The Hills we Have...

Peeps of the Traveling Road

Segment 2: Sunday (Road Trip)

There are many things i love in life and one of the most special ones would have to be road trips, so when a loved one called me and suggested we just drive.....well, lets say i jumped at the opportunity...

Our trip took us from Cape Town to Malmesbury to Riebeeck Castle to Hermon to Gouda to Tulbagh to Ceres to Slanghoek to Rawsonville and back through the tunnel, back into Cape Town...

I took many photos of all the things i found beautiful...from old churches, to trees and flowers, rocks and boulders, waterfalls and rivers....Animals, wild and tame and roads, curvy and straight and loved every second...

In Riebeeck Castle we found the most beautiful little nook hidden behind old yet renewed little antique stores and vintage corners...We heard Cuban-like music and followed, as the Piper would expect, and there it was hidden away between trees and shade - the most amazing little restaurant called 'Bar Bar Black Sheep'.The tables were quaint and colorfully painted. The trees were in between the furniture outside and memorable quotes jumped out at you from the black board pinned to the old exterior walls of a lovely little country house. The sound was transporting...Taking us to a little haven on another planet...The food...every single bite was to say the least, orgasmic....The lamb steak was soft and succulent, the Aubergines draped in olive oil and pan fried to a crisp, the Cucumber and yogurt salad was refreshing and teasing with Rosemary in between, the baby garlic potatoes....like marshmallows blending all the amazing tastes together. Every bite - was indeed a blessing, and experience one could not easily forget...

We then saw the most amazing little shops with the strangest and most delightful treasures - goodies you would not see in town...It was amazing. I was given the most amazing two little gifts - a stunning Marilyn Monroe compactum (love her to bits) and the most detailed and most precise necklace with a little container as a pendant with orange and green gemstones on it. So beautiful and oh so me...Thank you again :-)

We continued our journey through hills and mountains...Seeing rivers and lakes and fields of wheat and olive trees...It was so memorable. So fresh, so pure and so natural...

Seeing such natural beauty is such a humble reminder of all we have to be grateful for. We tend to want items we see in a shop, new shoes, new toys, new cars, but we forget to look at the gifts that we have been given even before we were here.

The most amazing skies filled with birds who are all different. Fields of flowers and trees. colours and textures that man cannot re-create to such a level no matter what...We have the most beautiful sounds of water bubbling over individually designed and evolved rocks...Birds and crickets voicing their opinions to the world. The smells of the sun baking on the vineyards, the feel of the soft grass under our feet and the taste of all that is natural and from this earth. When last did you have a drink of water from a mountain river?

This weekend i realized a few things...We need to every so often take stock of what matters...Stressing over that bill, is not going to make the bill go away...Shouting at the incompetent driver in front of you is not going to reeeeaaaalllly make you feel better and for all you know he might have a sick child in hospital he is trying to get to...Don't ever assume...That is the worse thing you could do...Just be, look around you, absorb your gifts and be...

We are blessed and we are special - all of us, in our own way...Never doubt that...Nothing happens by accident and nothing is not meant to be...

You know you love me, philosophically and all...
xoxo

And around the Pole we go...

Peeps of love and peace

Segment 1: Saturday (Beltane Festival)

Wow - what a weekend it has been. I am not one to generally write about adventurous weekends or lovely days spent, but this weekend has been epic and here is why...

On Saturday (being the 30th of October) a friend of mine and i decided to go to our first Beltane Festival. This was held at Hamilton Rugby Stadium in Green Point and is basically the opposite of Samhain(Halloween) due to the hemisphere we are in. The Northern hemisphere celebrate Halloween round about this time of year and the Southern hemisphere, well we celebrate Beltane...

A little background: well Beltane is a time for fertility and weddings (handfastings) so all in all it is a very loving time...The May Pole is in the center of the celebrations and people grab onto a ribbon and dance around a pole weaving the different colours until the pole is completely covered - really beautiful... 

So we arrived and the weather was permitting. Sunny and warm as the hearts of all i were to meet.

There was no entrance fee and the field had stalls around the border of the field, a circle slightly towards the right of the field, a May Pole in the center and a clubhouse on the opposite end. 

What was wonderful was that i felt like i was transported into another time zone completely. People were bare feet, kids were playing freely, laughter filled the air, woman wore their most beautiful dresses transporting all to the days of Celticism and men had their robes on, draping there masculinity with rustic colours and fine embroidery. It was a pallet of beauty...

The whole day consisted of beautiful music in the background, Enya and drum circles...Enticing smells of delicious foods...A First Rights Ceremony for a little girl and a Handfastings for many...

The May Pole dance was by far my most favorite activity of the day. The lady announced that it was about to commence and that they needed 36 people to participate as there were so many ribbons around a pole as high as that of one a flag would flutter on. Greens, Reds, Purples, Oranges, Yellows - all the colours warm and inviting were spread out around the pole forming a beautiful circle of warm festivities.

My friend and i ran up to the pole and grabbed a ribbon, please note that by this time my shoes were gone, my hair loose and my make-up left some slight traces, but i looked the picture - free, happy and natural...

Everyone joined and the music started. The sound of drums, violins, flutes and bells filled the air and gave us a slight tug in the right direction as all began to move around the pole. Up and over we went as half of the participants faced one way and the other the other way, so it was over and under and over and under - weaving the different colours together like a basket by some craftsman...

The colours intertwined and the music built, the people danced and laughed and clapped and cheered and it was the first time that i didn't see if my hair was falling right, or if my outfit still looked okay. I didn't concern myself with whether i got the steps right or if someone was watching and judging my dancing, i just let go of everything and indulged in my light and fairy-like soul and pranced and skipped around the pole, laughing from the bottom of my heart and enjoying every encounter with the like-minded souls around me.

No one judged anyone, no one looked at anyone funny or whispered under their breaths, every one spoke to everyone and accepted all with open arms. Never in my life have i ever been in the company of so many loving and peace driven people...It was truly an inspiration.

The First Rights and Handfastings were just as special. With the First Rights the little girl remained asleep in her little home made robe and she was given gifts, so many. Shells, to travel the world. Sand, to remind her of her roots. Pebbles, to aid her in courage and strength...All gifts were given with love and purpose and each word echoed in all our hearts. The Handfastings were magical (so to speak)...They professed their love to each other with words of honesty and valor. Not holding back on promises and dreams. The words were timeless and the love drifted over all who witnessed...

All in all...it was truly magical and my wish is that people can all feel such love. We all have our moments and no one is perfect, but if people can look at others in energy and love......age, colour, status, religion and phobias do not matter.

We are all like-minded souls, searching for the same thing - and inner peace filled with unconditional love...It is possible....

You know you love me, fairy folk and all
xoxo