Xterra Triathlon 2018

 

The above photo is accredited to an Xterra photographer who not only captured the greatness of Dan’s great long socks against his brown legs. He also managed to capture the perseverance of Dan’s effort in continuing to complete the triathlon  when he thought he could not and was quite frankly over the event itself.

Now for the entertaining story that precedes the above photograph.

So as Murphy’s law would have it, Dan and I got a good dosage of the common cold (it seemed a bit more severe than the average cold) on the Wednesday before Xterra which was scheduled for the upcoming Sunday.

We had done a fair amount of exercise and so called “training” before the time. I never feel as though it is training as it’s always so enjoyable exercising, that I hardly like to classify it as training myself. We were battling with the fact Xterra was soon approaching. We were feeling like zombies with General malaise and blocked noses. We were not feeling great at all and I was fearing that we would have to bail out of this event due to being sick. I was not wanting to cancel do due to the fact we both had been looking forward to this weekend for months. I enjoy the atmosphere, challenge of triathlon and general weekend away filled with good fun and exercise. Besides which, I am not one to cancel something because I am sick.

Yet with our snotty noses and big smiles we soon found ourselves heading to Grabouw for our Xterra Triathlon.

Wow! What an interesting place we stayed in. Certainly an eye opener and I can understand why it had not been booked out by other people doing the triathlon. With dusty tables and gecko excrement on the walls we had a quiet moment in which to come to grips with the state of the room! I would not recommend it unless there is nothing else available in the area!

The true excitement had started to kick in. We had checked out the venue and familiarized ourselves with the transition points and overall layout of the venue.

Dan as usual assembled our bicycles and did a thorough check to make sure our tyre pressure was correct and we were all set to go. We laid our our clothes out and prepped our stuff for the following early morning wake up.

I was scheduled to start 30 minutes ahead of Dan as it was in waves according to age category. Dan was distressed about this fact and even threatened me with the fact he would come speeding up toward me, him breathing down my back and racing past me and passing me. Ultimately leaving me behind in his dust! Yet this was not to be the case as I was in fact the one who was waiting for him at the finish line much to his shock and horror. I was shocked he never passed me on any of the sections. I had it on my mind constantly that he would casually ride past me while I was huffing and puffing but alas this never happened. Whoohoo. I feel as though I have conquered something.

I really and truly enjoyed this triathlon. Every aspect of it was great. I was actually rather sad that it ended all too soon for me as I was just getting into it. Dan said he struggled with the swim in terms of being kicked in the face and having water splashed into his face by people who suddenly decided whilst swimming that they would stop and take a breather, causing Dan to swim right into them. A bit flustered from that in conjunction with his flu, he spent a wonderful 19 minutes in transition debating life’s trivialities and wonders. Eventually getting on his bicycle only to have rear bearings issues as he reached the first incline. This meant that not only did he have a hard and slow ride, at times walking and carrying his bike on the uphills. Down hills meant full speed with little if at any brakes engaged at all!

We never saw each other along the route and I finished with a great smile and a body that was still keen to do more. I waited at the finish line to welcome and cheer Dan in. I was super curious to find out our times purely cause there was a 30 minute starting gap between us and we were not running at 100% optimum!

Sure enough Dan was under the 2 hour mark by 5 minutes and I came in at 2 hours 3 minutes. I am so chuffed with my time as it is a marked improvement from my first triathlon in December and on top of that I was sick. Dan feels he could have shaved off minutes in the transition points and done better on his cycle. However we both enjoyed it and have no doubt we will be entering a full triathlon in time to come and complete it as a team.

Our Xterra Triathlon experience was certainly one we won’t forget!

Cheers Fiona 🙂

D Day!

The day had finally arrived, 16 December 2017. Eeek. I had booked this triathlon months in advance, yet the time had flown by so quickly. Before we knew it, Dan and I found ourselves packing the car and preparing for our trip to Lomond Wine Estate just outside of Gaan’s Bay.

We were so nervously excited about this much anticipated event. However we faced one major challenge before the road trip got under way! Packing our bicycles into the back of the bakkie. Not having bicycle racks and needing to get everything packed safely into the back of the bakkie meant our packing skills had to come out in full force! In no time at all, we were astounded at how great packing skill really were.

No need for bicycle racks here!

With everything packed we were worried that we would not be able to close the tail gate. To our amazement the tail gate closed without force and we were ready to set off to Lomond Wine Estate. Upon arrival Dan & I were blown away by the scenery that was in front of us. It was alarmingly all becoming very real. We were about to do our first triathlon together!! On the way to our destination we were actually saying to one another what a surreal feeling it was to have entered a triathlon, something both of us thought we would never be doing.

While I was waiting in the queue to register, Dan said he was off to load some bales of hay into the bakkie and have some sipping whiskey because he felt like a real farmer in amongst all the supposed hot shots that were surrounding us! I simply laughed at this because I too felt like a bit of a country bumpkin seeing all the massively competitive folk around us.

Lomond Triathlon held at Lomond Wine Estate

Pictured above is the beautiful dam that we swam in. A much longer than expected swim it was, due to the buoys being dragged and dropped a little incorrectly. I personally loved the swim. I am normally nervous of dams, for whatever reason I am not actually sure! Yet, being surrounded by so many swimmers waiting in the water for the gun to go off and the warm 23°C that my body was so enjoying in comparison to the cold sea water we used to at home I was quite excited and looking forward to the swim! Getting out the water before Dan had finished I dashed over to the transition point where our bicycles were with all our cycling & running gear! Not that Dan & I had much gear to place beside our bicycles as most of you can imagine.  Other people had trunks and togs bags full of clothing of various brands you would swear they were doing some sort of fashion shoot along a cat walk! I knew that this would be the only stage in the entire triathlon where I would be ahead of Dan. I had to hurry! Few seconds in to putting on my socks on my damp feet Dan came running towards me! Flip I was so excited and loving every minute of this new adventure and experience. While I thought of being loving and caring and waiting for Dan to put his socks and shoes on so we could leave the transition point together I knew that this would result in my fading away in his wake as he is so much quicker on a bicycle than me. No I thought! I am going to get a head start while I can, so I hopped onto my bicycle and shouted a fond farewell and told him to enjoy every minute & we would see each other at the finish line.

Cycling is a very new sport for me. Something I have been nervous of doing most of my life and I had only recently started cycling and hadn’t even completed a proper mountain bike trail prior to this triathlon. I was extremely nervous. I knew I had to have my head screwed in order to concentrate and not to fall off. This was something I was dreading and envisaging the entire time! Few hundred metres into the cycling route people are whizzing passed but I am kept my pace so as not to tire myself out or fall, when I hear Dan’s voice “Helllloooo!” as he simply glided past me on his bicycle. Despite him saying earlier in the morning that he felt like a donkey in a horse race I knew that, that would be a last I would see of Dan until the end. And I was right.

Aerial view of the bicycle racking

The cycle was supposed to be 15km. Note the word supposed to. Well I was doing well in my mind despite being a bit of a slow rider I was aiming to complete it without falling. I was following riders in front of me and being aware of the signage and the direction the arrows were pointing in. Well it sure got hot and the trail got tougher. After completing some harsh switch backs, I found myself alongside a gentleman who said to me in Afrikaans “ek kan nie glo dat ons 17km is nie”.  Translated means I cannot believe that we are at 17km! My heart dropped for a brief moment as I couldn’t believe it either. Not only had we gone past the 15km mark, I suddenly realised that I had come this far on my mountain bike without falling! However having said this, after this statement was made depression hit me rapidly. I wondered how long we still had to go and was suddenly wanting all of this to be over. Yet when I found myself coming back into the transition point after completing roughly 28km I realised I had never cycled that far before. Ever! Also I managed to cycle the entire route without as much as a graze! So I was overjoyed with happiness and proud of my accomplishment on my bicycle. Dan’s bicycle was already on the rack so I knew he was on the last leg of the triathlon and currently busy with his run or secretly he had finished and was having a beer undercover! Thankfully the latter was not true and Dan past me on the home stretch of his run as I was starting out in the first couple of metres in mine! We slapped hands, smiled and cheered each other on. I was nearing the end and best of all smiling and enjoying every minute of it. 30 minutes later I had finished. Whew!

Dan & I had completed our first triathlon. We didn’t set out to compete or constantly monitor our watches for the best time. We went in with the mind set to complete rather than compete and that is exactly what we did! What an amazing achievement. Both of us were thrilled and over the moon with having finished in something a few years ago we would never have said we would have been able to do! I truly did love every moment, the atmosphere, people watching, good exercise with an elevated heart rate throughout, the weekend away, but best of all was the super great company & memories made!

We did it! Lomond Triathlon!

 

P.s Dan & I within minutes of completing this triathlon with stiff legs & tired minds agreed to enter another triathlon. So XTERRA February 2018 it is!

Happy Reading!

Fiona

 

Prince Albert

Prince Albert. A beautiful quaint town approximately 5 hours from Cape Town near Oudshoorn in the Karoo. Every sunset is a new one and no two sunsets are really alike. The beautiful colours reflecting onto the mountains look like an oil painting and photographs certainly don’t do them any justice! 

The main street has great shops and delicious local restaurants all of which I have sampled and can highly recommend. 

A place not to be missed is the local dairy. You are able to stock up your fresh full cream milk supply as well as purchase delicious cheeses. Upon visiting the dairy these beautiful animals below were waiting to get their fringes and bottoms sheared and neatened up. In 6 months time their wool will be sheared and taken to Port Elizabeth to get treated and sold.

I don’t want to flood my blog with places of interest as I feel it is a place you need to go and explore for yourself. I hope to return there in the near future and have already spotted a half marathon that takes place through the beautiful pass of Meiringspoort.

Fiona 

Sundays Are Fun Days

Photos: (Top Left) Sunrise from Ou Kaapse Weg en route to Hout Bay. (Top Right) Hout Bay beach prior to my race starting. (Bottom) Flying our kite in Simonstown.

This past Sunday it really dawned on me yet again, that I live in such an amazing part of the world. It was a beautiful morning with a slight breeze in the air. I woke up at 05h00 and drove through to Hout Bay to take part in the Chappies Challenge 2017 half marathon. It was a fantastic run with great scenery and wildlife included! While runnin I managed to spot a Southern Right Whale off Noordhoek Beach. It was my highest elevation climb of 747m and I finished the race with a good time of 2 hours 13 minutes before the heat of the day settled in.

The wind was howling when I got back to Simonstown which made any outdoor activity reasonably unbearable. Until Dan said he had fixed a little kite which he managed to pick up for a few Rand at a garage sale. I had never flown a kite and so was curious to see how it was going to handle the gale force winds. I drove down to the green common to see Dan  successfully flying it. It looked beautiful against the blue sky, as it’s an unusual siting, to see someone flying a kite these days. 

I had never had the opportunity of flying a one & Dan showed me a few tips & tricks of the trade. As I burst out with great laughter, I managed to dive bomb it to the ground leaving the kite with additional tatters and threads! Yet it managed to fly and what great fun we had! 2 hours later I realised Dan & I had such great fun in flying it & it was something so unusual to do. We had so many laughs while trying to keep this little toy flying, eventually calling it a day when it looked more like a torn and shredded plastic bag on a barbwire fence than anything fit for purpose.

Absolute bliss and what a great day I had especially when people were complaining about the wind. Best thing is I hardly noticed the wind & loved every minute.

Whilst we were goofing around Dan said that he felt a bit bad that he did not join and or support me on my run, As I had noticed a few significant others joining in had and I mentioned  it in passing.

With this in mind,

So this is actually directed at Dan and I am sure he will laugh when he reads this.

DAN !!!

I have entered you into three races coming up over the next month or so. A night trail run, not to long (we can camp the night before) … just to warm you up for the IMPI challenege which is an obstacle race. This of course will all be in preparation for a little triathlon. Not all out road races but a nice compromise, something I am sure you will enjoy. I will give you all the details once you have read this….So your in… GREAT.

Exciting times lay ahead.

Fiona

What makes you get up everyday!

It seems like such a simple question and yet it could be one of the most important.

To start off let’s have a look at the image below.

Lets call this impressive chap Fred.

Fred has a really simple and yet successful life. What makes Fred get up everyday? Simply his pre programmed desire to survive and propagate. Things are very clear to him and have been since childhood. Hunt for food, make a cozy weatherproof shelter, find a woman and make babies. After that, ensure that his kids grow strong and finally return to the earth a wise old man with a swollen tummy and a full heart.

It really is the simplest way of life one can get with ample time to share stories of bravery around fires, take in the sights and sound the wide open world has to offer. Some would argue adamantly that this was the golden age of man, where we experienced hardships yet mental and emotional bliss.

That being said, let’s fast-forward to present day.

When you wake up in the morning do you wake up with an alarm? Are you excited for the day ahead or are you just going through the motions?

I assume like most people you have to go to work. Why do we work?  Silly question. We work to make money. What do we do with this token of our labours? Very basically we use that to pay for food and a place to rest our head at night. Everything else we purchase should really be just to facilitate comfort and ease in achieving this goal. If we achieve this by all intent and purposes we are in fact successful.

This is where it gets interesting. Lets for a moment say we won the lotto, or whilst walking in the woods stumbled onto a pile of gold bullion. This would buy you, your wife and your kids a place to live and food till a ripe old age. Would you be successful ? Why would you then get up every day? Would you jump out of bed with a smile, ready for the next day of relaxation? Would you be HAPPY? Lets hold that thought for a moment.

I read a story of a normal working class family, that won a few million dollars in a State Lotto. You would think that they would have their life all sorted. What did they do? They bought flash cars, paid of their home loan, then sold the house and purchased a huge house with more rooms than needed.

They then spent all the remaining money on a start-up restaurant. They all work in this restaurant 7 days a week, dawn to dusk to make ends meet.  At the time I read the story, the restaurant was not really working out well and they had sunk every last cent they had to make it work. In fact they were running into quite a lot of debt. They were having their meals at their place of business to cut costs. The entire family was getting up begrudgingly, climbing into fancy cars to go to a place they hate, to serve tables.

What was it that drove them back into working to achieve the very thing they  let slip through their fingers. Is it the social programming, consumerism or the fear of success that drove them back into this hole? Why would you have all your financial concerns met and then put yourself in a position that you need to serve people food to make money to buy the very thing you had before you started.

Many successful business men and woman have written books with insights into what makes a person happy as well as successful.  One statement always seems to crop up in many forms but basically says the following, you must do what makes you happy and you will become successful. I am a big fan of sleeping. I sincerely doubt that it will make me successful or buy me the house I need. However I can understand the premise.

We all need money to purchase the things we need. If you enjoy the chosen occupation then you will be much more engaged , thus you should be more successful at that job. Successful in terms of you will enjoy getting up for work as you enjoy the activity. The money will be a secondary issue of importance. If you enjoy making money, you will then wake up happy to dig pig swill if the hourly rate is good. Its my opinion. You either work to live… or live to work.

This possibly explains why some men suddenly wake up one day with a mid-life crisis. Am I a success? Have I wasted the best years of my life chasing a dream that I pushed away every chance I got?  The important thing is to remember that once you have a roof over your head and a full tummy. Think very clearly… What makes me happy? What makes me jump out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning!

If it’s the thrill of making sales, then sell dodgy second-hand cell phones on street corners. If you like fixing stuff or have a bit of a DIY thing,  maybe fix and/or modify  cars. You will love the challenge.

Just don’t fool yourself into thinking you doing it to make money. You will be miserable. Chances are you will not succeed or be successful not to mention be bored to death. The only person you will fool is yourself !

Our time on this rock is very short. The time that we have to actively do the things that make us happy is even less. Be very honest with yourself and strive for those moments.

Ascertain, Engage and Achieve.

Well that’s just my humble opinion anyway.

Thank you for reading.

Dan

The science of natural things

What do you see…. A simple boot print?  I see a story!

Since I was a kid I have been interested in tracking. Animal tracking can be fun, however my guilty pleasure has always been a bit more sinister. As I write this I can almost see Fiona’s eyes rolling, but maybe there is someone else who finds this interesting. So why not.

Looking back, this interest was probably sparked by programs like the Lone Ranger not to mention those terrible jungle war movies that I was drawn to as I kid. What ever the reason was, it stuck. I am not the best tracker in the world nor would I ever claim to be anything other than interested. Do I make mistakes you may ask?   Yes I do. But I always learn from them and try hone my interest.

Tracking for me is not some “Rambo” like ambition. It is something that I do whilst out and about. It’s second nature to me now. I have used aspects of it my whole life and to be honest it has never been anything but positive. To me its a great way to learn more about your environment and your surroundings as well as there being new things to learn and experiment with. A few very basic examples are as follows; How long does a print last in the soil and in what type of soil? How much pressure does it take to break what type of branch? Do they break like in the movies or do they just bend?How long does it take a certain spider to spin a new web, when do certain spiders spin webs? Bird language, animal behavior and the list goes on and on. There are so many variables to take into account I cant possibly mention them all. For me tracking is really the study of natural things and people. That being said, I will continue with this story.

We have been having issues with poaching of all types for years, this is nothing new. However I was really horrified to see how bad it has become in my area. It seems that rising unemployment and an overloaded legal system has thrown down the red carpet for certain people.

In my youth, poaching seemed a little more candid. Some guy going around taking a few things he should not. Not really a big deal. He would get a warning, maybe a fine and that would be that. Now it seems to be a fully fledged way of life for some. A very  profitable way to make money. A new world market with US dollar prices. These people have no intention of doing anything else.  They have been giving our Rangers the run around for some time.

Now when faced with a problem like this I try to put myself in their shoes. See their problems and how would they solve them. In doing so I can see the flaws, patterns and weak links in the chain. The same as tracking any animal.

One thing I do know that humans don’t do anything without motivation. Not even something as simple as going to the loo. We don’t move a muscle without a reason. It turns out that a group is actually  taken the initiative. They are actively watching the patrolling Rangers and moving according to their schedule. But that could be their weakness. I will explain.

I started to explore the place were the animals have been repeatedly harvested and worked my way back. Literally in a way that I would not be seen. It was not possible. So they must be doing this in the dark….A vehicle driving in the dark would be noticed…They must be dropped off in the day and walk in at night. I looked at all the places I would hide that would meet the following criteria: Must be a easy drop off point, must be able to walk with a heavy carry load, good cell phone reception, good overview of any roads and Rangers, must be able to hide from Thermal and IR detection and bingo.  I found their route, their staging area and collection point. This area has been used repeatedly by multiple people for some time. The poachers were definitely watching the Rangers and acting accordingly. The signs range from a month or more rightq up to 24hours old. The way these individuals were operating was cunning as well as incredibly interesting .

 

Belly bag used for harvesting

Bags used to transport the animals

Condoms used to make cell phones waterproof

I am not an expert as I mentioned however the signs indicated a minimum of 3 guys excluding the driver. From what I could see they were athletic, aware and motivated. Not forgetting at least one of them has a drug problem. This could mean he could be unpredictable, aggressive or sloppy. However to be honest I was hoping for the latter. As it turns out that night they employed quite an innovative tactic. Multiple people hit a few different areas. This area had a total of 7 operators but this particular spot was the overview point. Three were detained but one of the Rangers had to break off the car chase for the remaining offenders. A second vehicle appeared and tried to force him off the road whilst in pursuit of the first.  Things elevated quickly. It is becoming very clear that the steaks are high and people are willing to risk it all in the pursuit of quick cash.

 

Glove used harvesting

Bottles of energy drink and dishwashing solution.

Batteries for torches

Tracking or situational awareness is beneficial to just about everyone now days, no matter if its for hiking pleasure, a better understanding of our natural world, driving home from work or even being aware with regards to your local neighbourhood watch.

If you find this type of story interesting or you would like to know more about tracking and or situational awareness , please indicate so by commenting or leaving a like. I am happy to share the things I have learnt or noticed with people who are interested.

Thank You

Dan

On Any Normal Day……

I was on my way to pick up my dad from work today when I was treated to a very odd sight. A long string of cars making its way slowly towards me in the opposite lane.

This in itself was not unusual but what was odd was the reason for the traffic. A newish model car moving at snails pace. Hmmm probably a tourist taking in the sights. As I got closer I noticed that this car had a few items omitted from the body work. Some of the first things I noticed, No drivers door, No windscreen or side windows, Number plate not even a rear window. Not to mention that the drivers side wheel looked like it was just about to drop off. It was slowly wobbling along, in a mesmerizing  rhythmic fashion. The whole car act looked like it was a bit bent. It was like a wet exhausted dog with its tongue hanging out, limping home after a over enthusiastic day at the beach. I did not want to be late so I gave this wreck a lot of room and proceeded with my travels.

When I was returning home with my dad I noticed that this rolling wreck had not moved very far, in fact the engine had now also seemed to have given up the ghost and the passengers had abandoned ship to start pushing. Further up the road whilst I was saying goodbye to my dad I found myself strumming the steering wheel. Oh alright then. I cant actually leave this, its just begging for further investigation.

Upon finding the “wet dog” had only moved a few feet, I slowed, stopped and asked what the issue was (silly question). In hindsight I should have asked where the rest of the car was!  Apparently the alternator belt had broken! Like that was the big issue at the moment.  No really!!!! Was that the issue… everything else was apparently ok.

Now I am the first one to criticize people who moan but will not step in, so I was left with no real choice but to help…   ” Do you need a tow”…. My thinking was to at least clear the road. It was starting to get a bit dark and it would only be a matter of time before some Friday night speedster made two cars into one, using the rear end method.

I was then asked , could I please tow them home as it was not far… Great…. Like a moth to the flame…. Sure. I said, but please can the passenger ride with me as you cant tow a vehicle with two people in it.

Whilst I was dragging floppy to its home a police car drove past. Here we go I was thinking. Get your wallet out, this is going to cost me.  Nothing.  Not even a second glance! Again two min later a second police car drove past…. No ways my luck would last this long. I normally get pulled over on my bike at the drop of a hat. There was no way I am going to get away with this. I am towing a car with no lights, no doors, nothing. At this moment I leaned over to the passenger. The conversation went something like this.

Me: Whew that was close. Two cop cars, I cant believe we have not been pulled over.

Passenger: Don’t worry about it,  its ok.

Me: Why you say that! On any normal day I would be on the side of the road begging for forgiveness.

Passenger: Don’t worry about it, I am a COP…..We are the POLICE…..

Me: Your kidding.

They Were Not Kidding… They were police. They had picked up their half finished repair job from a panel shop. Apparently they were not happy with the job so they decided to take it home as is. This particular panel shop was at least 20km away.

Wonders never cease, I see new and wonderful things everyday. I was left dumbstruck and speechless. Wonderful.

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter sunsets, a canvas of colour!

There is something quite magical about Winter sunsets in False Bay, Cape Town.

It is getting rather chilly here at night with few days of rain which we are extremely grateful to be having as we are in an extreme water shortage at the moment.

This was our sunset last night (Sunday) and just couldn’t resist sharing it on the blog! Would be great to see some sunsets from across the world, so if you like please feel free to share them with us and where it was taken!

P.s please excuse me I had to take these photographs with my cellphone as I didn’t have my camera with me and just wanted to be able to capture the wonderful moment of colours upon the sky before they left!

Fiona

Love is all around us in different forms …

 

I took this image early one Winter’s morning in an informal settlement near to where I live. The air was cold and still. Inside the home, the mood was sombre. The family had just been told that their “utatomkhulu” (isiXhosa for grandfather) had just passed away.

I couldn’t help but notice the family’s beloved dog who slept outside beside the shack on a dilapidated yet warm and soft couch with a water bowl placed on the damp sand below him.

It really showed me that even in impoverished areas, where extreme and difficult situations are a part of daily life, there is a huge amount of love for those that are cared for. It doesn’t matter how hard things may be, you should always be able to love and be loved!

Thank you for reading!

Fiona

Blue the Pied Crow

“Blue” the resident Pied Crow

It is not often you able to go for a run and have your resident Pied Crow circle overhead watching you while you exercise. Well this is what I experienced this afternoon.

Firstly here is a brief background about this Pied Crow. He was found with an injured leg by our neighbour roughly a year ago. Having some bird rehabilitation knowledge the bird was taken in and cared for by our neighbour who managed to rehabilitated this crow and fondly named him Blue. A few months later, his foster guardian decided that Blu was ready to be released. But alas Blue didn’t want to leave! Now, Blue happily lives in Simonstown on the balcony of our neighbour. He is free to fly the streets and mountains of Simonstown throughout the day and always returns at around 17h00 to roost for the night. Blue has made some human friends in particular with our home and a few other homes within the neighborhood. He can often be heard squawking for your attention in the morning in the hopes of receiving a piece of fruit or biscuit as a treat, he politely waits at the sliding door and never enters your home without your permission! Calling for your attention and continuing to do so until you acknowledge him. He is not reliant on food from humans, as I have often seen Blue with a mouse or a small bird captured his claws, a feast he was not able to catch when he was injured.

I have learnt a lot of Pied Crows since Blue has moved in and realise they are incredibly intelligent indeed! Who would have thought a crow could become your companion as he has done in our neighbours case and certainly has impacted the lives of others in our neighbourhood.

Blue followed overhead while I was running this evening for a good 1km. It was a strange feeling not only for me but I am sure for the many people who passed me, finding it peculiar that not only did I have a crow following and swooping down on me, I was in fact answering him back every time he squawked!

Crows and ravens have had a long history of ominous associations, dating at least as far back as ancient Rome. They often have been used in literature as omens of death or foreboding. Perhaps this is because of their black feathers, or because they are known to sometimes feed on dead carcasses. While it’s true that sometimes a circling crow is scoping out carrion, and they have been known historically to circle battlefields and other places where people have died, yet there are other reasons a crow might be circling.

Blue stopped for a second on a sign post after picking up some carrion. Thankfully I had my phone and managed to snap this beautiful yet ominous picture of Blue! The evening’s air felt quite electric yet strangely was rather comforting having Blue accompany me and definitely didn’t feel like he was a messenger of death tonight.

Thank you for reading!
Fiona