October…Suicide month…alternating bouts of heat, with panting plants wilting in the intense sunlight, and then, overnight, cool blasts of wind, bringing slanting rain and lightening streaking across the Gonarezhou wilderness opposite Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
This is a month of transition; plump and pregnant impala does waiting out the heat, crocodile eggs incubating in warm sand bars flanking the Save and the Runde rivers, guarded by vigilant, monolithic mothers.

On a recent trip along the Runde River with Ian and Jane Craig of Lewa, Kenya, and Willy and Sue Roberts of Sirikoi Lodge, Kenya, we fished between dozens of these lady monsters, who slipped around us as they guarded their precious eggs…read that story in my blog, Malilangwe Magic; Crocodile Mothers…..

The first splattering drops of rain bring promise of more, and the tentative emergence of Giant land snails on the pathways at Chilo Gorge heralds the official start of the Summer……

We have a mollusc specialist from Europe visiting Chilo, and within less than one metre square of leaf litter and soil, she has discovered at least 10 different species of terrestrial snails! Ranging from microscopic to fingernail-sized, these diminutive creatures form a vast ecosystem beneath  our feet…a sobering thought  – every time we take a step, we are standing on countless living things…

Cute Chiromantis tree frogs have, within the last two days, revived themselves from their Winter aestivation and are variously decorating picture frames and porcelain basins, adapting their skin colour to their surroundings and merrily chirping their welcome to the rain-dark skies…

These frogs are a delight to me, subjects of many sketches…

Lin Barrie sketch of Chiromantis tree frogs

For two days an army of tiny Pygmy toads has hopped the pathways, out from their dry season hideaways…hard not to step on them as they bounce everywhere!

tiny toads emerging from aestivation

Grey skies and a cool breeze decide me..today I will write this blog upstairs , on a sheltered, favourite balcony overlooking the Save River…

From here I can keep an eye for the five young bull elephants, who have been crossing the river morning and evening to raid their favourite plants in the Chilo gardens!

Striletzia nicolae and Phoenix reclinata palms have been the flavour of the month in the Chilo gardens, as has the bark of the fig and Albizia trees…

elephants have stripped the bark of this fig…

Perhaps, now that the rains are looming, the elephants will move their attention elsewhere!

Elephant hieroglyphs in the bark…

elephant hieroglyphs in the bark of a doomed tree…

Maybe the pachyderms will head back to the Fayderbia albida trees on the Runde River to browse on the apple ring pods of those pretty plants…

albida pods

a delicious and nutritious food, these pods sustain all manner of animals at this time of year, from elephants……

elephant foot and albida pods

Meanwhile, with helpful advice from Ian Craig and Lewa  in Kenya, we are planning elephant fences to suit our needs, both at Chilo and at the developing community project,  Jamande Wilderness……

Still daydreaming about elephants, I ponder the state of the Fayderbia albida trees on the Runde River, in Gonarezhou National Park, where the elephant bulls are pushing huge trees over to get at the pods…hopefully with the fast approaching rainy season, the pressure on these gorgeous old trees will be lessened.

My mind drifts back to Mana Pools…where we recently shared a Safari with various dear friends, including  Gwen Wawn, and travellers extradordinaire Brian and Dee Keating, of Going Wild, Canada.

For that story, please read my blog,  Going Wild in Mana Pools!

Here is the wonderful inner lining of a bull’s mouth, as he reaches high into an albida tree…

elephant reaching into albida tree

and his look of contentment as he chews…

delicious….

From my refuge in the balcony at Chilo Gorge, I can happily reminisce, daydream, and plan paintings such as the two I am currently growing in my mind…abstract Persian carpets of colour reflecting the glowing shapes of albida pods …

gorgeous albida pod

and kigelia flowers …..favourite snack for Kudus…

kigelia beauty

………I can also indulge peacefully in a cup of fresh brewed La Lucie coffee……

And a home baked scone….appreciated also by the juvenile Mocking chat who comes to join me in my quiet place of retreat!

ahhhh…..!

the quiet joys of Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge…….