A couple of entries ago I mentioned that Tom Barrett had related an anecdote regarding Ernie Els that I would expand on at a later stage. I found it heartwarming and very much what I would expect of the Big Easy after having followed his career for the last 25 years or so. …………. so here goes: For roughly 43 years Bathurst was home to Brett Thomas, a small man with a big heart. Brett was a dwarf, and while I never knew him, a great many Bathurstians did, and those that I have spoken to remember him with much affection. He passed away in 2015, and a plaque in his honor adorns a wall in the Pig ’n Whistle. Brett was a dwarf with a passion for golf, and the way that Tom tells it, he one day found himself paired with a young Ernie Els in a junior tournament way back when. As the story goes, Brett was giving rising star Els a run for his money when Ernie jokingly told Brett that he should let him win, otherwise he was going to get a good bollocking from his somewhat demanding old man. What the outcome was nobody knows ……………………. Ernie however went on to become the consummate Professional that we know today, and one assumes that he and Brett must have remained in touch as his career was developing, as, in 1994 when he won his first US Open he shortly afterwards telephoned Brett’s mom in Bathurst and asked her to measure Brett’s arms and let him have the measurements. He then had the set of clubs that he had used to win the open cut down to Brett’s size and had them delivered to Brett in Bathurst. Now wasn’t that a really cool thing to do?
This little village and its people continue to amaze ………….. almost daily we become more aware of how various individuals contribute to the wellbeing of others in a whole host of different ways, whenever and however they can, without request and without reward - but simply because they can. Isn’t that the way it should be everywhere?
The Bathurst Agricultural show rolls around again in two weeks time, from the 5th - 7th April. We missed it last year, having returned to Cape Town the day before it started to begin wrapping things up there, but are really looking forward to this year’s event. It is the biggest of its kind in the Eastern Cape and hosts a veritable plethora of events covering virtually every genre that can be related to agriculture in any way whatsoever. There will be rural hobby and pastime stands and demonstrations, cattle, sheep, pigs, fowls and many other animals. One of the show’s most popular aspects are the equestrian events with a range of Dressage and Show Jumping challenges. There will be an exhibition of Bonsai trees by the Sunshine Coast Bonsai members, exhibitions by local artists, and a wide range of stands by local and national companies. A cattle auction and a demonstrations by the K9 dog unit will be happening, as well as a cook-off between local chefs using a mystery box of ingredients. There will I believe also be sheep shearing demos and a lawnmower race as well as carnival rides, food stalls, pubs and live entertainment of various kinds, so all in all residents of the Sunshine Coast and surrounds can look forward to three days of magic entertainment.
Earlier on in the month we were privelaged to have a visit for a few days by Pat’s 96 year-old Aunt Margaret who was brought down from Middelburg by Pat’s sister Maureen and long-time friend Annie. Quite deaf and very frail it was fascinating to see just how independent Aunt Margaret was ………. and how absolutely feminine - always immaculately turned out in beautiful pinks and white lace and frills. Would that all old folks would comport themselves in this way and make each day a new and exciting challenge of sorts.
Maureen, Aunt Margaret & Pat
Annie included at left
While they were here I sneaked off one Saturday morning to a demonstration at the Sunshine Coast Bonsai club by a young lady who specializes in Elm trees. Really fascinating stuff. When she had finished cutting and pruning a rather large specimen of Chinese Elm a few us of helped ourselves to the cuttings in the hope that we might plant and cultivate something lasting from them. Herewith a picture of my composition using an old Namibian stump that has been in my family’s possession since I was a child. Let’s see if it manages to survive and grow - and become the picture intended.
Chinese Elm cutting (hold thumbs)
Pat’s garden is an ongoing thing of beauty and really starting to bear a whole host of fruits ………….. somewhat challenged by the Vervet monkeys who this morning managed to half-eat 13 ripening guavas before I was able to get down to the tree just after 6am to pick what I could. Herewith a picture of today’s harvest which included guavas, a couple of really beautiful aubergines, apples, tomatoes of every kind, bananas that needed to come off before the monkeys get them as well, the most beautiful spinach and more green peppers and seriously hot chillies than we know what to do with. No carrots quite yet - but soon - and the Hubbard Squash and Gem Squash are starting to fruit quite madly, so should also be ready for a bit of early harvesting soon.
This morning's harvest
This weekend I should finish about 6 planting boxes so that during the week Pat can begin with the lettuces, beetroot, onions and so on …………… with a bit of luck I should also finish routing all of the kitchen cupboard doors, leaving only the painting and hanging still to be done. Happily this last week saw me finally get all of the wall cupboards up and all of the fascias and gutters on the house finished with all of the necessary rainwater supply pipes to the reservoir hooked up and operational ……………. all of which should now considerably increase our rainwater harvesting capacity. When we will get around to carrying out waterproofing maintenance on the reservoir is quite another question however …………… a major task that I have to brace myself (and the bank balance) to tackle.This entry’s bird was a one-time sighting in our garden, a Collared Sunbird (Female) Hedydipna collaris, but is somewhat special in that I have seen neither her - nor a male of the species - ever again. Let’s hope she returns.
Collared Sunbird (Female) Hedydipna collaris
