Tails’ Blography

My best friend, bf, and I went out to the West Coast National Park to see the flowers in bloom. Apparently they’re supposed to be quite something. I say “apparently” because we didnt really see that many flowers hehe.

We packed a picnic basket, packed our cameras (bf used my Sony and 300mm lens), and off we went. We drove all the way there, paid our R33 each to enter the park (thanks, Viia!), drove about 8km only to realise we were low on fuel and probably wouldnt make it around the park and home again. Sigh. So we loaded up Garmin on my cell, shook it like a Magic 8 Ball and asked it where the closest petrol station was. It pointed us in the direction of Yzerfontein, 12km away. Off we went, refilled, and returned anew and with much gusto!

The first critter we came across was a tortoise crossing the road (see image). Of course Viia and I bounded out the car, cameras at the ready, knelt down on either side of the little guy…and grimaced in pain! That gravel was demonic on our knees! Fearing the pain if we moved, we stayed put and made do with the shots we could get (I got the tortoises attention…hehe must have been the gigantic L lens hehe) and eventually he grew bored and wandered off while we painfully got to our feet and returned to the car.

We continued on and saw some Ostrich and ostrich behbehs! They were so cute, but alas, too hidden in the long grass to get a decent photo of. Moving a little further, we thought we saw a flower, but were mistaken, so we continued on, still feeling hopeful.

We came to a beach spot where people were milling about and we got out to take some shots. It was fairly windy there, so we didnt linger, and moved off to find the next stop, which promised to be a picnic spot. When we arrived there, people were setting up their braais in the designated areas (being National Braai Day ‘n all for us) so we scrambled amongst the rocks looking for a sheltered spot, which we found and promptly set up our stuff and had lunch. We milled there for an hour or so, marvelling at the weather that was overcast, yet very warm. If it hadnt been cloudy, we would have melted!

After lunch, making sure to pack up everything and not litter, we stood around taking some more pics and then moved off to continue through the park. We eventually arrived at a summit where we took some shots of (woah!) flowers! and the scenery and each other. We were naughty, though, getting out of the car despite the “Please Remain In Your Vehicle” sign hehe.

Continuing on, the clouds got darker and more threatening, but by some chance of luck, a patch of cloud broke and the sun shone down onto the field of herd animals we were approaching. They were quite close to us, and my 300mm lens worked perfectly, so we stopped and got some shots of the behbeh buck and ostrich. We moved on a little way and found a small area of purple flowers, so of course we bounded out the car yet again and took some shots (we just had to get flower photos before leaving haha). Just as we were about to leave, we stopped off at the last lookout point, and took some shots. This is when it started raining hehe so we got back in the car and made our way home.

The day was super relaxing, and we ended up at Viia’s to have some tea and snuggle her rats. Unfortunately by that time Michael was plagued with a headache, so I ended up driving us home in his car hehe. I always get nervous driving his car…I keep forgetting he has a boot (trunk) since my car is a hatchback…

Maybe next time we’ll see those flowers…

Me with the 24-70mm L beauty

Michael and the Sony

Awesome view from our picnic spot

Flowers, flowers and more flowers

Flowers, flowers and more flowers

Flowers, flowers and more flowers

Flowers, flowers and more flowers

A field of flowers!

The last little bit of sunshine before the clouds took over for good

Elena Ratilovski: May 3 1987 – Feb 29 2008

Its hard to believe its already been a year. I’ve mentioned it briefly in my blog before, but to explain, a year ago my friend’s sister was involved in a car accident. Her car rolled and she was flung approx 20m where she almost landed in the river running parallel to the road. She was blessed enough to have a paramedic driving by at the time (who actually left work 10min early and took a different route home for the first time that night!), and he managed to get her breathing again and got her to the hospital.

It was only 6 days later when we knew she was leaving us. There were four of us by her bedside when she passed, and that experience has changed my life. Its a whole new world when you have to comfort someone when her own sister, her best friend throughout her life, passes away. You wonder if you’re saying the right words, holding her for the proper amount of time, or just simply being what she needs to get through the one of the most difficult times she’ll ever have to go through.

Elena passed away on Feb 29 2008, a Leap Year. She was only 20 years old. Elena was a fun, outrageous yet kind individual, who’s time came too soon, and she is sorely missed by many, many people.

Elena, wherever you are, thank you for lighting up my life in the short time I knew you. Its been a year, so much has changed, but your memory lives on just as strong. Until we meet again…we miss you.

Viia and Elena at Kirstenbosch

Viia and Elena at Kirstenbosch

Her memorial table at her memorial service

A table of photos that people chose from, framed, and took home.

Elena Ratilovski: May 3 1987 – Feb 29 2008

Ficus Fig Tree Photo from Bonsai4me.com

So every few days I think about something to write, and then I always seem to put it off, thinking I’ll be adding more news the next time I post. I’m not sure why I do it, but this will be the year I try my best not to procrastinate! Hold thumbs for me!

“Yea yea, but why are you excited?”, you ask. I’m doing a bonsai course with the bf this Saturday. Also Viia and her bf/my cousin will be joining :) I’m uber excited, even though I have to wake up at sparrow’s fart to get there (its a long drive and the course starts at 9am sharp!).

I think I did mention this in a previous post, but its R550 per couple and you get a manual, a bonsai each, and a day’s worth of schooling. Its a little odd that you have to supply your own snacks/drinks and even your own chair though. I mean, for that price, surely they can invest in 10 chairs or something?? If you book late, bring your own chair, but if you book early, you get a seat provided? I dont know, just seems odd. But, I’m still excited and by Sat eve will be owning my own bonsai tree (probably Ficus/Wild Fig, as this is what they told me over the phone).

Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens

So on Sunday, Viia, her bf, his daughter, myself and my bf all went to Kirstenbosch for a picnic and to see the bonsai show. We got off to a very late start and while we meant to be there at around 12, ended up getting there and settled at 2! It was cloudy but warm, and of course, being right on the side of the mountain it drizzled slightly but all in all was fine.

Food was great and consisted of potato salad, hotdogs, a normal green salad, biscuits, wine, coffee & teas, and more wine. We sat, ate, went on a small walkabout with Viia’s bf’s daughter (she’s too cute!!!) and then we packed up and moved off to see the bonsais before it closed at 5.

There were quite a few of them, unfortunately there was a lot to carry for the picnic side of things, and with the weather being so dangerously close to rain I didnt take my camera with so no photos, but trust me there were some really nice ones! Even grape vine bonsais with little bunches of grapes, and even a pomegranite tree (one I’ve been considering as my own bonsai).

Turns out, this bonsai kai, Bishopsford Bonsai & Art Centre, offer a one-day intensive course and we all decided to do it! We took a form and are going to book this week. Cost is R385 per person, or R550 per couple. The couple price is less expensive because you only get one manual per couple, saving R110 which is the cost of the manual. Included in the cost is 1x manual (R110), 1 yr subsription to the kai (R195) and a tree and a pot to turn into a bonsai with their help (most likely a wild fig). So myself and my bf, my sister and her bf, and Viia and her bf will all be doing the course. Sounds like fun and I’m excited! I’ll keep y’all updated!

Its been a pretty slow and uneventful week, but I’m glad its Friday! National Heritage Day just passed on Wednesday, so that was a pleasant day spent inside relaxing. The (fluff)Friends application on Facebook has been having a treasure hunt (to celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day), so we’ve desperately been trying to find 500 gems before the hunt is over (you get a Googely as a reward, but its difficult to explain what it is on a blog). On Wed I found 150 gems! It was a loooong day! Haha! This weekend will be spent hunting like mad since the hunt ends on Sunday night.

I have a fever blister :( And its been around since Tuesday! Had one a few weeks back, but I remember I was stressed about something (cant remember what it was now….couldnt have been that important I guess) but I dont recall being stressed about anything now….*sigh* Hopefully it’ll be gone by Monday…

Went shopping yesterday evening with Michael, and we decided to buy some filter coffee, since we havent had a pot going in ages. So we bought House of Coffees Jamaican blend and WOW is it NICE!!! Its smooth, creamy, aromatic, but not too strong…very, very pleasant! In fact, I think I’m going to get a cup as soon as I’m done with this blog post!

Oh, forgot to mention I took photos this week of my dogs (yes yes, I need different subjects by now, I know :P). I think they’re my best yet! Max made a proper appearance, and was very cooperative and did his tricks for some Beenos. If you like or dont like them, drop me a note to tell me which and why :) You can see more pics in the Recent Pics slideshow to the right.

I’m also looking forward to going away next month for a weekend. It’ll be Michael and my 5 year anniversary and it’ll be nice to get away. Viia’s coming with, and hopefully it wont rain the whole weekend haha! Last time we had such a great time and I always enjoy it! We’ll definately be having cocktails at a restaurant on the beach if its decent weather! Yay!

I think thats about it…..I’m gonna get some more delicious coffee now :P