Merry Christmas everyone, hope it as cheerful and colourful as this angel, handmade with lovely bead detail. To all family and friends enjoy a tranquil christmas eve. Frohe Weihnachten.

http://www.capetown.travel/blog/entry/pincushion_protea_flickr_pic_of_the_day/

Its really groovy to have your foto up as a picture of the day and its not small either, very overpowering... Thanks to this flickr group of cape town live love it. Seems to me that flowers are my best models at the moment and the learning curve continues.

The Cape of Storms surely lived up to its name again. Howling Gail force winds reaching up to 70 km/h at Cape Point and huge sea swells from 5-8 metres along the coast causing lots of havoc.

One place that lends itself well for watching this drama unfold is Kalk Bay Harbour. The layout of the pier creates an immense upsurge of these swells smashing with thunderous intensity and engulfing the lighthouse in the process. Quiet unpredictable and not to mention dangerous…The restaurants at the harbour have previously experienced their share of these rough seas smashing their windows, this time though it was a mere cleaning surge with a odd mussel taking a peak…

Symphonic

Thunderous splash

Hair raising

Boats, even safely in the harbour were rocking about and had to be continously 're-tightened'.

Warm and safe with the odd window cleaning splash.

'Warming' up at the Harbour House Restaurant and keeping an eye on the lighthouse and would you believe some daring surfers too.

Muizenberg, my seaside village in the Cape Southern Peninsula, making special, splashy news today.

The New World Guinness Record making attempt of more than 100 surfers riding the same wave at the same time, today's result is not confirmed yet and also awaiting with anticipation for Brazil's later attempt. More at this website: http://www.surfersvillage.com/feed/show.asp?Id_news=43282

All registered, waiting and ready, notice the iconic bath huts in the background.

And away they go.

All lined up and again waiting for one o' clock and the perfect wave, which was challenging today as the breeze was slightly more westerly which flattens the crucial waves a little but the high tide/ full moon scenario had a major role to play...

Look everyone here we are...riding the wave...

So , the result of this will be announced later, beautiful day for the onlookers, only the surf was not quite up...

Somewhere in all this excitement, time stood still. Historical clock tower by Muizenberg train station, time to give this beauty her maintenance...

Brazil is next in a few hours time. http://www.wavescape.co.za/general/earthwave-2009.html#

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday...

Some of this “absence” time has been utilized doing a road trip and hopefully you are ready for the onslaught of more obscure observations and “ongoings”/ “going on’s” in this neck of the woods.

Today on this 09/09/09 day I decided to make it a warthog day. Being able to observe these strange animals in their natural habitat again, made me realize how much character they actually carry off to our human eye. We were in the Addo Elephant Park near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape and warthogs seem to be one of the featured animals besides your elephants and Kudu’s.

Is it in their walk, or the little tail that points in the air, or those strangely positioned tusks that convey an element of danger, or the kneeling on the front legs to reach food; whatever the mannerism one cannot help but smile…

One of the reasons I went for the tiniest porcelain bowls of Katherine Glenday was the transfer of the warthog and her caption in it “oh I feel so ugly today”…

Not to mention this weird and wonderful carving from alien wood of this warthog, the ears, tail and tusks are removable, {don’t ask} …

This one is really a happy warthog in the mud; it had us fooled for a minute as we assumed it wasn’t alive; with sharing this mud bath with enormous elephants you never know…

Remember one of the best kept secrets of the Cape? Yes, wind still and sunny winters days. We have been blessed with a couple and it really helps to lighten up the mind: body, soul & spirit. I’m continuously attracted to the waterfront in the pursuit of finding different things and happenings that are not in the tourist mainstream so to speak and also finding a lot of local designs that are not in the everyday mainstream for the locals.

At the Cape Town Waterfront you will find everything from the rich and famous, a little Monaco, to the poor, humble fisherman Oscar, who gave his only catch to a big fury seal and hence the life size sculpture of Oscar, the golden seal, in front of the table bay hotel.

http://tablebay.suninternational.com/

Table mountain reflecting in windows of hotel.

Notice the motor yacht for the

One & Only hotel; a hotel "franchise" from Sol Kerzner, the man who dreamt up Sun City and Lost City and many more all over the world. By the way have a look at the sculptor Danie de Jager www.sculpturesa.com who also was comissioned besides the seal to some of the animal "structures"/ sculptures at Lost City.

This is not exactly the London Bridge or any of those in the Netherlands but progressive never the less for South Africa.

Progress report on the building of the enormous stadium for the 2010 soccer world cup. Just another angle from the far end at the helicopter pad at the waterfront.

As the days progress we will find more warmth and bug you with some sunset and evening shots when all comes alive at this remarkable place, the waterfront, that also started with humble beginnings.

Happy Birthday Dad

While you sharing this day with another famous icon of our country, Nelson Mandela, I thought we ought to put you in the limelight too , even if its so small. The internet is jammed as everybody wants to be part of this important birthday.{lol}

Ahhh cute, even your father could'nt resist carrying you around and that mob of hair? hmm.

If they could only remain little and cute.

To us you will remain Eggi. Enjoy your day. Alles Gute zu Deinen Geburtstag.

Presies/Presents/ Gifts/

Gift: my late German grandmother was always quite perturbed by that word, as it means poison in German. No resemblance to her ‘Geschenke’ word. We always looked forward to all her presies she would lovingly make or select and wrap and ship to our shores, all those goodies we couldn’t get here, in South Africa, in those days. So, I have an incredible weakness for presies and especially if they have been handmade by the actual person who is giving me a presie. And when it’s also for no reason, unexpected and out of the blue, it really makes you feel special.

Steffi has done just that. Its one thing to follow on her blog how she selects her fabrics and sews all these wonderful clothes, cushions and bags, amongst other things, but to actually have it in reality is just something else. The interesting choice of fabric for the cushion and the appropriate choice for a “winter” handbag… what fun, and what makes this even more special is that this was chosen for me in the making process and we have never met. So as you can gather I really love these presies, gifts, Geschenke.

Cushion with interesting fabric at the back as well...

Detail of cushion and logo...

lovely, big, fun and warm bag for our winter...

Detail of fabric on handbag.

The reason for this, yes there is always a link, her husband, coming from Germany, decided to surprise their daughter, who is currently doing volunteer work at the junior Muizenberg school {in Cape Town} for a couple of months, which was a suggestion via Wendren . And this is only a small fraction of blog social networking at play… No wonder the suitcase was so full. Sweet…

So, Steffi, we have met your daughter and husband, when are we going to meet you? Virtual is all fine and well but nothing beats the real thing…I still don’t know how you found my blog so quickly with the first post?

Thanks again for my wonderful surprise.

Guten Flug zurueck fuer Dein Mann heute.

Have good weekend everyone…

End of June already?

The neglect, somewhere out there is still a blog of mine, while I have been absorbed with my flickr. How on earth do people maintain all these goodies, do they still have a life out there and make time to smell the roses?

When time marches on like this, I become more aware of what surrounds me or rather what happens in that specific time frame that I happen to be in a certain place. Like this afternoon for instance, these where just a few little snapshots that I picked up at the beach in a few minutes. Yes, we have been blessed with an exceptional warm, windless winter day and if you don’t grab it, what’s the point. There are smoke breaks, tea breaks, lunchtime, exercise time etc and then there is’ me’ time or ‘our’ time.

Time has wings and marches on.

Still water?

Or would you prefer sparkling?

Special 'our' time and me?

Just ordinary folk having fun in the winter sun; just so that you don't think ,that's not me... Muizenberg Surfers corner and train in the background, one of the most scenic everyday routes in South Africa. Just another afternoon of what surrounds me but keeps me going when the next cold front decides to play havoc....These images where taken with little digital still camera and I dare say not to shabby for something that you cannot tweak at the lens...

My new/old “notebook”
appears in a fancy, durable case,

is wireless, needs a strong touch and makes slightly louder clicks than a ‘mouse’. A Remington travel writer; typewriter.

I sneaked this one towards my channels as it was meant for my dad, yes, and that before fathers day {in South Africa}, kids….what can I say besides the fact that it evokes a lot of nostalgia and my feelings towards these gadgets 20 years ago were not of fondness but this one has a certain cuteness about it and wants to be taken to the Serengeti to start an African novel…. Picture it : perched tent, endless views over the plains and Livingstone meet Remington, trustworthy companion, no viruses, hard working and consistent.

Love these images from a flickr member, her wildlife captures portray something special that is really different from your usual wildlife fotos; take a peak, while I carry on visualizing going to the Serengeti… { see above}

Image of the day on this Cape Tourism Blog . http://www.capetown.travel/blog/entry/last_light_in_constantia_flickr_pic_of_the_day/

Its really great when someone goes through so many images and says : I like this one, we want to put this up for the day on our blog.

No matter how small, its still a nice boost in such a competitive field between so many amateurs and pros alike.

Its also incredible how many moods and angles the Cape really has and that there is a platform for locals to show off the 'off the beaten track' images of the usual "postcard" scenario's.

All thanks to that enormous social network of flickr...

Dishes:

Yes, I know blogging about dishes must be really off the rack. But these are my last Mohicans going to another rack, as in a new/old shop in Hermanus, opening soon, [more about that later] and they needed a wash…due to dust. How often do we do all those mundane chores, like washing dishes and aren’t really conscious or aware of what we are busy with. These dishes are quite cheerful for a grey, rainy day and had to be handled with care as they are all handmade by me from that lump of clay into thin delicate functional forms. Also durable for everyday use and will continuously bring a cheer to any household, well that’s what they say.

Mit viel Stuetze und Geborgenheit

durch diese schwere, bedenkbare Zeit

mit viel Liebe, Gisela

bleibst Du in unseren Herzen

und hinterlassen sind alle Schmerzen

von Anja F. C.

More celebrations:

It’s all written in the stars: the one in a million, the odd one, or the one that shines brightly mostly like a special star. The day, the month, the year and the time you were born, that’s me today, all worked out in some scientific/ mathematical formula.

On a birthday, which I say is everyday, it’s so lovely to get spoiled with all the warm wishes from family and friends even if they soooo far away. Its also nice, no matter what age, in a nostalgic sense to feel like a little girl again when the thoughts are presented into presents {presies} and attention to any other detail; just that little something to make you feel like a special star, absolutely priceless. Thanks so much everyone.

Yes, it’s been exactly one whole year for this 'one und only' blog,

Happy Birthday blog…

The blog invited some serious party animals with style, as in black tie affair…

Meetings, meetings and more gatherings; “hey, where you going?”

“Well someone has to get the fish for this party!”
“Wait for me!”

Some already started, “let’s dance”….

Oh, guys what’s with all the fuss, really?

Well, the fuss is that the penguins are ‘red’ on the endangered list of species. Today I’m taking the opportunity to help with a donation to Sanccob , it's only a drop in the ocean but this organisation can really use every cent, especially when disaster strikes with oil spills and these tuxedos have to be cleaned, all voluntarily. So, to all my supportive readers out there, please also take this day to look at this website http://www.sanccob.co.za/index.htm and proceed to the pages where you can help, maybe even adopt a penguin?

With this I also want to thank especially Steffi, my 'one und only' blogger fan, who always ‘faithfully’ leaves a comment, which really kept me going in this sometimes dark virtual space and also to Wendren, who actually awarded me the Creative Blogger award, which I will still acknowledge in the near future. Enough now, this is getting too ‘schmaltzy’…{and starting to sound like the ‘Oscars’.}

By the way all these images, unless stated, are shot by 'one & only' being me 'Anja' and if you have the desire to use them, please let me know, if you are using them, please mention my name and the source of origin and if you are making money from them send 99 % of your profits to me, as used Euro's and dollars are seriously very welcome in these neck of the woods, all those charities....

Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend everyone.

At this specific moment in time my perception is drawn to one of the primary colours namely, yellow and red but more yellow. My personal feeling towards the colour is a quiet distance or is it because the usual road signs, robots [S.A. English for traffic lights] and road markings are becoming an oblivious day to day scenario. And then the question arises what is really the true yellow?

All I notice, at this stage, is more lemon yellow and orangy yellow but the real yellow could you please show yourself?
http://encyclopedia.farlex.com/showed+true+colors
Check out this whole theory of true colours and how we perceive them and then J.W. Goethe’s theory: {yes, the writer/poet}”colour is the deed of light”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goethe

Then like a vinyl turning round and round in my head, 2 popular lyrics spring to mind mentioning ‘yellow’: the Beatles and their ‘yellow submarine’ and ‘they call me mellow yellow’ by Donovan P. Leitch.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Submarine_(film)

The yellow used in Ceramics, now there is an interesting one, its not like you can open and squeeze cadmium yellow out of a tube… It’s also a leaning towards a lighter or darker yellow and has the tendency to loose a bit of its brilliance at higher firing temperatures.

Yellow, seems to be an every season colour. Important in autumn and winter for the presentation of warmth and available in a lighter manner in spring and summer.

Wearily I cannot get my head around yellow clothing or footwear or driving in it. Yet it surrounds us like a warm sun ray on a grey day and its so part of our daily lives not to mention the healthy food we consume… What’s for supper?

Home-grown yellow light bulb tomatoes, patty pans and gooseberry {slightly more orange..}
Off the shelf: sweet corn, squash and guava’s.

Keep an eye on my flickr www.flickr.com/photos/frieannib/ also in bloglist, when I’ll continue to add more ‘Yellow’ to the ‘set’ that catch my attention….