Alena
Deewater

Ann
Helsel

Charles
Furey

Donald
Shephard

Doug
Fortier

Gloria
Jorgensen

Henri
Bensussen

Holly
Tannen

Jan
Edwards

Jewels
Marcus

Maureen
Eppstein

Motherbear
Scott

Nancy
McLelland

Nona
Smith

Norma
Watkins

Sharon
Gilligan

Susan
Fisher

Ty
Moore

Ann Helsel "Surprise at Sunrise" & Shanti Benoit "Sunrise Surprise"

Surprise at Sunrise

            
             KwaZulu-Natal South Africa

The heat of the day began to dissipate, and we could almost rest and enjoy ourselves. 

We listened to birds, against the ever present almost deafening buzzing cicada, and watched them appear around the water hole for their last drink before sleep. They seem'd to have come from nowhere, least not that we could see, with trees so surprisingly full with leafs.

The night sky's brilliance was almost unbearable. Its crimson reds and oranges splashed against a wispy cirrus canvas, pushing the turquoise blue from the stage; then fading to amber with a thin line of yellow along the horizon; only to have the blue return a dark indigo embedded with rhinestones sparkling everywhere. 

I found myself thinking, 'these colors have been borrowed from an artist's pallet', but corrected myself.  Only in nature can you come close,  and it is to occur on the this stage but once. There will be different arrangement tomorrow, as it has been every night, and morning since we arrived a week ago.

We positioned our camp just far enough from the water to watch, but not be in the way.

Finished with our evening meal we relax and notice the smells, so prevalent this time of year in Africa.

Africa, I can't believe I'm saying it, let alone able to be here once again.

The flowers of the acacia trees are nearing their end, but the sweet fragrance of the bloom lingers in spite of the dust. So strong it even evades the pungent, and plentiful dung near our camp.

It doesn't take long for night life to begin. As we prepare to enjoy it, a sound familiar -- yet not  -- calls a halt to all else.  Where have I heard it before, what..: my thoughts freeze, and the hair on the back of my neck stands at attention, as I realize not only where, but what the sound is.  

That's when we saw him, sauntering out from the bush, like the king he is, and will always be. My thoughts jump from what do, to what do we have for protection.  Nothing, only the dog repellent we brought for the occasional beast out to eat a tire off our bicycle, but will it work on a lion? Of course you know they're around, you just never expect to have them appear in your camp like they own the place, then I remember, that's right they do. 

Sunrise Surprise