tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30014655069957100632024-03-07T18:55:45.265+10:00 EchobabyShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.comBlogger1323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-73685529819128065942020-03-05T11:10:00.000+10:002020-03-05T11:10:22.985+10:00Mom, are we Pandemic yet?As I sit in my pajamas at work today, eating a cookie, it occurs to me that people are awfully good at jumping when they step on a thorn but awfully bad at losing weight. I'm not that worried about being plump (today in particular) but I am interested in our lack of ability to react appropriately to Very Bad Things that happen slowly, or under the skin, or in the air. People seem to Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-43598442275007374912016-11-12T18:29:00.002+10:002016-11-13T11:26:24.891+10:00Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-22903947854515471492016-11-12T18:29:00.000+10:002016-11-13T11:26:35.786+10:00Visiting Wren in Seattle in August 2016 by Granny
Wren is nine years
old now, or as he says, nine and three-quarters. He will be ten in December.
My visit coincided
with the ending of the long summer vacation: from late June to early September.
It is a challenge for working parents - for all parents. I think by the end
everyone is keen to start the new school year.
Wren is going into
year 4, and Frost into his Sophomore year at High Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-36044043129319885382016-04-07T15:49:00.001+10:002016-04-08T07:42:14.451+10:00A Walk in the WoodsThere's always a weekend in spring where we start thinking summer has come!. Lines at REI go out the door, there's a crush at Greenlake, people start yoga and mow lawns, dogs that haven't seen the light of day in months are dragged out to parks and people spend ages trying on sunglasses they'll lose in a drawer next week when winter returns.
Last Saturday was that weekend: sunshine and Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-35426132590578165462016-03-03T06:00:00.000+10:002016-03-06T03:35:21.657+10:00Worse Things Happen .. In National ParksWhen bad things happened my grandfather used to say "worse things happen at sea". I am not sure exactly what he meant by it - I assume that anything bad that happens on land is a lot worse when you're out in the middle of a roiling ocean, reliant on your own supplies and resourcefulness. Regardless, its function was to give us perspective on petty complaints. After this trip I am adding a Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0Death Valley, CA, USA36.5322649 -116.9325407999999734.9003919 -119.51432779999998 38.1641379 -114.35075379999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-68939185333411160112016-03-02T11:55:00.000+10:002016-03-07T12:26:46.081+10:00Sierra Hot SpringsI don't like New Year's Resolutions. If something is worth doing, just do it already.. don't wait for the ball at Times Square to tell you its time. So this year, when someone asked what my resolution was I just said I was going "to go to three new hot springs". I am not sure why I said it, I guess because it was cold, in the middle of winter, I like Breitenbush Hot Springs and of course I enjoy Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-31799191868957473022015-11-26T19:14:00.003+10:002015-11-26T19:14:45.037+10:00Running in the neighborhoodI went for a morning jog around the neighbourhood. Houses have tall walls topped with electrified wire, sharp metal spikes or stakes. Many larger homes have a guardhouse where a security guard sits. Everyone has signs for armed response or Blue Security posted at regular intervals along the wall. Driveways have 10 foot high, automatic gates. When cars drive out they wait Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-62874355663847906952015-11-26T05:29:00.000+10:002015-11-26T05:29:03.158+10:00Sugar and the "God Cell"#1
Wren: "I hate it when someone says you can have something for desert, like this turkish delight chocolate bar, and then you forget and you ask if you can have it now and they say 'no'"
Me: "Its breakfast! Its 7.30am"
Wren falls face down on the bed and sighs, turns, looks at me with a quivering bottom lip and then lies face down again.
#2
The power goes out unexpectedly in the Game Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-78251539493771781792015-11-26T05:03:00.001+10:002015-11-26T05:32:27.948+10:00Umhloti Beach Day
Today was our last full day in Durban. We went up the North Coast to Umloti, to swim in the protected lagoon behind some rocky reefs. When I was a girl we would come here to go musseling and look in the rock pools at low tide. More recently, Dad and I have snorkelled to look at the fish who swim in the pool and collect around the rocky reef.
Umhloti Lagoon
Wren loved the Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-57952148212322288122015-11-22T23:19:00.001+10:002015-11-22T23:24:14.482+10:00Morning Swim at North BeachWren & I went for a morning swim at North Beach. It was only 8am but already hot and bright with lots of swimmers in the water. The surf life saving club juniors were swimming and running with their red boogie boards. Wren jumped over the little waves - worried about his sore thumb which he cut on the mandolin slicer last night while copying Dad and I chopping apples.
The Thumb Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-19057796902768013452015-11-21T20:01:00.001+10:002015-11-21T20:01:40.547+10:00Saturday in DurbanA Morning Bike Ride
Dad likes to take the dogs running on Saturday morning. Dad rides his mountain bike and the dogs run alongside (on leashes) or - when its wild - free. Ingrid is worried about this because the dogs sometimes run in front of the tyres and make Dad fall off. Being almost 70, this is a bit risky but he does it anyway.
I haven't been exercising so I agreed to go on a Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-37007701091790444472015-11-21T19:52:00.001+10:002015-11-21T19:52:19.587+10:00Day 6: Hilltop and Back to Durban
Hilltop is humanity. Wren is 100% happy here. We have learned that an important feature of humanity is a building which does not have holes by which nature can enter. Down at Munyaweni the floorboards had up to half cm gaps which is how the scorpions and spiders wandered in. The eves were also open which is how the bats and snake came in and the walls in some parts of the house were only slattedShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-58917567888842645892015-11-19T22:48:00.001+10:002015-11-19T22:48:11.347+10:00Day 5: Munyaweni - Baboon SpiderWren is afraid of spiders but also fascinated by them. Hearing that there were bats and a Baboon Spider in Lanny and Pete's cabin, he wanted to go and see them. He prepared to enter with his wooden panga in one hand and his pangolin carving in the other.
We did not see the baboon spider. Wren said "Knowing there is a baboon spider but I do not know where it is is EVEN WORSE Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-68297906974525071062015-11-19T21:47:00.001+10:002015-11-19T22:38:52.384+10:00Day 5: Munyaweni - Moth Tent and the Beast
Dawn Chorus
Being in Kwazulu-Natal I am reminded why I was a birdwatcher. During the dawn chorus every bleating, trilling, cooing-thing gives voice. Sitting on my balcony at 5am I saw:
Two livingstone's turaco (were louries) walking around a fig tree.
A pair of black collared barbets.
The usual white-eyes, european swallows, fork tailed drongas, Hadedahs and doves.
By 6.00 am theShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-40442572945806672672015-11-19T21:39:00.001+10:002015-11-19T21:39:17.512+10:00When are we going back to Humanity?
"When are we going back to humanity?” asks Wren?
Apparently this bush lodge is not humanity at all despite having a full bathroom in our room, partial electricity and lovely walkways through the bush. The lack of fence, dull lighting, unfenced accommodation, large insects, beasts moving around at night and lack of other people make Wren feel that we have left civilisation. I am Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-46667822968003460422015-11-19T00:06:00.000+10:002015-11-19T00:06:06.575+10:00Day 4 Munyaweni: Afternoon
Highlight of the afternoon drive was a warthog with two tiny piglets. They were just the right size for an eagle to snatch. They spent their time under their mother, in her shadow or running around after each other around her before dashing back into safety. She was walking along rooting in the ground.
The lions from yesterday had moved down off the ridge and were now in theShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-1675419205079296692015-11-18T22:31:00.001+10:002015-11-18T23:56:56.694+10:00Day 4: Munyaweni: Wednesday Morning November 18, 2015
I slept in until I was woken by Wren, thrilled by a fully charged iPad. Baboons barked, a gecko clicked like a switch and I saw large black monkeys in a fever tree. The weather has changed completely from the day before. Instead of blue skies and baking heat, we are under light cloud with a strong breeze and the bush feels restless. Rubbing boughs of the fig tree moaned and creaked Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-44773393744571777372015-11-18T22:24:00.001+10:002015-11-18T22:24:13.093+10:00Day 3: Munyaweni Lodge Tuesday: November 17th, 2016
It was very hot today, the first day of sunshine. The puddles from Sunday night’s rain have completely evaporated, and Wren and I did not see anything new on our morning drive to Memorial gate.
We did have very good sightings of giraffe, buffalo and Zebra and I took a video of a giraffe on a casual stroll by our car. This was with my Samsung phone. Wren remains in a state of Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-8978691426946837342015-11-18T22:23:00.000+10:002015-11-18T22:23:03.275+10:00Munyaweni Day 2: Monday Night
The Internet Cafe.
There was no internet today at Hilltop Camp. There were no power plugs to charge either because we are on some kind of minimal solar array. The power turns off when solar store runs out and returns at dusk only if there has been sunshine. Orion managed to get a bit of Vodacom cell signal and set up a hotspot by the road. Here is the internet cafe.
There are Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-87616901136687669232015-11-16T19:42:00.004+10:002015-11-18T22:23:15.960+10:00Day 2: Munyaweni
Day 2: Munyaweni Bush Lodge
I woke with the light and checked the ground for scorpions. The wind had stilled and there was a pale grey sky. So I got dressed and checked my phone had charged. It was 0% because they power had turned off overnight. I checked the iPad and it was 4.53am but it was light.
Wren struggled to escape his mosquito net cocoon, then dressed and we walked quietly toShannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-70432734506519816152015-11-16T19:41:00.002+10:002015-11-16T19:41:19.370+10:00Day 1 Bush: Durban to Hluhluwe Game Reserve
Day 1: Durban to Hluhluwe
We left early for Breakfast at Delish Sisters in Salt Rock. Its located in a Litchi Orchard and the fruit were ripening on the high branches. After an excellent breakfast we headed up the north coast and stopped at Inseleni for a mushroom check. Dad showed me some spots where he had seen fungi in wetter times. We found a few which I found extremely interesting Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-63422184478591565022015-03-09T01:49:00.001+10:002015-03-09T04:09:52.619+10:00Wonderful Gluten!
Yesterday, I had the bright idea to juice-fast but was seduced from
the liquid path by a trip to the thrift store. I was walking the
aisles hoping to find a raclette (miracles do happen at Goodwill) when I
saw an appliance on the American end of the culinary spectrum: a
bright yellow pretzel maker. I put it in my cart and wandered around
for a while failing to find Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-87721463120337144502015-03-04T11:57:00.000+10:002015-03-04T11:57:49.354+10:00Marinating on a rainy FridayI took a day off on Friday and Wren and I went for a walk and lunch in West Seattle. West Seattle is a suburb of the city but it has this bridge over water and you have to navigate around downtown and various spaghetti junctions to get there so it feels like a day-trip to us north-siders.
Our first stop was a walk at Jack Block Park. The park is one of the Port of Seattle's Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-3689054513080988272015-02-15T15:12:00.000+10:002015-02-15T16:00:17.886+10:00Happy Valentines Day
Tonight, my mother complained that I don't write enough blog posts. "What's happening with the kids?" she asks? "I keep checking the blog but you don't update?" Its true. Honestly, I feel like a freshman in a creative writing class sitting at the keyboard and not sure what to write about.
Thing is, the kids are no longer "cute". They don't say and do so many Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3001465506995710063.post-61892399568624315462015-01-02T14:32:00.000+10:002015-01-02T14:34:33.125+10:00Thanksgiving breakThanksgiving is a month past but I left this post in DRAFT mode. Here it is to catch up family who asked what we did on this holiday.
1) I baked a pie.
2) I baked another pie.
3) Frost made cranberry sauce and was splattered in the face with burning sugar-berries during the filming of this shot.
4) The leaves turned golden overnight.
5) I baked a vegan Quorn roast Shannonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13865361028544783972noreply@blogger.com2