One of the first agapanthus' to flower

These are the first agapanthus to flower in my mom's garden. These are a dwarf blue variety. I have mostly the large variety in my garden, and they're not flowering yet; but when they are, I'll definitely be taking pics.

Germiston Gold... the rose

This rose bush is in my garden. I got it as a house warming gift in our previous house, and I kept it in a pot there. When we moved into this house last year, I transplanted it into the garden, and this year it's just flourished.
I only realised when I processed the photo, that the rose wasn't a really good specimen - it's been eaten a bit by bugs. Oops! Better do something about that soon or else I won't have any good roses left!

White lily

My mom has a few vases of these flowers in her house at the moment. I think they're such a simple and beautiful flower.

Blowing my trumpet

Another musically themed photo :). He looks like he's really concentrating.

Pretty weeds

These pretty flowers are actually weeds in our grass. I've officially lost the battle. As I see it, we might just have to replace the entire lawn, and that's expensive.
But I can't leave it anymore, I'm phoning some lawn people tomorrow to get a verdict.

Two week old baby girl

I went to a baby shower today, and this little girl was introduced to us. We'd all seen photos of her, but it's not quite the same as seeing her in real life :). It's amazing how quickly you forget how small newborns are.

Raindrops on cactus

As you can see by rain in the photo, the weather is miserable again. I'm not sure what kind of cactus this is, I can't remember and I've tried googling it but I had no luck - I'm sure the name has got something to do with an "old man", but I could be wrong. It grows into a small tree with leaves on top. Mine is still quite small, it was in a pot and I moved it into a bed, and it's taken months to recover - I thought I'd killed it actually.

I've actually taken a photo of this cactus before... here.

Halloween party at work

The social committee for our area organised a Halloween day today. It was impressive. There were hundreds of orange and black balloons, spiderwebs, spiders and skeletons hanging from the ceiling, and loads of snacks and drinks etc. This afternoon everyone was split into teams and we had a pumpkin carving competition, which was loads of fun. Everyone got very creative with their pumpkins and they all looked fantastic. It was amazing to see the quality of the end results, seeing as SA doesn't really celebrate it, and for the majority of us, it was the first time we'd tried carving them (including me).

A string of witches hanging from the ceiling

Spiders and webs suspended from the doors, walls and ceilings.

My team's pumpkin. Isn't he cool? We came third :)

Cobbler in stone

This statue has been in my mom's house for years. My gran bought it for her in Zimbabwe to use as a doorstop, but it's never been used as one. I have always liked it. I find it amazing that it was carved out of stone. The workmanship is wonderful. I've only photographed part of it for today, but basically it's a man sitting on a bench making a shoe.

Roses are red...

This is another one of my mom's roses. She has no idea what it's called, but it's a beautiful colour and shape (not that you'd be able to see that from this macro ;) ). I couldn't resist posting this today as well.

Metal Statue in water

This statue is in a pond that is in no-mans land between our office building and another one in Sandton.

Only the egyptian geese that roost nearby get the benefit of the pond and the statue, apart from the few people that look at it from their office windows during the day.

Graffiti in suburbia

I pass these postboxes on my route to work every day, and I always wonder who decided to paint them in the middle of a suburb. And I can actually read the one word, which is amazing, and it's english! LOL! Do you think the guy who painted it didn't like his post one day?

I actually stopped the car today and, in fact, got out of it to take the shots! Wonders never cease. LOL! There was a guy who stopped to get his post while I was there, and he didn't want to even get out of his car because of my camera - it was very funny.

Sharifa Asma... the rose

A few photos of another one of the roses in my mom's garden. It's a David Austin English rose, and other than the fact that it's beautiful and the scent is heavenly, it's also extra-special.

My mom calls it "Daddy's rose". She was busy planting it when my grandmother phoned from Zimbabwe to say that my grandfather had died. My mom was telling me today that the rose bush always starts flowering at it's best on the anniversary of the day they spread his ashes - 21 October.

I love the way the petals change colour from when the buds are tiny and almost an orange pink, to virtually white and then to pink when the flower is in full bloom.

Connor and Erin

We had lunch at my mom's house this afternoon. Erin is Bradley and Connor's cousin (she is 7 weeks younger than Connor). Bradley isn't featured because he wouldn't sit still for a photo.
I can't resist posting loads :)
Connor trying to walk with dad
Funny face :)
This photo makes me smile every time I look at it. He was laughing at the jack russel.
" Hey, I want that!"
And Erin...

Rainstone the Appaloosa

Bradley went riding again this morning, because he's missed a few lessons due to the rain.
Isn't this horse gorgeous? I love the spots on his bum :) Rainstone is an appaloosa and is owned by Letitia (the lady that assists Bradley's riding teacher).
I love the area and the fields surrounding the stables, so I couldn't resist taking this photo.
This is the view from one of the paddocks (where I took the mushroom pics from) to the fields. The white strips are electrified to stop the horses from wandering.

Fungus and fairy forests

I took these in a shady paddock while Bradley was riding this morning.

There were loads of mushrooms under a tree, so I told Melody's daughter all about how the fairies are going to dance under their mushroom forest in the moonlight tonight.

This fungus is growing on the bark of the tree which was shading the mushrooms.

African Grey

This is Bradley's horse riding teacher's bird. It was chatting nicely this morning until it noticed the camera.

Green and Gold day

Today was named Green and Gold Day across the country to give support to the Springboks for their BIG match tomorrow.

I tried far too late to buy Springbok t-shirts for Bradley and Connor. All the shops and street hawkers were sold out by the time I went shopping, so Bradley ended up going to school in a green t-shirt with a SA flag sticker. It was the closest we could get.


This morning, after he got dressed, Bradley got hold of his new Springbok flag (which Lance bought earlier on in the week), and went running in the garden. This is the best photo I took, do you know how difficult it is to get a 4 year old to stand still and wave a flag? LOL!

It was amazing to see how many people wore green and gold today. The atmosphere in the office and in the streets was, in general, incredible. Hope they do well tomorrow.

Go Bokke Go!!

Northcliff hill at dusk

I went a windy way home tonight, because the traffic was so bad. I took this photo through the windscreen in the traffic from a road in Linden. Northcliff hill is just beautiful at the moment with all the jacaranda trees in flower.
I'm not sure I like the water boards logo that has been painted on the water tower, it kind of spoils the picture. The hill used to be the "in" place for couples when I was younger, but it's now been fenced off, which is a pity, because the view from there is simply stunning.

"I am the music man...

... and I come from far away

What do you play?

I play the piano

the pia-pia-pia-no, the pia-no, the pia-no...."

That was the song my mom was singing to Connor when I met her for coffee this morning at Lifestyle. I took a day's leave because Beauty's BIL (she's Connor's nanny) was killed yesterday and she couldn't come to work this morning.

"...the pia-no"

"I play the drums..."

And then my mom took a rare photo of me and Connor (he was 8mths old yesterday)...

Garden and Home.. the rose

This rose is called Garden and Home. I think it's got the most beautiful colouring. It's such a soft rose.

Bradley on air pollution

I'm cheating today, I took this photo in August on the way to Parys, and didn't post it then because I thought it was a bit boring. It is however, perfect for today! It's Blog Action Day today, and 15000 bloggers are taking part. Everyone is posting something about the environment.

This is a photo of the view of Sasolburg from the N1 highway from Johannesburg to Cape Town.

While I was taking the photo, Bradley asked me why there was such a big fire there. So, I tried to explain about air pollution. I told him that it was factory that makes petrol and oil (Sasol). And while they're making the petrol, it gets very hot, and lets off fire, and he'll notice that that fire burns 24 hours of the day. I also pointed out the smoke in the air, and told him that all the smoke is called air pollution, and that it makes the air dirty and that it makes us, the animals and all the plants on earth sick.

It's quite difficult to explain this to a 4 year old actually, but I think he got the concept, because after I explained it, he said "So, Mom, when are the police going to put the bad men in jail?"

Now you try explain that one to him... why is this not illegal?

Surely there's a better method of producing fuel, that won't kill off the planet.

And last but not least...

... flowers of course! I couldn't resist taking photos of the roses in my garden this afternoon. I promise this is the last post for today ;). I should really change the name of my blog to "At least one photo a day".
I have no idea what they are, they were all planted by the previous owner.

Party at the Fire Station

As you can see, this weekend has been jam packed, and I just have to post photo's from this party too :). It was Madi's son's birthday party today and it was held at Northriding Fire Station. It's a really cool party venue - they have a jumping castle, a jungle gym and a couple of animals to entertain the kids other than the fire-house activities (like spraying the hose and riding the fire engine etc)

All the kids got to spray the fire hoses, and got soaking wet in the process. This is Bradley and the fireman with the hose...

The fire truck was standing in line with the SA flag, so I couldn't resist this photo. I think it's quite apt in context with the crime in our country - with the emergency lights showing in line with the flag.

Fire-house rooster

Robyn's 21st

We went to Robyn's 21st last night (thanks Marlise and Laura for looking after the kids ;)).

It was held in Little Falls at a lovely restaurant and B&B - Eagles View. The food was awesome and the party was just fab!

I think this will be the last 21st we go to, until Bradley hits 21. LOL! I feel old even thinking that.

Glass of champagne

Party girls... From the left: ?, Elaine, Natalie and the girl of the hour, Robyn.

Baths and horses

Bradley went riding today.
There are a few of these old baths scattered around the stables and paddocks. They're used as water troughs. Good idea actually because they'd be easy to drain and clean.

You can see in the distance that the countryside is starting to get green after all the rains we've had.

Night at Montecasino

A group of us had dinner at Kai Thai at Montecasino last night, so even though these are being posted today, I did take them yesterday ;). It was a farewell dinner for Sarah, who is moving to Uganda.
Must say I'm feeling a little tender today, the wine was really flowing last night :)

From the left: Me, Sarah, Sue and Fiona

A frieze on the wall of the restaurant

Frog fountain at the restaurant

"Street" in Montecasino - it's all indoors, and is made to look like a tuscan street.

He stands!!

This is Connor's latest trick - he loves standing against the coffee table and reach for things on the table. I just had to show him off :) Isn't he just too cute?! It's not the best photo in the world, because the lighting in our house at night is shocking!

The fairy's tree

It's my turn to post a photo of a mushroom. This one is growing in my garden at the moment, and the only reason it hasn't been destroyed by Bradley, is it's size. It's the size of a saucer! I've told Bradley that fairies dance around mushrooms in the moonlight, but he reckons that this one is the fairies' "tree" that'll protect them while they're dancing in the rain (yes, it's still rainy and mizz in Jo'burg).