Of Zebras and Family.

One day, after a magnificent fiery sunset, we were sitting in its afterglow on a ridge where two rhino were disappearing into the Mopane scrub, leaving a family of zebra grazing at the roadside. As darkness rendered the stripes a true monochrome, they grazed closer until the mare and foal crossed in front of us, onto the left edge of the road where greener grasses were sprouting after a little rain.

When the rhino were out of sight, the stallion stood erect, ears twitching and swiveling, listening to their receding sounds as a soft and warm breeze wafted in from the East, bringing with it Nature's chorus of nocturnal awakenings. The mare grazed closer and the foal turned to look our way as I made the stupid mistake of blowing an equine raspberry from my lips, in the mistaken belief that I thought I was communicating with them.

The stallion crossed to join his family in front of us and, as he reached the verge of green, he stopped and lifted his head calling the mare over to him. Perhaps it was my noise, perhaps something else, but what pulled at my heartstrings was the way she calmly walked over to him nuzzling his rear as she swished her tail and didn't have to utter a sound for the foal to fall in between them, to the safety of their vigilance and the security of her mother’s milk.

As he led them into the darkness out of sight, I was reminded of strong family values and the stability that comes with the strong bonds of kinship. And how much I miss not only my parents but my siblings too.

And this on the same day that we met a kudu cow who had just lost her calf to the elusive Ingwe that has been hanging around. She had been walking up and down in the vicinity, mourning her loss, her mammaries swollen for the baby that wouldn't be coming back to suckle.

The end.

Sort of....

                       ....for it would not be complete without a flower. 

Hibiscus micranthus

A flower for the ladies. However, in this particular instance, this flower is for my Mom. For more than half a century of nurturing and tolerance.

This is the Dwarf Hibiscus or sometimes known as the miniature white Hibiscus. The Mallow family. 

Whilst barely half an inch in diameter, these pretty little blooms start the day as a bright white break in the growing green that the rains have finally brought. As the day wears on and the sun begins to descend, they start to turn pink and then red, until they match the purple of the mountains at sunset.

Love ya lots!