Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Farewell Philadelphia [Part 3]

Site of the original, village Post Office, now used as a gathering place known by the quaint name of "StoepSit Kafee" literally translated from the Afrikaans meaning verandah-seating Cafe. It was not open on the day we visited Philadelphia, but it can't be missed with its quirky signpost and pink bicycle.


I had wondered whether or not to post a third part to my two previous posts. I am not sure the last few pictures I have will be of any general interest. However, since I said there would be a third part, I have decided to proceed as planned.

Please click the Read more button below, to continue this post...

 

I have spent the day confined to my desk. Why? So that I can keep an eye on Noodle, Linda's rescue pup...
 
"I am not feeling up to any boisterous play, today. My tummy is sore, my back feet are bandaged and my mouth is aching. I just want to stay here, napping."

She was spayed yesterday and also had both deformed dewclaws, plus five milkteeth removed at the same time. We did not want to risk any rough-and-tumble playing with the other dogs for a day or so. She has perked up remarkably well this evening, after having spent much of the day sleeping on the couch. This gave me the opportunity to catch up on reading blogs, but I suspect that she'll be back to normal (boisterous) from tomorrow onwards.

Why am I sharing all of this irrelevant detail? Well, to put it simply, I appear to have the time right now to prepare the final Philadelphia post. I am whispering, in case Noodle gets wind of it and decides to sabotage my attempt.


This is one of the oldest houses in the village. The huge blocks of wood on the "stoep" probably serve as seating along with the old school desk and an old trunk. My guess is that the thatched roofing with added skylights is new, but that the zinc verandah overhang hails from way-back-when! It looked as though this house was being restored at the time we spotted it. 


This is one of two self-catering cottages for rent in the old part of the village. It is just around the corner from the Pottery Shed, so would make a very convenient overnight spot should anyone wish to avail themselves of Ferdinand's Thursday evening pottery classes. I'm rather tempted by the notion myself!

These weathered old steps were spotted down one of the little side streets in the old part of the town.

This house was in the older part of the town, but has either been modernised or was a later construction. The reason we stopped to photograph it is because that tree in the front garden is decorated with tin mugs! I have never seen this done anywhere else before.

There were arty objects displayed in the most unlikely places. This crafty owl was dangling rather precariously from an old airvent on the gable of this building.

This attractive building with "broekie-lace" is the village "Supermarket" We unfortunately did not go in to "check it out"

I spotted a sign for locally farmed honey outside this cute little shop. I had to look twice to check if this sleeping kitty was real (it was!). When last did you visit a shop where you were able to sit on a little roadside verandah (stoep, in SA lingo) overlooking a pretty pavement garden and chat to the friendly owners? I was able to indulge my partiality for fudge here, too, since the owner makes her own to sell in her shop! Yum!

On our way home we drove through the new suburban development of the little town. This pavement garden was planted up very nicely with indigenous shrubs and buzzing with bees.

The newly developed suburban area is not very big, but there are some pretty homes and gardens...and this lovely Persian kitty was enjoying a stroll while we were driving past. The young Fever trees planted on this pavement were full of birds. I guess Kitty thought it would be a good spot to find some dinner.

Farewell, Philadelphia. We really did enjoy our visit!


 

25 comments:

  1. Lovely shots, love to 'walk' with you :)

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  2. Beautiful post....love from me...xxx...

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  3. Thank you and I hope you do take those classes. Noodle is a cutie pie!

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  4. I like that bike :)

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  5. Get well noodle.
    I am going to miss Philadelphia too. You have pointed out just the perfect things. I would so love to see this quaint little artistic place some day. B

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  6. ...and I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of your Philadelphia, Desiree. Through your blog I am learning a great deal about your region. I would love to visit someday because I feel very much at home in rural areas and small villages gazing at the scenic beauty, examining weather beaten architecture and nicely kept gardens and browsing craft shops. That tin mug tree is a sight, isn't it? I wonder if they also have a money tree? :)

    I wish Noodle a speedy recovery and hope he doesn't get too frisky while he's still healing. Dogs tend to overdo it and wind up bleeding all over the place. I love pictures of Noodle and any other animals that you care to show me. Thank you for another wonderful post, dear friend!

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  7. Hi Desiree! Aaw, poor little Noodle. That was a lot of things to have done all at once, wasn't it?! Do hope she will be feeling a bit brighter tomorrow, although I'm sure you're giving her lots of TLC. Like Eva, I loved that pink bike - I want one! I wonder what on earth all those tin mugs hung on that tree mean? I enjoyed my visit to Philadelphia and loved looking at all the photos x

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  8. Dear Desiree, I have so enjoyed our three-part trip to Philadelphia. You have an eye for the unusual and the creative. I think I've said before that you are like Wordsworth in your appreciation of nature and your ability to see all creation in a tiny speck of sand or a wildflower. Or a tree of tin cups and a rusty owl!

    Thank you for visiting my blog today and for reading all those postings about Meniere's. You are a true friend.

    I want to assure you that I ended up having an operation that pretty well released me from acute rotational vertigo episodes. The recuperation took 18 months but I am fine now except for the headaches and occasional wooziness and unsteadiness.

    But as you indicated, many people with Meniere's cannot describe it and so their friends do not truly understand how debilitating the disease is. I want to help others by relating my story.

    Peace.

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  9. What an interesting trip - I would never get to see it except through you.

    Hope little Noodle is okay.

    I have a bottle tree in my yard - I do it because I like it.

    But in New Orleans they do bottle trees to ward away evil spirits when the clang. Maybe that is what it was for.

    Sandie

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  10. Many thanks for the journey with you to Philadelphia!

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  11. I have greatly enjoyed all your posts with your visit to Philadelphia. You let me see a part of the world I would never have known. I'd be tempted by those pottery classes! The tin cup tree made me giggle and the owl made me smile. I love the buildings and the colors. Was fun to go along on your travels. Love the sleeping kitty! ;)

    I am glad Noodle is okay and got through the different procedures okay. What a sweet face. :)

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  12. Just as well Noodle was resting with her eyes closed because if she had seen the cats in your post ... well, lets not even go there shall we? I just love those old buildings and you have such a flair for finding the most artistic angle for your photographs. Your travels bring back such happy memories for me.

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  13. Those were good pictures, and we once had a rescue dog that looked like Noodle.
    She was a little female and she had several litters of pups before we could afford to have her spayed.
    We called the pups Watson Reds, and had no trouble giving them away.

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  14. What a lovely town your Philadelphia is. Thanks for the tour. Hope Noodle is feeling better today.

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  15. Dear Desiree,
    I feel so sorry for poor pretty Noodle. It must have been really hard for her to get all things done. (I checked the word what kind of things she had. Also "boisterous" haha, first word for me) I hope she will be perfectly OK soon. I just had a little smile by your phrase "gets wind of it".
    Oh, I love the choice or the order of these lovely pictures, the contrast of the oldest houses and cottages is wonderful. I've noticed that the thatched roofing with skylights is unique. Sure different from our old thatched roof, because of newly renovated it can be thin? Oh yes, it is funny seeing tin mugs hung on that tree. Thanks for the tour to Philadelphia for us, really enjoyed it♬♬♬

    Lots of love and Hugs to my new friend, Orchid*

    PS> I found my button on your side bar. Thank you SO much, my friend♪♪♪ Yours is on my sidebar as well, really wonderful!!! Talk to you this week end,

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  16. Oh yes, poor little Noodle is definitely still under the influence of post-op blues... by now though, hopefully bright eyed and ready for action ;D)

    Philadelphia is such an endearing town! The art is wonderful... I like the quirky tin cup tree :D) and the owl too.

    When I finished your post I went back to the top to be sure I'd read correctly ... yep, I did : you weren't sure whether the last few photos would be of general interest! Actually, they were extremely interesting - to see another aspect of the street and the delightful homes and gardens. I feel I know what you mean though Des, I too sometimes question whether I should include some photos and, strangely enough, they're the ones that most people comment on! It must be that if we're interested enough to photograph something, then likeminded people will appreciate it also :D)
    A great trip! Cheerio for now.

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  17. Hi Desiree, Poor Noodle I hope that he is feeling better. It was great coming along with you on this 3 part trip to Philadelphia. It is interesting to see the architecture there, as it is so different from the houses here.

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  18. Ohhh....poor Noodle....i hope he is oke now. Love Phili.....looks very nice......what a idea !!! to put tin cups in a tree....hihihi
    Bye bye Bianca

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  19. These are great pictures as usual. Thanks for your encouraging words today. Big hugs!

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  20. There is a place called Philidelphia in Africa? :) That's interesting! It didn't look like it might be in the U.S.
    Very interesting photo's you took. I love that you stand back and don't just post close ups of items etc..well..of course there is Noodle..and she deserves a close up after all she has gone through. They did my little Mele at just four months. I thought that was awfully young. How old is Noodle?
    I wish you had an email address posted so I didn't have to write so much on your posts.
    I just wanted to say.. :) that I so love the comments you leave when you visit. We call Autumn, Fall, for who knows what reason. Just an American thing I suppose. Leaves "fall" from the tree's. :)
    You will notice that the song I have playing is "Autumn Leaves"..
    How I love this time of year..even if I am in sunny California.
    Please, please post an email address on your profile page? It's safe. I have had mine for three years now and no problems with any bad folks.
    Hugs,
    Mona
    YOU are so special! :)

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  21. What? No photo of the fudge? Darn. I would have enjoyed a bite of it! Love the pink bicycle, the little owl, and, the grocery store! I enjoyed taking the tour with you, as always, Desiree. Hope Noodle is feeling much better.

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  22. Every house single storey! There must be a lot of room in SA for people to spread out.

    Would you know if the tin mugs make a sound when the wind moved them?

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  23. Poor Noodle! But I bet he'll be back to feeling great very soon. I enjoyed the trip very much, as you know it actually inspired me to get out my paint brushes! I hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend.

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