WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: CLOSE (RELATIVELY SPEAKING)

From the germ of an idea which came from badinage at supper last night, I worked up the following Really Awful Rhyme while travelling bumpily in the back of a bakkie (van) with young R on the way to a birthday party at Rosetta-In-Natal-Not-The-Stone-One-In-Egypt. The rhyme was preserved for posterity by using, for the first time, the voice recorder which comes with my mobile. I wonder how many other untried gadgets it has? Will it do the laundry and cooking? 

Once birdies used to go ‘Cheep, cheep,’
But prices which appear
To now seem so extremely steep,
Have made them say, ‘Dear, dear!’ 

While birds of the more snobbish sort –
Of lineage extensive –
Are chirping of what they have bought
By uttering, ‘Expensive!’ 

Anyway, the party was at a home overlooking a dam which had an otterly delightful sight I’ve never before seen in South Africa. A pair of otters spent the day cruising all over the dam and doing gymnastics. They are incredibly fast creatures, and a photographer’s nightmare without really sophisticated equipment. They swim fast, jump fast, and these didn’t stay on the surface for more than a few seconds at most. Over fifty shots, and these were the best I could do.

 

I have included these pictures with the ‘Close’ photo challenge theme for the reason that the term is very relative. (Though it must be admitted that some relatives aren’t at all close.) 🙂 While the otters may seem distant – yes, the little black blips are all you’re going to get – they were a lot closer than most people will find when viewing while seated sipping tea on their front lawns. We have the sea and whales; Rain Farm have a warthog (and other game); and our Midlands friends have otters. 

© June 2012 Colonialist (WordPress)

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