Tree squirrel #440

Daily painting #440 pen, ink and watercolour postcard for the postcard art group 

These skittish little creatures always give us a giggle when we see them. They scurry about like the White Rabbit in Alice and Wonderland like they are "late...late for a very important date"!! They live in hollows in trees. They live in large groups for greater protection and secrete a particular scent which they cover their living area with and rub over the tail and bodies of those they live with so that they can be easily identifiable as all having a similar scent. They are very territorial and won't tolerate any other squirrels coming into their living space who don't carry their familiar scent. I am so glad I don't have to share the same body scent as my husband and son when they have playing sport....I think I would also scurry around like I was mad! 

Jokes aside....I am actually writing this post but unable to send it. After the storm the other night I have had a really weak data connection on my laptop and as soon as I try to do anything with images the connection crashes....it is also taking ages for me to even access my blog! I haven't as yet even loaded yesterday's blogpost because it simply won't allow me to! Very frustrating but then maybe I shouldn't have the distractions of electronics with me in the bush! That being said I do love to share my experiences with you, especially some of you who have maybe never visited South Africa. I hope I can share just a little of our beauty....South Africa does not always get the best press publicity but nothing can beat this little piece of heaven on earth ....the African bush! If you have never experienced it....I hope that one day you might and if not I hope you enjoy hearing about it from me....if only I can receive a strong enough data signal ....!!! If there is one thing being in the bush teaches you it is patience ....maybe tomorrow I will be able to share! (Holding thumbs!!!!)

We are off on a night drive tonight in the bush. At night one is only allowed to travel around under the guidance of  a game ranger. Night being the time when many predators hunt and the animals vision being far superior to ours at night, it is only safe to travel with a ranger. The dark is so incredibly dark it is almost claustrophobic but with a search light the rangers guide you and hopefully find some nocturnal animals .....too excited for words!!!! (Hang on I seem to have used a lot of those....more tomorrow)

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art

Blue headed lizard #439

Daily painting #439 pen, ink and watercolour postcards for the postcard art group NFS

I had to be a brave girl today....we saw LOTS of reptiles! Not my favourite creatures but probably because I have a totally irrational fear of snakes!! It is summer time so of course the reptiles are out of hibernation and enjoying the summer heat more than most of us! We saw so many Tree Igamas (more commonly known as blue headed lizards). The mating male has a brilliant blue head and is actually quite a beautiful chap (if I can view him from a distance). We saw a bright green snake considerably bigger than what I thought a Green Tree Snake is, so we are still debating whether it could have been a Green Mamba. I took a photo so once I have downloaded it and we can see it again, the family debate can continue...quite frankly any snake is dangerous to me and should be kept as far away as possible but that is only because I am totally ignorant when it comes to identifying them and whether they are potentially poisonous....and of course I have mentioned my totally irrational fear at the mere sight of them!!! It sends an adrenalin rush bolting through my body, my legs seem to turn to jelly and I feel like I am gasping for air!!! Silly I know and not so cool when you actually enjoy being in the bush because there are LOTS of snakes! We also saw at least 4 Water Monitors (lizards that can grown almost a meter in length) and my son was the spotting champ today, he spotted a Chameleon camouflaged in the grass alongside the road....not an easy thing to spot! We saw plenty of elephant, giraffe, buck, buffalo and the usual game but the absolute highlight of the day was finding a Cheetah female with three cubs. We followed her for about 20min watching the cubs play as she walked slowly through the grass. If they strolled off too far from her, she would stop and call them back and they would immediately come bounding over. As she moved in closer to the road my husband cut the engine of the car so that we did not frighten her or her cubs off. To our delight she strolled onto the road in front of us with her cubs as they played and rolled over one another, she then slowly moved off in the opposite direction. As her and her fluffy cubs drifted off into the surrounding bush we absorbed the silence, car engine still off, in absolute disbelief at how fortunate we had been and grateful that she had showed off her babies so generously to us! It is moments like this that will always pull at me, making me long for these adventures! 

Apologies for the really poor quality photo, my husband took it on his phone and I have not yet downloaded any photos from my camera, so this will have to do for now...pity he didn't get the cubs in who were playing just behind her....beautiful beyond words!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art