??Lockdown Update!??
Dear Inmates, 1st of June ushers in level 3 of lockdown, and thank-you Oom Cyril! We are looking forward to the less stringent outdoor rules ? that will allow us to exercise all-day every day. ? As winter season ❄️ settles in the Overstrand district, we prefer to be outdoors during the middle of the day.
Our wine estates nestled in the mystical Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and beyond will re-open for business as usual, so goodbye wine sniffing and hello wine tasting!? We finished our last bottle of wine this week, how’s that for timing?
Amidst this dreadful lockdown, a fabulous blessing came our way. We moved into a brand new house that is much more suitable for us. ??We knew the house in Onrus was a temporary arrangement. We made the best of it, had a good time and established new friendships for which we are grateful.
We are now in Vermont, a suburb of Hermanus. It was developed with twenty percent of its area dedicated to retaining the original coastal fynbos. The fynbos forms natural green corridors between the homes, up the mountain and down to the sea. Vermont protects three fynbos subfield types – Overberg Sandstone fynbos, Hangklip Sand fynbos and Overberg Dune Strandveld. Two of these are categorised as critically endangered.
These green passages not only protect fynbos. They are also home to small antelope, caracal, porcupine, ? and even leopard. ? However, the only leopard to be seen ? lately is me dressed in my leopard print gym outfit during my morning jog. Our new abode is surrounded by sea ? and mountain views. How cool is that?
The two love-birds, ? still busy with retirement training, are now nesting in a bird sanctuary as the Vermont Salt Pan is part of the greenbelt system. ?☘️ A stone throws away from our house; the Pan lies in a land depression of just over 17 hectares with a system of feeder reed-covered wetlands. Natural springs and rainwater feed the Pan. Wildlife in the Salt Pan includes over 600 flamingos for up to six months of the year. They consist mainly of the Greater Flamingos, but the Lesser Flamingos often come to visit too.
Indeed we are blessed to be surrounded by such abundant birdlife, ? fantastic scenery, rock pool, ?coastal pathway, the sound of the sea and friendly neighbours. ‼️Life is Beautiful!‼️
Leave a Reply