More South African Trip ....

On the way to Warmbaths in Limpopo, just outside of Pretoria, we found a Rose Farm .... 

Ludwig's Rose Farm. 

We had to stop...

As we got out of the car the smell of roses nearly bowled us over.

I suppose it was more potent in the midday sun and 35 degrees  Celsius (96 degrees Fahrenheit) heat  and with the sprinklers on them the smell was everywhere, so beautiful. 

Wow it was amazing there were hundreds and thousands of rose species. 

The roses were all in their specific categories - Hybrid Tea Roses,

Colourscape Roses,

Climbers

 Ramblers,

Miniature Roses

  Fairy Tale Roses with names like Pooh Bear and Princess Rose Blossom

 and of course some more famous names such as

Madiba ( Nelson Mandela),



Madiba's Rose

Very fitting for Madiba!

Super Bowl and Pride of England! 

There was a tea room ....

Serving cream scones and cakes.

  Also on sale were Rose Jams (delicious wish I could have brought some home!)

Rose Turkish delight and rose bushes and cut roses ....
 Ahh it was soooo beautiful!
 Only  when we drove out on the highway did we realise how large the farm is!

  It was such a great  day!

Back on the Great North road to Warmbaths to spend a couple of days near Warmsbath's at a  hotel called the Carousel. 

The Great North Road to Warmbaths

Open bushveld all the way to the Carousel

 It was really a treat my Sister-in-Love had arranged for a bit of a break and a bit of Luxury. The Carousel is a large hotel complex

The  Carousel Hotel

  with a  very large casino attached

Gates to the Hotel

The sign at at the gates of the casino promise all sorts

The sign at the entrance of the casino

 We were given a complimentary R200 each to gamble. 
I am not a gambler at all - I just can't get my head around putting,  good money, that could buy some beads or such stuff into a machine to have it swallowed up in an instantly .

I did however find a machine that had lots of lights and free games and cost a whole 20c to play. 
I  won until I had R1 900 then  lost, then won and then lost, but still came away with my R200 in tact so it was fun. 


BUT the Rose Farm was the highlight of my weekend!

Hugs
Cxxx

New Years inspiration

I  haven't made New Years Resolutions for many years, cause I usually make  silly ones like eat less, do more exercise, and half way through January I have lost the plot.  Last year I wrote down  my intent for the year, goals if you like and it was amazing.   Looking back I accomplished a lot of my  goals so this year I have done the same, but I have really expanded on each goal.   One thing that I really want to do this year is get back to selling  on my  Etsy shop again. 

 My  holiday has obviously done wonders for me cause I have loads of energy and inspiration and have spent the last two days making some Jewellery /Pendant Scarves.

 This scarf  is a100% Polyester so it will not crease and can be worn winter and summer, with a day  or in the evening.  I have  used antique silver metal rings embellished with diamante

and the one and a half inches long  cross with a large diamante hangs  from a large bail

to make this an elegant addition to any wardrobe.

I will be listing these on my Etsy and Folksy shop this evening

Christmas weekend .......

I had so much to say whilst on holiday and took so many photo's and then when I arrived in South Africa  I could not connect to  my blog.  Hardly anyone uses WiFi, they  work with dongles so I couldn't send out  my posts.  I would still love to share some bits with you so I will try to catch up on Christmas and New Year over the next few days..... 

Christmas was the most amazing day.    45 members of the De Beer clan were together for the first time in  years and years. 

The five remaining De Beer Siblings

The only members of the family that missed the reunion were my three children and their families and their absence was deeply felt, but I think that  they were there in spirit and sharing photos  and messages ensured that they  could keep up with all the celebrations.

The Nieces and Nephews and their Partners

  It is so difficult to get such a large family together for an occasion,  so the fact that we had so many of us together was wonderful.    

Some of the great Nieces and Nephews

 It was such an emotional time for us, having not seen the family for  just over 6 years meant that there were a lot of tears, excitement, hugs an overdose of love and of course food

and food and more food.

 We had a Hog and a Sheep on the spit

Hog on a spit

and salads for Africa (excuse the pun)

Salads and home made breads  - yummy

  Desert was full cream caramel and vanilla ice-cream with chocolate sauce and I made my famous butterscotch and strawberry pavlova!

After all that celebrating and over indulging  Christmas day, we spent boxing day (the 26th December) just relaxing around the pool drinking and eating, some more ....... what can I say?

Eating prawns and dip in the pool

The temperature was 35degrees Celsius with a 100% humidity most of the time so the only way to cool down was to dip in the pool!

Koeksisters - sweet syrupy plated cooked doughy - love them

 The day was finished off with a Braai (barbecue)  there is truly nothing like sitting round a fire and  talking about the day and  the smell of meat cooking on an open fire 

Braaing (barbecue)

Braaied meat and baked potatoes - some more yummy!

Wwhat more could we have asked for, braaied steak and baked potatoes with sour cream and cheese.

A stunning end  to an amazing Christmas weekend

Hugs

Cxxx

South African trip begins...

 We left home at 6:30 on the 22nd December, so excited and so ready for our holiday - took an early morning ferry from Gosport to Portsmouth

War ship passing the Ferry on the trip to Portsmouth

and then caught the 8: 00 am National Express bus to Heathrow.

National Express Bus

The  bus trip was 3 hours long due to part of the motorway  being closed, but we arrived in good time and  booked our luggage, got boarding passes and went into  the International  departure area to have some  lunch. 

Heathrow Airport

At 15:00 we  boarded an Air France flight and an hour and 15 minutes later we had landed at  Charles De Gaulle, Paris.  We had  quiet a long tiring  5 hour stopover at Charles De Gaulle and by the time we boarded the Airbus 380

Air France Airbus 380

and all 600 passengers and 36 crew members were  settled in and ready for take off I could hardly keep my eyes open. 

Air Bus 380

Our 9 hour flight was not bad at all and as usual the Air France crew were very  professional and the food was good and the movies were new releases so it was  all in all a really good flight.  Only one serious amount of turbulence through out the  flight which was good.

We landed at 10:00 South African time at O R Thambo Airport

and my sister and brother - in  - law were  waiting for us when we cleared  customs.  The man was shaking from head to toe with excitement and emotion at seeing his sister for the first time in 7 years, there were loads of tears and excitement as we set off  on the motorway to Pretoria

 to start  our holiday and Christmas family reunion.

hugs
Cxxx

SoS ....

I knew even before my daughter, that she was pregnant, she just felt different. So I had started to knit a very simple ' blankie' before the pregnancy was even confirmed. Then we were told there were two babies, sooo Granny had to knit another one. These simple square 30" x 30" blankets were knitted with a double strand of DK wool and on nice thick needles so it took me no time at all. These little blankets have proved to be invaluable for outings in the pram

and for when the boys are in their car seats.

 

Last week I had an urgent SOS from my daughter to please knit another two, so that she can at least wash the ones she has. I find that once I have made something once I really have to motivate myself to make more, but when there is an SOS concerning my grandchildren I make a plan. So I thought that to make it a little bit of a different project I would knit squares instead of a solid colour blanket for the boys.

Not sure this was the best idea cause when I had them all together and realised how many treads had to be sewn in I thought maybe I should have just made another two like the previous ones.

I knitted like a demon to get them finished and posted before we left for our holiday and I was so pleased with the result

and the boys seem to be cozy and comfortable with their other blankies!

39 years on........

Have you ever met  someone you  like  instantly ? 

Someone you feel is a kindred spirit?    

Someone you are so comfortable with in the first few moments of meeting, you  feel like you  have known them forever? 

 What about the age old 'Love at first sight'  adage, do you  think that is possible? 

 Yes,  it is so possible!  Let me tell you how I know this for sure  ....... thirty nine years ago I met a man and  within seconds of  meeting him  I knew we were meant to be together.  It felt to me as if a part of me had been missing and  when I met him it was like a lightening bolt of realisation that  this was it, this was the  other half of me.  I remember  going home and dreamily telling my Mom that I had just spent the afternoon with  my future husband,  the love of my life, forever. 

  My darling Mom  scowled and said in her dreaded  ' I don't approve'  voice ,  

" you are too young to know what love is and there are many fish in the sea my girl, go do your homework" (I was only 18)

Poor Mom little did she know that my prediction that afternoon would all come true.

One year later I married the man and let me tell you, all I can say is my parents can be grateful I didn't meet him when I was 13, cause I would have still married him within the year of meeting him!

So, 38  years ago today I married an earth angel, the kindest, most caring person I know, who I am still deeply in love with. 

  A father of note to our three amazing children.

A Granddad, well no, not a Granddad, a Genedad,   all the grandchildren  call him Genedad. 

Happy anniversary and thank  you  Gene for  being  my rock,  my life and the  best  husband ever for  all these years.  I love you.

I have to apologise  again for not posting  and for not  announcing the name of the winner of the Scrapbook bundle on the due day.  I have also not replied to kind words and comments, so please forgive me,  but I have had more computer problems and have not been able to do anything.  I have lost all my information and have  been so frustrated.  My new computer had a factory fault and had to be returned.   I am hopefully on track now with another new computer. As I have said before I am seriously dependant on  my computer and well  technology in general.

 

Thank you so much to those of you who entered my second giveaway. 
A  name  was ceremoniously  drawn  for the Scrapbook  Bundle and I am pleased to announce that it  was Debbie at  My Brown Eyed Girl who has won! Congratulations Debbie, please email me your postal details so I can get your package off  ASAP!

Hugs

Cxxx

Happy Birthday Granny

Today we remembered my maternal Grandmother, Irene, who would have celebrated her 100th birthday.

 She was born at 11 o clock, on the 11th day, of the 11th month, in the year 1911. 

Her name, Irene is the name of the Greek Goddess of Peace.  How amazing is it that 7 years later the war ended and on the 11th day of the 11th month at 11 o' clock,  Armistice and Peace would be celebrated for all time to come!

My Grandmother was an absolute inspiration to me.  She was a horticulturist and started one of the first Hydroponics projects on her farm in South Africa. 
My earliest memories of her are of trips into the City o f Johannesburg,  when I was about 4, to buy the latest seeds on offer at Kirchoffs, a large seed company.  It was always such an adventure.  I had to be dressed properly, bobby socks, my favourite red shoes, my best dress and we would have tea at a very posh restaurant – I loved it.  It was the beginnings of my passion for shopping! 

She  taught me to arrange flowers from a  very young age and entered me into the Flower arranging section of the Annual Horticultural Show in Johannesburg at  the tender age of  5 and I won first prize in  my division.   I was awarded a trophy that was larger than me. 

 I had  a flower bed in her garden where we planted  flowers for the fairies to live and so started my  love of gardening and fairies :}.   She also sewed a lot, did embroidery and was an incredible cook.   A lot of what I love doing was inspired in some way by my dear Grandmother and I loved every moment of time spent learning from her.   

Happy birthday Granny – I love and still miss you.

Giveaway # 2

Giveaway # 2 - Christmas Scrapbook Bundle

This may seem like a bit of a cheeky giveaway, but I would be so happy if one of  you could benefit and enjoy this little  bundle of Christmas scrapbook supplies that I have put together

I am making a Christmas ......  umm  what shall  I call it .... a brag book, album, memory book,  not sure, I suppose it is a combination of all  these things  ......  I  will share some  pictures  soon.

Stickers

When you do a project do you also end up with  loads of extra  'bits' , I do. 

A few 12 x12 papers and a few A4's

With the very limited space to keep all my craft stuff I thought that maybe someone else could enjoy the extras instead of me trying to  find space for it.      

Bits and  Bobs

Soooo if you  would like to win this bundle of Christmas Scrapbook bits, please go ahead and ......   

a)     Leave a comment  for one chance to win,

b)     Become a follower  for a second chance,   let me know if you are a new follower or an oldie

 And

c)     Mention my giveaway on your blog for a third chance,  don't for get to let me know.

I will draw a name randomly on the  20th November .

Thank you  for  taking part and good luck

Hugs

C

xxx

I am back......

....has it only been short of a month since I last posted?  It has felt like a year! 

My computer screen started to  flicker really badly, then dark lines appeared and then it died, in a thin spiral of smoke!  The man bought me a new one on sale, but nothing could be installed and  every time I went onto the Internet it shut down.

  After two weeks of doing everything the experts said to do, and all the mans extensive computer knowledge put to the test, he took it back.  They diagnosed 'Low Grade Hard Drive Failure'????  and gave me a new one that was £50 more,  but it is beautiful and so worth it.  It has a silver case and is  'finger mark proof' 

 It is   lovely.

I am such a  happy girl now, so happy to be back on line too. 

 Not having a computer is terrible.    I am so dependant, so addicted.

 I need to be  able stay in touch.....

Can't wait to visit you all again!

Hugs

C

xxx