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News from Zululand
Warmer days greet us in the mornings and the sun feels a little closer. The arrival of summer seems to announce itself over just a few short days and I think it is here. A little early, but then the rain arrived early this year and even the trees are even beginning to flower out of season. One cannot help but notice how strange weather patterns and unusual occurrences have begun to shape the entire globe.
Conservation of energy and resources has become the main focus the world over and we only hope that in their efforts to correct the problems people also begin to take more time out to enjoy what they are trying to protect.
We have had a new addition to one of the species we are trying to protect... a new baby white rhino just a few weeks ago and as we near September we look forward to the arrival of offspring of all colours and sizes. Word has it that on recent Whale Watching tours baby whales were also spotted, so we expect a visit from the Stork, or perhaps a Crane in some cases, in a big way.
Bush Cuisine
Bobotie in Phyllo Cups
We have taken our own artistic freedom with this traditional Cape Malay dish by baking this delightful sweet-savory mince dish in Phyllo cups..
Filling
500g Mince
1 Onion grated
1 slice bread
1 tbsp Curry Powder
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Sugar
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk
Raisins
Salt and Pepper
Pastry
1 roll Store bought Phyllo Pastry
3 Tbsp Melted Margarine
Method
Soak bread in milk and strain after 15 minutes. Brown mince and onion in a hot pan and add mashed bread. Mix curry, sugar, lemon juice, raisins and seasoning and add to the mince.
Make a custard by mixing the beaten eggs with milk and add half to the mince. Cut the pastry into squares of approximately 15cm. Brush a single piece with melted margarine then add another at a different angle, lastly add a third and tuck into a pre sprayed muffin pan and place in the oven at 180 degrees until brown
Fill each Phyllo cup to just over half with the mince and top with egg and dap of butter. Put back in the oven and bake until egg is cooked.
Tales from Africa
The people of Africa are renowned the world over for there unusual tales explaining life and the creatures that inhabit this beautiful continent. As we have shared the Zulu customs with you, allow us now to share their imagery...
Why the Cheetah's cheeks are stained
Many years ago a lazy hunter sat in the shade of a Marula tree. "The sun is too hot and I am too tired to hunt for food. I must find a way to get meat without working too hard" Suddenly he spotted a beautiful female Cheetah in the nearby bushes. She sprung forward with lightening speed and brought a lone buck down. She dragged her kill back under a tree where her three precious Cheetah cubs waited hungrily. The wicked hunter looked on enviously and decided that he too needed his own Cheetah to bring him meat everyday and concocted an evil plan. He waited until the orange sun sank low and the mother Cheetah went out to hunt and then crept up and took all three Cheetah cubs back to the village to teach them to hunt for him, so he wouldn't have to lift a spear again. The mother Cheetah came back to find all her cubs had been taken and so deep was her sorrow that she cried for days and days, until the tears stained dark lines down her cheeks. So loud did she cry that eventually a wise old man realized what the wicked hunter had done, he returned to the village to consult with the elders. The way of the people was clear – a hunter must use his own strength and skill to hunt for food, so they drove him away from the village in dishonor. The three young cubs were returned, but the stains on the mother's cheeks remained forever to remind the hunters of the dishonor and encourage them to be proud traditional hunters.
News from our Tracker
(Rudolph – Head Ranger)
In our efforts to enjoy the area, which we feel so lucky to be a part of, the staff went on a night drive the other evening. All cuddled up in blankets and beanies we set out on what turned into a 3 hour drive. We are still absolutely enthralled by the sight of the spotlight lighting up the cliff faces in the river, and the crashing of unknown animals through the bushes... and just the mysterious night sounds that float over kilometers while the Milky Way overhead enchants.
We came across an Elephant enjoying his midnight snack – they have become regular sightings on the drives as well as meandering in the river bed below the lodge. Other fascinating sightings have been Black Rhino tracks as well as numerous signs of the antics of Aardvark (Very rare). The giraffe have come back to visit after taking advantage of the dropped fences for a while and the sounds of Hyena can be heard in the late evenings. We are excited to share in our findings from the stealth cameras which we set up, and have already had brilliant pictures of Porcupine, Nyala, Warthog and... Rudolph's shoe (Note to self: do not stand in front of the motion detecting camera whilst setting it up). We will get into that a bit more next month!
Trees
Naboom Euphorbia (Euphorbia Ingens: Tree no. 351)
(Estelle)
This succulent evergreen tree belongs to a very unusual group of plants named in honor of Euphorbus, a physician to King Juba of Mauritania centuries ago. 'Ingens' meaning large, fits the description of the tree perfectly. It grows on its own or in groups and can grow to about 9 meters tall. The branches do not die down with age but instead they lengthen and rebranch, giving the tree a dense globular crown. The milky white sap that flows from the damaged branch, called latex, can blister a delicate skin and even cause temporary blindness. The latex causes the tree to go uneaten by many animals; the endangered Black Rhino however, enjoys the branches of the young trees in drought conditions.
The Small 5
So you've heard about the Big 5? But what about the Small 5?
Now for the 4th and the member of the Small 5...
The Elephant Shrew:
(Estelle)
If you find yourself standing on a 3-legged stool on top of your kitchen table staring down at a peculiar, long-nosed bundle of fur – take a deep breath and exhale. You have not discovered a new alien breed of rodent... you have however stumbled upon the Elephant Shrew. The Four Toed Elephant Shrew is the only species of Elephant Shrew in the sub region with four toes and has two pairs of mammae and an extended snout much like the trunk of an elephant. Diet includes insects and other arthropods some of their favorite being ants and termites. They live in pairs and communicate either with a shrill squeak when alarmed, or by drumming their hind feet on the ground to contact another shrew. These fury friends are extremely vulnerable and are rated as "Rare" in the Red Data Book.
Can you guess which of the Small 5 will be next? Stayed tuned!
Funny Bones
Two members of the Leopard Mountain Explorer club walk into a pet shop and go over to the bird section. Wayne says to Rudolph, "Dat's dem" clerk asks if he can help them. "Yes, we take four of dose beds in dat cage," says Rudolph "Put beds in a papa bag pleez!" An hour later they stand on top of a 500 foot cliff. Wayne takes the birds out of the bag, places two on each of his shoulders and jumps off the cliff. Rudolph watches as Wayne goes straight down for a few seconds followed by a 'SPLAT'.
As Rudolph looks over the edge of the cliff he shakes his head and says, "Eish, dis budgie jumpin' is too dangerous for me."
A minute later, Estelle arrives. She too has been to the pet shop and carries the familiar 'pepa bag'. She pulls a parrot out of the bag and is carrying a gun in the other hand.
"Heita, Rudolph, watch dis." Estelle says, and launches herself over the edge of the cliff.
Rudolph watches as half way down, Estelle takes out the gun, shoots the parrot and continues to plummet to the ground – SPLAT.
Rudolph shakes his head and says, "Eish, I am never tryin' dat parrotshooting nider." After a few minutes, Nicky strolls up. She too has been to the pet shop and is carrying the familiar 'pepa bag'. Instead of a parrot she pulls out a chicken and launches herself off the cliff with the same result.Once more Rudolph shakes his head.
"Hauw! First der was Wayne wit his budgie-jumping, den Estelle with her parrotshooting and now Nicky with her hen-gliding!
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Feel free to drop us an email with your favorite jokes to add into future newsletters. You can send them to The Lodge - Leopard Mountain - do not simply reply to this newsletter.
Brain Teaser
I belated announcement for the competition winner for May... congratulations Stephen Stock from Kloof.
Thank you to everyone who responded to our June brain teasers...truly imaginative but few correct! The winner of our Leopard Mountain competition for June is Gordon Knight. Congratulations - you have one yourself and a partner a free night at the lodge including dinner, bed & breakfast as well as game drives!
Last Month's brain teaser and answers:
Reply with the names of the creatures derived from the following phrases:
1) Hair-control foam - Moose
2) Very exposed - Bear
3) Tellin' falsities - Lion
4) A lamenting cry -Whale
5) First you get a parking ticket, then you get this - Toad
6) A precious or loved one - Deer
........You too could be the lucky person to win yourself and a partner a free night including dinner, bed and breakfast at the lodge. Simply solve the riddle below to be entered in our lucky draw and email us the answer to our competition mail address (click here) - do not simply reply to this newsletter (competition closes 20th August 2007, terms and conditions apply)
I'm a pretty big guy, but I'm awfully shy
I dig in the night and live out of sight
In Oxford I'm top, I make the game drive stop
You'll know me by my snout when you see me about
You would rave and you'd rant...if you got my food in your "jean pant".
What am I?
News from the Lodge
Leopard Mountain is a hive of activity at the moment... the season is picking up again and renovations have begun. In all the busyness and excitement it is sometimes so easy to forget that we live in such a beautiful game reserve and we tend to rarely move beyond the border of the lodge and homes. We have begun to get out into the bush more... even forming our own amateur Leopard Mountain Explorers Club... headed up by Rudolph (head ranger) and Wayne with a handful of the lady staff member bringing up the rear and yes... handling the directions, snacks, first aid kit and all the other stuff men tend to forget! Our first mission was the exploration of a series of caves nestled high up in the cliffs, naturally the guys were all kitted out with torches, a knife in the belt and ready for 'Everest'... that is, until they arrived at the entrance, where suddenly the possibility of snakes, leopard, imminent rock falls and everything short of the Leopard Mountain Yeti caused the men to lose nerve and postponed the exploration. They have since purchased two stealth cameras which have been set up in areas which show activity of Leopard, Porcupine, Aardvark, etc and are triggered by motion. Once this project is up and running we will add the pictures and news to the website enabling you to follow us on our adventures...and yes, at some point the ladies at the lodge are going to issue the men with Rescue Drops and drag them back up to the caves... to bring back the story.
Best guests comments of the month
What a fantastic place! Thank you so much for everything – excellent drives, walks, great food, expert advice on activities – and especially putting us up for an extra night. We wish we could have stayed more!
Wonderful surroundings, great food, staff going beyond the call of duty. What more can we ask of you?!! Your vision is wonderful!
'I love this place!' |
