Today I was up at 7:15 and did a session of gym. Earl thought the world has come to an end or something – and staggered through to the lounge where I have my gym set up – and said – What the heck are you doing at this unearthly hour?! (hahaha I used to get up at 5:30 when I was teaching!) I said – “Well you want to go to the Agricultural Show in Bredasdorp later on and I know you will be rushing me so I’m getting ready now! He thought I’d truly lost it. But I missed doing a session yesterday so thought I’d better get one in today.
Earl cooked brekkie and then we set off for The Agricultural Show and got there at about 10:30. I thought – this is going to be boring – but actually it was great! It wasn’t only tractors and farm tools. I loved the animals – cute miniature horses were the best and the most amazingly attractive goats! Don’t laugh!
An adorable miniature horse with an old granny going gaga over it
Isn’t the baby toooo adorable
Can’t remember what these are called but they’re so cute
Donkey and foal
This is where your milk comes from!
Fascinating Llamas – remind me of Dr Doolittle’s push-me-pull-yous
Couldn’t resist a piccie of the peacocks
We also went to the 4X4 and camping stalls and bought a gazebo type tent – almost a cross between a gazebo and tent.
We got a tent like this one
We also got some good ideas about be vegetable gardening in different types of containers. Stored those away for the future.
Good idea – veggies planted in drain pipes
Another good idea
We were amused at a convoy of old tractors passing by and compared them to the unbelievable modern farming equipment used today! WOW the new tractors and combine harvesters etc are HUGE.
Earl wanted to check out solar panels and that kind of thing and my bag got fuller and fuller of pamphlets and business cards.
Deep interest in the solar panels
There were also clothing and jewellery stalls which Earl tried to drag me past but he was sweet enough to buy me a very nice necklace
Some nice boots here
My sweet husband bought me this pretty necklace
We found ourselves in the shearing shed where they were talking about wool in Afrikaans and there was a woman spinning which fascinated me. She allowed me to take a photograph of her and then I went to browse the products while Earl watched a champion shearer shear a huge male sheep. I missed that (so no photos) because I got into conversation with the spinner who had the loveliest range of wool and cotton yarns – Nurturing Fibres
Turned out we actually know the spinners mom!
As you know I am now into knitting and crochet and there is limited variety of yarns here in Struisbaai! She gave me three free balls to try and asked me to persuade the Hekel tannie I take classes with to order from her. I bought another three balls of her organic cotton yarn and plan to make some place mats for the braai room table.
At lunch time we found a stall selling waterblommetjie bredie which I’ve never had but always wanted to try. Do you remember the TV show Nommer Asseblief? It was often mentioned in that show.
Earl looking horrified at the size of the portion
It was delicious! And if I can ever lay my hands on waterblommetjies I will make it myself!
The four hours we spent at the show flew by and we were well pleased with all we purchased – lemon infused olives, droerwors from the “hectic biltong” stall, a lovely necklace, my yarn and the tent.
Diary of an Adventurous Retiree 