An Outsider and Exhibition Concerning Light

On the way to and in Potchefstroom (for a two week stay during which a lot is happening), we've recently had some interesting and quite beautiful experiences connecting light and the nearing festive season in an unique way. 

The first was at the Owl House by Helen Elizabeth Martins in Nieu-Bethesda (a quaint little village lost in time, near Graaff Reinet). Helen Martins is what's called an outsider artist, as her artwork does not conform to any normal art standards or categories. The story goes that one day, sick, old and alone in bed, watching the moon through the grayness, she decided she'd had enough of her boring life. So started a personal obsession with light and color that inspired Miss Helen to recreate her entire house and garden into one vastly different-from-the-norm work of art. It is now a museum and unique in style and atmosphere. 

She loved owls (thus the name Owl House), and beautiful colored-glass owls were everywhere. Helen grounded glass in a coffee grinder, washed and sorted it, and stored it in bottles in her pantry. She splattered sun faces, owls, stars and moons with the glass on ceilings, doors and walls. 

Inside the house - abstract colors and mirrors placed strategically around the house create light effects. At night she lit many candles and lamps, whose light then reflected on the mirrors and glass. 

In the yard (named the Camel Yard) there were strange little 'hideaways' made from bottles and cement... 

....as well as many statues. 

I was taller than (some of) the giraffes (ha). 

Mom outside the yard at the supposed (but rather dangerous) welcome arc. The reason we're all wearing winter jackets is because on the way to the Owl House we drove through rain and snow (in November). So much for summer. 

Pulling back time...

The second event was in Potch itself – a Christmas Light Festival ('Liggie Fees') hosted by the Abraham Kriel Children's Home. They really put in a lot of effort and the result was worth a look. 

Trees, and statues and structures made from wire were decorated. 

We went with 'ouma' and 'oupa' Kruger. Photo booth!

Farm Boys - A Trip Down Memory Lane

As our time on the farm runs out, we've been thinking and looking back to what we've done and learned. This post is dedicated to the gang of boys that has played and had fun here on the farm during our stay, who welcomed Theuns and Maarten (though shy at first), and made them temporary farm boys as well.

Every week (as far as needed/possible), Theuns and Maarten has looked after and played with Diesel on Thursdays and Fridays - we've all come to love him as a youngest brother. By all means the farthest thing from shy and quiet, Diesel, Theuns and Maarten has done everything from collecting straw for piglets, to reading, drawing, swimming, and building mudmen.

Winter floods and swimming - they were blue afterwards. 

Card-house smiles. 

Endless drawing (he makes them draw a picture then colors it in himself). 

'Working' getting straw for the piglets. 

Temporarily water drawing, with ice as a medium. 

Reading. 

We love you, Diesel. 

With plenty of hills and bikes available, racing downhill has been an adrenaline filled entertainment.

The boys are back in town...

Diesel brakes barefoot; not the others though. They aren't that tough. 

Sometimes, racing and swimming even got combined! Video - Diesel in action! 

Then there has been exploring and digging tunnels....

Friends, Mountains, and Stars

Recently we've had some friends come visit for a weekend - it was lovely seeing them again and we had a fun time showing them around the farm. In between the 'kuier', 'braai' (not barbecue) and eating, we went on some long walks, and because of the (wonderful) warm weather even had a surprise first-of-the-season swim!!

There was an incredible amount of flowers in the veld, but all different from what I documented in September. 

Smile! 

Break time. 

Proof for the first-of-the-season swim. 

I asked them to wave, but the result was better.  

From Kitten to Cat to Kittens!

Over the past year we had our first ever cat in the house (which has always been my dream)! Our dear little kitten Nassie is however not so little anymore - we've had a wonderful time so far being cat owners (or perhaps cat-owned is more accurate?), and once again observed how all animals have their own personality. We enjoy Nassie tremendously, even mom and dad (who has never even had a cat when they were children)! Her dainty manners, stately cleanliness and clear attitude of absolute royalty makes us all smile. For no reason we can see, she strictly prefers to sleep on Theuns' bed during the day, and likes her morning pet at 8:00am precisely, thank you. She knows exactly what she wants and what she doesn't want - and woe to the one who dares to cross her on a bad day.

So here's a few photos of the past year...

Tiny and adopted, last December. 

She went from baby kitten to playful kitten to know-it-all-but-not-really teenager with hormones...

 .....and now Nassie is a mother!

From 'Kammanassie' to 'Mammanassie'...

She delivered two kittens in the bathroom, and was purring most proudly for the next 2 hours.

 One day old. 

"A dog will flatter you but you have to flatter the cat." ~ George Mikes

Animals Farewell - Horses' New Home and Piglets Gone

Earlier in September, our 2 ponies Arend and Valk found a new home... Because we are only staying on the farm until the end of the year, we knew from the start we would have to sell them again. They taught us many lessons, and we have been blessed by the opportunity to have had horses and getting some valuable experience and life lessons.

What triggered the sale so soon though, was the planting of new orchards. Their camp (and grazing/food) next to our house is now a young fig orchard.

The new owners live on a farm in the Baviaans, and we are sure they will take good care of the ponies - so after having come to visit and see Arend and Valk once, the next step was to figure out the transporting business. 

After weighing Arend on the cattle scale, we determined that the 2 ponies together on a trailer would still be under the weight limit. Thus, the trailer it was! 

First, they tried coaxing Arend on, thinking that if they could get him on Valk would quickly follow. Unfortunately they had underestimated Arend's stubbornness. 

Tempting with treats...

He refused to budge. 

New Orchards

Since June, preparations has begun for the planting of new fig and almond orchards. It has been an interesting process to observe! The new fig orchard is directly next to our house, and we've spent a few annoying days trying to concentrate on school with the loud clankings of a bulldozer ripping the (rock-hard) 'Klein Karoo' soil next door....

First, Charles in the TLB cleared the area of 'veld', aka mostly 'renosterbossies' (a very tough but useless plant that abounds in the Karoo) and thorn trees. It is quite impressive watching him work as he knocks over trees and crushes shrubbery.

Mechanical advantages.

The heap of vegetation is left for a few days to dry and then burned.

Cleared enough for the next step. 

Once most flora is removed, it is time for the bulldozer to go to work. 'Oom' Jan rented the bulldozer per day, and the bulldozer rips the soil.

Of course pipes had to be removed before the bulldozer rips ("if that's our house's water....").

The thick, strong pens.

Nice neat rows of surprisingly deep 'trenches'.

 Symmetry.

While the bulldozer was still ripping, the little fig and almond saplings arrived (at first we thought it was just sticks haha). As their new home was not yet ready, trenches had to be dug real quick and the saplings kept moist.

'Tipis'.