Feral Flowers

There is an abundance of flowers that one can eat. Particularly in summer. Don’t be too greedy though, leave plenty for the butterflies, bees and beetles. If you spot a critter in a flower, just leave it be and move on to another bloom. Just pick off the petals, don’t eat the stamen and anthers…

Secret Cutwini

Everyone knows about Mfihlelo Falls, despite the name meaning secret. Even more famous Pondoland places are Waterfall Bluff and Cathedral Rock – probably the reason many people visit Cutwini in the first place. However, there is much more to this village than spectacular rock formations and rivers that tumble directly from cliffs into the sea….

Khotso

I love walking, but I am not that keen on carrying a backpack – especially up a mountain. My lovely friend Christeen Grant convinced me that I simply had to join her for an adventure in the Drakensberg Wilderness this summer.  Oh my! It was Wonderland and definitely worth the trek. We had our passports…

Sweet Potatoes and Soweto Pepsi

“This mining thing – it’s like someone giving you a plate of food. You eat all the food and then you have to give the plate back,” our taxi driver, Chris, explains earnestly. “It will be a short time of mining, some people will get money and then we will be left with nothing.” Pondoland…

East Coast Abundance – Figs, Flowers and Footprints

There is a fabulous fig growing in the garden of the cottage in Fig Tree Lane.  Over the years, we have watched it consume the original tree (probably a Milkwood).   Figs are fabulous wildlife trees, providing food for a myriad of species including  butterflies, birds, buck, bats and of course,  monkeys. We were well entertained by…

Blogging, Botanising and Mbona

Seems I do more walking and blogging than anything else lately. Cool.  In the home of Christeen Grant’s (botanist, hiker, guide and artist) recently, I discovered a lovely book about hiking and particularly enjoyed this quote: Besides this, my personal, favourite and absolute best blog, I also help compile and contribute to a few others – Dargle Local Living,…

Happy Kids, Mountain Flowers

I have just spent the most joyful three days in Hlatikulu in the Lower Drakensberg with 24 kids.  Most of them I have known for many years through the MMAEP and a few are real favourites whom I have watched grow up.  This picture was taken in 2006 when I spent a day creating an indigenous…

Spring Flowers

We are up to our armpits in mud. Such a rainy Spring. The farm dam is overflowing already although it is usually only full at the end of December. In between the mist and mizzle, there are some lovely days, so Dizzy and I go walking about. These are some of the beautiful things we…

Spring Medley

Some days really are too beautiful for words.  When I woke this morning I heard the Emerald Cuckoo and Black African Cuckoo calling for the first time – not a bad start.  The world is freshly washed and really bright green after lots of rain.  Canthium mundianum, one of my favourite trees is particularly striking.The…

CREW

CREW –  Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers is a programme that involves volunteers in monitoring and conservation of our threatened plants.   SA has a significant number of the world’s plant species and is the only country that has its own plant kingdom and 3 of the world’s Biodiversity Hotspots.  Of the 20 456 plant species…