Wild Tumultuos November

Twisters, Rain, Havoc and Rugby

Southern Africa has been (certain areas still are) short of water, we all rejoice when we see the clouds dancing in the distance, not all are happy about the rumble of thunder that accompanies the jagged tooth lightning bolt crack down.

November has been a crazy month, in more ways than one in KwaZulu-Natal, end of October we experienced an earth tremor, that put the "wind" up many!

_{Storms are coming}

Second day into the month heads still reeling from the tremor, South Africa as a whole made defiant jubilation winning the World Cup Rugby, everyone together in one voice rejoiced, celebrating something at last as a nation, momentarily all differences a thing of the past, if only this positive attitude could last forever.

_{Shout from the telephone poles - We WON!}

How quick we moved from one thing to the next, tornado touch down, not once but twice in (just outside Pietermaritzburg and close to Bergville) KwaZulu-Natal within a couple of days of each other mid-month. Alas many suffered damage to homes in remote rural areas, winds tore through, taking life, live stock, homes in the wake of heavy rains.

_{What's next on the menu}

Friday night another twister ripped through Utrecht, another today in Ulundi it is heartbreaking, knowing how little these rural communities have, in a country that has endured the scourge of state capture, small communities are going to battle to rebuild. State Capture is costing a nation (yes our taxes), on-going court cases trying to weed out the dishonest, while they live in mansions worth millions! Money that could be better served giving financial assistance to rural areas suffering the fate at natures hand.

_{Sitting it out, hoping tomorrow will be a better day}

No one can comprehend the massive power nature is able to unleash at any given moment until it is top of you.

Animals know when trouble is on the way, dogs become agitated with hearing capabilities far better than ours, I noticed the Lesser-striped swallows unable to cope, sitting on the telephone lines trying to sit it out, after the storm subdued, I checked, and am happy to say I did not find any birds on the ground in trouble.

_{Clouds closing in shortly after midday}

Rains have filled our dams levels by a little more, while some regions are still waiting for rains to arrive, dusty air has been washed clean, does nature have cycles, are we in another cycle or is it climate change? Whatever the reason our weather has changed drastically, with most storms arriving electrically charged.

_{Flying Ants took to the sky, this guy ended upside down in a puddle so time for an upside down shot}

Emmerging from underground new life is on wing which led to this video I took of Yellow-billed kites swooping to feast with Starlings, Swallows, Cape Sparrows, Dongo, Brown-hooded kingfisher, well every bird in town enjoy flying ants, you can eat them they taste like peanut butter.

_{My video uploaded to YouTube}

After watching the bird frenzy over food in flight, it reminded me of the havoc in-land after devastating storms fighting to find a roof over your head, the next meal. It reminded me of how people react to one another, shocked at first prepared to assist wherever possible, till the next report hits the news they move on, how many linger to help one another build and regrow?

Are we helping one another in communities, whether on or off-line, do we share sufficient quality time and knowledge enabling others to find a way? Steem is a place where sharing allows different cultures, people, technical or not to interact together, learning from each other to take back into our communities, enriching lives by offering a helping hand.

_{Feeding Frenzy}

Lolling off last night with no electrical storms around my thoughts wondered, how many are formulating a business plan to enhance their local communities. Tools are available at our finger tips along with many sharing knowledge, are you growing?

Looking at the video flight patterns emerge where the large Yellow-billed kite took one sublime flight path, with swallows on another, all other birds appeared closer down to the ground, in all this interaction no accidents occur each obtaining sufficient in sharing, made no difference whether a big or small bird.

Video in many ways does not justice for the ten or so large birds swooping through the trees, the smaller birds arrive in the hundreds making the sky alive swirling pool of bodies, I do not believe AI or any technology would ever master this type of un-coordinated event, nature surprises us in many ways!

_{Grey Heron came up from the grasslands to see what commotion was about, obviously flew off not interested}

November has been a crazy month, some events we can alter, some are bigger than we are, let us tackle what we are able, support each other, have a beautiful Sunday.

On a lighter note the meaning of "Fine Feathered Friend", yes their plumage outdoes any man made items even if it looks stunning on you LOL....

“Fine feathered friend” has been said about birds since at least the 1870s. The term was not coined by the Tom & Jerry cartoon Fine Feathered Friend (1942). “Fine feathered friend” is also jocularly said of a person Source

Story telling with photography, trying to express life using nature, thank you for joining me and let me know what you thinking....

Thanks to @melinda010100 hosting #featheredfriday now under new tag #featherfriends (everyday of the week) - @qurator for Photo Friday #Photography sponsored and supported by Photo Tribe.

Host @ace108 with #beautifulsunday along with @c0ff33a hosting #sublimesunday

Thought for Today: No matter how powerful a man, he cannot make the rains fall on his farm alone. ~ African Proverb.