection - issuing metallic, pinging sounds

As always, Skabby has a swim 

Walking back, I was on the lookout for good photos of the beautiful mountain peaks in the distance. And heard another bird call. I stopped to scan the paddock next to the road and zoomed in on this beauty...

 African Stonechat

After downloading the photos I realized it was very indistinct - the distance was too far that day. I have been watching for this little bird ever since, but it has disappeared! Apologies for the poor quality of the photo but I had to share it. 

Closer by that day, I snapped a White-fronted Bee-eater

Back home, I rescued this critter from the wall above my bed...

...and tipped it out in the garden 

And with further apologies to Sandra; on Friday as I closed the bathroom door, I saw this beauty on the wall. I opened the door for its protection. I'm not sure of Thandiwe's take on spiders. 

Y'all know mine! **

Rain spider female hopefully announcing spring showers next month  

**With my right hand place a drinking glass carefully over the spider. Using a  piece of paper in left hand, I slide it between the glass and wall and with it covered, I have the glass in my hand, the spider generally at the bottom of the glass. As always I like to take a photo (as you see above) and then to avoid causing the spider any more stress, I tip it into the garden where it scuttles away to safety. 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

May you all have a wonderful weekend - keeping safe at the same time.

Ambrose kitty journo update

 Hello Mum's blog readers; this is Ambrose - AT LAST!

After Mum stayed on the warm bed for a l o o o o o n g time and we kitties joined her, she has been out of the house. Today is the first time I am able to my post about the Hedges kitties and dog. 

Mama, even though she's and crosspatch kitty (with me) is still very playful.

Mama hiding under the kitty scratching post 

Playing ppeek-a-boo...

...with Missy on the table above

Missy drinking water from the kitchen sink- as kitties do. Well, in the Hedges household!  

Skabby the dog waiting for Mum to take him for a walk

Chappy drinks water from the outside dishes although there are four water bowls indoors

Finding all the Hedges pets and writing a post is exhausting! Here I, Ambrose am asleep on Mum's warm bed 

TO ALL THE DOGGIES AND KITTIES OUT THERE, BE GOOD FOR YOUR YOOMENS 

Eclectic mix of Saturday critters

 Good afternoon, dear Blogger friends. Life is normal again, thank goodness and one routine that has been re-established is that Skabby and I get out there for a walk. 

Last week as I approached the dam, I once again, noticed the perfect reflection of an electrical pole above the bank.

I called my photographic assistant to jump in for a swim. He did...

... and I was ready with my camera! 

Lovely zig-zag images made for great photo ops! 

After having acquitted himself of a task well done, the canine photographic assistant, treated himself to a fresh patty

On the way back, I stopped to take photos of the hay bales and the cows grazing against a backdrop, in the far distance, of the majestic mountain peaks. 

This bucolic scene is part of my daily existence 

This young calf was alone, and seemed to be waiting. His mum has obviously gone to the day paddock for the day

While I was thinking about this little guy, a cow came up the road bellowing, she was mooing so loudly. All the calves in the nursery came towards the fence but not one reacted to her mooing. This lone calf also paid no attention to the lady's call. She was clearly missing her calf. Then she turned around and galloped (strange sight to see a cow galloping) back to the paddock where she'd spent the night. The older heifers in the paddock adjacent to the nursery, ran along the fence with her. 

I'd leashed Skabby  up again and stopped at the farmyard gate to watch the cow. She raced into the paddock where she located a young calf and called him to come with her. 

Circled is a very happy mama having found her baby! 

She came running up the road with her calf in tow!

She found, to her surprise, that her calf had remained in the paddock (see open gate top left of photo

Here she is with her calf, on their way to the cows grazing the lush grass along the river 

I'm listening to the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa addressing the nation on easing restrictions during Covd-19. The number of daily infections have decreased from 12,000 to 5,000. The recovery rate since 13th July, CR's last address, has increased from 48% to 80%. 

Cigarettes may be sold for the first time in four months. Doesn't affect me in any way but I felt for the smokers. Black market sales rocketed during this period. The alcohol ban has been lifted for the second time; I'm also not a drinker but I'm pleased for the wine industry in our country. 

I am linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here 

Have a safe a wonderful Saturday! 

Freedom !

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. As the title suggests, I am finally relieved of the vacuum pump which had been attached to my leg for four weeks. Monday, August 3rd, 2020.

After the sister had applied a conventional dressing and left, I went to the farm office for the first time since 22nd June. 

At midday, I came home, leashed up Skabby and we set out on  our first walk in six weeks. My, was that pooch excited! He ate many, many cow pats on the way up the road. At the dam, I had to call him several times to have a swim; he was munching away at his already-digested vegetarian patties. 

Happiness is...

In the photo below, see my shadow.  I was thrilled to be out in the warm winter sunshine again after so long indoors! (PS the new blogger won't allow me to un underline - ERGH!)

At least Skabby washes his teeth and mouth with copious gulps of muddy dam water! 

Bounding happily along the farm road after his swim

A cow with a very young calf

Back home, I snapped a Cape Sparrow male, enjoying some remaining greens on the dried out winter lawn

Handsome fellow posed beautifully for me

Cape White-eye pecking at lemon skins in my compost heap

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

A happy, safe and healthy Saturday to you all! 

Birds down memory lane

Good afternoon dear Blogger friends. Last week the Internet was very erratic. Then my monthend was upon me and I was busy with my virtual Weigh-Less groups from Tuesday morning  until Thursday evening. 

However, somehow the Internet has played ball since 3am today and I'm making hay while the sun shines.

Not to put too fine a point on it: I am STILL tied to my bed with a vacuum pump attached to my leg. The good news is that the wound has healed completely. Yay. The sister will apply a conventional dressing on Monday morning and go home with the pump in her big black doctor's bag. She visits me again on Thursday and I think that should be that. From Monday I will return to the farm office next door and earn my keep again! 

Having more time, while browsing through my archives, I came across several bird photos which I'm sharing here below.

Amethyst Sunbird (Drakensberg circa summer 2016)

Fork-tailed Drongo (Marquard Summer 2015) 

Jackal Buzzard (Drakensberg 2019)

Malachite Sunbird - Male (Marquard late summer 2015)

Village Indigobird - non-breeding male or female  (Marquard - 2015) 

Southern Red Bishop - breeding male (Marquard  2015) 

Southern Double-collared Sunbird Male (Drakensberg - summer 2016) 

Village Indigobird - non-breeding male or female - Bokeh effect (Marquard 2015) 

I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to get to grips with the different "look' of Blogger now. I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here 

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL