Country living

Visiting with family Boer - Nathalie, Klaas, Pieter and Ralph - is as close to 'country living' as we'll ever get to experience. It's a welcome change for us but I was a little worried about how Sera was going to react to all these 'living animals' on the farm. On the Boer farm, there are Storm and Kylie, the two flat coated retrievers. There is Ulanda, Nathalie's horse. And recently, a litter of seven kittens and their mom. We tried to prepare her for the onslaught of animals but we could do nothing when her hysteria started upon seeing Storm and Kylie.

Aww, Sera ... our little chicken-hearted girl!

Yas, on the other hand, was only a little ruffled, literally by Storm. He gave her a few loving licks and she was a little startled by all his blackness, enormity and wet pink tongue. But eventually, whenever he tried to lick her or come near her, she'd scold him. I'm not kidding. She would look at him crossly and let out a strange, slightly high pitch growl. It was hilarious!

Sera had the best time hanging out with her cousins, most especially Pieter who gave her his undivided attention. She was totally smitten with him! It was wonderful to see them get along so well. In the end, she proudly claimed that Pieter and Ralph were 'my brothers'!

That's the very handsome Storm. Sera squeezing as far back as possible and Yas, trying to stomp him with her tiny feet

Sera picking organic strawberries from Pieter's strawberry patch. Sera was apprehensive about eating them straight from the land but after opa took the first bite, she followed enthusiastically ... we had to stop her from plucking the patch empty!

The boys having a football match. Johan as usual can never resist joining a game of football. Can you see Sera near the entrance of the paddock? She didn't even realise that Ulanda was standing behind, in the meadow.

There is something about Sera and sand. Whenever she sees sand, she has to step on it (barefeet), touch it, crumple it in her hands ... she's almost spellbound by it? So here she is, just walking in the paddock, completed entranced by so much sand ... clueless that Ulanda was a few feet away. ha ha. I decided to warn her, not wanting her to scream and faint when she actually looks her in the eyes. She, of course, runs back to us.

Pieter very patiently got Sera to come up close and warm up to the kittens. I love this shot of them!

Yas had so much fun at the shallow waters, scooping the water with her plastic cup

Pieter and Sera catching crabs and shrimps