Dawn over the mountains this morning was as beautiful as every other here.
Today we leave for the airport and will be at home on Friday afternoon! We have been in Africa!
Tag Archives: South Africa
KwaZulu Natal – Last Day
KwaZulu Natal – Day 12
This morning we left the Drakensburg Hotel for a journey of a couple of hours to The Cavern where we spend our last five nights in these hills, walking and bird watching. Before we left we bought a beautiful basket that Rose had made.
Rose is the lady in red.
On the journey, we liked these trees on the skyline.
The view from our room.
We hope you have had a wonderful birthday, Ti.
KwaZulu Natal – Day 7
30th April
Today was a tour of the Zulu battlefields which I thought I would have no interest in but I was mistaken. Having the battles described on site at Isandlwana (where the British were beaten and massacred) and Rorke’s Drift (where they won the battle and many Zulus died) made it all come alive and emphasised the terrible futility of war.
Tapestry in the museum
Playground Sounds, Delicate Daffodil and Birthday Skype
1 Walking into town about lunchtime today, I was delighted to hear the sounds of the nearby primary school children at play – such happy squeals and shrieks and laughter, sounds that we have heard all our working lives and since, in our travels around the world. All children at play, wherever they are, make the same happy sounds and we heard it in Mapoch, South Africa where we went to build a classroom the year after we retired.
Children on the climbing frame in Mapoch
2 I love the yellowness of this time of year but I also find the delicacy of this pale daffodil very beautiful. The specialness of this daffodil is for two very good friends who have each lost a parent in the last couple of weeks. This is just to tell them they are loved.
Pale daffodil
3 We Skyped with T for her 2nd birthday today as she opened her presents. How lucky we are with current technology that allows us to share such events from hundreds of miles away.
For those who would like the Nutella Cookies recipe, I’ve put it on my Recipe pages today. Enjoy!
Elephants, Embroidery and ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life!’
1 I love elephants! I’ve loved them since I was very little and today this beautiful story came in to my inbox and reminded me of our encounter with a herd of elephants after our Voluntouring in Mapoch, South Africa. The lovely Mr S spotted them from a long way away, we found them and watched them playing in the water for about 40 minutes. It was absolutely magical.
Elephants enjoying the water
Leaving the water
Teenage elephant, reluctant to leave his playing
Mother and Baby
2 This beautiful embroidery is one of three made for me by Grace, the sister of the teacher at the school in Mapoch, near Pretoria where we, with local builders, built a classroom.
Grace’s beautiful embroidery
Sisters under the skin, Grace, me and Sibongile and their babies
3 We’ve hardly stopped laughing all evening! We’ve been to see ‘Spamalot’ at The Hall for Cornwall. The place was packed and the whole audience loved the show.
First Bluebells, Coloured Pencils and A Baby Naming Ceremony
1 On the lane we take to walk into town, I saw the season’s first bluebells – such a rich colour, ‘like a piece of sky’ as the inspiration for my blog, http://threebeautifulthings.blogspot.co.uk/ once said. We also saw some beautifully veined leaves but I have yet to find out what they are.
2 We went into town to find small presents to take to Senegal for Ndeye Marie, the 3 year old daughter of our son’s fiancee – so our soon-to-be Granddaughter! We found some bright and chunky coloured pencils and some paper for her and lots of biros for the other children. We know from our Voluntouring in South Africa that such pens are much treasured by the local children.
We have also bought Ndeye Marie some picture story books, one of which is about The Heligan Giant. See my previous post to see this delightful mud sculpture: http://mybeautfulthings.com/2012/03/28/sally-boots-the-heligan-giant-and-swish/
3 I’ve visited a delightful family in St Erth this evening to talk about their son’s Baby Naming Ceremony. It’s already sounding charming and we’ve hardly started.
The Gogos of Mapoch, Sun Trap and The Joy of Singing
1 The Gogos (Grannies) of Mapoch in South Africa do the most amazing beading which we discovered when voluntouring in the village. Today I have posted off 236 balls from roll-on deodorants collected from friends (Thank you all!) and 86 small plastic tubes to be made into beautiful beaded objects. Thanks again to P&H for the postage. See post of 9th January for photos.
2 The sun-trap patch at the end of the garden is now paved and looks lovely. Now comes the fun part, choosing what to plant in the wall…….
Paved sun-trap
3 Tonight’s singing session with Claire Ingleheart was a fabulous joyful affair!
More Brass Trade, ‘Fab after Fifty’ and Everest Base Camp Reached
1 Met a lovely man this morning whose daughter saw my ad for the brass sheets on Network Cornwall. He’s taken lots of the brass and is going to make me a weather vane. Even better, he mends instruments for Camborne Brass band so the material will be used in the way it used to be. That will please Charlie.
2 Sallie Grayson of People and Places, through whom we did our Voluntouring in Mapoch, South Africa, sent me this article about the over 50s volunteering and they used my photo!
The children watching the video of them dancing
3 Lucy is due to reach Everest Base Camp today. We should hear from her in a couple of days as they get back down to Namche Bazaar.
Tickets, Mapoch and Baby Naming
1 We’ve booked our flights to Senegal for Daniel and Ami’s wedding!
2 Fabulous singing with the Inglehearts tonight and a super offer from the husband of a choir member. His firm have offered to sponsor the sending to Mapoch of all the balls I’ve collected from friends. I’ve been collecting balls from deodorant roll-ons and plastic rolls from printers since Mr S and I did our volunteering in 2007 (building a classroom) and sending them all out to the Gogos (Grannies) who bead them into the most beautiful decorations.
Beadwork by the Gogos of Mapoch, S.A.
This year no new volunteers were able to take them out for me as people have done in the past and they were going to cost about £90 to post! Consequently I only sent a few and the lovely people who’ve been collecting were very disappointed. Thanks to P, it seems as if all the rest might be able to be sent – brilliant!
3 I’ve been booked for a Baby Naming Ceremony in July! Delighted! They are such lovely individual ceremonies to do.
Blue Skies, Piano Practice and Zip Wires
1 Such a beautiful blue sky this morning with the low sun streaming in through the back windows.
2 The piano piece (Grade 1) which I was finding so hard now seems easy! It’s fun to play and sounds really pretty. I’m on to the next piece now and this one’s coming together more quickly.
3 A posting on Fb today from an ex-pupil who is on a world cruise (working!) with a video of his zip wire thrill. It reminded me of our 13 zip wires zigzagging across the kloof in South Africa which was so exciting and it was me who organised it at the end of our Voluntouring in Mapoch!
Some of the children from the village, Mapoch, South Africa
