We're now in the middle of winter, another couple of weeks and it will be the shortest day / longest night. It's brrrrrr in the evening (wood fires and red wine time) but we have beautiful cloudless sunny days and so far no frost.

It's also marmalade time, the citrus trees are laden with orange, grapefruit and lemons intend to get cracking any day now.

We've had another baby rhino, that makes three so far! The first one is over a year old now and think that Ben is walking with Mum (hopefully more than walking) - the other two babies are recent additions, still trying to get close enough to sex them, quite difficult with the long grass and although white rhinos are usually quite passive when they have calves they can be aggressive and they run faster than me.

The kudu bulls are in rut and running with the females, go round a corner and there's another herd haven't noticed so many kudu before on Kanana, some of the bulls are monsters maybe it's biltong time.

I was bitten by a horse yesterday, that wakes you up ! Those big yellow teeth may not be sharp but they sure hurt, I was stroking her neck and talking to John the groom when wallop, maybe a love bite. Think horses make nice salami must look that up on the www.

We're grading fire paths ready for the August fires - our old grader a CAT 11 F must be an antique but seems to be enjoying a new lease of life in an agricultural setting, quite fun really, must be the little boy in me driving big powerful yellow machines.

Vicky has revamped our kitchen, stripped out all the old cabinets and we've now got stylish modern open plan white shelves - why do women always change everything - we just get used to everything in it's place then voila ! can't find a thing for months and then just when you do - repeat!

enough whinging for this episode

bye

Inspiration lacking - my excuse for recent neglect!
There´s been loads happening though in our neck of the woods
First we´ve had the arrival of Jess Luke and young Jack - momentous for them, one small step for man woman and boy, one giant leap for Kanana! to paraphrase my attorney! It doesn´t get much better than this having your children and grandchildren next door even if they are townies adjusting to the pace of rural africa ` Don´t forget to switch the lights off Jess!!´
Vicks has gone to Italy with the girls of ´58 - as I write they are no doubt atop the hill pretending that Ben´s vintage chateau ´07 red has a delicate nose and surprises the palette with it´s distinct crispy cheeky charm!
I´m away as well - but looking forward to getting back - if you live in paradise why go away - don´t know the answer to that.
We´ve got a couple of new rhino, a baby, seen the spoor but not the beast this the second born on Kanana - still not sexed the first one now a year old! and a new young bull from Khama rhino sanctuary just arrived to help old Ben, as if any was needed!
Thank goodness for the late rain - the veld is as good as it gets.
Larry, Ozzie Kyle and the boys have been catching game - eland, kudu, zebra, gemsbok, hartebeest and giraffe - Kyle flying chopper for the first time in anger - only got his license couple of weeks ago - one of the few who can shag and shear 100 sheep a day, drink two cases of Hansa lager and fly a chopper - in no particular order - good on you Kyle!
Promise to try make this more regular Luke

musings of a mad game farmer continues - getting nagged to be more committed to this blog - the reason i live on a 30 000 Ha game ranch in a remote corner of Africa is so that I can do my own thing and avoid stress and commitment to deadlines!

Woke at 3 a.m. last night to the sound of rain on a tin roof - if you haven't done that take my advice and do it - if you live in a desert there's no sweeter sound, had 20 mm and can hear the grass growing.

As I guess you know by now we are clever farmers - we've bought a double disc harrow to clean the road and fire breaks - gets rid of the grass and seeds which clog up radiators and spreads fires BUT it also leaves the road and / or fire break looking like a ploughed field - which I guess it is - ever tried driving across a ploughed field? I did this morning, drove round our northern fence needed 4 wheel drive and even then could only go dead slow - 50 kms = 2 hours boring!!

Experienced first hand Murphys law - studying for my theory nautical skipper license - i have visions of sailing the high seas once luke and jess get their feet under the table anyway got out my 2B pencil my rubber my dividers and my pristine nautical chart - whoops charts are quite absorbent to coffee that was that, not many nautical chart shops in Ghanzi

Ada, Vicky's mum had a new knee last week this now seems routine everyone doing it - she's chuffed to bits - now a week and no pain she'll soon be back at centre forward. Well done Mr Orford! It's not true what they say about you!

Just had Colin and Uwe on their ranch good times long live rock and roll not to mention Charles Glass and Johnnie Walker.

first of the year

2008 has arrived - an old cliche and I guess a sign of old age but I wonder where the time goes?

We had Christmas on Kanana, very quiet just Vicky myself and Lara with Vicky's folks and some old friends of theirs. I'm sure I'm now identified as an incurable alcoholic - I had a couple of Castles and perhaps a glass of whisky while the rest were abstemious - this a contrast to our usual friends!

The farm is only now waking up from the holidays. Zimbo workers are back from the catastrophe which is Zimbabwe today, they're cheerful despite their worries and problems, maybe a lesson there somewhere.

We're still scanning the heavens for signs of rain, we've had a bit but patchy some parts are lovely and green and other parts parched and black, farmers never satisfied!

As ever we're busy putting up fences, taking down fences, exporting game, importing game sounds futile but in reality it's progress!

This is the time of year for babies and we're hoping to see a rhino calf soon as well as a young Richards - Jess!!

Wonder what this year will bring, our life was always so calm and predictable, that changed in an instant and we're now conscious and fearful of each day, each shrill ring of the phone.

I hope that all who read this and a few others have a good, healthy and happy 2008.