Welcoming in the Advent season

Welcome to the first Sunday of Advent 

It is the start of the count down to Christmas, it is also a good time to reflect on the closing of the year; reflection is always useful to make you appreciate what is good; gratitude begets gratitude.  

Even though I am terribly behind with everything having just returned from abroad, my advent candle ring is prepared & ready. I would normally have been out in the hedgerows collecting some winter foliage but that will still come as we approach the solstice & thoughts turn to traditional holly & ivy as the Carol words of old  .... 

These were previous advent times at my home - 

in 2014 

in 2015 - 1st Sunday, 2nd Sunday , 3rd Sunday, 

in 2017 - 3rd Sunday, 

in 2019 -  Advent in Europe 

in 2020 

Happy Advent Sunday all, may the spirit of time be one of peace, friendships, kindness, humility away from the commercialism of the time. Commercialism is something we invented & it is something we fuel - we can each say NO to the excesses at this time and remember it is actually a time of family togetherness & reflection.  

Advent also serves to give purpose to this time of waiting, to slow down the rush to Christmas, to give each week a meaning & to remind us to keep it real amidst the adverts for perfection. 

I will be following the traditional candle colours this year 

First candle - purple for HOPE 

Second candle - purple for LOVE

Third candle - pink for JOY

Fourth candle - purple for PEACE 

Fifth candle on Christmas eve - ivory for CHRISTMAS

Today we had home made pancakes for breakfast as we lit the first candle - the sideboard has a few festive items, it will be added to as I get more organised. The sideboard in the conservatory always has things on it that will be used at various times so it is a great space close to our long 12 seater table. 

The warm red & gold colours bring warmth to the shorter, darker days, the candles bring in light & I am seldom without a candle burning at this time; the low light needs extra help. 

However you observe the changes to the season, be blessed this Advent Sunday, 

Dee ~💕~

The final closing of an era ...

Many of my regular followers know the stories of my parents in South Africa as I have shared their stories, their heritage, their letter writing  activities many times with you. 

In 2020, covid locked the world down & our planned trip to South Africa was put on hold as no international travel was allowed from the UK or from South Africa. We were keen to introduce Dad to his great grandson but sadly he only met him on facetime before Covid took my beloved Father's life in January 2021. 

In 2018, we road tripped around South Africa with Dad, he decided on the family he needed to see & we planned the route around that so he could fulfil that wish. 

My Mother & her great aunt loved the sea, Dad & I less so but at the end of that last trip, Dad picked up some shells & some stones & gave them to me to keep for 'when the grave is opened again' and I kept them safe, placed them besides flowers & candles at home during his private cremation in the heart of covid times. 

I placed the stones & shells Dad & I had collected in a small bag, placed them in my crossbody handbag to do this 2022 trip for him. They visited the places connected to his ancestors in his place. 

I had this poem in mind as I kept the stones Dad & I had collected together with me in my bag ... 

So the stones & shells we had collected together in 2019 did the ancestral trip, visiting places connected to my Dad's family history.

They were interred too & a cousin kindly arranged for 3 majestic king proteas for the 3 family graves 

My Father is reunited with his wife of nearly 57 years & with our younger brother for eternity. 

A last request fulfilled with great love, the end of an era, an eternity to rest, 

Dee ~💕~

Road tripping in South Africa #3

 I hope you are finding my account of a recent trip to South Africa of interest. Our route was determined by obligations in the various places so we added to the route to take in places we wanted to revisit after decades. On this part, we make it up north (F & G) before returning to Johannesburg to fly home to England again.

I first visited the pretty mining town of Kaapschehoop / Kaapsehoop decades ago, revisited it 3 years ago & decided to base our self there again. We opted for a small guest house  and what a great choice it was. Sandra was welcoming and there rooms were generous and comfortable. Her breakfasts were so good & she was lively & entertaining company. Definitely recommended ... 

With daughter & partner accompanying us, we wanted to show off our premier Kruger National Park. It has been a long time since the daughters visited with us as children so a return visit was long overdue. 

Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,623 km² (7,576 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

A night drive with rangers was so special again, the sounds of the animals, birds & insects filled the air as we set off in the dark. We were not disappointed, especially at the sighting of hippo, elephant, leopard & more. Night time is always a special time as you are most definitely in their territory, at a disadvantage because they see us before we spot them. 

I have visited game reserves / parks from a young child with my parents, with hubby and with my own children. It is always a thrill to see animals in their natural environment. 

Crocodiles and hippo own this space - moving about silently until they object to each other being there. I have a healthy respect for both having encountered them across Africa & know how dangerous they are & how swiftly they move. 

The World's Wildest Golf Course, unfenced  in the Kruger Park - not for the faint hearted because you have to sign a disclaimer to play .... 

An amazing time, my thanks to all who shared this journey with us, especially those who made the trip enjoyable with their friendships.

Thank you for stopping by, for following & for leaving a comment so I know you have visited my blog,

Dee ~💕~

Road tripping in South Africa #2 ...

I hope you enjoyed the start of our long overdue visit to South Africa; I had forgotten how much there is to see in the beautiful Cape & need at least a fortnight to appreciate the many sights & visit them properly. 

We reluctantly left the beautiful Cape to travel inland towards the vast, dry landscape of the Karoo which is so different to the lush green valleys of The Cape.  Morning tea en route at the lovely Big Red Chair in Robertson. They have a really nice wine shop too which we bought a good selection from. 

It has been decades since my last visit to The Cango caves - a vast cave system with enormous caverns & structures. On my previous visit, I had gone as part of a caving group & we accessed the further sections of the cave that were behind a locked security gate. I remember it as being challenging, lit only by the miners lamps we wore on our hard hats. It was exciting to be part of a small group who had access to this exclusive area. This time, we confined ourselves to just the tourist part ... 

We spent the night in the Oudshoorn environs, at a stunning Chandelier ostrich & game farm. What a fabulous place - we opted for the wooden huts, daughter for the tented accommodation. We had buck browsing outside while I wrote my travel journal & sipped morning coffee with a rusk. The hosts were so welcoming. An early morning game drive was also included & we wrapped up warmly just after sunrise to take to the generous estate to view the animals in the morning light. 

We booked a night drive & bush supper & what a splendid choice it was - as soon as the sun dipped low in the sky, the temperatures dropped & a magnificent sunset glistened across the African sky. A night drive is always special - the sights & sounds of the bush, rustling nocturnal animals, eyes shining back, the sounds of things settling for the night. On arrival at our space with magnificent views across the veldt, we found a beautiful table set with food being cooked over fires close by. It was magical. Soon all the guests were seated and we had a fabulous 'gesellige' (convivial) evening. Unfortunately, the clouds prevented us seeing all the stars, but it was perfect with night sounds around us. We reluctantly took leave of it late evening to return to our camp. 

We headed towards the familiar little Karoo & some of the nearby towns towards the ancestral town of Graaff Reinet. My Dad's family had been early settlers to the town in the early 1800 so I regard it with great affection because it is a connection to my roots. 

We once again popped in to Obesa cactus nursery one of the worlds biggest collections of cacti. I have visited several times & it is a rather rambling place with so many unique species. It is a passion of the owner & his eclectic mark is very evident. 

We stayed at a lovely local guest house with friends & had some favourite meals, including oxtail & samp - what a treat  .... 

Reinet House in it commanding position in town is a charming Cape Dutch structure. The whole town is quaint with white gabled homes, many with traditional green shutters. The town is well laid out, mostly original & very elegant.  Cape Dutch architecture is my favourite style - it is just elegant.

The ancestors of my Dad & mine, hitched their spans of sturdy oxen to their wagons & trekked northwards as part of the Great Trek from this lovely town nearly 200 years ago. They were pioneers, salt of the earth people who set out for the as yet undocumented interior with all the challenges that presented.  Our ancestor was the teacher on one of the treks, a man who obviously contributed to the learning of the young children who needed education as they moved inland, lessons given whenever there was time ... 

I like to think that I have that spirit of adventure, of fortitude & of fairness. It is very special to walk in the footsteps of your ancestors, our history echoing the history of South Africa from the early settlers to those who moved northwards. I feel a deep connection to some places. 

The storms across the plains of Africa can be sudden & intense. The heat brings on these dramatic convectional storms & this one was no different. The sky turned inky blue, winds whipped up & animals turned their heads from the prevailing rain. Thunder rumbled loudly & lighting flashed across the dark skies dramatically as we made our way towards Kimberley. 

We opted to revisit the Big Hole in the mining town of Kimberley. It is known world-wide for its connection to the De Beers diamond empire. Again it was chosen for its connection to my Dad's family. His grandmother (my great grandmother) was a cousin of the family on whose farm the original diamonds were found so I enjoyed these connections. 

Johannes Nicolaas de Beer - my Dad had a connection to this family through his grandmother & another line & it was a story he knew first hand from them & so it was to honour his connection. 

On our route towards Johannesburg, we passed through many small Free State towns, some looking rather neglected. A lunchtime stop at this restaurant reminded me of similar one we visit in the Cape at Willowmore.  The town is very traditional, the language is predominantly Afrikaans (a language I speak fluently so not a problem.)

  However, that is as far as this episode will take you today, stop by again for the next stage, 

Dee ~💕~

Down memory lane in Africa ...

 Hi everyone, 

I have been travelling for two of the last three months - the tours were booked in 2019 before covid & lockdowns postponed everything. More on those ones another time. 

I shared the news of my Father's passing due to Covid in January 2021 and for a long time, travel was not allowed so we planned for a safe travel time - at the end of the southern winter but before our winter set in - the window of opportunity. 

This was the last road trip we took, my Dad with us. The route took in his many siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins etc that he managed to visit.

With one daughter & her partner accompanying us & having things we needed to attend to in various places in South Africa, we decided to do a swoop of places that were special to us or which we wanted to revisit after a long break.  Our route from the Cape to the Kruger National Park, a distance covered of more than 3 200km

We started our adventure in Cape Town, the sight of the most recognisable flat mountain with its white tablecloth of clouds.  One of our oldest friends insisted we take advantage of his hospitality - his home looked out towards Table Mountain. He also insisted on being our guide - how privileged we were to have his company for our stay & to benefit from his knowledge of the magnificent Cape. We crammed in as much as possible, hungry for all it had to offer. I would gladly have stayed for a month but sadly we could not.

The iconic penguins which are found along the Cape coast near Boulders Beach. They are so sweet, curious and noisy with their comical walk. 

The Castle at Cape Town, established in 1665 by the Dutch East India Company / VOC to protect the sea route around the Cape. My early ancestors were soldiers at the Cape at that time & they would have walked these very walls so this was a very special visit for me. 

An interesting exhibition of how life would have been inside the Castle walls - fish, fruit, exotic spices, meeting places - a hub of activity 

The diverse heritage at the Cape is celebrated at the Castle with the numerous statues and museums 

The stunning view from our friends home towards Table Mountain. At night, as the sun set the colours deepened or as the Afrikaans saying goes - as die son verdof van wit tot rooi ... 

Part of a little shopping I did in Greenmarket square - some beaded animals to take back, along with the requested fabric so I can run up something for the little ones ... 

The bustling Green Market Square in the heart of Cape Town - I used to visit such markets with my parents & so took the opportunity to get some lovely gifts to take back with me ... 

The beautiful Franschhoek, a place where the displaced Huguenot settlers made their home when they were driven from their homes across Europe during times of religious persecution. 

Groot Constantia - a premier wine estate in the Cape, an early family connection to it made it a must visit again.

Bo-Kaap (upper Cape) was originally a Malay settler part of the town. It is home to the oldest mosque as well as these colourful houses which are a well loved feature of the city. They are freshly painted & tourists flock to photograph them. Living history as all are private homes ... 

The Fairview estate next to the Spice route had a stunning deli with the most delicious food, breads, nibbles, biltong and wines. We indulged in their lovely items so we could have a cheese, wine, bread, olive etc evening with our hosts on our last night. What fun it was .... 

The Spice Route wine farm for wine tasting in Paarl - the Cape was at the heart of the old spice trade as ships had to round the Cape with their wares. The Malay settlers brought their rich culture with them & spicy food has always been part of our cuisine ... 

We reluctantly bid our generous hosts farewell and left the coast for the inland after an amazing stay, revisiting so many places & finding delight in the family connections to many. 

To be continued, please stop by again ... 

Dee ~💕~