As always...

 ...the kitties know where the warmest places are in winter!

Chappie has made an Avon stock box here winter bed

Mama and Missy on the electric blanket

I had to snap Skabby who sleeps on a small cat donut!

HAPPY WEEKEND TO YOU ALL! 

Driving specs

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. Two weeks ago I posted about my long and freezing cold day at the licensing bureau. You can read about this here

Although my eyes have been lasered 24 years ago, I failed the eye test. I had to have a formal eye examination at the optometrist in town and subsequently was prescribed reading spectacles.

I made a trip to town this week and collected my glasses. 

My driving specs

On the way home from this trip, my car's speedometer turned over to 70,000km

Having bought it with 27,000 on the clock, three years ago, I have been afforded 43,000 safe kilometers in my little car. I use my car primarily for business and it is still serving me well. 

HAPPY MONDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Rippling reflections

 Good morning Blogger friends. On our walk this weekend past, I managed to photograph the pole reflection in the dam just before Skabby dived in. 

Before dog dive! 

After dog dive

Thank you, Skabby for helping Mum to capture rippling reflections! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK EVERYONE 

Skabby's pldoging bowl

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. So many of you comment on Skabby's plodging bowl. He loves to cool down in it (boots and all!) when we return from a walk. He also has a great splash and plodge after he's eaten his mammoth bone every evening.

And he has a HUGE bowl of water at his disposal at all time! 

Even though he has two other water bowls in the garden, Skabby prefers this giant receptacle 

I love this photo which shows the sheer size of my dog! 

HAVE A GREAT DAY WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND! 

Sunday Hedges Pet Post

 Hello Blogger friends. Here I am endeavoring to post about the Hedges pets more regularly.

Skabby enjoying his extra large bone on the newly mowed lawn 

Missy stalking Mama...

...who was returning from a late afternoon walk around the car port 

Chappie watches all from under the Buddleia 

 WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFUL SUNDAY

Fan-tailed Widowbird and dog[ged] exhuberance

 Good afternoon dearest fellow Bloggers. These past weeks Skabby and I have only been able to go for a walk very infrequently. It has rained incessantly in the Central Drakensberg, not allowing the farm roads to become walkable after the muddy conditions. However, one hot sunny day  last week (the heat has also been fierce this summer),  Skabby and I got out into the veld. 

As always, while said dog hurtles along the farm road, I often stop and take photos.

Fan-tailed Widowbird male (breeding) 

The regular stop for Skabby to have a swim 

Many exciting muddy puddles to splash through! 

A view of the mountains on a glorious summer day 

Cooling his heels in the plodging bowl back home 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Tenth day!

 Good morning my dear Blogger friends. Thank you, one and all for you kind comments on my recovery. Today is Day 10 and I am out of quarantine. However, I still don't feel energetic enough to dance a jig so am spending Sunday in bed. 

You can imagine who is happy Mum has been at home for so long!

The kitties are happy Mum is finally doing what they do best: sleeping! 

Skabby lies next to my bed but generally he is out on the lawn, soaking up the sun! 

In between he takes gentle sips of water ! Daft dog! 

Being the rainy season, we have not had many walks - and now that I am out of commission, that is on the back burner as well! 

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL 

Little Missy not well

 On Monday I heard Missy sneezing; once, twice and three times. We all remember the messages flying around the socials at the beginning of Covid-19 of a cat sneezing and every human and critter fleeing from the scene! 

However, I didn't imagine Missy had the virus. More like I need to watch her carefully. Within the next few hours, and again the next morning, I noticed that she wasn't dashing outdoors to lie and under the shrubs. She rather spent the day on top of the wardrobe.

The next night, she was lying on my bed and sneezed. And this time, there was the presence of blood.  I inspected her face; touched her nose gently: it was not dry and hot. Not being a vet, and caring very much for my furbabies, I decided to take her to the vet the next day.

On Wednesday morning I told Ronnie about Missy not being well and she urged me to take her to the vet. Easier said than done. I dusted off the cat carriers which have traveled all over Africa over the past two decades and before Missy could protest (she's a great protester!), I hustled her into the cage and locked the gate. 

I loaded her into the back of my car and we set off. As the car pulled out of the port, Missy started to meow. All of 49km to the vet in Estcourt, my ears were assailed by her loud wailing. When I stopped and took the cage from the back seat, she stopped and looked out at this new world. She hasn't been off the farm since mid-2018. 

Once inside the vet's rooms, he closed the window and asked me to remove her from the carrier. Missy grew up at the shop which I managed. She was always being petted and photographed and cooed over by passing trade.

 You'd think that she'd be sociable. 

Not on! 

I held and stroked her while the vet examined her but she shook and shivered and yowled all the while. She was terrified of this stranger! 

Very suspicious of this strange place 

The vet took a blood sample and took her temperature. The sample yielded nothing untoward; her temp was normal. 

He injected her with a broad spectrum antibiotic and cortisone to counteract any underlying fungal infection. 

Back in the carrier she went; I paid my vet's bill and loaded Missy in the back of my car. She immediately set up voice and top decibel and continued all the way home.

When I opened the cage on the veranda her at home, she peered out suspiciously. Then Mama and Skabby welcomed her with sniffs and nose nudges. I carried her indoors, onto my bed where she curled up and slept until that evening. 

At 8pm she stretched, sat up and looked around. She jumped off the bed and had a drink of water. A few pellets and she came back to bed, cuddled up to Mama and went to sleep.

Thursday morning, Ronnie popped in to see the patient and she was 100% better. 

Thank goodness.

I still cant think what caused the sneezing and other symptoms, but I am glad she's back to normal. 

Blooms and edibles; bales and a thrush

Notwithstanding another busy week with Weigh-Less groups, farm office work and guests visiting my accommodation, Skabby and I still managed to get out onto the farm road at least once a day. 

The days are beautiful and of course, the view of the mountain peaks are as spectacular as ever! 

An artistic take of the farm lands with Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peaks in the background 

Skabby was delighted when I permitted him to follow me into a paddock which he'd not yet explored! 

Back home, once I'd unleashed Skabby, I stopped to photograph the progress of the blooms on my garden shrubs. 

Tecomaria capensis (Cape Honeysuckle)

The Sunbirds, white-eyes and several other birds love this shrub. The cats also sleep under this bush catching the afternoon sunrays. 

Budddleja salvofolia (Sagewood) 

I've spotted several butterflies on this bush but haven't managed to photograph any yet. 

This is a macro image of a teeny bloom on a weed in my lawn! 

Another beautiful weed bloom!

Bulbine fruitescens (Stalked bulbine) My garden assistant watches as I take photos! 

The last of my cauliflower harvest. We had a hot wind earlier this  month and before I picked this head, it was almost spoiled, Tasted good all the same! 

My kale crop is still going strong

The beetroot is taking longer than I imagined to bulb...

Earlier this week I heard a different bird call in the garden. I grabbed my camera and dashed outside. There was a beautifully marked bird on my lawn. Skabby bounded across the lawn and scared this bird into flying up into the tree in my neighbor's yard. 

Groundscraper Thrush

The Groundscraper Thrush  has a mixture of harsh, loud calls ending with a grating sound 

Back indoors I was just about to replace my camera in its bag, when I noticed an unusual looking spider above the display cabinet.  

I  didn't want to stress this poor critter, so didn't get too close. 

Hence the blurry image !

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here.

We are going to Level 1 on Sunday at midnight. Six months of Lockdown so far! 

I trust you're all well and and safe.

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL ! 

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.

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