MY FAVOURITE BIRD

Red-billed woodhoepoe

Some of you might be aware that JOHANNESBURG (SOUTH AFRICA) is officially regarded as a forest!

Yes, we have thousands of trees which grace our big city. Some of the trees have beautiful foliage and they also provide substantial shelter for a spectacular variety of bird life.

Picture the scene:...

You are lying on your bed, on a Sunday afternoon, relaxed and stretched out after a busy week. All is quiet and contented.

Suddenly there is a loud cackling of birds, coming from outside your bedroom window. The cackling is echoed by frustrated barking. After dragging yourself, from your slumber, to the window you notice the stand-off....

Dogs are guarding their bones and the red-billed hoepoes, in the tree, are voicing their dissatisfaction!

These beautiful birds are my favourite! They have glossy plumage with beautiful zebra strips on their tails (visible in flight). They generally hang around in flocks, with all their mates, and always announce themselves in our garden.

I think what I like about them most is their relationship with my dogs. It is extremely amusing to watch them as they taunt the hounds with their loud cackles and close proximity. They particularly enjoy the remnants of the marrow bones which I sometimes give to our dogs. They peck at them when the pooches aren't watching and cackle loudly about their find. It drives our dogs absolutely nuts as they then attempt to chase them away. Generally though, these birds merely retreat to a nearby tree and voice their disgust. It becomes an absolute circus to watch.

The hoepoe's red bill is truly spectacular! What also intrigues me is its perfect design for getting into small places and snapping up grubs. They will hang onto the stems of trees as they peruse the surface for any insects whilst the dogs wait in vain at the bases.

So what do you think? ...Do you like our RED-BILLED WOOD HOEPOE'S?

AMUSING MUSING!

I revel in the times when I have an opportunity to explore 'thought' and it's link into language. To some of you this might sound very strange, but did you know that our language determines our thought. Language is an incredibly powerful tool. I thought I'd share one of my strange concepts with you today:

WARNING: PUT YOUR THINKING CAP ON!

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I just love the noun ...

“MUSING”

pronounced....mewzzzzzzing

(DEFN:...A period of thinking carefully about something or telling people you thoughts about it.)

(I encourage you to say it out loud...and slowly!)

M U S I N G

It seems to roll off my tongue in a manner that conveys its precise meaning

and sends me into a world of thought, dreams, ideas and concepts.

It wills me along this path of contemplation that generates peace, wonder and awe.

To me, it is the mental equivalent of doodling.

Musing instills an essence of calmness in me and entices me to morph into a sense of delight in my own freedom to think.

I can then relax and allow myself to be transported along its unanticipated thought patterns.

Musing points to a serene sense of consciousness which turns my mind to creativity.

The “zzz” sound at the end of the word seeks to put me to sleep

...calmness

...receptiveness

...peace.

Is it not ironic that Music itself derives from this word?!

So, if I add an “A” to this special word,

it then changes the whole feel of the word as it then becomes ...

“AMUSING”! ?

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MY WORLD... AS A SEE IT.

Hello there dear friends

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

Whilst some parts of our globe are preparing for icy winters,

here in SOUTH AFRICA it is getting warmer by the day.

I am always facinated by the costume changes in our floral kingdom and the changes amongst our living creatures when the seasons alter.

As Spring arrives, so do many migratory birds return from their excursions.

Our plants revive themselves into flowers fit to sustain pesty honeysuckers and our trees bare fruit for our animals and feathered fruit eaters.

The world of insects is no different.

The hotter weather leaves us deafened by their buzzing and we have no option but to watch their display of diversity and wonder.

Last evening a new friend arrived...

This beautiful moth graciously stood still for me to photograph it.

I've not seen one like this before.

It was small...about 1cm in size, but its colours were exquisite.

My reverie resolved into all sorts of imaginary forms...something like when one stares at clouds for familiar shapes.

This beautiful moth's colouring, if you look carefully, looks like ,,,

a traditional chinese doll.

Do you see what I see?

Or perhaps you'd like to share your own personal perspective!?

I'd love to hear your view..

A SICK LITTLE DOGGIE

When the animals in this household become ill, I become distraught. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat and I am overwhelmed with a sense of nausea. If they are hurt, my own body hurts with them. When their illnesses start and they are only just beginning to ail, again my body warns me. Obviously this is not usual and I wonder about the nature of the bond which I have with them.

This evening Toffee didn’t look comfortable. To an average onlooker, however, nothing seemed amiss. But I could tell, by the subtle nuances in his posture, that he wasn’t happy, that something was ailing and he was afraid.

After a few hours, things didn’t look any better. Again, to an outsider, whatever was troubling TOFFEE, was concealed. I could feel my insides turning – a clear indication to me too that something was definitely wrong. And when Max, my 9yr old Golden Retriever, and leader of his pack, started ‘talking’ to me whilst shifting closer and closer to my side, I finally got the message.

I bundled up Toffee. We climbed into the car to make the late night visit to the emergency Vet. Whilst driving there, I wondered what I would say – there weren’t too many obvious symptoms, but Toffee was clearly not himself and I just knew this was indeed an emergency. I searched for the words, to explain to the Vet, what was seemingly the problem.

All I could come up with was that TOFFEE wasn’t himself and that even though his temperature was measured to be normal, his little body was burning up next to me. He was shivering and his tail was tucked in. He was not the energetic Toffee I know. Usually he is clambering to jump on my lap, or to challenge all the other dogs and strutt his stuff.

After a lengthy examination, the Vet pointed out to me the swelling under his tail. To cut a long story short…Toffee had a large abscess in one of his anal glands. This was most certainly not visible when I bathed and groomed him yesterday morning and I had not noticed it during my examination of him in the hours preceding the trip to the Vet. She explained to me that he needed immediate surgery - to lance the abscess and flush out the infection. It most certainly would have burst during the night had I not taken him in to the Animal hospital.

Well, it just goes to show, that my instinct is still with me. I must trust that inner voice that alerts me to these things. Doubt is a social construction that seeks to wither away this gift which I clearly have.

Get better soon, dear Toffee!!!

WE PAUSE...AND REMEMBER!

11 September 2001

Sometimes in the midst of our confusion and utter despair,

it's good to pause...

for a moment...

To remember that the universe is greater than ourselves!

May you be comforted and strengthened this day,

as we remember,

with respect,

all the men, women, innocent children and animals, across the world,

who have lost their lives too early.

Caryl Moll

IT'S SAD WHEN YOU HAVE TO BUY HOPE!

This sign has been up, near where we live, for a number of weeks now.

Whilst it purpose is obviously to attract people to an event, my own way of thinking is otherwise.

To me, this sign suggests that I will have to pay for my seat in some way...

Have we really come to the place, in this world, where we have to BUY hope?

Is an outlook to positivity nowadays reliant on paying a fee?

Does the spreading of goodwill and fellowship now require you to dig into your coffers to secure a personally desired outlook?

It's just a question!

RAND PARK PRIMARY SPRING DAY

My favourite day of the year happens in the first week of September every year, when I am asked to be part of the Spring Day Celebrations at

RAND PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

in South Africa

This is an incredibly special day!

It is the "Randpark Primary Spring day" and is usually a beautiful sunny, South African day! The school is alive with the excitement as each learner brings flowers to school. Masses of bouquets are collected at the Friday assembly and these are later distributed to various Retirement communities in the area. The resident Coral Tree seems to herald in the generosity of this really wonderful school...

Approximately 950 learners gather in the school hall at the beginning of the day for their weekly assembly and the special opportunity of wearing their "Civvies" (non-uniform) clothes.

The assembly is alive with Choirs, Song and celebration!

As the headmaster makes his entrance, all the children hold up their flowers in welcome!

Later, the bouquets are gathered in boxes at the exits of the hall.

These boxes are gathered up and packed into waiting vehicles to be transported to the various Retirement villages.

As you can see, the cars are packed with flowers!!!!

Well this is where I come in...

My special and pleasurable task is to take these flowers to a particular Old age community (Where my own mother resides with about 50 other villagers) at

FAIRLAND VILLAGE

At the village, a team of volunteers awaits to unpack, organise and arrange the various little vases with the beautiful flowers from the children of Rand park Primary School.

It is a full mornings' work!

These arrangements are packed onto trolleys and distributed to the eager villagers.

What a blessing it is to watch their surprise, delight and wonder at an unexpected gift.



This year, a class of grade 3 learners made 'good wishes' cards and each message was soaked up and cherished by the residents.

So, it is with very grateful thanks that we applaud the efforts of this special school!

THANK YOU RAND PARK PRIMARY SCHOOL!

Thank you to Mrs Mol and her team for organising Spring Day!

Thank you to the children and their parents for all your floral gifts!

Thank you to the Principal, Educators and Staff of Rand Park Primary School!

and

Thank you to the various transporters and the teams of volunteers who helped at the villages!

You have truly touched some tender hearts!

Finally I would like to thank you too for allowing me to be part of this special day!

I am so blessed to be part of it all!

Caryl Moll

TRYING TOO HARD.

It's Tuesday...almost Wednesday. Just two more days and then it will be Friday!

Yes, you got it! I'm counting the days to my hecticness again. Ironically I'm wishing the days away, simply because I miss my kids.

As a 'half-nester' (some of my chicks are in the process of flying the coupe), the weekends are treasured times. They are times to absorb the presence of my loved ones; to take in their lives and make up for any lost time.

Ironically though, the weekends end up rather stressful. Not only is it hard work, but it is motivated by an intense desire to make our home the best it can be. My goal is to "Stock the cupboards, plan the meals and cater for their every whim" . My desire is to forecasts their every need and align myself to fulfilling that void. In return, all I desire is their presence and companionship. But it seems that is sometimes a price too high!

Some of my best laid plans.... trip me up! I end up frazzled and frantic, desperate to make it work! The process renders me short-tempered and unattractive. Soon I discover that I have politely been isolated.

Perhaps the lesson here is that I try too hard. Perhaps its better to learn to let go, to have neither expectations nor boundaries. Perhaps then the nestlings which I set free will indeed return and I will know they were truly mine.

I DO SO LOVE THEM!