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News from Zululand
Whale Watching
Once a year, during winter, the Humpback Whale, the 5th largest mammal on earth, migrates from the south, passing the northern coast of KwaZulu-Natal on their way to Madagascar to calf.
The Humpback Whale is considered to be the most playful of all large whales and is known to be the most acrobatic.
This phenomenon is an exciting opportunity not to be missed and only occurs from June to November, offering sightings that rival anything seen in the Cape, trips can be arranged from the lodge with a reputable local operator.
Bush Cuisine
A quick and tasty recipe to make the difference at the dinner table, especial now at the end of the winter months....
Six minute soft-centered chocolate pudding
185g Dark chocolate
185g Butter
3 eggs + 3 egg yolks
6TBL spoons Cater sugar
3tsp plain flour
Whipped cream and cocoa powder for garnish
Method
Pre heat oven to 230°C. Melt the chocolate, add the butter and leave to melt. Whisk eggs, extra yolks and sugar until it thickens. Whisk in the chocolate and butter mixture. Fold in sieved flour. Pour mixture into 6 greased ramekins. Bake in the oven for 6 minutes. The outside will be cooked and the center still slightly soft. Turn each desert on a plate, (Need to be gentle when taking the ramekin off). Pipe some whipped cream on top and sprinkle cocoa powder
Serve immediately
Our Zulu Culture
Drum Making (The heart of a Zulu party)
The Zulu's used to make their traditional drums from hollowed out logs and tightly stretched cattle hide, which was secured into the drum with wooden pegs. These drums were the makers of many singing and dancing evenings. Now in the more modern days the drums are made out of a 20l metal barrel, which are covered on both ends with hide secured to each other with long strips of hide. This is applied while wet, as when it dries it shrinks for a tight fit over the barrel. Zulu' s also make a vibration drum with the same method as the normal Zulu drum but one side is left open. A reed is anchored through the middle of the hide. A cello type sound is produced when the musician tightly run his hands along the wet reeds.
Tips from our Tracker
Only once every thing starts slowing down does one notice how dry the bushveld is . Winter has set in which makes the game viewing much more successful. The winter solstice has past so the days are getting longer again, allowing our game drives to leave slightly later in the afternoon giving all our guest more time to relax around the pool.
Hyena are the animals of the month, we have had about 5 good sightings of them, one being on the road for about 10 minutes, we were able to watch them as they sniffed around. We had an elephant walk past one of our chalets, nibbling at branches slowly working his way to the waterhole 500m from the lodge.
Plants
Spreading Bulbine -bulbine asphodeloides-
They grow in large tufts up to 500mm, all the fleshy stems branch from the single base. The flowers are bright yellow, loose, inflorescences. The leaves are used to treat cracked lips, burns, bad skin and bleeding. It is also know to be used as an antidote to poison as well as treating sick livestock.
It is a popular, hardy garden plant that can grow in shallow soils, they enjoy rocky slopes.
Birds
Red backed Shrike –Lanius collaris
They have a grey crown and rump which blends into a chestnut back. The males have a black face mask. The underbelly is white with a pink tinge. The female under parts are slightly scalloped. They are mostly seen alone perched on small branches from where they can easily dart down to catch insects. Like the Fiscal Shrike is impales the insects onto thorn trees, hence the reason they live in thorny bush veld.
Funny Bones
This guy comes home from work one day to find his dog with the neighbor's pet rabbit in his mouth. The rabbit is dead and the guy panics. He takes the dirty, chewed up rabbit into the house and gives it a bath, blow dries its fur and puts the dead rabbit back into the cage at the neighbor's house, hoping they will think it died of natural causes.
A few days later, the neighbor is outside and asks the guy, "Did you hear that Fluffy died?"
The guy stumbles around and says, "Um..no..um..what happened?"
The neighbor replies, "We just found him dead in his cage one day, but the weird thing is that the day after we buried him someone had dug him up, gave him a bath and put him back into the cage. There are some real sick people out there..."
Brain teaser
Thank you to everyone who responded to our last brainteaser. Congratulations to Larry Gardella from Montgomery United States who sent in the correct answer to the riddle. You have won yourself and a partner one free night at our award winning lodge, dinner, bed and breakfast.
Last Month's brain teaser was:
A snail is at the bottom of a well that is 20 meters in depth. Every day the snail climbs 5 meters upwards, but at night it slides 4 meters back downwards. How many days must elapse till the snail reaches the top of the well?
Answer:
16 days. After 14 days, the snail has gotten up 14 meters - gaining one meter a day from going up 5 and down 4. On the 15th day, it gets up to 19 meters high, but slips back to 15. On the 16th day, it reaches the top of the well with its climb of 5 meters.
.........You too could be the lucky person to win yourself and a partner one free night dinner, bed and breakfast at the lodge, so hurry and email us the answer to the riddle below to be entered in our lucky draw (competition closed 15th August 2006)
This Month's brain teaser:
Q: Which side of a chicken has the most feathers?
News from the lodge
We have many additions to the lodge to tell you about.
Addition No.1 Phoenix – A long haired tabby cat which arrived at the lodge... we tried to find his owner, though as the days passed we got more and more attached to him so now he is ours!!
Addition No. 2 - Fluffy – our A grade Leopard Tortoise who waddled his way into the lodge garden about 4 weeks ago, being fed on carrots, lettuce, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes and he is reluctant to move away. He comes every day for his meal.
Then last of all Ziggie the boxer dog has come back from her training and has once again fitted in very well at the lodge. She greets every guest with enthusiasm..... other than that we have a fantastic team of staff who are just as enthusiastic as all our new pets!!!
Nicky Vivier
Family News
Thomas and Mathew celebrated their 3rd birthday; we didn't have a huge party for them, though our neighbors children came. When their cake was brought out they both were jumping around with their elbows flying around like a baby birds wings saying "It's a boat mommy, it's a boat!!" Just to think that such a small thing can make someone so happy..... |
