A slow progress this week. Another eye going in, still needs a little more touching up as well as the other one.
Next I will be going further down the face.  I think Jill and I were chatting too much and catching up on what is happening in our village.



                                                                     

This week's topic.



 This week  on the Internet I read and saw pictures of 'hunters' showing off their blood sport  trophies of baboons and other monkeys whilst on a safari trip in South Africa.
I know that this kind of sport is all over the world, from polar bears to tigers, that stag with it's magnificent antlers, and any other poor living animal that moves. Not forgetting all the birds that are also shot or trapped.
Having lived in this beautiful country of Africa, my heart goes out to these creatures. I was privileged to grow up with them.

We have also seen pictures over time of shot giraffes, their heads laying across a lap, someone leaning against a rhino, a zebra, leopard etc with 'so called hunters' posing.
I am disgusted at these kind of safaris. Maybe they are private parks and you can buy a shot at an elephant, rhino, leopard. Where is the skill in aiming at probably a subdued animal with a telescopic rifle, and then to pose with a bloodied animal, smiling.
If you want a thrill and have the skill, go out with a camera. To walk out on a game trail, and there are good organised ones around,  not knowing if an animal might have its eyes on you, moving quietly to capture that shot. Now that is skill and patience and that photo might be the biggest trophy of your life.

                                                               

Children watching t.v. yell, 'look a dinosaur or some  extinct wild animal. 'I want to see one'.  Soon in years to come our beautiful wild creatures will be extinct and nothing more than a picture on a TV.
 These kind of people should be put into a fenced safari park, no guns no weapons, and let them be the hunted prey for that kill. Let the elephant stand with a body under it's foot, and the leopard or cheetah pose next to it's kill.
If you must shoot, go to a rifle range. Put those thousand's of pounds you would have spent on a kill, towards  saving a park and it's animals. Could always have one named after you to brag to your friends.
Yes, I have lived in Africa and loved catching that rare animal picture with the camera, like this one of the mother and newborn cub, a baby elephant running out to see us, that crocodile asleep in the grass as you walk by the river.
                                                         

                                                                   

A memory of when I was younger was of a leopard walking past me in the garden with the sun just setting. It looked at me, and then strolled on out into the bush. This is a childhood memory , not one of knowing that  one of your family killed that last animal on earth.  Shame on all of you who kill wild animals for sport.
This inspired me to 'Shoot with a Camera', and then to paint wildlife from my photos.
'You don't have to kill to be a warrior'

                                                                           
                                                                 

Take care and have a good caring week.
Click a picture to enlarge it.