Sneaking back- like summer should

I'm trying to sneak back- just like I wish summer could,

It's been wet, windy and bloody cold for Cape Town.

The trees are long bare and the flat lands are flooded.

We still walk the vineyard- very fast.

 You see that clear sky below? Well, don't be fooled - to the right, just out of sight, 

is the biggest, baddest Nimbus.... heavy and threatening.

He's biding his time till we're half way, with no where to run but home-

at least someone is having fun!

High tea at the the Vineyard

The Romania beauty celebrated her birthday in style on the terrace of the Vineyard Hotel,

200 years old and originally the country home of Lady Anne Barnard

Tiers of treats arrived, silver pots for tea with teabags made from silk,

The terrace is full on a Sunday, a long lunch tables under the big tree, children appearing like nymphs from the lush garden, toweled guests strolling across the lawn to the pool.

A couple of hours later.....deliciously languid and in need of exercise we followed the cobbled paths into the shady garden- there were bridges to cross and ponds with stepping stones to negotiate.

I loved the continual flow of people, towards late afternoon some arrived for just tea and scones, others to enjoy the solace of the garden with a glass of a wine.

Constantia Nek hike

Once again our middle princess shook us from our holiday lethargy-  it was time for our year end 'big hike'  - the previous year our torture of choice was skeleton gorge.... the beauty and the jelly legs, all still vivid in my memory.

Constantia Nek dam hike-  moderate to easy said the blogs, gentle contour paths with the bonus of three spectacular dams at the top....

and steps, lots and lots of steps....an age old dilemma- to the right is the winding contour path, gently steep, very winding, longer. Directly in front, the shorter version- cut the corners, take the steps, straight up.

I know- what's wrong with me?

Thankfully, the sweeping views quickly distracted us, with many stops to breath  admire our valley.

A note-. realising our folly, we abandoned the steps for the winding Jeep track and eventually our reward was in sight.

I believe there could possibly have been a ' no swimming' sign somewhere, but who walks for 1 1/2 hours in the hot sun to the top of a mountain and doesn't want a quick dip with the frogs.

I could happily have stayed there wallowing with the tadpoles, absorbing that energizing stillness.

Light headed from the altitude, we chose the steps for our return trip, but I suspect the contour jeep track would have been quicker

 As a service to once yearly 4 hour hikers, the code on regular hikers blogs deciphers like this-

Easy- not

Moderate- difficult

Difficult- don't 

 

Now that I've got that off my chest, I can tell you it was well worth it.

Walking the vineyards

Finally, we can slow down and enjoy long evening walks in the vineyards again.

We saw the tender young vine shoots emerge from hard gnarly old stumps, the air was still cold then and no sign of spring yet.

When next we looked, the vineyards were vivid with fresh green and the promise of summer- now grapes hang in tight bouncy little bunches.

The labourers started their summer gardens, neat patches outside their cottages, onions sourced from Grabouw, mielies, beans, pumpkins, all watered every evening.

Watching their vegetables grow is just a little humiliating for the average gardener - we're still proudly nursing our tiny spinach and tomato plants, whilst their patches grow effortlessly with wild abandon.......it must be the soil?

Scenic route to Town

Leaving our daughter in Noordhoek, we took the scenic route to an exhibition in Town- Chapman's Peak drive,  narrow, winding roads clinging to the mountainside. Sometimes sturdy stone ledges, built in another lifetime to protect us from sheer cliffs and the turbulent sea.

Sneaking peeks downward, I imagine there must be secret coves, known only by the sea.

We were on our way to the very lovely A's first group exhibition at CTSP, where she has been honing her photographic skills.

An excited buzz everywhere, so many full time and part time students with their friends eager to see their work, a band playing in a corner by the bar, brave bartenders withstand the onslaught.

Large expensive new cameras around every neck...... I thought it wise to take the art teacher home.

drive by- drive home

the sun will come out tomorrow

There's a spring in my step as we walk today and I can't help hearing 'Annie' in my head....

'The sun will come out tomorrow, tomorrow..........tomorrow is only a day away'

vineyards and clouds

More pictures of tranquility and serenity - the household's technology turbulence continues with a particularly low blow.

My computer booted up only to reset itself in the safety of 2008, evidently a good year.

To clarify- there is nothing on it.

As I stomp Groot Constantia's vineyards I'll be wondering, is it Mercury's retrograde or perhaps a strangers's curse? More to the point, why am I so bloody close to Mercury, what could I have possibly done to offend and finally- if the tasting cellar is still open, I'm stopping in for a drink.

Greenbelts await

All good intentions, quiet, wintry days with not much to do but stomp the greenbelts.

Instead it's all sniffles and snuffles, hot water bottle on lap, in front of the computer.

The flu in the house is overstaying his welcome- I know we're a nice bunch, but he's a tad clingy and it's time to go- those greenbelts are beckoning.

Skeleton Gorge and Jelly legs

Stunning skeleton gorge

You'll be forgiven for thinking that jelly legs refers to me after I ate all the Christmas trifle..

But we're talking Skeleton Gorge...and yes, I would think the name says it all.

How did this happen, you ask?

Our middle princess needed to do an 'endurance' for school before the year was out and so, duly dragged her brother from his Xbox and her mother from the trifle.

A 9 am start- a challenge in itself  during the holidays, the backpack stocked and with a very slight spring in our steps, up we went.

 and then up some more......steps as far as the eye can see and around every corner, and then more steps, waterfall steps, ladder steps and stone steps......hell, I'm still stepping in my sleep.

you think that was steep going up- try coming down again

I am pleased to report that about an 1 hour into all this stepping,  either the endorphins or the jelly beans kicked in and we emerged, sprightly and euphorically at the top 2 1/2 hours later.

we still managed to gasp at the view with what little breath we had left

the reservoir on top of the mountain with strange white sand and eerie tree stumps

You've probably guessed that I'm now starting the New Year with aching calves and knees and will be avoiding steps at all costs for the next week at least.

Was it worth the pain? Every ache....

Stunning Kirstenbosch and the start of our hike

May your year be filled with the beauty of Nature.

x

On a clear day you can see forever

Cloudy, cold and wet, not the ideal weather for our Table Mountain excursion- but days were short.

We bundled up against the elements and walked the paths, surrounded by clouds that teasingly lifted to reveal the spectacular mountains - it felt like a Lord of the Rings movie- only we were a lot less energetic.

The ancientness of the mountain touched us, like a meditation, we left fresh and invigorated.