22 Year Wedding Anniversary!

Wow! 22 years!! We decided to take the Gopro with us for the day and "film" the day! Take a look at this short film that my daughter Talor helped me "stich" together of our day.

We went to a beautiful French restaurant in Cape Town - "Head Quarters" which is situated in a gorgeous old building. The decor, especially the lights were beautiful and I had my favourite steak and chips for main course. This reminded us of our holiday last year in Paris! The Parisians know how to make a good steak, chips and sauce!

We then took a scenic walk up Bree Street which is lined with new restaurants, coffee shops and decor shops.

It was a beautiful Cape Town day so we then made our way to Signal Hill. The view from the top of Signal Hill  is breathtaking!

It was such a fun day!

Shirley xx

Crochet time

Crochet time ..... is the time of the day when I am taking the girls to their dancing and gymnastic lessons and I while I wait .... I crochet! 

This diamond cushion cover I made I used Moya yarn in the colours Ice Blue and Snowdrops. 

I decided to hand sew them together and I am so happy with the end result.

I  love the simplicity of this diamond design and I really want to make a blanket now! 

This little sheep I made for Yarndale 2016. Hes really tiny and cute and a very easy, quick project.

I have just finished my Spring Flower cushion and one of my favourite stitches I have learnt to crochet is the Popcorn stitch! 

I used the Moya yarn in Charcoal and Rose Quartz.I just love the Charcoal! 

I followed a great tutorial/ blog for this flower cushion called http://dada4you.blogspot.com/

This blog has beautiful designs and patterns which are so inspiring. 

Popcorn love! 

For the border I decided to use the Dandy Border pattern from my favourite crochet designer Haafner Linssen from her book called "Hooked on Mandalas " 

The completed cushion with 16 squares all  crocheted together. 

Time for coffee and onto my new crochet project!! 

Have a happy week! 

Shirley xx 

Bo - kaap beauty

We have lived in Cape Town for 17 years now and in all those years we have never ventured into this part of Cape Town.This  area is called the Bo-kaap. We spent a fun Saturday morning walking around the narrow little streets with other visiting tourists and took many photos of these brightly coloured houses. 

These houses were built between 1790 and 1825. 

Over the years the area has come to be identified as the heart of the cultural life of the Malay people.

 Two basic styles of architecture predominate the Malay Quarter - Cape Dutch and Cape Georgian - the character of the styles being very similar. 

 A part of the Malay Quarter,  the streets Wale, Church, Shortmarket and Rose and Chiapinni Streets, was declared a National Monument in 1966 and in 1971 the City Council began the first phase of restoration. Care is being taken that the existing beauty and unity be preserved as an example of traditional, Cape, domestic architecture. Also It is intended the cobbled streets will be restored and lamps will replace electricity poles and cables.

These bright, beautiful houses are tucked away under the slopes of Signal Hill with a magnificent view of Table mountain in the distance.

This shop nestled amongst the houses has brightly coloured beaded animals of all shapes and sizes. Amazing creativity and local artistic skill!

We then walked back down to Bree Street which is one of my favourite spots to explore shops, architecture and restaurants and of course - coffee shops!! I absolutely love this dusty pink door of the restuarant,  "Mulberry & Prince"   

If you are ever visiting Cape Town - make sure you make your way to this  vibrant, colourful, picturesque neighbourhood - the Bo-kaap and stop for  a coffee on Bree Street. 

Shirley xx

Winter picnics

When winter sets in and it rains for days and days in Cape Town we start to long for summer again! I know we need the rain desperately - that long soaking rain that fills our dams so we can enjoy summer again with no water restrictions! 

At the first ray of sunshine I decided it was a good time to pack a picnic lunch and head to the common. The Noordhoek common has its own beauty in winter and is only a short 10 minute drive away. 

The beauty of the little forests of bare trees and squirrels scampering up and down the trees is so beautiful. 

There are little streams flowing through the common and horses grazing in the green water soaked fields. Winter days have their own beauty.

We made or way to the bench as the fields were still a little wet from all the rain during the week. 

The beauty that surrounds us! 

We have been coming to the common for years with the girls. Hope has had birthday parties here in summer. We have come to picnics with friends and parties with friends. We have walked our dogs and played in the little streams. Such special memories of this swing! 

I love picnics! Packing the food and finding a spot to throw down a blanket and then chatting and relaxing in the beauty of nature. 

I am so glad my girls still love to go on spontaneous picnics and also still love this swing! They had so much laughter and fun spinning! 

The beauty of winter trees and the crisp, cold air.

When you spin and spin and laugh until your stomach hurts! 

May we never be too old to have a swing!!

"The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground." 

Catching the rays of sunshine on a cold winters day. 

My girls bring me so much happiness  and laughter. My greatest joy is watching them grow up into beautiful kind, generous, loving, brave young ladies. 

Shirley xx 

Kommetjie / Daily Life

We are back from our break in the mountains and on Sunday it was a beautiful warm sunny winters day. When the sun shines  during the cape winters - everyone takes the opportunity to spend time outdoors - and soak up the much needed SUN!!  

We decided to catch the sunshine down at Kommetjie beach. There is a very easy walk from the beach all the way along the ocean to the Slangkop Lighthouse. The sandy path leads onto a boardwalk which leads you to views of the mountains, lighthouse and beautiful ocean views. 

We have been on this walk many times over the now 17 years we have been living here and it is still one of my favourite places to walk! 

The sky was so blue and clear that you could clearly see the back of Table mountain! So magical! 

I have always loved to sit and watch and listen to the waves! It really calms my soul and I feel so energised and refreshed. My dream is to live in a house overlooking the ocean!! 

  Surfers paradise! 

Paradise found! 

Soaking up the sunshine with my girls ....  before school starts and its back to the daily grind! 

"She smiled at the ocean because the waves told her story "  r.m.drake 

Sunset over Kommetjie -  5:57 pm