The ‘project’ that caused my frequent absence from WordPress over the last six months had several interlinked phases.
It stemmed from a sense of restlessness and the knowledge that sooner or later we needed to downsize our house and home. I started exploring parts of the country online, browsing areas to move to and places to live, dubbing it my “parlour game”, a form of displacement activity – or so I thought then.
But then suddenly it became real – the “parlour game” started to resemble making plans.

The next part of the project became readying our house and garden to sell – not something to be undertaken lightly as I am sure you will all know.
And dovetailing with eventually putting our house on the market we were looking more seriously at places to move to, narrowing options down, and then in the end having a sudden change of plan and going somewhere other than where we had thought we were going!

After stops and starts, negotiating lots of hurdles, feeling anxiety and enthusiasm, sadness and hope, lots of mixed emotions actually, naturebackin, my spouse, dogs and cats and I are relocating to a village in the Western Cape at the end of January.
So my blogging will continue to be erratic. After lots of ‘decluttering’ we are now embroiled with packing things up, accustoming our animals to travelling in the car, and going through the final stages of getting ready to depart from the place we have loved living in for over 21 years.

Leaving the naturebackin garden will be tough. Here are some ‘last looks’ – some photos I have taken in our garden over the last few months, which have turned out to be our last months here in our KwaZulu-Natal garden.

Stormy skies have been pretty much standard in the interior of KwaZulu-Natal throughout the summer. In fact today and tomorrow the entire province is under a high-level weather warning for disruptive rain with potential for further flooding.

It has been nice weather for frogs, including this pair of Natal Forest Tree Frogs (Leptopelis natalensis) photographed at the edge of the garden pond.

Insectivorous creatures, such as this dragonfly perched at the pond, have had to take advantage of the relatively few sunny days that enable them to hunt.

Likewise for the fishing spiders living in the pond – this one is waiting to ambush any unsuspecting tadpoles that may come by within reach.

Pollinators too have had to make hay while the sun shines so to speak.

A black-collared barbet (Lybius torquatus) defending its nest from a pair of lesser honeyguides. Honeyguides are brood parasites, and a pair were hassling the nesting barbets, trying to give the the female honeyguide an opportunity to slip into the barbets’ nest so as to deposit an egg.

One of the lesser honeyguides (Indicator minor) trying to draw the barbets into chasing it so that its mate has the opportunity to enter the barbets’ briefly vacated nest to lay an egg. The battle between honeyguides and barbets can be relentless and appears to be exhausting, with the barbets calling in rasping tones and exasperation as they try to chase off the marauding yet evasive honeyguides.

Bract fungi growing on the trunk of the dead tree that houses the barbets’ nest.

A group of mushrooms that suddenly emerged at the edge of our vegetable garden, flourishing in the damp overcast weather at the time.

A red millipede, commonly known as a songololo, curled up defensively when I saw it crossing our paved patio on a damp day.

A Natal crinum lily (Crinum Moorei) – growing near our pond – in bud.

The same lily after the buds have opened.

Also growing near our pond are several wild garlics (Tulbaghia violacea), lovely when sporting their mauve flowers on long stalks.

While I was sitting on the lawn watching the ongoing drama between the barbets and the honeyguides a tambourine dove (Turtur tympanistria) arrived to forage in another corner of the garden. It was tame enough to allow me to take a few long-distance photos of it.

The lovely yellow and unusually-shaped flowers of the pambati tree (Anastrabe integerrama).

A crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus) soaring overhead. Its mate was also flying with it as they slowly spiralled up and away on a rising thermal as they were calling in an aerial display. They also have to take advantage of fine days to engage in their soaring aerial displays.
We will miss these eagles as we are moving further west than the south-western extension of their range. There will be many favourite birds, creatures and plants that we will miss. But there will be lots to discover and learn in an entirely new environment with a winter rather than a summer rainy season. Once we have settled in, I hope to be able to share some of our discoveries on naturebackin.
Posted by Carol

January 19, 2023 at 12:45 pm
All the best for your move – I myself plan to relocate from Gauteng to the Western Cape in a few years time, so look forward to hearing how it goes and especially about #lettingnaturebackin_WesternCape!
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January 19, 2023 at 2:47 pm
Thanks very much Lesley. I hope to post next month once we are a bit settled.
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January 9, 2023 at 12:01 pm
So, it’s farewell to your Naturebackin garden. Reading your news came as a bit of a shock, softened by the glorious set of photographs from your garden. What a beautiful farewell to the flora and fauna that surrounds you. Wishing you strength and all the very best for the move.
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January 10, 2023 at 7:35 pm
Hi Mariss – yes it is still a bit of a shock for me too and it still does not seem real even though we leave in 3 weeks time! Packing is tiring and tedious so now all we want is to be there and settling in. I think the reality of leaving here will only sink in after we have gone. However, is should be good learning about an entirely new environment.
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January 11, 2023 at 12:21 pm
Strength with the packing.
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January 17, 2023 at 2:27 pm
Thanks very much Mariss!
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January 6, 2023 at 7:46 pm
I wondered why I hadn’t seen a post from you for a while, Carol. It’s such a wrench to leave a place you have loved so much as we discovered when we left our small olive farm, but I’m glad to read the new owners are interested in the garden. I will miss seeing your, to me, exotic animals, but it sounds as though you’ll have other interesting things to write about when you eventually have the time. I look forward to reading them. Good luck with the move.
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January 10, 2023 at 7:27 pm
Thanks so much Jane – we are hoping the move goes well especially with our cats and dogs. Yes it will be a wrench to leave but very helpful to know that the new owners are interested in the garden. It must have been hard for you to leave your olive farm, but sometimes one just has to move on.
I am sure there will be lots to delight us in the new place and nearby natural places to visit and explore.
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January 6, 2023 at 4:52 pm
21 years is a long time. I hope your new home will quickly cover the pain of separation. And the memories of a beautiful place will always remain anyway. All the best!
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January 10, 2023 at 7:23 pm
Thank you Simone – yes we will have the memories and my photos as a record of the creatures and plants in this garden. After 21 years somehow it does feel right to be moving on. There will be a lot of changes to adapt to and lots to learn and explore.
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January 6, 2023 at 4:13 pm
What exciting news, Carol! Your excellent photos are a great tribute and memory of your garden and now new adventures are on the horizon. Wishing you all the best this new year in your new home!
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January 10, 2023 at 7:21 pm
Thanks for your good wishes Jane. Certainly we have a thorough record of our garden here! It will be interesting to be in an entirely different environment. There will be lots to explore.
Wishing you the very best for this new year too.
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January 6, 2023 at 12:58 pm
An exciting new chapter for you Carol, albeit mixed with sadness and perhaps trepidation and certainly hard work. Good luck with everything. I’ll look forward to hearing about your new experiences and enjoying more beautiful photos when you are settled 😊
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January 10, 2023 at 7:16 pm
Thanks very much Sandra. We are preoccupied by packing currently! The transition phase is stressful, so we are looking forward to being settled. It certainly will be strange to leave here.
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January 6, 2023 at 9:42 am
Your very special garden will surely be a wrench to leave, but what an interesting challenge to re-invent it in a different way in your new home. Good luck – and thanks for all these photos: that shot of the black-collared barbet is inspired!
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January 6, 2023 at 11:59 am
Hi Margaret
Indeed it will be a huge wrench. It will be very different in the Western Cape and may require a very different mindset re the garden (and other things besides!). We will have to see how it feels and what transpires. It will be interesting learning about living in a very different climate (wet winters!) and different vegetation types.
Thanks for the good wishes and I am glad you enjoyed the more recent photos from the garden. The poor barbets have a difficult time due to the relentlessness of the honeyguides. Usually a breeding pair has helpers, but this season I have only seen a third bird with them and only once. Can only wish them well as we say goodbye.
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January 6, 2023 at 3:10 pm
Your new wildlife neighbours will be hanging out the flags if they read your blog ;). Your present – soon to be past – neighbours perhaps not so much.
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January 10, 2023 at 7:19 pm
Sadly, the numbers and diversity of insects and birds have noticeably diminished over the years we have been here. I don’t know what to expect in the new place, but it is much more rural with a nearby river so I doubt the wildlife neighbours will be needing the small garden we are moving to, but we shall see!
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January 10, 2023 at 8:12 pm
They’ll recognise a good Weekend Break when they see one!
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January 10, 2023 at 8:37 pm
🙂
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January 6, 2023 at 8:08 am
I will miss your photos of that garden, Carol but am looking forward to this exciting new chapter in your lives.
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January 6, 2023 at 11:55 am
Thanks Christine – it is odd that our much-loved garden will become for us a place of memories, but we made the most of it while we were here.
Moving on is exciting and we are looking forward to the new chapter. We are also looking forward to getting the packing finished!
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January 6, 2023 at 6:47 am
I am so looking forward to your new discoveries! What a brave adventure you are embarking on. All good wishes Carol. xxx
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January 6, 2023 at 11:53 am
Hi Nikki – thanks very much! To be honest I often don’t feel very brave – but we have to look forward now. There will be lots to explore and discover in the new place, and our new house is very sweet and not far from the river and the walking paths along the bank.
We are sad that the rain prevented us from joining in the January Dargle walk. Time to pack our hiking boots now!
Best wishes to you too
xxx
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January 6, 2023 at 6:45 am
Happy that all is going well with the preparations for the move. I will miss you guys, especially the furkids – new adventures and exciting times lie ahead – enjoy it all
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January 6, 2023 at 11:50 am
Hi Sandy – thanks so much for your good wishes. We and the furkids will miss you too. We have been taking them in the car for brief outings to get them used to the travel arrangements in the car and so far so good.
It is stressful to be moving with animals but hopefully we can keep them reassured on route.
Best wishes to you for 2023.
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January 6, 2023 at 6:32 am
Best wishes with the move Carol, and I look forward to seeing and reading about your new nature discoveries.
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January 6, 2023 at 11:48 am
Hi Denzil
That is so kind of you to send best wishes for our move. I look forward to our new discoveries in our new home region and sharing them on my blog. I also hope once settled to have more time to engage on WordPress, including spending time reading your Belgian blog.
Best wishes for 2023.
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January 6, 2023 at 6:16 am
All the best with the move and settling into your new space, Carol. Sad as it is to leave your wildlife paradise aka garden behind I can’t wait to see how you and your new garden will blossom in the Western Cape.
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January 6, 2023 at 11:43 am
Hi Dries
Thank you – it is sad to leave this garden but I think the buyers will enjoy it. I have been peeping at your posts on your stay in the Overberg region and hope to be able to look at them with more attention. Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
It will be interesting to settle into a new place with very different vegetation etc.
Best wishes to all of you for 2023.
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January 6, 2023 at 5:45 pm
And everything of the best to you as well, Carol. Here’s to new adventures!
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January 10, 2023 at 7:23 pm
Thanks so much!
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January 6, 2023 at 5:32 am
Dear Carol, Having embarked on a similar journey of saying goodbye and relocating to new pastures ourselves over these past months, I can empathise completely. Our transition is still being finalised, but new places and nature are invigorating, stimulates the senses and activates thinking. I wish you and your husband the smoothest of relocations and the joy of settling after months of pulling up roots. Thank you for sharing the beauty of your wild garden and beyond, I look forward to seeing your new adventures. Holding you in my heart and thoughts, Christeen xxx
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January 6, 2023 at 11:40 am
Hi Christeen – thanks – it is good to hear from you after your similar decision to relocate. I think we needed a shake-up as we have been in a bit of a rut and so I understand what you say about moving to a new place being stimulating and activating thinking!
Yes we have been pulling up roots and I think we ready to go, though who knows how we will feel as we drive out the gate for the last time!
We will miss the garden but we look forward to learning about the new flora and fauna in the new place.
Thanks very much for your good wishes and kind thoughts.
(Btw I did drop a brief line to your email address – I used the form as far as I recall.)
Best wishes to you too as you finalize your transition and start feeling more at home.
xxx
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January 7, 2023 at 6:21 am
Thank you Carol, I will look for your email! xxx
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January 10, 2023 at 7:28 pm
🙂
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January 11, 2023 at 8:40 am
Thanks so much for your contact details Christeen xxx
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January 6, 2023 at 4:55 am
I well remember the wrench of leaving Pietermaritzburg many years ago now, with a couple of moves between until we settled in the Eastern Cape. This is home now and I love it. Transplanting oneself is never easy and this post is a wonderful tribute to your beautiful garden. The Western Cape has a lot to offer and I look forward to exploring your chosen section of it through your eyes!
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January 6, 2023 at 11:35 am
Hi Anne
Thanks for the encouragement. I think Pmb has changed a lot since you left here. Nice to know that you have adapted so happily to your current home. I feel sure we shall do the same though the transition period will have its challenges. We are looking forward to a new beginning with lots to explore.
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January 6, 2023 at 4:10 am
Big news indeed, Carol. Good luck with the move and with selling your house, both elements being fraught with ups and downs. You will miss your home and garden I expect, but hopefully will enjoy creating a new home in your new location.
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January 6, 2023 at 11:33 am
Hi Graham – yes it is big news. The enormity is only starting to sink in! We were most fortunate to find a buyer for our house and all the timing has worked out extraordinarily well in the end.
We will miss the garden here but there is lots to love at the new place and lovely walks just outside our garden gates. A river flows alongside the village and there is a walking path near the bank of the river where dog walking is encouraged.
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January 7, 2023 at 6:03 am
I look forward to hearing about your new place and seeing the photos of course.
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January 10, 2023 at 7:28 pm
Thanks Graham. I look forward to having the time to explore things there.
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January 6, 2023 at 4:04 am
Best to you in making this move. I look forward to future posts in your new home!
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January 6, 2023 at 11:30 am
Hi Sandy – I appreciate the good wishes. Once we are a bit settled there I hope to be able to spend more time with WordPress.
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January 6, 2023 at 3:36 am
I also hope your move will go as smoothly as possible and you will fall in love with your new home as well.
Best wishes for all of you,
Tanja
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January 6, 2023 at 11:28 am
Hi Tanja – thanks so much. It is a bit weird as I have not visited our new house. It all happened very quickly and only one of us could go down to see the place and clinch the deal, and that was my husband. From the photos it looks like it will suit us and it has a pet-friendly garden though much smaller than what we have here. But there are lovely walks just outside our garden gate. There will be lots to love I feel sure.
Best wishes to you too as we go into this new year.
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January 8, 2023 at 8:35 pm
Thank you, Carol.
Not having seen the property yet definitely adds an added layer of anticipation for you. I hope the new place will work out for all of you.
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January 10, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Indeed it does add a interesting layer not having been there yet. There will be lots of changes to adapt to but as you say, hopefully, it all works out. Signs so far are good!
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January 6, 2023 at 12:46 am
Big changes! I will miss your garden, but I expect there will be new places to explore in the west… more for me to learn about! I hope your transition goes smoothly, Carol.
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January 6, 2023 at 11:25 am
Hi Eliza – it still hasn’t really dawned on us the enormity of the changes as we have been so busy with nitty gritty stuff and now packing! The region we are moving to is very beautiful and I look forward to having time to share some of what I find there. I will also miss this garden but at least we have a nice record of our time here and of its critter visitors.
Thanks for the good wishes – transition is a good word!
Best wishes to you too – I hope your days are getting perceptively longer!
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January 6, 2023 at 12:27 am
Sending good wishes and lots of luck and patience in this anticipated move! I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in any one place as long as 21 years… even so, it’s never easy leaving behind the good stuff you’ve come to love. Hopefully you’ll fall in love with the new location as well and new discoveries can be fun. May you also find someone who will appreciate and continue to care for the home you’ll be leaving.
Do not worry about keeping up with blogging. I’ve been missing in action quite often myself. But do try to keep us informed as time allows.
Truly looking forward to whatever new discoveries you care to share with us. 💞🙏
Here’s to a happy and exciting new year!
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January 6, 2023 at 11:22 am
Thanks very much Gunta. We are in a disrupted state but looking forward to finishing packing and moving on (to use your phrase 🙂). The place we are moving to is very different but very nice indeed. Lots of natural places in the region.
I didn’t make clear in my post that we have sold our house and the buyers are most interested in the garden and visiting birds, and like the diversity of trees and plants.
I will try to post with updates on our progress when I can. It will be great to be settled and make new beginnings.
Best wishes to you too.
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January 6, 2023 at 12:01 am
Wishing you all the best on your new adventure!
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January 6, 2023 at 11:17 am
Thanks so much Julie. Mixed emotions but it’s time to look forward!
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