Wonder

6:44 a.m. 

14.6 degrees "warm" today and a beautiful high tide swim...

Allow curiosity to lead you to wonder. 

Spring life

8:19 a.m. 

We had a wonderful swim at high tide with beautiful big waves splashing over the wall! 

I love swimming at high tide! 

14.9 degrees sea temperature :-)) definitely warming up .... 

Quote I'm pondering: " The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. " 

 - Henry David Thoreau 

Stoked

6:56 a.m.

My "stoked" happy face after my swim...

Stoked: adjective - excited or euphoric 

13.7 degrees sea temperature...

What makes you happy? 

Shirley xx 

The beauty and mystery of right now

Movement is living and exercise is medicine.  - John Zapotocky, 92 

A cold front has come through this weekend to Cape Town and we arrived at the pool in a storm. 

The sea temperature has dropped to 11.5 degrees and we had a very quick swim! It was lots of fun swimming in the rain. We even had hail. All the rain has been wonderful as we are still going through a serious drought. 

I was wanting to post a picture everyday of my sunrise swims! I cant believe its already September  on Saturday! 

 Happy Monday xx 

Hello August

My morning routine since January has been to wake up at 6 a.m. to  a cup of tea.

Put on my costume and clothes and drive to the tidal pool in Kalk bay. 

Then jump into cold water and swim lengths with all the other "crazy" sunrise swimmers. 

It's the most crazy and beautiful way to start everyday! 

Then I'm in my home "studio" for the rest of the morning to potter and create with clay...

Today we had a whale in the bay and we watched it's huge tail flapping out the water.

We are so blessed to start the day this way! 

Paradise found... 

Happy Wednesday! 

Shirley xx 

Keep showing up...

There are 18 Tidal pools in and around Cape Town. I have decided I want to explore and swim in all of them...

Our first new Tidal pool was the very large pool at St.James beach. We were the first to jump is and the sea temperature was a cool 13.6 degrees.

It was very low tide so we saw lots of life and starfish. 

Sunday we were back at our favourite pool - Dalebrook. The temperature went up to 14 degrees!

I have been swimming for 6 months now...my challenge is to swim through winter and all year! 

I got my first pair of flippers as a reward and I love them! I'm swimming so much faster now!

Hello Monday morning swim! It was so cold! I'm really finding it hard to swim in these cold temperatures after a Durban holiday where the temperatures were a lovely warm 21.5 degrees!!

Tuesday was back to school for my two girls. This means very early morning school run. we get to the pool at 7 a.m. and it is still dark! 

It is so beautiful to swim as the sunrises!! My absolute best time to swim.

Keep showing up...

The tide was high this morning and I really love swimming when its a bit rougher and not so still and shallow. My flippers help so much with swimming faster and also any urchins that might be at the bottom or sides of the pool! 

I've had 11 urchin spikes in my foot and it is so painful!! 

Happy Wednesday! 

I hope you find time to get outside and get moving! 

Shirley xx 

Dolphin show!

This morning as I arrived at Dalebrook there were little  swiss rolls, cupcakes and an array of sugary cakes. It was one of the ladies birthdays so she brought treats for everyone to share! Cakes and a swim - now that's the way to start the day!!

7:01 am sunrise and Anthony ( he takes the temperature of the water every morning) told us it was a warm 17 degrees! :-)) 

A we were swimming we looked out into the ocean we saw hundreds of dolphins swimming, jumping and leaping out the water! We  stopped and watched the amazing - DOLPHIN SHOW!! So beautiful!  

Every 2 weeks the men arrive to clean and scrub all the algae ( which becomes very slippery and dangerous to walk on ) off the side walls and steps going down into the pool. 

This pool is more than a place I come to swim - it is my therapy. I have always known the sea and the beach is "my very happy place". It is the place that brings me the most joy and happiness. 

I am not the greatest swimmer, actually I have never been able to swim very well. But I love being in the water! It is the most wonderful exercise to start my day.... what can you do today to have some fun? 

" Nobody looks stupid when they are having fun." Amy Poehler 

Happy Wednesday! 

Shirley xx 

 

Be in your body with joy!

Last nights sunset was so magical! Kommetjie beach is a 5 minute drive from our house and it is a beautiful beach to have a long walk at the end of the day. 

It was one of those days in Cape Town yesterday with not a breath of wind and the colours in the sky as the sun set was breathtaking...

 This morning, the sunrise  at Dalebrook pool at 6:45 a.m

.  The air was warm and you can see and feel the change in seasons. Its still low tide and the water is so clear. 

In 3 months of swimming here everyday I have met so many lovely friendly "early bird" swimmers. We all chat and laugh and swim together and although I don't swim many laps ( some of the grannies and grandpas do MANY laps  - amazing) I have found for me at this time in my life I just need to swim with JOY! To "Be in your body with joy! " my favourite quote from my friend Miranda. 

There is "yoga " man who does his stretches as the sunrises then jumps in for a swim. Then there is "shark" man or as he likes to be called the  "shark whisperer " ! :-)) He has been finding the shyshark who has been in the pool for a few days for us and tracking its movements.... 

There is a lovely couple who  have been coming to the pool to swim for 7 years and swim all year round! They take the temperature of the water everyday ... 17.6 degrees today! Warmer ... as last week it was down to 16 and 15.8 degrees! It was soo cold last week. 

They swim all the way through the Cape Town winters! ( I'm going to wear a wetsuit!!)  

Exercise and being out in nature are the most wonderful gifts we can give ourselves! 

I hope you find the time today to "Be in your body with joy!" Find time to move your body - mindlessly. Now try this - everyday - and you will see your life change,,, 

Happy Tuesday 

Shirley xx 

Dalebrook Pool... my very happy place!

This is "my" pool and my very happy place. 

I have been waking up very early ...before the sunrise! This is so unlike me. I have been as Gretchen Rubin the author of Better Than Before explains... I have always been an "Owl" My favorite time of day has always been the evenings. 

However since mid January my daughters encouraged me to get up early and take them to this pool for a dip before the school run. I never swim in Cape Town water...its just tooo cold for me!( Im a Durban girl)  But the one morning it was just so incredibly beautiful - that I decided I' m going to swim with them. 

Well 3 months later I am still swimming - every morning! I am totally addicted to my "new" morning routine and life! 

This morning we arrived at 6:40 am to a calm, beautiful sunrise. The tide was at its lowest (6:35am) and the water is absolutely clear and calm. 

This morning one of our friends who also swims every morning spotted a small Puffadder  shyshark. We could  all  clearly see it at the bottom of the pool. 

This little shark is also known as happy Eddie and is a species of catshark. This is a common shark and typically reaches 60cm in length. When threatened, the puffadder shyshark curls into a circle with its tail covering its eyes, giving rise to the local names "shyshark" and "doughnut". 

Thankfully it is harmless to humans. 

There are lots of other little fish in the pool and a beautiful big Cormorant was swimming and then sunning/ drying off his wings on the rocks close by. 

Quote to Ponder: 

Lifestyle change requires focus and effort; it can only work if its constant and intensive and results in habit formation. 

Have a happy Monday! 

Shirley xx 

Februaury photography

 Taking photos of my everyday life has become a quiet obsession! I absolutely love capturing these moments of our lives on my iphone. This month I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves and add some of my favourite quotes. I collect quotes and snippets of poetry which I think add to my photography obsession. # blessed

sunset lines # Simonstown 

"Live in the sunshine. Swim in the sea. Drink in the wild air." - Ralph Waldo Emerson 

 life is short and the world is large #Llandudno 

follow your curiosity # Kommetjie beach 

 I once was lost. But now I'm found.  # Whale View Bay 

 follow your own path # Cape Point 

magical sunrise # 6:18am #Fish Hoek 

"and when you wake up, you are still with me " # Psalm 139:18 # Fish Hoek 

"The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts." Marcus Aurelius 

Shirley xx 

C'est la Vie ....Life is Beautiful

Summer has finally arrived in Cape Town and I am so happy! I am a summer girl and a real "beach bum"! We went for a beautiful walk on my favourite beach - Kommetjie which is a few minutes drive from us. I have been walking here for 16 years now - since we moved to Cape Town from my home town Durban.  This is my second weimaraner - Troy. He will be 3 years old next week and he absolutley loves his runs with us on this beautiful beach.  BEACH - Best Escape Anyone Can Have! :) Its defintely my place of escape ! 

I am blessed to have my niece living in Cape Town too. Her and her husband live about 45 minutes away from us in Camps Bay - near Cape Town city centre, Waterfront and Table Mountain. We often visit her and I love spending time chatting and catching up with her. This is the beautiful view from her apartment of Lions Head. You also have a gorgeous view of the Camps Bay  beaches and out the back of her apartment there is a magnificent view of Table Mountain! 

We enjoy having a coffee and almond croissants at her local  coffee shop  - Baked! Best coffee and croissants ( almost  as good as Paris) 

This is the view from my running route. My run takes me along the Fish Hoek coastline and at this time of year you are almost certain to spot whales in this bay. 

 This little chap is a friends tortoise who happily lives in his garden. He has become so tame that he follows our friend into his house and he hand feeds him slices of apple and lettuce. He is just so cute! 

My granny blanket is finished! Just in time for - Summer! It is sitting proudly in my lounge waiting  for - Winter!! I am so happy with it and already have plans to start a new one but different design and colours.

I  have also started a hexagon blanket in these simple colours - white, grey and charcoal. It is a special baby blanket for my niece who is expecting her first baby early next year! So exciting! 

After many months of not cross stitching i am feeling inspired! I want to finish this cute little Country Cottage Needlework chart - "The Cafe". It reminds me so much of the lovely little cafes in Paris.

 I love Country Cottage Needlework charts and this one is special to me. I was trying to order this chart and it was not available as it was out of print!. I was reading blogs as I always do and somehow stumbled upon this very chart on a cross stitch blog! I emailed the lady asking if I could buy it from her? She immediately responded and said she loved the chart and did not want to sell it but amazingly found me a link to an online shop that had this chart. Carol and I have now become friends through our blogs and love of cross stitch! Her blog is absolutely beautiful and my source of inspiration - please take time to follow her and read her blog. http://stitchingdream.blogspot.co.za/ My goal for next year is to stitch small charts as I really don't have the time to stitch large work. Her small charts are beautifully stitched and sewn with pretty fabric and lace/ribbon. I love her Christmas ones! Thank you Carol for all your comments, emails and support as I start on my blog journey! 

 I couldnt resist this beautiful chart of Paris! I am getting the thread and fabric ready to start it this week. I think I might make it into a pillow with pretty fabric and lace?  

Have a wonderful week of crafting, art and stitching! C'est la Vie!

Shirley xx