Today signals the shortest day and the longest night in the Southern Hemisphere. Part of me is grateful, because I detest waking up when it’s still dark and that within in an hour of me getting home from work, it’s dark again. With climate change though, I will admit that we’ve not had much of a winter. Sure, there’ve been a few cold-, sometimes wet snaps, but nothing that would qualify as a season.
One thing about the winter that I can say I appreciate, is the sunrises. This was today’s.
I think my spirit animal is a bear. Not a polar one, one that hibernates. Oh, and eats when it is only necessary. Yip, a bear, definitely a bear.
I’ve always said that if I could have a single season all year round, it would be Autumn- the days are still long and relatively warm and there is a golden hue to everything around me, like an angel’s halo, glowing in the light. The trees dance a gentle waltz to the song of the breeze as their leaves change colour from green to red, red to yellow, yellow to brown, and eventually fall to the ground, their naked branches a stark fortune-teller that reminds us for rebirth to happen, death must occur.
Winter is not my season. At all. The days are short: it’s dark when I get up for work and in the height of the season, it’s dark when I get home in the afternoons, just shy of 17:30. For the most part, I’ve learnt to appreciate the darkness. Many a winter night I will get into bed early, with a hot beverage and just listen to the stillness that only a winter’s night can bring. It’s during these times that many of my troubles come to the fore, but also because of the clear blackness not only around me, but in my mind, I am able to think of systematic solutions. It is also a time when my Creative Muse seems to surface from her den, inspiring me to create something, anything, beautiful.
Just this past Saturday, while under a blanket on the couch at a friend’s place, I got the urge to cook – I’ve laid my hands on quite a few recipes, and am excited about the smells and warmth that will be emanating from my oven, or from the bubbling pots atop. I also unpacked all my cake decorating tools not too long ago too. More importantly, I’ve indulged my true passion a bit more: I’ve been writing!
Looks like winter may be my season after all… hearty soups, hot chocolate, Port, stunning sunrises (because I’m awake to see them), time for self, time to create and above all, knowing that when it’s over, Spring springs and a cycle of new hope and new life begins.
My Muse has been in hibernation. We’ve had an extremely wet, cold, windy winter, but at last it seems that Spring is slowly springing. The sun is rising earlier and the birdsong is audible. Soon the sun will be up early enough to take a pre-shower-pre-work walk on the beach, and some Sundays will warrant an ice-cream cone down at the promenade over a game of putt-putt, or, as is the case this past Sunday, a nature hike.
Eliza sent me a text message last week saying she wasn’t sure if Carmen had already spoken to me about taking a walk with them, but that if I wanted to, I was more than welcome. I was under the impression that it would be Carmen, Ewan, Eliza and her hubby Nick, and I. It turned out that there was a dozen of us doing this Sunday stroll…
We all set off from Carmen and Ewan’s house to Wilderness, which is about a 40 minute drive from us. We set off on a trail called the Half Collared Kingfisher Trail which later split off onto the Greater Kingfisher Trail, at the end of which is a waterfall – our actual destination. Maintaining a steady pace, we got to the waterfall (3.6 Km – a smidgeon over 2 miles) in just over an hour.
As we began a comfortable climb, this was our view. How blessed we are to live in such a beautiful part of the world!
As our walk progressed, we had to cross the river…on a pont! This led to great deals of laughter, but thankfully, we all made it across without anyone ending up in the chilly river.
Here we are, not paying any attention to Ewan’s instructions…
Later we came to the split in the path and headed off along this route:
Once we’d arrived at the waterfall, we all took out our packed lunches and sat in the sunshine, soaking up the Vitamin D. The guys of course, wanted to climb higher, or go swimming, but us gals, being the clever creatures we are, remained on Terra Firma. Ewan was the first to toss his shirt and brave the icy water. Joe, who wasn’t intent on swimming, slipped on a rock and fell in, clothes and all. I simply opted for a photo at the waterfall…
After about an hour, we headed back toward the car – another 3.2 Km (2 Miles) and I’m pleased to report that I didn’t huff and puff once – being15 Kg’s (33 lb) lighter has obviously made a huge difference.
My next post won’t be in a month…I’m already drafting it, so…watch this space!
(Picure from katrinleblondblog.com)
“You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it; I, the LORD, have created it.”
Isaiah 45:8
On Tuesday night I was visiting with friends when out of nowhere lightning began to light up the sky and thunder roared. Seconds later it was raining. Hard! I grew up on the Highveld so I love a good thunderstorm, but here in theCape, they are few and far between. I still said to everyone that this storm signified the first winter rain, the proper change of the seasons. While we have had a few cold days, winter hadn’t really set in. Well, it has now. Jack Frost has set up camp and while I’m not one for the cold, I love the wet weather. It has been raining on and off since I left for work this morning. Aptly “Let it Rain”, by Michael W Smith keeps making an appearance on my random playlist today too. I am just feeling so good – the floodgates of Heaven are open and the rain is cleansing and renewing and God is raining His blessings down on me. What a wonderful day it is!
I want to be the woman in the photo above. I want to dance in the rain, with my head and hands lifted to Heaven, celebrating God’s goodness – celebrating the change He’s made in my life, celebrating His abundant blessings that I so often take for granted.
It is freezing here on Freedom Day. For those of you non South Africans reading this post, 17 years ago on this day South Africa had its first democratic election and elected Nelson Mandela as President of the Republic. Our next Presidential election takes place next month, on the 18th.
My new job has been keeping me extremely busy, hence my absence from BlogLand, but hopefully I will be able to blog more regularly soon. There is just so much to learn at the moment, that I need to focus.
If you read my previous post, I mentioned my nomination for a Versatile Bloggers Award. According to the rules, I’m supposed to reveal seven random things about myself:
1) I made soup for the first time in my life this past Monday. Seriously.
2) One of my biggest indulgences is food magazines.
3) My bedroom is black, white and red.
4) I detest Bovril and Marmite
5) I hate wearing slippers, but will walk in my socks all the time.
6) Building jigsaw puzzles is how I get through the winter evenings.
7) I love drinking liqueur in my hot chocolate
I am also supposed to tag various bloggers, but I just don’t have the time at the moment. Sorry guys!
Have to run – planning to do for work tomorrow 🙂
‘Til later…
It is raining cats and dogs here today which I am absolutely ecstatic about given the fact that the drought this end of this world is really bad now. The dam that supplies the water for the town I live in is only 10% full. We’ve had strict water restrictions for quite some time already, but if we don’t get serious rain soon, we are probably going to be rationed to water from tanks! Life, as you all know is so ironic, because the one simple pleasure I crave is a hot, candle-lit bubble bath, with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons playing in the background and it is the one thing that I am just not allowed to have right now. Maybe when I’m away on leave I will be able to indulge in a long hot bath sans the candles and Signore Vivaldi.
I heard from Jake again and I must admit that I am more than just a little intrigued. He mentioned that he was going to have an early night because he had an early flight this morning. I politely enquired as to where he was going to which I received these two replies:
1. Cape Town, Durban, P.E, Cape Town, Home
2. I should probably mention I’m a pilot. You may wonder bout the schedule.
I had this freaky Déjà vu moment about a person from my past who wanted to be a pilot and I actually went ice cold. It is this very person that caused me to stop blogging for almost three years after threats of physical violence against me.
I replied to him telling him that if I didn’t know better (and come to think of it, I don’t really), I would think he is a ghost from my past.
He asked if the ghost was also a pilot.
To which I replied, “Not exactly – he wanted to be, long story…May tell you sometime. Now get your rest. You sound like you have a long day/s ahead.”
I fell asleep although he did reply, “Sounds interesting. Yes tomorrow is going to be bumpy. Lots of frontal activity.”
Needless to say, there is not only frontal activity on the route he’s flying today – the rain here is evident of that.
I have to pop on at Sandra’s house after work today so that she can go through the work I’ve done over the past two weeks on audits for the British authorities for our exports. While I did internal audits at my previous job for our SABS certification, the two I have finished now are so much more intense.
Mom has phoned to tell me that we are going to have soup and bread for supper. I can only think of one thing better in this weather – pancakes and sherry, or gluwhein.
But, until supper time, I am going to have to settle for a packet of Big Korn Bites and a cuppa java.
‘Til later…
Reflections of a Misfit 