That it sure is... leaving here in a few hours. Will be good to see you all again! Those who can, pop by and see us at our booth in :
SCI Atlanta Show 1 - 2 Feb
SCI Grand Rapids Convention 8 - 9 Feb
SEWE Charleston South Carolina 15 - 17 Feb
In Boise 3 - 8 Feb, we will be with Rick : 208 921 5440
See you soon!
Hugs, Jo xxx
SHI-AWELA ...What's happening in the bush!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Thursday, January 17, 2013
USA Itinerary Feb 1 - 20
1-2 Feb Atlanta GA; SCI Show - Georgia Convention Center
3-7 Feb Boise ID - Rick Dredge
8-11 Feb Grand Rapids MI - SCI Banquet in Hudsonville
We will be staying with Mark & Gayle Rohde
11-19 Feb Charleston SC - SEWE - Show exhibiting @ Sporting Village Brittle Bank Park 15-17 Feb.
We will be staying with the Ford Family.
We should have have access to email, so feel free to contact us for an appointment - hope to see as many of you as we possibly can!
3-7 Feb Boise ID - Rick Dredge
8-11 Feb Grand Rapids MI - SCI Banquet in Hudsonville
We will be staying with Mark & Gayle Rohde
11-19 Feb Charleston SC - SEWE - Show exhibiting @ Sporting Village Brittle Bank Park 15-17 Feb.
We will be staying with the Ford Family.
We should have have access to email, so feel free to contact us for an appointment - hope to see as many of you as we possibly can!
Rain! Baby Buffalo, Bullfrogs & Snippy's Pups!!
I sure hope that this splurge of photos will go a long way to cover the silence! ;) We certainly had a quiet December, after Christmas and everyone had left. We are now full steam ahead with preparations for our upcoming trip to the USA.... I will post the itinerary schedule separately. Hugs to you all!
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| Little Bull Calf |
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| Hartebeest babies! |
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| Snippy's two little male pups... eyes just opened! |
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| Bullfrog paradise! The pan at "lovers rock" is full, and the expolsion of life is overwhelming! |
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| Bullfrogs have come out in the hundreds to mate. |
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| JohnD managed to catch one! |
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| Snippy just could not help herself! She had a ball! |
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| This is our little heifer :) |
A few Family Reunion Photos
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| Yup - that's just about all of us! Just missing Poppa and Gunna! |
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| There is nothing like a full Table! What a joy and a blessing! |
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| Ken, Snippy and Zara |
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| Me with my two amazing sisters xxx |
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| The four little cousins all enjoying the sprinkler under the trampoline! |
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| Jo & Claire (from Australia) |
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| Mom and Dad / Carol and Dennis |
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| Micaela with her Grandma Carol |
Making progress at the Corral! :)
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| The beginning - planning - poles poles and more poles! |
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| That's a lot of drilling - everyone has to help!!! |
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| JohnD and Savannah were helping paint the gates! |
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| Building the "Cat Walk"... |
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| Now it's starting to look like a "corral"! |
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| Putting it to work! |
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2013 Blessing outpoured...
WOW - it's the 1st of January, and if we compare our rain situation now, to the rain that had fallen when I last sat in front of this computer on Christams Eve, it's totally different! We have had such wonderful, soaking, gentle, and persistant rain just about every day. What a blessing!
Yesterday morning we woke up to a real down pour, and in the middle of it all, our beloved Snippy brought her little puppies into the kennel at the back verandah! We had expected their arrival in about two weeks... so it was an early surprise! She had two very black little males, and we wondered if we should call the one Sopping, and the other Wet!
We had a special and treasured time with friends over new year, and were able to reflect on all of the goodness and faithfulness of God - through both the Highlights and Lowlights.
We want to take a moment to wish you all a very memorable and special 2013... full of the provision and protection of God in all of your needs!
Fond regards, the Ball Family
Yesterday morning we woke up to a real down pour, and in the middle of it all, our beloved Snippy brought her little puppies into the kennel at the back verandah! We had expected their arrival in about two weeks... so it was an early surprise! She had two very black little males, and we wondered if we should call the one Sopping, and the other Wet!
We had a special and treasured time with friends over new year, and were able to reflect on all of the goodness and faithfulness of God - through both the Highlights and Lowlights.
We want to take a moment to wish you all a very memorable and special 2013... full of the provision and protection of God in all of your needs!
Fond regards, the Ball Family
Bushveld Christmas
Well, on Christmas Eve, I managed to get a few lines out to some people, but certainly not as many as I would have liked! Here was my letter....
My heart is smiling! Yes, we do have so much to celebrate! After the worst drought in 85 years....... We said over and over again that it would be nothing short of a miracle that would get us through! And here we are on the other side of it! The rains came early this year, in September, and we had the immediate relief of fresh new growth and green "abundance". We are now seeing little impala and blesbuck lambs frequently, and had the joy of a glimpse of a new baby buffalo just two days ago. Its still very very dry, and we are in desperate need of good soaking rains.
Ken and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this year, and wow - so many moments together and yet still we have new things to celebrate! Like our new home / office / lodge telephone number! Sadly Telekom is now no longer able to supply us with service on our old telephone or fax numbers! Please note our new contact number : 015 518 4081. From outside South Africa, you would dial 27 15 518 4081.
We also had the misfortune of spam attack on our old email address, so that is also no longer operational. If you still have our old email addresses of BOTH shiawela@mweb.co.za or mail@shiawela.com please delete them both as neither of these work.
Our only contact email address now is shiawela@gmail.com
By far the highlights for this year have been the USA family trip we took and our time at Disney with you .... And also watching JohnD come into his own with all of the hunting and guiding he has done this year.
We have just had the immeasurable joy of my sisters visiting from Zimbabwe and Australia respectively with their families. What a special three weeks it has been for us 3 sisters, but also for the cousins (ages range from 4-15). Their own relationships have been strengthened and reconnected. Dad and Mom Ball have Ken's sister, Cathy, visiting from Namibia at the moment too :).
Micaela will be going into her grade 9 year next year and JohnD will be going into his grade 7 year. I can't believe how they are now both so grown up and functioning as "little adults" in our world! :) We certainly are blessed with our two Treasures from God.
Dad and mom are both doing well, and keeping busy. Both of Mom's hip operations are now well and truly behind her and she is so enjoying her new found mobility. Both she and dad are in very good health.
Ken has been working so hard to get the new cattle kraal finished...... Lots and lots of hours have gone into this "selection kraal", and we are hoping that by early next year it will be finished.
In preparation for our trip to the USA this coming February, lots of work needs to be done. We are fraught with connection difficulties and power problems..... This time of the year is always interspersed with reminders of our "This is Africa" mentality. Not fun, but we somehow seem to get through.
This comes with much love and fond greetings to you. Blessings for you all and may His presence be the centre of all of your festivities.
Ken, Jo, Micaela, JohnD, Dennis and Carol xxx
My heart is smiling! Yes, we do have so much to celebrate! After the worst drought in 85 years....... We said over and over again that it would be nothing short of a miracle that would get us through! And here we are on the other side of it! The rains came early this year, in September, and we had the immediate relief of fresh new growth and green "abundance". We are now seeing little impala and blesbuck lambs frequently, and had the joy of a glimpse of a new baby buffalo just two days ago. Its still very very dry, and we are in desperate need of good soaking rains.
Ken and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this year, and wow - so many moments together and yet still we have new things to celebrate! Like our new home / office / lodge telephone number! Sadly Telekom is now no longer able to supply us with service on our old telephone or fax numbers! Please note our new contact number : 015 518 4081. From outside South Africa, you would dial 27 15 518 4081.
We also had the misfortune of spam attack on our old email address, so that is also no longer operational. If you still have our old email addresses of BOTH shiawela@mweb.co.za or mail@shiawela.com please delete them both as neither of these work.
Our only contact email address now is shiawela@gmail.com
By far the highlights for this year have been the USA family trip we took and our time at Disney with you .... And also watching JohnD come into his own with all of the hunting and guiding he has done this year.
We have just had the immeasurable joy of my sisters visiting from Zimbabwe and Australia respectively with their families. What a special three weeks it has been for us 3 sisters, but also for the cousins (ages range from 4-15). Their own relationships have been strengthened and reconnected. Dad and Mom Ball have Ken's sister, Cathy, visiting from Namibia at the moment too :).
Micaela will be going into her grade 9 year next year and JohnD will be going into his grade 7 year. I can't believe how they are now both so grown up and functioning as "little adults" in our world! :) We certainly are blessed with our two Treasures from God.
Dad and mom are both doing well, and keeping busy. Both of Mom's hip operations are now well and truly behind her and she is so enjoying her new found mobility. Both she and dad are in very good health.
Ken has been working so hard to get the new cattle kraal finished...... Lots and lots of hours have gone into this "selection kraal", and we are hoping that by early next year it will be finished.
In preparation for our trip to the USA this coming February, lots of work needs to be done. We are fraught with connection difficulties and power problems..... This time of the year is always interspersed with reminders of our "This is Africa" mentality. Not fun, but we somehow seem to get through.
This comes with much love and fond greetings to you. Blessings for you all and may His presence be the centre of all of your festivities.
Ken, Jo, Micaela, JohnD, Dennis and Carol xxx
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