With our Wellington (New Zealand) guests and Stephen and Robynne, we tried to go for a walk in Silvermine but the Southeaster was so black that we decided to give the New Zealanders a break from bad weather and decamped to Constantia Nek which is not so high up. Richard helped Dawnie Dog through the cars and wild SANParks vehicles that hurtle down the mountain roads. Alexander is on the left.
We left the road and climbed up and up ...
and at the top we encountered this ghostly creature ...
who seemed to sense where I was and tried to grab me ...
but I got away!
Some of the endemic Table Mountain Watsonias (
Watsonia tabularis) looming out of the mist. The area where we were walking was once a pine plantation but the pines have recently been felled and the area is returning to beautiful mountain fynbos again. You can see some of the felled pines on the right.
Despite the no entry sign Richard and Robynne walked off into the mist, the city of Cape Town somewhere far far far below them, and we just blindly followed,
although Dawnie doesn't look too sure about it all.
Luckily we didn't all fall over the edge as the sign suggested, and lived to see this strange parasitic plant - an Ink Flower (
Harveya pauciflora) that turns black and inky when it dies. Apparently early colonists used them as a source of writing ink. (We have mentioned this flower before
in this blog.)
We got to the waterfall which was falling very picturesquely, and had tea. This is Jan with a rock for his mother-in-law whose rock was stolen - and Lydia, Alexander and Robynne.
Robynne and Stephen with the monster that turned into Richard, who then tried to mesmerise us with his scarf,
but only Dawnie was impressed.
The rest of us just set about texting or finishing our tea on the rocks.
Jan with his rock.
There were lots of these little yellow lobelias (
Monopsis lutea). 
Dawnie and I were grateful for this short dip in a mountain stream, even though we were not at all hot what with the air conditioning being turned on to maximum strength.
On the way back we came across this
Light from Africa ceramic studio, but as it didn't say "tea and scones", I pushed on resolutely, tail in the air ...
through the remaining pine plantations back to the cars at Constantia Nek ...
where Lydia and Jan bought some delectable looking fruit before we headed on home.
Luckily we didn't all fall over the edge as the sign suggested, and lived to see this strange parasitic plant - an Ink Flower (Harveya pauciflora) that turns black and inky when it dies. Apparently early colonists used them as a source of writing ink. (We have mentioned this flower before in this blog.)
We got to the waterfall which was falling very picturesquely, and had tea. This is Jan with a rock for his mother-in-law whose rock was stolen - and Lydia, Alexander and Robynne.
Robynne and Stephen with the monster that turned into Richard, who then tried to mesmerise us with his scarf, 
The rest of us just set about texting or finishing our tea on the rocks.
Jan with his rock. 
There were lots of these little yellow lobelias (Monopsis lutea). 
Dawnie and I were grateful for this short dip in a mountain stream, even though we were not at all hot what with the air conditioning being turned on to maximum strength.
On the way back we came across this Light from Africa ceramic studio, but as it didn't say "tea and scones", I pushed on resolutely, tail in the air ...
through the remaining pine plantations back to the cars at Constantia Nek ... 
where Lydia and Jan bought some delectable looking fruit before we headed on home. 
My castle was carried in and put up by some really nice men who I absolutly loved. This is me watching the goings on. Sometimes life is a bit of a yawn! 
Then a whole lot of kids arrived with Gabriel and Arti - my human cousins. It was lovely. Fun and games and 
scotty-eye-level food and soft tartan rugs to lie on in the shade. 
Today were back in Silvermine doing the same walk as we did on Wednesday, but it is such a lovely walk that we were quite happy especially as it was deliciously cool and breezy - perfect for Scotties - AND ALICE came too. This is Alice and me standing on Steenberg Ridge looking back across to Muizenberg. 
Dawndawg also joined us, as did Sue and Joana from Portugal and Thea without Boris. Dawndawg is not so sad anymore and can be quite assertive these days so every now and then I have to sleep on her bed to remind her of the pecking order in the house! Here she is on Steenberg Ridge looking across to Table Mountain and Devil's Peak. 
The first thing we saw was this brilliant, flame-coloured Mountain Dahlia (
We were walking along the ridge when I was recognized! Fame at last! This is Helen who also has a blog that the Food Lady likes to read. It is called 
Another brilliant and shining flower - this time a bud of the Orange Ixia (Ixia dubia).
Thea, Joana and Sue looking back to Steenberg Ridge that we had just walked along.
And even higher up we could see over Steenberg Ridge to the dam - and almost to Cape Point.
The tip of the Constantiaberg mast is meant to be the highest point on Table Mountain. Dougal was very busy trying to kill mice - as usual without success. These fynbos mice are much more difficult to catch than rats. 
We had tea at the top in some rocks that were protected a bit from the wind. You can't see me in this photo because I am deep in the fynbos. But you can see Dougal, Joana, Sue, Thea (also deep in the fynbos), Dawndawg (also with just her head sticking out) and Alice.
We weren't even tired when we got home and helped the Food Lady do some gardening by trying to rid the garden of all lizards, geckos, skinks and mice. (Not very successfully but not for lack of trying.) This is us on full alert - listening and waiting ...
Then Dougal pounces into the middle of the flowers - splat ...
