May 2005
Wetlands recovering
Our Wetland area is showing signs of renewal. We have been having good rains in the past few weeks and our Flamingo Vlei is once again nearly full. No signs of the large stretches of sandbank where the water had receded and the vlei could be seen to shrink on a daily basis.
Our Pelican, Flamingo and large variety of duck and water bird colonies can now look forward to their new families in the Spring, knowing that there will be sufficient food for them to survive. We can look forward to keeping our little part of Paradise, and enjoying the wonder of seeing these magnificent birds, in our area.
We are hoping that our drought is now over and that we will have sufficient rain this winter to fill our dams.
Winter also sees time to plant all our spring bulbs, to enjoy the beautiful days (when it isn’t raining), to prune our roses, to plant vegetables, to feed the soil and wait for Spring. Winter is also the time that all our magnificent aloes are blooming, those glorious red and orange spikes, like huge, royal caldelabra reaching into the sky. What a spectacle! Local Quiver trees, Aloe Vera, Bitter Aloe, Veltheimia, a huge variety of Euphorbia, Vygies and our spectacular Impala Lily with long branches of red and white flowers. It was a local legend in Kwa Zulu Natal that the Aloes would only bloom when the Sardine run was about to occur. I can’t remember if this was true or not, but I can remember these amazing times, where we could wade waist high into the sea, and catch the sardine with whatever receptacle was on hand. Where the sea was black and boiling for as far as the eye could see. The seagulls and other birds diving continually into the midst of this mass and eventually, fully sated they would just sit on the water, so full that they couldn’t fly any more. It was possibly the only time that we would not have to worry about shark attacks as they were too busy feeding on the bigger game fish that were feeding off the sardine.
Winter also sees our Magnificent Table Mountain shrouded with mist and at times completely hidden with clouds. It is also the time where we have extreme weather, mountainous waves, high winds and more rain. Dangerous elements for the men and their ships out at sea. The Cape Coast possibly has more shipwrecks than any other place in the world, we are not called “The Cape of Storms” for nothing, however we are the most beautiful Cape in the world.
Never cut a tree down in the wintertime.
Never make a negative decision in the low time.
Never make your most important decisions
when you are in your worst moods.
Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass.
The spring will come.
Author Unknown
Love Honour Respect
The other day I overheard a conversation among a couple of young people, they were asking each other whether they would be committed to their partners if they got married. This was and is very strange to me as I feel that commitment is all about you, the person and not a situation like the marriage.
Commitment is surely what a person feels about everything that they do in their lives and has more to do with self respect and love. If you respect yourself then you will commit to doing your best at school, commit to gaining the trust of others, commit to giving of your best in your job, commit to serving your clients to the best of your ability, commit to being a good friend, commit to helping someone a little less fortunate than yourself, commit to standing by your family and loved ones in their times of need and sharing in their good fortunes, honouring your word when you give it. All these things require commitment and so then commitment should naturally migrate to your feelings on marriage it should never have to be a discussion or even a second thought.
All commitment requires WORK and a genuine love in order to be successfull, it is not a thought process but rather a natural act of respect for oneself. Commitment is about personal honesty and the willingness to share in the marriage, to make it the best marriage in the world, to put in every ounce of energy to make it happy, to make it fun, to make it genuine, to never stop thinking of new ideas that would expand this loving relationship, to go out of your way to do a little thing to surprise your partner, these are the elements of commitment.
“People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains,
at the huge waves of the seas,
at the long course of the rivers,
at the vast compass of the ocean,
at the circular motion of the stars,
and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.”
St. Augustine, 354 430
Sacred Stones
I have always had an affinity to stones, for as long as I can remember. Always seeing an unusual shape here or a beguiling colour there, a smooth one picked up by the river or one with a ripple design on it, whatever the magic I just had to have it and take it home with me. As a child I always had a stone in my pocket and not much has changed since, I always have a stone somewhere around me or on me. A trip to the beach or the mountains always culminates in a new souvenir, it is not a conscious thing, it is more like a magnet, as if someone is calling “look at me, look at me”, once the stone has caught my eye, thats it, instant possession. Once it is home it must be cleaned and inspected for any other unusual qualities and then it is lovingly placed in the special space that just feels exactly right for that particular stone.
Later still, I discovered the precious and semi-precious stones, it was like being in Fairyland, all those colours and textures, some names unpronouncable, stones of sparkling, twinkling pure joy. There is an age old saying “As above, so Below”, well that is true, as many colours that can be found in flowers, birds, fish, sky, can be found in gemstones and minerals. From the palest most delicate colours to the brightest, gaudiest ones. Each one has a special meaning for me and fulfills a certain purpose at given times. All I can say is that my life has definitely benefitted from my affinity to stones.
I had an ensuite bathroom built on to my bedroom and in the floor of the shower I have imbedded some tumbled gemstones, my sacred stones. I put in some red Jasper, Orange Carnelian, Green Moss Agate, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, and Clear Quartz Crystal. Each time I shower, I rub my feet over the stones and speak. Firstly I say Thank you for this wonderful day, Thank you for all the Joy in my life, Thank you for giving me the wonderful Family that I have, Thank you for the great, supportive friends that I have. Then I rub my feet over the Red Jasper and ask that I be able to keep my feet firmly on the ground and not be influenced by the things that seem too good to be true. On the Carnelian I ask that I not be led into hasty decisions or anger but instead be granted patience. On the Rose Quartz I ask that I may give and receive love among family, friends, loved ones and all humanity. On the Green Agate I ask that I be able to voice and show my love in everything I say and do. On the Amethyst I ask that I attain a higher level of understanding for the world and everything that exists within it. On the Crystal I ask that I will have the wisdom to recognise my mistakes and to have the courage and strength to put things right. Lastly I go back to the red Jasper and ask that I come back down to earth and face all the challenges and excitement of this new day.
This little ritual has made an amazing difference to my life, it has brought me patience, peace, understanding of myself and others, but mostly has made me see that nothing is insurmountable. Perhaps it is the repetition that reinforces what I say or perhaps it is the magis of the sacred stones. Who knows!
I was born to catch dragons in their dens
And pick flowers
To tell tales and laugh away the morning
To drift and dream like a lazy stream
And walk barefoot across sunshine days.
James Kavanaugh