Everything should be made as simple as possible

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Green tip #1 : Letting in the view

Why put up ugly blinds to darken your room and block out the light and the view? Why not plant a deciduous tree in the sun line outside your window? That way you can have shade and protection in the summer and sunlight in the winter and, at the same time, awesome colour in Autumn!

Planting a tree in front of a West-facing bedroom window cuts down on glaring sunlight in the afternoons and at the same time protects curtains from the scorching sun.

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The BEST Spaghetti Bolognaise!

One of my favourite dishes is Spaghetti Bolognaise because of the ease with which it is prepared and also the fact that one can have many variations and come up with something different every time!

Ingredients

• 500g Fresh Beef Mince.
• 400g Dried Spaghetti.
• 4 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, finely diced.
• 2 Tins of Plum/Chopped Tomatoes.
• 6 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes.
• 2 Medium Onions, peeled and finely diced.
• 2 Sticks of Celery, trimmed and finely diced.
• 2 Carrots, trimmed and finely diced.
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely diced.
• 1 Medium Chilli (optional), seeded and finely sliced
• 75g Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, plus extra for grating over.
• 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 1 Beef Stock Cube.
• Glass of red wine (optional)
• Herbs:
• 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary.
• Handful of Fresh Basil, plus extra for Garnish.
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano.
• 1-2 Fresh Bay Leaves.
• Olive oil.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper.
• Crusty bread, to serve.

Method

1. Get yourself a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place it on a medium heat. Add a good lug of olive oil and gently fry your bacon until golden and crisp, then reduce the heat slightly and add your onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Next remove the leaves from the Rosemary sprigs and add them to the pot, discarding the sprigs. Move everything around and fry for around 8-10 minutes until the veg has softened.
2. Next, increase the heat slightly, add the mince and stir until the meat is browned all over.
3. Stir in your tins of plum/chopped tomatoes, (plum tomatoes are best as they contain less water, but either will turn out great!). Add your remaining herbs, tomato puree, stock cube, chilli and if using, the wine. Slice your cherry tomatoes in half and throw them in aswell.
4. Give everything a stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes as you go and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low-medium, put the lid on and leave it blipping away for about an hour and 15 minutes until the flavours develop into a wonderfully rich tomatoey sauce. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't catch.
5. Just as the sauce is nearly ready, Add the parmesan and season to taste. Meanwhile add salt to a pan of boiling water and cook the spaghetti according the the packet instructions. Once the spaghetti is ready, drain it in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Give it all a good stir, coating the pasta in the lovely tomato sauce. Serve with a little grated parmesan and use the extra basil leaves to make a great little garnish. Beautiful!

This recipe is from Good Food 

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Crassula Perfoliata ssp falcata

A new addition to my collection, Crassula falcata, known by the common names airplane plant and propeller plant, is a succulent plant endemic to South Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope. The foliage is gray-green with striking texture, on plants that grow to 2 feet (0.61 m) tall. The flowers are tiny and scarlet red, that rise in dense clusters above the foliage for a month in summer. The flower smells like cinnamon and can bloom twice per year, attracting birds and other pollinators. Crassula falcata is cultivated for use in drought tolerant and succulent gardens.

Afrikaans: Sekelblaarplakkie; Heuningbossie

Family: Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ee) 
Genus: Crassula (KRASS-oo-la)

There is good news and there is bad news : The bad news first: this plant is not hardy in my cold climate. Not by a long shot. This means that I will be relegated to growing it in a pot and shifting it between the indoors and out depending on the season. We get terrible frost here in Tarlton (Gauteng, South Africa) and I spend half my life carting my succulents in and out! The good news is that it propagates fairly easily from leaf cuttings. Simply break one off and place it on top of the soil. If you’re in a warm zone, you will have no trouble growing the plant outside in the ground as long as the soil is dry and exceptionally gritty/well-draining. You may even find yourself graced with blooms of scarlet red flowers.

 

Pic from the internet

Pice from the internet

I've been told that they take long to start flowering and I'm just wondering how long before mine produces beautiful blooms like this...

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Spring-clean body and mind

Spring has sprung and as we move into summer, so has the time to detox and get yourself into tip top shape for summer. I know my chickens have already started, I can see them grazing more often than eating their corn and they're also taking a lot of grit and crushed egg shells in preference to other foods. 

I always know when I'm ready for a detox - my palette seems to move away from spicy foods and I seem to crave cool, fresh greenery. Without my body asking for it, it's actually a waste of time for me to even try it - it's actually more a mental than a physical thing for me and happens easily when I'm ready.

FIRST, DO NO HARM (to yourself) 

Avoid all processed food (another reason to cook from scratch) as they contain preservatives that you don't want or need. Eat fresh organic, seasonal produce as far as possible to ensure you get the optimal nutritional value from your food. 

Free-range beef and chicken are super choices as this meat contains the correct fatty acid (Omega-3 - 6) profile, plus the animals never received any growth hormone or antibiotics during their lifetime, which is the case with regular meat. But don't focus too much on meat, it can be acid-forming. 

READY, SET - DETOX! 

All types of fruit and vegetables (nutrient-rich, alkalising foods) as well as nuts and seeds are recommended. Nuts (cashews and almonds are best) and seeds (pumpkin and flax) should be unsalted and drinks and juices should preferably be consumed without added sugar. 

The key to a gentle detox is to eat light meals, full of raw and whole foods (as opposed to processed). Aim to have at least half of the food on your plate raw. And avoid the 'whites' like white sugar, rice and flour or flour products and choose foods with lots of fibre such as whole-grain bread and pasta and raw fruit and vegetables. 

 Detoxing happens via the kidneys, colon, liver, lungs, lymph and skin, so all these organs should see an improvement as you eat more healthily. 

FOODS THAT AID IN CLEANSING THE BODY 

Garlic gets the liver to produce detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxic residues in the digestive system. 

Use freshly crushed garlic in all dishes and add to cooked dishes just before serving to preserve the anti-bacterial benefits of allicin that's formed when it's crushed.

2. Geen tea helps flush toxins out of the system through its liquid content, and contains a special type of antioxidant called catechins, known to increase liver function.

3. Fresh coriander leaves have been clinically proven to remove mercury, but should be taken with Chorella (fresh-water algae supplement with the antioxidant chlorophyll, available from your health shop) for proper elimination. 

It's also known as a popular healing herb that contains natural antibiotics, lowers blood sugar, lowers bad cholesterol, improves eye health and is rich in nutrients.  

  4. Lemons are the detox fruit, containing lots of vitamin C which helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that's easily flushed away. Add a squeeze to your daily 8 glasses of water and use over salads instead of vinegar.

5. Raw veg are alkalising and high in fibre, which helps cleanse the colon. Veg like onions, carrots, artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, garlic and beet are high in naturally occurring sulphur and glutathione. Sulphur helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals. The combination of these foods will help your liver purge toxins during the cleansing process. Use them in salads and raw-food platters 

6. Radishes - besides being fat-free and low in sodium they are a good source of fibre. They rejuvenate the skin because of high sulphur, silicon and vitamin C content, while the sulphurous mustard oil in radishes stimulates the circulation system as well as the liver and kidneys to improve elimination of toxins. Use them raw in salads and with healthy fatty foods (avocado, nuts, some seeds, etc.) for optimal digestion

7. Turmeric: This mild but mighty spice is a powerful antioxidant that also increases anti-inflammatory enzymes in the liver. Add a teaspoon to your meals, or stir into warm milk with raw honey.

8. Sesame seeds: These little golden seeds of detox magic are proven to protect liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other toxins. Their secret lies in amino acids called methionine and tryptophan, which encourage the liver and kidney to function optimally, banishing harmful toxins quickly and effectively. Sesame seeds add crunch and flavour to salads. 

9. Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme that kills toxins in your colon and digestive system. Use it in a yoghurt and raw honey dessert and it's great in salads with grated carrots, papaya and mixed leaves.

10. Cabbage activates not one, but both of the detoxifying enzymes in the liver. Stir-fry it with a little bit of butter and garlic for a mouth-watering side dish. Red cabbage is wonderful fried with apple, onion, balsamic vinegar and orange juice. 

Info from Woolworths TasteMag, where there are plenty of links for you to follow! 

Delicious Egg Salad With Mango Vinaigrette

 Ingredients:

Romania lettuce - 1 head wash cut
Tomato - 1 diced
green apple - diced
Hard boiled eggs - 2, shell off and cut in half
Onion - 1 finely sliced
Carrot - 1 handful shredded

For Mango Vinaigrette
Cider  Vinegar - ¼ cup
Honey mustard - 1 table spoon
Curry powder - 1/2  tea spoon
Lime juice - 1 table spoon
Ripe mango - 1 peeled seeded and chunked
Vegetable oil - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 tea spoon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure:
Put all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except salt, pepper and oil in a food processor and purée. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil and salt and pepper. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator not for ages (ha ha) but for a week or two. 

Mango vinaigrette delivers a vibrant, healthy burst of flavor. This refreshing sweet- tart combination is perfect for fruit salad or mixed greens. If you are not preparing this salad for a big party then you will not need the whole of the prepared dressing but just few spoon according to your taste for this salad and rest you can use it later.

In a bowl take all the salad ingredients except the eggs now drizzle the mango vinaigrette and mix with soft hands . Now place this salad in a serving platter and then add the halved boiled eggs over the top of the greens. Your delicious egg salad with mango vinaigrette is ready to relish.

 

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A simply quiet life

Simplifying your life does not only mean cleaning out your cupboards, re-organising your store room or getting rid of excess stuff. All most of us want, is a quiet life. By that I don't mean you must not travel, be adventurous or have a busy life. I'm talking about having a quiet, peaceful mind, a mind that is at ease with where you are in life, that can handle whatever is thrown at you.

Decluttering our minds is one of the most important aspects of living a simple, fulfilled life. If your cupboards are neat and organised but your mind is still in a place of turmoil, you won't feel any better. We all have problems that arise in our lives and important decisions to make and problems are much easier to handle when we have inner peace.

Inner peace is obtained by taking a good look at what's going on in your life and deciding what is important and dumping all the rest. By clearing out "unnecessary" thoughts and problems, it leaves us space to deal with only that which is necessary. We often fill our minds with all sorts of irrelevant things which makes it impossible to see the big picture. 

If you're contemplating moving house, don't sweat the small stuff like, "where am I going to put this in the new place" or "I won't have space for my desk and computer" or "the new bathroom is so small". Life has a way of working out those small issues and we are all actually very adaptable beings. Once you've made a decision, just do what you have to do and the rest will fall into place.

Inner peace also comes from deciding which problems you can actually do something about and which you cannot help with except by giving constant support, like a friend or a family member that might be going through a difficult time. If the problem is of a financial nature and you can help, that's fine. If not, let it go and know that things happen as they must. To tell you the truth, you are not actually responsible for the rest of the Universe, even your own adult child, but love and support is something that we all have an abundance of and that's the best we can do.

All problems and decisions are the same - changing jobs, getting divorced, financial security, loss of a loved one - look at the big picture, let go of what you can and move on. Regrets and living in the past serves no purpose. All we have is now, tomorrow might never come, so let's do the best with NOW that we can.

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Where is the best place to plant a succulent garden?

Read what "Random Harvest Nursery" has to say about this...
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Where the light changes, is the best place for your succulent and rock garden. It does not matter if it is a dry and problematic area.
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The creation of that special place is a labour of love, because creating mood and feeling in a garden is the same as weaving a tapestry of colours. It takes a lot of patience and planning, but don’t let that put you off.
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If your space is against a wall, you could paint a desert scene that flows into your bed, especially if your rockery is too small to plant a large Aloe.
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Then, taking your time, gradually release your creative genius by adding soil and doing some earth shaping to help fashion different shadows and light, that will add drama to architectural plants. Create miniature landscape features like rocky canyons, outcrops and a dry river bed. Have fun by copying a typical dry river bed in nature.
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Include debris such as water smoothed pebbles, seeds that may have been carried along an irregular flash flood, driftwood, grass lodged behind an occasional rock, and dried grasses and reeds etc.
The driftwood will help to encourage soil organisms and enhance your plants. You could even use different coloured sands to complete the picture.
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A little water is essential for the insects, birds and lizards that will be drawn to the living, evolving eco-system. Make sure to allow for a little seepage, alternatively a small grindstone shaped rock with a dripper is sufficient. Space permitting, you could even create a small pool backed up against a shaded rocky area in your dry riverbed.
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Rocks and gravel come next, cultivating this habitat for plants, wildlife and organisms.  When choosing rocks and gravel they should have similar harmonious colours that will blend naturally together.
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Creating a natural cobblestone, or rock pathway through your succulent bed, will enable you to stroll through and get a closer look at your creation. A stone seat, built to look like a stone wall, or a dry stone wall or gabion with plants growing out of the spaces between the rocks completes the picture.
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Succulents need healthy, well-drained soil to which compost and organic fertilizer have been added.
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When you have done the planting, mulch the area with gravel, woodchips, bark, leaves, or other organic material; thereafter mulch the bed with a thin layer at least once a year, but twice is better to keep the soil healthy.
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When deciding what to plant where, take the colours, shapes and textures of the leaves and stems, as well as the overall character of the plants, into account.
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When planting, think of their natural habitat, Lithops spp. (Stone Plants) that grow so cryptically take on the appearance of the gravel in which they grow. Only when they burst forth in colourful, glistening bloom are they highly visible to both us and their pollinators.
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When placing your plants stand back and keep checking if they have been placed correctly. Start with feature plants or “star performers” such as large Aloes. Rocks should look completely natural.
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Place bulbs such as Haemanthus humilis (Rabbit’s ears), strategically under rocks and growing from crevasses. If at the end you have made a mistake, remember that succulents transplant very successfully and you can easily move them.
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Include other non-succulent species of plant to complete the picture. Try to stick to those that would be found growing naturally near to the succulents that you have used, or at least have similar water and sun requirements.
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Use grasses sparingly as they can overshadow other plants. Include a few Tulbaghia violacea (Wild Garlic) to help with pest control.
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The bold lines and often stocky shapes of succulents contrast very well or are shown off with striking effect when planted with softer plants such as some annuals or plants with small leaves and dainty flowers.
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Last but not least, sow a scatter pack of Namaqualand Daisies for spring-time splendour in and around your succulents.

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Cactus - Cereus jamacaru

Ink sketch and watercolour wash on Bockingford 300gsm

Cereus jamacaru (Queen of the Night, Een-Nag blom)
Classification: Cactaceae

Incorrectly referred to as Cereus peruvianus in South Africa.

The Peruvian Apple Cactus, Cereus jamacaru, is a large, erect, thorny columnar cactus found in South America as well as the nearby ABC Islands of the Dutch Caribbean. It is also known as Giant Club Cactus, Hedge Cactus, cadushi and kayush. With an often tree-like appearance, the Peruvian Apple Cactus’ cylindrical grey-green to blue stems can reach 10 meters (33 ft) in height and 10-20 cm in diameter. The nocturnal flowers remain open for only one night. Unfortunately this plant has been declared an unwanted “invader” in South Africa due to it’s fast-spreading habit.

Die Kaktus Cereus peruvianus (of Een-nag blom) is ’n boomagtige kaktus, partymaal tot 10m hoog, wat vir net een nag van die jaar asemrowende wit blomme voort bring. Ongelukkig is hierdie kaktus as ’n ongewensde indringerplant verklaar in Suid Afrika as gevolg van hul gewoonte om uiters vinnig te versprei. Daar is groot verwarring oor die eintlike naam van hierdie kaktus, aangesien Cereus vir heelwat kaktussoorte gebruik word. Die spesienaam, peruvianus, dui aan dat dit endemies is aan Peru, maar dit is ’n botaniese fout. Hierdie plant is eintlik endemies aan Brasilië, Uruguay en Argentinië.

Hierdie een groei langs Solly se kaia op ons plot (Tarlton, Gauteng, Suid Afrika) en hy was verskriklik ontsteld toe ek voorstel ons moet dit verwyder. Nou is hy die dood voor die oë gesweer as ek sou sien dat dit enigsins versprei!

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Manvang

Een van my gunsteling skryfstukke deur MINETTE BRINK, geplaas met haar toestemming :

"BY ‘n onlangse familie byeenkoms het ‘n tante met pers hare my voor stok gekry.

"En wanneer kry jy weer man?" wou sy onbeskaamd weet, ten aanhore van die hele familie wie se ore onmiddellik op aandag spits.

"Nee dankie," probeer ek beleefd uit die vraag wikkel.

"Nou wat is fout met jou?" hyg sy tussen die canapé-kouery deur.

Die familie sirkel soos aasvoëls nader. Hier kom mos nou ‘n lekker sappige brokkie inligting wat vir maande herkou kan word.

"Daar is niks fout met my nie, Tante," sukkel ek met die humeur. "Ek wil net nie ‘n man hê nie, dis al."

Sy blaas deur skokpienk lippe . "Gmfff, lekker vol geit, né?"

Ek trap vierkantig in die strik en trek verwoed weg.

"As julle dan so entoesiasties is, kry vir my ‘n man wat nie ‘n obsessie met sport, drank, ander vrouens en status het nie. Nie eens ‘n ligte obsessie nie. Hy mag ook nie ‘n huishen wees wat heeldag onder my voete broei nie. Hy moet langer en breër as ek wees, groen of blou oë hê, lang donker hare in ‘n blink bokstert dra en baie glimlag deur sy bokbaardjie sonder om simpel te wees. Hy moet slimmer as ek wees sonder om pretensieus of aanstellerig oor te kom of my soos ‘n aap te laat voel. Verkieslik sal hy in die buitelug werk, iets soos ‘n toergids of ‘n grootwildjagter met sy eie besigheid, maar hy mag nie langer as ‘n week op ‘n slag weg van die huis wees nie. Met vierdag tussenposes.

Nooit sal hy my vra oor enige van my buie nie, want hy sal sommer net weet wat pla. Ek sal die belangrikste persoon in sy lewe wees sonder dat hy my versmoor met jaloesie en agterdog. Daar sal nie ‘n vervelige oomblik wees as ons bymekaar is nie, maar hy mag ook nie ‘n adrenalien-verslaafde wees nie. Hy sal ewe goed lyk in stukkende jeans, ‘n swembroek en ‘n tuxedo, maar laat ek hom in ‘n Speedo vang en hy’s weg. Daar sal ook nie een sweetpakbroek of help-my-sterk-lyk-hempie in sy besit wees nie. Hy sal niks hou van visvang nie en ook nie vir ure aanmekaar praat oor motors of groot masjiene nie. Ook nie oor die ekonomie of die politiek nie. Maar hy sal ‘n ordentlike motorfiets ry en op hoogte wees van aktuele sake. Hy sal weet van vroue-goeters sonder om verwyfd te wees en hy sal ‘n uithaler kok wees wat glo dat my geregte lekkerder as syne is.

Verder sal hy fantastiese gedigte en prosa skryf sonder om soppy of depressief te raak en hy sal nie by elke geleentheid sy kitaar uitruk en almal verveel met sy weergawe van ‘Ou Ryperd’ nie. Sou hy ‘n grap vertel, sal dit beperk wees tot een grap en nie ‘n drie uur lange marteling vir die geselskap nie. Daar sal ook nie ‘n steekhaarbrak wees wat hom soos ‘n skadu volg en sy tandeborsel met hom deel nie. Ek sal versigtig, maar nie bang wees vir sy humeur nie en hom mag opsoen net wanneer ek wil sonder dat hy hom doodgril vir my tanddrade. Hy sal gek wees oor my kinders en hulle soos sy eie hanteer. Wil julle nog hoor?" vra ek leedvermakerig.

Tannie Pershare is bleek. Die familie is stom.

Voordat iemand iets kan sê, gaan ek geïnspireerd voort.

"Maar eintlik kan hy maar bles ook wees, want kyk nou na iemand soos Gys de Villiers. Hy maak my knieë lam én hy is boonop 'n akteur. 'n Ware man vol passie en kreatiwiteit. Dis wat ek graag na my kant toe sal wil sien kom." Ek staan selfvoldaan terug en wag vir die terugvoer.

Na ‘n ruk kry die tante haar asem terug.

"Jy sal op die rak bly sit met jou cheeky-geit!" blaas sy ontsteld.

"Dankie tog," sê ek tevrede."

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Succulents and rain

Seeing as most succulents and cacti come from hot, desert regions and are also well-known for their drought resistance, one would think that they can't tolerate a lot of water and most don't. But there are always a few exceptions to the rule and through trial and error I have discovered some succulents that actually thrive on a lot of water.

This little cactus, above, Austrocylindropuntia subulata monstrosa (Eve's Needle) is in full sun in the garden and gets lots of water, me and the rain! and it has absolutely thrived. It is also very frost tolerant and extreme cold doesn't seem to have much effect on it.

This Crassula muscosa, above and below, from the Crassulaceae family and indigenous to South Africa, is very drought resistant but absolutely goes wild with lots of water! When in full sun and with little water, it tends to go brown and get woody but when watered a lot, it makes lovely clumps of bright, healthy-looking green clumps. Tends to spread very quickly when watered a lot.

Crassula muscosa

Crassula muscosa in a pot

Flowers of the Echeveria imbricata

The effect of lots of water on Echeveria imbricata is amazing! You are rewarded with plants the size of dinner plates and a profusion of flowers! We've been having 10-20mm of rain almost every day for the past couple of weeks, and my Echeverias have never been so stunning! However, one has to cut down on watering in winter and they are not frost-tolerant, so wet feet would be bad news.

Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Huge, dinner-plate size Echeveria imbricata in pots on my patio

More huge Echeveria imbricata in a pot on my patio

Echeveria imbricata in a wooden planter on my patio

More Crassula muscosa enjoying lots of water. The Echinopsis cacti will only tolerate lots of water if it is planted in a well-draining soil - when they get soggy they easily suffer from rot.

The Geraniums have been loving the rain, but the Eve's Needle in the pot gets moved under roof at the first signs of rain. Since I got it as a tiny, 3" little plant, it has been acclimatising in this pot with no holes, but is now ready to be planted directly into the garden.

My Old Man Cactus (genus Cephalocereus) has spent many years in this pot with lots of rain, but it does have holes and a well-draining soil, and is now sporting two new pups which are ready to be removed and re-planted.

Kalanchoe rotundifolia, indigenous to South Africa) on the right in the white pot is tolerant of both drought and lots of water. I propagated this one from a little cutting and it has been under cover for quite some time and I only placed it in full sun this week. So I will be keeping an eye on it to see how it develops before transplanting it straight into the garden.

The Rattail Cactus (Aporocactus Flagelliformis or Disocactus flagelliformis) above, is native to Mexico, which means gardeners only in the warmer zones can grow them outdoors. Mine spends summer outdoorsin full sun with LOTS of water, but it doesn't tolerate frost and I bring them inside every winter. And then, every spring I am rewarded with this beautiful show of flowers!


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Echeverias after the winter

Having survived a particularly harsh winter OUTSIDE! ( usually bring them inside every winter), these Echeverias (E. imbricata) have doubled in size with all the beautiful early-summer rains we’ve had. These pots spent the winter under the protection of my Wild Olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana). Also known as “Blue Hens and Chicks”, these plants, hailing from the semi-desert areas of Central America, thrive in frost free, brightly lit conditions with good drainage.

'n Voorspoedige en voldane lewe

Om voldaan te lewe is om elke oomblik bewustelik te lewe. Dit is om self-gemaakte lyding te verwissel vir vrede deur aanvaarding en om toe te laat dat liefde angs vervang deur stilte van vrede.

Die lewe word nie bepaal deur wat met ons gebeur nie; dit word bepaal deur hoe ons hierdie ondervindings gebruik om hierdie 'n beter wêreld te maak. Ons bestemming word nie bepaal deur die paadjies wat ons ge-erf het nie, maar deur die paadjies wat ons self  uittrap.           

Binne elke storm van die lewe is 'n sleutel wat nog 'n deur sal oopsluit  waardeur jy moet loop.

Om rustig te lewe bedoel nie  dat ons wegskram van probleme of die verpligting om hulle op te los nie.  Net die teenoorgestelde  — ons vind die helderheid en teenwoordigheid van gees om die daaglikse dinge meer konstruktief en positief te hanteer.    

As jy 'n begeerte het wat jy nie kan versaak nie, dan het jy die eerste bestanddeel vir  prestasie: 'n droom. Jou droom is al wat jy nodig het om te begin; dit is jou plan vir die toekoms.

Voorspoedige mense is in lyn met die lewe op 'n manier wat oorvloed aantrek. Hulle is in lyn met visie en begeerte, en hulle gooi nie tou op nie. Om aan te hou is om in die rigting van harmonie met die lewe te beweeg.

Ons kan kies om in die verlede te bly of ons kan die lewe deur die oë van 'n kind sien — met nuutheid, vreugde en die opwinding van avontuur.  As ons fokus op wat ons dink is 'n toekomstige eindlyn, dan mis ons iets spesiaals: vandag se klein oorwinnings.

Om hierdie oomblikke van vreugde te ontdek is een van die lewe se mees belonende avonture!

Die Afrikaner se dilemma

Orania - waar Afrikaners lééf! Lees die volle artikel hier.

"Orania is 'n pragtige Karoodorp wat uitstrek langs die lowergroen oewer van die Oranjerivier. Sedert die ou verlate en vervalle Waterwese-dorpie in 1991 deur 'n paar Afrikaner pioniers aangekoop is, het Orania gegroei tot 'n volwaardige gemeenskap wat vandag die tuiste is van sowat 1 000 permanente inwoners en byna 10 000 uitwoners - d.i. mense wat nog nie hervestig het nie, maar wel deel is van die gemeenskap a.g.v. hul betrokkenheid by Orania.

Orania is baie ernstig oor natuurbewaring en gee om vir sy skoon omgewing. Alle huishoudings op Orania skei hul vullis in 5 aparte asblikke, nl. nie-herwinbaar, papier, plastiek, glas en metaal. Herwinning begin dus reeds by die oorsprong en almal lewer 'n bydrae om besoedeling te bekamp.

Sonkrag geysers is verpligtend vir alle nuwe huise wat gebou word terwyl elektriese geysers stelselmatig uitfaseer word. Vindingryke "groen-argitektuur" word gekenmerk deur die gebruik van klip, hout en strooibale as boumateriaal vir sommige van die nuwe huise op Orania. Hierdie eko-vriendelike bou praktyk hou vele praktiese sowel as estetiese voordele in.
Meer as 30 000 bome is al geplant in Orania terwyl die pragtige Oranjerivier en die uitgestrekte landerye om die dorp ook bydra tot die Afrikanertuiste se voorkoms as 'n oase in die Karoo.

Orania word gekenmerk deur sy skoon omgewing en die gasvryheid van sy mense, maar wat die dorp uniek maak is die feit dat alle arbeid deur Afrikaners verrig word - van die bankbestuurder tot die bouer, alle werk op Orania word deur Afrikaners gedoen. Sodra 'n minderheidsgroep op sy eie arbeid kan staatmaak is hy nie afhanklik van meerderheid bevolkingsgroepe vir die dag tot dag funksionering van sy samelewing nie. So 'n gemeenskap word deur sy eie mense bestuur en is nie uitgelewer aan vreemde regeerders en al die probleme wat veroorsaak word deur 'n regime wat nie dié minderheid se belange op die hart dra nie."

Dit alles klink idillies en wonderlik, maar daar is heelwat redes hoekom hierdie ideale nie kan of sal werk nie. Eerstens is daar die getalsyfer vir Afrikaners - Volgens die 2011 sensus van Suid-Afrika, was daar ’n totaal van 6 855 082 mense wat Afrikaans as ’n eerste taal praat, dit uit 'n bevolking van 52 miljoen mense, waarvan 4 586 838 wit is, 4 615 401 kleurlinge is, 41 000 938 swart is en 1 286 930 Indiërs is. Hierdie syfers (en wat maak jou 'n 'Afrikaner', die feit dat jy wit is of die feit dat jy Afrikaans praat? Is Afrikaans-sprekende swartes, kleurlinge en Indiërs ook Afrikaners?), kan onmoontlik nie "nuwe dorpe in die Oranjeriviervallei-Weskus streek oprig en ekonomiese werklikhede binne hierdie gebied skep sodat Afrikaners in groot getalle daar kan hervestig" nie.

Orania is in 1991 gestig en het nou na oor die twintig jaar nog steeds net 1000 inwoners (en Wikipedia verwys na 450 000 'Afrikaners' in Suid-Afrika). Met 'n duisend inwoners per dorp  sal niemand ordentlik besigheid doen of 'n meningvolle bestaan kan maak nie. Daar sal ook nie genoeg mense of geld wees om Universiteite, skole en hospitale te regverdig nie - waar gaan die geld vandaan kom om dit te bewerkstellig?

Die Orania beweging beweer ook, "Orania se sukses en groei sal direk afhang van sy vermoë om sy ondersteuningsbasis uit te brei. ’n Mens kan jou die staat Israel vandag nie voorstel of sy ontstaan bedink sonder die rol wat tallose instellings gespeel het nie." Ek is nie heeltemal op datum met die geskiedenis van Israel se ontstaan of hulle stryd om dit te bewerkstellig nie, maar ek sou sê dat Amerika 'n groot rol daarin gespeel het. Iets waarop Afrikaners nie kan staat maak nie. Die Afrikaners, selfs ons land, het nie veel om Amerika te offer om dit vir hulle die moeite werd te maak om in te gryp nie. Inteendeel, hoe laer ons land sink, hoe goedkoper word kommoditeite soos goud, silwer en platinum en talle van ons ander natuurlike bronne, wat Amerika heelwat aanstaan. Die enigste manier om ons land as 'n geheel te red, is vir almal om saam te staan, een magtige nasie te vorm en nie verdeeld te wees nie. Die ou wapen van Suid-Afrika het gesê : Ex Unitate Vires - Eendrag Maak Mag - ek dink dit is vandag nog relevant.

Die 'Lief Orania' stelling, "Die Orania Beweging is ’n Afrikaanse kultuurpolitieke beweging wat hom beywer vir die herstel van die Afrikaner se vryheid in ’n eie, demokratiese Republiek wat ingerig word op grond van Christelike waardes." Die feit dat "Afrikaners" hulself verwyder van ander rassegroepe en anders-taliges klink vir my baie on-Christelik. Baie Christene sal eksepsie neem oor hierdie stelling. Maak nie saak hoe jy die bybel vertolk nie, wees lief vir jou medemens bly nog een van die belangrikste tien gebooie.

Om in konstante vrees te leef maak geen sin nie. Dit verlam jou. Dit maak dat jy nie reguit kan dink nie, nie rasionele besluite kan neem nie. Jy is 'n skepper, skep met jou gedagtes  - LEEF jou Afrikaner-kultuur waar okal jy mag wees en dit sal nie uitsterf nie.

Ek stem saam met, "Elke generasie is verantwoordelik vir sy eie tyd. Laat ons as (vry) Afrikaners die toekoms positief en doelgerig ingaan terwyl ons SAAM bou" aan die toekoms van ons land! Ons almal SAAM, nie net party van ons nie.

EX UNITATE VIRES (1995)

My Afrikaner Nation, my mother-tongue -
Why in shame our heads now hung?
We still have our pride
but no place of safety to reside.
My people, my country, my Language ....
"Eendrag maak mag" we pray with anguish.

Apartheid started here?

The Zulu tribe bewitched, deceived
Their white brother murdered - they could not leave.
At Blood River valley no bullets went astray
The battle was won that very Sunday.
A message so clear: "Eendrag maak mag" "don't forget My day".

How did we honour that message my nation.
In Apartheid we lived in jubilation.
Our children were strong and bright,
The best in the country so pure and white.
We ploughed, we sowed and reaped
With "Eendrag maak mag" our pride ran deep.

The Lord looked down how His nation divide.
Beneath white unity, the truth they did hide.
The Afrikaners prospered with pride,
While black and white separately reside.
We saw not the suffering, suppression and pain,
With "Eendrag maak mag" our whiteness reigned.

High our Babel Tower stood,
To keep church and children white and good
We fought the British the Boers they could not break.
We fought at the borders for safety sake
We sang our Anthem with pride in our chest.
"Eendrag maak mag", we were the best.

Slowly the walls of our tower began to crumble
Within our Taal there was an English mumble
We are white too - our English brethren revealed,
With that the fate of Afrikanerdom was sealed.
We praat our Taal, we sang our Anthem and fought our fate
But  "Eendrag maak mag" also was to "Unity is Strength" translate.

Sanctions could not destroy our nation.
We still clung to our slogan in anticipation.
Too little too late we tried to gain order.
We removed the "Whites only" and also the border.
Mandella and De Klerk sounded the hour
while the truth commission stripped our power.

"Back to the sea the Boer" said our Xhosa brother,
Now the leading nation at the rudder.
Where our pride?, What happened to our Taal?, what to do?
Where can we fly our "Oranaja, Blanja, Blue"?

A new rainbow nation has now begun
Simonye! WE ARE ONE!

.

Re-potting after neglect

I've just freshened up this pot of succulents which was standing in the garden. When I tested the ground it was a hard as concrete, I really don't know HOW they've managed to survive!

First I watered the pot heavily to soften the ground. I gently removed each plant, cut off dead and old pieces and carefully laying them down in the shade so as not to damage them. I then put in a mix of potting soil and garden soil with pebbles at the bottom to aid draining and re-planted most of them, leaving some space for new growth. An Aloe at the back with the Aeoniums next to it and in front added the Crassula and the Echinopsis cactus with a few crystal pebbles as decoration.

I'm just wondering if the red tinges on the Aeoniums is a bad sign or not? They're normally as green as grass... But they all seem none the worse for the wear and neglect, that pot has been standing there on the little table for over a year without any attention and just the odd watering.

 Neglected and forlorn somewhere in the garden...

A New Year's resolution - I promise to spend more time with you, my darling succulents!

.

Ek hou van 'n man wat sy man kan staan

Ek hou van 'n man wat sy man kan staan,
ek hou van 'n arm wat 'n slag kan slaan,
'n oog wat nie wyk, wat 'n bars kan kyk
en 'n wil wat so vas soos 'n klipsteen staan!

Ek hou van 'n man wat sy moeder eer,
in die taal uit haar vrome mond geleer,
die verraaiersgeslag in sy siel verag
wat, haar verstotend, homself kleineer..

Die oog wil ek sien wat 'n traan nog ween
vir 'n heldegeslag, in hul rus daarheen,
maar 'n blits van trou in die traan van rou,
wat aan liefde weer gee wat haar bron is ontleen.

Vir my d'Afrikaner van durf en daad,
wat mammon's eer en loon versmaad,
sy hoof en sy hand vir sy volk en sy land
en 'n trap van sy voet vir laag verraad!

O, 'k hou van 'n man wat sy man kan staan;
ek hou van 'n daad wat soos donder slaan,
'n oog wat nie wyk, wat 'n bars kan kyk
en 'n wil wat so vas soos 'n klipsteen staan!

Trou - Jan F.E. Cilliers