Lillies in Glass Vase

Oil on stretched canvas 20" x 24"

C.$850.

The final painting in what was a fairly lengthy series of flowers in glass vases. Sometimes I have to keep painting a theme until I've said everything I have to say about it!

Africa: in Conclusion

Herewith is the conclusion of my humble presentation of the glorious diversity of Southern Africa: the countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe and S. Africa. I hope you have enjoyed it...now my blog will be resuming with my most recent paintings which are available at the Wilno Garden Gallery, my painting studio, gallery and frame shop, in the heart of downtown Wilno...so stay tuned!

Africa: More Herbivores...as opposed to carnivores

Eland, gemsbok, kudu, impala, springbok, steenbok, waterbuck, red hartebeest...there were many, many types of cloven-hoofed mammals some in huge herds, some totally on their own. What I found particularly interesting were the singular males with their large harems of females, and then the bachelor herds of males.

Africa: Giraffes

How thrilling it was to see giraffes in the wild. I could hardly believe my eyes. Their height was beyond what I had ever imagined.

Africa: Botswana

There is great beauty in a perfectly flat landscape...huge skies, endless grass and sculpted trees...amazing sunsets...a feeling of grandeur dotted by humble homes of mud, wattle and thatch. Botswana has a very peaceful feeling...gentle and timeless.

Africa: More tomorrow...

Before a storm in the Drakensburg Mountains.

Africa: Painted Wolf (Wild Dog)

Just as we were heading out of our last camp we were very fortunate to see these 2 wild dogs on the road right in front of us. I love their other name, Painted Wolf, because they really do look individually painted. Their numbers have dwindled over the years as a result of human encroachment, but thanks to large game reserves in both Botswana and S Africa, they have safe territories in which to live...I guess as long as they stay inside the boundary lines.

They are stunning to see, very unusual looking...almost ethereal. We were VERY excited to see them, and I only got a few photos.

Africa: Just some of the many, many Birds

I can hardly describe the beauty, variety and vast quantity of the birds we saw and heard. We were fortunate to be travelling with avid birders, Bess and Chip, who could identify everything that flew.

Africa: Zebras: My Favorite

I fell in love with zebras. I couldn't get enough of them and took hundreds of photos. I found their markings endlessly fascinating...I had no idea that their manes stand straight up, totally unlike a horse, and am surprised that hasn't become a supreme hair fashion statement...but maybe it has and just hasn't hit Wilno yet.

An amazing tidbit of information from our safari friends: a newborn zebra must memorize it's mother's individual markings, as that is how it will find her in the herd...no other female will accept a newborn except it's own.

Africa: Back on Monday...

Dusk near Capetown

Africa: How we did it

First, I must say that we could not have gone on an African wilderness adventure like this without the experience, expertise and equipment provided by Bess and Chip, and for that I am very grateful. I have done lots of canoeing and camping in the wilds of Ontario, but this was different. We were prepared for 2 weeks of being in the bush, with the exception of a few stops for fresh produce, and of course those wonderful South African wines! A well stocked first aid kit, a winch on the front of one of the 2 landrovers and sand tracks in case we got stuck, extra batteries, a 45 gallon barrel of water for showers and many containers of drinking water, etc etc. It seemed to me we were ready for anything.

The rooftop tent is an amazing invention, and totally suited to the situation. We were taking turns in it, otherwise in ground tents, until my Great Night of Terror. It seemed to me that we were surrounded by lots of very loud lions, and after still being alive in the morning, I expressed my extreme agitation to my fellow campers. From then on, Dan and I were generously granted the rooftop, and I felt totally secure.

We cooked over an open fire, showered outdoors and had afternoon naps every day when it was too hot to be out, and all the animals were doing the same thing. We had a 12 volt freezer with it's own battery wired into the vehicle's charging system and Bessie had filled it with delicious frozen entres...so there we were, far from civilization, eating tai chicken curry and watching the zillion stars of the Southern Hemisphere, serenaded by hippos and hyenas. It was tough.

We travelled 4000 km on roads of various descriptions. At one point I could not believe these tracks were even considered passable, and so it often took hours to get from one game reserve to another. I think we moved 10 times. Some camps were extremely scenic and some were rough and unmaintained. We pulled into one reserve entrance, and were greeted with a huge grin from the warden...we were the first campers to arrive in more than 3 months! No wonder, we barely found the place, and had navigated all day on roads that almost defied travel. It was worth it though...it was a beautiful camp site on a river. We watched hippos and crocodiles all day, and then 2 elephants swam across and frolicked in the water.

Sometimes, if we saw spoor, or tracks, we followed them. That's how we saw the 4 lions. They had walked very close to our campsite, so we went in that direction, and in a couple of hours we saw them. In general, we went out on early morning, and late afternoon game drives armed with binoculars and cameras to see whatever we could find. Often, there was plentiful game in herds, or in singles, sometimes in mixed varieties, grazing and just generally hanging out. It was always exciting and thrilling.