I've been meaning to start writing on Hive for a while. I originally signed up in November last year but there were so many things in the pipeline that I didn't really have the guts to get to writing until now. Last month I started posting on Noise.Cash where I put up a lot of my nature photos like these ones... A grumpy looking Rain Frog.
This is pretty much what I looked like last year. Not a happy camper.
It was a real challenge for everyone around the world. It was traumatic in many ways and I think that most people can agree that they would really like to not have a repeat of 2020.
Our lease was coming to a close at the apartment we were in at the end of Feb so we started talking about whether we wanted to stay in the metropolis. My husband and I have a 3.5yr old daughter who is growing at a rate of knots and we all were feeling rather claustrophobic to be honest.
We had a very adult discussion about what was keeping us in the city, the pros and cons and we have both been wanting to get away from the hussle and bussle for a while to regroup and re-assess. Living close to the beach was nice, but we hardly ever went there.
I think we all get so lost in the running from pillar to post that sometimes we lose perspective.
We started looking at rental options in small towns and we were completely dumb-founded by the difference in affordability. We looked for a few weeks and came across a place via an estate agent that looked almost too good to be true. Five hours away, small town, different ecology, different landscapes, different opportunities and challenges.
We've moved to Oudtshoorn, a small town in the Little Karoo. It's quite arid and hot, but oh my, it has totally stolen my heart.
We are greeted in the morning by various birds like the 80's hairstyle Hoopoe bird, there are so many critters running around and interesting places to see.
I've always considered myself an amateur photographer, even after completing a photography course, but I always feel there is room to improve, learn and grow.
The Little Karoo has a lot to offer in terms of interesting subjects. Apart from the birds visiting our garden and emptying the bird feeder in a matter of hours, we have also found a few day geckos that have taken up residence in our potted mint plants. They are still rather skittish but I think they'll get used to us. Not the best photo of this one, but we'll see how close I can get in the weeks to come.
We found a toktokkie beetle walking around our porch which was massive compared to the beetles we are used to. They have the most interesting ball joints at their thighs.
We also discovered that there are ant-lions living under the pepper tree. My hubby and I watched an ant fall into the hole and get munched, so I had to dig one up briefly to get a photo. Really weird looking creatures.
Yesterday my mom in law wanted to take our kid out to see the Ostriches. The ostrich industry in Oudtshoorn is one of the main economic driving factors of the town and one of the big tourist attractions. We stopped along the road at one of the farms and were eagerly greeted by the big birds. Of course our daughter wanted to get waaaayyyy too close to them which is not advisable, but we managed to get her some keepsake feathers and these pics will keep that memory for years to come. Annual ostrich day in the family is now on 9th March. It will be celebrated annually with ice cream.
In the evenings we are greeted by much smaller birds - but just as charismatic - the MouseBird. Another funky hairstyle variety. This silhouette was fitting for closing an evening of activity in our new town.
It looks like even though we've only been here a week, I have definitely fallen in love with the area. It has been a most amazing breath of fresh air and I feel like a tourist in my hometown. Taking photos for our business is going to go from strength to strength with new subjects and will hopefully open up new opportunities and present interesting challenges too.
Hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into our experience so far as much as we have enjoyed settling in. Go well :)