To the deep dark forest

Scottie Walk Sunday! The Golden Boy (recognizable by his tail) with the Alph, waiting for the action to start at Rhodes Mem.

MacGuyver, who is almost as crazy as the Lad, was there,

as well as these two aristocratic Scotties

and our very beautiful friends Doogie and Bayley.

Laddie was terribly smitten by the blonde bombshell Nessa.

She is rather pretty.

Mila -not too sure what is gong on (but with that crazy MacGuyver around her all day, I would also look a bit frazzled!).

I never said anything to MacGuyver about what might happen if he came too close ...

A cat face to pee upon.

A westie called Leopold was leading the way.

There were quite a few bikes whizzing past, but we all resisted the temptation to chase them.

Luckily the idiot Lad was so taken up with sniffing Nessa that he didn't notice any bikes.

We soon left the bike track and headed up the mountain on a pawpath,

past some stately Silver Trees (Leucadendron argenteum),

and lots of Cape Autumn Widow butterflies (Dira clytus) that love the long grass.  

Angus emerging from the deep dark forest. Did he find that stag that we once chased? - he looks a bit alarmed.

All of us taking a water break in the deep dark forest. I schmoozed around looking for snack handouts but didn't have much joy today.

There was also time for a photo session. Some of the Scotties posed elegantly,

and others ran like hooligans through the forest; Laddie no doubt hoping to find a stag or a squirrel.

Picture perfect: Mila, Doogie and Bayley.

Some of us were thirsty and hot,

so I was NOT impressed when the Alph and Food Lady said we were not going back with the group but were pressing onwards and upwards. Bye bye friends.

But luckily we bumped into Shelley and Serge's elegant Border Collie.

And luckily too, we didn't bump into this Blister Bush (Notobubon galbanum).

Eventually the path came back down,

but I was too hot and bothered to even say hello to two Border Terriers who passed us,

and I refused to walk along the bicycle path when the Food Lady set off again to look for a parcel of poo she had left behind a tree stump. I just carried on down and the Alph had to run after me.

We could still see the end of the Scottie Walk waiting in the car park, but by the time we got there, they had all left - some to have tea in the tearoom, and some to go and play cricket in Fish Hoek. All in all though, it was FUN.

A working-walking weekend @ Riversong

On Sunday we drove up to the Cederberg in the new car. We had to stop at Rietdakkies farmstall to stock up with some Hanepoot grapes, and I made friends with a little girl and her brother while we waited.

Then we got to the cottage to find that we couldn't get into the bathroom - and Bernard-the-farm manager and the Alph banged and hit and thoroughly rattled everything  - including us Scotties - but eventually they managed to break the lock and open the door.

Then the Alph disappeared under the sink with a bleeping thing and did some more alarming banging. But eventually he came out and said he was defeated,

so we went for a walk to find somewhere to cool down as it was fiercely hot.

Even the Lad got a bit wet and had to shake, rattle and roll in the dusty sand afterwards.

We collected some firewood and walked home but the Alph and the Food Lady were rather depressed because there was not a drop of water in the house and no-one really seemed to know why.

The next morning joy of joys! there was water in the cottage. The mood lifted somewhat and the Alph decided to go and find out was going on with the water pipes and tanks. We admired our new wheels, glinting in the morning sun,

and set off with the Food Lady, leaving the Alph went to walk through the prickly veld along the water pipe. There were lovely Grey-leafed Proteas (Protea laurifolia) all along the road - some new and sparkly and silver,

some old and gold. Waiting for a fire to release the seeds.

The Alph had met Bernard and we met up with them both, and walked up to the tanks with Bernard's young pup, Optel. He was very deferential to Laddie who was acting rather pugnaciously (ever since the idiot caught his rat he has been a bit overbearing).

The N-for-Notten tank that takes quite a while to fill up with water for our cottage. As the water pressure is very low at this time of the year, and a lot of the cottages are using water to water their silly lawns, it took a whole day to fill the tank - but at least we knew that nothing was really wrong.

We continued on our walk with a spring in our steps and our tails up high. This is a Kleinmaartblom (Brunsvigia striata) growing on the path to the tadpole pools.

Sugarbirds irritate us Scotties with their tantalisingly small-mammal-like calls.

Pretty patterns: Common Sunshine Conebush (Leucadendron salignum) and twining Devils Tresses (Cassytha ciliolata).

Tea at the Tadpole pools.

Laddie wanted Optel and his black lavatory door brother to come with us, but Bernard called them back.

We all had a last swim in the cold water,

and Lad had another sand shake, rattle and roll,

then we walked back past these bright Skilpadbessie berries that we think Phil would like to use to make a delicious gin and tonic drink.

On the road again, past Prince Alfred's Hamlet,

with ribbon clouds weaving in and out of the mountains.  

I was pooped. Luckily I had the whole of the back seat of our brand new Subaru to myself

as the idiot insisted on sleeping on the floor in a rather cramped and uncomfy space. Such a funny Lad.