Omnium-gatherum

Wemmershoek Dam, Franschhoek, Western Cape with flowering gum in full bloom.

I have time this evening to prepare a post in advance, something I've not yet had to do, but with puppy-face now very much 'on the scene,' I don't want to end up, as happened this past week, not being able to feed my blog...lest  thereby  risking its untimely demise.  As a gardener, I know all about the importance of regular watering and feeding and I'm fairly certain a blog requires similar care and attention.  So, to be sure that I at least keep up an appearance of being a regular 'poster' of new blog material, I'm going to take the necessary precautions and prepare this ahead of time.

Please click the Read More button below to continue this post...
 

Wemmershoek Mountain in the mist.

I have just had a quick look through my collection of 'miscellaneous' photographs and will now present a mishmash, hodgepodge, jumble and medley of the ones I've selected for use  today.  I hope they help to keep your interest in my blog offerings alive for the time being...

Lily pond in the extensive gardens of Vergelegen Estate , an historic wine farm dating back to the early 1700's when it was owned by Willem Adriaan van der Stel, who was Govenor of the Cape.

Today the estate is owned by Anglo-American and is open daily to be shared with visitors worldwide.

Several ponds and water-features grace the magnificent gardens on the estate. 

I would love to be able to grow this striking waterlily in my own pond!

The historic slave bell on the estate.

View of the Hottentots Holland Mountains towering over the estate.

Surviving ruin of the old slave quarters on the estate.

Today, a museum on the estate commemorates the slaves who were brought to work on this farm.

One of several attractive rock ponds situated in the extensive nature garden of the Harold Nixon-Porter Nature Reserve in Betty's Bay, a quaint coastal village on the Southern Cape coast.

So many pretty spots to sit beside and take in the beauty of the surrounding mountains.

A number of specially diverted little streams flow through the gardens of the Harold Nixon-Porter Nature Reserve, adding a sense of coolness on a hot summer's day...

There are a number of more strenuous hiking trails leading from the manicured gardens up into the mountains.

Gardens have been laid out for picnicking and to provide easy walking for the elderly.

Several tortoises live in the reserve.

This sweet little bird was actively catching grubs among the reeds on the day we visited...

We met these frisky horses on a drizzly morning at Rietvlei, a wildlife reserve situated East of Pretoria.

We took several pictures as they put on a good show for quite some time.

Our son holds a Private Pilots' Licence and flies for pleasure.  He is currently undergoing the final stages of training for his Commercial Pilots' Licence.  In April last year, our far-flung family members (my parents, sister, BIL and their adult children) were holidaying in South Africa from Australia and Monaco.  Over the course of a couple of days, he treated them to scenic trips around the Cape Peninsula and Winelands. 

As my husband was instrumental in affording him the opportunity of learning to fly (our gift to him for his 16th birthday), he's always taken pride and pleasure in recording as many of his flights as possible, even though it's now 10 years since he qualifed for his PPL.

Since we were not flying this time, but merely eager observers of the take-offs and landings, my husband had plenty to record.  I've limited my selection to a smidgen of what he'd taken ;)

This is the view of the runway, with our son coming in to land at the Stellenbosch Airfield, which is where he did his initial training and clocked up many flying hours.  While he was living in Durban, he flew at Virginia Airfield and I have some wonderful aerial photos to post some other time from flights he took us on when we visited him there.

Another perfect landing!  I'll never forget the feeling of watching him,, at the age of 17 taking his first solo flight from the very same airfield! 

This little shrike was watching all the activity at the airfield, too!

This view is taken from Chapman's Peak, a spectacular coastal route near Cape Town. 

Still on Chapman's Peak looking across to the village of Hout Bay.

And now, for something completely different.  This is the home of a carpenter bee.  One morning last year, after there had been quite a strong wind during the night, my husband had heard a sound coming from this fallen log at the base of one of our trees.  Upon closer inspection, he spotted this busy bee.

We moved the log to a safe spot on the low wall right outside our kitchen door and this is where she returned each day.  We watched her daily activity for several months.  Each day we observed the growing pile of sawdust she'd swept out on to the wall.  When it was a fair size, we'd blow it all away and watch the new pile building up.  After she'd laid her eggs and we saw no further evidence of her habitation, the log remained where it was until eventually it was apparent she'd not be returning and we tossed the log into the flowerbed.

 And that concludes my offering for today.