# To build a house in Stilbaai



## TheLastGreen (Nov 23, 2021)

My grandparents are building a house in Stilbaai and they have invited me and my brother to help. (We have 2-3 months off from next week Wednesday, so why not?)
So I guess I might make a thread of the journey to build a house in Stilbaai


Now I may have some questions on homesteading and everything that comes with it, so I'll love some input from you guys
My first question is about snakes. Snake protection. Here where I live in the Hoëveld, there isn't much snakes in the capital, perhaps the odd rinkals (highly venomous) in a vlei where no one lives, but I don't plan on going anywhere near there.
The fields of Stilbaai have rooipense galore, but they share it with some of the deadliest snakes on the continent.
Like the
Cape cobra


(Highly venomous causes cardiac arrest and nervous system failure)
Puff adder


(Dangerous viper with an extremely high mortality rate)
Berg adder

(An exception in the viper family, has neurotoxins)
Boomslang


(Now excuse my language, but this is one f'er you don't mess with. Highly venomous, venom causes death by bleeding out of every hole in your body)
Rinkhals


(False cobra, is venomous)
Black spitting cobra


(Cytoxic venom, can spit)
(All of the cobras and rhinkals can spit)
Now you may ask, Frans, why do you still want to go? After compiling my list... I am thinking about it.
The snakes are unavoidable because we will have to do bushwacking where the house will go, (we may or may not even see a snake, but I don't want to take any chances) so any advice is appreciated!


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## Maggie3fan (Nov 23, 2021)

You want advice on the snakes? Is there a snake proof something? Man, you kinda make it sound yucky, but oh so beautiful.


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## TheLastGreen (Nov 23, 2021)

Yeah, I was wondering like, what should you wear to stop snake bites, should it be like long pants and thick boots? (My grandparents say you should wear jeans and shoes, but I'm not sure how good that'll work)
I'm sure the place is beautiful, (can't wait to find a rooipens bugger in the fynbos), it's kinda like our farm in the Drakensberg, there are snakes, but I've only seen two there, when I was about 3 years old and one that hid in some grass in a stream.
The Stilbaai area has areas of land owned by other people but its far away from one another, so there are neighbours, one such neighbour almost drove over a cape cobra, and that's when the snake thing hit me


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## Blackdog1714 (Nov 23, 2021)

Snake Guards for the calves and boots for feet and ankles. Oh and and this. It works for mines so should be okay for the UNBELIEVABLE amount of poisonous snakes.


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## TheLastGreen (Nov 23, 2021)

Yeah, the ranges overlap with those snakes so it is an intresting place???


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## Maro2Bear (Nov 23, 2021)

Looks like a pretty darn nice area…l keep the progress reports coming. How large of an area will the property sit on. ?






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## TheLastGreen (Nov 23, 2021)

1 hectare so about 10000m², hopefuly we don't have to cleare the entire area, then I'm sure we'll see some snakes...


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## ZenHerper (Nov 23, 2021)

Yes. As much leg and arm protection as you can manage. And a welding face shield.

Heading into the hot weather, they'll be quite grumpy. And fast. You'll be slowing down, but they'll be speeding up.






So glad to have met you! =DD

*popcorn*


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 2, 2021)

Good news!


Look what our neighbour, found! BABY ANGULATES! My heart melted when I saw this (They have been placed back where they have been found)


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## Lyn W (Dec 2, 2021)

I can't imagine why anyone would want to live where snakes live, but my advice would be don't kill any because it was their home first, so try to relocate them (either the snakes or your grandparents)
You'll need a long pole with a noose on the end and a big sack and possibly a suit of armour!!!


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 2, 2021)

Of course, but it runs in my grandmothers blood, her side of the family loves to have their own piece of land, to build their own house just like the house in the Drakensberg, so no amount of snakes wil stop them???
But you are right with keeping them alive. These ecosystems are very diverse and fragile, I even wondered if I see some wild angulates, should I soak them, give them some rocket etc. But I think the best would be to leave them be, I don't want them to become tame and then they can't survive, but I'm not sure?


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 2, 2021)

Now that I think about it, should I just leave them be or should I feed them rocket, endive etc, provide a large shallow water bowl (The problem is I think the latter would attract other animals, like snakes) and I won't be there all the time through out the year. Are there any experts on this? I know that @Sterant @Markw84 @Tom have temperates, should I just leave them be?


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## Blackdog1714 (Dec 2, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> Now that I think about it, should I just leave them be or should I feed them rocket, endive etc, provide a large shallow water bowl (The problem is I think the latter would attract other animals, like snakes) and I won't be there all the time through out the year. Are there any experts on this? I know that @Sterant @Markw84 @Tom have temperates, should I just leave them be?


I am for planting native plants they can eat and create a very nature looking water source. Basically create a little oasis that would attract the torts. You will always have other animals using the area so don't fret over it


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## ZEROPILOT (Dec 2, 2021)

In north America. We have special "SNAKE BOOTS" to guard against mostly Rattle Snake bites. They are fairly high and made of either thick leather or Kevlar.
However I'm not sure how effective they'd be against a big Cobra. And Rattle Snakes either flee when you approach them. Or they rattle to warn you not to get any closer......
Which is nice of them.


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 2, 2021)

These are luckily "wild snakes", so they'll flee if you come close, but the last thing you'd want is to step on a sleeping cobra, or one that didn't see you, or one that can spit... but this is a last resort if you keep bothering them, so the chance is low. But all I can think about is one slithering up and hiding somewhere...


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## jeff kushner (Dec 6, 2021)

*I would suggest selling the property after salting the land with small DIAMONDS....to generate interest.*

Full disclosure...........I am just a wee bit biased b/c I'm allergic to Antivenin (or "antivenom"-either is correct and when one finds they are allergic, it does involve "coma") so meeting a snake that you call "native" would likely make me "dead" or at least to have a really bad day.


Wow, these aren't your small North American Timber rattle snakes (most BadA snake in North America) but the "real deal in death": how it was described to me before we went to Belize a couple years ago....9 venomous native snakes and 2 hospitals in the county!!!...,and make no mistake folks,,,,,,when a King cobra rears, he is as tall as a man, if bites you, it's in the face, not the leg. Same with the Mamba....it looks to eye to eye before it strikes if cornered....let that sink in................LOL

Best of luck brother....my ex lived in Johan for a few years before we met....she's be disgusted to know that all the snakes are still there and I'll be only too happy to tell her! She left preArp in '77............when the Maasai would eat you if they caught you, or so the kids were told <LOL>!


jeff


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 6, 2021)

These snakes would make me dead too if they had the chance???
But Jeff... think of the angulates! As far as the eye sees, a paradise of torts galore... and a few snakes... but torts galore!


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## jeff kushner (Dec 7, 2021)

That is a beautiful place and I'm teasing bout the snakes....I still pick up several varieties in the wild we get around here. Keep in mind that we don't find out that we're allergic to antivenin by being afraid of snakes, do we? 

When Peg got back from S.A. and we met, she told would not walk in grass taller than her shoes........maybe she wasn't as "scaredy cat" as I had perceived, apparently she had good reason!

LOL


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 11, 2021)

I have even better news, the house will be built on the edge of Stilbaai, and guess what tort lives there?
P t tentorius


Hopefuly we'll see some!


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 26, 2021)

So it begins! We're on our way to Graaff Reinet, about 800km away. Currently in the Freestate, the view is fields and fields for hundreds of kilometres


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## jeff kushner (Dec 27, 2021)

ROAD TRIP!

Have fun! The trip IS the fun!


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## Maro2Bear (Dec 27, 2021)

Great! Following along.


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 27, 2021)

The church tower of Ventersdorp


More fields


That blue is clouds


Past Bloemfontien


They say it's so flat here, that you can see your dog run away for 2 weeks over the horizon???
Mountains




The Orange river is overflowing, it's massive!


The Karroo



(Btw, it wasn't always this green. There has been a drought for 7 years, so when my grandparents were here in June, there was no grass, no green, it was dirt only the large shrubs that were dead. Now it has had massive rains and the ecosystem is rebounding and absolutely flourishing, good for the torts and all who call these lands home!)
Colsberg church


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## Maggie3fan (Dec 27, 2021)

They have lived there for eons...please don't mess with them. Yep...it's fun to get a 'free' tort...but if everyone did that...consider Gopherus agassizii...People going to the Mojave picked up one or two tortoises then the crows ate the rest and Voila!!! Desert tortoises are threatened species.
So consider the house building takes place in one area...the place where people will be around. I know NOTHING about your kind of snake...I would walk around the work area with a broom or something and kind of "beat the brush" and give the snakes an opportunity to leave every day. Man a Cobra looking you in the eye would be towering over me...damn!!
A lot of the words you use are Greek to me...lol...but I can tell you are out there...so your grandparents are having you and your brother build a freakin house? Just like that? On public lands? Is there electricity? Water? Is like us populating the wild West


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## Maggie3fan (Dec 27, 2021)

Hey you there?


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 27, 2021)

Ofcourse, removing a tort would be detrimental to the species gene pool and the genetic variation found in the population, I'd just take an image of them, if they don't mind ofcourse...


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 27, 2021)

maggie3fan said:


> Hey you there?


Yes, going through the Klein Karroo just entered the Western Cape, nearing Graaff Reinet
Some windmills on the mountain


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 27, 2021)

We slept in Nieu Bethesda






Graaf Reinet with a beautiful church!


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## Maro2Bear (Dec 28, 2021)

So far, so good. Lots of open space!

I think you are really off to the beaches of Stilbaai


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 28, 2021)

Yes, around the corner! About 2 hours left







Hopefuly Yvonne doesn't ban me for spamming with all these photos???


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 28, 2021)

Just drove through Outeniqua pass, saw my first leopard tort, black as pitch and beautifuly round, the pass is narrow, so couldn't stop for photos


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 28, 2021)

In Mosselbaai, close now!


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## zovick (Dec 28, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> So it begins! We're on our way to Graaff Reinet, about 800km away. Currently in the Freestate, the view is fields and fields for hundreds of kilometres
> View attachment 338094


Good luck building the house. Watch out for the snakes, too.


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 28, 2021)

We made it! (Already yesterday). We are busy clearing the area


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 29, 2021)

Some flowers


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## Blackdog1714 (Dec 29, 2021)

Now we are all holding our breath for the snake pictures!!!!! Good luck and it sure is a beautiful place


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## Maggie3fan (Dec 29, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> We slept in Nieu Bethesda
> View attachment 338144
> View attachment 338145
> View attachment 338146
> ...


OMG! Awesome...


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## Maggie3fan (Dec 29, 2021)

I have traveled a lot and seen a lot of different stuff...but I think this trip is showing me a way of life that I can't even imagine...as I stand typing this with my 50 inch tv screen behind me... my electricity, WiFi, cable, house phone...and on and on...to see a tort in the wild...what a freakin adventure!!! I am so jealous...lol...maybe


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 29, 2021)

Area just cleared!
Before

After


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## Snoopy’s mom (Dec 29, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> Area just cleared!
> Before
> View attachment 338218
> After
> ...


Amazing!


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## ZenHerper (Dec 29, 2021)

What's not to love about a virtual road trip!


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## Maro2Bear (Dec 29, 2021)

I’m wondering is there a plan, materials, etc. i see lots of unspoiled land.

What kind of house?


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

Maro2Bear said:


> I’m wondering is there a plan, materials, etc. i see lots of unspoiled land.
> 
> What kind of house?


The area is covered in thick fynbos, a tall shrub that provides dence cover for the torts.
On the first day, we'll clear all the shrubs, hopefuly not the entire 2 hectares, but a large area.
The house will have a few rooms. The main structure will be supported by large poles, so we'll have to dig some holes for the concrete, the ground is sandy, but it'll be fine.
Then the construction crew comes and builds the walls out of wood.
The walls will be covered in sink plates, to protect it from fires.
The area has water from bore holes, we have a mobile water tank, about 200l, so we'll have to make some trips!
We have four solar pannels, we'll do the electricity ourself and do the plumbing.
The house will have a gas stove, and running water from a waterbag. (A large bag thatfills itself with fresh wate from the borehole).


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## Maro2Bear (Dec 30, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> The area is covered in thick fynbos, a tall shrub that provides dence cover for the torts.
> On the first day, we'll clear all the shrubs, hopefuly not the entire 2 hectares, but a large area.
> The house will have a few rooms. The main structure will be supported by large poles, so we'll have to dig some holes for the concrete, the ground is sandy, but it'll be fine.
> Then the construction crew comes and builds the walls out of wood.
> ...



Interesting. Keep the photos of progress coming our way. Bonus points accrued for wildlife shots! ?


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

Snake update: Yesterday some people were walking past the area close to us, when a snake with a rounded mouth slithered past, they thought it was a harmless mole snake, and then it stood up! It was a cape cobra!


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## Lyn W (Dec 30, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> Some flowers
> View attachment 338196
> View attachment 338197
> View attachment 338198
> ...


They must attract a wide variety of butterflies and other insects and, in turn, birds.


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## MenagerieGrl (Dec 30, 2021)

jeff kushner said:


> *I would suggest selling the property after salting the land with small DIAMONDS....to generate interest.*
> 
> Full disclosure...........I am just a wee bit biased b/c I'm allergic to Antivenin (or "antivenom"-either is correct and when one finds they are allergic, it does involve "coma") so meeting a snake that you call "native" would likely make me "dead" or at least to have a really bad day.
> 
> ...


"I would suggest selling the property after salting the land with small DIAMONDS....to generate interest." Oh, Jeff Ur too much! ?
Stop! Ur killin me!


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## MenagerieGrl (Dec 30, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> Some flowers
> View attachment 338196
> View attachment 338197
> View attachment 338198
> ...


Beautiful Lion's tail's , 2nd pict. .. .


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

MenagerieGrl said:


> Beautiful Lion's tail's , 2nd pict. .. .


We call that plant boesmansdagga, or bushman's marijuana or wild marijuana


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## Snoopy’s mom (Dec 30, 2021)

Can torts eat it?


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## Maggie3fan (Dec 30, 2021)

While it looks wild and out there...you said people walked by...so is the area behind you populated? Can anybody just drive up and pick out a spot and put up a house?


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

Snoopy’s mom said:


> Can torts eat it?


I'm not sure, it isn't poisonous to humans, @RosemaryDW may know?
"The main active component marrubiin has both antioxidant and cardioprotective properties and has shown to significantly improve myocardial function.[10][11]
One experimental animal study suggests that the aqueous leaf extract of _Leonotis leonurus_ possesses antinociceptive, antiinflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties.[12]
An animal study in rats indicated that in high doses, lion's tail has significant toxicological adverse effects on organs, red blood cells, white blood cells and other important bodily functions. Acute toxicity tests in animals caused death for those receiving 3200 mg/kg dose. At 1600 mg/kg extract led to changes in red blood cells, hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume, platelets, and white blood cells" from Wikipedia (nothing on torts or lizards though)


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

maggie3fan said:


> While it looks wild and out there...you said people walked by...so is the area behind you populated? Can anybody just drive up and pick out a spot and put up a house?


The area is surprisingly dense shrubs, for 250 hectares. The people that walked by were our "neighbours" from where we camped until the area where we are building was cleared. They walked about 3 km, past our plot, and that's where they found the snake. The original buyer wanted to buy this area, but it costed a lot of money. So he decided to give loads of people the opportunity to build on this farm, and he would get a smaller plot. So there are 250 plots, each one hectare, we have 2 hectare. So it was a smart move, he could live here, extremely remote, with other people, for a cheaper cost. Here there are about 10 to 20 people on sight, and more construction people living off grounds


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 30, 2021)

Yesterday we found a scorpion, between Bobartia bulbs
These flowers have longs stems and have bulbs in the ground


This is how they look


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 31, 2021)

We found a wee bugger! An armidillo girgled lizard. We named him Verdie. We were diging and he fell into an ant nest, we rescued him, took the ants off, and released Verdie in the field


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 31, 2021)

A mole snakes tail, he's the same shade as a cape cobra, so we didn't want to disturb him even more. We shoveled him up under soil, carefully, and placed him in the field, and he burrowed back into the soil


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## ZenHerper (Dec 31, 2021)

The Mole snake looks very short and muscular like a Sand boa!


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## RosemaryDW (Dec 31, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> I'm not sure, it isn't poisonous to humans, @RosemaryDW may know?


I doubt it's harmful to native torts, that or they are smart enough to not eat it. It's in the mint/herb family so perhaps not very tasty. Beautiful though; one of my favorites.


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## RosemaryDW (Dec 31, 2021)

TheLastGreen said:


> Snake update: Yesterday some people were walking past the area close to us, when a snake with a rounded mouth slithered past, they thought it was a harmless mole snake, and then it stood up! It was a cape cobra!


What a beautiful place!

I'm probably naive about it but my assumption is always that most snakes want to stay far away from humans; deaths from snake bites seem to be fairly rare in South Africa if one can believe the internet. I love to see snakes in the wild—quietly, from a distance! We don't have that many near my house though, and few that are dangerous.

I guess that cape cobra may actually enter houses and bite though!? Keep some pressure bandages on hand!


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 2, 2022)

So today we walked past a long dead tort, its carapace was bleached, it shows they are in the area. It is sad but that's nature


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 3, 2022)

Forgot to post this

Morning mist looks like a lake


On my first angulate adventure

These flowers are so purple, my camera picks them up as blue














A suikerbekkie or hummingbird



No angulates found, but loads of flowers!


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 3, 2022)

One of the things of being next to a bee farm is this. You can't leave water out or they'll come


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 3, 2022)

Found this snake slithering accross the road today, we identified it as this one


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## vladimir (Jan 3, 2022)

Really enjoying all of these posts!


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 5, 2022)

Yesterday's sunset

Mosselbaai


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 5, 2022)

These builders mean business!




More flowers


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## jeff kushner (Jan 6, 2022)

That's a beautiful town by the water.............exactly what I'm looking for, for a 2nd home somewhere.....beach, good&services, sand, warm, turquoise water......

Nice pics.....we like them!


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 8, 2022)

The flooring is finished




The walls are almost going up!


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## MenagerieGrl (Jan 8, 2022)

Wow, that job is speeding along. . I'm not used to seeing Pole's used for a foundation . .


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 8, 2022)

BEHOLD! I found an angulate, I have named him Jerome




The last few days have been misty and cloudy, so when it was a bit better, he must've came out. He was nibbling on a piece of grass, basking in the sun when I foumd him


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## MenagerieGrl (Jan 8, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> BEHOLD! I found an angulate, I have named him Jerome
> View attachment 338740
> View attachment 338741
> View attachment 338742
> ...


Wow, isn't it just beautiful . . .


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## Yvonne G (Jan 8, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> BEHOLD! I found an angulate, I have named him Jerome
> View attachment 338740
> View attachment 338741
> View attachment 338742
> ...


That's a very pretty species. You were lucky to see him.


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## Yvonne G (Jan 8, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> The flooring is finished
> View attachment 338736
> View attachment 338737
> View attachment 338738
> ...


Is the house being built on a flood plain?


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 8, 2022)

@MenagerieGrl Those poles are in about a metre, and anchored in cement, so they're solid
@Yvonne G We're on a hill, no rivers are found here, the line beneath the hoise is very intresting actually. A large mound of soil running in a line was found here, impossible to spot with the eye while walking in the dense fynbos. We thought it was isolated ant nests, but when it all was removed, we saw it was a long line, the bee farm may have made it a long time ago, but we're not sure


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## Maro2Bear (Jan 8, 2022)

All very interesting. But so many neighbors..?‍


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## Lyn W (Jan 8, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> BEHOLD! I found an angulate, I have named him Jerome
> View attachment 338740
> View attachment 338741
> View attachment 338742
> ...


S/he's beautiful.
Lovely to see them in their natural habitat.


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## Lyn W (Jan 8, 2022)

Maro2Bear said:


> All very interesting. But so many neighbors..?‍


Do you mean the snakes, torts, bees and ants?
I think I was meant to live in a place like that away from everything except nature!?


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 9, 2022)

Good news!


The walls are up, the roof trusses are also up, the roof is coming up now. Today was scorching hot, 36C about 96F


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## zovick (Jan 9, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> Good news!
> View attachment 338764
> 
> The walls are up, the roof trusses are also up, the roof is coming up now. Today was scorching hot, 36C about 96F
> View attachment 338765


Is the floor of the house level? It may be an optical illusion, but it appears to be a bit slanted. Or is that done purposely if it is truly not level?


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## MenagerieGrl (Jan 9, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> Good news!
> View attachment 338764
> 
> The walls are up, the roof trusses are also up, the roof is coming up now. Today was scorching hot, 36C about 96F
> View attachment 338765


Hum, no vapor barrier beneath the siding?, and What is the siding?, Rounded exterior 25mm x 100mm. That will be a nice front porch to watch sunset's/sunrises


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 10, 2022)

zovick said:


> Is the floor of the house level? It may be an optical illusion, but it appears to be a bit slanted. Or is that done purposely if it is truly not level?


Didn't even realize the photo looked like that, I was leaning over our wind barrier so it looks slanted, hopefuly this is better




MenagerieGrl said:


> Hum, no vapor barrier beneath the siding?, and What is the siding?, Rounded exterior 25mm x 100mm. That will be a nice front porch to watch sunset's/sunrises


Here in SA, we don't use vapour barriers, I googled and it said it was used to keep extreme cold out, but here we don't have it, about -2C is the coldest here. But I'm not sure what it's used for? The siding is tounge and groove wooden planks, so they slide in and after being given brute motivation via a hammer, it'll seal shut, so no humidity will leak in. A plastic layer will be placed by the inner facing wall then insolation, then another wall
@MenagerieGrl the porch came out good! It looks like a Southern porch


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## Yvonne G (Jan 10, 2022)

I just love this thread!


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## Snoopy’s mom (Jan 10, 2022)

Thank you for keeping up to date on the progress, and the lovely, stunning photographs!


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 13, 2022)

A sunset


A spotted harlequin snake


Some big dapper birds (wearing 1800 regalia)




Everything rusts here, these nails were in for 2 days?



A lesser thick tail scorpion


A small cow


A cute little angulate (picture taken by someone else close to where I found Jerome)


Insulation and walls are coming up. The copper has been solderd and the plumming is in. The electricity is also in



A panorama of the inside of the house


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## jeff kushner (Jan 18, 2022)

Checking in with my brother from the other side....and his yard full of things that want to kill you<LOL>! The house looks great!! You are moving quickly!

......and while there seems to be some concern for it being perfectly level......no worries mate, we know you guys are all bout 1/8th a bubble out anyway so in way, it's "compensating".....teasing of course....

Thanks for loving the camera and taking the time to post! 



jeff


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 22, 2022)

It's going good @jeff kushner ! (sorry for the late reply, things have been going crazy over here)
Lots of progress!
Stairs going up




Ramp going up



Ramps finshed


Toilet in


Doors in (The one in the bathroom is a sliding door, that closes automatically)



The outside of the house is painted (I think it came out good!)




View from the porch


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## MenagerieGrl (Jan 22, 2022)

Wow, you are really making progress, looks nice.
So, I see some white piping protruding out of the house, Is that for the black water? 
Has there, or is there a Septic system going to, or is installed with a drain field?
And what do you do for Potable water? A Well?


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 22, 2022)

I forgot to post that, in the beginning we burried a JoJo tank. 
So the pipe behind the house is for the toilet/graywater, it flows along a certain gradient beneath the ground and reaches the tank, from outside the tank a small pipe flows, the area around it (cylindrically) has small stones and rocks, so that the clean water can flow out and drain in the ground. (The septic tank is burried with the drain pipe)
The water comes from a borehole, the problem is that the area is sandy, so the hole collapses, so they solidified the sides with a certain type of glue. But it has happened that the water hole gets plugged by the glue aswell.
Currently we have only one borehole, 2 or 3 others don't work, they are working on it however


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## Maro2Bear (Jan 22, 2022)

Lots of progress.


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## Lyn W (Jan 22, 2022)

it's looking great!
The only criticism I have is that the bathroom basin is a bit too low


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 23, 2022)

Well everyone, the last few days have been quite busy, infact, I'm not even in Stilbaai any more, I'm back home, the exterior of the house is built and the inside still needs to be painted




And that my friends was to build a house in Stilbaai! I do hope you all enjoyed it!
(When we go back to continue, I'll update the thread)


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## MenagerieGrl (Jan 23, 2022)

Thank you so much for the landscape pictures & Flora & Fauna.
I Hope the work on the house continues, and thank you for the brief VaCa. . .
It was nice seeing your part of our wonderful world. .
??


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## Yvonne G (Jan 23, 2022)

Thank you! I really enjoyed watching the house go up, and seeing all the countryside.


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## Cathie G (Jan 23, 2022)

Thank you. I enjoyed it also. I thought the picture of the ostriches was really interesting. Are they wild? I am just kinda wondering if the wild ones are all that much different from ones raised in captivity.? I doubt it but...


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## Lyn W (Jan 23, 2022)

Welcome home, how are your tort family?
It's been interesting seeing the house go up from scratch.
Did you find out anymore about the migrating torts?


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 23, 2022)

Cathie G said:


> Thank you. I enjoyed it also. I thought the picture of the ostriches was really interesting. Are they wild? I am just kinda wondering if the wild ones are all that much different from ones raised in captivity.? I doubt it but...


I think those are "captive" but I doubt that the farmer messes with them. We call them death chickens. One kick can break most of your ribs, they can run up to 70 km/h, and they peck. But these do look like the wild ones, so it is an intresting question!


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## jeff kushner (Jan 23, 2022)

Sweet......neat, clean, non-disturbing construction....beautiful! 

Lyn, the basin is low to the floor to feed and water the resident kammapa's........but they are better than the tokoloshe's (both mythical creatures said to hide under beds if my exwife related it correctly)


LOL

Really nice brother, really nice...........I especially like the sliding doors inside. Very efficiently built, ZERO trash around the sight....and it's interesting to see the differences in construction, like the wooden corner beads.

jeff


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## TheLastGreen (Jan 24, 2022)

Lyn W said:


> Welcome home, how are your tort family?
> It's been interesting seeing the house go up from scratch.
> Did you find out anymore about the migrating torts?


Torts doing good! Zvezda is getting heavier, and Sunny is growing quick! 
I haven't heard anything else about them migrating.
It is weird, like @Maro2Bear pointed out, hundreds, is a lot, so it does almost seem exagerated? But what confuses me is that the foreman is a straight to the point, no rubbish kinda person, so when he said that a lot of torts are migrating, he most likely ment isolated groups or single torts crossing the road, sometimes they see a few babies a day, but he saw loads of single torts, or a few groups, migrating continuously, do you think someone like Tom or Mark may know why they migrated? (but I'll still be on the look out for more news on the torts)


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## Lyn W (Jan 24, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> Torts doing good! Zvezda is getting heavier, and Sunny is growing quick!
> I haven't heard anything else about them migrating.
> It is weird, like @Maro2Bear pointed out, hundreds, is a lot, so it does almost seem exagerated? But what confuses me is that the foreman is a straight to the point, no rubbish kinda person, so when he said that a lot of torts are migrating, he most likely ment isolated groups or single torts crossing the road, sometimes they see a few babies a day, but he saw loads of single torts, or a few groups, migrating continuously, do you think someone like Tom or Mark may know why they migrated? (but I'll still be on the look out for more news on the torts)


Tom and Mark may know, but it could be localised conditions making them move as well as their usual instincts. You could tag them in your thread about it to see if they've any idea,


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## Cathie G (Jan 24, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> I think those are "captive" but I doubt that the farmer messes with them. We call them death chickens. One kick can break most of your ribs, they can run up to 70 km/h, and they peck. But these do look like the wild ones, so it is an intresting question!


Their beak is like a ducks. It can be annoying, because of their curiosity, and they are a bit bigger than a duck ? so it's interesting if you try to work with one around. They be pecking. Going after your ribs means they somewhat like you. They will disembowel you if they don't. But they are so beautiful. The male doing the courting dance is downright amazing...to get to see in person especially. And I did. I so much doubt they'll let you tame them ?if they let you be they just happen to like you.?big bird


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## TheLastGreen (May 4, 2022)

Look who was found wandering near the houses' watertank today...



(We're not currently there, a passerby saw him and sent the image)


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## jeff kushner (May 4, 2022)

LMAO....your friends know you so well, they send you turtle pics from your property even when you aren't there!

Very cool.....he's a big boy!


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## Cathie G (May 4, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> Look who was found wandering near the houses' watertank today...
> View attachment 344168
> View attachment 344169
> 
> (We're not currently there, a passerby saw him and sent the image)





TheLastGreen said:


> Look who was found wandering near the houses' watertank today...
> View attachment 344168
> View attachment 344169
> 
> (We're not currently there, a passerby saw him and sent the image)


Nice  it looks like you have some pretty cute wild pets too hanging around  to take care of. Or at least you can visit with them


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## Lyn W (May 4, 2022)

Is there some sort of small shallow watering hole for passing wildlife to use near the house or would that attract the wrong sort of visitors?


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## TheLastGreen (May 5, 2022)

Lyn W said:


> Is there some sort of small shallow watering hole for passing wildlife to use near the house or would that attract the wrong sort of visitors?


Well, we don't have any sort of ponds or such close by, but I'd think to lure the torts you'll have to use water, and inadvertently you'll lure other animals like snakes. The Jojo tank we have seems to lure snakes in the area, and even if a bit of water drips from it, it would lure the bees. I suspect the neighbouring bee farm, about 20m from the house, has water ponds, which lures the torts. It is interesting however, it's the first time I've seen one so high up there, they're normally further down in the valley


(View from the house)


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## TheLastGreen (May 5, 2022)

jeff kushner said:


> LMAO....your friends know you so well, they send you turtle pics from your property even when you aren't there!
> 
> Very cool.....he's a big boy!


Lol, they know, I'd always ask if they've seen any torts. He is big indeed! I wonder how old he is? His carapace seems to be old, but it would be difficult to guess the age with any wild tort. He does seem different than the other one I saw though. I would guess this fella is atleast 5, about 8-10 years old


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## TheLastGreen (Jun 25, 2022)

My grandparents have been in Stilbaai for about the last 2 weeks, so there's a whole lot of photos. They've gone to do some finishing touches on the house.
Here's the beautiful Outeniqua berge and pass

Some unusual snowfall on the above mentioned mountains, a real treat for us here in SA

A few sunsets and sunrises



A protea flower fixture in the kitchen, all these proteas come from the area around the house


This is the kitchen. It's got a lovely rustic feel.


These two images show fog flowing through the lower valleys like lakes


These two images were taken this morning. It was so cold that dew froze on spider webs.


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## Lyn W (Jun 25, 2022)

Beautiful - I could easily live there!
No neighbours - just nature in all its glory!!


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## Cathie G (Jun 25, 2022)

How beautiful  and I've always loved a country kitchen. Simple, and designed to function for cooking for family and friends.


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## wellington (Jun 25, 2022)

Wow I don't know how I missed this but glad I finally found it. Thanks for the tour, it's beautiful. Love all the wildlife/flowers.
Keep us updated every time you go visit them and visit often lol


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## TheLastGreen (Oct 2, 2022)

Today in Stilbaai I saw this


It's always a good day when you see wild torts! It's a bit difficult to see, but in the top left is a tort. The one to the right was larger and "chasing" the other one. It could be that time of year, or he was chasing the other tort out of his territory.
When he saw me he stopped, looked almost confused, and the other one escaped.
Here are some more images


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## Maggie3fan (Oct 2, 2022)

I love your photos...are they off the grid? Your grandparents I mean


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## TheLastGreen (Oct 2, 2022)

Thanks! Yes, we're surrounded by miles of fynbos


The nearest town is a few kilometres away. So the house has solar panels and we draw water from a borehole.
I'm sure Mary K would've loved the scenery here, and she might've enjoyed seeing her distant cousins, that's a beautiful photo of her!


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 16, 2022)

Today we saw this little fella crossing the road on our water haul



It's got a really round shell, much rounder than some of the other torts we've seen. We're here for the Christmas period, if I'm not back on by then, Geseënde Kersfees to you all!


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## AmandaF (Dec 16, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> 1 hectare so about 10000m², hopefuly we don't have to cleare the entire area, then I'm sure we'll see some snakes...





TheLastGreen said:


> My grandparents are building a house in Stilbaai and they have invited me and my brother to help. (We have 2-3 months off from next week Wednesday, so why not?)
> So I guess I might make a thread of the journey to build a house in Stilbaai
> View attachment 336504
> 
> ...


Morning, the land is beautiful. The snakes not so. I really don’t like snakes.Amanda


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## Cathie G (Dec 16, 2022)

TheLastGreen said:


> Today we saw this little fella crossing the road on our water haul
> View attachment 352522
> View attachment 352523
> 
> It's got a really round shell, much rounder than some of the other torts we've seen. We're here for the Christmas period, if I'm not back on by then, Geseënde Kersfees to you all!


Geseende Kersfees to you also  sorry I don't know how to post the dots above the third e  have a wonderful time.


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 17, 2022)

We found another one wandering near the house today! This one was much calmer than the previous one


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 23, 2022)

Well, everything's fine now


A fire erupted after a neighbouring farmers' generator exploded. About a dozen farmers showed up and started plowing and clearing the ground infront of the fire. The fire brigade quickly came and started to survey the area with their planes and helicopters, and later their off road water tankers showed up.


The fire continued for about two days. Flairing up in the first, and slowly dying in the second.
This is how it looks afterwards


On the second day it looked like this, as if nothing happened



And this was the sunset that night



Now this may seem all bad, but many fynbos plants need fire to spread seeds and while we were driving past all of this, we didn't see one tort shell or animal carcass, so it seems that most, or almost all animals were able to make it out before the fire spread.
I really hope you all enjoy your Chirstmas, and may it be a calm one


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## Yvonne G (Dec 24, 2022)

Thank you for sharing. That's a beautiful piece of earth.


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 24, 2022)

Yvonne G said:


> Thank you for sharing. That's a beautiful piece of earth.


Thanks Yvonne! Here's a picture of another tort we saw the other day



The sunset from a few days back


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## MenagerieGrl (Dec 24, 2022)

Living in California with our constant threat of Wild Fires, that would be a chilling sight. 
I'm so glad they were able to quickly contain it . .


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## TheLastGreen (Dec 24, 2022)

MenagerieGrl said:


> Living in California with our constant threat of Wild Fires, that would be a chilling sight.
> I'm so glad they were able to quickly contain it . .


Yeah, there's really no way to describe the fear you feel when you see it. We already knew that fires easily happen here, but still. The fires' smoke started about the size of a campfire, but within two minutes it was the size of the image above. What didn't help was that the previous day was 35C, so the plants started to release these oils, and on the day it was warm and the wind blew fast, luckily away from us


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