THE FIRST STEP

It has been decided - I am going to take the first big step in moving the content of this blog a little away from the people and happenings in Bathurst only, and begin edging it more towards "Spirit of Place" in the sense in which it was originally begun ............ Anecdotes about people I have known and places I have been, and how they have hooked up in writing and in pictures to create the essential sense of landscape values required to imprint them forever on the fabric of my memory.

I enjoy telling stories. More often than not the people I tell them to say that I should write a book ………. perhaps I will ……….. perhaps this Blog - these entries - are that book. 

My wife insists that I exaggerate  - I do - but a little bit of exaggeration only serves to enhance a story which I always fear might otherwise be dull …… so I spice it up a little.

I have an alter ego of sorts …….. someone who does things that I often wish I had the courage to do …….. or to whom things happen that I wish had (or had not), happened to me. Here and there crossovers exist and I am not sure whether something happened to me  - or whether it happened to my alter ego: Or whether I actually did something - or merely wished I had - and so attributed it to this other being which I have created  to suffer blame on my behalf. I call him by various names from time to time in an effort to protect both our identities and as you read you will come across us both in various guises.

So - I am committing to paper some of the thoughts and stories which my friends and mentors have encouraged me to do …….. I leave it entirely to you - the reader - to decide where and when an action or activity should be attributed to me or my alter ego, or whether it is simply an embellishment to enhance a story being told.

There will be other crossovers of course - where stories meet and constitute part of each other …..  and drift off into netherworlds and embellishments which may or may not have a bearing on each other …….. these are my ‘Durrell’ moments, variations committed  to the realm of “space / time” continuums which I trust you will have both the time and enthusiasm to try to interpret. They are unintentional games that life has dumped in my path and which I have chosen to either play or not - games filled with characters that are conglomerates of both real and imagined people, and real and imagined incidents ………… invariably attributed to people  that I do know, but who have not necessarily perpetrated the deeds which have been attributed to them. If you have been caught up in one of these games and are not happy with my representation - please don’t sue ………… enjoy the experience for what it is and believe that there was never any malice of forethought …. simply the ravings of a frustrated storyteller who has left this little exercise undone for far too long, and who now really needs to get things down.

There will also be images uploaded which may - or may not - have bearing on the subject being discussed. I don't consider this important ............... they are simply images that I like and which play a role in the restitution of the memory bank. I hope that you will enjoy them as much as I do.

Copy of Van Gogh's painting of the Langlois Bridge at Arles (1888) - See the house on the right

Van Gogh's Langlois Bridge in 1973 taken from the other side

Pat posing in front of the house in 1973 - for posterity - and here we are!

GETTING BACK UP TO SPEED

Its been a little over a month since my last posting ………… very slack to say the least, but I do have a few excuses of sorts: Firstly I have been very busy work wise, which is good - but in the interim our son Stoddard visited for 4 days from Australia, and having last seen him in April 2015, a little over four years ago, I set aside the week for Pat and I to spend with him and introduce him to our little “centre of the universe”,  really enjoying every aspect of the time spent with him. Just a pity that the cost of long distance travel precluded Nols and the kids from joining him - but maybe next time. Then this past week, his in-laws, Ian and Jill Hunt drove down from Gaberone to spend a week with us in an effort to learn what all the raving about Bathurst has been about …….. we trust that they left satisfied that it is indeed quite special in its own somewhat eccentric way and worth consideration as a “maybe” retirement option when they decide to take that step.

The view across East Beach from lunch at Guidos with Stoddard

Looking down on the Sibuya flats from the Poor Man's Game Drive through the reserve

Stoddard giving the Agricultural Museum guys a helping hand with the positioning of the 3.5 ton Tange pump on its concrete base

During this month we also experienced our first ever Bathurst Book Fair and Bathurst Dog Show, and were pleasantly surprised by both. The Book Fair drew more people than I have seen in the village at any one time since arriving here 13 months ago and really did provide something for everyone. The Dog Show too was something special: Held on the Village Green across the road from our house there were categories galore, and more than enough hounds of every description to make each category special. Just another magical day in Bathurst made more so by the venturing out of so many furry friends.

Mmmmmmm?????

Nog 'n Mmmmmmmm?????

Character in Spades

The day began with the “Bark Run” - a 5 kilometer run for all those wishing to enter, and Pat and I joined the many other volunteer Marshalls out and about in the village to steer the runners along their proper courses. We were lucky enough to be placed up at the Powder Magazine, so had all the benefits of the best views and one of the oldest buildings in Bathurst to keep us happy as we cheered the entrants on…. a couple of serious ones - a few with their dogs - and some that didn’t seem too sure what they were doing out there.

Shane Steenkamp - The Town Crier and his assistant

Pat on Marshalling duty (with Jesse in attendance)

A detail of the very old Powder Magazine

Eighty two years old and running second

Not quite eighty two - but giving it a go

Late in May we had almost a week of really heavy rain (always welcome), but for the rest the weather has been simply beautiful. Sunny and warm most of the time, with just enough chilly spells to remind us that it really is supposed to be winter……………but not really cold enough to be taken too seriously.

As we all know, the Proteas have not acquitted themselves too well in their opening 3 matches of the World Cup, and I have it on fairly good authority that CSA has instructed them to fly home immediately in an effort to ensure that they don’t lose their air-tickets as well :o) …………. I don’t really think they will, and maybe - just maybe - British Weather will throw enough spokes into the tournament wheel to allow them to somehow qualify for the next leg of the event. We live in hope!

With all the work and distractions we haven’t been giving too much attention to the birds, but the Green (Redbilled) Wood-Hoopoes (Phoniculus purpureus), have made their noisy return to the garden and are as exciting as always to watch as they flit about their business - particularly in the large flowering Chestnut next to the deck.

Green (Redbilled) Wood-Hoopoes (Phoniculus purpureus)

Our winter garden also is looking stunning as the Aloes point their flames skyward and the Strelizias compete for colour honours, and here in mid-June the peach tree is starting to blossom, before I have even had a chance to prune it back.

Aloe and Strelizia competing for color honours

Who would have thought the winter beds could look so beautiful

Strelizia close-up

Aloe close-up

Following advice from Anne McCreath I have amended this shrub's description from Magnolia to Camelia Japonica - thanks Anne

Methinks that postings will be more regular as we move forward - perhaps more anecdotal in ’Spirit of Place’ terms …………… after all, isn’t that what this blog is supposed to be all about and as we’re all getting older the time has definitely come to get these things down before they are lost forever.

Until next time then …………………….