The Pan & the Vlei

So "Rietpan" the name of the farm literally stands for "Reed Pan." Chris says his great & great-great grandfathers used to hide behind the reeds to target lions that preyed upon their cattle, back in the 1800s. Really, nary a lion to be seen out here anymore. Almost all larger, wild game is extinct from this area. Not so for the birds, luckily.

As you will see in some of these photos, the reeds create a lovely habitat for many African birds. I'm still slowly adding new birds to my collection of knowledge but you will see featured in the reeds namely red billed quellia, red bishops (with the bright red face), yellow weaver birds (see the nest nestled in the reeds + a close up of a nest that fell from a tree), and then flamingos skimming the water.

You should hear the sounds outside my window! A trellis full of flowers and humming bees is directly below the sill and just beyond is a symphony of birds mixed with the strains of other insects. It is so loud. At night it's much more quiet with the mere chirping of crickets and creaking of bullfrogs.

The dam or "pan" of Rietpan is natural and wells up from the springs, or vlei, below ground. Right now it is quite low, partially for lack of rain and partially due to water theft (for the purpose of catching the fish), so I've been able to ride horses and walk around the entire perimeter which is nice. At dusk it is like glass and captures the vastness of the sky in a way that will melt your heart. Like a spoonful of sugar.



































p.s. note baby iris & miriam walking towards the dam