A STORY OF COURAGE AND PASSION

In the late seventies my young, newly married sister and her husband decide to leave the comfort of the big city and go farming in a small town (i mean small) in the middle of nowhere. in the in the middle of the bush, not a shop in site. just dusty potholed gravel roads. courageous i would say. what!

I wonder. this is a lovely view. i can see the sea from here... maybe this is where we should build our farmhouse

excellent soil. excellent position. they begin designing their house. building starts. they get stuck in with the help of some locals that they manage to find in a neighboring town.

the building going up. Paunch (my sisters HUSBAND) does most of the tiling etc. Whaa la lah...let me welcome you to GRASSLANDS Eastern Province where the people are above average. the flowers good lookin and the monkey brilliant!

the house is built

the grass is planted and many many trees... if you can see them. this was the seventies. no cellphone cameras. no no nothing like that!

BREAKING NEWS: BREAKING NEWS:

my sister Carol announces that this is not going to be any old type of farm. no old rusty tractors, ploughs, hoes, wheels etc. lying around rusting with weeds sprouting through their engines . in fact no weeds anywhere. this is going to be a beautiful farm. an excellent farm. Carol plans and designs her garden.

Paunch decides he is going to plant proteas. oh NO says everyone. you can't do that. proteas don't grow here. the climate is not right. the soil is not right. whadda whadda blah blah.

Paunch begins germinating seeds. 1980 he plants out in the fields...a grand total of 30,000 protea plants. you can't do that. surely not! he does. plants thrive. he grows vegetables too.

packed and ready for the market. the garden grows. the trees grow. don't gasp. . whaaat. whaaaaaat..take a look now.

simply put. AMAZING. STUNNING. BEAUTIFUL!!

The birds come to visit. . I mean really visit. in the lounge. this a toucan.. he's come for his cheese.

an evening walk around the farm....i could say that it was beautiful or that the sky was like a William Turner painting. that the light changed across the landscape and flitted through the magnificent trees. getting lighter and brighter and then darker as the clouds scudded across the sky . the old tractor striking a pose against the deepening evening light. that we fed the guinea fowl. that we saw monkeys with babies clinging to their mothers backs. that it was peaceful. I could say all of these things. would it be enough. no. i would need to write a book to do that. so i hope these photos give you a sense of the courage and passion of a young couple who devoted themselves to their dream and made it come true

evening walk

The old farm tractor... please note. no weeds.

I have spent many wonderful holidays on the farm and it has been the stage for many celebrations. always done with flair and joy and a deep comittment to family and friends. with love sis and admiration for you both.

a story of courage and passion, hard work and determination. would you not say? I certainly would. let me know. tell me what you think.

my Moms 90th birthday celebration.

my visits to the farm are always a very special time. here are a few things that stick out for me.

. being spoilt and feeling loved.

. my sister running my bath for me with gorgeous bubble bath. lovely.

. Paunch delivering early morning tea to me in bed. aaah!

. coming home to a roast leg of lamb and all the trimmings after a mornings shopping

in the nearest town. with gravy. the table all laid prettily. delicious. and me having seconds and pudding too.

. the dogs. Casey - their wonderful dachsund who smiled with her mouth wide and showed her teeth in a big grin.

. Casey. dragging her basket out of the door into the garden so she could lie in it and bask in the sun. yep. true. . the monkey who they saved from certain death.

. Casey having breakfast with a monkey in the kitchen. yep. true.

. the birds (toucans) knocking on the window with their beaks. where is my cheese please.

. there wonderful housekeeper who looked after all of us in her very special quiet way.

. wonderful walks around the farm.

wonderful times. these are just a few of the special memories I have of a very special place.