It's that time of year when we at Sentinel Limpopo Eco Safaris revel in the changing landscape that comes about with the rainy season.

This year, despite our Rain Dance (see earlier blog post), initial rains in October were nothing more than teasers, and we had to wait another six weeks for the real growing, greening, nurturing rains to arrive at the end of November.

We always have mixed feelings about the storms that can be quite violent and destructive.  Terrific lightening and thunder rattles our roof and nerves. Heavy downpours wash away roads, take down power lines and make getting around an adventure!  Many animals weak with drought succumb to cooler temperatures and chill winds - survival of the fittest takes on new meaning. Sometimes hail storms bringing ice the size of cricket balls decimate crops in the fields and leave a wake of destruction in their path.   The barren ground flows with water, shocked almost with the quantity of liquid it has to absorb.

Then there is a moment of inertia, when nature pauses, gathering strength for her spectacular performance to come.

The first thing we notice after good, soaking rains, is how quickly the baobabs respond.  Within days their barren, claw-like branches are thickly canopied with fresh, emerald green leaves.  Not long after that hundreds of hanging flowers appear -  huge upside down waxy, white disks the size of saucers centred with yellow-dusted pompoms waving delicately in the breeze like Japanese lanterns.

Now, a week into December, the bush is bursting with activity.  Almost immediately after a heavy downour, the woodland kingfishers arrive announcing their presence with their ear-piercing, happy CHIP-chirrrrrrrrrrring!  Paradise flycatchers, bee-eaters, cuckoos, storks, ducks and swallows fill the skies.  The brown flooding streams turn crystal clear and the Limpopo roars into life.  And the GREEN!  Overnight, a carpet of colour spreads over the veldt, bringing sustenance and an abundance of game with it.

It truly is my favourite time of year.