start of summer

A month ago i thought winter here was my favourite time of year.  With cool dark nights and bright sun filled days under an impossibly blue dome of sky.  Since then the rains have started and immediately the ground lillies immerged from the softened earth.

Now the trees are all coming into leaf - putting on their fresh green dresses of spring.  The mopane trees are the most common here. Their new leaves emerge shiny and soft like drops of water. Now they are opening out and the bright sun pics out the colours like slices of amber and jade filling the view.

The other day we found a python. It was about 2m long and was hunting in the rocks.  the birds gave him away. A fork tailed drongo was performing avidly in the bushes marking his path. They are such brave birds.  Pythons are an unusual sight so we were thrilled to see this one. We watched him watching us for a while before he started moving off.  They are fascinating to watch as they move - it looks like there are a million little feet inside a huge sock.

The monkeys left us for a while.  We thought they were sulking because we bought a big wooden snake and put it on the stoep - close by the door they usually use for raiding parties into the kitchen.  But now they are back and some of the females have given birth - now carrying tiny pink and black newborns clasped to their tummies.

With all the green growth and wild flowers around everyone should thrive.  We are waiting now for the impala to drop their young. 

I am loving this start of summer.