Ons kom nog steeds dikwels daar, maar dan meestal om vinnig ‘n blommetjie op ons ouers se grafte te sit.

So dan en wan tog ‘n kort wandel deur die dorp of langs die rivier. Meer toe Emma nog geleef het.  Dorpstraat, Pleinstraat, die Laan – die dorp is ‘n miernes van studente en toeriste! Straatkafees, koffiewinkels, restaurante, wynhuise, biertuine, kunsgallerye en snuisterye – en die ou Moederkerk – die onveranderlike.

Die oomblik van stilte – relatief, want die orrelis was besig om te oefen – was vreemd midde die gewoel buite.

Die menigte toeriste was bemoedigend – buitelandse valuta vir ‘n dors land.

Die kunswerke pragtig, maar nie vir die gemiddelde outjie beskore nie.

Dit was lekker om hier groot te word, te studeer, te vind en te vry, maar geen begeerte om weer in hierdie pragtige, woelige dorp te bly!

Heerlike Valentynsdag met ‘n mooie Stellenbosch gebore meisie!

What choice do we have?

When your leaves turn to amber, to rust? Solis occasus est…

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise
At the moment of my life when the world is new
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me
To be brave and strong and true
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to full the world with love
My whole life through

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine
At a moment of my life when the sky is blue
And the blessing I shall ask will remain unchanging
To be brave and strong and true
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset
At the moment of my life when the night is due
And the question I shall ask only God can answer
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love?
Did I fill the world with love?
Did I fill the world with love
My whole life
As sung at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary
Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines

Charlize Theron mum on Afrikaans comments as story makes international headlines https://www.news24.com/channel/celebrities/charlize-theron-mum-on-afrikaans-comments-as-story-makes-international-headlines-20221118

My hart bloei eintlik vir haar. As jy jou op ‘n plek bevind waar jy nie meer weet waar jy vandaan kom nie, so gebreinspoel is deur ‘n patetiese kult- gedrewe Trumpland en jou absolute onkunde so blootlê, dan is jy verseker pateties en in die finale instansie net ‘n arme dom blonde (oorspronklik) meisietjie van Benoni! My hart bloei vir jou!

Maar, Charlize, na alles is ek jou ewig dankbaar – jou absoluut idiotiese en selfvernederende uitlatings het een wonderlike gevolg gehad – ons almal weer eens wakker gemaak vir ons ongelooflike mooi taal! Uniek, ryk, warm, liefdevol, strelend, oorspronklik en myne!

My hart bloei vir jou- jy moet bitter eensaam wees in jou verraad. Ons is so ryk, Charlize- ons, die miljoene in Suid-Afrika en Namibië wat Afrikaans koester en leef!

Her legacy.

Our angel child.

Jou winterkaalbas is verby

jou menige ogies oop

klein groen wimpers ontvou

in perfekte harmonie

klee jou in die mooiste

blinkgroen lentedrag

vir koraalrooi belle

aan bykans elke oor

as ek ongeduldig wag

om my asem weg te snak

as ek reeds die soet pêrelsap

hier op my tong

kan proe.

Wens ek kon een van my spesiale bome wees…..

Daar is ‘n tyd vir alles – ‘n tyd om te groei, te bloei, vrugte te dra en helaas dan weer in rus te gaan.

I TALK TO THE TREES…

Deur hierdie seisoene word jy (hopelik) net sterker en wyser, en die vrug groter en mooier.

My granaat is hierdie jaar mooier as ooit na ‘n seisoen van rus.

En dan: my Ficus carica – die nuweling, ontwaak uit ‘n lang en diepe slaap… baie hoofstukke om te skryf.

Hierdie boek was die inspirasie vir die plant van my eie vyeboom. Die seer en hartseer van die burgeroorlog in Ciprus, die verbode liefde tussen Griek (Katoliek) en Turk (Moslem) en die stille alomteenwoordigheid van die ou vyeboom in die taverne. Natuurlik is die simboliek oor eeue menig en uiteenlopend. Juis hierom is die Ficus carica so ‘n ongelooflike ‘bondgenoot’.

https://blog.metmuseum.org/cloistersgardens/2011/09/23/figs-and-fig-leaves/#:~:text=Like%20the%20vine%20and%20the,tree%20is%20equated%20with%20destruction.

‘n Seisoen vol verwagting.

23 September 2022.

Nog ‘n jaar.

Niks het verander nie. Die stilte van smart is oorverdowend in elke hartklop. Ons harte krimp ineen van verlange. Van wonder. Van dit wat vir ons onvoltooid was en bly. Maar, wat weet ons wat steeds hier is?

https://safarisunset.home.blog/2021/09/22/die-sestiende-23ste-september/

The Tiger Rising https://g.co/kgs/EC3HMt

Wie weet? Jy is by ons elke sekonde van elke minuut, van elke uur, van elke dag, van elke jaar,van elke hartklop.

Lief vir jou.

Jy sou vandag ‘n hele 42 jaar jonk gewees het, maar jy bly vir altyd 25 – ons kuiltjiekind. Boeta het gister verjaar. Soos altyd een dag voor jou, maar niks is meer dieselfde nie – nie vir mamma, boeta, Zankie of myself nie.

Die yskoue Kaapse winterwind sny vanoggend weer deur murg en been en hart. Koue reëndruppels bly afgly teen die vensterruit.

Ons verlang na jou ons engelkind.

I always had this picture in my mind of Maun being a sort of Texas town! Needless to say we were anxious to get to the campsite of Island Safaris in Maun!

BUT –

Leaving Etsha13 the ‘main road’ south was an absolute nightmare up to Gumare!

Well, the rest of the road was not as bad.

Maun is clearly the tourism ‘capital’ of Botswana, where third and first world create an interesting mosaic of African colours and the colour of first world currency.

While the dusty ribbon of the main street offers various products and services on the part of the locals, the centre if town offers the likes of Woolworths, Spar, Clicks and great coffee shops near the airport. The latter being within walking distance from the main road.

The Island Safaris campsite is not anything worth writing about. On the outskirts of Maun and like most other lodges/ campsites are showing the impact of corona. Overseas visitors are starting to come in, but at a trickle. The most disturbing observation following contact with visitors from all-over – Holland, Germany, Slovenia etc. is that overseas tourists avoid South Africa stating only one reason – crime. This is devastating for an already struggling economy.

Back to the campsite – most of the time it has been only us here. Met very friendly couple from Slovenia though.

Lots of birds, minute little squirrels and many watermonitors ( Inguanas). The camp itself is huge and facilities average.

Well, this is it – tomorrow off to Bobeti rivercamp as we start our journey back home.

https://safarisunset.home.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/wp-1655482090153.mp4

12 to 15 June 2022

Once we took the turn-off to Guma, and despite having lowered the tyre pressure substantially, we soon got stuck in the very deep sandy track!  Car and caravan stuck amidst grazing cattle with no care in the world. Mobile signal close to zero!

Two tracks leading through the small settlement at Etsha13 off the A35 road south from Shakawe. The ‘main’ road is ridden with potholes and approaching drivers seem drunk as they navigate through the potholes!

Luckily Roos got through to Eileen of Drotskys who in turn communicated to Guy of Guma who send Mpho to assist. Simply lower the tyre pressure further to 1.2 bar. Off we went! 13 km of extreme sandy track and through shallow water at a few spots. Dear Ruth transferred to us to guide.

Life is not for us to understand – learned from Karen at reception that Guma brought to them the extremes of Life the day before our arrival – Guy’s mother turned 80 and the grandchildren joined from afar to celebrate. A boat trip on the delta, a heli flight and a birthday dinner in Africa. A special and blessed day. Next morning she was gone. Transported in her sleep to another world. What an indescribable blessing. Our hearts go out to the family.

Here we are.

Guma Lagoon was our recharge – not a lot of activity, but tranquility.

Lovely dinner on our final night – most succulent lamb, butternut and mash!

Opted to get Tiger to guide us out. At Etsha13 he assisted to inflate the tyres again and we parted. Friendly and caring folk here.

Left on the A35! Wow what an experience awaits!