acacia blossoms

acacia blossoms

Saturday, November 14, 2009

frog party is on tonight



Yesterday was sweltering hot. The ground was a furnace – I went out without shoes and had to hop skip and jump to the shade. I walked around the house dripping sweat from every pore like a leaky water sack. I jumped in the pool, I had a shower, and each gave five minutes respite before the radiator started boiling again.




At sunset we saw the big male lion walk past the front of the house. He went after a warthog, which broke into a flat out run. I have never seen a warthog stretch his pace so far. He escaped the thundering lion. The lion stopped by the waterhole and looked around to see we were watching. He looked right at us, and then stooped to drink at the water for long long minutes.



A sound behind the house, the dassies scampering from the trees, a branch breaking. The lion looked up and ran over to the water tank where the rest of the pride had brought down a young nyalla. We drove around and there they all were. Some with bloodied fore-paws, plenty of growling and munching sounds; the cubs had not eaten yet. The spotlight reflected pairs of eyes all around the footpath and in the rocks.



We came home. Then the researchers arrived. It felt odd to be in the house, while researchers spot lit feeding lions just by our water tank. So we turned the lights off and watched again.





During the night, I was woken by flashes of light. Bright as fireworks – lightening all around us. I got up to unplug the phones, and computers. The thunder was still far away and I wondered if it would rain at all.



Then it started. Our first proper rain of the season. Sounds like stones being thrown onto our roof, gaining momentum to a heavy thrumming. The ground so hard, and hot, during the day, now ran with rivers of silver rain – lit by the lightening show.




Water poured in rivulets down roads and pathways, finding its way to the dam.




This morning a whole new world of freshness. Bright green new leaves already showing in sprays along grey branches. The earth plumped up like a sponge is soft and cool to walk on. Bird calls fill the air, and the bull frogs are out. Tonight there will be a frog party in every waterhole – deafening us with their distinctive calls. The base notes of bull frogs, the tenors of red toads, trilling of rubber frogs, and glooping of bubbling kasinas. I can’t resist it. We go there and the sound completely fills up our whole heads. I will record it …. again; and send it to vaguely interested pals…..again. It never ceases to amaze me.






The frog party is ON tonight everyone - and if you can find a prince in there somewhere GOOD LUCK!



23 comments:

Anonymous said...

OMG!!!! Fantastic fantastic post!

1. Maybe my prince is there and I'm here (grump grump) but I see they're all having sex already (no time wasting here!!)
2. rain at last - a-w-e-s-o-m-e!
3. lion kill on the doorstep - w-o-w!
4. lightning photo - b-r-i-l-l-i-a-n-t!

I don't need to ask if you're having a great weekend

OKAY - I'll get back to packing for my Kalahari Safari (I still wish I was at Selati right now!)

xxx

Anonymous said...

PS send the sound bytes - I might hear one of them calling my name!!!

:-)

Angela said...

Oh BEAUTIFUL, Val. What a post. It almost makes me cry - what a power of change! First the HEAT (wonderful, wonderful description. My soles hurt, too!) and the hungry lions - and then the RAIN. And WHAT RAIN!! Wow. I am absolutely stunned.
Thanks for this post, Val! Yes, I want to HEAR it, too!

Val said...

hi Janet - yes the party starts a bit early for some here...
i will text you the sounds later.

dont forget the pack the tin foil for you-know-what.....

Angela - thanks for your kind words. how can i send the frog party sounds to you? do you have a mobile phone?

xxx blog on and have a great weekend! xxxV

Debby said...

Awesome.

Lyn said...

Your posts are so wonderfully descriptive. I always feel like I have had a little vacation after reading your blog. I have an intense curiosity about the different regions in Africa and you help satisfy that for me. Thank you for another great read. When an update appears in my Google Reader I get excited to see what stories you are going to share.

Reya Mellicker said...

There is nothing boring or mundane about your life. It's all so close to the bone, all so dramatic. Wow.

Val are you able to transmit the frog recording over the internet? I would LOVE to hear those frogs.

Val said...

Debbie - hi ! and thanks for the visit


Lyn - the blogosphere is amazing for insights into different worlds within our worlds. i love it too for that

Reya - gosh i wonder how i would do that? will record the sounds on my phone so i can send it to a mobile number if you have one?

so much cooler today - heaven
xxxV

Lorac said...

Val, I enlarger the last picture! Bwahahaha! Froggy love! I have never seen the likes of that. Too funny. As usual all the pics are great and of course you give a wonderful story to go with it. Lions just outside your house, a much needed rainstorm and researchers invading your house. Busy day!

alex said...

swinging by your wonderful blog Val...fast becoming my favourite I have to say!...love your pictures and your words. brilliant.

Kerry said...

There must be a way to attach sound files to blog posts (I haven't figured this out yet, no surprise) but would I ever love to hear your frogs singing. One of the best sounds in the whole world.

Verily I go. said...

Amazing. So fantastic. Thanks Val. My mind goes wild with the images you give to me. I love these gifts. xoxo

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

A very interesting post Val. Isn't simply amazing what water will do for an arrid landscape. I will be watching for your post about the frogs . . . as will many other women looking for princes. Most of the stories I hear these days are about princes turning to frogs rather than the other way around - unfortunately.

I'm so lucky - my prince has makes no croaking sounds at all!

Rosaria Williams said...

It feels like a movie script where you are, lions walking up by your door, frogs croaking all night long. Don't you use surge protectors to avoid problems with your electric appliances?

Janelle said...

AWESOME POST darlin'! wow. and that pic of lightening is extraordinary! you've captured the entire process perfectly...love it. xxx j

Val said...

Lorac - yup no time to waste in their world! life is short for them :-)

Alex - wow thanks - high praise!

Kerry - Janet has helped me put sound into a file i can email. not sure how to get that onto the blog yet....

Verily - hehe thanks!

Bonnie - thats so true sadly - i suppose its about keeping the faith

Lakeviewer - i do have one or two, but just as well to unplug them all anyhow

janelle - thanks hey x

frogs are probably tired today..
xxxxv

Unknown said...

I don't know how many times I'm going to say this but you HAVE to publish this blog and these wonderful, evocative writings! You have such a gift for capturing the moment and it's essence. Each time I read your words it's like I'm right there with you. Beautiful, Val, as always! xxx

Val said...

aB Van, thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement always. it is high praise coming from you!!
I am hoping that this month of writing for nanowrimo will lead to somewhere. i have learnt so much already and will never read a book in the same light again!! wow!!
i am in awe of your creative brain.
xxx

Lori ann said...

Dear Val,
OMG. I've often thought that your blog ought to come with a soundtrack, with this post I could almost hear it. Incredible. I love your photos, and you know how much I LOVE your words. I can't wait for your book, a memoir? something, anything will be great.
Do you still have my cell number? I will text you so I can hopefully hear the frogs.
xxx

Daryl said...

Petie sent me and I am glad she did .. what a wonderful post. Until now all I knew of Bostwana was what I read in Mr. Smith's #1 Ladies Detective Agency which is a charming series.

So nice to meet you!

Val said...

lori - thanks so much x that would be so cool if we could add sound to words and pictures.... who would know how? Janet??

Daryl - hi! thanks for visiting - i am glad to meet you too :-)

e said...

Wow! I would love to hear those frogs, too. Thanks for popping in.

Kristin said...

Gorgeous. Just... gorgeous.