|
News from Zululand
"Adopt a Black Rhino" Conservation Project
The Zululand Rhino Reserve is an endangered species reserve and was chosen as the 2nd release site for Black Rhino with 21 Black Rhino having been released into their new home.
The challenge is that all 21 animals need to be monitored constantly and this is a very costly task.
We would like to invite you to , "Adopt a Black Rhino" where each of the 21 Black Rhino can be "adopted" for a donation of just R900 per month or R 9 999 per annum. Since there are only 21 of these very endangered animals this is an exclusive opportunity to become intimately involved in their conservation.
The benefits to yourself would be
Recognition for supporting an International conservation project
A front page link for your business on our website, which is linked to the WWF website providing you with substantial international exposure
You will receive two nights accommodation for two people at one of the exclusive lodges in the Zululand Rhino Reserve with all meals and game drives included. Valued at R 4000
While staying in the reserve you and your partner will join the Black Rhino Monitoring team on an exciting educational tour tracking your adopted Rhino.
You will also receive a monthly report on the progress of the Rhino.
A framed certificate acknowledging your contribution to this very worthwhile project.
A framed photograph of the black rhino which you have adopted
Bush Cuisine
For all the cheese cake lovers out there, I have the perfect recipe for you, which can be whipped up in next to no time.....
Leopard Mountain's Secret Cheese Cake
Filling
1 tin Condensed milk
¾ Cup Lemon Juice
2 Cup Cottage Cheese (Strained maas works wonders!)
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
Base
1pkt Marie biscuits
½ Cup Margarine – room temp
¼ Cup Castor Sugar
Method
Crush the Marie biscuits to fine crumbs. Add the Castor sugar. Mix in the soft margarine. Press into a flan dish – set aside
in a mixing bowl, mix the condensed milk, vanilla and cottage cheese. Once well mixed add the Lemon Juice and whisk until it thickens
Pour into the flan dish and refrigerate for 1 hour before your meal. Variations may b made by adding berries, Amarula, bananas or chocolate bits.
Our Zulu Culture
Here we portray a glimpse into the history and customs of this wonderfully rich culture.
Handcraft – Pottery, and mat and basket weaving
Zulu ladies are proud of their hand craft, walking for kilometers to find the perfect clay for their pots. The clay sods are ground down using rocks to form a smooth powder, and then water is added to form a putty like substance. This is rolled into long sausages and spiraled onto itself to create the desired shape of the pot. (Kamba) Using a blunt object the Kamba is smoothed down and baked in an open fire until the clay turns a reddish brown colour. A Leaf from the Aloe is used to fuel the fire for a longer period of time. Quite often a design is printed onto the pots making shapes by onto the clay with a sharp object.
Using strips of dried grass and Palm leaves wonderful items such as Baskets, Bangles Mats and Storage containers are woven by the Zulu women. By soaking the grass and palm leaves in natural additives such as berries, roots or cow dung, many colors can be made. Each geometric shape that is woven onto an item has it own meaning. E.g: Triangles represent masculinity, as each zigzag represents one of King Shaka's spears.
Tips from our Trackers
Kudu
Being the second tallest antelope it reaches 1.5 m tall, though its magnificent horns which spiral to a length of up to 140cm makes the Kudu seem much larger. It has huge ears but a small face in proportion to the body. This browser has a fairly plain tawny brown coat which has white stripes running vertically down its body. Kudu will have a calf every year during the raining season, though she will hide it in the long grass for 2 weeks before joining back with the herd. By 6 months the calf will be self sufficient. Males are sexually mature at 5 years, but the females are able to reproduce at the age of 2 years.
Plants
Justicia capensis (Money Plant, Zulu - Ikhokhela)
Woody herb which enjoys shady areas. Grows to 2m tall. Shiny green leaves and it flowers through out the year with magenta and white flowers. This plant is used in traditional medicine to attract customers to a business or improve chances of employment. Hunters rub this plant onto their snares to hide the human scent.
They are easily grown by seed and enjoy being in the sun or shade.
Funny Bones
Did you know it is impossible to lick your elbow.
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
The Lone Ranger gallops his horse up the local bar, jumps off and ties the reins around the pole. He then walks to the rear end of his horse, lifts it tail and gives him a kiss right in the centre of its bottom. He then proceeds into the bar and orders a double whisky – single malt. The bar man looks at him in a strange way, but says nothing.
For the next 3 days the same thing happens, so the bar man, out of curiosity asked the Lone Ranger why every day he always did the same thing before coming into the bar.
Lone Ranger "I have chapped Lips"
Bar Man "So, does it help repair your lips?"
Lone Ranger "No, but it sure stops me licking them!"
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
Did you try lick your elbow - be honest - Now think how many people receiving this newsletter just tried to lick their elbow.
Brain Teaser
Thank you to everyone who responded to our last brainteaser. Congratulations to Graham and Lisa Courtney from Port Elizabeth 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:
Numbers are needed to be stuck onto the doors of a hotel; there are 100 rooms, how many No. "9's" will be needed..
The answer was...19 nines are needed
...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 30th April 2006)
This month's brainteaser:
No sooner spoken than broken.
What is it?
News from the lodge
Bob, our resident plated lizard, who we feed just about every day, was seen with a girlfriend. They spent just under a week together and we have not seen her since. Who knows, maybe there are some tiny Bobs' on the way....
Family News
Thomas and Mathew, the twins are getting into more and more mischief. I took them on a game drive not too long ago and when I returned they were telling Granny all about it, when I asked Thomas what animal we saw beginning with a Z his reply was, Ziziphus mucronata, which is the Latin name for a Buffalo Thorn tree. Not quite the Zebra answer I was looking for, but then again, which other 2 ½ old knows the Latin names for trees!!! |
