Tag: Stanford

The late Sunday afternoon drive (4 pictures)

Four different processing modes with a multitude of software (plug-ins). Images shot along back road between Napier and Stanford in the Western Cape, South Africa. Date: Sunday 24 April between 15:00 and 17:00 PM. The distance to the furthest mountains at the horizon is in all pictures between 20 and 25 km (13-16 miles). Just experimenting.

afternoon-drive4 afternoon-drive3 afternoon-drive2 afternoon-drive1

The removal (an update)

23 Days ago we moved 50 kilometers from Stanford to Napier in the Overberg region in the Western Cape, South Africa. We had to start with a gigantic cleaning operation and since last week we are unpacking. The first plants have since last Wednesday a place in the new garden and many others are still waiting in their pots. In about a month a brand new kitchen (own design, hand crafted by one of the many pensioners around) must be ready and during the present phase one we also intend to channel the drain water (heavy rainfalls every Winter) at least 1 meter from the house. Phase 2 is the refurbishing the cottage and the double garage in the back into respectively a guest room and a studio. This is planned for October/November. In the meantime some B&W snap shots of some details in and around the house.

Napier is named after one of the colonial British governors. The oldest known ancestor of the governor moved from France to England a 1000 or so years ago. ‘Napier’ is also an old French word for ‘table cloth’ or ‘cover’.

window
grenadilla
detail
first plants in the garden
detail garbage bucket
detail in courtyard
living room
my office
detail
detail
Yvonne’s office
splash pool in courtyard. The idea is to refurbish this into a nice water feature with fountain (à la Versailles)
detail in living room
the always changing view
first plants in the garden
detail through glass
stairs in courtyard leading to future studio

Ode to the gardener

I admire landscaper/gardener Tommy Ngwenya. He is a South African and works hard in creating and maintaining the most beautiful gardens in Stanford, Western Cape, South Africa. He is from the (I hate the expression …) “previously disadvantaged” side of the society (hate it because most South Africans are still disadvantaged for whatever reason). His business is named ‘Tommy & Sons”. His sons are still too young (primary school) but the name-giving symbolises the idea that Tommy wants his sons to have it better than what he experienced in his youth.

Hommage-pour-Le-Jardinier