Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Season

2017-10-23 | puppy1952

I’m a bit late posting my contribution to this week’s Stream of Consciousness Prompt

But here is my take on the prompt – Seasons

The seasons of my life are constantly changing – and each one has shapes my life. I suppose some can compare their seasons to Winter, Spring , Summer and Autumn but as I contemplate my life I don’t see such a regular pattern as these predictable times in our year.

The seasons of my life have alway been surprising. I have not been prepared and have had to deal with them as they happen – no storing up during Spring so there will be enough for winter. Instead it’s been wham – not get on with it girl and make the most of a bad situation! Never can I say that any season was boring – some have been less frantic than others but boring never.

I have loved the seasons of my life – the raising kids season, the career season – sometimes overlapping with the previous. I have enjoyed the people who have come for a season then left while others stayed for all seasons – so many friendships made – some continue to this day others not but their value has left its mark on my life. Sometime one wonders why some people remain in your life forever while others seem to fade away for no reason – there is a reason – they were meant to be just for that season for some reason and then we all move on and there are no ill feelings. Sometimes they return and you take up just where you left off – other times not – that’s just the way it’s meant to be.

Seasons in my marriage have been the most exciting and challenging – the season of falling in love and deciding to marry, taking on each other’s children, raising them through their different seasons, wondering if you’ll ever get through the storms and then suddenly finding you’re into the next amazing phase where once again the sun is shining. But then another season of drama follows just when you think the waters are calmer and you can sail into the wide blue yonder.

I-will-be-happy-when-you-are-happy

The season of grandchildren arrives and you find your life totally revolving around them and their seasons too. Your realise that this is the best season and in fact those previous seasons and experiences have prepared you to walk though this one with ease and when it ends you are ready for the next major change – this time in the entire climate as you move on to the lasts season of your life – Retirement

Is it going to be sunny, calm and slow? I don’t think so – but definitely this is the season for me and I will embrace it as I have all the seasons preceding it. I will welcome the people who come for a season, not worry about those who fade away I will face the storms and enjoy the sunshine and deal with whatever the seasonal changes bring.

Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge – Letter I

2017-10-19 | puppy1952

This week’s Fun Photo Challenge calls for photographs that begin with the letter I.

Ibises are a species of bird that have long legs for wading and are often seen in wetlands but also in forests and on grassy plains. Their bills are decurved and in South Africa we have five species of ibis.

Bald Ibis

Hadeda Ibis

Glossy Ibis

Sacred Ibis

Although it does not have a de-curved bill, The Spoonbill is a member of the Ibis family

Share Your World 16 October 2017

2017-10-18 | puppy1952

Here are my answers to this week’s share your world by Cee

If you had to move to a country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?

I am perfectly happy living right here is South Africa in spite of its problems. There are plenty of negatives, crime being the one that heads the list. But quite honestly the positives are so amazing that even if I could I don’t think I would move.

I actually believe that I could be happy anywhere in the world. Every country has it’s pros and cons but if I HAD TO leave my first choice would be Australia. I like the people, the weather and the beaches. Everything works, there is very little poverty and the people are relatively law abiding. Also there are a huge number of South Africans living there already so I would feel right at home!

My next choice would be Greece or Italy because of the weather and the food. mmm – Yes – Maybe Italy would be my first choice!

What color would you like your bedroom to be?

My bedroom will never be the colour that I want it to be. The Earl is far too practical and likes neutral shades. I would love to paint at least one wall blue or red.

Maybe not too practical for a beach house?

What makes you Happy? Make a list of things in your life that bring you joy.

Many, many things make me happy but to be specific the following top the list:-

My husband
My kids
My grandkids
Spending time with friends and family
Travel
Eating breakfast outdoors
Holidays in the bush
Spotting a leopard in a tree
Birds visiting my feeder
Seeing birds in their natural habitat
Visiting game reserves.

I am going to be blissfully happy for the next three months because we’re trekking up north to visit the Kokstad Clan, collect our new caravan and visit the Kruger National Park.

What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

In preparation for the Great Trek I had to go to Cape Town for a week to shop, attend a function and catch up with family and friends. I really appreciate everyone fitting us into their busy schedules. We had a fantastic time.

Breakfast at Pastis with the family

Share Your World 9 October 2017

2017-10-10 | puppy1952

Here are my answers to this week’s Share Your World from Cee

What do you consider is the most perfect food for you? (It can be your favorite food to something extremely healthy.)

I think I’ve mentioned before in my blogging that a good South African braai is my favourite meal.

I also love anything Greek – Roast lamb Greek style is to die for, Moussaka is irresistible and if spanakopita is on the menu, I’ll have it!

Are you focussed on tomorrow or now?

I believe in savouring the moment and living each day as if it’s your last. But also enjoy planning for a future event like a holiday. Part of the fun is getting ready for the coming event and if it’s to go somewhere new I do research what to do and what not to miss. I do not stick rigidly to a plan though. I enjoy spontaneity and going with the flow.

If you could interview one of your great-great-great grandparents, who would it be (if you know their name) and what would you ask?

This is the domain of my youngest brother. He enjoys researching the ancestors and finding out about what they did in the distant past. I love hearing about it from him but he has not managed to go too far back.

I have no idea who my great-great-great parents were. They would have lived in the 1700s. Were they peasants or lords? Some would have lived in Greece, some in Italy. Then there’s the British and German ancestry too. Perhaps it would be nice to hear from a great-great-great grandmother. There would have been sixteen of them! In those days I believe women were seen as being inferior to men and that their sole purpose was childbearing. Perhaps they were subservient to their husbands – perhaps they or some of them rebelled against that and were in fact the real rulers of their homes. Certainly they had no civic rights and probably did not attend school. But perhaps they were educated at home? It would be fun to find out whether they had dreams or aspirations of doing more than becoming a wife and mother or perhaps they were content with their lives and just got on with what had to be done. I can’t believe that all my 16 great-great-great grandmothers had fabulous lives but perhaps some did. Perhaps they were beautiful society ladies who attended the king’s caught regularly. On the other hand perhaps some were parlour maids or cooks in grand homes and worked hard just to keep body and soul together.

They were certainly all from different countries and would not have been at all like each other. It would be fun to get them all together now to say – Hey -look at your descendants – would you ever have believed that this is how things would work out for them?

Hopefully it will be easier for my descendents to find out about me and get to read my blog!

Stream of Consciousness – Save/Safe

2017-10-07 | puppy1952

Thanks to Joey from Joefully Stated who is hosting Stream of consciousness this week. The prompt words are Save, Safe or both

Save was a word I heard plenty of times when I was a young child growing up. Don’t eat all your sweeties today, save some for tomorrow. If you want that bicycle you will have to save up for it. Save was an important concept in those days. Grandpa saved things that we all thought was just junk in case he could use it some time in the future. It was not a throwaway society then. Things were built to last and you saved your old clothes to pass on to others. Save yourself for that one special person was another mantra that was repeated to me many times by the older women in my family. Interesting concept in this day and age!

Today SAVE is not such an important word. If it’s broken, we throw it away and buy new. We spend our money because why save when it won’t be worth too much in the future. There’s no room in smaller, modern houses to save the junk Grandpa might be able to use later.

What was less worried about was safety. Children were free to play alone and unsupervised. Teachers did not stand at the gate while children waited for parents to collect them. At six I walked to and from school on my own. Nobody thought it was unsafe! I climbed the mountain with my siblings and cousins and spent hours unattended by adults on the beach. Was it safe? Who knows? Strangers did talk to us and we spoke back, gave directions or helped them carry groceries. Instinctively we knew who and who not to trust. I rode the train alone or with siblings or friends of similar pre-teen age. I walked home alone in the dark in my teens – nobody thought it wouldn’t be safe. The world was different then. By the time I became a young mother I would not dream of leaving my pre-teen child unattended on the beach. She was taught stranger-danger from the time she could walk! Save was a concept but not as much a when I was young. My kids know to save money but other things? I don’t think so.

And as far as teaching them to saving themselves for that special person? Well – the choice is theirs – I never mentioned that kind of saving but certainly I did teach them to be picky, take precautions and above all BE SAFE.

Black and White on the Farm

2017-10-06 | puppy1952

Here is my contribution to this week’s Black and white challenge from Cee

The topic is All Things Farm Related

Farm Wedding

162 Shannon restrained by mum black and white

Farm Freedom has its limits

Dubolani on the Farm

Moo to you too

Where’s my mum?

Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge 4 October 2017

2017-10-05 | puppy1952

Here is my contribution to this week’s photo a week challenge

This week’s word is Pedestrian

Pedestrian Mime – Sydney, Australia

Cyclist descending pedestrian stairs – Sydney Harbour Bridge

Pedestrian Vendor – Lungomare, Salerno, Italy

Cee’s Fun Photo Challenge 3 October 2017

2017-10-04 | puppy1952

This week’s Fun Photo Challenge needs the letter g

It’s an easy topic this week, thanks to Cee. Being a wildlife enthusiast I have a few Gs that I can think of.

Green Pigeon

Double-banded Sandgrouse

Greater Flamingos

Warthog

Night Heron

A G Post would not be complete without a Giraffe

Right Place, Right Time

2017-10-04 | puppy1952

The Earl and I needed to see our accountant in Stellenbosch last Friday. Not wanting to do an overnighter we set off bright and early on the two and half hour drive that would get us our appointment on time. As luck would have it the Rapport Holiday Show started in Stellenbosch that day too. We’re having a caravan built by Gecko in Haenertsburg and as they had a stand at the show we thought it might be a good idea to check it out and see if there was anything else we needed while there.

It was almost midday by the time we got to the show and all we’d consumed was a good cup of coffee offered to us by the accountant. We chatted to Keith and Alison, took some measurements, ordered an aircon and a storage bag and then headed off to look for food. Well foolishly we’d come without cash and the food vendors didn’t have card facilities so we decided to head back home with the intention of stopping in Franschoek for lunch.

This is what I caravan kitchen will look like

Did I mention it was a beautiful day and the drive there and back over the mountain passes was stunning.

Franschhoek is an hour’s drive from Stellenbosch and we were listening to Pippa Hudson on Cape Talk as we drove. I was getting hungrier and hungrier and then she interviewed Pieter de Villiers – a local chocolate maker! Pippa – please – I was drooling! I had never heard of de Villiers chocolate and it is only available from certain Woolworths outlets or his own chocolate cafes. Living in Struisbaai I would not have easy access to this delicious sounding chocolate – Probably just as well as I am a Banter and only occasionally eat 70% dark chocolate – But ooh I was dying for some as I listened to this mouth watering interview.

Pieter only uses UTZ certified cocoa beans grown in Africa. UTZ certified stands for sustainable farming and better opportunities for farmers, their families and our planet.

Everything is made from scratch – from sourcing and roasting their own cocoa and coffee beans, to making their own ice cream and a wide selection of confections. His wrappers are also very special and have an African look.

We were five minutes away from Franschhoek when the interview ended and we’d discovered that there just happened to be a De Villiers Chocolate cafe in town!

I said to Earl, “I’m having lunch at De Villiers Chocolate Café.”

“You can’t!” he said “You’re banting.”

“So what,” I said “This is serendipitous. I am meant to have chocolate today. I need chocolate today. Why else would I hear this interview just as I’m entering a place where that cafe is calling to me.”

Well of course I didn’t exactly have lunch at the café – we first dined at MC, googled the address of the café and then went there for coffee. My two favourite things in life – coffee and chocolate. Preferably together.

Lunch at MC for Earl was springbok pie and Eggs Benedict for me – the Banting version.

Franschoek is the prettiest town in South Africa and has wonderful eateries

The cafe where you can taste before you buy

The patio area

Coffee for me, ice cream for The Earl, and all the ‘lekkergoed’ we bought

The coffee was excellent, the ice cream delicious and I walked away with a packet of drinking chocolate, three slabs of 70% chocolate – the cinnamon and chili is to die for – and two bars of chocolate nougat.

Yes I was certainly in exactly the right place at the right time.

De Villiers Chocolate

Share Your World 2 October 2017

2017-10-03 | puppy1952

Some great questions again from Cee’s Share Your World

Here are my answers

If you were given the opportunity to ride in a helicopter you would go?

For many years I suffered from aviophobia so even getting onto a Boeing was a challenge. So in 1999 when the opportunity to take a ride over The Great Barrier Reef arose I was most reluctant. But my FOMO (fear of missing out) won out in the end and I boarded that scary craft and have never regretted it.

When I saw the copter coming in to land on a floating platform in the middle of the Pacific I nearly backed out. So glad I didn’t because it’s the perfect way to fly – far less frightening than an airbus.

The Scary Helicopter

The view was certainly worth it

What are some of your favorite types of proteins to eat? (meat, seafood, eggs, soy, cheese, nuts)

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day so I’d have to say egg and bacon! Also I am a South African and The Braai (barbeque) is part of our culture – there is nothing nicer than chops and boerewors grilled over the coals!

Fried eggs on a bed of home grown spinach and served with bacon and grilled cherry tomatoes. I live with a wonderful chef!

010 Braai 2014-01-26 03-31-08 AM 4000x3000

The braai ritual in progress

What would be your preference, awake before dawn, at dawn, or awake before noon?

Most of my life I was an Early to Bed, Early to Rise kind of girl. I never had any trouble getting up at six o’clock or earlier be it weekend or not. Now that I’m retired and not following a proper routine I find I go to bed later and therefore rise later too. However, when in the bush – it’s back to early to rise! Nothing nicer than sunrise in the game reserve.

001 Giraffe in the sunrise Namutoni Etosha

One wouldn’t want to oversleep and miss this

What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

This week I have appreciated the place where I live. Our harbour is so pretty and the spring weather is getting me outdoors more often.

On my walk on Sunday I went along the main road then along the board walk to the beach and back to the harbour. When I looked out to sea I thought I spotted a seal in the shallows but when I got closer it had disappeared. I chatted to my friend Earnest who is always hanging out at the harbour and he said yes indeed my eyes were not playing tricks on me. There had been one swimming around for a while. We haven’t seen a seal in the harbour for some time. As I continued toward the next boardwalk I heard a splash and there was Sealy coming up onto the rocks in front of the restaurant car park. I yelled for Earnest and he was thrilled to get this excellent view of this lovely sea creature too. It wasn’t long before a small crowd gathered and were snapping away with cameras and cell phones. I only had my phone but rang Hubby to bring my Canon which he did. Two young guys were trying to take a selfie so I offered and they were thrilled to have themselves with a seal in the background. It was such fun.

He wasn’t shy at all

He think he enjoyed the attention

This is a good scratching rock

Do/Due/Dew

2017-09-30 | puppy1952

Here is my submission for Linda’s Saturday Stream of Consciousness prompt:-

Your prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “do/dew/due”. Use one, use two or use all three. If you start and end with two of them, you get bonus points. If you use all three AND start and end with two of them, you get Linda’s bonus points plus, I’ll match hers – from me to you. And, lest we all forget – Enjoy!

Do not leave a due assignment outdoors overnight.

Because in the morning it will be covered in dew.

And you will have this dilemma:-

“Do I hand in a due assignment all wet with dew?”

Share Your World 25 September 2017

2017-09-26 | puppy1952

Here are my answers to this weeks share your world from Cee

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

I enjoy a long daily walk with my camera – sometimes I take photographs sometimes not. In the summer I swim too.

Birdwatching is another activity I am very into so of course I’m looking for birds on my daily walks but I also enjoy going on organised birding excursions.

My new hobby is gardening and so that is another thing I enjoy doing outdoors.

In a car would you rather drive or be a passenger?

Now that I’m retired I’m with my husban 24/7 and hardly ever drive as he prefers to be in the driver’s seat! He has not faith in my driving skills whatsoever. I used to drive a lot on my own or transporting others. I don’t mind driving and in the past I often had to transport children to and from outings and functions. I was always relieved when I managed to get my passengers there and back without mishap. My own driving skills were fine – it was the other idiot on the road that worried me.

If you could have three wishes granted for you alone, what would they be?

The garden in perfect shape – no weeds, the lawn green, everything blooming.
The building extensions over and done with.
A world cruise booked and payed for.

What inspired you or what did you appreciate this past week? Feel free to use a quote, a photo, a story, or even a combination.

It was Heritage Day in South Africa on 24 September. A day for us to appreciate our beginnings.

We are a rainbow nation and our people have descended from a variety of amazing backgrounds. Each group embraces, preserves and celebrates its unique culture.

We also celebrate our natural heritage. We are fortunate enough to have a country full of beautiful ecosystems, amazing flora and incredible wildlife.

During the month of September museums and galleries have put on special exhibitions, there has been a week of free entry into national parks and much has been done to showcase different aspects of South Africa’s diverse heritage.

My daughter, Laurie, and her friend Cara, came up to visit us for the weekend. They were keen to visit the shipwreck museum in Bredasdorp so we went there on Saturday afternoon and were reminded of the many ancient sailing ships that went down on the Agulhas Coast during the age of discovery. What a lot of lives were lost during the quests to find better lives in new far flung lands. Some of course survived and there were many interesting stories about them too.

In a large shed there were also exhibits of old ox wagons and coaches. We certainly have come a long way since those days.