Gazing maven ponders..

Market on Main

Visited Jozi's version of Cape Town's Old Biscuit Mill aka Market on Main the other day, it's on every sunday in the metropolitan city depths. How refreshing! Look at the handmade porcelain pretties By Hannah Hughes from the Be Kind range that I came across, or the lasercut key racks of Joburg's skyline from Love Jozi, or the roasted kalamata olive stand, or the Ethiopean coffee outside, or the second hand clothes upstairs.. A truly lovely morning out, but go there early before all the fresh produce and goodies dissappear :-)

Egoli strolling

I've been exploring the inner city streets of Johannesburg lately. What a treat to find urban inspiration in previously decrepit areas, a change of scenery from my usual nature retreats. Like meeting a rapper-looking pastor (whom I didn't believe was a pastor) who told me about a new initiative going on outside the courtyard of Lamunu where free movies are projected onto the building facade of the hotel on friday nights. Last friday was Jaws. How fun is that?

Home sweet home

I have returned to my parents' home for a few weeks while I get my plans ready for my overseas adventure. Oh yes, haven't mentioned that yet. I am going away until further notice. The primary reason for the birth of this blog actually. Staying at home has been a reflective time, since it's the place where my first relationship started, and now it's the place I came to after my longest relationship ended. Funny that. It's a place for drawing, full of my mother's watercolours, snoozing pets, soft fabrics, a mix of African masks, Russian icons and Indian relics, collected over the years from my parents' travels, and a healthy population of rock pigeons nesting in all the possible nook and crannies available to them. A place that I will always come back to.

The hues of Beaulieu

I had to move from a cottage I called home a week ago. It truly had a healing presence and it broke my quiet heart a little to leave it behind. Soft hues, quiet walks and morning shades I woke up to. How I will miss them.

Butterflies and roses

"If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies." A quaint thought as I visited Ludwig's Roses the other day, on the way to Polokwane. Such a hidden-away gem, where I came across newly-born butterflies, rose mojitos, rosehip, mint and hibiscus infused tea with gingerale and grenadine (nom!), rose condiments and of course, roses.. 

Gazing maven ponders..

 Via piccsy

Gazing Maven says:

Love life, not stuff.

I came across this interesting read from Zen Habits recently, as I am currently downsizing my life of things, as I plan to backpack for a few month. When you have made the decision to uproot, store your things, and travel, you discover and learn the need to keep only the most important things and discard/give away/donate the rest (usually to the SPCA or Sungardens Hospice). It has been liberating, although hard at times, coming from a line of collectors in the family.

Cute as a button

Guess who I met the other day.. The cutest, smallest, pocket-sized pony aptly named Shrimp. Never far away was his big brother, alongside lazy chickens, dogs, geese and tail-wagging ducks. Have you ever seen anything cuter? And that fringe. I'm finished! What a treasure this home is. Thank you Marcelle for letting me meet some of your beautiful family members :-)

Welcome winter

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."