Up the garden path again ...

This morning we met at the Brooklands ghost village carpark for a short walk to the dam and back.

Pauline was waiting for us, and Sue and Honey arrived with Richard who is flying home back to Lucy later today.

The rock monsters and ghost villages here are rather creepy,

but not the tortoise smells and other delightful things to investigate,

like this little Sandkalossie (Lachenalia rubida or L. punctata according to Graham Duncan)

and lots of Fire Heaths (Erica cerinthoides) coming up in the recently burned area. Tails up!

The Food Lady led us all up another of her garden paths and soon we were lost in amongst large scary totem animals

so we got the hell out of there and retraced our steps. Just look at that Meerkat looming ahead.

Even this strange little grasshopper thing wanted out of there and hitched a ride on Richard's shoe.

Soon we were back on a proper road,

with a few distractions like these glowing Red Pypies (Gladiolus priorii),

until we reached the dam which is looking rather low again. Click here for comparisons.

Sue had brought from bubbles to celebrate the fact that Kate's thesis has been accepted and she is almost officially a PhD. Richard acted as Her Majesty's porter service and video cameraman and filmed us all celebrating Kate's achievement. The dogs, on the other hand, received a teeeeeny tiny bit of biltong. Mingy!

Here I am scrounging for something to take the edge off my hunger pangs.

We were serenaded by honking hissing Egyptian Geese who wanted to join in the general convivality.

The first proper walk the spaniels came on - Thomas the Cool and Aiden the Voice. They have to stay on leads as they haven't learned their names and never come when they are called.

Wait up!

Two black dogs leaving the dam. The spaniels almost count as black dogs but they are strictly speaking blue as in "blue roan" cocker spaniels.) Mighty posh.

Some pretty Dog Faces (Trichocephalus stipularis) were out.

And pretty soon we were past all the delicious smells, and loomy snary monsters and back at the ghost village.

Honey wasn't happy to share her car with offerings from the Food Lady, but Sue persuaded her that all was safe despite what the pee-mail on them might say.

When we got home, we suddenly heard a familiar voice at the gate,

and LOOK who came home to reclaim her kidnapped spaniels! We were all overjoyed (especially the idiot Lad). But all was strangely quiet after they all left.

Blow, blow thou summer wind

Today, with a slight change of plan, we drove right up to the Lewis Gay Dam at Brooklands

and started walking from there. Alice and Maddy were the only takers today as everyone was afraid of the heat. But luckily Cape Town's air-con was switched on to high so it wasn't too hot for us scots.

A funny bird rock monster watched us walk past.

Alice and The Alph discussing the mammary allusions in Erica mammosa. 

We then crossed a bridge. Not our best but at least this one didn't have open spaces to freak us out. 

Erica viscaria. (Difficult to shoot in the wind.)

Tea time and waiting for biscuits ...

The view from our tea spot - across Long Beach to Chapman's Peak on the right.

Even though the wind was blowing and buffeting, it was quite hot and hard getting up that sandy hill.

A Stone Nest Spider's intricate orb web.

Tritoniopsis dodii.

Once we were on top of the hill, there was another view - this one right across False Bay. 

But no time for views - we were hot and wanted that promised swim! We hot footed it back to the dam, and Maddy was the first to jump in.

Then me.

And Dougal just gingerly venturing in.

The Alph far out, Alice keeping an eye on Maddy - and even the Food Lady dived in much to our consternation. I mean, who would organize our food if she was taken by a lurgy lurking in the deep dark waters of the Lewis Gay Dam! 

But we all survived and came home to Gin and Tonics and bacon and egg.

Cheers!

Honey comes walkies

Today was a very exciting day as it was Honey's first walk. She has come to live with and look after Sue - although this photo is of Honey with Kate from Canada who also joined us on the walk with Greg from Canada, and Richard and Josie. 

We set off from the Brooklands ghost town,

through excitingly enticing tortoise-filled veld,

to the Kleinplaas Dam - still quite full as you can see from the marker. We both had a dip in the water but Honey refused to leave Sue's side, and Josie said too many other dogs had polluted the water and she would rather not thanks very much.

After that refreshing swim, we walked across the dam wall which was abuzz with activity - dogs, joggers and hikers.

The path was very sandy, and full of flowers

like this Aristea africana

and this Roella triflora

It started to get quite hot so we made use of any little shade we found

while the Food Lady did some phlower photography. These are Prismatocarpus fruticosus.

Me and Josie.

Then it was tea - er champagne - time. Kate had bought a bottle to celebrate new year and Greg being here, and so had the Alph,

so there was lots to go round and the six humans polished off two bottles remarkably fast.

Anyone for more? No thanks. We prefer Cape mountain water.

Richard, Josie, Greg (almost hidden in the shade of the Leucospermum), Sue, Kate and the Alph.

Now now Alph! We still need to find our way home.

Even Honey lightened up somewhat. I don't think she likes us though. She called us some names that I can't repeat on the blog and told me where to go and put myself in no uncertain terms. But as it's her first walk and this is all new to her, we forgave her.

On the way back, everything was beautiful to the Food Lady - especially the dried flower heads of one of her favourite plants - Bergtee (Syncarpha gnaphaloides).

The next dam came into view just as I thought I was going to expire from the heat.

Luckily none of us were authorized, so we all went through the gate

and Dougal and I had another very welcome dip in the glorious, cool, rooibos tea-coloured water.

Sue had a foot-dip and even Honey eventually had a dainty drink but not a swim thanks.

The glamorous Kate.

A perfect Rain Spider egg case but no spider to eat. (Dougal and I have both been known to swallow spiders.)

Looking back at the Lewis Gay Dam wall - with two lone swimmers sitting on the top.

A short hike up the road ...

and we were back at the Brooklands car park where we were met by this polite fox terrier.