My lead soldier collection.

Girls collect an assortment of things. Scarves, shoes, jewelry, accessories. As do I. Yet to my name I also have a substantial collection of old miniature lead soldiers and toys. I can’t have enough. Wherever I travel, near or far, I find antique and bric-a-brack shops and this is what I ask for. Sometimes I luck it and find a few soldiers specific to the area or a battle. Other times there are miniature toys to be found in dusty cabinets. A friend who grew up in the French Belgium Congo recently gave me those that he played with as a child. There are more than 50 now, and I’m just getting started. They need me to love and cherish them. So please, if on your wonders you happen upon some lonely soldiers, let me know. There’s a girl right here that would like to take them home.

The suffering inflicted on animals in the name of medical research offends and saddens me. However, this is reblogged from somebody who was one of the very first beneficiaries of the “new” polio treatment in the mid-50s. He was spared having to spend his life in an iron lung and owes his normality of life to such animals and such experiments. So do many, many others.  Maybe even you. What are we to do?

The suffering inflicted on animals in the name of medical research offends and saddens me.

However, this is reblogged from somebody who was one of the very first beneficiaries of the “new” polio treatment in the mid-50s. He was spared having to spend his life in an iron lung and owes his normality of life to such animals and such experiments.

So do many, many others.  Maybe even you.

What are we to do?

(via sagerabelaissoul)

Jukani Predator Sanctuary, Mossel Bay!

Jukani is located just off the N2 highway when heading from Cape Town towards Mossel Bay. A sanctuary for cats and predators established by Jurg and Karen Olsen, that allows an opportunity to see the animals from up close. Beautiful animals, but I’m not sure about the continued human contact and ‘cuddling’. It’s a little disconcerting to see Jurg enter the cage and embrace the male lion. Personally I’d rather see them wild and free, but then maybe I’m just slightly envious that I’m not in there getting the hug myself …. Your thoughts?

Photos contributed by Sandra Yeo.

Noah’s Park And Wolf Sanctuary - Plettenberg Bay!

If you’re travelling with children, or are an animal lover and find yourself in the Plettenberg Bay area with a need to stretch legs, I recommend a visit to Noah’s Park & Wolf Sanctuary. They offer a diverse variety of wildlife and farmyard animals, in particular a collection of magnificent ‘rescue’ wolves. We were in luck when stopping there yesterday as there were cubs. Also African Wild Dog and Black Backed jackal.

We took a walk past the spacious and lush wolf enclosures before making our way to the farmyard animals where we fed the goats, donkeys, cows, chickens etc. The place is well kept, the animals seem happy and are in good condition, and I get the feeling that they could do with the support … I loved it! Don’t think I could ever outgrow a petting farm, don’t think I want to …. Noah’s Park and Wolf Sanctuary

Crazy Billy Goat with the longest horns I’ve ever seen, not to mention that tongue, eeeeuuu …. And this rooster followed me around and was happiest when feeding himself.