tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57920158213701689672024-03-06T01:23:27.420+02:00Mad Dog and EnglishmanMad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-73267571765551468922014-08-16T10:13:00.001+02:002014-08-16T11:06:34.136+02:00Gratitude One of these "chain" posts came by on my email the other day. One is supposed to name three things everyday, for seven days, that one is grateful for and on each day, nominate a friend to do the same for a week. After four days, I floundered a bit, but here they are:<br />
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A husband who is a best friend<br />
Good health up until now<br />
A small family of siblings and cousins of quality rather than quantity<br />
I can smell that Spring is in the air today<br />
I live in the most crime free part of SA<br />
A small group of friends of quality rather than quantity<br />
I have enough for my needs and a little bit to spare for my wants<br />
Tea and breakfast in bed every morning...I know.....damn spoilt! <br />
The sounds of sea and birds from my open windows this morning<br />
There is still freedom of speech in SA<br />
Opportunity to work with children (one is scared to say that these days!) <br />
There is still freedom of religion in SA <br />
Chocolate<br />
A two day working week despite being greatly financially poorer for it<br />
Pets who have great personalities and who love me unconditionally<br />
Winter afternoon sunshine on my bed<br />
Music<br />
I don't live in a war zone<br />
I awoke to a new day this morning<br />
I do not have children in this world, which frees me from that kind of worry and anguish (can a negative be a positive?)<br />
Time and opportunity to help others if and when I feel that desire<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfp_RUivU9fDLcaFDecXMZCxFN7sBUuDwZijO5RiySMUAZj_ThW_mxjcAmTkIOrJ4DjlhV3NgAWyrRkwdE-WZnRzUgZj47rAMKnLKk_gnqZ-c_8I9Mh0zZNRZv2TqwqyXHPuvYiFEEGD3/s1600/poppies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWfp_RUivU9fDLcaFDecXMZCxFN7sBUuDwZijO5RiySMUAZj_ThW_mxjcAmTkIOrJ4DjlhV3NgAWyrRkwdE-WZnRzUgZj47rAMKnLKk_gnqZ-c_8I9Mh0zZNRZv2TqwqyXHPuvYiFEEGD3/s1600/poppies.JPG" height="177" width="320" /></a></div>
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My gratitude is all pretty selfish and relates to spoilt me rather than to the bigger picture. As they say: Different strokes for different folks.</div>
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<br />Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-20863566049105859412014-07-26T19:23:00.005+02:002014-08-01T19:29:23.737+02:00A Winters Tale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On a Wednesday in the first week of the July school holidays, we drove up to the plot. It was a very tight squeeze in the car because now, not only do we have our two dogs with us, but, Gypsy the cat goes too! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Within an hour of our arrival, she had efficiently nabbed herself a fresh snack. <span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbCD0uSzoabFMnxJweEeNXgi8ArsSU8WuzOLbtUNK-8tpm51VtP-8KdwpWnZcOe69uxwHj0Wt5Eu063YQN39_QHjsxRio7ZdLKRi2knuZIqGI2EP1I2roes3vBDS1fLj_ctsnu_ttAGsF/s1600/gs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbCD0uSzoabFMnxJweEeNXgi8ArsSU8WuzOLbtUNK-8tpm51VtP-8KdwpWnZcOe69uxwHj0Wt5Eu063YQN39_QHjsxRio7ZdLKRi2knuZIqGI2EP1I2roes3vBDS1fLj_ctsnu_ttAGsF/s1600/gs.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5h.1:3:1:$comment10203022730062741_10203022869626230:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"> She
wriggled around on her back right next to it but as we got closer to take a photo of her prize, she grabbed it, trotted off and crunched it away!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWVnoDK9jHFZclQ8t50XgMobGQiujV5Wg-CsTNdf1F-CMOFtJEQ3ypC5-6VqZMNcTUUv1SPCaJcASrAK1A2mgfGUcfTIOldbfPBzIwAEWSu0qYUwhOt_ch0ASeOMt_F8Y22yuIk1d8e3D/s1600/P7110222.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWVnoDK9jHFZclQ8t50XgMobGQiujV5Wg-CsTNdf1F-CMOFtJEQ3ypC5-6VqZMNcTUUv1SPCaJcASrAK1A2mgfGUcfTIOldbfPBzIwAEWSu0qYUwhOt_ch0ASeOMt_F8Y22yuIk1d8e3D/s1600/P7110222.JPG" height="267" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She continued to catch one or two mice every day while we were there and I wondered why I had bothered to bring along food for her. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaYHk_Xl2ub8o1CVkSKLKjlc8KOLIKWZPolAbNm8lhi5Q_U5ZAXJwXj0eLEn9j3It3YxyfvLBRu7mFAr5Rv86NjLTyo4fv5I2cBFaUBV6cd-OGYvZMCmEdMFKBP1wuCq4cWzolCFfsH-1/s1600/image_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaYHk_Xl2ub8o1CVkSKLKjlc8KOLIKWZPolAbNm8lhi5Q_U5ZAXJwXj0eLEn9j3It3YxyfvLBRu7mFAr5Rv86NjLTyo4fv5I2cBFaUBV6cd-OGYvZMCmEdMFKBP1wuCq4cWzolCFfsH-1/s1600/image_6.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One evening, I thought I heard the screeching noises of a frog that had been caught by something.... but then I saw the young barn owl on our roof. It was as though it was protesting the hijack of it's live larder on our field</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On that first day, after speaking to John, our faithful worker when we are there, I called out the SPCA from Swellendam to collect his dog and we paid to have her sterilized.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We had had the dog inoculated 3 months previously and it was
the picture of health then because somebody in the area was buying a bag of dog food once a month
for him. Circumstances have changed and he no longer receives this bounty. We were devastated at its condition. Apparently the
dog had also had a miscarriage a while ago and I believe that if we had
not said we would pay, the SPCA would have confiscated the dog.
Our argument in not following this course is that John will just get another dog. Rather
sterilize and encourage him to try and feed it more nourishment than
bread or porridge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKocyTELBDxhcBd5emGBF0O-xWZh_Xe0F3ZHBAfBD4DagXgsbyAptsG7B1QvUathJH1g5EqpiXymIMxZIcTy8zyoUKKRpMZEi0wRcVF7x4qQHxrOaYaA75nTVMgHjnPyI32e1SX2znI7xT/s1600/image_5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKocyTELBDxhcBd5emGBF0O-xWZh_Xe0F3ZHBAfBD4DagXgsbyAptsG7B1QvUathJH1g5EqpiXymIMxZIcTy8zyoUKKRpMZEi0wRcVF7x4qQHxrOaYaA75nTVMgHjnPyI32e1SX2znI7xT/s1600/image_5.jpg" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Not being too clued up, I told him that even if he gives the
dog one raw egg a day with the porridge, that should help. But of course, earning an average of R100 - R200 a week at the moment, its hopeless advice. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Two days after we arrived, our huge purchase was delivered. A ten thousand litre water tank to be installed atop our brick platform. We had been told two years beforehand that water pressure and water supply could not be guaranteed and that we should install a storage tank for the municipal water, to provide for both in the event of a local water system failure. It took me the best part of eighteen months to save up for this and when we bought it, discovered that the cost had increased by a considerable amount. No wonder some young people in this country expect to earn a million rands a year by the time they are 25!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Anyhow, now it is installed and despite it being so high, secured ingeniously by Roy and John that day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPqw0DoUY-Wd4i_t3XesIomZaf4ZkhAdymdzcUvOzN0G0Yb0PYaS2pl0fsq0OO-z9oRPJaVc76R8Nroa-aVI7-eVUn3HBcYEByYLW5OVwqsdRZUO-8klJQ2Dzl2LmumNIq7fV6mTUgPhb/s1600/image_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPqw0DoUY-Wd4i_t3XesIomZaf4ZkhAdymdzcUvOzN0G0Yb0PYaS2pl0fsq0OO-z9oRPJaVc76R8Nroa-aVI7-eVUn3HBcYEByYLW5OVwqsdRZUO-8klJQ2Dzl2LmumNIq7fV6mTUgPhb/s1600/image_1.jpg" height="197" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My brother-in-law joined us for a few days over the weekend and helped Roy to thread the wiring for some of the plug-points in the building. It seemed a bit pointless to be doing this when we have no intention of connecting up to Eskom but the plug-points and conduiting were installed already and so it remains an unfinished item that we feel compelled to complete as far as possible. As usual, I did not think to take photographs. Recording the chaotic action of trying to thread three insulated wires through and around corners of pipes in the wall would have made for some amusing memories. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It snowed overnight on the Friday and we were treated to some dramatic clouds and dusting of snow on mountains. The temperature plummeted and on the Tuesday night I believe the lowest overnight temperatures in 37 years were recorded across South Africa. On three nights there, thick ice formed on the surface of the deck and icy shards were proudly displayed to me alongside my morning tea in bed!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaiERUTas4uDsTZL40csTDvaJ3Kyn7mtgIe_0wKS1fPj6FXXFdiGzqkqeo5acWHMT4qVSTgelLuu59IE1nTQ7T_UV-OC_YYZEJZjBWT749cMMGel6fGHvv8vu8aIH5nsxAL-8MgZn_-Tt/s1600/sw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaiERUTas4uDsTZL40csTDvaJ3Kyn7mtgIe_0wKS1fPj6FXXFdiGzqkqeo5acWHMT4qVSTgelLuu59IE1nTQ7T_UV-OC_YYZEJZjBWT749cMMGel6fGHvv8vu8aIH5nsxAL-8MgZn_-Tt/s1600/sw.jpg" height="147" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Once brother- in- law returned to Cape Town and the weather improved, I braced myself to have a detailed look at the trees. I had been putting it off for the first few days, just to stave off facing the reality of deliberate drowning of our trees. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">Some smaller trees were definitely dead. Some did not look good but the shock was still only two weeks in progess. The Wild Plums are definitely not usually so light in colour and I believe are showing distress.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhs-dlMMggDhBVU04Xz2XKmEgD-3SrDRDt7cGVizSP0fwhVQWVUC3c8QF2PWl8oepNcp4Swm70s-wixT1C09Q3-hHYVJHTXl32IAmR6kmI1s55TldR4uEgCf_yZTGGF-c6Ar7Hn-1YFnk/s1600/P7110231.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhs-dlMMggDhBVU04Xz2XKmEgD-3SrDRDt7cGVizSP0fwhVQWVUC3c8QF2PWl8oepNcp4Swm70s-wixT1C09Q3-hHYVJHTXl32IAmR6kmI1s55TldR4uEgCf_yZTGGF-c6Ar7Hn-1YFnk/s1600/P7110231.JPG" height="320" width="199" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.0.$end:0:$0:0">Many are
without any leaves where they are deciduous, so I might have to wait for
spring for</span></span><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0"> a true accounting. The white stinkwoods usually retain a few leaves but currently are completely bare, as are the deciduous fruit trees.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNUPH4ncPH8Coe3D5KyrqwpyYbXH1W-bYsHKfZ33GBWw4C9ONR5tXNtP6t9cZUyWq3YHmQ7hGr63_QD899pL0zdF7AOnBDFHOKmtRip8bksC0_SlfYqT2zsrvbtYGZ1uE3xbY_0fQRLMZ/s1600/P7110230.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDNUPH4ncPH8Coe3D5KyrqwpyYbXH1W-bYsHKfZ33GBWw4C9ONR5tXNtP6t9cZUyWq3YHmQ7hGr63_QD899pL0zdF7AOnBDFHOKmtRip8bksC0_SlfYqT2zsrvbtYGZ1uE3xbY_0fQRLMZ/s1600/P7110230.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0"> The soil was still wet when we had arrived and then, we had tons of rain and hail on that first night, before the snow. I tried not to think about it all.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0"><span data-reactid=".5p.1:3:1:$comment10203032037135412_10203039001469516:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.3.0.$end:0:$0:0">On the second day up there, something happened which showed me how easy it is to earn malicious intent from others. It certainly placed me in a dilemma. W</span></span></span></span>hat
do you do if you see someoneA taking two sheep off the field near to you.
Assuming innocence before guilt, you imagine that their two sheep got
mixed up with the small flock belonging to someoneB, who has left them
there to graze for the day. That someoneB comes along the next morning and frantically
tells you that his sheep are missing, asking whether you saw anything. So,
reluctantly you give a description and a name of someoneA. Why
reluctant? Because you wonder : will we be punished for being a "snitch" and have our trees bear the brunt again? and someoneB will drive past our place, happy with a full complement of sheep again (yes! the sheep were miraculously still on the hoof when he found them in the possession of the identified snatchers!) , not a care in the world and without sparing a glance at our "pets" when we are absent. </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Whoever
said that country life is simple...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">if it involves people, don't you believe it!</span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZQjFxskLc8Y9C_cRyKXOYk12ANeAVYiufa1oiUlcYKwIQn9WN1cddhqskoE5B0SNQgPfKle9aZPfH7dDlUeHAkUMEcR2hSZPi5A-uhOI16MWkcujlA9QG7XWw7pTJzIZv5AL6xqp7KH2/s1600/image(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ZQjFxskLc8Y9C_cRyKXOYk12ANeAVYiufa1oiUlcYKwIQn9WN1cddhqskoE5B0SNQgPfKle9aZPfH7dDlUeHAkUMEcR2hSZPi5A-uhOI16MWkcujlA9QG7XWw7pTJzIZv5AL6xqp7KH2/s1600/image(1).jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From a neighbours spot, checking our tank's visual impact<br />
see on the extreme right of the image</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">One of the local meat barons has started to breed goats alongside his sheep and cattle and grazes the entire caboodle on an adjacent field. I noticed some damage on some more mature trees and could only guess that the goats had managed to break in. I do not think that sheep and cattle eat bark like this when there is plenty of food in the veld? I seem to remember hearing the Afrikaans saying (or is it a song?): " 'n Bok is 'n lelike ding" , and boy, is that true!</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI86qNU6-U1fD7p6OBSznacgCbXNwKhu8dCfaakV5z_sU72wVrOEO_JwrQRohhPrWhyphenhyphen9pK9K4nVr0jXG6nxXQBUBNvcZDRcXOP3D21DYxKT0LvLetqs_FC6rAy8uomKHEC-JICCaNp6hSn/s1600/P7090221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI86qNU6-U1fD7p6OBSznacgCbXNwKhu8dCfaakV5z_sU72wVrOEO_JwrQRohhPrWhyphenhyphen9pK9K4nVr0jXG6nxXQBUBNvcZDRcXOP3D21DYxKT0LvLetqs_FC6rAy8uomKHEC-JICCaNp6hSn/s1600/P7090221.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispD5ucHsp2mkpq_9WYIid6K4WyYC1sz4FUiVR7ydrpDOpAJDWi8AidmN6TJCt-TFB1dqIYEWkJFj6OFytt1ddCmeQt4ULd2Wz8UZ1dmXFvLmOV_0VvOILl58F6KKadURTxI2oFmL-WTyc/s1600/P7090216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispD5ucHsp2mkpq_9WYIid6K4WyYC1sz4FUiVR7ydrpDOpAJDWi8AidmN6TJCt-TFB1dqIYEWkJFj6OFytt1ddCmeQt4ULd2Wz8UZ1dmXFvLmOV_0VvOILl58F6KKadURTxI2oFmL-WTyc/s1600/P7090216.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5ihaxD82f1Mfk9u8xuSRGUKzt1_F6IG9zMmKT86kfao5J4TGJi8SU6i5GLqov25hc8CTjPJEaVHbD0pSPOuCHFZDuaCWogQfWF-ezq-YK1W2pWNtt2gLcX7IVUBRCsKSM6qvSt7uk-TU/s1600/image(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We took a trip through to Heidelberg to buy more chicken wire to try and protect some of the more vulnerable trees from sheep. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPMrvbqulOTtQzfKtjBPQFJnBvPdk55Ua_4xqdu1fXfAAAnvHzsI1_0SxF4W-cTXdC9ktxYPyBc258dJRS8x_NFC7ZnQlBbjw2aD_43RXtbNobgYzFfdyZnp04TBr_5poKK83mDhEmAyn/s1600/P7090220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPMrvbqulOTtQzfKtjBPQFJnBvPdk55Ua_4xqdu1fXfAAAnvHzsI1_0SxF4W-cTXdC9ktxYPyBc258dJRS8x_NFC7ZnQlBbjw2aD_43RXtbNobgYzFfdyZnp04TBr_5poKK83mDhEmAyn/s1600/P7090220.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span> </span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And trees, where I had already removed protection because they seemed big enough to be safe from sheep, had to have wire wrapped around their trunks once more, this time to foil obstinate goats.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpx-dc6YSVvaM4-r8VRjnbbZWwGrgJiWf9OyzDbOT6ShVDoGVp2F6RyF-hMmQDd5En9F2nU06fhJ7jTReSRgNfFZMDCGdp_0vuZZ8o6dba4WeHrpIvdc63d6Gy2xzrI_uTVOPcavY1XTJ/s1600/wr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpx-dc6YSVvaM4-r8VRjnbbZWwGrgJiWf9OyzDbOT6ShVDoGVp2F6RyF-hMmQDd5En9F2nU06fhJ7jTReSRgNfFZMDCGdp_0vuZZ8o6dba4WeHrpIvdc63d6Gy2xzrI_uTVOPcavY1XTJ/s1600/wr.JPG" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We also took some small precaution against possible future sabotage before heading back to Cape Town on the Thursday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5ihaxD82f1Mfk9u8xuSRGUKzt1_F6IG9zMmKT86kfao5J4TGJi8SU6i5GLqov25hc8CTjPJEaVHbD0pSPOuCHFZDuaCWogQfWF-ezq-YK1W2pWNtt2gLcX7IVUBRCsKSM6qvSt7uk-TU/s1600/image(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5ihaxD82f1Mfk9u8xuSRGUKzt1_F6IG9zMmKT86kfao5J4TGJi8SU6i5GLqov25hc8CTjPJEaVHbD0pSPOuCHFZDuaCWogQfWF-ezq-YK1W2pWNtt2gLcX7IVUBRCsKSM6qvSt7uk-TU/s1600/image(2).jpg" height="320" width="258" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJPMrvbqulOTtQzfKtjBPQFJnBvPdk55Ua_4xqdu1fXfAAAnvHzsI1_0SxF4W-cTXdC9ktxYPyBc258dJRS8x_NFC7ZnQlBbjw2aD_43RXtbNobgYzFfdyZnp04TBr_5poKK83mDhEmAyn/s1600/P7090220.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span>Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-85697705033325684952014-06-22T16:45:00.000+02:002014-07-26T21:57:01.253+02:00The Winter of our Discontent<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A week ago, we got a frantic phone call from the neighbour who turns our watering system on </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">at the plot </span>whenever the trees are looking a bit limp. He had turned our water on during the Wednesday morning and then, while it was watering, he
ended up spending the rest of the day running over field and dale, at another neighbour's request, to help recapture some lost livestock that had wandered off for many kilometers.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On his return, as he drove past our place, he remembered
our water was still on and <i>luckily </i>he did not have his water-meter key with him.
Lazy to go first to his house to fetch it, he asked the water-meter reader, a Zimbabwean chap who lives 30 metres from our water-meter at the gate, to
bring <i>his </i>water-meter key and together, they turned the meter off and
both took note of the reading. It is so fortunate that he had a witness to this, otherwise we would have thought </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> that what happened next</span> was down to him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> On the Friday afternoon, a local person ran up to the neighbour's house and told him that our water was running on the
trees and there was <i>so </i>much water in the tree holes, he could hear the water
jets as they hit the surface of the water at each tree. They rushed down to investigate and discovered that somebody had
turned our water on at <i>full </i>bore, something the neighbour never does himself, and about 70kl had been used since he had turned it off on the Wednesday. </span></div>
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</div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am devastated at this, now that I have calculated just how much water has been delivered to each of the approximately 100 trees. With the water from the intentional watering, followed up almost immediately by this malicious act, the trees have received an equivalent of 16 x 5000 litre tanks of water, in the middle of winter, in soil that has a high clay content, in the space of three days! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For the next few days until we can visit our property, I walk around with a sick, heavy lump in my stomach and throat. All I can think about is the likely demise of drowned trees and that horrible feeling that comes with knowing that somebody, who is in possession of their own universal water-meter key , as are all property owners there, wishes you such ill-will and malice. </span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The horrendous water account that will face us is just going to add insult to injury, and is going to be especially tough coming after a huge purchase we have made for our next trip up to the plot. Ironically, the purchase is linked to the water system inadequacies and problems facing the area.</span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-82205358289113214452014-06-15T22:58:00.000+02:002014-07-26T23:18:34.121+02:00The Dead of Winter<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">@@@@@@@@</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Through rain, wind and hail, we bared up our brows</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yet hate stormed our feet, hour upon hours</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Earth hugs our sap, sweet and intense</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Our only sin, we were mensch </span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-32929247243167593532014-05-21T09:48:00.000+02:002014-06-28T19:51:06.564+02:00Catatonic<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is well over two years since our cats died unexpectedly, three in the space of six months. Since then, I have resisted acquiring another cat. Its difficult to be away from home when you have pets.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Instead, we took on a second dog, <u><a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2012/10/dog-blog.html" target="_blank">Midge</a></u>. She is small and fulfills many yearnings for a lap-pet. It is easy enough to take dogs with us to our plot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But I have been overwhelmed at times by the huge hole in my life that only a cat can fill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These last two years have been the first cat-less life lived in at least 5 decades! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meet our new kitty, Gypsy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9eX13mK9VVIBgwRHn8lumY8Ds1q_nqlSF6h6rzv10yuKaCjqRGlzv5aPejBuuuntS3HE-Kn9AIPZalqvmVlf3kqKWv7KsRGHbSdiIZkLSAFMwRXJcQo5yaz643qbzmAZQrOx18KIdp5w/s1600/gyp3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9eX13mK9VVIBgwRHn8lumY8Ds1q_nqlSF6h6rzv10yuKaCjqRGlzv5aPejBuuuntS3HE-Kn9AIPZalqvmVlf3kqKWv7KsRGHbSdiIZkLSAFMwRXJcQo5yaz643qbzmAZQrOx18KIdp5w/s1600/gyp3.jpg" height="320" width="285" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She was lost or abandoned by somebody and there is no way to track down her previous owner. No microchip. No lost adverts with photographs to match her appearance.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She has fitted so perfectly into our lives and its as though we have always known each other. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5_GinK-iXLOYMk8deHog0dM0wZvHbVO14oV0PYigN5yr2KEHCz7Wpom_bWj75iEoqYJ_DAPnHi_hyphenhyphenODrYksTbKRrdZgceuiDFRy-2dGkrClFHkVkSACFykTiUTef3_AEJ7itwJaz-Oj5/s1600/gyp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5_GinK-iXLOYMk8deHog0dM0wZvHbVO14oV0PYigN5yr2KEHCz7Wpom_bWj75iEoqYJ_DAPnHi_hyphenhyphenODrYksTbKRrdZgceuiDFRy-2dGkrClFHkVkSACFykTiUTef3_AEJ7itwJaz-Oj5/s1600/gyp.jpg" height="320" width="288" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yes, she has taken over our hearts completely!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgwmhucM0NcnIaHbgbx5wzoavlWZwJnuHC9xt59bkWNgSN3OCvDii_3XlpdVQ1b_m3xiMdYclyhWh9-8bux7Sl7oEpeacGzaqierGzosR_xyqo0_9Y1f-vBATfKaK_ocpnI25ohN_oU_I/s1600/gyp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKgwmhucM0NcnIaHbgbx5wzoavlWZwJnuHC9xt59bkWNgSN3OCvDii_3XlpdVQ1b_m3xiMdYclyhWh9-8bux7Sl7oEpeacGzaqierGzosR_xyqo0_9Y1f-vBATfKaK_ocpnI25ohN_oU_I/s1600/gyp2.jpg" height="320" width="273" /></a></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-65869388000656226702014-05-10T19:12:00.000+02:002014-07-11T12:03:54.648+02:00Oom Geeltjie's Finale<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Following on soon from the last building session, in the last week of April, Roy went up for one final fling with the concrete mixer at the plot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brother-in-law once again joined him for the first weekend. Roy found himself <b><u><a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2011/10/dear-diary-may-2007-may-2008_11.html" target="_blank">repeating</a></u></b> a photograph of sunrise, sunset...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sunrise </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMD7D9WSN3Fs5aSb7zn9bdl8evt6iVjaNCFWzo0ypa9Q_fW0aTW3upV0jBoVJ9naKjce7hsmA96biv5mB4yN8kF2nXNK5BHdLKZeyDfVUJADpOSMsbSoRf4IDi-MqZ1oTrhlZPbvWqsJ5/s1600/sn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMD7D9WSN3Fs5aSb7zn9bdl8evt6iVjaNCFWzo0ypa9Q_fW0aTW3upV0jBoVJ9naKjce7hsmA96biv5mB4yN8kF2nXNK5BHdLKZeyDfVUJADpOSMsbSoRf4IDi-MqZ1oTrhlZPbvWqsJ5/s1600/sn.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nsaWJvC4iPs8A15IvLD2XHGw3sRb9ED0j96UlwCQqn0_H-bxFy7K0u6PDmgwM1cewUARzL_66OUu34xxwY1mP_sfkB-A45NBaaNNOsy2mlA3MovUbCOljY8SWlgRTGy8EnTxY96Efsoy/s1600/image_12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nsaWJvC4iPs8A15IvLD2XHGw3sRb9ED0j96UlwCQqn0_H-bxFy7K0u6PDmgwM1cewUARzL_66OUu34xxwY1mP_sfkB-A45NBaaNNOsy2mlA3MovUbCOljY8SWlgRTGy8EnTxY96Efsoy/s1600/image_12.jpg" height="170" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The final cement and concrete work totaled five working days and, as per usual, it was hectic. The weather delayed the session by a day and on one rainy day, after such delays, building took place well after sunset by the light of two solar lights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The "to-do" list included three main tasks: screed topping on the rest of the verandah; a concrete apron in front of the cellar opening, with a step to hide exposed foundations; the last layers of the </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">brick</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">platform, built to elevate a water tank, a planned future purchase. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioqqHfz9057RpL17ZJGHVC2Ws8bUw2seGNwexAuMa1Gnrn2U0fRzyiwPpg3K_pjXBF8DP_LTPW2_TuRcOXkiDXFGNfzE5iqeIs1T6CwuxaAslYGxWAvtMcqs5bQdbp11yRm529sF0nt3g/s1600/image_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioqqHfz9057RpL17ZJGHVC2Ws8bUw2seGNwexAuMa1Gnrn2U0fRzyiwPpg3K_pjXBF8DP_LTPW2_TuRcOXkiDXFGNfzE5iqeIs1T6CwuxaAslYGxWAvtMcqs5bQdbp11yRm529sF0nt3g/s1600/image_8.jpg" height="300" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO32LU6fCiRKsUvYpInV08WjyR7T-vVcE16UdLVSHV-nkEjugchtVAqCR7uZMvaW3N8-ZiLKVlKDDjMB_SBDsf1sp1-FT5p1mWA3MumTJZRW3g0oHgW_-ww5aBxLae1g1TjOxAIQJRQpOL/s1600/image_10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO32LU6fCiRKsUvYpInV08WjyR7T-vVcE16UdLVSHV-nkEjugchtVAqCR7uZMvaW3N8-ZiLKVlKDDjMB_SBDsf1sp1-FT5p1mWA3MumTJZRW3g0oHgW_-ww5aBxLae1g1TjOxAIQJRQpOL/s1600/image_10.jpg" height="230" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One problem that needed to be solved was the rough finish of the step in front of the sliding doors. The opening for the door proved to be half a brick too high when built a few years ago and the quick solution then was just to chop off half the height of the bricks. Its rough-shod and uneven levels were a headache now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">The bricklayer had to carefully plan levels to provide for water run-off as well as be something aesthetically pleasing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp25J95Tl0t-WP8eTBnuzxdbhkzGA8yhng-0Itb4iQxKiRS89uOilDBSDyvl-A2rMrWTASZDmMZKdYyYCuW0QbZMMHDHP69xu6YvaRCx0XxX5GhDSLFJN55SlXU_VaLlxblc1qwz5u7uBu/s1600/DSCF0860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp25J95Tl0t-WP8eTBnuzxdbhkzGA8yhng-0Itb4iQxKiRS89uOilDBSDyvl-A2rMrWTASZDmMZKdYyYCuW0QbZMMHDHP69xu6YvaRCx0XxX5GhDSLFJN55SlXU_VaLlxblc1qwz5u7uBu/s1600/DSCF0860.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAw-COwxBkL_LURmSU3leOkcipM_UUlNYjEaGR7S20U7v7xuTMaA1Q2GvqoAlPVpM2mre-zqdFjikJHjRolQZhCd1Fb0NnBjtMMDsmRBGFEGsXaoTYSL2slKwxIeYaduzK2LI5FBlkSKb/s1600/image_13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAw-COwxBkL_LURmSU3leOkcipM_UUlNYjEaGR7S20U7v7xuTMaA1Q2GvqoAlPVpM2mre-zqdFjikJHjRolQZhCd1Fb0NnBjtMMDsmRBGFEGsXaoTYSL2slKwxIeYaduzK2LI5FBlkSKb/s1600/image_13.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Exposed foundations needed to be neatened off in conjunction with a concrete apron outside that cellar opening. The apron needs to divert water flow away from the opening.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGmXZO_hJpCz24Wyl9QC65IAZ5YYUfMVf6N7tsvlG2kJMPAla200N5UepOe8WNLP_4FuvPoYYEQUlRbdr0XkJokMAoq2mNVLV0kmKcx2cQVMd8L9gNfbh6v8QgT6FRNrfkIS9IsiRiRt8/s1600/image_14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGmXZO_hJpCz24Wyl9QC65IAZ5YYUfMVf6N7tsvlG2kJMPAla200N5UepOe8WNLP_4FuvPoYYEQUlRbdr0XkJokMAoq2mNVLV0kmKcx2cQVMd8L9gNfbh6v8QgT6FRNrfkIS9IsiRiRt8/s1600/image_14.jpg" height="320" width="295" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Rain caused them to pin up shade-cloth to protect the wet cement, on the screed under the deck, from water erosion overnight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-align: left;">Before returning to Cape Town, final touches included John filling the brick platform, painting the rails with NS4 and Roy installing the steps on the stairway. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">John could only help on weekends and public holidays as he is currently working for someone else and duties had to be light because he was sporting a hand injury.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So at last, Oom Geeltjie, the concrete mixer, has turned his last load of cement for us and awaits a new project and owner for the future.</span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-22778862695469193302014-04-19T22:22:00.000+02:002014-05-14T22:02:42.323+02:00Autumn Action<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Autumn creeps up on us, we savour any day which recalls the warmth of summer before the handover to chilly winter.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWVCHYsWfXAut6hSPz8ipu2GhWqQHnWs-Xos7ughmTSc6qz3DDrxjNS-7KCcSdtlQsDcqDIMkdzo8nIEcid6tPevyvE2cVAgQYaN6Lw_x38fHmhoPoInGI4tW5YXGus8YdH24pGIkUpfB/s1600/image_18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWVCHYsWfXAut6hSPz8ipu2GhWqQHnWs-Xos7ughmTSc6qz3DDrxjNS-7KCcSdtlQsDcqDIMkdzo8nIEcid6tPevyvE2cVAgQYaN6Lw_x38fHmhoPoInGI4tW5YXGus8YdH24pGIkUpfB/s1600/image_18.jpg" height="305" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love experimenting with growing plants from cuttings during this cooler period. They don't dry out so quickly.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8YYn8kgs26bp-5Pe8FrB6fgrJiue62u0ZyFPO4bd8e_EMD81oLfSfPOJcbsj2HjPv36d6QF9Fm579SuZZRDc7ABP1wjSBcp2SeuFpFabkvRjTMbPhgNYW4VCSOWTxZAW-BactkIeXkTj/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8YYn8kgs26bp-5Pe8FrB6fgrJiue62u0ZyFPO4bd8e_EMD81oLfSfPOJcbsj2HjPv36d6QF9Fm579SuZZRDc7ABP1wjSBcp2SeuFpFabkvRjTMbPhgNYW4VCSOWTxZAW-BactkIeXkTj/s1600/image.jpg" height="320" width="242" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fYBSfVOA3ZfXuHAYHAQ5-L8NXcybesz-hs0e2Ym1HtJ2jhjtOoaIoEFCCI08RvCBUsVl9h5bCG_Rv4PhJ2T022x8wa0hAwFszKXNS6aCNJ1p1gpmcrCoAQ4c3REobu_h7FjVbWYQJBii/s1600/image_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fYBSfVOA3ZfXuHAYHAQ5-L8NXcybesz-hs0e2Ym1HtJ2jhjtOoaIoEFCCI08RvCBUsVl9h5bCG_Rv4PhJ2T022x8wa0hAwFszKXNS6aCNJ1p1gpmcrCoAQ4c3REobu_h7FjVbWYQJBii/s1600/image_1.jpg" height="320" width="272" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Colours are always so much more intense. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zz_bKJ1pEap7AvlXGXa85FtJKNmFNBg0iu_eZkgzxR3TkdcuONWUcIh6rAXqbQDFZExXSWIcUqkXAggIAl0aPDmXls45oPvYgwofe4l7u0MdE0hJrcoyPHi2b8fV3Z-qks2TQslJa4yy/s1600/image_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zz_bKJ1pEap7AvlXGXa85FtJKNmFNBg0iu_eZkgzxR3TkdcuONWUcIh6rAXqbQDFZExXSWIcUqkXAggIAl0aPDmXls45oPvYgwofe4l7u0MdE0hJrcoyPHi2b8fV3Z-qks2TQslJa4yy/s1600/image_3.jpg" height="320" width="236" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We stayed up at the plot for almost the entire first week of April. We first overnighted in Pringle Bay and visited friends as we did last year in September. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next morning, it was cold and rain clouds were about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the plot, we spent time attending to small chores. Attending to one chore left over from his last building session, Roy now covered the painted board of the platform above the door with malthoid, sealed the joins with membrane cloth and then painted with roof sealant paint. This should ensure protection and waterproofing of the structure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am still not able to get up onto the deck as there are no steps yet on the stairway and I have a fear of climbing a ladder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We visited friends nearby who have hand-reared an abandoned Barn owlet into a beautiful specimen. He flies in every evening for his dinner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a hoot! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Cape honeysuckle on the fence is starting to spread nicely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We added a shade-cloth cover above the top windows for protection against NEXT summer's sun. It is supposed to be a temporary measure until we install something sturdier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We will probably leave it there until it perishes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A different perspective of the plot, without the usual mountain backdrop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On our return to Cape Town we were delighted to spend a day with our dear friends who emigrated to Australia about 14 years ago. We took them to the Spice Route Farm in Paarl and then on to the Hillcrest Berry Orchard Farms. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is so difficult to be the ones left behind when most of your family and friends move far away. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please come back soon!</span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-15854940680078762252014-03-12T18:01:00.001+02:002014-05-13T22:30:13.328+02:00Birthday BuildAfter our trip to the plot in early February, Roy returned two weeks later, a day or two after a major milestone birthday of his, and he moved into the caravan for the next two weeks. Our brother-in-law joined him for the weekend before the builders were due to start on the Monday. He was of invaluable help as cook and bottle washer, as well as passing tools and materials to Roy as he built a platform over the door and wedged the staircase into position for the builder.<br />
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Brother-in-law was sad to see how many metal decorative tools had been removed from the Gomo Guti Gate since <a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2011/10/dear-diary-may-2007-may-2008_11.html" target="_blank"><i>he last saw</i></a> it a couple of years ago. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBCN49cJbh95J4zzDOJh0iuiTWUWMCTD9QjgFwA19nfIO6TJSa9w2shvWHmMG7BTF_uSl6gNLu3fwkdD1P4CsOa2GYoeU97mt3-c47j-MK19RZ0qgZwksZiG015VKgaJnSPVzg69ukafw/s1600/hb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBCN49cJbh95J4zzDOJh0iuiTWUWMCTD9QjgFwA19nfIO6TJSa9w2shvWHmMG7BTF_uSl6gNLu3fwkdD1P4CsOa2GYoeU97mt3-c47j-MK19RZ0qgZwksZiG015VKgaJnSPVzg69ukafw/s1600/hb.JPG" height="261" width="320" /></a></div>
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This staircase was purchased second hand in 2011 and we sanded and painted it with NS4. It has been stored since then in the main room of the building so this means there should be less clutter now.</div>
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Brother-in-law departed on the Monday as Roy went to fetch the builder and his helper from Suurbraak. </div>
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The builder is 65 years old and usually only builds for 3 days of any week but as he was feeling energetic, he ended up working a full five days and then three days of the following week. Roy values the skills of this old timer who has such a wealth of experience and Roy gives him a free rein.<br />
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Firstly, after chipping away at excess bits of concrete, the screed, which had to be thrown in two sections, was laid, one half on Monday, the other half on the following Monday. This allowed for transfer of items from one side of the room to the other, once the first half had dried and been polished. By throwing a screed on the floor, as already done in the bathroom and little bedroom, the final finish would mean that we can move along with building cupboards and installing a sink.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">The second half had to be mixed by hand because overnight rain had played havoc with the concrete mixer's spark plug. The texture has to be just right, producing a mixture which does not run but which compresses into a moist, pliable texture. </span></div>
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The staircase was not tall enough. Before the staircase could be installed, the water tank on the stoep had to be moved to it's now permanent position, in order to make space for a stepped brick platform which would boost the staircase.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Next on the to-do list was to extend the pillars above deck-level. Preparation entailed throwing bricks expertly onto upper deck and carting up buckets of cement. </span></div>
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Once the pillars were set, Roy installed metal railings. These railings do seem overly extravagant for this building and it's purpose, but we didn't pay a cent for them. The seller of the staircase was anxious that he would "get stuck" with these railings that he had ripped out during his house renovations and we were only too happy to take them off his hands. </div>
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Unbelievably, they were a perfect fit and were used without any need for resizing. When we acquired them, the footprint of the building was already established, so it is quite amazing how suitably they have served us.</div>
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You can see the mark on the concrete surface where the water tank used to stand.</div>
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Roy finished off the platform with wooden planks, covered it with thin plywood, material and sealant. Next time, he will cover this with Malthoid and finalise with another coat of sealant.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDSwYgZ1gSiK0ccFulLIC-Zhx7TZw6EgcJWpehwrQL5vr2R-r4LrWkLEygDvPHbA25PITR5svuhbLrGrFvyVgwtYunLePd8GSKubQQeCoVAKsCH5ecZpZXJ8Uh1LJ3kih6DziVwqf5q9r/s1600/plat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhDSwYgZ1gSiK0ccFulLIC-Zhx7TZw6EgcJWpehwrQL5vr2R-r4LrWkLEygDvPHbA25PITR5svuhbLrGrFvyVgwtYunLePd8GSKubQQeCoVAKsCH5ecZpZXJ8Uh1LJ3kih6DziVwqf5q9r/s1600/plat.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a><br />
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The next chore was to use up the last of our bricks on a project for the future. Can you guess what it is for? It is along our back boundary fence at the highest spot. (which is not very high, and we do need height for the purpose) </div>
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Besides the inside coloured screed, in order to use up the last of our current building sand, a start was made on the outside stoep screed. </div>
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After a celebratory lunch at the local Wimpy with the team, with arrangements made for next time, Roy and John spent the last day finalising some unfinished items as far as possible.</div>
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Before setting off for home, Roy delightedly snapped these March Lilies, which are growing from seed, harvested in my Cape Town garden.</div>
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<br />Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-32171178697367661312014-02-14T22:30:00.000+02:002014-05-13T22:52:16.585+02:00Pony Post<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We traveled up to our plot at the beginning of February for four days. The trip's main purpose was to move as much as we could of furniture and items from the main room into the small bedroom. This was done with a view to reviving our building program which had not moved on for the last two years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On one of our strolls, I took this photo. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtlX2LwbIEN7IK7j6chX9FmA32VTVM-YAZzsSrHaxYoH-BnkP9dyFUDC6XhLUbOWJxh5i3O_q0G03pXT7NlK8Xno0j781sUG6II7YBGffFtPkWYIO47dTkfUqlZEeaYXiqHzPl5HTwW7p/s1600/rkuilpony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtlX2LwbIEN7IK7j6chX9FmA32VTVM-YAZzsSrHaxYoH-BnkP9dyFUDC6XhLUbOWJxh5i3O_q0G03pXT7NlK8Xno0j781sUG6II7YBGffFtPkWYIO47dTkfUqlZEeaYXiqHzPl5HTwW7p/s1600/rkuilpony.jpg" height="207" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nothing quite beats a view which includes a pony or horse!</span><br />
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-72349392767030835692014-01-14T22:02:00.000+02:002014-01-16T18:19:52.252+02:00Summer Break<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We went up to the plot for a week between Christmas and New Year, staying just long enough to greet 2014 in the peace and quiet of the countryside.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Things were looking pretty green, considering that it is summer. Some rains in November seem to have made a difference.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had thought that we should consider cutting down the huge Black Wattle, firstly because it is an invasive alien and secondly, because a neighbour's tree like this fell over recently in a strong wind. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But after sitting in it's shade for four hours on a very hot day, we decided to postpone that action until our other trees are much bigger and are able to offer similar relief.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On our return to Cape Town, our botanist neighbour identified some of the natural plants which are flourishing...some indigenous, some not.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.88888931274414px;">Three indigenous Athanasia (Daisy) species</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcihXeUOk0GqyteS0_2UPZ8qwU1XTFs1HybSA0YOwuySUHg87AR-J-r_MfFOtihegp5XPGbbjsAvOmeejVWQnGXmSWSJ06o6b6oqiGPdKZohLv_MZHEyMmCTbIx1jx9zQKWAwMZcRX4qr/s1600/yellow2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVcihXeUOk0GqyteS0_2UPZ8qwU1XTFs1HybSA0YOwuySUHg87AR-J-r_MfFOtihegp5XPGbbjsAvOmeejVWQnGXmSWSJ06o6b6oqiGPdKZohLv_MZHEyMmCTbIx1jx9zQKWAwMZcRX4qr/s320/yellow2.JPG" height="157" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px;">Athanasia Juncea</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECN8wLg_AUxSdfhMW9uvm_sD6O4dL6xDPXzGraA_Qac15iPOKIeLCBjV0zLlhJTpdTIpGRw-FUniKmFPA_kq1Sg62J7Ir82IZDjrj1kC_Ne_-yixUdpRr5LPuVrMxjIn-ZYMLueYucBMv/s1600/yellow3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECN8wLg_AUxSdfhMW9uvm_sD6O4dL6xDPXzGraA_Qac15iPOKIeLCBjV0zLlhJTpdTIpGRw-FUniKmFPA_kq1Sg62J7Ir82IZDjrj1kC_Ne_-yixUdpRr5LPuVrMxjIn-ZYMLueYucBMv/s320/yellow3.JPG" height="243" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".r[7d].[1][3][1]{comment516114868486811_516115188486779}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]" style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[7d].[1][3][1]{comment516114868486811_516115188486779}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]" style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span data-reactid=".r[7d].[1][3][1]{comment516114868486811_516115188486779}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[7d].[1][3][1]{comment516114868486811_516115188486779}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].{end}[0]{0}[0]">Athanasia Quinquedentata</span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A6YJ594o5i4nPPCQpwPYW5k2oacY9ogM6nH4a4kNTeswi_R37ihZ1hPjX5sQrrx6GKoUQoOhjt1LLX9ZC_fGTqtcWAW2ri0DTV0JwdGxIHKkJdvn0L9h69psTWdCShb0_gF2jwcdaFpf/s1600/yellow1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A6YJ594o5i4nPPCQpwPYW5k2oacY9ogM6nH4a4kNTeswi_R37ihZ1hPjX5sQrrx6GKoUQoOhjt1LLX9ZC_fGTqtcWAW2ri0DTV0JwdGxIHKkJdvn0L9h69psTWdCShb0_gF2jwcdaFpf/s320/yellow1.JPG" height="311" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Athanasia trifurcata – kouterbos or klaaslouwsbos – unpalatable and thus often a pioneer in old lands; sands or shales; whereas the other two are mostly shale species</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO0x9vwtKjV613eMmxgoIseRkVQXeF7NkT_4bN1IrnKLMEr4sh_79xPdEbFL4vPUUJWCS9NDOjwzysyjuzZFH-z6WSqRA3eFwlFk_J7IgpUr0FvLgGNdA0-5NsxjPQGL9h_xQFJEKiX0s/s1600/bush1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHO0x9vwtKjV613eMmxgoIseRkVQXeF7NkT_4bN1IrnKLMEr4sh_79xPdEbFL4vPUUJWCS9NDOjwzysyjuzZFH-z6WSqRA3eFwlFk_J7IgpUr0FvLgGNdA0-5NsxjPQGL9h_xQFJEKiX0s/s320/bush1.JPG" height="187" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hermannia species - doll’s rose; indigenous</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-T34BTF1vLusvI8YarEt8uujdQJaO2P3jiGhzTPyFidfVlAYtVpYPy0GkbqlrbRMbb4trSzCceCbeWsdpqGe_zVoKwBIXWpDbIvxQdgHprNQH79d21Z1hG9gX35GhIkCzQiEDmR6oNjK/s1600/bush2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-T34BTF1vLusvI8YarEt8uujdQJaO2P3jiGhzTPyFidfVlAYtVpYPy0GkbqlrbRMbb4trSzCceCbeWsdpqGe_zVoKwBIXWpDbIvxQdgHprNQH79d21Z1hG9gX35GhIkCzQiEDmR6oNjK/s320/bush2.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Searsia (Rhus) pallens – indigenous taaibos</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIbCKfbo_CRqLsJTzFjDxtZlm1Hlh48QhdEo_lFu90YB8nFrPVYg-Q6lfx4qwifsdhQy1YfQDGobopz0BKRLc_pHoHlhC3Yb-d98TQIdAZnuNzujRdwI-v-lTcsPBqiUdF5i8cn61QmYQ/s1600/bush3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJIbCKfbo_CRqLsJTzFjDxtZlm1Hlh48QhdEo_lFu90YB8nFrPVYg-Q6lfx4qwifsdhQy1YfQDGobopz0BKRLc_pHoHlhC3Yb-d98TQIdAZnuNzujRdwI-v-lTcsPBqiUdF5i8cn61QmYQ/s320/bush3.JPG" height="144" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span data-reactid=".r[71].[1][3][1]{comment516115991820032_516116321819999}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]" style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".r[71].[1][3][1]{comment516115991820032_516116321819999}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]" style="line-height: 15.555556297302246px;"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[71].[1][3][1]{comment516115991820032_516116321819999}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]" style="line-height: 15.555556297302246px;"><span data-reactid=".r[71].[1][3][1]{comment516115991820032_516116321819999}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[71].[1][3][1]{comment516115991820032_516116321819999}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].{end}[0]{0}[0]">Helichrysum patulum – indigenous; kooigoed</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbKiwjfGSfV7mwDxckJ61g5N8wIj0D7T4RciyqBqyKjcp1-m8jjeAUlkfQTXMsrhyphenhyphenZsWaYbGaCBYruzUgygO7gyiAIHbu1MP6Wa0m6Ntebx1nP4NU4J6llTcTB5hk2XHxDpLSKgc_EiuB/s1600/bush4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbKiwjfGSfV7mwDxckJ61g5N8wIj0D7T4RciyqBqyKjcp1-m8jjeAUlkfQTXMsrhyphenhyphenZsWaYbGaCBYruzUgygO7gyiAIHbu1MP6Wa0m6Ntebx1nP4NU4J6llTcTB5hk2XHxDpLSKgc_EiuB/s320/bush4.JPG" height="257" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Selago sp - indigenous</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMS-eOGUK3EhsJinAh7btYSJ6DVXnjjpl5kNm57uIdVeWhT1FKDxs_I5th-4JJF6aDuupXGfXlCMhmbP4TSxOwuo7yRP58Fe-eUDDgfnToWR7pFuwC-dfMsiUHB_jAUynopEx-LYseiWE/s1600/only+one.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMS-eOGUK3EhsJinAh7btYSJ6DVXnjjpl5kNm57uIdVeWhT1FKDxs_I5th-4JJF6aDuupXGfXlCMhmbP4TSxOwuo7yRP58Fe-eUDDgfnToWR7pFuwC-dfMsiUHB_jAUynopEx-LYseiWE/s320/only+one.JPG" height="256" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span data-reactid=".r[6j].[1][3][1]{comment516116005153364_516129481818683}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][2]" style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px;"> </span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".r[6j].[1][3][1]{comment516116005153364_516129481818683}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3]" style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px;"><span data-reactid=".r[6j].[1][3][1]{comment516116005153364_516129481818683}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0]"><span data-reactid=".r[6j].[1][3][1]{comment516116005153364_516129481818683}[0].[0].{right}.[0].{left}.[0].[0].[0][3].[0].{end}[0]{0}[0]">Pteronia ovalifolia??</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjGgaRJ0L7Qw54OFmnpuUAVLTbO1VkmF6I9ZeF5kXFV9ML3TnKEBVvS7bDueU9yC8DvkfA8id1tg64LnfosjsyqVS2BPMgac_5AlV9aEhL2qZnB2VjdXXXx1UoAsO02JOlriSx-CLKBdH/s1600/bush5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOjGgaRJ0L7Qw54OFmnpuUAVLTbO1VkmF6I9ZeF5kXFV9ML3TnKEBVvS7bDueU9yC8DvkfA8id1tg64LnfosjsyqVS2BPMgac_5AlV9aEhL2qZnB2VjdXXXx1UoAsO02JOlriSx-CLKBdH/s320/bush5.JPG" height="147" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1MKd2-6K9hyphenhyphensMikzbl3sI8GsfIm2IH-ZUZpyHtQ8QUDJ7rcNItLYSLcyxrNMzWjvuPUDeIEtJCkkRdKe6zZoVAyMssTGa-un_8BiE2tyxpM0kfFs49HVtQGKP91ieLogFUc4Mr15Ksro/s1600/Otholobium.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1MKd2-6K9hyphenhyphensMikzbl3sI8GsfIm2IH-ZUZpyHtQ8QUDJ7rcNItLYSLcyxrNMzWjvuPUDeIEtJCkkRdKe6zZoVAyMssTGa-un_8BiE2tyxpM0kfFs49HVtQGKP91ieLogFUc4Mr15Ksro/s200/Otholobium.JPG" height="170" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.88888931274414px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Otholobium arborescens?</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGEU3JY31UFS01K25hejc0L20tiXNAesrYn_qPHoyqqxfFZWzFqRZRUQSwfS7dNpzS4weM4RkBm9M2WoSrA5OEAn4O-e1XTWG_2ykpiMNcdGSuhBjMyWlJkJ8wfbeQnV7IFAxywvX46D2/s1600/grass2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGEU3JY31UFS01K25hejc0L20tiXNAesrYn_qPHoyqqxfFZWzFqRZRUQSwfS7dNpzS4weM4RkBm9M2WoSrA5OEAn4O-e1XTWG_2ykpiMNcdGSuhBjMyWlJkJ8wfbeQnV7IFAxywvX46D2/s320/grass2.JPG" height="187" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Melinis repens in foreground (Natal red top; indigenous but invasive from summer rainfall areas); and the tall one is Hyparrhenia hirta (thatching grass; ditto re origins, and very invasive in Renosterveld and along roads)</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfUiTG0swU1-w1WCOyRQlmjSaeNooI51siJEB4c-uliTJJHhfNqhx8bJ-BFIQ9L8bgQzMkGxI1hvNYOPZzlKm5pme5gJjKDCSLPTsaayv97eQ3xP7PWHWKlotRQZZtvwNkbLgfoGKBnmU/s1600/at.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfUiTG0swU1-w1WCOyRQlmjSaeNooI51siJEB4c-uliTJJHhfNqhx8bJ-BFIQ9L8bgQzMkGxI1hvNYOPZzlKm5pme5gJjKDCSLPTsaayv97eQ3xP7PWHWKlotRQZZtvwNkbLgfoGKBnmU/s320/at.jpg" height="296" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This dry spiky one is Trifolium angustifolium and it is extremely prickly and a nuisance in the dogs coat. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tOyN6j8xQ5H3eYQoAx77kvDH6mFyEmExl-UNyzEFcciPwpS6V2WZ5jfmVud56VgW2_FIKFyJFRKafigvNZD_Oukw-StSjlHRcQ7oAUGVvRxGeBECD_kBSXikPIsI84nzPCslWpq-x4Ia/s1600/common.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8tOyN6j8xQ5H3eYQoAx77kvDH6mFyEmExl-UNyzEFcciPwpS6V2WZ5jfmVud56VgW2_FIKFyJFRKafigvNZD_Oukw-StSjlHRcQ7oAUGVvRxGeBECD_kBSXikPIsI84nzPCslWpq-x4Ia/s320/common.JPG" height="181" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This prolific plant with its little gooseberry type casings is an unknown alien...somewhere else on the planet, someone is struggling to get it to grow in their garden!!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAhGWcS2pdyZq7RGDn6M8GkaDkV5BDEn2t8PTPZgr4TOvjKwZy2PADsxShK4P9TD8UNY8_TnKnWyjdseb-yEfZYWeuFi0Sxklkz-faoHUi2qGLBUwxfH1YhII8tVyrO4T0lRONbHxaAF7/s1600/weed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAhGWcS2pdyZq7RGDn6M8GkaDkV5BDEn2t8PTPZgr4TOvjKwZy2PADsxShK4P9TD8UNY8_TnKnWyjdseb-yEfZYWeuFi0Sxklkz-faoHUi2qGLBUwxfH1YhII8tVyrO4T0lRONbHxaAF7/s320/weed.JPG" height="209" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #edeff4; line-height: 15.555556297302246px; text-align: left;">Apparently Conyzas are alien but there is an </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.88888931274414px;"> indigenous Conyza Scabrida...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #073763; line-height: 18.88888931274414px;">we are not sure about this one..</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #073763; line-height: 18.875px;">I am told that botanists need flowers and even fruit in order to make a complete identification. </span></span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-12502532314219391622013-12-26T10:45:00.001+02:002013-12-26T10:46:06.634+02:00Readings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I came across an old tattered Bible bookmark from my youth. I see the date on it is 1972. I am going to toss the bookmark but feel reluctant to toss the writings on the back. It is in tiny, teenager font, in faded pencil, which I can barely read. The only way to free myself from this bookmark is to type up the writings .....(OCD!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Lord God: Gen 1: 1- 12; Ex 33: 12 - 23; Job 38: 1-13; Ps 86; Ps 97; Is 40:
10-31</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Holiness of God: Ex 3:1-6; Ps 99; Is 6:1-7; Eph 5: 1-18; Heb 12:14-29; 1
Peter 1: 13-25; Rev 1:8-18</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Wisdom of God: Ps 104: 1 - 24; Jer 10: 10-16; Job 28: 12-28; Prov </span><st1:time hour="8" minute="10"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">8:
10</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> - 36;
Rom </span><st1:time hour="11" minute="25"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">11: 25</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Verdana;">-36; 1 Cor: 17-31; Eph 3: 1-12</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Power of God: Gen 1:24-31; Job 37:5-24; Ex </span><st1:time hour="14" minute="13"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">14:13</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Verdana;">-31; Ps 107: 21-43; Dan 3: 8-28; Nahum
1: 1-7</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Law of God: Ex 20:1 - 17; Deut 4:1 - 13; Mat </span><st1:time hour="17" minute="17"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">5:17</span></st1:time><span style="font-family: Verdana;">-37; Luke 6:27-38; Luke 10:25-37; Luke
18:18-27</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Judgement of God: Gen 6:5-13; Gen 7:1-4, 11-24; 1 Kings 21: 1-20; Dan 5:1-9,
17-31: Acts 4:32 -5:11; Luke 13:1-9; Rev 20:11-15</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Mercy of God: Gen 9:8-17; Numb 14:11-20; Deut 30:1-9; Ps 103; Ps 106:32-48;
Ps 136:1-12, 23-26; Jonah 3</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Love of God: John 15:4-21; Rom 5:1-11; Rom 8:28-39; 1 Cor13; Mat 6:25-34; 1
John 3:1-11; 1 John 4:7 - 21</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
Grace of God: 2 Cor:9</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-3476886050136896652013-12-21T15:39:00.006+02:002013-12-21T19:49:26.954+02:00Champagne Days<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a few weeks of South Easter wind blowing the summer in, we have had two lovely days of sunshine and cool breezes - Champagne Days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I strolled through the garden to see how things are growing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Agapanthus time has arrived and blue heads are nodding.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYU2N5fHSn7GeXJfH9krrIi7_EhN3v53VkgkBAHEdJ292D5usYl-Vi1PFYtxbuFr_I70A0qhpqegl0_skwbajh8haSGseeGaTw06WCBnon3km4dPk_1kptLDgNY_WIPOJT6FN2WaRjctkE/s1600/image_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYU2N5fHSn7GeXJfH9krrIi7_EhN3v53VkgkBAHEdJ292D5usYl-Vi1PFYtxbuFr_I70A0qhpqegl0_skwbajh8haSGseeGaTw06WCBnon3km4dPk_1kptLDgNY_WIPOJT6FN2WaRjctkE/s320/image_3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the third year that I have grown baby Agapanthus to sell. It will probably be the last year that I do it because sourcing soil to fill the pots is a problem and I don't want to pay for soil when I sell the plants so cheaply.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F2TZ1XVCGrEs8x4ZRQN6Xd-50kZBuxLzDW0nlvDLjOGJtUc5APxAFnxNrUKsFP1o3d66yaVqZvqapT27FekYhRZLiuEncKFyc7IN8vMql247J2Gha-t1RcfGV_oaNOruWZdcGSw6YF-S/s1600/image_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8F2TZ1XVCGrEs8x4ZRQN6Xd-50kZBuxLzDW0nlvDLjOGJtUc5APxAFnxNrUKsFP1o3d66yaVqZvqapT27FekYhRZLiuEncKFyc7IN8vMql247J2Gha-t1RcfGV_oaNOruWZdcGSw6YF-S/s320/image_1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have also grown some pomegranates from seed. I had planned to plant them all along a fence up at our plot but recently we were told that we had planted too many trees on our ground up there, so we have decided to draw the line. These will just have to grow here to a decent size and then perhaps I will sell them too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZBUmnD7KVu8gy8BAToyOXAvFh2Qy3-WEqvlN0UZ_CY7Af_qM9_lhupjPxqpNamZUw_4zuP6bzXFA5osximthaCSvZnS9w_R_Vf6vnMFXYYQ00KWaO0RMaEVfeetFCV4Uken9sgidrQ9d/s1600/image_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZBUmnD7KVu8gy8BAToyOXAvFh2Qy3-WEqvlN0UZ_CY7Af_qM9_lhupjPxqpNamZUw_4zuP6bzXFA5osximthaCSvZnS9w_R_Vf6vnMFXYYQ00KWaO0RMaEVfeetFCV4Uken9sgidrQ9d/s320/image_4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have not seen a loquat tree for years but recently came across one in a garden and have grown a few from seed. Who knows where these trees will eventually end up. Certainly not in this garden as I don't think the leaves enjoy the salt air.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44_pT9eNpbMV4HfNoiy2lFtjjt_OAxFtV1pvFzdrMJkLYOz5rH4DokttNuWMrJ4gFrwdoIBN-fxK97U2nsN9SUpeEwKSbCeVn3pdJ-Cob9ua__KiueylyKQ_BHKFWLY5taWFX_lHT5-hL/s1600/image_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh44_pT9eNpbMV4HfNoiy2lFtjjt_OAxFtV1pvFzdrMJkLYOz5rH4DokttNuWMrJ4gFrwdoIBN-fxK97U2nsN9SUpeEwKSbCeVn3pdJ-Cob9ua__KiueylyKQ_BHKFWLY5taWFX_lHT5-hL/s320/image_5.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A friend grew two Elderberry trees for us from cuttings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I need a new, empty garden to fill!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-JlR7opX04JM1Fp6EgfimgfSWkpZZysAIA3OQRhUPcOapq6e1Za6T-WMsMgVdokbyHI9pPfmFFvqikss22DGFjodYJS70I6V758PpYnYBGF8Y-4BnFAXeysQUXoJlBlWSYg4b84LlqaV/s1600/image_8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-JlR7opX04JM1Fp6EgfimgfSWkpZZysAIA3OQRhUPcOapq6e1Za6T-WMsMgVdokbyHI9pPfmFFvqikss22DGFjodYJS70I6V758PpYnYBGF8Y-4BnFAXeysQUXoJlBlWSYg4b84LlqaV/s320/image_8.jpg" width="249" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u><a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2013_09_01_archive.html" target="_blank">Some plants</a></u> to disguise an ugly neighbouring wall are starting to expand.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrFRc74Y1w0EtTQZjiyH2lMQeESmwqMGghOxoS_gaQbuT69frud2ksy6U4poCLkyGL8g9Pg2T-vmVHKH7wvJqpwwPnkbPzARfmLUXgSguDTtTLebBrhPU2DTta1SfCBORyngG38ssDFx-/s1600/image+(21).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrFRc74Y1w0EtTQZjiyH2lMQeESmwqMGghOxoS_gaQbuT69frud2ksy6U4poCLkyGL8g9Pg2T-vmVHKH7wvJqpwwPnkbPzARfmLUXgSguDTtTLebBrhPU2DTta1SfCBORyngG38ssDFx-/s320/image+(21).jpg" width="220" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> The driftwood will hopefully support a creeper. We are just waiting to see whether the neighbour is going to plaster the wall as they have done on their side. Notice the Wild Camphor on the right which we transplanted when we moved the retaining blocks. It seemed to have died but after a couple of months, has decided to give it another go and sprouted some new tentative leaves.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOlZFsMsKylOeSmQ2nKdU-C565unH0JMM1HwqzieJ_hXb2KrbqUKlxMGN0TLhO4LRu9yA0g840IO5-Tteo_L7g5b8N3Gxbz5rYnBCpVNoAcwXIvlK3evQ8m0IsyJxReP6dy9NlWsIqop6/s1600/image_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOlZFsMsKylOeSmQ2nKdU-C565unH0JMM1HwqzieJ_hXb2KrbqUKlxMGN0TLhO4LRu9yA0g840IO5-Tteo_L7g5b8N3Gxbz5rYnBCpVNoAcwXIvlK3evQ8m0IsyJxReP6dy9NlWsIqop6/s320/image_6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do you remember what this little archway looked like after the retaining blocks were <u><a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2013_05_01_archive.html" target="_blank">re-positioned</a></u>? This mint scented fine-leaved plant grows like a weed and as you brush past it....mmmm...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOkp4HBGww3OLanF1B9SY3svTbsVU_uN_ZKd_5U-zMcYjDBipEOdb_J5D48ItU_pSWiX9c7kZfHF9cn-QnbJ1M9D4o6gLtFHQD-XE5FIU-utCAskI-xf7V6ieiukAU8v3kqMGx4UQj_YG/s1600/image+(22).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOkp4HBGww3OLanF1B9SY3svTbsVU_uN_ZKd_5U-zMcYjDBipEOdb_J5D48ItU_pSWiX9c7kZfHF9cn-QnbJ1M9D4o6gLtFHQD-XE5FIU-utCAskI-xf7V6ieiukAU8v3kqMGx4UQj_YG/s320/image+(22).jpg" width="242" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have promised Roy that I will harvest the seed from this fennel so as not to allow it to take over the garden. We once lived for two years on top of Simon's Town mountain where the fennel had taken over completely and was like an impenetrable jungle.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LqYZN3Q1vAzQyERMLnJOan_BRl-leh3OyEuHFtAAMtMXKiLJAexv0uA0HCyxaIu6VFR-YWuf13m-1d_i4kjQEQLPqlHhAcF69lVgKRmxneXQlKCDbkUfzs20rcNhnL9ZTN2iEW8p0cPR/s1600/image_9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9LqYZN3Q1vAzQyERMLnJOan_BRl-leh3OyEuHFtAAMtMXKiLJAexv0uA0HCyxaIu6VFR-YWuf13m-1d_i4kjQEQLPqlHhAcF69lVgKRmxneXQlKCDbkUfzs20rcNhnL9ZTN2iEW8p0cPR/s320/image_9.jpg" width="163" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Little Oak-leaf lettuce offspring are coming up all over the garden - super!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpqJsCZy3lbpz9WV9KHnj-o4LNr-tujRC7YB55d1JgrnqOl1m6BqeoAByEmTPu8NISNpQ3mKvblzbQ1Za89s9rIDN_OoAfs62XNrKFuEhHdHoB7KwZQjlH4_Q3pcTQvJm6mqstwSKp_q-/s1600/image_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGpqJsCZy3lbpz9WV9KHnj-o4LNr-tujRC7YB55d1JgrnqOl1m6BqeoAByEmTPu8NISNpQ3mKvblzbQ1Za89s9rIDN_OoAfs62XNrKFuEhHdHoB7KwZQjlH4_Q3pcTQvJm6mqstwSKp_q-/s1600/image_2.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our neighbour across the road had a disastrous side-walk for about three years while the neighbour in front was renovating. After final completion of all the messy work recently, we redesigned the side-walk for him as a surprise on his recent arrival for summer from his home in Europe. He was ecstatic! The soil is incredibly sandy and dry. Once the plants expand over the rock mulch, it will look great. We planted easy growers like daisies, agapanthus, mint. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yLuU9sVj85hjJxuxt1bJu0Kr0lhng3GxsIGEqwEK9zSRz8-0PibfAsCW6CtRkn2uraWEYV8F1hCnoWeNtwNOLK8z5mXobR3I39gy0_BNHZnIi-exHkevMs3Y5Psk8e3pG-qw5pvgC0S7/s1600/sidewalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yLuU9sVj85hjJxuxt1bJu0Kr0lhng3GxsIGEqwEK9zSRz8-0PibfAsCW6CtRkn2uraWEYV8F1hCnoWeNtwNOLK8z5mXobR3I39gy0_BNHZnIi-exHkevMs3Y5Psk8e3pG-qw5pvgC0S7/s320/sidewalk.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These Dragon Fruit plants have been <u><a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2011/08/baboons-and-other-pests.html" target="_blank">growing from seed</a></u> for the last 2.5 years. I am going to sell them now because they need to be planted in a suitable garden or hothouse, I think. I usually have to bring them into our sunroom in the winter and it is becoming a nuisance due to size and prickles.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG9rrlGxgSzRXK7Imt9_nGQD42m17Ed_PrNvNCQ8WJYYfRe5MqC9xqRzSibuERWGQFUxdgluCtg0A0U8oAc2-mhpvpf4sEoeWAxcTCGpLgkxORWPqI15CW8Mw6zreTrTx8KFdwzQdk7g_/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRG9rrlGxgSzRXK7Imt9_nGQD42m17Ed_PrNvNCQ8WJYYfRe5MqC9xqRzSibuERWGQFUxdgluCtg0A0U8oAc2-mhpvpf4sEoeWAxcTCGpLgkxORWPqI15CW8Mw6zreTrTx8KFdwzQdk7g_/s320/image.jpg" width="311" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are in a quandary about this Norfolk Pine tree that was given to us about 25 years ago. This was in the days when we were ignorant of indigenous plant concerns. We deliberately kept it starved of water so that it would not grow too quickly but it has finally breached what is left of our view of the sea and now, what do we do? </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To chop it down completly seems too heartless and besides, the donor passed away a few years ago, so there is that sentimental link. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trim it, and in the process, create a deformed shape? Or leave it to grow into a giant and then let it be somebody else's problem when we downsize from this house ? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFf9UbaVlNzmt1QU_L7HcmDe0GT5ehKM6bgmPg1e_VDmaVaw-Ws37-_slHwiXDlWojK1Ne15AX3Mfj5MnMQw2n42l0u6SjcJXqKWPdx4Gw0HSMgenbHfcMfmLD0kCuQBYgUhxnRCbbwoT/s1600/image+(20).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFf9UbaVlNzmt1QU_L7HcmDe0GT5ehKM6bgmPg1e_VDmaVaw-Ws37-_slHwiXDlWojK1Ne15AX3Mfj5MnMQw2n42l0u6SjcJXqKWPdx4Gw0HSMgenbHfcMfmLD0kCuQBYgUhxnRCbbwoT/s320/image+(20).jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Baboons have been kept out of our village so successfully recently that we dared to hang up a bird-feeder in the tree again. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNu8SACjrT4Xjryl5Bzzn4vXtvOpzI5LKXboy_WeL8Disdcgr5eh6RDHZww977aNRJAundOy_GKH_GZ9Z5XOIMVyxN7CXsInWiMl9039IZ8NKNp6KGfxN5lKoI81MTJQU39ptVVoymfh2/s1600/bf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuNu8SACjrT4Xjryl5Bzzn4vXtvOpzI5LKXboy_WeL8Disdcgr5eh6RDHZww977aNRJAundOy_GKH_GZ9Z5XOIMVyxN7CXsInWiMl9039IZ8NKNp6KGfxN5lKoI81MTJQU39ptVVoymfh2/s1600/bf.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We await popular feathered patronage!</span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-34238245476601016902013-10-29T01:01:00.002+02:002013-12-21T19:49:44.081+02:00Homeward Bound...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKwN4Gtkz_qwJ-G_-M8pbyxRkjLz54tY628xeiDUEvfXQLKQwEme_R5q73STfKGYpAh772IYyJbuAvFS4gRchgY7ynWjJvRCEVzPuo9CCCvlAh_TA-dKjQplhNbbmKwhM689l4-Aex1-f/s1600/anysberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Shortly after arriving in Laingsburg, I discovered that I had left my wallet 200 km behind at our plot. I agonised over the dilemma. Should we return via the plot on our return to Cape Town, which meant spending 6 to 7 hours on the road instead of 4, or should we leave it until we returned to the plot in six weeks time, in the meantime, coping without credit card, bank card and drivers lisence. In the end, prudence triumphed over lethargy and we decided to return via the Anysberg road, which we have used on two previous occasions to travel to Laingsburg. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We set off early because temperatures of over 30 degrees were </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">predicted for the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKwN4Gtkz_qwJ-G_-M8pbyxRkjLz54tY628xeiDUEvfXQLKQwEme_R5q73STfKGYpAh772IYyJbuAvFS4gRchgY7ynWjJvRCEVzPuo9CCCvlAh_TA-dKjQplhNbbmKwhM689l4-Aex1-f/s1600/anysberg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKwN4Gtkz_qwJ-G_-M8pbyxRkjLz54tY628xeiDUEvfXQLKQwEme_R5q73STfKGYpAh772IYyJbuAvFS4gRchgY7ynWjJvRCEVzPuo9CCCvlAh_TA-dKjQplhNbbmKwhM689l4-Aex1-f/s320/anysberg.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is 30 km shorter than the Seweweekspoort route.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the beginning of the gravel road, we noticed that we could see the Seweweekspoort Peak from about 50 km distant. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It is visibly the highest peak of the Swartberg range and pinpoints Ladismith from far and wide.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMyKTpuTDkuLlEuJQUk_UkbNs-1S5WPXrS5DYMD7fLJm-x6wPkQpvmewIkLJ_twa0YmtCu3Gav-rddBoFU66zIbK786dqZn-DIW9kAvmqV0JjSAzKKLCoN5QIIlbMA17AQCE4V1k9qA6Q/s1600/ls.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMyKTpuTDkuLlEuJQUk_UkbNs-1S5WPXrS5DYMD7fLJm-x6wPkQpvmewIkLJ_twa0YmtCu3Gav-rddBoFU66zIbK786dqZn-DIW9kAvmqV0JjSAzKKLCoN5QIIlbMA17AQCE4V1k9qA6Q/s320/ls.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After the gravel road, which requires
some degree of concentration and caution as it turns unexpectedly into
corners, which drop away on the sides, we greeted the R62 with a feeling
of <span class="st"><i>Déjà vu</i></span>.</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEbV2sb68YaAl2NfuIr49SP-L7BLdFRy9Q5JfeFphEPQ1ZAyxaTLps95kkNHgijfeVKjTVl9Bw1y_zwze35QLAxf2cF1hXUMcDyI8i03Wnw0yz8BxfBOdTM7ilOOSUCBVk-43fHmIe0lC/s1600/r62.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqEbV2sb68YaAl2NfuIr49SP-L7BLdFRy9Q5JfeFphEPQ1ZAyxaTLps95kkNHgijfeVKjTVl9Bw1y_zwze35QLAxf2cF1hXUMcDyI8i03Wnw0yz8BxfBOdTM7ilOOSUCBVk-43fHmIe0lC/s320/r62.jpg" width="236" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The approach to Barrydale from this direction was very pretty.</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvvuNtg9UqRh5-g-YPBOju3NxKuvQX5fVGJe-Lizdrk187sLZvmSnt4xtiaoVox1SJgiqb4AqISA3lrJSQH_Q9_Osg5B3BJ__rpoYwcW9stk3TevdcwnMsii3GenVF5pTQ8HC9A9ZdGCM/s1600/bdale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvvuNtg9UqRh5-g-YPBOju3NxKuvQX5fVGJe-Lizdrk187sLZvmSnt4xtiaoVox1SJgiqb4AqISA3lrJSQH_Q9_Osg5B3BJ__rpoYwcW9stk3TevdcwnMsii3GenVF5pTQ8HC9A9ZdGCM/s320/bdale.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we crossed to the other side of the Tradouw Pass, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">we were within sight of our destination.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ0D3_QNIMx2CheMwN_PKGChY-cJ5WJW1J6x6UtxzVhPjW0Y3b9xYi0TSomqRoH8ExW2x7yAXivtwdv1sMrR66y4tBlTHi0t42iThFsBKiWqg8N4ltrTJQmSImImPjZ0D-IeZkCIb77b7/s1600/tp.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQ0D3_QNIMx2CheMwN_PKGChY-cJ5WJW1J6x6UtxzVhPjW0Y3b9xYi0TSomqRoH8ExW2x7yAXivtwdv1sMrR66y4tBlTHi0t42iThFsBKiWqg8N4ltrTJQmSImImPjZ0D-IeZkCIb77b7/s320/tp.jpg" width="238" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Suurbraak also presented a lovely picture that day.</span> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6yoXBF5WwyZfcfeDLYltSilPcBlfNQQP6j0dbhdK5BQf949n2YADGU5WXaE63BaRvM9HFAb6KhD3ceRMRUVhVXH9w29zFb6nJT4PrMaZu0FCd0NsB6oBLOb4v9lgAtCtMkdfhPWxEztC/s1600/sbk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6yoXBF5WwyZfcfeDLYltSilPcBlfNQQP6j0dbhdK5BQf949n2YADGU5WXaE63BaRvM9HFAb6KhD3ceRMRUVhVXH9w29zFb6nJT4PrMaZu0FCd0NsB6oBLOb4v9lgAtCtMkdfhPWxEztC/s320/sbk.jpg" width="277" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To avoid the poor gravel road to our
plot, we approached it from a different direction which meant a ten
minute walk across the fields to fetch my wallet.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtn2EvUhMLpIjhAS-LAMQcLMV6V4P_I3rB4OLsVvjXNAX-kGza2HAJMGQMryoE2dC3O58UWi9O38rtuQQWb-IjwMuMURNc54rtHb5Vc2DGYKTS5Z6aOTSzZ0UdHJWAP0kBZTjhiZxFpti/s1600/rkr.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEtn2EvUhMLpIjhAS-LAMQcLMV6V4P_I3rB4OLsVvjXNAX-kGza2HAJMGQMryoE2dC3O58UWi9O38rtuQQWb-IjwMuMURNc54rtHb5Vc2DGYKTS5Z6aOTSzZ0UdHJWAP0kBZTjhiZxFpti/s320/rkr.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> The heat was unbearable.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9uXp6J8tqrZLMpvwxEKbbEgkAX3CAK6wBtnn4jRGges8oIOjnf9JrV7OGjN9SXcInbv8qHOLVT1MFJgydKmSIdCCnYmO2KBb543jazPxywCKtH_0hnV0rVAIP-h_uCiZKFQiWgl6nUFZ/s1600/wlt2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9uXp6J8tqrZLMpvwxEKbbEgkAX3CAK6wBtnn4jRGges8oIOjnf9JrV7OGjN9SXcInbv8qHOLVT1MFJgydKmSIdCCnYmO2KBb543jazPxywCKtH_0hnV0rVAIP-h_uCiZKFQiWgl6nUFZ/s320/wlt2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My intrepid hero...who, you will notice, does not feel the heat!</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho9uXp6J8tqrZLMpvwxEKbbEgkAX3CAK6wBtnn4jRGges8oIOjnf9JrV7OGjN9SXcInbv8qHOLVT1MFJgydKmSIdCCnYmO2KBb543jazPxywCKtH_0hnV0rVAIP-h_uCiZKFQiWgl6nUFZ/s1600/wlt2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4cfxk3K89aa0k1VJurb5Z_5YSpzDVv058dHV1Mqgl-8xdXX9TCeaucpqN2MXB7-mLQdMUPnl1vGyY6faCno9x8FwSuRp88pUIR11iU1Znn4AXoyoraWepR7EIW03upMBr0Kk5c7mCZc8/s1600/wlt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4cfxk3K89aa0k1VJurb5Z_5YSpzDVv058dHV1Mqgl-8xdXX9TCeaucpqN2MXB7-mLQdMUPnl1vGyY6faCno9x8FwSuRp88pUIR11iU1Znn4AXoyoraWepR7EIW03upMBr0Kk5c7mCZc8/s320/wlt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Soon we were humming along the N2.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWDsQaYBzJxXqolynnx9HaMpA8jmMPmvW_gJFSm_ZT_E1gE2KodxdYJc5n2Jzm6GHpEwi8_4rIkHgLE1oXZfDcjMmm8bZ9AxJlQxUnN-IVveJL5IVUi0LXfBNlmSnhFb0O6ukwrshcenq/s1600/n2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuWDsQaYBzJxXqolynnx9HaMpA8jmMPmvW_gJFSm_ZT_E1gE2KodxdYJc5n2Jzm6GHpEwi8_4rIkHgLE1oXZfDcjMmm8bZ9AxJlQxUnN-IVveJL5IVUi0LXfBNlmSnhFb0O6ukwrshcenq/s320/n2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A coffee break at the spring just 10 km
before Caledon provided a welcome break to stretch the legs and cool off
from the heat of the car.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQXk2EpxxVGtDyuMmL6GiNU31W_H4581CfCvvwqPgAPPMyVgwteNe5W2gkY5dTfLvZ1JnkPfZNaZkg-imHiqsOPqYDzvl10Pk8-ZgLTHWdjWlA9zpBklG5nM84H39nCXWFj_00GSe9iec/s1600/cs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQXk2EpxxVGtDyuMmL6GiNU31W_H4581CfCvvwqPgAPPMyVgwteNe5W2gkY5dTfLvZ1JnkPfZNaZkg-imHiqsOPqYDzvl10Pk8-ZgLTHWdjWlA9zpBklG5nM84H39nCXWFj_00GSe9iec/s320/cs.JPG" width="229" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just after Caledon, something interesting is being built. Perhaps a wind turbine?</span> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQzImZc-HcdYpV6b_8cd57WqhHkVyQdiLm40keTwdkVKj-2n9nqTow0eTdhxRMHOJkQn0QpV8Ci0p04QlgXVrdqVka30rDnNWo2fJ-v2bgkpqgS06i4dtA2Zi0nTb3Hf3Unp8p7VqmAl6/s1600/cal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQzImZc-HcdYpV6b_8cd57WqhHkVyQdiLm40keTwdkVKj-2n9nqTow0eTdhxRMHOJkQn0QpV8Ci0p04QlgXVrdqVka30rDnNWo2fJ-v2bgkpqgS06i4dtA2Zi0nTb3Hf3Unp8p7VqmAl6/s320/cal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Steenbras dam was looking good.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0C_UqaSGS7nXx8tXeAyR-0zCwCc2kQKC2R86KfIjlDUEsC7qzL8DnPnHHO0Ps9pCZqEBfj5TGT0iEIEn2t79-OzFpfga6D0bcZ6tf3kvNJAZhHNWtJUOz7G870kA0LM7ucNPljzLjCQf8/s1600/sbas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0C_UqaSGS7nXx8tXeAyR-0zCwCc2kQKC2R86KfIjlDUEsC7qzL8DnPnHHO0Ps9pCZqEBfj5TGT0iEIEn2t79-OzFpfga6D0bcZ6tf3kvNJAZhHNWtJUOz7G870kA0LM7ucNPljzLjCQf8/s320/sbas.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we whizzed along the False Bay coastal road, I tried my best to capture the blooming fields of Arum lilies on camera.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At home at last, Midge immediately threw herself into a wiggling roll on the lawn....aaaaaah!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk0kX0khufQqTOpAqDCyyVEfpLzf5bps4rADVXwiMLcjU8NkHGjauwZ1knIx1DgwkbbERSUVJytPSLe_Izzj0wDS-VXEb2s9mh-Drpd5Wc195Nr2K8-o_AA21gxG8sfU61um9cGzcxJV2/s1600/ggrass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk0kX0khufQqTOpAqDCyyVEfpLzf5bps4rADVXwiMLcjU8NkHGjauwZ1knIx1DgwkbbERSUVJytPSLe_Izzj0wDS-VXEb2s9mh-Drpd5Wc195Nr2K8-o_AA21gxG8sfU61um9cGzcxJV2/s320/ggrass.jpg" width="290" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Its good to touch the green, green grass of home!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk0kX0khufQqTOpAqDCyyVEfpLzf5bps4rADVXwiMLcjU8NkHGjauwZ1knIx1DgwkbbERSUVJytPSLe_Izzj0wDS-VXEb2s9mh-Drpd5Wc195Nr2K8-o_AA21gxG8sfU61um9cGzcxJV2/s1600/ggrass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk0kX0khufQqTOpAqDCyyVEfpLzf5bps4rADVXwiMLcjU8NkHGjauwZ1knIx1DgwkbbERSUVJytPSLe_Izzj0wDS-VXEb2s9mh-Drpd5Wc195Nr2K8-o_AA21gxG8sfU61um9cGzcxJV2/s1600/ggrass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifk0kX0khufQqTOpAqDCyyVEfpLzf5bps4rADVXwiMLcjU8NkHGjauwZ1knIx1DgwkbbERSUVJytPSLe_Izzj0wDS-VXEb2s9mh-Drpd5Wc195Nr2K8-o_AA21gxG8sfU61um9cGzcxJV2/s1600/ggrass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span>Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-47472917169419895352013-10-28T23:24:00.003+02:002013-12-21T19:50:45.297+02:00Karoo Kuier<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After the drive through the Seweweekspoort, we settled into Laingsburg for the next two days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">My friend's garden was humming with the birds and (bumble) bees.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilomTgp9RoT8rW-Rc_St2K7JG-3ywgd1LBQZcQefcr7nXzZH6kWrzwDZQfNokC5K58VwhuC7ntO7AATjK-e60p76DfYqjaUUjUYGN60NTdtGDoX9yru3LkGnzx-MKu0wmMUNtNpdthwVYx/s1600/lb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilomTgp9RoT8rW-Rc_St2K7JG-3ywgd1LBQZcQefcr7nXzZH6kWrzwDZQfNokC5K58VwhuC7ntO7AATjK-e60p76DfYqjaUUjUYGN60NTdtGDoX9yru3LkGnzx-MKu0wmMUNtNpdthwVYx/s320/lb.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhql53fWhstP7lAKGIFO47OIjgbbUSYesaCv8qgJGVqvxpbw9hCZaB1kg-m6nYcVNn2XQBU3ojtWymOySdkQJdvHLp1rmWofE06QnEwZ7KNGTBUSS6Hz4ck2MkXOV69Ulk4ADD2q1_1JTuv/s1600/lb+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhql53fWhstP7lAKGIFO47OIjgbbUSYesaCv8qgJGVqvxpbw9hCZaB1kg-m6nYcVNn2XQBU3ojtWymOySdkQJdvHLp1rmWofE06QnEwZ7KNGTBUSS6Hz4ck2MkXOV69Ulk4ADD2q1_1JTuv/s320/lb+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The following day we drove out to her nephew's farm in the direction of Sutherland. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The spring flowers were like jewels scattered across the veld of the farm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We walked out to the fields of onions and artichokes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Apart from the usual sheep-farming, our farmer grows these crops for the overseas seed market. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ3Jv9GKsVpMbLijbIXuW9DSiE6b-2aPpurDs3PQ1POlDp1lU6gbwiGsDUZsFpArxo9o5vpOopineIbupFqwWUqMpdQfulVP8t_rmwCwut5OBON5lfNJwks4tz5IX9YGslnPFb9crYGFl/s1600/ft4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZ3Jv9GKsVpMbLijbIXuW9DSiE6b-2aPpurDs3PQ1POlDp1lU6gbwiGsDUZsFpArxo9o5vpOopineIbupFqwWUqMpdQfulVP8t_rmwCwut5OBON5lfNJwks4tz5IX9YGslnPFb9crYGFl/s320/ft4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The first year of growing artichokes is tedious and meticulous, which involves protecting the baby plants from frost. When the plants mature, the female plants have to be hand pollinated with pollen from the male plants. Whew, sounds like a big project to me!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoliLpdz-mEhL37VSFmB7jpfxefCer3VbTgr-kza1CHCc5wiEaittN408sX_WZl6bT3UIMWgdiqUGhw-wD7qfNCmQLhhXud5WCqjO_ShiS8OIyw-2RfwbLlkWkzXaTzG7bwwg0fHzJZO7/s1600/ach.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoliLpdz-mEhL37VSFmB7jpfxefCer3VbTgr-kza1CHCc5wiEaittN408sX_WZl6bT3UIMWgdiqUGhw-wD7qfNCmQLhhXud5WCqjO_ShiS8OIyw-2RfwbLlkWkzXaTzG7bwwg0fHzJZO7/s320/ach.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On the return to the farmhouse, we were treated to the most delicious meal of a rare venison stew. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Before we left, we had to explore the wreck of an ancient Chev in a nearby field.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On our way back to Laingsburg, we stopped in at Matjiesfontein. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8j3MCdhuFlMji66mXA31Dz9PEyxX3LcNgEQKRy16Cie7hl9gk5ThQTMHWYtth-jk9fLZ7Cz5LxAoNhyphenhyphenFYokjjWOHeva_UgIXDTVtkEZ876R1ESYzvjqPCdgAbhmrsGcyCY3y499UozfRz/s1600/Mf+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8j3MCdhuFlMji66mXA31Dz9PEyxX3LcNgEQKRy16Cie7hl9gk5ThQTMHWYtth-jk9fLZ7Cz5LxAoNhyphenhyphenFYokjjWOHeva_UgIXDTVtkEZ876R1ESYzvjqPCdgAbhmrsGcyCY3y499UozfRz/s320/Mf+%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We were last there about four years ago and we were astounded at the gardens that have been developed behind the hotel since then. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEq1gVob6SxaZA6gbY1Hh5rn7Lw6Tq-pFdQLo2jFazxVULmpn1I6z1R-Xk7V9pDSRChppDuLdeMqVK_eR-vGPMC7H-YMihLDNg2f-fuIoQm7yWDb4b4inF_HoKruhgxbPK2kMx-UWPY-rM/s1600/Mf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEq1gVob6SxaZA6gbY1Hh5rn7Lw6Tq-pFdQLo2jFazxVULmpn1I6z1R-Xk7V9pDSRChppDuLdeMqVK_eR-vGPMC7H-YMihLDNg2f-fuIoQm7yWDb4b4inF_HoKruhgxbPK2kMx-UWPY-rM/s320/Mf.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rTB2Y_uunf38EuFDeo3o19kbNDW3TDdflikJF9zEopp0FOb81-qOeX3ncaPLm2fcMJl0paOwPtlVLXuQkurj2uEKhGsQAJrIkzUGA-OkonSQYbFkwPuMnprrGaMWdY2xmayX1QlZA5E3/s1600/Mf+%25281%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rTB2Y_uunf38EuFDeo3o19kbNDW3TDdflikJF9zEopp0FOb81-qOeX3ncaPLm2fcMJl0paOwPtlVLXuQkurj2uEKhGsQAJrIkzUGA-OkonSQYbFkwPuMnprrGaMWdY2xmayX1QlZA5E3/s320/Mf+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It seemed unbelievable to think that we were in the middle of the Karoo as we walked through the gentle vegetation.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADVv6OchQbLzWRLXRK4ASbR_EXcTpN3Wm9e7hCWW0Hnh_NYkcHCE44_Wuk79vB8X7sx4xACt5IRBD6b3SO7_hfj0c-2BTVM3Xb-A3c4El2E0oyOxT7-K16vMYeqez1abLPJqoLjPA2orU/s1600/Mf+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-67741161974562939312013-10-18T14:38:00.001+02:002013-12-21T19:51:09.471+02:00Seweweekspoort<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We set off for Laingsburg at about 10:30 in the morning , and first drove through the Tradouw Pass to join up with the R62. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"Twas a misty, moisty morning, cloudy was the weather" but the radiance of the mountainside blooms was not dimmed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQTmQz02fkJFVLQW1mQf0UxxQ2Z4Wn-KI5RN2eXAqS2n7pEM86DpfWcVKmyuRg1R84yfLaqkPYilO6mKInm4EdIxn1C340tzQmMP30gHNIharLpy_VkhMnmrfOFHGquKq-RHoCb-vdGf5/s1600/tradouwpass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQTmQz02fkJFVLQW1mQf0UxxQ2Z4Wn-KI5RN2eXAqS2n7pEM86DpfWcVKmyuRg1R84yfLaqkPYilO6mKInm4EdIxn1C340tzQmMP30gHNIharLpy_VkhMnmrfOFHGquKq-RHoCb-vdGf5/s320/tradouwpass.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This peak hovering over Ladismith is the highest peak in the Swartberg Mountain Range and, a few days later, we were able to see it from about 40km away, as we traveled back via Anysberg, to retrieve a forgotten item.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8i-F7jFF_PjOVDyOMGdEU1UfDGCNe3LyOLhq8bMstq037J8qr6GP5VXcw0288wZb0nm6M5LVCQltwNQVqIPgje9A6fcpYFAaPImGo-WwkRionA30ktr5_hIDj_-494FsRsBLPq-_LK-H/s1600/lsmith.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8i-F7jFF_PjOVDyOMGdEU1UfDGCNe3LyOLhq8bMstq037J8qr6GP5VXcw0288wZb0nm6M5LVCQltwNQVqIPgje9A6fcpYFAaPImGo-WwkRionA30ktr5_hIDj_-494FsRsBLPq-_LK-H/s320/lsmith.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As we drove through Ladismith I caught sight of this Coral Tree </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">in front of a guesthouse. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKfSksH9_Wr2_ASFRYiHSaruLhKvNF_COPISxI263bwuLmN6Z6XEY8vQ1gCCdGmgHVnh3uL-M87tEa9IlztW7XKfNO73bh95EeLPkGUoXJzcylwLOjzPceSTzosDwEx7c23YuV6eTOI6H/s1600/ladismith+coral+tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKfSksH9_Wr2_ASFRYiHSaruLhKvNF_COPISxI263bwuLmN6Z6XEY8vQ1gCCdGmgHVnh3uL-M87tEa9IlztW7XKfNO73bh95EeLPkGUoXJzcylwLOjzPceSTzosDwEx7c23YuV6eTOI6H/s320/ladismith+coral+tree.jpg" width="281" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKfSksH9_Wr2_ASFRYiHSaruLhKvNF_COPISxI263bwuLmN6Z6XEY8vQ1gCCdGmgHVnh3uL-M87tEa9IlztW7XKfNO73bh95EeLPkGUoXJzcylwLOjzPceSTzosDwEx7c23YuV6eTOI6H/s1600/ladismith+coral+tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(I have become quite adept at snapping photos from a moving car because neither Englishman nor Mad Dogs enjoy stopping for photo moments too often) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We reached the turn off to Seweweekspoort and approached the mountains</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> with anticipation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEhGwlwjrqfW2GIbVA7v3W-nrmxxEtZaubKBBBwnQkhaelZiwJWL02OHwxZsgJptUfpNPCquL-AIKq-IQDxWxfuHWEL3IduUz1_irB3bRlNsie7hvIk8P_6XycBmgoMY41iBjaOReEEvN/s1600/startsweekspoort.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSEhGwlwjrqfW2GIbVA7v3W-nrmxxEtZaubKBBBwnQkhaelZiwJWL02OHwxZsgJptUfpNPCquL-AIKq-IQDxWxfuHWEL3IduUz1_irB3bRlNsie7hvIk8P_6XycBmgoMY41iBjaOReEEvN/s320/startsweekspoort.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We were well rewarded with the most amazing rock formations and colours. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlxWLqmcF6hPHb5BoyqGTnCvXgQ6ZI9kmxGsUbXAmVQBxedgH456oxdmjv9bI7EcsvzLgMB8Npc5V5DCIbXKez0q_gCNrgwSnDsvBDTR37qozKfNyc4YW7HygurLyWGuWm3UQ8B-HSFjP/s1600/sweekspoort3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWlxWLqmcF6hPHb5BoyqGTnCvXgQ6ZI9kmxGsUbXAmVQBxedgH456oxdmjv9bI7EcsvzLgMB8Npc5V5DCIbXKez0q_gCNrgwSnDsvBDTR37qozKfNyc4YW7HygurLyWGuWm3UQ8B-HSFjP/s320/sweekspoort3.jpg" width="173" /></a></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Pass is only about 18 km long and we felt that it came to an end far too soon. We will <i>have </i>to do this trip again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The other side of the Swartberg Mountains </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A puffadder was somewhat annoyed when we turned around to take this photo as it transversed the road. ( safely from the inside of our car, I might add.) </span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-42999209831934137032013-10-15T22:18:00.001+02:002014-01-18T18:13:47.515+02:00Spring at last!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We visited the plot in the middle of July after my return from England and the time was spent restfully reconnecting with nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Basking in the winter sun was such a treat after all the rain and cold in Cape Town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Imagine our surprise when we saw that one of our Wild Olive trees is in fact an Olive tree and was bearing small fruit profusely! We harvested most of the fruit for processing, mainly to demonstrate our appreciation of the effort put out by the tree. The fruit was really small!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We returned to the plot in the last week of September, after first visiting friends in Pringle Bay and Stanford. We spent time pruning trees and removing fruit that was draining energy from trees; fruit which we would not be around to harvest ourselves. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We could smell the Jasmine from about 30 metres away!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The Acacia Robusta had just started sending out new leaves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The vicious thorns serve a purpose for the resident Shrikes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Shrike's pantry</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We noticed that many birds were out and about, preparing for the new season. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Blue Cranes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I am so glad that we
planted lavender, wild sage and some succulent bushes at the base of
most of the trees. The Sunbirds do love them.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Can you see him?</span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Some typical Renoster<i>veld</i> vegetation is starting to return at last. We pull the Renoster<i>bos</i> out wherever we find it, otherwise nothing else gets a chance to grow. In it's natural situation, Renosterbos is not so overwhelming but on disturbed land, the Renosterbos just takes over in an unnatural way. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwIQxFsg9AaaOVEdmGOhLgl0CZ94Zgf-JmODOHhZbDjUv-oSu1rDGZtywM2iaBG8ephxqNf83S6cIN0BIXLOSTBUYic0jhLCToXq2VlSInytvYwgn_tty3K4nFFCQdzCXQtoN5BdiK3XR/s1600/wildlav.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwIQxFsg9AaaOVEdmGOhLgl0CZ94Zgf-JmODOHhZbDjUv-oSu1rDGZtywM2iaBG8ephxqNf83S6cIN0BIXLOSTBUYic0jhLCToXq2VlSInytvYwgn_tty3K4nFFCQdzCXQtoN5BdiK3XR/s320/wildlav.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Wild Lavender (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Eriocephalus africanus)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="st">Anthospermum aethiopicum</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="st">I noticed that some of the Sand Olives were laden with seed </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span class="st">while others were still naked. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We took a few walks to make the most of the good weather before it turned unpleasant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At the end of our stay, the rain and a heavy wind set in and we were quite glad to be moving on. Our next stop was Laingsburg and this time we had determined to drive via the Seweweekspoort, a route neither of us had ever transversed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Little did we know then that we would have to return to Cape Town via the plot because of my absentmindedness on the morning of our departure.</span>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-63943748834884624072013-09-04T15:01:00.000+02:002013-12-21T19:52:38.150+02:00Roll on Spring!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I received a message from a friend
the other day to ask why I have not written anything on my blog for so
long. A combination of factors have stalled the writing process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Firstly,
I spent the last three weeks of June in Leeds, England, visiting my
brother daily in hospital and then at his residence, after he underwent a
huge operation to replace his aortic heart valve and repair the aortic
aneurism that had developed just above the heart. The valve replacement
has been on the cards since the age of about 14, but the aneurism was a
nasty surprise, discovered in the last two years and increasing the
urgency for the operation. We received about seven days notice of the
operation date and, as you can imagine, it was a crazy rush to get
myself over there before the event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwEOufo5ikF_065WGlCTNLzNxLZXZyXItdHb6Wp9JATPtoaXQFTnB_Yhq3OYrfhpKiBy_BdzDggOw1DAYLZNYF9EClykSiNnfEwc5wX68laxAKEP1-NL96qe4jJyTBoaSny9yMTiiX-c8/s1600/ls1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwEOufo5ikF_065WGlCTNLzNxLZXZyXItdHb6Wp9JATPtoaXQFTnB_Yhq3OYrfhpKiBy_BdzDggOw1DAYLZNYF9EClykSiNnfEwc5wX68laxAKEP1-NL96qe4jJyTBoaSny9yMTiiX-c8/s320/ls1.jpg" width="239" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thankfully, Leeds General Infirmary seems to be known for its excellent</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Cardiology Department.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While
not a "Shout it from the Rooftops" kind of believer, my knees certainly
saw a bit more action in the prayer department during this time. As
back-up, I had notified all my friends, especially those who are known
to have a "direct line", to keep prayers ongoing for us during this time
and it certainly seems to have delivered a promising result and hope
for the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXowoEoVrMoLNh0-ZUM6NUaJOB6vTv-qyWE2dOuQslbNw-EzhbwlmhP6aM-e_bQ4MKKrUS4tRgxxzdKkHZUU0FUv2pHCvWZMRC5Q99IEOw9KYKBHhvG79SwRdLuzmbxx9xwrSxprbz5O_/s1600/ls2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXowoEoVrMoLNh0-ZUM6NUaJOB6vTv-qyWE2dOuQslbNw-EzhbwlmhP6aM-e_bQ4MKKrUS4tRgxxzdKkHZUU0FUv2pHCvWZMRC5Q99IEOw9KYKBHhvG79SwRdLuzmbxx9xwrSxprbz5O_/s320/ls2.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Secondly, we have not been up to the
plot for ages because every visit now produces angst at how our water
supply is being starved by the increase in demand for water.
Unfortunately, the topography works against us and the entire system
depends on gravity feed and storage tanks that need to be kept full to
the brim before we get any decent pressure. A tricky deal if you are
only there for a couple of days and you want to check the irrigation
system. A permanent owner could just sit and wait for a day with better
pressure, no stress. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And finally, freezing any writing urges,
this winter has been the wettest we have had in ten years in Cape Town
and we have just kept ourselves tucked in against the cold, misery and
short days, and not been too active in any department. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Just recently, the sunsets have improved their showing, in between the rainy outbursts and snow on top of Table Mountain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our local wetland is just pouring its heart out and sending surplus water on its way down to the sea.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyC6nB-sou8QKOpdcwHTl2uCBsz7Nl3IqgDLJDz9OUAzE1gE__e4fVOyi9H1vRvldX5g3wP_9Ar_bfvl2pNiw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We
have worked on and off in the "new" part of our garden, getting it
ready for planting out in Spring. Compost and mulch have been spread
over all the re-landscaped surfaces and the process of selecting plants
to disguise the retaining structures must begin. I have tons of plants
grown from seeds and cuttings, so there is no shortage of resources,
that is for sure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Old ugly asbestos plant pots thrown out
by one neighbour, adorn a wall of retaining blocks, thrown out by
another, after some redecorating on our part. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GH0RJ4tjcJgjxIpJm4X_r19GC4aAFlsCevZECjZLdCjVYFEfBVq508iZGm-KFlElRh43GytyE42XRAulwBsPbp1oQexv1XHY2TzaAG4UJ2H2qzLHubYNaVO95dpy3geJjXHSOlx_YXWy/s1600/image.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GH0RJ4tjcJgjxIpJm4X_r19GC4aAFlsCevZECjZLdCjVYFEfBVq508iZGm-KFlElRh43GytyE42XRAulwBsPbp1oQexv1XHY2TzaAG4UJ2H2qzLHubYNaVO95dpy3geJjXHSOlx_YXWy/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As
usual, Clivias provide a splash of colour in the wintery shade of the
garden. They are a little bit early this year but are so welcome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGb_8HXq25yUZ_cIe7Nj0KYuFI0TzJtSn-bY7rZxw8Ky726wwoJ8TvgsaIAx_4SFJB1VUItW-MNjHtdv0d3ML9w3vjAP9JV7iuhmkN8Rxr6n4q_g4oDe-HrPgUQ3zdCpfG0-K-Gq1kD1A/s1600/image_6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicGb_8HXq25yUZ_cIe7Nj0KYuFI0TzJtSn-bY7rZxw8Ky726wwoJ8TvgsaIAx_4SFJB1VUItW-MNjHtdv0d3ML9w3vjAP9JV7iuhmkN8Rxr6n4q_g4oDe-HrPgUQ3zdCpfG0-K-Gq1kD1A/s320/image_6.jpg" width="320" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A few sunny days have seen local wildlife defrosting in the sun. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-HzVT8HTORZBmw3pzDqcXTSKitf0z12fltC4K0eCHoBv55_y1i2QM1mE3_sRqQxd3t5cW0yh4CtPVqdOkcExAfQrvnguK4pSFtDGqnyNqMpT6yb0JlCMAJSt1LPGKm4vu3qt9n4eMtGY/s1600/DSCF0031.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-HzVT8HTORZBmw3pzDqcXTSKitf0z12fltC4K0eCHoBv55_y1i2QM1mE3_sRqQxd3t5cW0yh4CtPVqdOkcExAfQrvnguK4pSFtDGqnyNqMpT6yb0JlCMAJSt1LPGKm4vu3qt9n4eMtGY/s320/DSCF0031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The
other day, a fully grown Rooikat (Lynx) walked across my garden. I
could hardly believe my eyes and was so disappointed that I could not
lay my hands on the camera in time. While it is certainly a privilege to
see a wild animal like this at such close range, I do worry about the
mongoose family living in our garden. We have not seen them since. I am
so pleased we do not have to worry about owning a cat which pops in and
out of the cat-door. I am sure that a Rooikat would have no problem
placing its smaller relative on the menu.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The local yobs sit about in the feeble sunshine, on roof-tops, to check whether there are any edibles available for snatching.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> The Blesbok in the nearby Nature Reserve make (eat) 'hay' while the sun shines, before the next rainy moment.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwXuGTydQTjYUWa0i_KDeI5ODHRg2-xcoOTZTqqT5IyykUKk-jCyjwXWXSqQOHt2np4TGKThuX2-9bJHr128Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Roll on Spring! </span></div>
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<br />Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-71200741655411396562013-05-25T13:02:00.002+02:002013-12-21T19:53:19.173+02:00Earthscapes 2<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The earthscaping project continues unabated. Mondays and Fridays are being reserved by Roy and Siya for this mammoth task. They are both of very slight build and so this heavy job needs the days in between to rest up. Siya does not have any other work so perhaps that is why he returns faithfully to help with this huge task. I think most gardeners would run a mile away from this one.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Progress in photos .....use the white protea flowers as the marker for your bearings.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tx2JNbYvEmcX10fy6uxPFuiEvHAB1KgijiXf3OktmlHRVp_ywXcwvt9VZraUeg8OlPBlACR7l_sCfFUQx3mZevhYfXtd4BoeI6XnsYF8_ygSlJvB3_vU91DCi-qGmTDWMh1X7Hfc4TAL/s1600/bk1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tx2JNbYvEmcX10fy6uxPFuiEvHAB1KgijiXf3OktmlHRVp_ywXcwvt9VZraUeg8OlPBlACR7l_sCfFUQx3mZevhYfXtd4BoeI6XnsYF8_ygSlJvB3_vU91DCi-qGmTDWMh1X7Hfc4TAL/s320/bk1.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmb8wOMx8IRqBLh2H9bUKNMWmc-xdpuOw-1W7u2jyYyv_Je1PzpU9SJ6wOA5z54WifxkNQkSQ2oTtohEUQGQHHPjsoRoD7-YbziypixdmbTII-TiINcEsETlmnjxDs48H0hOULjk6AQOy/s1600/bk3.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrmb8wOMx8IRqBLh2H9bUKNMWmc-xdpuOw-1W7u2jyYyv_Je1PzpU9SJ6wOA5z54WifxkNQkSQ2oTtohEUQGQHHPjsoRoD7-YbziypixdmbTII-TiINcEsETlmnjxDs48H0hOULjk6AQOy/s320/bk3.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGTpDGY_aN9nAbToumczy2np9M8HMO6cUqi2lCsKQz8kV0g21nHrzAkD8DxKhZztA98kDq8t5riWX3T6nOesSAXfs8E6FJqH1NJVANceDJAVh3Pm3DgE7RZP5KAChyqkZEjgYYx_ceBdO/s1600/bk2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGTpDGY_aN9nAbToumczy2np9M8HMO6cUqi2lCsKQz8kV0g21nHrzAkD8DxKhZztA98kDq8t5riWX3T6nOesSAXfs8E6FJqH1NJVANceDJAVh3Pm3DgE7RZP5KAChyqkZEjgYYx_ceBdO/s320/bk2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice atop, the pile of collected mulch just waiting to be used.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0kXISUh9cFxSMBvwpjnf-cCgifa5M_BzU3mkR2vjO71uNZO-65LzCiNy4FwHzJxO-2E5E39JbavoDzcelYeR1gUkn2nlH7SIf3ZaGDEZlpT9DGRxRkS1o9R4pMyt-U1OMijm_LduO9B8/s1600/bk4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0kXISUh9cFxSMBvwpjnf-cCgifa5M_BzU3mkR2vjO71uNZO-65LzCiNy4FwHzJxO-2E5E39JbavoDzcelYeR1gUkn2nlH7SIf3ZaGDEZlpT9DGRxRkS1o9R4pMyt-U1OMijm_LduO9B8/s320/bk4.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On the right hand side of this photo below, some indigenous trees are growing "in front" of the curvature of the path of the planned wall. We don't want to pull them out after all these years so we are going to keep them as a mature growth to disguise the block-wall.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd7IbF0iNSHx8Obg9e0zcCavBw4pIAeQpNcBNqXUPFf1ej0RmgbHUOlC2jsyPnLA-ywA_JTUxXGt2M7kQrYqt0oGw7VGK6ek8rXMG_OvRg1lWEjozq50Q0Hztqljifk7p5BdWY2hCXVmi/s1600/bk5.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbd7IbF0iNSHx8Obg9e0zcCavBw4pIAeQpNcBNqXUPFf1ej0RmgbHUOlC2jsyPnLA-ywA_JTUxXGt2M7kQrYqt0oGw7VGK6ek8rXMG_OvRg1lWEjozq50Q0Hztqljifk7p5BdWY2hCXVmi/s320/bk5.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here the wall curves behind the little coppice of mature growth.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh29nnfRbgcXnkzGpRtd-cEMAoUIH3yBvuKIcEXbgQK7m8gvf9wu4eYXq7zc37Nby0gKseu0ZoGwwm8PTd0YQm5kTbYLXNiu1AdA5lhgOKu31s5Txq-bjKRDOfJwwuOZwxNXMNgc6DSChyphenhyphen/s1600/bk7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh29nnfRbgcXnkzGpRtd-cEMAoUIH3yBvuKIcEXbgQK7m8gvf9wu4eYXq7zc37Nby0gKseu0ZoGwwm8PTd0YQm5kTbYLXNiu1AdA5lhgOKu31s5Txq-bjKRDOfJwwuOZwxNXMNgc6DSChyphenhyphen/s320/bk7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We are
running out of these blocks to finish the task so, reluctantly, will
rebuild one of the "steps" with a different type of block, which a neighbour threw
out and donated to our project. Hopefully this will release enough of these semi-circular blocks to
complete the main wall. Fingers crossed. These square blocks are even less attractive and I hope that I will be able to disguise them by
planting shrubs in front of them. What with the awful finish of our neighbours wall, there is <i>much </i>disguising to be done.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV-kvjz3l9SS4cunRUO3NHaz7hlhfg-55HAIka4DlPVSOTUQ34Ue1iNAyk-B8IFabBgPc-TNrqYhrgJ23fGlLyaWhiGaPzBPwQnhva2qfA9JjnZS751H7U4jvwWyBO-9wmA9l9RyQfUw1/s1600/bk6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHV-kvjz3l9SS4cunRUO3NHaz7hlhfg-55HAIka4DlPVSOTUQ34Ue1iNAyk-B8IFabBgPc-TNrqYhrgJ23fGlLyaWhiGaPzBPwQnhva2qfA9JjnZS751H7U4jvwWyBO-9wmA9l9RyQfUw1/s320/bk6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-51535136011196949352013-05-09T14:36:00.000+02:002013-12-21T19:53:48.571+02:00Earthscapes 1<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the same time that we had our house built, in 1988, the owner of the land in front of ours started building his too. His builder sneakily stole huge volumes of soil from our land to fill in the foundation walls of his construction. Once we became aware of it (we were living elsewhere while we built) , we demanded that he cease. He had excavated and stolen the soil from a second erf that we owned, which purpose was to act as a buffer and garden </span><span style="font-size: small;">in front of our house. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So much soil had been excavated that the remaining embankment threatened to collapse. The authorities assured us that the owner of the land in front of us would have to build a retaining wall to stave off this collapse because he was the instrument of its creation. They sent to us a letter which confirmed their ruling. Two years went by and the owner just dragged his heels about any retaining wall. In fact, he never finished building the house and all that lovely soil of ours inside his foundation walls just blew away over the years. What a waste!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Realising that the situation with the remaining embankment was likely to drag on indefinitely, and not wanting to lose any more of our garden soil, we took it upon ourselves to spend precious income (so precious, because we all know how difficult the first years are in paying off a <span style="font-size: small;">mortgage</span>) to buy huge, ugly retaining concrete blocks. These would shore up the soil until such time as the municipality enforced their ruling. At one place, the embankment was 3 metres high. In fact, it is illegal to have retaining blocks stacked over 1 metres high without a foundation. But from our point of view, it was temporary and no building inspector ever came to look at the situation again.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdo68AUichDi988L2UrAA6gYl9Ht0WpI0NP3Efgvc6Lk7YGomxhWfBjd2kz-IzBaujvvwFbnB8PiKUCQO4CuQrRelcSULgz9ndzyw54XGRe92-Dchwcd44FV9a1V6R1Bi6qZNmGFnVQHM/s1600/b4.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdo68AUichDi988L2UrAA6gYl9Ht0WpI0NP3Efgvc6Lk7YGomxhWfBjd2kz-IzBaujvvwFbnB8PiKUCQO4CuQrRelcSULgz9ndzyw54XGRe92-Dchwcd44FV9a1V6R1Bi6qZNmGFnVQHM/s320/b4.JPG" width="286" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twenty years on and new owners picked up the reins of building on the property in front of us. They have built the most overpowering dwelling, 8 metres high and tak<span style="font-size: small;">en</span> up almost the entire 500 m2 of their single erf. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. They have managed to take away the view of the coastline from every window in our house. Grateful that we could still see the horizon of the sea, the owner soon sabotaged it by erecting a monstrous chimney to spoil even that. (who needs a chimney 1.5mx1.5mx1.5m in size?)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once they had finished building, they complained to the building inspector about our illegal concrete blocks that had no foundation or drainage. The building inspector demanded that we submit plans and build a properly authorized retaining wall. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Luckily, I still had the letter from the municipality informing us that the owner of that erf was responsible for constructing a wall. At first we were told by the Cape Town City Council that they would not consider a situation that went back over twenty years. I argued that if you buy a property for its assets , so you also accept the accompanying liabilities. I felt that this prescribed wall was definitely an inherited liability for the new owner.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now living on a small income, we could never afford to construct an engineered wall at this stage of our lives. Eventually, for some reason, the building inspector realised that we
were not being obstructive or cheeky. We had been totally genuine martyrs in this ongoing long-term situation. So the owners on the property in front were ordered to accept their inherited liability and to add a retaining wall to their construction. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFy6-hCjqcIU2xSArC7eSs_q2WCEG7EsMjfKy_e54cDXVkj2AxpXLQbNGKVpucYjCch4w2rdTMdMFq2vyQSaIKrHsEWLj6tLQS30DxnADGRjqzgiZL2EuSyel6TXuhaVy-l9lX-MVvb0w/s1600/garden+to+reclaim.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrFy6-hCjqcIU2xSArC7eSs_q2WCEG7EsMjfKy_e54cDXVkj2AxpXLQbNGKVpucYjCch4w2rdTMdMFq2vyQSaIKrHsEWLj6tLQS30DxnADGRjqzgiZL2EuSyel6TXuhaVy-l9lX-MVvb0w/s320/garden+to+reclaim.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaaSOENkNkGpviV6GYoA1eoN-9HnDMJ4YBTz5a61nEpozcq5X1voXL2t81UfSZ0kSf8GYDh139eXEiZ3_vDx_hsGhNeSEFe5Fyi1JYIuaXQJEOZJqxeL2-iDl9kYKI5Jl20RC43KSGbYj/s1600/blks+%2811%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEaaSOENkNkGpviV6GYoA1eoN-9HnDMJ4YBTz5a61nEpozcq5X1voXL2t81UfSZ0kSf8GYDh139eXEiZ3_vDx_hsGhNeSEFe5Fyi1JYIuaXQJEOZJqxeL2-iDl9kYKI5Jl20RC43KSGbYj/s320/blks+%2811%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-q4ka9-w9zxjeZxDcU77MhZ22eC5SStTlsWAVLdvFrMOlOtsVC0G2n5_ot0mMi5KNgn_emjriCrrrXwXq2Pe2ebeTk0OvQp925YqW96fvNy3JsBwCYLR13et_v-XvWP8mF3XVLW0rUqP/s1600/blks+%2813%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7-q4ka9-w9zxjeZxDcU77MhZ22eC5SStTlsWAVLdvFrMOlOtsVC0G2n5_ot0mMi5KNgn_emjriCrrrXwXq2Pe2ebeTk0OvQp925YqW96fvNy3JsBwCYLR13et_v-XvWP8mF3XVLW0rUqP/s320/blks+%2813%29.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmv-cHxW7o8KmENusdnEn3n1flg8HFkt_By3ma4FvHz28cNGauXhAJihx6qlSEwAlVmFGkUYjTRGpOjwfCiOb8cqKtcAjw4D51pce5G6Mb9ylcIKK_F90234pk3W_Hk4DHpXa9OHz_kGX/s1600/220+boundary..JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrmv-cHxW7o8KmENusdnEn3n1flg8HFkt_By3ma4FvHz28cNGauXhAJihx6qlSEwAlVmFGkUYjTRGpOjwfCiOb8cqKtcAjw4D51pce5G6Mb9ylcIKK_F90234pk3W_Hk4DHpXa9OHz_kGX/s320/220+boundary..JPG" width="270" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our adjacent neighbour might take issue with the lack of backfill</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> behind the wall, his tree roots now exposed and soil slippage from his side.</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It was built over a year ago. I have been itching to rearrange our soil so that we no longer lose part of our garden footprint to our retaining blocks, but waited to see whether they would plaster or paint the shoddy brickwork on our side of the wall (one can always live in hope!) </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn52SCDBMBgmqe17RKar0mFIkngiCzXq8Jbq6cHhydiDP-YdZv-VYGMmW3tIwAEI_nZEC1y314LRCc2VXtbtv2XFfwZwbwKnnDW_WremWfu_e1JjT4eLn3UXdT-dhMGH0tB8I06Q9otEsu/s1600/messy.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn52SCDBMBgmqe17RKar0mFIkngiCzXq8Jbq6cHhydiDP-YdZv-VYGMmW3tIwAEI_nZEC1y314LRCc2VXtbtv2XFfwZwbwKnnDW_WremWfu_e1JjT4eLn3UXdT-dhMGH0tB8I06Q9otEsu/s320/messy.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We have given up on that and have started the tricky job of rearranging things. It is likely to take some time. Here are photos of the state of affairs up to this point. Its a process of removing blocks, shifting soil, replacing blocks, reshifting soil into and behind the blocks. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Star and Midge serve as supervisors on site. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphen8HUUh8cbij97azqRwjI6fNj79_GrL-wC3XpAOKnpdr1tRuh_ipdx44JKU-xTIo6dz0-S_gWTDaP5NoMq6xyBwj1CvpSaXJSLRVS4cjbBMmJWXjpqnBXzw_K8EJ0qd1lA-pX9oHUe_A7/s1600/blks+%288%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhyphenhyphen8HUUh8cbij97azqRwjI6fNj79_GrL-wC3XpAOKnpdr1tRuh_ipdx44JKU-xTIo6dz0-S_gWTDaP5NoMq6xyBwj1CvpSaXJSLRVS4cjbBMmJWXjpqnBXzw_K8EJ0qd1lA-pX9oHUe_A7/s320/blks+%288%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBknSWjuLsAEkcdK2Ny_TVWU5wIYzdL2Bw6Tefov1JeDhRIO0K_-vlzsSG9zX0J5GoWmvmj4mzoZEPLOfL3KOiGM7wc7DzlupCRpSAItc8HgGm8zJES8GnxUO9xC0IEo6CHg-qUO_2iZ4o/s1600/blks+%284%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBknSWjuLsAEkcdK2Ny_TVWU5wIYzdL2Bw6Tefov1JeDhRIO0K_-vlzsSG9zX0J5GoWmvmj4mzoZEPLOfL3KOiGM7wc7DzlupCRpSAItc8HgGm8zJES8GnxUO9xC0IEo6CHg-qUO_2iZ4o/s320/blks+%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIJo0RfB9kciMG-JDffKvbhju9mgb4AYRp0pBWarcA4SNT6PMJ_8TVaq78SFN56fP-aXFtnuxZkEVEq2YnC-JnNAfS-mm9wPwCyFVF24IHMkol_oHFdWgbWg0wRwUhZqkT3XXjfN2_nm-/s1600/blks+%2810%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwIJo0RfB9kciMG-JDffKvbhju9mgb4AYRp0pBWarcA4SNT6PMJ_8TVaq78SFN56fP-aXFtnuxZkEVEq2YnC-JnNAfS-mm9wPwCyFVF24IHMkol_oHFdWgbWg0wRwUhZqkT3XXjfN2_nm-/s320/blks+%2810%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80_IOUOiS_uYpj2yOX_a-Uem_zgdydsti9Z_Bq3PFmuGLM55VGEO17lYSM6lKMLtbYZv_tcQJvkZQ_HHj9q1awLHLwDCzHRbwmMO6IkqBXBAtawYw0MboAe7lxjd5NEJEgwwkQzBf_Ocz/s1600/blks+%287%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80_IOUOiS_uYpj2yOX_a-Uem_zgdydsti9Z_Bq3PFmuGLM55VGEO17lYSM6lKMLtbYZv_tcQJvkZQ_HHj9q1awLHLwDCzHRbwmMO6IkqBXBAtawYw0MboAe7lxjd5NEJEgwwkQzBf_Ocz/s320/blks+%287%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs5oocqL36m_vVvTxT7Xi16nLZ37r_NrrVRAQdzk_MbHLHDg0SbexdrW_VC4aq63XheORVRINHZPw_xd_-XH-32FkMRbz_Fs5rRHfKwRBilixvU9cIDiiv1OxQU462xy0nj38xFneEXux/s1600/blcks+%281%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbs5oocqL36m_vVvTxT7Xi16nLZ37r_NrrVRAQdzk_MbHLHDg0SbexdrW_VC4aq63XheORVRINHZPw_xd_-XH-32FkMRbz_Fs5rRHfKwRBilixvU9cIDiiv1OxQU462xy0nj38xFneEXux/s320/blcks+%281%29.JPG" width="239" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The photos do not really give an idea of what we are trying to achieve but here is a little sketch again which might give a better idea of our plan. Sadly, we can never fill the garden to its previous levels. We did have an opportunity about three years ago for a huge mountain of soil from a neighbour but while we did use much of it elsewhere in the garden (See <a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2011/08/earthworks.html" target="_blank"><u>Earthworks</u></a> and the <a href="http://madogman.blogspot.com/2012/09/naturally-lazy.html" target="_blank"><u>follow-up</u></a>), we had to refuse at least half of it because we had no idea how long we would have to store the soil(about 9 m3) while waiting for this wall to be built. So now its a question of shaping it into varying levels along the wall, using the existing soil.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAM_OOmNvJeN8aKw0BtBZNGSZ1kfrlV-_gSxxIElZfRo-43vEVxlm-d3IlVvOMZg4ujvKLweHoHi_W_B9nZvqxwVZR_O3DygVxysIE_KE1VByyCc0mwZX5cPu0UgFdGbnHZe3fawpR6Dv/s1600/blck.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUAM_OOmNvJeN8aKw0BtBZNGSZ1kfrlV-_gSxxIElZfRo-43vEVxlm-d3IlVvOMZg4ujvKLweHoHi_W_B9nZvqxwVZR_O3DygVxysIE_KE1VByyCc0mwZX5cPu0UgFdGbnHZe3fawpR6Dv/s400/blck.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3KVtz2gp9jOLqvB68mkuEJZhggpIK9zz-RAClxM38cafTSTE7MmTVh4ykIy8DpJU8y7jSVGSgP4mciHKXAelMrj85cedS4zC_J1wJlN-wutM9n-Ba4Z3xpkQY18bijmO_kYt9o0iKRKb/s1600/blcks+%2810%29.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-3KVtz2gp9jOLqvB68mkuEJZhggpIK9zz-RAClxM38cafTSTE7MmTVh4ykIy8DpJU8y7jSVGSgP4mciHKXAelMrj85cedS4zC_J1wJlN-wutM9n-Ba4Z3xpkQY18bijmO_kYt9o0iKRKb/s320/blcks+%2810%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>I do hope that the transplanted Wild Camphor survives</u></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PZLKNfpAc3BVHBGjRLZNYwcuoHdnl9lYhJPOD5ZWV_l5R_3vQG_Eg1lIzLStj1JcCHyKbYMIVFJ6GSgS5QqnwcvBLYbgGaQC0YojIbGcHhYeKbQaUqhu1ytSh7sv_LbxfoSHKdE9lq7w/s1600/blcks+%285%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PZLKNfpAc3BVHBGjRLZNYwcuoHdnl9lYhJPOD5ZWV_l5R_3vQG_Eg1lIzLStj1JcCHyKbYMIVFJ6GSgS5QqnwcvBLYbgGaQC0YojIbGcHhYeKbQaUqhu1ytSh7sv_LbxfoSHKdE9lq7w/s320/blcks+%285%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD8CUb90vl1ka8CIPu-RsscTbsx_mYYKH4q02FGqxd3VRiN1Cokw8qrVcdVNsL_iv6G4CxCP6C6Qvqjn6CMTeFMAuZ5L8nYVXTR2FSB6JNQHr9-A72Aa39MQB9Oi3t7eTB6qQxZSpw4yg/s1600/blcks+%284%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkD8CUb90vl1ka8CIPu-RsscTbsx_mYYKH4q02FGqxd3VRiN1Cokw8qrVcdVNsL_iv6G4CxCP6C6Qvqjn6CMTeFMAuZ5L8nYVXTR2FSB6JNQHr9-A72Aa39MQB9Oi3t7eTB6qQxZSpw4yg/s320/blcks+%284%29.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc92IjvUwwc3RWZAwymfR3GTs9GiHpBOeVYU2l8EsJjmVyfa_kzlijDj1e3QkD5d-iuwolSpp0KWb9NAyPwktpqjg6mxyxysttH4DxkjDtMjmwKcPZ8hL4f3KtNOhw2C7l3igC0Txq4J7/s1600/blcks+%289%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc92IjvUwwc3RWZAwymfR3GTs9GiHpBOeVYU2l8EsJjmVyfa_kzlijDj1e3QkD5d-iuwolSpp0KWb9NAyPwktpqjg6mxyxysttH4DxkjDtMjmwKcPZ8hL4f3KtNOhw2C7l3igC0Txq4J7/s320/blcks+%289%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUjzFOVHK3gvdMSQ0kEpB_fRx5f58w-17CFfUVpQxu0ibbDXWLsJegW0DA2QucLol_9DqA2_FKg8xC6lp32x-xnzNlpUDNv_SeBiixH_Rtn4_u0vxB7ynX3VbstwAbuicC0poWh7MDgC3/s1600/blcks+%282%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUjzFOVHK3gvdMSQ0kEpB_fRx5f58w-17CFfUVpQxu0ibbDXWLsJegW0DA2QucLol_9DqA2_FKg8xC6lp32x-xnzNlpUDNv_SeBiixH_Rtn4_u0vxB7ynX3VbstwAbuicC0poWh7MDgC3/s320/blcks+%282%29.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Its still a work in progress.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I cannot wait for it to be finished so that we can start planting!!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhys44T0vXFZIHmSsZiWcgTTxyQ4NySDLxt8JqqaIK-rRznC7L4xfJOv64x47VDiteuNOXtqTHmOFcnNWBa_zRB6Lud_x4IS5ZZIesxCD11bMg1gLDoLXduO5ifODou3e5mxOu4WzESJOh6/s1600/blks+combo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhys44T0vXFZIHmSsZiWcgTTxyQ4NySDLxt8JqqaIK-rRznC7L4xfJOv64x47VDiteuNOXtqTHmOFcnNWBa_zRB6Lud_x4IS5ZZIesxCD11bMg1gLDoLXduO5ifODou3e5mxOu4WzESJOh6/s320/blks+combo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-65960982381391719892013-04-18T15:18:00.000+02:002013-12-21T19:54:29.040+02:00Pallet Project<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I so often see wonderful products which people have created from old pallets. My hints fall on deaf ears and nothing has ever been done about pallet windfalls in our house.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1p6Pqq9t1O_qfJOoQKs86juE8KZrCHci6jlLkrNtivthpKidOuBAmBzOOj87Os7csrcgipprl4XdkN-PK3qiAmHHP4zRcdTJH5H_JQLcX6kscffXWjTBgXsIj_QxgNmGuA4e_pyiDf02G/s1600/pt+%286%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1p6Pqq9t1O_qfJOoQKs86juE8KZrCHci6jlLkrNtivthpKidOuBAmBzOOj87Os7csrcgipprl4XdkN-PK3qiAmHHP4zRcdTJH5H_JQLcX6kscffXWjTBgXsIj_QxgNmGuA4e_pyiDf02G/s320/pt+%286%29.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This last week, for some reason, Roy decided to humour me and offered to build anything which did not require pulling the entire pallet apart. (I never look a gift-horse in the mouth in these circumstances!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Seal the underneath while it is easily accessible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2BNub_Pp6jJGD-2RcBNFUg1QctypcCotiBeQxBc6MQ52gLV1mFOb_3XC1jBckfMypTAsYWfz1oXthEwCL9rYfkHWvQZKcZG_xvCo-KssU8DsJC6LFOxX6mredNGf6B4ilAqkyTTY9fUl/s1600/pt+%284%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2BNub_Pp6jJGD-2RcBNFUg1QctypcCotiBeQxBc6MQ52gLV1mFOb_3XC1jBckfMypTAsYWfz1oXthEwCL9rYfkHWvQZKcZG_xvCo-KssU8DsJC6LFOxX6mredNGf6B4ilAqkyTTY9fUl/s320/pt+%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The cross members and legs were made from door-posts of old </span><span style="font-size: small;">garage doors that
we bought and recycled a few years ago.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN_yyuhp7-zwZa_6XCYmVjKzy8WRGny_zwAUTOKgitHL47QEx77CSTTt5m-V25bLC1eMflkiO3awDcD5QZLs2kq0H4J4BiOLgU7Gj9MsrPVrfOMb8rCl3S3pCvK4GCWivibsXGC5Bhmz0/s1600/pt+%285%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRN_yyuhp7-zwZa_6XCYmVjKzy8WRGny_zwAUTOKgitHL47QEx77CSTTt5m-V25bLC1eMflkiO3awDcD5QZLs2kq0H4J4BiOLgU7Gj9MsrPVrfOMb8rCl3S3pCvK4GCWivibsXGC5Bhmz0/s320/pt+%285%29.JPG" width="249" /></a> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The shelf below was built with a few
left-over slats from those doors.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJZSSG-ia5rVGbgZ8kboZcdHR7DTbv2ygssu6hCGz2-LwTa222If9elCn_OllWZB5S9pGYEeuzQLQnxhY_wXiFwsZ6QoYqTVJ8zcKDGyahs3XrY3SbuYiV1u34bnEvauXGhYu0bDUYp18/s1600/pt+%287%29.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJZSSG-ia5rVGbgZ8kboZcdHR7DTbv2ygssu6hCGz2-LwTa222If9elCn_OllWZB5S9pGYEeuzQLQnxhY_wXiFwsZ6QoYqTVJ8zcKDGyahs3XrY3SbuYiV1u34bnEvauXGhYu0bDUYp18/s320/pt+%287%29.JPG" width="265" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He will build a second one.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUpP-UdFgLkvt-MShWMzH9QlZBKNP3ApnvnZFiRoFb2YVU1qXhl9cOs-D4x29kJI8wk7VRm5_LJlnm9aV5pmSGyfjoOn_nFCCcxlnwdfnLvG3Sq9iOAzMW6z4svGX2oy3PJ6EGQrDY4ZT/s1600/pt+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUpP-UdFgLkvt-MShWMzH9QlZBKNP3ApnvnZFiRoFb2YVU1qXhl9cOs-D4x29kJI8wk7VRm5_LJlnm9aV5pmSGyfjoOn_nFCCcxlnwdfnLvG3Sq9iOAzMW6z4svGX2oy3PJ6EGQrDY4ZT/s320/pt+(2).JPG" width="191" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They are rough and ready and will be great to use for messy activities in the garden.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-2678041521836816802013-04-08T20:13:00.000+02:002013-12-21T19:54:51.356+02:00Monkey Mischief<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We spent last week up at our plot, after delaying our departure time and again, due to some pathetic lethargy on our part.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wet </span>fields greeted our arrival and a Cape Gooseberry bush, heavily laden with ripe fruit, waved happily at us as we examined our garden. I picked a few fruit and decided that I would pick a handful each day as a celebration of garden edibles being "baboon-free" in this environment, unlike our Cape Town garden.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The seasons always seem to turn on the Easter weekend in Cape Town and, arriving on Easter Sunday, this proved to be true of the plot<span style="font-size: small;">'s environment </span>too. It rained on and off for the whole of Monday and Tuesday and we luxuriated in being lazy and reading a pile of books. At one moment, while we were absorbed in our reading, the dogs rushed towards the window, barking. I was too late to see the monkey but Roy described it to me and I knew exactly what it looked like. (a photo later found on the internet). It had peered inside momentarily and then dashed away on seeing the dogs and us. We walked outside to see if he was still about and then noticed some berry casings lying on the ground. Every ripe gooseberry had been picked! The single green granadilla was missing in action too!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PX59a_9LV2hI7ptKuD2kZmv0yexeex4HmH22z3r9jV0qwFHMP5hf1zbCJ1wnFaQdcDqCyncV8COENT6yAjCZEvrUZ5MKkwaYQtrTm4Qr8VQx94WcDOBSeQM-WF95bGZTxcAQjhcOCrYb/s1600/gb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2PX59a_9LV2hI7ptKuD2kZmv0yexeex4HmH22z3r9jV0qwFHMP5hf1zbCJ1wnFaQdcDqCyncV8COENT6yAjCZEvrUZ5MKkwaYQtrTm4Qr8VQx94WcDOBSeQM-WF95bGZTxcAQjhcOCrYb/s320/gb.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A new idiom: A ripe berry in the hand is worth hundreds left unpicked on the bush!! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had no idea that this type of monkey ranged in this area. I know that there are baboons which occasionally leave the Tradouw Pass and glean fallen oats and wheat from harvested fields not too distant from our plot. So this means that there are TWO possible primate types <span style="font-size: small;">in this environment<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Can you spot the creature in our <span style="font-size: small;">flower box which has been nibbling o<span style="font-size: small;">n the contents?</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On Wednesday, the sun shone and John pulled all the ivy creeper off the back of the bungalow, and more importantly, off the roof of the bungalow. The onduline roofing is made from some sort of pressed cardboard material and I had finally convinced Roy that it is not worth taking a risk that the ivy damages the roof with its roots and shoots.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb3Iq9-tpFidcn6zQvYW9FBnL12rT4uVH9wa8eNutrckolR_xv_5ewNeGEAeW0RVIFBDOXKNP_Ij-quFWXXeF656YDBLcHHeYCIGaFv20V_sEPbi7eOOFg6oJRbfZfLIJ4lXfES4mYNLt/s1600/iv.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVb3Iq9-tpFidcn6zQvYW9FBnL12rT4uVH9wa8eNutrckolR_xv_5ewNeGEAeW0RVIFBDOXKNP_Ij-quFWXXeF656YDBLcHHeYCIGaFv20V_sEPbi7eOOFg6oJRbfZfLIJ4lXfES4mYNLt/s320/iv.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had long ago admitted my error in planting the wretched stuff but <i>one </i>of Roy's quirks, being a non-gardener, is his reluctance to kill/pull up any plant once it is established. He insisted on leaving some of the ivy clinging to the fence poles alongside the bungalow so I can foresee that this will be an ongoing item on the chore list.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm9p4Tmu7vcmVqFRwJjD6HFWGCeGiIhqrqD59hp77XedtDRHjZEV7dfnzN4l3ZniQfuHQjKyUXotG8cuyOwRrawhIwlzIWYbLszqj4BS3H0yULU7i6xxxecLb2fDa98Oe1r8k8xpA8fdK/s1600/IMAG0686.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmm9p4Tmu7vcmVqFRwJjD6HFWGCeGiIhqrqD59hp77XedtDRHjZEV7dfnzN4l3ZniQfuHQjKyUXotG8cuyOwRrawhIwlzIWYbLszqj4BS3H0yULU7i6xxxecLb2fDa98Oe1r8k8xpA8fdK/s320/IMAG0686.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thursday, neighbour Ed and Roy helped another neighbour get to hospital. His health had steadily deteriorated over the last eighteen months and the danger of living on one's own in a fairly isolated area and without transport was highlighted by this emergency dash to the local hospital. The stress of the morning was cured that evening with a superb dinner at Dani and Rman. She cooked a leg of lamb in her solar oven and it had the most incredible flavour. Accompanied with all sorts of delicious goodies from her garden, it showed us just what can be done if one is determined to make it all happen!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Looking at my schedule for the next few months, sadly, we won't be able to get up there again for quite a while. We left the trees, which are now big enough to cast shade, and look forward to seeing the difference that a couple of months will make.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5z4pwTntCs4PyjoidCF6zrMl7QHIIzmNFyKMOw3RsC-nHAIMOSNd1-kegSSqXTu64iIlv30NeCRsXq05Ie2bPT0Vq_hQ370RWREZS-EUeKw3yXPQPnE4oc7RxgN9vwsUVpMdZKgVMTEER/s1600/keurboom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5z4pwTntCs4PyjoidCF6zrMl7QHIIzmNFyKMOw3RsC-nHAIMOSNd1-kegSSqXTu64iIlv30NeCRsXq05Ie2bPT0Vq_hQ370RWREZS-EUeKw3yXPQPnE4oc7RxgN9vwsUVpMdZKgVMTEER/s320/keurboom.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hWn5_ew98AARyZ2F_az_GMhnUNnNS2A7-SbulkkJhqCX3DLz6Fgv8X6CmnYY1o_ZcA9mTJhvMJ_dBNLA_Y_NdOxR_uZpSc4gAY2hqCzHYYkBTX3Yk82SVhRr-zwdktCN90_F7Vpc-_i2/s1600/celtis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hWn5_ew98AARyZ2F_az_GMhnUNnNS2A7-SbulkkJhqCX3DLz6Fgv8X6CmnYY1o_ZcA9mTJhvMJ_dBNLA_Y_NdOxR_uZpSc4gAY2hqCzHYYkBTX3Yk82SVhRr-zwdktCN90_F7Vpc-_i2/s320/celtis.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCVL3344cEpsVvJwX_uk1-kuc0bTtiffMl4N7msUJK8GDu3ND-cMRwPNLM4DY3uI4aogKZjYwLtYeeLr4j2Eu6wzdz4_DRfJZ_GrvndZOQjjenTxPzgVd_cpoSXLTS_IyOUXtWGA0OgSW/s1600/tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Planting trees today that others will enjoy tomorrow, is a worthwhile, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">selfless mission in life.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCVL3344cEpsVvJwX_uk1-kuc0bTtiffMl4N7msUJK8GDu3ND-cMRwPNLM4DY3uI4aogKZjYwLtYeeLr4j2Eu6wzdz4_DRfJZ_GrvndZOQjjenTxPzgVd_cpoSXLTS_IyOUXtWGA0OgSW/s1600/tree.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaCVL3344cEpsVvJwX_uk1-kuc0bTtiffMl4N7msUJK8GDu3ND-cMRwPNLM4DY3uI4aogKZjYwLtYeeLr4j2Eu6wzdz4_DRfJZ_GrvndZOQjjenTxPzgVd_cpoSXLTS_IyOUXtWGA0OgSW/s320/tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.michaelnorthimagery.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">www.michaelnorthimagery.com</span></span></a></div>
Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-36483325881817642013-03-17T16:00:00.000+02:002013-12-21T19:55:13.314+02:00Life's unexpected way<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Our friends came to stay with us for a few days in Cape Town while they attended various appointments. On the second day, the husband's leg broke, quite inexplicably. After an operation to mend it, a diagnosis of secondary bone cancer was made and then, when the primary site was identified, the status was escalated to terminal stage. Within three weeks of their arrival here, he died this morning. Such a shock for everyone, but by the end, it was only a kindness<span style="font-size: small;"> to </span>him<span style="font-size: small;">self</span> to let go.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He was a diver in his working life and recruited, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">trained and mentored others on the same path. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH0xLaX4nvo6KcCSpiQi5BSowz3rFu5yYd_R928vVn4Ck5KTImVzBzdhNtTFvFx01TwHfnYKULtXtbN-U6dw1_Q3gnn7x5oG2vfqQ6G5iBApS3bDtXyY5KWPxUOrUI8qIvrpSbv7ZZOjH/s1600/diver.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH0xLaX4nvo6KcCSpiQi5BSowz3rFu5yYd_R928vVn4Ck5KTImVzBzdhNtTFvFx01TwHfnYKULtXtbN-U6dw1_Q3gnn7x5oG2vfqQ6G5iBApS3bDtXyY5KWPxUOrUI8qIvrpSbv7ZZOjH/s320/diver.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">He had the soul of a writer and poet.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">How unexpected life can be.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">A Salute</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Away!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The last dive is begun,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Further, even further,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To the brightest Sun.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Waves lap and caress,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While quietly we sleep,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Nicolaas, our own,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Brave knight of the deep.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">At last!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To reach that other shore, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To see that dear Light,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">To suffer no more.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Winds stir and draw veils,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">While soft<span style="font-size: small;">ly </span>we weep,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For our loss, our own,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Sweet knight of the deep.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfH0xLaX4nvo6KcCSpiQi5BSowz3rFu5yYd_R928vVn4Ck5KTImVzBzdhNtTFvFx01TwHfnYKULtXtbN-U6dw1_Q3gnn7x5oG2vfqQ6G5iBApS3bDtXyY5KWPxUOrUI8qIvrpSbv7ZZOjH/s1600/diver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-44994402572876000722013-02-20T20:40:00.001+02:002013-12-21T19:55:37.382+02:00Arty Aspirations<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We drove up to the plot on Sunday and spent the rest of the day sheltering inside the building from the burning heat. Monday and Tuesday were spent draining off some of the contents of the rain-water tanks in preparation for winter rains. It is rather a tedious process and I dragged a little stool and book, sitting alongside each tree for the duration of the watering. I read three pages per tree while the water chugged around its roots = 20 litres per tree. Roy took a photo and I was so taken with it that I have spent some time this evening with one of my favourite, free software downloads, Photoscape. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are some of the possible effects (but by no means the entire scope of the program) So much fun!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3EKxo1zPCeio0Hwtbhkw2Ui9L3WeCtgOt1EZrkBVFrdgSZxfehKC27ImzI_pUh_JPM8wTjaYKwJgALMVo_3ePrSIKexfdkLIbA9I1CrKYBMZithcDf6ZQ0BlIG_hQnNlk4rrAtmyBLzX/s1600/IMAG0643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO3EKxo1zPCeio0Hwtbhkw2Ui9L3WeCtgOt1EZrkBVFrdgSZxfehKC27ImzI_pUh_JPM8wTjaYKwJgALMVo_3ePrSIKexfdkLIbA9I1CrKYBMZithcDf6ZQ0BlIG_hQnNlk4rrAtmyBLzX/s320/IMAG0643.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aq1sEqduKh-a7ZyJxFzWjlDh6ao1Hg38zPvho8Sv_Do2UJ2e1w57TJA2086zsAvr-niVjXDqZdW_KnM3Ce7PQN5G5OSMtV3llsg21w3E4IKnmR2r4TqYeqRGUzud11I8xzzKoF1iugLR/s1600/ant1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aq1sEqduKh-a7ZyJxFzWjlDh6ao1Hg38zPvho8Sv_Do2UJ2e1w57TJA2086zsAvr-niVjXDqZdW_KnM3Ce7PQN5G5OSMtV3llsg21w3E4IKnmR2r4TqYeqRGUzud11I8xzzKoF1iugLR/s320/ant1.JPG" width="242" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Anti<span style="font-size: small;">que</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6Q1hyphenhyphenWFUTpQm7nqREXlEv0xwMamnCWV1lOr-8gUvWo5s9EG0Uc-3UTu1PafNGao6dXWqKkVezc0tQ2BqilzMLUdwZe6BPZtK9Z4NMTdoZmmYdvxgoLZnJtgAAGJN2SGt1xVJAWq4a5e5/s1600/ant2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6Q1hyphenhyphenWFUTpQm7nqREXlEv0xwMamnCWV1lOr-8gUvWo5s9EG0Uc-3UTu1PafNGao6dXWqKkVezc0tQ2BqilzMLUdwZe6BPZtK9Z4NMTdoZmmYdvxgoLZnJtgAAGJN2SGt1xVJAWq4a5e5/s320/ant2.JPG" width="242" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnxyBykT82bWNVSdCE3R3KbopHLgTwMo9VOrFyhMJXvDOfgazrBfBSwXqi9s9J950IOzGZw-YPAxoLG03mA0awPYSKc2I2uEhOBp58AydLcvWO9oQOInQsFtuREAugPcvGgK7V8KL394Q/s1600/cellophane.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnxyBykT82bWNVSdCE3R3KbopHLgTwMo9VOrFyhMJXvDOfgazrBfBSwXqi9s9J950IOzGZw-YPAxoLG03mA0awPYSKc2I2uEhOBp58AydLcvWO9oQOInQsFtuREAugPcvGgK7V8KL394Q/s320/cellophane.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Cellophane</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehSuVE3I2Oxg2S4XkIDfRmPfgQdz2kZQZT0yJ_k1j38ggPGqVTjD5UhfV7HJ8VA49e8QKIlergJzxx1rFLvtbLhHuaMAV_rep2gedpfFbsYsKG1aS93tSUQVZqlKaZNc_kL0Ipf0OGiQ/s1600/cube.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ehSuVE3I2Oxg2S4XkIDfRmPfgQdz2kZQZT0yJ_k1j38ggPGqVTjD5UhfV7HJ8VA49e8QKIlergJzxx1rFLvtbLhHuaMAV_rep2gedpfFbsYsKG1aS93tSUQVZqlKaZNc_kL0Ipf0OGiQ/s320/cube.JPG" width="270" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHxMNXvVgGlM2f-fbSzkwrPgeJdJzZS9vWgGB9thN2ugTTwpx1TZ1Ci1q6jTJy1qJnyikFmtRV470KKrOmDB12-3ofiiGlMZoex1W_yQPGqd15eJWpsb9g-xVnIjIEqM7zNCc_SM7I-ET/s1600/draw1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHxMNXvVgGlM2f-fbSzkwrPgeJdJzZS9vWgGB9thN2ugTTwpx1TZ1Ci1q6jTJy1qJnyikFmtRV470KKrOmDB12-3ofiiGlMZoex1W_yQPGqd15eJWpsb9g-xVnIjIEqM7zNCc_SM7I-ET/s320/draw1.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Watercolour</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHmNz9fNNoAcwTedXG8W9a_EQUSIlMppgumFodvWtJcq1UeO1dzX0NhuOYIpBfFOC-alQcTtpakmPX7g04cwtrfNzZlnDCdJbpXUGc58vjpZhfCkRGpQBKlj9dmDZPXG5XS4qxQfao9aA/s1600/frame.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHmNz9fNNoAcwTedXG8W9a_EQUSIlMppgumFodvWtJcq1UeO1dzX0NhuOYIpBfFOC-alQcTtpakmPX7g04cwtrfNzZlnDCdJbpXUGc58vjpZhfCkRGpQBKlj9dmDZPXG5XS4qxQfao9aA/s320/frame.JPG" width="251" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcyRShZfi85xsdzCJ1EuAV5RERarEIGKKyS8LiPtiO5OysuYCWv7H6FMEYauDM8w6hgjaohi544V1Uf0LHY5LpSiLyfUJ9Wbcr5LTbC02oz4GwMlITqxhA1duyy7avecFxDGsLWa8w1mA/s1600/illusion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGcyRShZfi85xsdzCJ1EuAV5RERarEIGKKyS8LiPtiO5OysuYCWv7H6FMEYauDM8w6hgjaohi544V1Uf0LHY5LpSiLyfUJ9Wbcr5LTbC02oz4GwMlITqxhA1duyy7avecFxDGsLWa8w1mA/s320/illusion.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB67ig4Jh5JIc8LTYuC0c1JwAUydo-2dK2pAelRMFQU2cV2Wrq0Ut_1UxJJ06thCeCdq6Ppf2uayAUxUn2qer79BCesMxrDcEmN9Wq7tNUNs0mRYD2wzndHqJ6Qw1owFacmd6pneVmZSz/s1600/opaint.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCB67ig4Jh5JIc8LTYuC0c1JwAUydo-2dK2pAelRMFQU2cV2Wrq0Ut_1UxJJ06thCeCdq6Ppf2uayAUxUn2qer79BCesMxrDcEmN9Wq7tNUNs0mRYD2wzndHqJ6Qw1owFacmd6pneVmZSz/s320/opaint.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksNfMQXZTvWNolYbM1hyiF9LQLgJ7ZQ6mPCoMJfP0mqK6WtHuhGIQ5kW3PbPHxBReWGvbO6Ka3TcpWYlRwBJayo1TkSypZwFaDML8N1uD774hiLjIeChdnEGa6WQlbkXbQgKWLCx2WOHh/s1600/wpaint.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksNfMQXZTvWNolYbM1hyiF9LQLgJ7ZQ6mPCoMJfP0mqK6WtHuhGIQ5kW3PbPHxBReWGvbO6Ka3TcpWYlRwBJayo1TkSypZwFaDML8N1uD774hiLjIeChdnEGa6WQlbkXbQgKWLCx2WOHh/s320/wpaint.JPG" width="261" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Oil painting</span></span></div>
Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-57965943414369883462013-01-08T13:23:00.001+02:002013-12-21T19:56:26.255+02:00Blast-off into 2013<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">After delaying our trip to the plot in order to help some young German tourists achieve their dream of climbing in the Cederberg, we arrived at the plot on the first day of 2013 to find that we had been burgled. Our place had been secured like Fort Knox but the thieves showed great determination. All our cutlery, cooking pots, crockery and Roy's comfy, old hiking shoes.....
gone. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I was rather surprised at the missing booty when a 9kg gas cylinder had been ignored. It seemed very much like a woman's shopping list for setting up home. Someone
told us on the morning before we returned to Cape Town that a local woman's shack burned down a while
ago and she was heard to declare that she had lost all her crockery,
cutlery and cooking pots<span style="font-size: small;">!</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">One would not mind if people asked for help so that you could then <i>choose </i>to give away <u>some </u>of
your possessions to help another person but for someone to take
EVERYTHING and leave you without a single plate, spoon, a mug or a cooking pot, is
very disappointing. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Apart
from the missing items, a window was smashed open after padlocks had
been levered off the protective shutters. Also, some damage was done to
our shutter doors in an attempt to break into a different part of the
building.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We spent much of our precious time up there, driving through to Swellendam to obtain replacements for essential lost items and damaged parts. We had to deface our shutter doors because there are no longer attachments for new padlocks.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKum_rpEPZAifZvSTqLBgTSpforM54hsfJ7dOSgXFQ4F-gBYKyH4u5O8zzRVjleFu5sCw1QpnXKQKd-tYnR2vI9wXBwdtU8qcwDuXavMcIAjG-Sl-fkEB572PNC1ZdU8Lp-avI1craJsOA/s1600/Photo-0021_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKum_rpEPZAifZvSTqLBgTSpforM54hsfJ7dOSgXFQ4F-gBYKyH4u5O8zzRVjleFu5sCw1QpnXKQKd-tYnR2vI9wXBwdtU8qcwDuXavMcIAjG-Sl-fkEB572PNC1ZdU8Lp-avI1craJsOA/s320/Photo-0021_1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The permanent residents are never burgled, so being a p<span style="font-size: small;">art-timer is a huge factor in the crime there.<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We added a few new deterrents. I hope that this does not hint that there might be something worth stealing from upstairs!</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jpRuHOjVM_2t7K4_PIq3P6CM6KAb8pTXfp-q4bFGvPvChnj9nWgotR181TvR08I9csWBjOy_UUAfydFLOqbW-I_aN3TpDUYs59_UB0p96h6duzonqmCupGttgzhe8VeZF6LtuN8aNtKn/s1600/IMAG0623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jpRuHOjVM_2t7K4_PIq3P6CM6KAb8pTXfp-q4bFGvPvChnj9nWgotR181TvR08I9csWBjOy_UUAfydFLOqbW-I_aN3TpDUYs59_UB0p96h6duzonqmCupGttgzhe8VeZF6LtuN8aNtKn/s320/IMAG0623.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">During this visit, we realised that water pressure is becoming a <i>huge </i>problem for us
in the summer because of the architecture of the water supply. We have someone turn our tap on when we are not there and, up until now, the pressure has been sufficient to water each tree with a thin jet of water. Our trees are
watered each through a pinhole in the black piping, so we are not
asking for much<span style="font-size: small;">. However,</span> it seems that the pressure could not even supply this to every single tree, leaving about 20 trees without water.<span style="font-size: small;"> We<span style="font-size: small;"> noticed this the last time we were there.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It<span style="font-size: small;">'</span>s fine while we are there and can then hand<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>water those trees, but while we are down in Cape Town, it is not an option. Apart from all water reservoi<span style="font-size: small;">r tanks </span>being "in-line" and our particular<span style="font-size: small;"> section of the area </span>being pretty much at the back of the queue, while others draw off for their needs, there was a general water<span style="font-size: small;">-</span>supply problem from the supplier, days before we arrived. This resulted in everybody being waterless for about 4 days. Knowing this, we waited a few days after our arrival before we used our system, in order to give the reservoirs some time to refill<span style="font-size: small;">,</span> but<span style="font-size: small;"> it was</span> to no avail.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Water resource is actually <i>not a </i>problem for us. We keep a back-up supply of drinking water and we have 35,000 litres of stored rain-water waiting to be used. <span style="font-size: small;">We</span> could quite easily accumulate ano<span style="font-size: small;">ther 10 - 15000 litres in winter<span style="font-size: small;">, if we acquired</span> additional tanks<span style="font-size: small;">.</span> </span> But of course, one needs to BE there to use it on the trees, hand-watering with long hosepipes. My dermatologist is going to hit the roof next week when she sees how I recklessly allowed myself to be burned by the sun while quenching the thirst of my leafy babes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Unequal water supply <span style="font-size: small;">can bri<span style="font-size: small;">ng<span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span>out the worst in human nature to the extent that it could jeopardize our situation as absentee owners. We have decided that we either need to bring our timetable forward for living there permanently or else, <i>for the sake of the trees</i>, we need to try and sell the place on to someone who would move there <i>permanently</i><span style="font-size: small;"> <b>now</b></span>. Watch this space!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We have certainly learned some valuable lessons, one being that<span style="font-size: small;">, </span>you must be <i>very </i>sure and determined of your future path before you invest time, effort and money planting out almost 100 trees, 3.5 hours away from your home base!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Doesn't our Aloe Tree look amazing? </span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_njJMJJk_vqEzWo0R_4qt0Ay92MHOwo0pesPM7r833Hs7nV66MkeX-cl-x1FaR1ytlnh02K4aK21a4R5AVXfQ6xOhXYSv8jLc-uunUg2aiZgUXop-O7fcvmj44oRl2PvFfpO7yeAV-7J/s1600/Photo-0019_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_njJMJJk_vqEzWo0R_4qt0Ay92MHOwo0pesPM7r833Hs7nV66MkeX-cl-x1FaR1ytlnh02K4aK21a4R5AVXfQ6xOhXYSv8jLc-uunUg2aiZgUXop-O7fcvmj44oRl2PvFfpO7yeAV-7J/s320/Photo-0019_1.jpg" width="269" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">(<span style="font-size: small;">C</span>amera battery was flat, so excuse the cell-phone photo <span style="font-size: small;">qu<span style="font-size: small;">ality</span></span>)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">We finally removed the plastic covering off some of the windows after painting the surround with a final coat of paint. <span style="font-size: small;">Here is my </span>view while lying on the bed...at last!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5mlvHMTJ7-ukLbUy_2D_iRlnwvZRNQYBJCDTr5h_qLVzO5Dkccw6QFz3NNyjStt2h73jCtFSh0mhe3t_LN9-KlvFBWO_M5ZFltHTxMPTDj88zwx43Dt7LjBaVr1_HpugpdybBvloFVpx/s1600/IMAG0618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5mlvHMTJ7-ukLbUy_2D_iRlnwvZRNQYBJCDTr5h_qLVzO5Dkccw6QFz3NNyjStt2h73jCtFSh0mhe3t_LN9-KlvFBWO_M5ZFltHTxMPTDj88zwx43Dt7LjBaVr1_HpugpdybBvloFVpx/s320/IMAG0618.JPG" width="239" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On our way back home, we stopped off at Buffelsjag garage and I remembered to take a photo of the basins in the restroom which have so impressed me on previous occasions. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7E1CexL9RpsS__r0KxNbGub3sWmdPmzifO_QCCIi6dkcp5MJsHAcAszAYacPCq5_CkxJUHu5homcyuU7FNPloJNfywXPEmz6bLM5dODFByKKd-_oyVBvG57ol6c0OVPofhwUSuWISXrBy/s1600/basins.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7E1CexL9RpsS__r0KxNbGub3sWmdPmzifO_QCCIi6dkcp5MJsHAcAszAYacPCq5_CkxJUHu5homcyuU7FNPloJNfywXPEmz6bLM5dODFByKKd-_oyVBvG57ol6c0OVPofhwUSuWISXrBy/s320/basins.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">What a pleasure to use them!</span></span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5792015821370168967.post-35403926015243329332012-12-31T21:04:00.002+02:002013-01-08T14:24:17.887+02:00Year End<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Roy got back yesterday from taking a young couple into the Cederberg to climb up through the more difficult one of The Cracks and on to the Wolfberg Arch. He only took a single photo with his own camera and it is such a lovely image of "being on top of the world" and "looking forward".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Q3JQ1ljjZYGtPwmY-PrZ1b4GWLzcwv1qI-QkoFhzQsV9UvXBtnVNucRvqgZRJZu5Fv71Ve9P1CzHos8u-Y7iLXjZHxlDjgUGqtpamzpsw27PhwKq5If_Z8wflnZFqNKs6Acafy7P5qW/s1600/ototw.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI-Q3JQ1ljjZYGtPwmY-PrZ1b4GWLzcwv1qI-QkoFhzQsV9UvXBtnVNucRvqgZRJZu5Fv71Ve9P1CzHos8u-Y7iLXjZHxlDjgUGqtpamzpsw27PhwKq5If_Z8wflnZFqNKs6Acafy7P5qW/s320/ototw.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This New Year's evening in Cape Town, people are strolling on the perlemoen shimmer of sand while children and
dogs run about excitedly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The sun has set on 2012 to the sound of
bagpipes playing on the beach. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzr3efCsQz2QcTGOQUuApTibz30SuFYoGdxX4MXW7ncsU1GzFXgi5KrgNmLnNaAWZKcMDvzyZ9sUlf088m2pz19WU705vMRkvZl9Epo0lnugAbqxM9ScgkGTbqvr6UpUTNB7kCHM9uc-J/s1600/stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzr3efCsQz2QcTGOQUuApTibz30SuFYoGdxX4MXW7ncsU1GzFXgi5KrgNmLnNaAWZKcMDvzyZ9sUlf088m2pz19WU705vMRkvZl9Epo0lnugAbqxM9ScgkGTbqvr6UpUTNB7kCHM9uc-J/s320/stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">And on a lighter note......</span></div>
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Mad dog and Englishmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13767756978798658041noreply@blogger.com0