16 May 2014

Mother's Day on Oppelskop

Last Sunday - Mother's Day - we decided to walk up Oppelskop. The Food Lady had done a rather vertiginous hike up Devil's Peak the Wednesday before, and wanted to get a better perspective on that walk. Paul and Pauline joined us, but everyone else had Mother's Day commitments. Table Mountain had a rather swirly table cloth on this morning, and it was quite chilly - the best kind of weather for us Scots.
Some plastic looking Bergtonteldoosbos or Wild Cotton (Gomphocarpus cancellatus) flowers.
And some Rice Heath (Erica lutea).
Paul coming round the mountain.
Checking out the city. Somewhere down there is Harvey's house.
Laddie looking for Harvey. In the distance is Minor Peak on which the Food Lady was scrambling a few days before.
Come on you lot!
Some BotSoc flowers - Protea repens bushes where just starting to flower.
Skirting across the saddle to Oppelskop ruin and tea.
We were quite high up! (Hence the leads - our poor humans are a bit old and fussy.)
Tea on Oppelkop.
Looking towards Devils Peak.
Scotties on top! Laddie is looking quite cool and not so crazy.
More uphill to the Saddle - the clouds still swirling around.
Laddie contemplating an abseil.
There were quite a lot of  bright and beautiful Rooipypies (Gladiolus priorii) flowers,  
and a brown, sweetly scented glad - maybe Gladiolus hyalinus
Paul's grass is looking all swirly and curly,
and the Erica abietina subsp. abietina were putting on a good show.
Laddie having a paddle on the Saddle.
Looking over towards Platteklip Gorge - you can just see it in the cloud.
Some cheerful Chironia berries on the zigsags down.
Then we went to Harvey's house, and had tea and scones with our human brother, Philip, and Kerryn. This is Harvey's portrait on a cushion.
Having fun in Harvey's garden. He really is a silly snuffly pup - but we are very fond of him.
The Food Lady's Mother's Day gift. A cake. Too pretty to open though.
Some Spekboom in whisky tins on the patio.
Looking up to where we had just been walking.
Harvey waiting for tea and scones.
Ah good, here they come. And in such style! Someone smack the Alph's hand away!
Kerryn and Harvey.
Some little mushrooms growing in the grass. Awaiting id on iSpot ...
The view of Minor Peak - from their back garden. Note the spikes that the burglars managed to get over when they had a burglary a few months ago.
Harvey being a mountain goat.
Hey - those are my toys!
Not any more they ain't.
Time to go. Bye bye y'all and thanks for the tea and cake.

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