Broccolli for the soul...

I saw this printed on an apron at "The Old House Shop" in Pletteberg bay and loved it

thank goodness for having phones that can take pictures as well...

I love days like yesterday ... we had very dear friends over for lunch and somewhere between the laughter of our kids playing in tents, the clinging of glasses on a “cheers” between old buds, the smell of freshly brewed Gluwein and the sun feeling comfortably warm on my back ... I felt it ... a familiar feeling of loving this exact moment... the moment when you want the world to stop just long enough for you to really let it all in... family, our friends,  traditions, the weather, the sounds ...everything!

Sipping. Stirring. Laughing. Lounging. Lingering. Listening. Watching. Loving. Being...  

(words by kelle Hampton)

....Concentrated happiness! 

It is the intensity of moments like these that fuels me...( like broccoli for the soul!)  – moments that will carry me again when times are a bit difficult through the ebb and flow of life

  

Friendship to me equals comfort – yes, this might sound like a cliché but it is true that when you are with a good friend you can truly be comfortable with your surroundings, the way you look and more importantly the way you feel.  In this lies the one measure that I apply to all friendships ... how do I feel in this person’s presence – can I just be without feeling misunderstood, even judged? If the answer is yes then I think of you as a friend.

But in this friendship = comfort lies a trap ... Sometimes it is possible to become too comfortable in a friendship that one does not really put in enough effort in actually being with friends.  It is so easy just to let an organised visit slip by because of something else that came up with work or the kids etc. 

Especially in these busy lives that we have, we need to make the effort, plan the dates and stick to it!! 

If I realised anything after yesterday it was this:

Friendship is a feast celebrating laughter, dreams, plans, sorrows, achievements and plenty of memories...

It is always a grand occasion!

There will be many more of these occasions... Because there is much life to celebrate!!

"Lul" went by..

For the past few weeks I’v been in a “lul”  ...(somehow this was the only word I could think of to describe my lack of motivation)... it was like I just could not find the inspiration to do the things that I usually love doing.  Blogging for one ... sjoe,  how long has it been since my last post? (too long I know!). 

I can’t remember the last time I made a proper home cooked meal making and baking everything from scratch – I used to love that!  I do agree that having a “Woolies” nearby is so convenient – but is that another factor adding to my ‘lul’ in that it just made it easier to say: “ Ah whatever – let me just get a ready-made lasangne for supper tonight” ?

Could it be the winter weather? I don’t know, but I do know that I have to do something about this!  So tonight I am celebrating winter:  I’ve already brought in some logs for the fireplace, I went to “Woolies”, not for one of the gorgeous ready made meals but for a decadent bottle of red wine and I am cooking - 

“Ghoelasj-soup with sour cream and pesto”.

I got the recipe in one of my favourite magazines named "Idees" which means Ideas and trust me it is usually packed full of them. 

(see recipe – unfortunately it is in Afrikaans but if you are interested let me know and I will translate it)

Goodbye “lul”ing  and hallo to inspiration, to motivation and doing the 

stuff that I love..!!

Ghoelasj-sop met suurroom en pesto

Genoeg vir 8

Bereidingstyd: 20 minute

Gaarmaaktyd: omtrent 3 uur

Bestandele:

1.     30 ml olyfolie

2.     1 kg beesdikrib, in blokkies van sowat 4 cm gesny

3.     3 uie, gekap

4.     3 knoffelhuisies, fyngedruk

5.     30 ml koekmeel

6.     30 ml gerookte paprika

7.     2 x 410 g-blikke pruimtamaties

8.     1 liter beesvleisaftreksel

9.     2 rooi soetrissies, ontpit en in klein blokkies gesny

10.   250 ml suurroom

11.   80 ml roketpesto (sien die resep hieronder as jy dit self wil maak)

Metode:

1.     Verhit ’n swaarboomkastrol oor hoë hitte. Sodra dit warm is, moet jy ’n bietjie olyfolie ingooi en die vleis bietjies-bietjies oor hoë hitte bruin braai. Gooi, indien nodig, nog ’n bietjie olie in die kastrol om te keer dat die vleis brand en aan die kastrol vassit.

2.     Gooi die uie in die pan en soteer dit tot bruin. Voeg die knoffel by en gooi die vleis terug in die pan. Strooi die koekmeel en paprika oor. Roer dit goed en gooi dan die tamaties en die bereide beesvleisaftreksel by. Verhit tot kookpunt, verlaag die hitte en sit die deksel op. Laat dit saggies prut vir twee uur of tot die vleis baie sag is.

3.     Gooi die rooi soetrissies by en laat dit vir nog 30 minute prut. Geur na smaak met sout en vars gemaalde swartpeper. Sit voor met roketpesto en suurroom bo-oor, en rond dit af met nog ’n strooisel paprika.

Roketpesto

Meng 30 g (een pakkie) vars roket in ’n voedselverwerker saam met twee knoffelhuisies, 50 ml geroosterde amandels of dennepitte, 45 ml fyngerasperde parmesaankaas en 30 ml olyfolie. Pols dit tot dit ’n pasta vorm. Gooi nog 20 ml tot 30 ml olyfolie by en pols dit verder om deeglik te meng. As jy nie tyd het om dit self te maak nie, kan jy ook klaargemaakte pesto by jou deli of supermark koop.

Slowly but surely...

    

40 hexagons done -  250 to go .... 
That means I've finished about 20% of my first ever handmade blanket !!  (yes - it's a huge blanket !!)
I love the colours (there are plenty more waiting) and I can actually see it slowly but surely coming together... 

Life is Beautiful...

It is school holidays which usually mean that life is a bit busier than usual – and so it is, again (the reason why I have not been blogging for a while)

So much have happened over the past few fun-filled, hectic weeks... here are just a few of the many happenings which I loved:

 

We took Ralden to a rugby match at Loftus where he actually met his one big Bulls Idol – Pierre Spies.  He was thrilled and I think this must have been the highlight of his holiday.

 It was amazing to watch him ... my son is growing up too fast. The two men in my life having common ground and shared emotions at different stages of the game ... and my heart smiles because this is exactly what I have dreamed almost ten years ago since I found out the  growing little bulge in my tummy  was male...  That he is – he is just like his dad and I love that !

 

Uzaan and myself had some “girl-fun-time” as well.  We spent many moments together lying on a blanket under the tree chatting while the boys were playing cricket, etc.

 I took her to a hair salon for the first time for a cut&blow.  Up until now I was the one doing the cutting but decided that she should now experience the whole ritual as it should be ...     She was a bit scared at first but soon got into the whole thing and ended up very excited about her “short” hair.

 

Hubby and I took some well deserved time for ourselves as well, we went on a weeklong biking trip from Cape Town to Plettenberg Bay and back via Route 62.  We’ve done this trip a few times and every time is so special still. 

The little favourite places to sleep over or have lunch. Places where the owners have become part of our group of friends and we spent hours catching up on the times since we’ve last been there...

The few days together as just the two of us... the comfort in knowing that we can just be and enjoy while the kids are very happy being spoiled by Granny & Gramps.

But I think of all the many things happening in our lives during this very busy holiday time, one of my favourite things is just being at home doing as little as possible for as long as possible...

 

Uzaan's input

A while ago I was busy on my laptop with another photo collage for the blog when Uzaan asked what it was for... after some explanation on what a blog is, and why this one is called "Stuff that I luv"... she made me this picture of 'love',  that I am now using as my new header.

What can I say .... this is the stuff I luv !!  My daughter, thinking it is cool that I am doing this and wanting to be part of it!!   

More stuff to follow soon>>>

Coffee ... need I say more?

There are many things that excite me in an instant, but few of them as much as a well presented, aromatic, big cup of coffee!!

The first cup of the day will always be the most special - since it is usually made by and accompanied by my husband! There is no better way for me to wake up during weekends/holidays with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, held by my hubby with a very charming smile that says: “I know I’ve scored big on brownie points with this” And he would be right!!

Seriously though, I am very blessed to have a ‘fellow-coffee-lover’ as a husband who makes the time whenever possible to share in this relationship ritual.

During the week this ritual takes up a different form -  I like to think of it as the ‘breakfast-boogie’ where we dance around one another in the kitchen... me trying to get the kids fed and ready for school and him trying to get the coffee pot going and the cups filled. 

But once the kids left for school we have a few minutes to sit outside, catch our breath and start our day filled with hope & joy...

Still my favourite mugs - a gift from Ansa!

Then there is the ‘going out for coffee’ and everything that comes with it  -

The unmistakable “Mmhhhmm” that comes with every first sip of a good cuppacino, easy conversation shared between me and whoever is joining me and the ‘heart-smile’ I get when I am doing something that I love. 

Going out for coffee to me is more than just sitting down for a few minutes and enjoying a cup of warm fluid together (or even alone...)

 Going out for coffee to me is a sensory accumulation... 

No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odour to the nostrils.  ~Henry Ward Beecher

Drinking coffee is not just an action it’s an experience... 

A cup of coffee shared with a friend is happiness tasted and time well spent. 
(Anonymous) 

So often I take a photo of my cup with my cell phone.... I lost count on how many of these moments have been captured and sent to friends and family (especially those far away) in the hope that they too will feel the contentment for a few stolen minutes in which I can just sip and mmmhhmm...  One of the many “joys in my life” (as my niece calls it). 

I hope they (the recipients of my many coffee-pic’s) realise that I send these photo’s wishing them the same joy but also wanting them to know that  I am wishing we could share in that very specific moment...  

So while I'm on my way to pour in my last cup of coffee for the day I will leave you with a few good quotes on coffee:

Over second and third cups flow matters of high finance, high state, common gossip and low comedy.  [Coffee] is a social binder, a warmer of tongues, a soberer of minds, a stimulant of wit, a foiler of sleep if you want it so.  From roadside mugs to the classic demi-tasse, it is the perfect democrat. 
 ~Author Unknown

I don't have a problem with caffeine.  I have a problem without caffeine!  

~Author Unknown

Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee. 

 ~Stephanie Piro

All the coffee in Columbia won't make me a morning person.  

~Author Unknown

MmmHHmmmm .......

love this...

Yesterday Ralden (age 9) brought this home from school ... 
Isn't it precious !!!
The teacher asked them to share their favourite things and to think about what it is that keeps them going ...
I just love this ... made a copy to frame for his room as well.


Oh - if you were wondering his favourite food is STEAK!


Have a good week!