Larkwood Life: National Braai Day and things....

I have had the most frustrating few days with our internet connection...it seems to be that time of the year when the new growth on the trees blocks out the signals. That, coupled with the fact that our winds are so strong at the moment too, and I think they just help to interfere with everything and totally confuse the airwaves. We have noticed with our radio tests, that we hear fewer people answering their 'call' and there is a lot of 'fuzz' and 'crackling' on the radio, but anyway I seem to have signal now, so I hope I am going to be able to complete this and post it.

Well the evening of my last blog, we were all inside watching TV and the dogs started barking....the kind of bark that you sit up and take note of. Not sure what to expect, Johan went outside the back to have a look and NiQi and I peeked from the front door. Curiosity getting the better of her, NiQi decided to brave it outside and Johan called to her to put all the dogs inside the house...he thought maybe Barney had cornered a snake and he didn't want him or any of the other dogs to get hurt. You know what happens when you hear 'snake'...the adrenalin gets pumping, your breathing increases and as much as you are scared, nervous and don't like snakes, at the same time you want to see, what type and how big!!!!! Well once the dogs were inside, Johan shone a torch on the spot where Barney had been barking and the next minute we were 'oohing' and 'aahing' at what lay before us. Never before had been been confronted by a hedgehog, not here nor in KZN. There it was, as pretty as a picture, sniffing and scratching and going about it's business as if we weren't there at all. Our preservation instincts kicked in and not wanting the dogs to attack it, we found a box to put it in. Johan tried to pick it up and it rolled into a ball, which actually made it easier to roll it inside the box. NiQi had her phone on her and took a few photo's once it had uncurled itself and when she got too close to it, it stopped in its' tracks and hissed at her. Johan then took it in the box and let it out in the camp where our surviving rabbits and the tortoises are. There is plenty of space for it to roam and many places for it to hide away and sleep during the day...so for now we have a new addition to our family. Once inside NiQi 'googled' hedgehogs and read everything she could, from eating habits...which is what we wanted to know...to gestation period and size of litter. lol Since then, we wait every evening till it is dark and then go outside with the torch to look for the hedgehog...which by the way has been named 'Sonic'...

'Sonic'

Tuesday, 24th, was a public holiday...'Heritage Day'...we seem to have a number of these throughout the year don't we and unlike many in this province who seem to get in their cars and go away, taking extra days for leave and making it a long weekend, we, as is usually the case, end up doing work around the place. Johan's sister Mariana had asked if they might pop round as Bryan wanted to chat to Johan about a new venture, so we made it mid afternoon so that Johan could get a few things done. Well a few things turned out to be just 'one' thing...and that was the gates. He started early enough, just after breakfast, but it took a lot longer than he imagined. First he had to find every lead we possess and connect them to each other from the shed all the way out the back to the fence and gates. He then proceeded to angle grind the brackets and then weld them onto the gate posts. No small job for a man on his own, but being the capable person that he is, managed to complete the task just before lunch time. Needless to say, while he was working on the gates, the horses realized it was open and were through to the other side before you could blink an eye. Unfortunately we have encountered a problem and now have to try and keep the horses separated so that Zorro, Angel and August go next door, but Switch and Navajo stay home. This is because our neighbour's, neighbours' horses soon discovered that there is now company on the other side of the fence and with 4 mares all prancing around in front of Navajo, he was becoming more and more excited to get to them. Hence the separation...we cannot have him trying to climb fences and getting himself tangled in the wires, so it is best to keep him home with Switch...who is after all expecting his foal....

So, back to National Heritage day...which is more and more popularly known as National Braai Day...when it was decided that Mariana and Bryan were coming to chat, on the spur of the moment we extended an invitation to them both to stay for a braai. Even though it was another extremely hot day, the company made it pleasant. They brought a home made garlic, bacon and onion loaf...which Bryan had baked. Wow...it was delicious, but so full of garlic...oh my word I think we are still tasting the garlic...lol

So, the gate is sorted, the horses are sorted, the hedgehog is sorted, NiQi started to feel better and other than the stifling heat...Larkwood life is blissful.