Skywatch Friday :

This is Uva Mira Wine Estate ..
.. the highest wine estate in the Stellenbosch region of the Cape in South Africa ..

.. which is well known for it's Chardonnay ..

.. and spectacular views (a little hazy on this day) of False Bay with the mountains in the background, one of which is the side view of Table Mountain and if you look to the extreme left along the horizon there is Cape Point ...

For more spectacular skies around the world go to Skywatch

Wordless Wednesday :

Boschendal Wine Estate

For more Wordless Wednesday contributions go here and here

If we take the road ahead ...

... or peek through the window ...

... or go down the path ...

... and cool down by the bubbling water ..

... and kiss the 'Kissi kissi stones' !!! ...

... she won't look ... I promise !

... he may take a peek ...

... and he will crow in the morning ....


... and if we ascend in the cable car ..


... we'll be on top of Table Mountain in the beautiful Cape of Southern Africa ..


... where mountains touch the clouds ...


..and grapes grow in abundance ..


... and elephants hide in bushes ...


... and sunshine reflects in water 'balls' (got a little lost for words here !) :)


.... and peacocks show off their striking colours ...


.. while we nibble on a tasty salad ..


.. and sip a glass of wine overlooking the Franshoek Valley ...

.. or watch the sun setting over Somerset West

Be sure to come with me again and I shall show you more of this most beautiful part of South Africa

Must add here ... this was FUN .. driving along the country roads .. with the top down .. Thelma and Louise (Kathy and I) -without the scarf floating behind !!

Places of interest shown in this post ... Uva Mira, Boschendal, and La Petite Ferme wine estates, The Twelve Apostles Hotel,

and the first photo is at Kogelberg Nature Reserve .. go to http://capenature.org.za/ ... click on Nature Reserves, then click on Overberg, then Kogelberg Nature Reserve .. phew!

Family ties

A week of sadness ... being with our Mum ....

.. and laughter ...

... my brothers and I were together after 12 years !!!!!!

My eldest brother, Richard and his wife, Pauline are out here from England to visit our Mum and for a short holiday in the beautiful Cape. They are, at the moment, 'wandering' around the Garden Route and 'hoping to get lost' !!! ... they really, really, really don't want to go back ...

It was special ...

A flurry of flowers ....

... but first a quince from the 'flowering quince' ... need to find out whether this fruit is edible ... it must be .. surely ? ...

Now for the flowers ...

My dear bloggie friends .... remember my dilemna about my hydrangeas before Spring ... when I wasn't sure whether to pull them out and start again as they are very very old ... nearly 30 years old to be exact !!!!!!!

Well, I didn't ... and they have flourished!!! I might add here ... the one in the middle is taller than I am !! .. and I am of average height ! I tried to get Bradley and Connor to stand in front of them but Connor wanted to carry on with our 'frog hunting' which we were occupied with ... that's why I had camera-in-hand .. to 'take photo of fwog, Grwanny' .... but we couldn't find one and the one that croaks when we are out of sight .. didn't croak when the boys were there !! - even though we whispered ... !!

The beautiful flowers change from their greenish-yellowish colour ...

.. to deep shades of blue .... I need to add the 'magic stuff' to change the colours to the deep bluey-purples ...

Also have a pink one which starts off also greenish-yellowish ....

... and changes ...

... and changes ...

.. until it's a soft pink ...

A little bit nibbled is this pink geranium ....

... and can't take photos in my garden without adding the Margaret Robert's lavender ...

... and now ... especially today ... have added the Sylvia Rose ....

... beautiful ... full of character ... just like my Mum (Sylvia)

This is my last entry for a week while I visit my Mum and family in the Cape ..

This is how I will always remember my Mum ... always had to pose for photos ... and always amongst flowers in gardens ..

For more Weekly Winners ... go to Lotus' sarcasticmom

Skywatch Friday :

Flying above the clouds .. with the moon and a new day dawning ...

Peek-a-boo sunshine !!

No Skywatch next week for me .. I am flying down to the Cape to spend time with my Mum and family ... but in the meantime ... there are more skies linked to Skywatch ..

Wordless Wednesday :

Vergelegen Wine Estate - Somerset West, Cape, South Africa

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