Climbing in Matopos…

The sky really is that blue here in Matabeleland – I love the yellow contrast

The slog up a kopjie is always a bugger, but once I’m there…

I struggled at first, to climb this rock – I felt I was really clomping up – until I removed my shoes! Then I had no trouble running up…

I also hoped that if a snake popped its head up when the dogs were sniffing around the exfoliating rocks, I could use them as a missile!

This exfoliating rock is actually hollow!

I’ve put the rest of the photos in a gallery – I think one can click on the image to view it full size

Fires, in Matopos

I think, in these two photos, I have managed to portray what its like being near a raging bush-fire – you can’t see (as your eyes stream) your throat burns and its very hot.

On one occasion, I began fighting a fire with only two people (I was waiting for assistance from not only Anglesea, but surrounding properties) and I was dithering about leaving them there all alone while I sent for help. I could hardly see and even less breathe. Eventually I agreed but said “Now listen guys – safety first – be very careful and please, just use your brains.” The younger guy quipped “How can I use my brains, if I have no oxygen!”

Sadly, once the fire season begins we all fight them for weeks…This latest one was started when an electricity pole fell and the sparks ignited the dry grass.

I’m hoping an artist out there will paint this one (above!)

Fires sure make for moody photographs!

This last photo was taken in the early morning, immediately after the fire. Logs, which sometimes burn for days, produce mist-like smoke that hangs in the valleys.

Fire season…

As the dry season comes to an end, here in Mat’land, the grass is tinder dry, the wind blows any which way it likes (instead of the prevailing south-easterly) and uncontrolled fires are the scourge of our grasslands.

I am pretty scared of fires, as I was nearly killed as a child, so generally only provide logistical support, which means driving my car around – pouring water in fighter’s knapsacks and helping with backburns.

And when its ravaged through, this is all that is left, killing small animals, bird and all the undergrowth mulch.

I leave you with this photo, taken of tired fire fighters. The chap in the centre is nearly 80 years old!

Gusu Sand Woodlands, Zimbabwe

Aeons ago, huge sands were deposited over large parts of southern Africa – worn away over even more aeons leaving only remnants in some areas of Zimbabwe. At some point in time, the weather must have been conducive to the growth of tree seedlings.

Colonists arrived to find huge Teak forests growing in what became known as the Gusu Woodlands.

I was lucky enough to be in what what used to be a cattle ranch (now, communal type subsistence farming) overlooking the Gwaai river and its tributaries. I took the photos in this post in the evening when the light wasn’t too strong overhead.

This stretch of sand, is about 20 to 30 metre higher than the valley – I wasn’t able to get a decent photo (trees were obscuring my view!!) But you can see it, if you look hard at background in this photo:

This is a cattle path down to the water which is about 6km away.

A woman’s job is never done…

This photo is taken in the Gusu sand area of northwestern Zimbabwe. Many years ago, this area was harvested for Teak – but I didn’t see many…

Much of the forest area has been settled now, but most villages are very far from water.

This photo was taken in the early morning

Monkey Thorn trees on the Umguza

The monkey thorn trees are fantastic this year. This photo (above,) was taken on the Umguza River in the Nyamadhlovu area of Western Zimbabwe.

Here, I have taken the photo through the yellow flowers.

The rainy season is threatening, here in Matabeleland and as always we await it with hope!

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Its nearly the end of winter, here in Matabeleland, the trees are bare, but waiting to burst into leaf. This photo is taken in the late evening

I lost my mummy, wha ha ha ha!

Our cows with small calves, on Anglesea Farm, are kraaled every night. If we don’t, leopard eat them.

The mums, very sedately walk into the kraal (about a kilometre from where they graze.) But the little calves think its a ball!

After lying around all day (usually a group of up to 10 calves with a couple of “nanny” mums to supervise them,) they gambol about, happy to be moving.

This poor little guy lost his mummy for a while; found himself all alone, and came bulleting through the gate when he heard her call!

Nkone cattle coming in to the kraal in the evening…

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We are having to kraal our cattle on Anglesea these days. If we don’t, the leopards pick them off, one by one. We feed them (the cows, not the leopards) a little, to entice them to come back to the kraal.

I just LOVE this photo (above). I think it will make a lovely print.

All my photos can be printed out in large size (A2) – just send me an email on forfrankiekay@gmail.com if you would like to hang one on your wall.

This last photo is one of my favourites – I love the mum looking for her calf, and of course, the cow with horns in the foreground. She is such a typical Nkone.

A short walk in one of the dairy paddocks, on Anglesea Farm, Matopos

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My walk begins with this beautiful view right near the dairy! The very early morning light makes interesting patterns on the ground.

I took a slight deviation up a kopjie – following this path:

The early morning mist was just being burnt away by the sun.

I spied a grove of Mopane Trees and decided to walk there (they are the orange coloured trees in the middle distance.) Below is a gallery of the pics I took on the way:

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I hope you enjoyed my early morning walk in “Ramp” Paddock on Anglesea. If you enjoyed your visit, please click the FOLLOW button here on my blog to receive new posts in your in-box.