A very 'Good morning to you all and hope you have a lovely day.'
We are still out looking for this elusive leopard, they are one of the animals that you could probably stand right next to and never see it. Whenever you pass a tree you always look up into it in case there is a tail hanging down, or something that does not quite fit in with the look of the tree.
In the meantime I will tell you of my first sighting of a leopard, back to childhood days.

My folks were sitting out on the veranda with neighbours having evening sundowners, no T.V. in those days, and putting the world to rights whilst watching the sunset.
I can remember playing in the garden with their son, when a leopard walked out of the long grass bordering our garden and then stopped to stand and look at us.
I can still see it's eyes and the shimmering of it's coat in the setting sun.
The adults I heard afterwards had their hearts in their mouths in case us children moved and the leopard attacked. Enough to give you an instant heart attack!
Seems instinct must have made us just stand still and keep quiet for a change, or maybe it was just sheer fright, or that we were so amazed at the beauty of this beast. The leopard then just strolled across the garden and disappeared back into the long grass.
Seemed there had been several attacks recently in the small village down the road from us and a farmer had been killed.
Since then the nearest cat we have seen up off the ground is this! 'Yes, not quite a leopard '. You just need a little imagination folks'

"Don't forget to click on any picture to enlarge them."


But going back now to leopards

This picture above reminds  me of when we had the old fashioned 'little room' at the side of the garden. This contained the loo, a big hole with a wooden box over it with a proper toilet seat and steps up to it. 'Posh, I hear you say'. We felt like royalty sitting on that throne.
My mother got stuck in there one night when a leopard came visiting and prowled around it for several hours. Luckily with all the calling out got the dogs barking and somebody came to see what all the fuss was about. The racket frightened the leopard away and my mother was saved. Not much fun sitting around in a dark loo with only a torch and no glossy mags to read! And to think we moan these days if you find a spider in the room! Not long after that we moved to another town and another house, with better mod cons attached to the place. One of the places where we used to live had the daily  'honey suckle lorry as we called it come round every day. The sewage collector would tap on a flap door at the back of the toilet and call out,  to make sure it was not in use before taking out the bucket.'Oh, those were the days'.

We bumped around the rocky areas, and into dense bush areas but to no avail, the elusive cat was not going to be found that day. All praise to our driver, he really tried hard to find us one.
Sitting back at camp that night listening to all the stories and some from well worn safari hunters, we were not the only unlucky ones. Maybe another time, another year.


Yes, the picture from the leopard day.

'Ever Watchful'

Get packed up and ready to join me again next week.




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Have we progressed with the picture this week?




As promised the wolf in all his glory. A good double mount and nice frame makes all the difference. I am pleased with the result.

Now on to the Squawker's !


I have finished the sky and most of the tree and branches. Really only have to fill in the greenery or whatever under the birds. A touch up here and there and then it is finished.
Will now think about what is next?

                                           


Do join me again.