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Dear Readers and faithful friends,

After a number of years of wonderful blogging, this blog has effectively become dormant - except for occasional updates regarding my book, MAXDOG. I have left this blog as a legacy to my dog and a place of sanctuary where we can reflect upon his life. Take your time, peruse the pages spanning Max's 18 months in cyberspace. Feel refreshed and uplifted because his story is an amazing one of..."LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX!"
My activities have now moved on to my new blog entitled "LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX". Please join me there where you can read about my family and canine companions. I also invite you to visit MAXDOG's FANPAGE on FACEBOOK. You can follow the specific links by clicking below:

* 'LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX: click HERE
*MAXDOG'S FACEBOOK FAN PAGE: click HERE
* MAXDOG, the book: click HERE

If you would like to follow me on a deeper, spiritual level, then I invite you to visit my more personal blog:

May God bless you and thank you for following me!
MAXMOM IN SOUTH AFRICA

MAXDOG's CHRISTMAS TRIBUTE

Sunday, October 18, 2009

MAX'S SUNDAY MENU....

mmmWOOF!
HELLO THERE AND GREETINGS FROM 'SUNNY' SOUTH AFRICA!
MAXDOG here...

How are all my bloggy-buddies!?

Firstly I just want to say THANK YOU to all of you for your wonderful comments!

Mom and I read (and relish) every single one of them!!!

If you are a regular reader and haven't yet commented, please, p-l-e-a-s-e do so! It helps us to find out what it is you would like to read about and what I can write about. So if you want to suggest a particular theme in a future blogpost of mine, please just tell me. I would love to address your interests too.

BUT since there is nothing out-of-the-ordinary happening in our household today, I thought I'd tell you a few odd things...

A question (a MAX JOKE!):

HOW DO YOU KNOW KNOW WHEN A GIRAFFE IS THIRSTY????

mmmm.....???
IT BENDS IT'S KNEES!!!

Aren't our long-legged friends too funny looking when they are drinking?!
But did you know that this is their most vulnerable time?...when they drink water!
Often the lions wait at the watering holes for the opportunity to convert them into 'fast food'.

Did you also know that a giraffe has the same number of vertebrae as our humans?
(It's just that they are a little larger)

Did you know that some of our giraffes were removed from some of the smaller game parks around JOHANNESBURG - because they were becoming prone to lightning strikes?

Yes, our wild world here in SOUTH AFRICA is truly fascinating!!!
---xXx---

Here is another interesting and very personal story....

This is a picture of one of our larger antelope - the KUDU....

They are really magnificent and statuesque creatures! A lot of humans hunt them - for their meat and for their spectacular horns.

Well when Mom was small, her father did a lot of woodwork - making furniture - for their house on the farm. Grandpa wasn't really a hunter and preferred to preserve the wild life. He wanted to make an heirloom for Mom, so he set about making her a table using KUDU HORNS.

He searched far and wide for a pair of horns which matched! They had to be EXACTLY the
same age (since that affects the length and the width of the horns)and EXACTLY the
same size. Eventually he found one pair of horns, which were in pristine condition, and bought them from a farmer. Only years later did he eventually manage to find another perfect set and what a miracle to finally have ...

TWO SETS OF MATCHING HORNS!!!

This is/was his gift to my Mom...

a very special KUDU HORN TABLE!...

The added bonus of this particular (and VERY special) table is that
NONE of those two KUDU's were shot for their horns!!!
These animals had died of old age and their horns were simply lying in the African bush at the time.
(That would NEVER happen today!!!)

---xXx---

FINALLY - A MESSAGE FOR ALL THE KITTIES IN BLOGGIE-LAND...




SO DON'T BE GETTING TOO CURIOUS OUT THERE!!!

Lots of licks
MAXDOG IN SOUTH AFRICA

27 comments:

Brindusa (Brinda Dasha) said...

Hi Max, we envy you for living on a warmer area than we do. Here winter arrived earlier than usual, and we are so cold.
Very nice you mom's table. Love to hear that no animal was harm for it.
About your future posts, we would love to hear if you ever met some wild African animal and how far from their place do you live. Never happened that a wild animal came into the city? Here, bears do come into the cities for food. Some of them attack people, too.

And maybe some posts about your family and friends.

Love to read more,
kisses Lucy&Freddy

Dexter said...

Struck by lightening? Poor things!

Slobbers,
Mango

Golden Samantha said...

Those are pawesome stories about some magical creatures (cause we'd only see them in a zoo here) that run wild where you live. That table is spectacular! You are a very thoughtful pup - we always love your blogs!
Hugs xo
Sammie

Chelsea + Shiloh said...

Im not much help Max as Im loving the site as it is, mainly for you canine ones and the glimpses of your home town.

I read somewhere that a giraffe can take out a lion with one kick.. they are such awkwardly beautiful animals dont you think?

Jan Mader said...

Frankly, I love your blog the way it is...I especially love all your photos since I'm just new at the photo thing!


You could do a day or so of nothing but pictures and I'd be thrilled!!

Heather and Kelly said...

We love the giraffe facts!!
And what a spectacular table. I love it that the Kudus weren't killed for their horns. That's great!

KB said...

Thanks for telling us about the giraffes and the kudus. I didn't imagine that giraffe's were so tall that they'd get struck by lightning! I love the table. What a wonderful gift!

So, I have a hard time visualizing your life, in terms of how often you see wildlife. Do they come into the cities at all, or are they out in the countryside? A post that told us about that would be very fun! Thanks!

JD and Max said...

Hi Max - we feel very fortunate to have found your blog, we really do feel like we visit your country for a brief moment every time we read it as you write such interesting things around such wonderful photographs!

We're fascinated to hear the giraffes were hit by lightning - poor things! JD is now a bit worried as he's convinced he's nearly as tall as a giraffe, he he he!

We love that table too - talk about an original piece of furniture, it's wonderful!

Schnauzer snuggles - JD and Max.

Angel Tucker, Daisy and Leo said...

Hi Max

We also like your blog just as it is. Our mommy likes giraffes, so she enjoyed today's post especially, and she loves your mom's table.

Tucker and Daisy

P.S., yes, Leo is a fat cat, he weighs about 20 pounds, but Mommy has him on a diet and he won't lose weight. Mommy thinks he steals our biscuits at night to get extra food, so now they are in a covered container.

Ina in Alaska said...

So many interesting tidbits in this post! I love the story of the horn table and nice to know the animals had passed rather than being shot. I do not like killing of beautiful living beings for sport!!

bbes tribe said...

VERY interesting tidbits in your blogs. We like it the way it is. Enjoyed the pieces about the giraffes and kudos. The table is beautiful. Glad no animals were shot in order to get the horns. Keep up the good work.
Ernie & Sasha

Two French Bulldogs said...

Hi Max...cool stuff you are sharing with us. Those doggys sure do have long necks
Happy Day
Benny & Lily

BRUTUS said...

Guess I never thought of giraffes & lightening strikes, but I can certainly see how it'd happen! That table is beautiful, as is the story that goes with it. The table does look like it could walk away, though...

Snorts,
Brutus the Frenchie

Sally Ann and Andy said...

Maybe y'all could have a dog party? A real dog party with Toffee, Tommy, you and Tammy. You could invite Jeanine and Scrappers(I think - the hamster). You could have a dogggie cake, doggie games, and a doggie prize for someone.
Sally Ann

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Another grrrrrreat post my furiends!

Pawesome table!

Pawesome pikhs!

And that khat!

Purrrrrrfekht!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

Lorenza said...

Ver interesting to know about giraffes!
And the table is beautiful!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Deborah said...

Hi ya Max, Your lucky to have sooo many friends, that is because you are so cool!! I love the table, that is also pretty cool. Nothing you would ever find here! Have a great day! Is is always sunny where you live? What is the average temperature?

The Army of Four said...

"It bends its knees". Hee hee hee! Oh, Max, that's a good one! I really loved your joke!
I really like hearing about everything from the wildlife to YOUR life and everything in between!
Love,
Ammy
PS: And seeing PICTURES of how HANDSOME you are! :)

The Animal Doctor said...

Max, what the Animal Doctor forgot to tell me is to wear a face helmet! Those nasty anal glands secretion can shoot up your face. Ewww. Hope Toffee is doing okay now.

There are lot of animal documentaries over at the Animal Planet, but it breaks my heart to see lions attacking and eating other animals. I know its part of the food chain, but I really feel sorry for those poor victims.

Your Mom's table is such a beautiful token of a father's love.

The Secretary

Asta said...

Max
Thank you fow again teaching me a little about youw fantastic homeland.It is aways bootiful and exciting..I wish the giwaffe's wewe able to have theiw dwinkies wifout being scawed that they will become a meal themselves. They awe soo bootiful.I twooly love them.
The stowy of youw Mom's table is lovely..such a gift of love fwom youw Gwammpa. I was happy to wead that the gowgeous Kudu didn't get shot fow them. It twoly makes it even mowe bootiful
smoochie kisses
ASTA

Thor and Jack said...

Hi Max!
Other interesting post about wild life in your homeland. Fantástic!
Pawsome table!

xoxo
Thor

Cocorue said...

if i had a choice of only one blog to follow.....i would pick yours and two others which i wouldn't name in case the others get jealous bol........

did i hear ONE?.....who ever said i follow rules ha

your grandpa is goooood with his hands and what an heirloom.....i hope you respect that and have NOT marked the legs huh?????????

to answer your question, whenever you do not see me around, just know that i've either been banned or i'm protesting...

AND if you don't see me for longer than that, pls report mumster as i may have been keeled over and over again!!!!!!

love you lots and stop flirting with moi before your eh girlfriend gets jealous and keel you too

come and collect my "Showing Some Love" award as i do love you lots. no rules really, just give to only deserving loves - just kidding eh partly ....

chikisses

Clive said...

Hi Max,
We enjoy reading your blog so much and finding out so many interesting facts about SA. Love the giraffes info today!
take care
Clive

Molly the Airedale said...

What a neat table for your mom to own! Those are pretty big horns!

Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch

Anonymous said...

Lots of interesting info and really cool table! Awesome that the horns came from old age and not hunting!

TwoSpecialWires said...

We would have liked your Grampa. We love all sorts of animals - and want the best for all of them. How wonderful he was able to make the very special table for you, without hurting or hunting.

We always like coming to your blog to learn more about your beautiful country. We were sad that you weren't able to see our Smilebox. Our grandma had trouble too, but she was eventually able to see it. Oh, well.

Love
Jake and Fergi xxoo

ocmist said...

Hey, wait... quit shoving, Mom!!! OK, just let me get down for a second...

Hi, Max! OC's Mom here. I just had to tell your Mom how FANTASTICALLY GORGEOUS that table is! What an awesome miracle and what an awesome way to use those magnificent horns! Linda