When Elephants Go Walking -

Of course I adored the baby elephants the best -

What’s not to love about a baby elephant?

When we arrived at Sweetwaters Serena Camp ready for our safari adventures to begin, Elephants were the first thing we spotted on the horizon – just roaming.  And my heart soared!  Oh these gentle beasts – yes they can be fierce when they need to be, just watching them lumber along as elephants do just being elephants.

I seriously can never look at a zoo, a circus, in the same light as I previously had.  I used to console myself with thoughts of “Well zoos are educational, and how can the children learn about the animals if they can’t visit them in the zoo?”  It’s not the same.  I would free EVERYTHING if I could.

And oh, the baby ones!

Down to the tiniest of them all -

Do you see him by the tree on the left? 

Such a wee one!

And the oldest of the herd -

There is wisdom in those eyes!

We were told to look at the ears – African elephants have ears shaped like Africa – and with the wisdom of years, comes the shredding of the ears!  The older the elephant, the more ragged the edges of his/her ears are as they flap and fan themselves all through the day.

At the watering hole – right outside by tent at night!

How often have you looked into an elephant’s eye?

Oh camera, I see the PUPIL!  Thank you!

Oh, baby! I see you!

Little ones trying to keep up!

What really amazed me – and I think I’ve said it before – is how the animals roam in harmony.  They don’t keep to themselves – they mingle.  Unless you are someone’s intended dinner, then all bets are off.  But check this out – how many different species can you see just in this one area, doing their own thing?

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Seeing the other animals gives you a sense of the SIZE of these massive elephants!

Here is my youtube compilation of elephants on the move.

Click to Play:

Something amazing happens when you really do gaze into an elephant’s eye.  It’s like the wisdom of the world is there.

Run, baby one, run and keep up!

And the rest of you impalas -

Watch where you step – because elephants leave huge land mines!

Water buck (Or is it a bush buck?!) impala, Big daddy elephant!

And it all ends with the ever present butt shot!

From Kenya to Shipshewana!

I made it safely to South Bend, Indiana where I was picked up by Gay Bomers to teach for her Sentimental Stitches retreat at the wonderful Blue Gate Garden Inn in Shipshewana – a fabulous meeting place for quilters from near and far. 

There are excited quilters EVERYWHERE!  It feels like old home week.  We start off today with  Jamestown Landing workshop from my book String Fling.  I’m looking forward to digging into fabric and playing with the quilters and all that brings.

On the passport front – lost passport was not lost. And is now found. I found it last night here in Indiana in my book table change bag. Don’t ask me how it got into my change bag.  I don’t remember putting it there, but evidently I did upon changing bags when I returned from Kenya.  

I was thinking the right thing, doing the right thing but with the passing of Sadie, the overload for #missing market on instagram and the release of our Frolic intro post not to mention other stresses I didn’t remember that I put it in this safe spot.

I HAD to make the judgement call to cancel the passport when I did so there would be enough time to expedite a new one before Germany on Dec 1st if I wasn't able to locate the original.  You can’t UN-CANCEL a cancelled passport, so we move forward.  Son Jeff is bringing my birth certificate down from Virginia so I can do that in Winston Salem on Tuesday. And we will be all systems go again.

 I thank you for your thoughts and well wishes, and also for leaving the “You should have, you need to” comments silent because I know.  The brain and the heart can only hold so much.  Switching bags to travel was the culprit.  But I had to to carry the stitchery kits to Kenya in a carry on because I couldn’t check my bag with them – it was overweight.  It was extenuating circumstances, and I know.  Sometimes things just happen.

When we get out of our routines - bad things can happen.  But then also good ones can also happen!

And with that – I’m off to breakfast.  Did you see that we have an IronEZ Gift-Away happening on YESTERDAY’S POST?  Head on over there and get your entry in.  We’ll be drawing for 3 winners when I return home from indiana!

Quiltville Quote of the Day

It's time to shake yourself out of your rut!

Try something new, fix something different for dinner. Try a different hairstyle, a new outfit. Anything to remind you of the adventurous spirit you possess inside!

Play with colors that are not usually your norm, try a new technique and master it.

Life was not meant to be merely survived - You were put here to THRIVE!