Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sketching in the Game Reserve - Impala - Maree

The woods were made for the hunters of dreams,
The brooks for the fishers of song;
To the hunters who hunt for the gunless game
The streams and the woods belong.
~Sam Walter Foss



Not far from us, about 10km, is the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, one of my favourite places to visit. We often go to the restaurant they have there and it's great seeing all the animals along the way, about a kilometer drive through the Game Reserve till you get to the restaurant.

These Impala were grazing not far off the road and didn't even look up when I settled myself on the bonnet of my Landrover to sketch them. Other great sightings are the Giraffe, but they prefer to keep their distance and I've taken a couple of photographs, so that will have to suffice for a sketch. Also Kudu, Eland, Springbok, Blue Wildebeest, Gemsbuck and other small buck often graze close to the road. The Lions and the Rhinos are kept in separate enclosures, accessible by drive-through tours via a special gate.

8 comments:

  1. What an elegant sketch, Maree. You are so fortunate to live in an area with such exotic wild-life. And I LOVE the poem.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very delicate!! Wonderful place where you live I'm agree!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks ever so much Studio! Fortunate indeed, I wouldn't change it for the world! Have you visited South Africa yet? If you have, you will know the magic that is here!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for your lovely words Maria, much appreciated!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh my, what a wonderful opportunity; you've really captured their serene presence...

    ReplyDelete
  6. That always surprises me Kate, that they are so relaxed and not spooked at all when cars stop. And there's SO much to sketch there, I could go every day!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Another great sketch Maree. May I come and live with you? ;-)
    I love the names of all the animals, too. Springbok!!! I'll bet that's just what one looks like bounding across the savanna, enjoying life (or with a lion chasing it).
    I keep meaning to say that I enjoy your quotes and poems a lot, too. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aaaah, thank you Paula! And yes, you may! You must SEE them bounding, or what is actually called "pronking", it's the most incredible sight! They do that when they want to impress the females or when they are fleeing from predators - silly thing to do, because it actually slows them down! You can Google 'pronking' and possible see a couple of pics of them in action...

    ReplyDelete

We'd love to hear from you, your questions, comments, observations! Please feel free to comment, feedback is important to us.