This year the Umkhaya trees are magnificent.

In September each year, new leaves burst out bright red, all in a couple of weeks. At much the same time, the yellow flowers provide food for thousands and thousands of insects.

Walking under this canopy, they buzzed overhead constantly. This photo (above) is taken with strong afternoon light angling in from the left – almost bleaches the strong colours.

 
This photo, below, is taken looking towards the Matopos Research Station fields, and the lower areas of REPS school. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhodes_Estate_Preparatory_School

Quite a number of my friends went to REPS, as did my father in law. He said it was rather prison like!!! I climbed a small kopjie and took this pic (below) of the school and research station in the distance, the grove of umkhaya trees in the foreground.

Back in the day, boys who went to REPS were allowed to roam all over this part of the Matopos – I’m not sure if they still do.
Back when we were farming, we used to go to field days held at the Matopos Research Station. Beat standing at the dip!!!
http://www.drss.gov.zw/index.php/2013-02-12-12-32-56/matopos-research-station

That rock is calling me to climb it!

Umkhaya trees are Acacia Galpinii https://www.feedipedia.org/node/352