I’ve been feeling that feeling

My favourite time of day is early morning, even before the sun starts adding colour to the world. Just when the darkness is cracked open to reveal thin rays of light and everything takes shape in different hues of grey.

Everything is so quiet. So fresh. So beautiful!

That is when I usually take Annie out for a wee. I comb through the shadows with my torch to check whether it is safe for her and then enjoy my first cup of coffee, soaking in the blessings of this wonderful place.

I also particularly enjoy sunset. As soon as that red ball starts dimming and a cooler breeze floats in like a soft sigh, a feeling of peace and tranquillity settles around me. The birds pack away their chirps and tweets. The animals start scurrying to the safety of their nests and burrows.

And then it is quiet. Everyone seems happy and at ease. (For a while, at least!)

In an instant the lodge then changes to the most romantic place on earth, as all the oil lamps along the footpaths are lit. Wherever you look, there is a soft pale flickering at your feet and a ton of bright flickering stars above your head. What a privilege!

I once read that Jan Smuts (a long-ago prime minister of South Africa) once said that the Bushveld is a place where the human element shrinks to insignificance. It is a place where the greatness of creation really grabs you and lets you melt until you become one with yourself.

I totally agree, Mr Smuts!