The lion's call pierces the night. Another lion answers and then the ominous giggling of hyena breaks the silence. In the morning our garden is filled with kudu. They hopped effortlessly over our 3m high fences. Perhaps coming to share their grief over the loss of a family member to the pride of lion during the night.
My life in the Game Reserve is so long ago. I remember it with mixed feelings. On the one hand the awe of living out there. In total isolation - except for all the wonderful creatures - untouched. Miles and miles of nothing but the wild - as it has been since Creation. But on the other hand the reality of how vulnerable we could be. Us, humans, on the animals turf. The lioness hunting would sometimes pass right under our windows. Huge migrating elephant tramping across the river where the crocodiles lurked.
We are still far from civilization here on the homestead, but we are in a farming valley and our neighbour's are various Nature Reserves. Leopard are shy but not uncommon. Giraffe, ostrich and various buck are regularly seen. Today we took a drive and were thrilled to see kudu!
The African bush is a spectacle of vibrant greens with splashes of red. What I think are the beautiful flowers of the broad leafed coral tree is covered with foraging bees. The kudu were wary but continued to browse.
Four!!! See them? Hidden in plain sight...
It has been a day out of the ordinary. They generally are in the country but, here in the African countryside, it was sublime. The beauty takes my breath away. How blessed we are to call this home.