Footing

Very sorry for myself. I have a sore foot and can't come for walkies today.

But Dougal was better and went along without me to hunt Parrot-beaked Tortoises,

 and explore new paths - and boardwalks. This is the Jonkersdam path that starts on the Glencairn Expressway/Blackhill Road and winds its way up to the Lewis Gay Dam, back towards Ocean View and around to the start past Rooikrans hill. Sue, Alice and Maddie joined the Alph, the Food Lady and Dougal.

They saw big red poisonous grasshoppers, the Rooibaadjie or Koppie Foam Grasshopper (Dictyophorus spumans),

and almost invisible Common Stick Grasshoppers (Acrida acuminata).

 Tea without me. Alice, Sue, Maddie, the Alph and Doog.

At a discrete little pile of stones, they swung off to the right,

past some pretty pink Christmas Flowers (Chironia linoides), 

and along the most beautiful path with views down to the sea and across to Chapmans Peak.

Lots of flowers for the Food Lady - like this root parasite, the Yellow-throated Inkflower (Harveya purpurea).

 More glorious views.

Pretty white Lachnaea grandiflora.flowers - which iSpot calls the Grand Stringbark.

With Christmas round the corner, the Food Lady saw golden baubles (Brunia noduliflora),

 and silver Slangbos (Seriphium plumosum),

masses of white Christmas stars, Struthiola dodecandra,

and strings of tiny red and white stars, the Dodder (Cuscuta nitida).

The whole of the valley was flushed purple with the Grape Heath (Erica multumbellifera).

Dougal got quite hot he said. Here he is taking a drink and shade break.

Funny noises from the rocks ...

and Maddie was pulling Alice up the hill after the culprits - Dassies! Wish I'd been there and I would have been after them too, sore foot or not.

They passed some bouldering types looking for some boulders to climb with mattresses on their backs like tortoises. Look out dassies! Your territories are going to be invaded.

Then it was home to little old meeeee.