The Fairest Cape of Stormy Good Hope

Brad, my design & photography tool, died after the hard drive started making a noise that sounded much like mouse would if it was, for some reason we won't speculate on now, scraping its teeth down a chalkboard. Fortunately it's not a problem for two reasons - firstly the day is much too bright and cheerful to be really bothered by anything that might otherwise be extremely annoying, and secondly I've been around these damn things long enough to know that it's a case of when, not if, and accordingly have all my works d'art backed up on various external hard drives that don't sound like they'd like some cheese (their cheesy names notwithstanding.) The software does still need to be reloaded though - as soon as I've changed this horrible default Microshit Windoze XP desktop photo of that green hill to something less creepy!

But not to worry, I did manage to prepare one last pic for the year before it all went haywire, so...

May your new year be filled with much fun, love and yummy things right through to the next one!


Hanging in there: a tenacious bush clings to the cliff above Diaz Beach on one of the cape's less wild days.

sailin'

I've recently discovered another passion - one that usually can't include my passion for photography because of my Brikon's allergy to water (at least until waterproof housings fall within my budget - not any time soon I'd imagine!) Anyway, my dad used to take my sis and me sailing on his Hobie Cat when we were little, although we didn't do much more than cling on for dear life and watch the water flow past at speed. A few decades later I found myself out on a trapeze with the wind, sea-spray and a BSG (big silly grin) on my face - and a possibly even bigger one on Adam's face!

Saturday found me down at the Hobie club on a perfectly clear day without a skipper to shout orders at me, so I made use of the opportunity to take some photos of the others going out. Fortunately for me I later got a chance to go out with Mark on his Hobie 16, which turned out to be one of the best sails I've had - quite the safari sail in fact! Apart from the bird life that is always present in False Bay, a Humpback whale breached right out of the water fairly close to us and right after that a school of about 40 or 50 dolphins decided to play around our boat for a while. Seriously BSG stuff!


A more colourful shot than my usual fare: two Hobie 16's heading out into the bay on a particularly clear day.

muizies bridge

My Brikon is well again, but no chance yet to get out and take photos; instead here's one that I've been wanting to share with you of the vlei mouth that's just a stone's throw from my home:

sharks, chairs & surf

Sadly my Brikon is in camerospital having its symptoms diagnosed by a doctician - I guess the kloofing was a bit rough on it! (but then I didn't buy a Brikon to photograph chairs, despite the fact that they are more deadly to humans than sharks! - see the SOS Rethink the Shark ad on YouTube.)

I've just had a lekka morning - walked down to the beach with my mates Kirsten & Lisl for coffee and Knead's enormous and totally decadent chocolate croissants, and the waves are absolutely perfect so as soon as I click send, the HMS Pucjlowski and I are off to hang ten! (if you aren't already envious, you can see what the surf is doing at the Corner Surf Shop's webcam - and maybe bunk out of work and join me ;-)


one from my archive of Muizenberg beach - a bland image that begged to be played with and made special!

kloofing

Deadlines having disipated, I finally managed to escape into the mountains again with a bunch of mates, this time headed down rather than up through a chocolate box land of crystal clear pools and stunning waterfalls. Entertaining company, delightfully warm weather, a game or two of hacky and the cold beers Jane magically produced made for one of those simply perfect days!


Rik abseiling fifty meters down one of the spectacular waterfalls

2010 calendar

The calendar was so popular last year that I've decided to make it a regular thing! Next year's calendar features close-up views of nature's little things. There are also a few improvements on last years calendar - firstly I've managed to get the price down to ZA R100 per calendar. The date boxes are slightly bigger and I have also included the national holidays for the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand every month as well as the main Jewish and Islamic holidays. And I have enough time this year to get a proofreader to check it all!

Click here to view the photos that will be featured in the 2010 calendar, and access the order form.
If you have any questions, just send me an email.

windless

And setting the mood for the calendar, here is this week's pic:


A delicate pink oxalis closes up for the night in a magical sunset field of mini daisies

...ok, I'm just happy the sun is shining and the wind has stopped blowing (Wow, I never thought I'd say that!)

flutterby

Patiently transferring caterpillars from my herbs to my weeds (which are carefully maintained for the purpose!) has paid off. The Western Cape has been buffeted by some rather severe and completely unseasonal weather, and during one of these storms my mom noticed this butterfly unsuccessfully trying to crawl into the grass on my lawn to escape the wild winds. We brought her inside, where she conveyed her gratitude by posing patiently for my camera for hours (or so it seemed!). She spent the night and fluttered away the next day on a northerly breeze - which was headed out to sea, so I only hope she got a chance to alight somewhere and lay her eggs!


This time I actually know what she is, a Papilio demodocus, known as the citrus swallowtail or Christmas butterfly.