Feel Good Stuff

wild flowers in the veld grass

2011-10-15T12:00:00.002+02:00

Bushbuck

2011-10-02T11:35:00.006+02:00

These two were on our driveway late afternoon yesterday.
So healthy and strong and lovely to see.

Beagle "hunt"

2011-09-20T11:51:00.002+02:00

The KZN Beagle club came to Hillhouse last weekend to have some fun on the farm. These city dwelling doggies were all novices but had one experienced hound to show them the way. Shaw McMahon came from JHB with his Beagles Chelsea and Marmalade to lead the group of 12 Beagles who followed the trail of scent set up for them by dragging a bag of pilchards (yum) allong the path they were to follow.
Lots of fun for all - some gallopping ahead and others hanging out and walking along with their owners.

Slowly but surely

2011-09-11T21:21:00.005+02:00

Over the past 11 years we have planted over 3000 tress, a lot of which Nick grew from seed, to re establish the indigenous bush on our farm. At last it is starting (in some areas) to create a canopy and forest floor, a little haven for all the hundreds of birds, Bushbuck, Duiker and other forest friends.
The world is not coming to an end, there are millions of bees buzzing in the Tree Fushias.

come for a walk and bring your dogs

2011-09-10T19:29:00.003+02:00

a trail of bread crumbs

2011-09-10T19:17:00.002+02:00

Today we went down into the forest to mark out a trail path, so you will never get lost. Just follow the pink spots.

weekend away

2011-05-11T18:41:00.002+02:00

For some reason we have no bookings this weekend coming up - the 13th/14th May, so I am offering a reduced rate of R190.00 pppn. Children R140.00
Both houses are available - Hillhouse (sleeps 12) and Lakehouse (sleeps 4)

I know this is short notice
let me know asap if you are keen
it will go to the first person.

in the fields and forests

2011-05-08T15:02:00.001+02:00

new finds

2011-05-08T13:37:00.006+02:00

There are 4 charity SPCA shops, a Hospice shop and loads of second hand/junkie shops around, some where you need to wade through the junk to find treasure, and others which are full of treasure, but more pricey. I love wading through the junkie ones - you never know what you will find.
The Tretchikoff print is titled Xosa Chief from SPCA R45.00. The vase was R40 and the the others were all bargins too.
Contact me if you need directions.

Autumn is here

2011-05-05T23:45:00.003+02:00

it's time for fires and hot water bottles

party at Hillhouse

2011-05-05T23:27:00.003+02:00

www.hillhouse.co.za

Lakehouse

2011-05-05T23:13:00.004+02:00

A new page on the website for Lakehouse, 200m from Hillhouse with a heavenly view.
This new little house sleeps 4, go to www.hillhouse.co.za to book in.

pics in the garden

2011-03-12T20:01:00.002+02:00

2011-03-12T19:58:00.003+02:00

I want one

2010-05-23T19:04:00.003+02:00

we went to cars in the park last weekend - here are some glimpses of the shape, line and detail of these beauties.

succulent of the month

2010-05-17T21:34:00.004+02:00

Like they do in supermarkets and some companies to encourage their staff, I'm posting a photo of this guy who after a year of looking pretty much the same has suddenly opened up and is growing a whole new middle bit. Well done blobby stone plant - you are succulent of the month.

suitcases

2010-05-10T14:16:00.005+02:00

This is me in class 1 with my first suitcase (my mum and I on the left)
I have acquired many more since, they are great for storage.
Not one of them contains a suit.

Self portrait and landscape on Mothers day

2010-05-10T11:47:00.008+02:00

Trying my hand at painting. This is something I have been dying to do for ages. So... I am doing a painting and printmaking course at KZN University with Vuli (printmaking) and Faye (painting) they are both great teachers, yay for you.
The landscape is the Petrus stroom Valley(home) - good colours at the moment which I thought I may put in the portrait - a Mona Lisa type background.
My Daughter Pippa did the card for Mothersday.
I love the combo, the card should be with the painting always.

Hillhouse website

2010-03-20T09:41:00.011+02:00

Have a look at the website and come and stay www.hillhouse.co.za

website icons

2010-02-18T22:19:00.003+02:00

I've done these icons in different colour ways for the different pages - Hillhouse website coming together.

Hillhouse website

2010-02-18T21:50:00.007+02:00

I'm designing a website. This is my design for the opening page. So far so good.
Hillhouse used to be our farm shed and it is now a really cool place to come and stay. Have a look.

Yes I do love my plants

2010-02-13T22:27:00.006+02:00

I would like to mention that some of my best and most unusual succulents come from Sharon and Neville's beautiful St Verde garden. Definitely worth a visit, they are open on the last weekend of every month.

Treasure hunting

2010-02-13T18:54:00.011+02:00

It's such a win when nobody else wants or likes things that you like. Especially when you are at an auction.

I was so excited to get these Tretchikoff prints, which came with a lot of other less desirables,
for R20.00.

More auction specials...very comfy yellow chair and the print is Mario Bordi's Freedom of the plains.

Another chair from another auction and evil Leechie cat.

The art of ventriloquism

2010-02-10T18:12:00.005+02:00

My father was a ventriloquist and a magician. This is one of his many puppets. He has a movable jaw, and his bright staring eyes are ever ready to assume any expression suggested by his puppet master.
What I find funny is that the ventriloquist has a single powerful factor working for him and this is that the listener wants to hear what the puppet has to say!

No holding back

2010-02-08T21:49:00.003+02:00

Our veranda is suffering from succulent invasion.
Front door navigation is almost impossible.
There is nowhere to put the tea pot.

by hook and by crooks

2010-02-08T16:30:00.007+02:00

I am addicted to making these squares - someone better stop me before I start crocheting toilet seat covers.

red around the house

2009-07-25T18:46:00.005+02:00

I can never decide which is my favorite colour. This is something you need to know if you have a daughter like mine - she has asked me many times, and I give her a different answer every time.
I must say red is right up there along with orange.

t shirt prints

2009-07-12T20:41:00.009+02:00

my t shirts are back from the screen printers. I have baby vests and babygrows too, but didn't take any pics of these (no babies at home to put in them).
They will all be in my Etsy shop soon.

card stands

2009-07-12T19:57:00.006+02:00

I've just got these perspex stands made for my cards. They work really well - YAY

deep sleep

2009-07-05T09:10:00.005+02:00

I love this pic. This is Pippa, Grace and Ben (my 3 children) in the back seat of the car.
Only one of them is really asleep. Can you tell which one?

local business man

2009-07-04T23:34:00.012+02:00

I have been watching the progress of a business which is developing, mainly because I pass this bit of ground 2 or 3 times a day. Veve Ngcobo is the business owner and he started with a little wooden shack in the middle of
the field. The area was later fenced, then came his sign advertising that he will be selling.... izinkomo, izimbuzi and iziklabhu (cows, sheep and goats). This is Veve, who when I stopped the car to talk to him, was very smiley friendly and happy and then when it came time for him to have his photo taken (which he was very happy to do) he changed his expression to what you see. This is typical of older generation Zulu people who like to look composed, serious and stately in photographs. He is not as grumpy as he looks.

doing the dishes

2009-07-02T20:10:00.009+02:00

Feel Good

2009-07-02T20:05:00.002+02:00

supporting the underdog

2009-06-23T16:16:00.013+02:00

there are all sorts of rules and regulations which farmers and land owners need to obey concerning the removal of alien invaders and weeds. There is a whole lot of hacking, slashing and poisoning going on all over the countryside.
So, I dedicate this post to all those unwanted plants and also the unnoticed insignificant ones.

under my feet

2009-06-23T12:01:00.004+02:00

when out walking (which is the best "mind comb" second to yoga) I often find the greatest beauty literally under my feet - the kind of stuff you find yourself actually walking on. These are some examples.

on the veranda at sunset

2009-06-23T01:38:00.005+02:00

galloping past my keyboard

2009-06-23T01:15:00.003+02:00

2009-06-14T23:55:00.003+02:00

logo design

2009-06-13T16:53:00.003+02:00

This is the design that John didn't choose, but the one I prefer. John Jardine makes wonderful furniture, you'll find him in the Currie's Post, KZN Midlands.

logo design

2009-06-13T16:31:00.010+02:00

This is a design I did for Judy who makes yummy food. She came up with the name which I think is great. Contact her for catering if you are in the Midlands area.

nicely knitted

2009-06-07T16:27:00.009+02:00

Billy Connolly said... (and I love him for this) "never trust a man who when left alone in a room with a tea cosy, doesn't try it on his head".

everyone loves to be cool

2009-06-04T16:47:00.008+02:00

These are characters from one of my t-shirt prints

Toys with soul

2009-06-01T21:22:00.002+02:00

I'm not sure which one of the girl dolls is in love with Ken. Maybe it's the gorilla they're all after! OR the smiley guy that does somersaults over the pole. He looks like he has a good heart. Go for him girls.

Toys with soul

2009-06-01T19:52:00.006+02:00

I definitely think that these toys come to life at night and run around our house when we are all asleep.

goliwogs

2009-05-25T15:10:00.002+02:00

I have a collection of goliwogs that I love. Some of them were bought by my Dad from the OK Bazaars (when you could still buy such a thing) for 99 cents.
They are still in their original packaging. I feel a bit sad for them ( the ones in their packets), they should be liberated, but there is something historical about these guys. They could go into a museum.

storytime

2009-05-24T21:52:00.013+02:00

This is how it goes:

This is the circus lion who had his eye on the little girl who fed the pigeon who lived in the tallest building in town.

The tallest building in town was owned by the lion who liked to watch the pigeon who followed the little girl hoping for food.

The pigeon was great company for the tallest building in town which the little girl passed on her way to see the circus with the lion.

So the little girl, the circus lion, the tallest building in town, and the pigeon, all went on with their separate lives not knowing how completely connected they all were.

cards - everyone loves.....

2009-05-23T17:38:00.004+02:00

This is a range of cards.
I have also screen printed these designs onto t-shirts.
Have a look at www.FeelGoodStuff.etsy.com

Hillhouse

2009-05-23T14:36:00.002+02:00

Hillhouse is our farm shed which we converted for self catering accommodation. It is a great wedding/party/chill venue.

Hillhouse

2009-05-23T14:31:00.004+02:00

contact me if you would like to come and stay or visit www.wheretostay.co.za/hillhouse

cards - lion heart, flower power, bird in the bush

2009-05-23T12:34:00.002+02:00

card - favorite things

2009-05-23T09:54:00.002+02:00

card - tree of life

2009-05-23T09:53:00.003+02:00

card - feel like a bird

2009-05-23T08:57:00.002+02:00