Mist Rolls In

The Jozi weather is slowly changing from summer into autumn. We had a lovely summer thunderstorm mid afternoon then the mist rolled in. Silient fingers of white mist was creeping down into the gorge though the veil of low clouds. Standing on my deck hoping to catch a lovely sunset, the mist had this sinister feel to it with not a sound of birds or other wildlife.

Franki I don’t give a Damn

Oh boy, yesterday while at Decorex, I heard the news that a contractor had seriously damaged a main water artery in Constantia Kloof, about 10km to the South East from our home. At first I thought that it was too far and not affect us but someone forgot to tell Joburg Water as they decided to turn off all the water supplies across the entire ridge system so that they could drain the site.

Our water pipes ran dry in the early evening and the news coming through the media did not look good. One of the main contractors on site working when the accident occurred was Franki Africa which I assume is the main culprit as no one is giving us any information as to who is responsible. I have a lot of questions as to why I am sitting without water so far from the problem.

• Who is the contractor responsible for this? 

• Why didn’t anyone have plans to where this main water artery was? It is a 750mm pipeline for Frankie’s sake, not a small water pipe. 

• The system is designed interconnected to feed each sector if one reservoir goes down, but surely these interconnecting sections can be isolated and why isn’t there anyone in Joburg Water that knows how to and where to isolate each section from the other as not to affect nearly all the West Rand which is now without water? Come on chaps, really? Did you really have to turn off such a large area?

So news in is that finally the area around the pipe is clear of water and sometime this evening repairs will start. Hopefully if all goes well we will have water again towards the end of tomorrow.

Grrrrrrr !!!! Feel my pain. Frankie Africa, if it was you or whoever the contractor is, I want nothing short of a big public apology and for you to cover any damage costs that might arise from having no water such as burst pipes or damaged geysers for about a week after the water is switched on. I am now inconvenienced big time and I don’t give a damn.

The Other Side

This is view of my home from the other side of the kloof. Somehow you can't see the scale of things that is seen from my deck but this is a rare view to me. Somehow the Protea trees don't seem so many from this vantage point. I wish I can get this area protected and stop the itinerants moving in, as they dig for gold in the sides of the cliffs, dig up medicinal tubers that are thousands of years old, and not to mention cut down the Protea trees for use as firewood.

Sunset Competition

After Matthew’s awesome photographs on Sunday with the sunsets in the kloof, I would be hard pressed to compete but today’s sunset just happened to present itself to me and I could not help myself.

Living on the edge

Part 2 of my 50th birthday celebrations is a Photowalk into the wilds that are my back garden ending off in a Cheese and Wine Sundowner. I invited the Joburg Photowalkers and my friends to this event which was aptly called Living on the Edge and quite a number did turn up.

Since I was the host and tour guide into the kloof, I gave Matthew my son my camera and these are a few of his images that he took except the bottom one of me and my Tardis cake which was taken by my friend Zoe. The Tardis cake was difficult to cut on Friday because it was so beautiful. Anyway we did get round to cutting the cake this evening after the Cheese and Wine. More of Matthew’s photos can be seen on my Facebook album Living on the Edge.

Ben in the Veldt

Monday when the labourers were cutting the firebreak, I took a walk with my dogs into the veldt and down to bottom gorge. On my hike I found someone’s driver's licence which was later linked to a house break in about a month ago. This was all the proof that we need to link the people living in this green belt to crime in the area.

Today I took my neighbour Pieter and his dog Ben to show him the place where I found the driver's licence, this time we went another route and found lots more such as a Congolese passport and a doctor's South African Medical Association Practice identity. This new evidence links to a house breaking in November last year.

A badly damaged Protea Tree

I have found out that the source of the stream below which is just up this gorge is deemed holy water to some religious group who come and pray here in the hills and get baptised often in these waters. This is now serious as criminals coming into area and operating from the safety of the gorge with its many escape routes, are mixing in with the pious. How are we going to separate the religious and the criminals?

Thank goodness, signs of life in what seemed to be a dead Protea Tree

Along with the old prospecting tunnels that are being used for living and I hope not, illegal gold mining, indigenous trees are being cut down at an alarming rate in this gorge for fire wood, soon there won’t be much left.

While standing overlooking the gorge, what looked like a juvenile Black Eagle flew up the gorge below us looking for the dassies which had already scrambled to safety ahead of the noisy humans. Dassies are the local word for the Rock Hyrax which were once plentiful in this area and are the main source of food for the Black Eagles.

Please note that I am planning a photowalk in the area along with the Joburg Photowalkers in celebration of my 50th birthday which is coming up next month. This is part of Johannesburg that many don't know about, and the exposure that the Photowalkers can bring is priceless as I found out that the council wants to rehabilitate the hiking trails below.

Calling in the Airforce

We chose this house because we fell in love with the quietness of the countryside even though it is close enough to be in the city, plus it has a view. When we bought we imagined living in the wilderness but with the comfort of the city.

But after moving in we found that the worst of city living was just as close, vagrants had moved into the gorge below our house, no permanent dwellings but into the caves, nooks, and holes. It is not safe walking alone in the veld. Probably just as safe as walking in the Jozi CBD.

This morning I saw someone had constructed a makeshift shelter with what looks like white plastic up the side of the cliff not too far from the cave in which some of these illegals are squatting in. So we sent in the airforce, in the form of a Phantom IV drone, to investigate the white plastic shelter and get some evidence. Not sure what they are hiding under that white plastic but it gives another meaning of living on the edge. The footage of the gorge is fantastic, so enjoy. I think we should do more drone footage of this beautiful yet hidden part of Johannesburg.

Sunset Procrastination

A self imposed deadline due to procrastination has jumped up and bitten me on the buttocks. No time to waste, I dove straight in and while crunching code, an orange glow caught the corner of my eye and turning to see, I saw the sun setting and suddenly remembered my Photo a Day blog.

Working from home does have some benefits except the procrastination part.

Cloud Burst

To match my sombre mood from yesterday, the gods in heaven decided it best to give me a cloud burst of rain that would wash away all those sad thoughts. Depression is a reality for me and I am walking ever so close to that line. All I have to go on is my faith and that 1 verse that is found in Psalm 32:8 that God gave me late last year, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

Fire in the Sky

With the cyclone passing over us with not much hoo-ha other than gusty winds and an increase in rainfall but the clouds during the sunset was fiery spectacular. A short post for a change as I enjoy this sundowner moment.

Weather Clearing

After a raining month, the weather looks like it is starting to clear as this beautiful sunset shows compared to yesterday morning’s photograph of mist and rain. At least there will be a break so that we can get some washing done and hung out to dry in the coming sunny days.

Evening on the Deck

Sitting on our deck on a balmy Joburg evening, hoping for a summer thunderstorm. This is life! It has been storming most days now for nearly the entire month of December. The storms cool the summers down quite nicely thank you. So here I am sitting on the deck, feet up, drinking sundowners even though we can’t see the sun due to ominous black clouds to the west which looks promising.

After the Storm

Yesterday evening we had a storm come through that uplifted trees in the neighbourhood. Even Minky our cat was caught unawares in our backyard somewhere and had to wait it out in the veld. She was one drenched and scared cat when returned after the storm.

Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me.

The howling wind reminded me of staying in Noordhoek, Cape Town, when that when used to channel down the mountainside, frightening me.

Calm, peaceful, this evening is. The storm clouds have moved along and it is quite pleasant sitting on my deck after the storm.

Lost

Minky our cat left home this morning about 5am and has not returned. It is getting rather late and we have to just pray that she is not something’s lunch and finds her way home.

View to the left

It is not from lack of trying as search parties of one (me) was sent out into our front yard to call for her but it is like looking of a needle in a hay stack. You have already seen photos from our deck of straight in from of our home; these 2 photos are taken of the view to the left and right. Now where do I start? In the view right photo below, in the middle, just under 2kms away is the black eagle’s nest at the Botanical Gardens; and surely there are some eagle owls in the area. Oh no, more to worry about.

View to the right

House Arrest

The cats have been confined to the house until they get use to their sanctuary. Our new home is a safe place for them, no more Killer Jack Russell dog packs to threaten their lives. Only the nesting Black Eagle pair just down the valley to worry about. Just a few more days of house arrest, Minky, just a few more days.

Stormy Sunset

With all the unpacking, I am getting behind on my blog. In between all of the sorting, I have been waiting a sunset at our new home but it has been stormy every evening since we have been here. Tonight gave a hint of the elusive sunset as the ominous weather threatened.

It was kind of awe inspiring watching the evening storm unfold from my deck.

Day 2 Home Sweet Home

The move is ongoing as we head into Day 2. Well I think we might be leaning towards hoarders, ouch. How did we get so much into a small 2 bedroom cottage in the farming area on the banks of the Jukskei River to the Roodepoort Ridge.

The air is cooler up in the mountains, the view is better, but the best part of it all, no more flies and no more stick of the neighbouring farm’s pigs. Did I mention no more flies?

Home Sweet Home.