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