This is Zanele's mom, Mandisa's home in Qamini, Peddie. I just love that colour turquoise that is so popular in this area. The room pictured at the bottom is a separate 8-cornered one-roomed house, which stands with its door wide open and is furnished with a bed and table – ready for any traveler who needs a place to rest her head. That's ubuntu in action, don't you think?
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I have really enjoyed the Strelitzias this winter/spring. Before the flowers open, they look so proud and ambitious... as if to say, "I'm headed for one place, and one place alone... the top."
And of course, it's easy to see why it's also called the bird of paradise once it's opened.
But my favourite thing about the strelitzia is the magical way in which it gets pollinated. See that blue piece that sticks out just above the "beak" of the bird? That's where the pollen is safely stored. When a sunbird lands on the blue "twig" to sip some nectar, its weight is just enough to to push it open, thereby exposing the pollen which clings to his feet, ready to pollinate the next flower on which he lands. Clever, huh?
(Hands compliments of Mzo - enkosi!)
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My hands were very busy while I was on holiday, and my brain was in idle mode - my version of bliss.
By the way, if you're interested in extracting exquisite colour from vegetables, have a look here.
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If ever there was a happiness factory, it's Charly's Bakery, home of the world's most beautiful cakes. It was my birthday on Saturday and I thought I would arrange some custom Mielie cupcakes to share with Mielie's weavers. Aren't they just the bomb? They have cool Xhosa words, handbags and mielies (corn) on them.
Pictured below are Cokile, Zanele (who looked so chic today, she could have been the CEO of some multinational company), Nomthunzi and Manyawusa. They are singing Happy Birthday to me in Xhosa.
Thanks to the awesome can-do team at Charlys!
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Some more pictures of our perfect day.
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The day after Noncedo's funeral was the day of our big celebration in Qhamini, Peddie, the home village of many of Mielie's weavers. Our family was welcomed by all the women and maidens dressed in their traditional finery, singing, chanting and ululating.
The women, maidens and boys of the village all had an opportunity to exhibit their dancing, singing and stick-fighting talents. There was also a traditional praise poet who welcomed us and the ancestors to the happy day. Finally, we enjoyed a meal of steamed bread and braaied (barbequed) meat and the elders enjoyed our gifts of brandy and gin.
Not many South Africans have had the opportunity to witness such an authentic cultural celebration, and we were delighted to be able to share it with our German boy, Gregor. Our family's thanks go to everyone who made the day so perfect, especially Zanele, who organised everything from Khayeltisha and joined us on the day, and her mother, pictured top right in red, who hosted the day at her beautiful home.
I will never forget it for as long as I live.
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I'm back, and I had the most awesome holiday - I have every intention of boring you to death with photos for weeks to come.
While on holiday, I came to hear that Noncedo had passed away. At the time I was very close to her village in Peddie, so I attended the funeral - a very moving and somehow uplifting experience with lots of beautiful singing.
Noncedo was one of the first crafters to work with Mielie, until she had a stroke a couple of years ago. At first she was cared for by her family in khaylitsha, and later she returned to her birthplace where she passed away peacefully.
Noncedo was calm, strong and hard-working. She believed very firmly in doing the right thing and standing by her principles. She also had an uncanny abiblity to do mental arithmatic.
Hamba kahle, Noncedo, from all at Mielie.
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I am taking a little break until the 6th of October - I promise to document my holiday adventures and share them with you. We are headed towards the east coast in search of some sun and plan to also visit Peddie, the hometown of many of Mielie's weavers. I don't want to divulge too much, but I think there might be some festivities planned for us... come back on the 6th and I'll tell all, ok?
xxx adri
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This evening my mom made leberknödelsuppe and goulasch with sauerkraut for our German son, Gregor. As always, she used her Viennese Cookery book, written by the curiously named Rosl Philpot, an Austrian girl who married the British Mr Philpot. It was delicious.
My mother discovered Austrian cuisine in the late '50s when she went to study opera in Vienna. These photos are all of my mom performing in various operas, mostly in Graz, Austria. Mamma, will you add a comment and let us know which opera or operetta each photo is from?
There are so many things I love about her, but my two favourites are:
1 - her ability to turn any situation into a fun adventure
2 - the fact that I know that whatever I do, she's right behind me
Thanks mom
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Remember the little paper mock-up orbit cubes?
Well, now they're real! And they're beautiful, don't you think?
Today was a beautiful spring day and with the help of my two hardworking assistants, Mzo and Malibongwe, we took loads of photos. I'm saving some for later, ok?
I also snapped Marina's beautiful skirt that she mentioned in yesterday's comments. It's from Pure Solid in Cavendish, Cape Town. Oh my, they make sublime clothes.
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