Sylvia's Sedgefield Blog
Living in Sedgefield is a dream come true and after being here for 4 years I still don't think I'll ever take it for granted. I feel privileged to live in this quiet beautiful little village. I have no yearnings for the rat-race in Gauteng where I worked for 25 years. To wake up to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, the Swartvlei Lagoon across the road from our house, and the forest a short drive away is my idea of heaven! The purpose of this blog is to advise you when I add new pages to my website or update existing ones or I want to notify my visitors of some news worthy event taking place in our village or along the Garden Route. If you wish to contribute to any of my pages or make any comments please do it through my 'contact Me" page. Feb 22, 2012 Sedgefield's Caribbean Theme Slow Food Workshop
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sedgefield's Caribbean Theme Slow Food Workshop" Feb 18, 2012 Montagu Pass fynbos
To find out more you can read about how to drive the round trip here. http://www.discover-sedgefield-south-africa.com/mountain-passes.html The old narrow dirt road bounded by a hand-built stone wall has itself been declared a national monument and it is a very scenic route to explore at any time of year. We passed no other cars at all today, just a couple of hikers, a few mountain bikers and the Outeniqua Power van on its return trip to George! Feb 9, 2012 A Walk in the Biervlei Indigenous Forest
The forest was much wetter than we’ve experienced it before because of recent rain and fabulous mushroom type fungi and bracket fungi were out in full force. It was amazing to see so many different varieties. I took a good few photos and only wish I could find an informative book about them. One person saw a bushbuck skitter off and there were many birdcalls to keep us guessing. We had fleeting glimpses of Knysna Turacos, Green Wood-hoopoes, a Cameroptera, Sombre Greenbuls, Bar-throated Apalis and a good sighting of a Jackal Buzzard. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and worthwhile hike in this beautiful forest Feb 7, 2012 Eden to Addo Blueprint
Joan Berning explained the corridor concept and Pam Booth related the 400 km Eden to Addo hike that takes place in September every year involving 25 hikers (maximum) with 3-4 guides over 20 days - an experience that is sure to change your view of yourself and your relationship with nature. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Eden to Addo Blueprint" Feb 4, 2012 Sweet rain on Sedgefield
Everything looks sparkling clean and fresh. The oppressive atmosphere has lightened and cooled restoring my energy level again. Thank you, thank you for life-rejuvenating rain! Jan 29, 2012 Fred Hampson
Fred Hampson discovered Sedgefield when he and his wife holidayed at Placid Waters in 1956. They subsequently retired to Sedgefield in 1958. As an avid fisherman his way of life couldn’t have been more different from that of an infantryman in WW1. Fred was one of the very few to survive the living hell of Delville Wood! He not only lived to tell the tale - many times, eloquently, by request, at public meetings, on the radio, but he lived to the ripe old age of 99! That means he spent nearly half of his life, in the peaceful village of Sedgefield! Permalink -- click for full blog post "Fred Hampson" Jan 6, 2012 Karefree Management
Responding to an increasing need to have unlived-in holiday homes under responsible supervision, my friend Karen Donovan has opened a business dedicated to solely managing untenanted holiday homes. She will give landlords monthly updates on the state of their property keeping a watchful eye on aspects that could cause unnecessary expense if allowed to go unnoticed. Besides, won't it be great not to have to spend some of your much needed annual holiday doing urgently needed property maintenance?
Please contact her, if you own a house/apartment on the Garden Route but live elsewhere and would like to know that someone is keeping a responsible eye on your important asset. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Karefree Management" Jan 5, 2012 Sedgefield History
I'd like to draw the attention of interested visitors to the fact that I have recently updated the Sedgefield History page in conjunction with the diagramatic History Tree page that is not totally complete yet but a whole lot better than it was. Any comment or relevant information is always appreciated! Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sedgefield History" Dec 28, 2011 Breakfast on Monkey Beach
Monkey Beach is an ideal spot for power boats to anchor as its opposite the boat launch on Kingfisher Drive and is in the range of the river where people are allowed to enjoy their motorboats. The day was overcast but the water was warm and didn't stop people from skiing, boarding, tubing, swimming and generally having fun! Dec 24, 2011 Salinas Restaurant, Wilderness
The casual seamless indoor/outdoor combination of seating arrangements on two levels suits the restaurant's position to a T. It is easily accessible from the N2 and all these features together are going to make it a winning restaurant! Dec 22, 2011 Knysna Pipe Band
The Knysna Pipe Band led by Steve Collins played for an enthusiastic crowd on Bollard Beach, Leisure Isle, Knysna on Wednesday evening 21 Dec. Inspite of threatening rain, there was a good turnout and the bagpipes did justice to many old Scottish favourites. We hope to see the band on Eagle Green in Sedgefield as an invitation has been extended to them to come and play for us there. Find some pictures of the evening on my facebook page. Dec 14, 2011 Whiskey Creek Canoe Trail
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Whiskey Creek Canoe Trail" Dec 2, 2011 The Slowtown Tourist Route
Often when one lives in a town, one takes what's there for granted and sometimes one finds out that visitors know more about your town than you do - its good points and its bad ones. Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Slowtown Tourist Route" Nov 29, 2011 Mother Holly's at Millwood
Nov 22, 2011 Sedgefield Artist Sheila Cooper-Collins
She has created another attractive print of the lifesize footprint of a week old baby elephant, Thandi from Knysna Elephant Park with a minature of the little elephant in the left-hand corner of the elephant dung paper. A few of these are still available for purchase.... Permalink -- click for full blog post "Sedgefield Artist Sheila Cooper-Collins" Nov 16, 2011 EAT Southeast Asian street food Themed WorkshopEAT Restaurant was the venue for the 7th Slow Food South-east Asian street food themed workshop Permalink -- click for full blog post "EAT Southeast Asian street food Themed Workshop" Nov 10, 2011 Good ReadingBooks, books, books -some good reading that I'm happy to recommend. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Good Reading" Nov 7, 2011 Gando Apartment on Cormorant StreetGando Apartment is conveniently situated, tastefully furnished holiday accommodation in Sedgefield on the Garden Route. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Gando Apartment on Cormorant Street" Oct 30, 2011 Leopards of the Garden Route
Yesterday at the Fynbos Eco-festival in George, Dr Bool Smuts of Landmark Foundation spoke about the perilous future of the Cape Leopards. There are 23 collared in the Garden Route area, 35 in the Baviaanskloof Reserve and a few in small pockets in other mountainous areas of the Western Cape. He mentioned that on Monday 31 October 2011 the world’s population will clock in at 7 billion. It has doubled in his lifetime. Conversely free roaming leopards have been reduced to 5% of their former numbers –700 000 only 50 years ago. As human settlement relentlessly demands more land, the leopards’ (and other wildlife) habitat is reduced until they cannot survive on it. His straightforward message was “take your photos people because soon that is all you will have of the Cape leopard. Especially,” as he said “Everyone wants to live like Bill Gates, regardless of the consequences to the environment.” SANParks and Cape Nature – who we think are the custodians of our wildlife contribute to the problem as they need little excuse, when approached by local farmers, to shoot what is considered a problem animal without real proof that it is indeed the culprit. It has been irrevocably proved that there are predator friendly ways of dealing with stock predation that are long-term more cost effective and successful than hunting, poisoning or trapping which is indiscriminate and has dire consequences for all kinds of wildlife including eagles and vultures. Dr Smuts showed us slides and videos of the damage caused by gin-traps that are legal in this country and the leopards that have been lost over the past 2 years because of them. To see an animal caught in a death vice fighting to get free is heart-breaking. Many innocent creatures die horrendous deaths in these traps cruelly and vindictively set up callous human beings who are not willing to change their mindsets and choose wildlife sustainable options. It's as if mankind is totally unwilling to compromise in order find a way to co-exist with earth's other creatures and yet when they are all gone and we have destroyed the biodiversity that makes this planet so incomparably magnificent, we shall shall be irretrievably and spiritually bereft. Oct 29, 2011 Herold Wines - a farm visitA great day can be enjoyed on Herold Wines, a farm at the top of Montagu Pass just 15 kms from George. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Herold Wines - a farm visit" |
Rum cocktails, a talk on the Rastafarian way of life and the Masi Minstrels playing Reggae music were all part of the Caribbean theme that started off Sedgefield’s Slow Food Workshops for 2012. Hosted by PiliPili Beach Bar and 22° East Restaurant, it was a fabulous venue and a perfect day for a Caribbean lunch within sound of the waves breaking on Myoli Beach!
We'd heard that the Montagu Pass fynbos is looking stunning so Wayne and I (and Duke) took a ride in "Dukie's Suzuki" to see for ourselves. You'll see from my photos on Facebook that we were not diappointed.
Today a group of 9 Walkie Talkies from Sedgefield hiked in the Biervlei Indigenous Forest a few kilometres beyond Hoekwil. The temperature was a comfortable 23 degrees.
In February 2011 I attended a presentation at Fancourt Convention Centre of the Eden to Addo Initiative. I was captivated by the sheer scale of the vision laid out by this dedicated group of individuals.
Nothing can beat the sweet smell of gently falling rain after a long period of heat and humidity. I can hear the earth sigh with pleasure and the wild garden relaxes its tightly held branches - the tension leaving its thirsty limbs. I feel the relief as nature breathes more easily again. Even the birdsong has regained its vibrancy.
Family and friends gathered on Family Day for a delicious breakfast on Sedgefield's 6th beach cooked by the boys in no time flat after some fun time on the river.
We had a great evening on our first visit to the newly opened Salinas Restaurant at Wilderness Beach (on the LHS just before you cross the Touw River from the Sedgefield Side). The carefree holiday vibe is palpable and the views are simply magnificent, the food is superb and the service is excellent.
Five couples recently went on an outdoor adventure weekend canoeing up the picturesque Keurbooms River to spend the night at Whiskey Creek Cabin.
My friend Judith and I had a wonderful lunch today at Mother Holly's Tea Garden up at Millwood. The road takes you past Rheenendal and through magnificent indigenous forest to a little cottage near the overnight hut for the highly popular Outeniqua Hiking Trail. 
Since moving to Sedgefield in 1992 Sheila Cooper-Collins has etched out a name for herself in conservation circles with her fundraiser for The Wild Life Society. Her limited edition prints on elephant dung paper of the old Matriarch, supposedly the last surviving elephant in the Knysna forests, raised R350,000 for environmental education programmes.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING!
