Shades of winter

We live in the most diverse floristic kingdom in the world which has a Mediterranean climate.  The contrast between our part of South Africa and the Highveld struck me again as I flew between Cape Town and Johannesburg last week.  The latter, which has had rain, is lush and green.  In our part of the world, except for cultivated land: the vineyards, orchards and domestic gardens, the veld (countryside), is drab and brown but with its own beauty.

Then, as I was browsing through my photographs, looking for something else, I found these.

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All of these grew (some naturally occurring, some cultivated) and were picked on the mountains above our village, and all except the Banksia, are indigenous and natural (i.e. not dyed).

Our mountains after a hot summer, before the winter rain.

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A closer look at the colours to which we look forward each winter.

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Not all are as vibrant.  The aptly-named blushing bride is delicate and ethereal.

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In 40°C+ (100°F+) heat, winter cold is hard to contemplate.  I hate winter.  The flowers are the best thing about it, especially as they are at their best when the weather’s the coldest and just before spring.

Postscript

Having seen Hugh’s post about this week’s WordPress Daily post photo challenge, and this week’s theme, “vibrant”, this is my entry.

© Fiona’s Favourites 2016

Wicked and wonderful things in the valley

Our valley is one of contrasts, and last week reflected this.  It began with a slow burning fire on our mountains which had, a week earlier, been covered in snow.  Neither the farmers nor the conservationists not know what started the fire, although a human element is suspected.  The wild animals are fleeing down the mountains, nearer and nearer to working farms, livestock and human habitation.  This area is one of the few areas where the endangered Cape leopards both traverse and live, and is part of a leopard conservation project, whose efforts are also being jeopardised by this fire.

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Fire and snow, equally spectacular.  The fire is still burning…

Last week ended (or this week began) in a somewhat different, but also dazzling way, with Sunday picnic lunch under the fig tree at Tanagra, another of our wonderful boutique wineries.  We were entertained by two groups of very talented young people from our valley, all of whom come from very poor circumstances – informal settlements and/or farms.  Both the Langeberg Steel Band and the Next Step Dance Company are award-winning groups in their own rights, and mentored by two talented individuals who live in McGregor.

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We left Tanagra with a song in our hearts and a bounce in our steps.  Here is just a soupcon of the sound of the Langeberg Steel Band.

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