Last weekend we escaped to Hogsback. The temperatures had built up all week long to 39 degrees so we were happy to go and stay at Helen’s place high in the mountains. On Saturday night we came back from a cooling swim in the dam in time for a braai. I have been trying to get a good set of night pictures for a while now and had a couple of ideas to try out. So I left the others to do the cooking and got busy with my camera. Weather conditions were really changeable with clear skies and stars and then the wind picked up as a night storm came rumbling past.
The evening started with Luke and Helen collecting wood and preparing the fire.
When the coals in the main fire pit could be raked aside for cooking Steve and Kate got busy with the chicken, potatoes and boerewors
I asked Kate to give the fire a stir so I could capture the sparks flying (and dying) in the wind.
A storm was clearly approaching but I had time to get Helen to join me on the stoep beneath the starry night sky. This is a picture I have always wanted to capture.
Once the storm came there was lightning silhouetting the clouds behind the house as the wind picked up and sprayed sparks all over me. The pictures are dramatic with trails like tracer fire and also my head torch bobbing and weaving in the last picture. The sparks died quickly on the green vegetation all around that was very sappy from the recent rains.
There was no rain with the storm …. but a very tasty supper and malt whisky to appreciate before we doused the fire and headed off to bed.
Sun Downer Blogs 
Gorgeous. I want to go!
Great pictures, Roddy! All you need is for one more of a bony finger pointing to the heavens and the quavering legend, “Phone home!”
Don’t suggest that near Luke, he’s a real sponge at the moment!