Note the warthog kill to the right of some of the pictures of the lions. Notice the buffalo herd guarding the young buffalo (young buffalo with gold/brown coat and short horns). And what about the young elephant reaching for the water. Then, shiver when you look at the buffalo bull? Scary close.
Going to Addo is a great experience. How lucky we are to have Addo so close to Port Elizabeth
Don’t disturb me!I know you are taking a picture of me but I won’t bother looking at you!About to have a shuteye?Don’t you believe it! I am fully awake.Snoozing in the shade!An afternoon snack with mom.Is that a delicious root I see?Don’t disturb me. I am thinking.
Don’t mess with me!Here comes trouble!About 3 m from the car window. Phew! Don’t get out of the car! What a game park! FantasticHere comes trouble!Both on guard and watching me!Enjoying grazing togetherHaving a drink with MomHard work for a dung beetle!Clever FinchWarthog brood
Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in Richmond Park in London. One day, Mary gathered the rabbit family and explained to them the importance of the “golden rule.”
Mary told them that the golden rule is a principle that says “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.” She said that this is important because it means being kind, respectful, and fair to others.
She also added that when we treat others the way we would like to be treated, it makes everyone feel good and happy. And when we don’t follow the golden rule, it can cause problems and fights.
The rabbits listened to Mary and they understood the importance of following the golden rule. They realized that by treating others with kindness and respect, they could make the whole community a better and happier place. From that day on, the rabbits always followed the golden rule and lived in peace and harmony with the other animals in Richmond Park.
Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in a big park called Richmond Park in London. One day, Mary gathered the rabbit family and told them a story about a fox who wanted to eat some grapes but couldn’t reach them. He got mad and said “those grapes are probably sour anyway.”
Mary explained that this story is about when you want something but can’t have it and then make an excuse for not getting it. She told the rabbits that it’s important to be happy with what you have and not to compare yourself to others. She encouraged the rabbits to be grateful for what they have and not to always focus on what they don’t have.
The rabbits listened to Mary and they learned a valuable lesson. They realized that it’s better to be happy with what you have than to always want more. From that day on, the rabbits were happy and content with what they had and Mary the wise owl was always there to guide them and tell them stories that taught them valuable lessons.
Note: Kiera is unwell at present having suffered a stroke. She is safe in the loving hands of Anna and Rosanne. Below are two poems by Kiera sent to me by Anna. In the first poem Kiera laments the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll and at the same time pays homage to her late Majesty’s great love of animals. In the second poem, communicated a few days ago to Anna, Kiera bravely faces her own mortality and encourages us to believe that love goes on for ever.
A Tribute to Her Late Majesty
A tribute to our dear late Queen Elizabeth
By Kiera
Our Queen has died
This makes me sad…
If I’d known her
I would have had
Such gentle strokes
For she was kind
Such love from her
I would find
A Royal kiss
She would place
Right upon
My furry face
I think on me
She would dote
Her gentle hand
Would stroke my coat
Of all this
I am sure
She was Queen
Her word was law..
She loved us all
This I know
It’s sad to learn
She had to go..
It’s the end
Of her reign
I’m just a dog
But feel the pain
I need to say
One more thing,
Welcome Charles
Our new King!!
Kiera – A Reflection
“Go free”, I heard
“It’s your choice”
But the sound of your voice
Awakened me….
I had one paw on Rainbow Bridge,
Then two…
But I turned
And looked at you….
Your moistened eyes
And soft goodbyes
So touched my heart
I could not part
Not this night…..
The yonder light
Began to fade
And so I stayed….
Such love and healing
Has left me feeling
Renewed in strength
Until at length
I had no pain
And breathed again.
But love is constant, has no end
Remember this, my dear Friend…
My time will come and when it does
It will be right for both of us.
Over 2000 people have read the story of how Kiera came to England from Romania Click here to read the amazing story.
For other blogs about Kiera search the blog for “Kiera”.
Once upon a time, in a forest, there was a wise old owl named Mary. All the animals in the forest would come to her for advice and guidance.
One day, a group of young bunnies came to Mary and asked her to tell them a story. Mary thought for a moment. She remembered a story a wise man called Aesop told her. Mary began to speak.
“Once upon a time, there was a rabbit named Speedy and a turtle named Slowpoke,” she said. “Speedy was very fast and loved to brag about how fast he could run. Slowpoke, on the other hand, was slow but steady.
One day, Speedy decided to challenge Slowpoke to a race. He laughed and said, ‘There’s no way you can win, you’re too slow!’ But Slowpoke accepted the challenge.
The day of the race arrived and Speedy took off quickly, leaving Slowpoke behind. But Speedy got too confident and took a nap during the race. When he woke up, he saw Slowpoke crossing the finish line first.
The moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race. Don’t be like Speedy and brag all the time. Instead, be like Slowpoke and work hard and you will be successful in the end.”
The young bunnies were very impressed and thanked Mary for the story. From that day on, they remembered the story of Speedy and Slowpoke and worked hard to achieve their goals.
Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in Richmond Park. She had lived there for many years and had seen many things come and go. One day, she noticed that the rabbit family who lived nearby were having trouble finding food. The rabbits were small and not very fast, so they couldn’t catch their own food like the bigger animals could.
Mary, the wise owl, knew she had to help the rabbit family, so she went to speak with them. When they first met, Mary told the rabbits that the most important rule in life was to treat other animals just like they would like to be treated. She called it the golden rule.
She taught the rabbits how to better use their ears to listen for the sound of the plants growing underground. This way, they could find the freshest and most nutritious plants to eat. She also taught them how to better use their noses to smell for predators, so they could stay safe.
The rabbits followed Mary’s advice, and soon they were thriving. They had plenty of food and were able to live in peace and safety in Richmond Park.
But one day, a sly fox frightened the rabbits as he was hunting them, the rabbits were not aware of the fox’s presence and were caught off guard. The fox was almost able to catch a few of the young rabbits before they could run away. Mary, seeing the commotion, flew down to the scene and chased the fox away.
Mary then gathered the shivering rabbits and reminded them of the importance of staying alert and being aware of their surroundings at all times, especially when predators are around. She also reminded them of the golden rule, that they must always treat other animals just as they would like to be treated and to look out for one another. Little did they realise how important that rule would turn out to be.
One day, while the rabbits were out foraging, they stumbled upon a trap set by a hunter. Inside the trap was the fox who had been hunting them before. The rabbits were afraid and wanted to leave the fox there to suffer, but one of the young rabbits, named Flopsy, remembered Mary’s golden rule and decided to help the fox.
Flopsy carefully freed the fox from the trap, and the fox, surprised and grateful, thanked Flopsy. The fox said his name was Lightning and explained that he had been caught in the trap while hunting for food for his family, and that he had never intended to harm the rabbits. The two animals realized that they were not so different after all, and they became friends.
The fox and the rabbit family then worked together to find food and protect each other from danger in Richmond Park. Mary was happy to see that her advice had been taken to heart and that even the unlikeliest of friendships could form. They all lived happily ever after, always looking out for each other and Mary the wise owl was always there to protect them, always reminding them of the golden rule to treat others just as they would like to be treated.
A few months later there was a massive rain storm. The wind howled. The trees shook. It was icy cold. The rabbit family huddled together in their den.
Yet on that cold and windy night, at the height of the storm, they met someone who would become their friend for ever. He would become known as the Hero of the Winter Storm. He was a young dog named Wally.
But what happened?
That is another story ………………….
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*This story was generated by AI and a process of focused iteration plus actual amendment.
We visited Addo (outside Port Elizabeth) today. It was, as always, beautiful and interesting. Here are some pictures. Thanks to T and D for the outing. All within an hour of our home.
HartebeesHartebeesHartebees – right near momZebraStaying close to mom. Thanks to DT for the picture Following momBuffalo Heard of buffalo
johnbartels.com 