SEASONS OF LOVE : 2026

14 to 27 January. 

2026 started a little differently for me. Two weeks of sorting out (and getting rid of ) four decades of stuff all stored at the farm. There's just too much to say about this process, so a few lyrics from a song from the 90s musical RENT..

How do you measure, measure a year?

In daylights, in sunsets

In midnights, in cups of coffee

In inches, in miles

In laughter, in strife

​How do you measure a year in the life?

​How about love?

It's time now to sing out

Though the story never ends

Let's celebrate, remember a year in the life of friends.

ZEBULA JANUARY 2026

Friday January 2nd to Wednesday 14th January 

What would we do without the Zebula January reset button? We spent 6 nights at our no.30 and then moved across to the Magg's no.120 for another 6 nights. It rained a lot.

Friends joined us.

We chilled.

We drank bubbly every day. We all cooked some really great food.

Even when the storms knocked out the power.

We built Lego.

We even played Pickleball.

There was golf and walks and cycles too.

And I got a lot of admin and planning done. Mental processing comes first; it's time consuming and causes sleeplessness sometimes but you need to give yourself the time and space. It's going to be an AWESOME 2026!

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK FOR NEW YEAR :2025/26

Friday 26th December to Friday 2nd January

For something different and for old time's sake, we spent 6 nights camping in the  Kruger National Park over New Year with Hanlie and Andrew.

Early to the farm on the 26th to pack the caravan and overnight at Sondela. We entered Kruger at Punda Maria Gate. In summer the bush is very thick and water plentiful so you expect to spot far less game. I have never seen Kruger so green or so wet.

And yet, as always, we saw wonderful birds... 

And had some great animal encounters...

 We stayed up until midnight- me already in my pjs - to see in the New Year!

We spent 6 nights in Shingwedzi Camp.

We love the more remote and far less busy Northern Camps. It was hot but our cars and caravans have aircon, fridges,freezers and icemakers. We've come a long way since my first trip to Kruger..camping with friends in Shingwedzi between Christmas and New Year 1983! Our outdoor cooking is far more gourmet and we quaff bubbly and single malt whisky nowadays but the brunch jaffles at Babalala Picnic Site remain a firm favourite over 40 years later!

Thanks Hanlie for some of the pics!