get the morning milking done. the train left chisamba station at six am, and
we had to have the milk loaded, or it would not make it to lusaka without
souring. Many a mad dash in the old isis was made, with milk cans in the
back!
The cows all knew their names. They would stand waiting for you to call
their name, come into the stalls, and get their breakfast, while being milked.
A particular favourite of mine was Kumwenda white, i used to ride on
her back, until she decided to chase the dogs while i was on her, and i fell
into the muck!
background, the mulberry trees. When the fruit was sweet and ripe , we would sit
in the branches, eating berries. We would be covered in purple from our mouths
to our finger! It did not come off easily. On the right in the picture is the sheep
shed. The thatch was nicely sloped, so we would slide on it. In the middle, my
mother. Stunningly beautiful, and tough and hard working. She ran the farm
when Dad was on the Hell Run. The first time Dad left, the workers went on
strike, refusing to work for a Woman. Mom rallied us kids, and we managed all
the tasks, milking and everything, without them. After three days, they returned
and apologised. They worked with full respect for Mom thereafter. And then
there is RED. He was Dad's riding horse,and our breeding stallion, and would
often be kept in the orchard behind the house during the day. We became firm
friends, so then when i was a little tyke of about five years old, i could lead him
out, past the mares, to the orchard. One day Rob was visiting, he used to play
polo and was a canny horseman. He was horrified to see a little girl handing the
stallion, so he came over and took Red 's lead from my hands. As soon as Red
realized i was not handling him, he turned into a complete stallion, rearing up, and
dragging Rob at least a hundred feet to the mare field. Little did Rob realized that
the groom had me lead Red, because he behaved like an angel with me, probably
because i was just a little tyke.
miss. troublesome pests. They raided
maize crops, doing way more damage
then they could consume. They stole
fruit and vegetables, and carried rabies.
I was horribly bitten in the ankle by
one once, and still carry the dislike that
engendered!
