Visitors from Denver!

     David and Maeve Franklin visited us this past weekend. They are friends through Katherine's 3-days-a-week “Walking Group,” which has been tremendously supportive of our effort here in lots of thoughtful ways. Both Maeve and David were born and schooled in South Africa, receiving medical training in Cape Town, but they left for the U.S. nearly 30 years ago. Their South African perspective was of particular interest. They are here for 2 family weddings in the province of South Africa that is just south of Swaziland, and for a visit to their summer home in the Eastern Cape.

They went with us to the two primary schools where we teach.

They spoke about medical careers, and then they met a ½ dozen of our favorite students we had assembled in the High School Library to talk about medical training and careers.

David and Maeve visited our local shebeen and sampled some home-brew, which they left behind, generating much cross-border good feeling.

We had lunch at our hut.

Notice the picture of Walking Group's Farewell Party 15 months ago behind us, beside Katherine's right ear.

     The Franklins brought some treasures to make our life here easier, carefully selected by Walking Group and my sister. These thoughtful deliveries from home make our life here easier and are very much appreciated.

     The Franklins then drove us 2 hours to the nicest game reserve in Swaziland, Mkhaya, where strenuous efforts have preserved “white” and “black” rhino and lots of other game.

     Mkhaya is very high end, and we were well fed and treated beautifully. We slept in thatched-roof huts with stone walls up to about a hard high, open to the bush above that, lit by kerosene lamps and lanterns. They brought us coffee and tea and biscuits at 5:30 a.m. before the 6 a.m. game drive.

     We talked with the Franklins about Denver news, changes in South Africa, retirement, religion, our work, other travels in the area, politics, birds . . . . David has a very quick eye and a long lens.

Bird Of The Day

     BotD honors had to go to fine multiple sitings of the purple-crested turaco, which David calls loerie, its Afrikaans name. A nice green with a bluish-purple head, it flashes a bright red under-wing when it flies; David was emphatic that the Swaziland national bird deserved BotD honors, and how could we assimilated Swazis disagree - the king wears 5 of its bright red feathers in his official traditional garb. It won out over stiff competition from the black-headed oriole with its gleaming yellow body, black head and red beak, and black and white edged wings, and also over the bearded woodpecker's black and white tummy stripes and red-crested head.

     Sunday we drove 1 ½ hours to Mabuda Farm; David is distantly related to the current owner! They had planned an outdoor braii, but had it inside because the weather was cold, windy and damp. The Mabuda Farm owners are at the far end of this picture, with Maeve and David and Katherine. Closer are 2 interns who had been training at the local hospital with Dr. Pons, an ophthalmologist there, and her parents who were visiting. This is the dining room in the enormous main house, which was built in the 1930s and has been in Helen Pons family since then.

     This was a really nice visit, with many flavors of home to enjoy while we visited with the Franklins and also in coming days.