Stellenbosch Winelands: Delheim

Sep16

Stellenbosch is a pretty university town, deep in the Cape Winelands.

View From our Balcony

Church

On our visit there, we went to some of the surrounding wine farms.  One of the best is Delheim.  They produce great wines and their Spatzendreck has long been a favourite of mine. It is a Chenin-Blanc based late harvest.

We enjoyed a really good lunch of Cape Malay curry during which, a lovely man named Mike who works there, spilled my drink at the table.  He apologised profusely but there really was no harm done.

However, he more than compensated for his mistake when, as we were leaving, he followed us clutching a complimentary bottle of Delheim’s 2011 Chenin Blanc Natural Sweet wine.  Proof that good service, great wines and excellent food co-exist at Delheim – they certainly live up to their motto which is “worth the journey”.

Wine Tasting At Delheim

Cape Winelands

Beautiful Views Are Everywhere

Rain Clouds Gather

Kalk Bay

Sep14

Kalk Bay is a beautiful fishing village on the Cape coast.

It is known for its glorious views and delicious fresh fish and, in September, the flowers appear.    The smell of the sea combines with the beauty of the flowers to make magic.

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Aark, Vanderbijlpark

Aug15

I appreciate it when man (or woman) creates beauty in an uninspiring space, as I discovered when we stayed at Aark Guest Lodge, Vanderbijlpark, next to the Vaal River.

It was comfortable and pleasant and the themed rooms added to the lodge atmosphere   – we stayed in the Zebra suite, as you will see from the beautiful photographs which hung on the walls.

An unusual picture of a zebra

Our room had a Zebra theme

View from the breakfast room

Swimming pool area

A warm fire in the breakfast room

Breakers, Umhlanga

Aug11

Umhlanga is a beautiful place on the North Coast of KwaZulu-Natal.  On our recent visit there we stayed at Breakers, a well maintained and attractive resort, overlooking the Indian Ocean.

Our accommodation was excellent.  We slept in a large comfortable bed made up with crisp white linen. There was a well appointed kitchenette, a lounging and dining area and, to top it all, an overwhelmingly magnificent view of the sea.

It’s easy to relax in beautiful surroundings.

Sunrise

The view from our window. Photo BWP Pieterse

Wine

Jul30

I recently enjoyed a glass of 2005 Dalla Cia which is a beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon from the Stellenbosch region.

The label aptly describes the taste :

“A bouquet of blueberries and cigar box with hints of spicy and gaminess.  Full bodied in structure and complimentary to all red meats.”

It is important to make sure that a red’s drinking temperature is between 16 and 18 degrees centigrade.   This means that, because of the warmth of our South African climate, you may need to keep a red wine in a cooler or fridge for a while before serving.

I believe in the saying that  “a day without wine is like a day without sunshine”.  A glass of wine adds beauty to an ordinary day.

Sunrise, Sunset

Jun23

The most beautiful and dramatic time of the day is sunrise or sunset.  Coastal sunrises and sunsets have the most impact as the sea reflects the stunning colours of the sky.

There are spectacular sunrises on the East Coast of Kwazulu-Natal and amazing sunsets over the West Coast of Africa.

The cold Welsh countryside also has a special magic as day changes into night.

Beauty and magic, all encompassed in the colour palette of the sky.

A Durban Sunrise. Photo BWP Pieterse

Early Morning In Durban : Photo BWP Pieterse

Sunset Long Beach, Namibia. Photo BWP Pieterse

Namibia At Sunset, West Coast. Photo BWP Pieterse

Sunset , West Coast, Cape. Photo BWP Pieterse

A Dramatic West Coast Sunset. Photo BWP Pieterse

Sun Setting Over Pietermaritzburg. Photo BWP Pieterse

Ornamental Kale

Jun10

I bought ornamental kale at the garden shop this morning – their beauty made them hard to resist.

Ornamental kale is sometimes referred to ornamental cabbage and can be found in a variety of colours like purple, white and red. If kept indoors they prefer a cool, well lit room.

Apparently they are edible. Although they take the shape of a flower they are actually foliage. Kale and cabbage are both members of the cabbage family. The difference between kale and cabbage is that kale forms a flower and cabbage does not.

There is another difference though, kale is beautiful but I certainly can’t say the same for cabbage!

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Handbags

Jun5

It’s impossible to leave the house without  a few sets of keys, bank cards, a driver’s license, address book and so on. Fortunately there are are so many lovely handbags to house these objects  that having  to carry around a heap of things can be a pleasure.  Provided, of course, you have a beautiful handbag.

As a young girl growing up in the 1950’s, I used a handbag for church. This was a lovely little object made out of cane, with a flap over the front and two semi circle shaped handles.  All I needed to carry though, was a handkerchief and money for the collection plate.

A few Christmas’ ago I was given a Nine West handbag which I love. It is a quality object, luxuriously lined. Unfortunately, due to constant use, it is starting to show wear.

So, on Mother’s Day,  I was delighted with my gift of two Polo handbags, each of which serve a different purpose.

One is a barrel shape which holds everything I need for day to day living .  Don’t you love way the flap resembles a a saddle?

The other is small and can be slung across my body – perfect for travel and touring. It is slender but deceivingly spacious.

Such beautiful handbags to touch, use and enjoy.

“Saddle” bag

Travel companion

Cupcakes

May27

Cupcakes were always present at family gatherings and birthday parties when I was growing up.  Lately they have become more and more beautiful.  I recently hosted a Baby Shower and these are the cupcakes made by Della van Biljon from Pietermaritzburg for the celebration.  They were not only beautiful to look at but a taste sensation as well.

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Lily

May22

Are lilies the most beautiful flowers ?  They may be, they’re certainly up there with orchids and roses. Lilies are not only lovely, they have a beautiful name.

The name “Lily” means purity and perfection and apparently “Lily” was on top of the United Kingdom’s 2011 most popular girls’ names’ list.

Beautiful by name and beautiful by nature.