About a year or so ago I encountered a Black-legged Golden Orb-Web Spider for the first time in the Zuurberg north of Port Elizabeth. These guys are real spiders. Not those thin legged little things that hide in your broom cupboard or under the sink, but things with the kind of look that scare little kids. Unfortunately you couldn't see the golden colour of the web in any of the pictures. On our last camping trip at Sleepy Hollow just…
Today (9 August) is National Women's Day here in South Africa and I would like to pay tribute to women everywhere by posting a picture of a female elephant. Confused? Don't be. Elephant family groups are lead by matriarchs. What they say goes and they lead by example. I have even seen them "tell off" the big adult bulls when they join up with the breeding herds and, believe me, that must take something. So here's to the women in…
Today (9 August) is National Women's Day here in South Africa. I checked my photos for something relevant and decided to feature the Queen Victoria Statue in front of the Public Library in Port Elizabeth. It kinda links in with the post I did the other day on the Queen Victoria Profile in the Gamtoos Valley. Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was the Queen regnant of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from…
Last weekend I did a post on Graaff Reinet Museums. Graaff Reinet has another prominent Cape Dutch style building which used to be the old Drostdy and is now the Drostdy Hotel. The building was constructed in 1806 as the Drostdy of the district. The Drostdy was normally the official residence and seat of the magistrate. The hotel is a real gem and contains original yellow wood floors, Persian Carpets and antique furniture. The hotel's accommodation is situated behind the…
The weather has been stunning over the last couple of weeks and its always such a shame to be stuck in the office on days like this. The other day I popped out for a walk in Victoria Park and it was really a great way to clear the head after a tough morning. In the pic is one of the parks big palm trees with the band stand gazebo in the background.
Looking at the Dutch Reformed Church (NG Kerk Moedergemeente) in Oudtshoorn through its ornate fence.
Visitors to the Old Railway Museum in Uitenhage will find an old yellow railway trolley hooked to the rolling stock at the museum. The trolley belonged to James "Jumper" Wide who was a signalman at the Uitenhage Station when the line to Port Elizabeth was established in the late 1800's. Jumper lost both his legs when he slipped and fell under a train. One day he saw a baboon lead a team of oxen into town and Jumper bought the…
The other day after some rain a lone Ink Cap Mushroom popped up in the backyard. It's named such because the blackened mushrooms were boiled in water with cloves to produce ink in the early days. The mushroom has a white skin with tan coloring across its shaggy looking outer flesh. Just after it appears, the cap is still closed and has an oval shape like a closed umbrella. As the oval grows and spreads out, the mushroom begins to…
Sunset over the Sundays River Visit Skywatch for more pictures featuring the sky
Sunset over the Sacramento Trail at Schoenmakerskop in Port Elizabeth Visit Skywatch for more pictures featuring the sky