Hi to all my dear followers and safari friends. I would just like to say that anyone watching 'Planet Earth Live' at the moment and all the people and time  they spend trying to film the animals, I feel very privileged to have lived and seen all that I have in Africa. A part of me will always be out there. They say that if you have drunk the water from the Limpopo river your heart will always stay in Africa.

The mist is slowly lifting as we make our way out of the park. A little on the chilly side but we know as soon as the sun comes up and spreads it's golden fingers across the land, we will soon warm up and later on be too hot!
We pass the hippos in the river and a croc or two warming themselves up ready for the coming day.

                                           






We drive along, eyes peeled for any thing that moves, coughs, or growls, binoculars are out, or heads straining at impossible angles to check if something is there. The sun is now getting hot in the sky, arms starting to burn and you try to cover up, not always very easy with the bumping around and it is too hot for heavy long sleeved clothes.Won't be the first time somebody has ended up with roast pork and crackling looking arms or hands. We have stopped at one of the 'Pit Stops' and our guide has picked some Aloe Vera leaves for another person to try and rub in to their arm  to soothe the burnt skin. A good tip to remember. We only usually know it as a jar of cream.
Zebra and Wildebeest graze across the plains, various species of deer dotted amongst them. The odd giraffe head amongst the thorn trees from which hang lots of weaver bird nests. How the young do not fall out of these upside down nest I will never know.

We stop at the game lodge for lunch and and are welcomed by some drummers.

After a very pleasant meal, Klaus and I go for a walk around the compound. The trees and shrubs are a riot of colour, and some exotic cacti are flowering, other plants really stand out. Don't have enough space to put all the pictures.

'What a bloom'

                                   Lizards of all shapes and sizes soak up the sun, and make me try out a bit of yoga, the good old squat is sometimes needed. Rather ungainly but a must if you want to get that picture. Don't laugh I might just wobble a bit more then the little blighter will vanish!! There, it just bobbed his head and moved along a little further, if it thinks I am going to keep getting into this position


just for the fun of it, 'think Sheila, it's a free exercise class!' Others have to pay for theirs.

'A very difficult
yoga position!'

'Caught you at last'

Continuing our walk around came upon these two little cuties.

Rock Hyrax

          Back on the afternoon drive we pass our elegant friends the Giraffe, followed by the Wildebeest and their companions the Zebras.

'Friends Together'

This was the one that I wanted to paint.
I nearly ended up dreaming stripes!
See end result at the end of the blog

                                         

Wildebeest

Even
Giraffe like to sit down and rest.

   
 We bump our way back to camp, our tents look really inviting and the beds a very welcome sight for tired bodies. But first a wash and scrub up, I must have dust in places you would not dream off, talk about a free instant tan!

                       Please join me next week, tell your friends about our trips, they might want to join in to, all the more the merrier!

'Always friends in the Masai Mara'

                                                         ---------------------------------

'Who's a Handsome boy

 

Gradually more fur is coming, you have to slowly build this up with the colours making sure that you keep the texture going.Building up the roughs around the neck, and more work needed on the nose area. Here you can so easily get lost and end up with a  swollen looking nose!

Acrylics starting.

I took this photo at a bird park and thought they would be nice to paint.
I don't seem to choose something easy for the first time!!
Quite like the challenge, something to get your teeth into!

                 

'Pretty Boy's'






I have to admit I am rather impressed with the results so far, hope it keeps on going as well.
I am having fun doing this. I have started using a brush with only about 3 hairs on it, hopefully that way I don't put to much paint on and lose the drawing!            



Join me next time to see how the pictures are coming on. Must just say I do not paint everyday, but try to keep one morning a week free to dabble! My friend Jill now comes once a week for art with me, so no excuses now not to get the paintbrush out.