Beauty along our roads from a distant turbulent tragic past

DeOudeHuize

Cosmos beauty along our roads 

Today we are sharing our blog with Andrew Barlow.  
He was born in 1931 and he attended school Wartburg Kirchdorf School.  
He is a full-time novelist, historical and current affairs analyst with a love of coffee, horses and cats.  
He was the Head Regional Magistrate of South African Department of Justice.  Andrew and me at a gathering.  

Where does one start with a story which still raises deep seated emotions?
Please read more about this "historical" flowers here 

Along many of our roads all over South Africa the sides of many of our roads and often in the veld for long distances the Cosmos flowers are to be seen in Autumn. 

They are beautiful and are in several colours. 

Many motorists are so captivated by their beauty that they stop and look and and are entranced by the calm serenity and prettiness of these flowers. 

Nowadays only a very few people know where and how these flowers came into the country.

The magic of Autumn in South Africa 

During 1899 to 1902 the South African War was fought between the two Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal on the one side and the British Empire on the other side. 

The total Afrikaner population of the two republics was about two hundred and fifty thousand people.

The British High Command believed that it would need only infantry to wage the war but soon found that against a highly mobile force of Boer Commandos mounted on their Boer Perde it needed ever increasing horse mounted soldiers. 

Apart from the horses available in the country it had to import many thousands of horses from all the colonies and from other countries such as the United States and Europe and especially from the Argentine. 
British troopers needed horses during the Boer War. 
Those horses were sent, via ship, to South Africa.

Horses bound for war, transported via double stalls on a shade-covered ship's deck.
(Horses on Board Ship: A Guide to Their Management, by Captain M. Horace Hayes) 

To feed these horses huge amounts of fodder had to be imported. 

During the course of that war far more than five hundred thousand horses were used. Of these more than three hundred thousand died.

They died from sickness, from being killed in battles and skirmishes and in the case of the Commandos from being ridden to death.

In the fodder imported from Argentine were cosmos and khaki bush.
This photo is the khaki bush in bloom 

Cosmos 

Wherever the British horses moved across the country, all over the Free State, the Cape Colony and the Transvaal the seeds of these plants germinated and grew.

Along our roads, along many of our roads and in large parts of our veld these flowers are a beautiful reminder of a vicious war.

In Port Elizabeth there is a monument to these horses. Of a soldier holding a bucket of water for his horse. 

Whenever I have seen that monument I have had great difficulty to hide my tears. Tears of sorrow that the most noble of all animals has had to die in a senseless human war.

The Horse Memorial (Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, South Africa) bears the words: "greatness of a nation consists not so much in the number of its people or the extent of its territory as in the extent and justice of its compassion" "erected by public subscription in recognition of the services of the gallant animals which perished in the anglo boer war 1899-1902"

If you pass the Cosmos Flowers along our roads salute the horses who brought this flower to this country.

The pink and white patches on the wheat fields 

Dancing in the wind 

Thank you for taking this trip along memory lane 
Till next time greetings from South Africa 
Sandra 

Red Onion Marmalade

Often we utter the words - know what would be great with this? 

Onion Marmalade 

Then I asked myself how difficult it could be to make this sweet sticky onion marmalade. 

It turns out, it's the easiest recipes to fill your own jars with. 

Caramelized Onion Marmalade makes a delicious topping for bruschetta or pizza; it's also a nice complement to grilled steak, chicken, or pork. Try it with pâtés, terrines or a ploughman’s lunch 

Red Onion Marmalade 

2kg red onions 

4 garlic cloves – have used 3 elephant garlic cloves

Enough olive oil and butter

140g brown sugar 

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves 

750ml red wine 

350ml vinegar 

200ml port

 Method 

Halve and thinly slice the onions and garlic. 

Melt the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a high heat. 

Tip in the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter. 

Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves and some salt and pepper. 

Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly. 

Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they’re really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelizing. 

They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. 

Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part. 

Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. 

It’s done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice. 

Leave the onions to cool in the pan, then scoop into sterilized jars and seal.  

Till next time 

Sandra 

Restoring a house in Harrismith

Restoring a house in Harrismith

On a drive through Harrismith, we fell in love with a ruin standing on a large piece of land.

You have to love old buildings and believe in the quote of Arthur Erickson 

“Great buildings that move the spirit have always been rare. In every case they are unique, poetic and products of the heart."

Yes we bought the old lady, with a beautiful view toward Platberg, in October 2000 and moved to our new home 3 months later. You can read more about this here

The biggest question was where do we start.

During the time before moving we visited Trevor Evans, a wonderful architect specializing in old South African buildings.

We left with building plans and lots of information.

Now to give a little detail – we bought a dream to renovate while we do some soul finding.

Our house was built with sun-baked clay, compressed into brick forms and stone.

The foundations are packed sandstone blocks

There is no cement between the layers of mud bricks

The wood work were layered with up to 7 layers of paint, but that is what protected it though the years

Mr Venter, one of the previous owner's, son-in-law standing at the front door.
Hennie using a hot flame to remove paint from the front door 

The ceilings are high and rest on yellowwood beams 

What we learned was that these special house needs to breathe and flex like living things. 

The dry environment, the heat, the cold, extreme as it is, has shaped it, made it strong and preserved it.

When we look back, the cleaning process was the biggest challenge. 

After we had cleaned for 2 months we could start the renovation process. 

We followed the route of don’t over-restore. Keep it simple. 

Our biggest expense was time. 

Frances Mayes words reminded us of where we are: “Where you are is who you are. The further inside you moves, the more your identity is intertwined with it. Never casual, the choice of place is the choice of something you crave.” 

Whitewash was part of the process and we tried and tested many recipes and being an old house we did not want the perfect finish. We opt for Yellows and burnt Sienna for color. 

We did not remove any old mouldings and had some copied to match the originals. 

We had only used, salvaged building materials. 

We learned the hard way that polyfilla is a no-no for a mud built house. This two does not gel. We decided to renovate one room at a time. Life offers you a thousand changes … all you have to do is take one. 

Walls protect the dreamers and unthinkably good things can happen. 

Till next time 

Sandra 

The Oliviershoek Pass via the R74

The R74 is the primary route to the Northern uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage site 

The road runs alongside the spectacular Sterkfontein Dam and down the equally spectacular Olivierhoek pass on to the mountains.

For many years this section of the R74 that runs along the dam has fallen into 

terrible disrepair but in December 2015 the newly built road was once again opened. 

We took the road and like to share our experience.

Sterkfontein Dam 

Sterkfontein Dam and all the interesting names
Sandy Bay is the area situated next to the R74
The name Poacher's Corner keeps us wondering

This dam is part of the Tugela-Vaal Water Project and located on the Nuwejaarspruit, 

a tributary of the Wilge River in the upper catchment area of the Vaal River. 

Nuwejaarspruit 

Views of Sterkfontein Dam 

The dam receives its water via the Tugela-vaal Project which is a pumped-storage 

scheme involving the net transfer of up to 630 million cubic meters of water and 

stored in the dam. The Dam is a highly effective reservoir, since it has the depth 

to store a large amount of water with very little loss to evaporation. 

It comprises of a 93 meters high earthfill embankment 3,050 long with no spillway. 
Thanks to Joburg2c for sharing the photo 

It is the largest dam wall in South Africa with regards to volume while the reservoir 

formed by the dam is the third largest in the country. 

At full supply capacity of 2,656 million cubic meters and a surface area of no more than 70 km.

The circumference is approximately 102 km 

It is situated in a nature reserve with 12000 hectares of considered land offering, wildlife, birding, boating, watersports, flyfishing and magnificent views over the Drakensberg. 

It is one of the windiest inland spots with the most consistend wind 

throughout the year and wind can pick up to over 30 knots within minutes 

and makes it ideal for windsurfing. 

Windsurfing 

It is also home to the annual Sterkiesswim 3000 m in February 

The vulture restaurant used to be a place where fresh and poison free carcasses were put out to feed the vultures and it contribute to the survival of the birds especially during periods of food scarcity and when young birds fledge. 

We hope that this project will once again be up and running 

It is home to the endangered Oribi and White Tail Rat, 

the vulnerable De Winton's long-eared bats, 

the Lammergeier

the Near-threatened South African Hedgehog

Kerkenberg 

The site is so named because the Voortrekker’s priest, Erasmus Smit, deemed the cluster of rocks at its base was worthy of a church. The heritage markers that can be visited are the Retief Klip, a stone engraved by the leader's daughter Deborah on his birthday to commemorate the Boer's successful land negotiations, and Retief Pass, the old wagon trail used by Piet Retief to descend into KwaZulu-Natal.

You can read more about the Kaalvoet Vrou here https://deoudehuize.blogspot.com/2017/06/kaalvoet-vrou-monument.html

 

 A visit to this area will not be complete if you do not take the dirt road to Leon and Elsa. They share a passion for the beauty of the past and have established a farm museum.

You can read more about Leon and Elsa Strachan here https://deoudehuize.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-ness-of-elsa-and-leon.html

 

Driekloofdam at the bottom
The old sandstone quarry
You will find a little bit more about the quarry and a certain Flip Pieterse
on this blog post
Wild flowers
Old ruin

Oliviershoek Pass 

The summit point of 1758 m above sea level and is close to the most southerly arm 

of the Sterkfontein Dam.  

The descent is gentle and enters a wide S-bed which straightens out at the 2 km point. 

it is often used as an alternative route to Van Reenen's Pass but for us it is a scenic alternative to the Northern Drankensberg. Interestingly, and to add a little history to the mix, it was along this area in October 1837, that Piet Retief and his trek party climbed the Drakensberg.  

Thank you for joining us on this wonderful scenic drive on the R74. 

Till next time

Sandra and Hennie

Flourless Chocolate Cake

DeOudeHuize

As the festive season draws closer we would like to celebrate with something different 

To show your appreciation bake this cake for the chocolate-lovers in your family. 

Today we will be sharing a wonderful recipe from The Liz McGrath Collection 

What is a Flourless Chocolate Cake
It is a type of cake made from aerated chocolate custard and it wows with its smooth and luscious texture.
It is also simple to make. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes one
85g unsalted butter
225g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
6 large eggs, separated
125g granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 135 degrees Celsius.

Melt the chocolate and butter over a bain-marie. 

Let it cook slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites till soft peak then start gradually adding the sugar. 

Continue whisking until stiff peak and glossy.

First fold half the whites into the chocolate then fold in the rest. 

Pour into a greased cake tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 135 degrees Celsius. 

The cake will pull away from the side when cooked. 

Cool on a cake rack and dust with icing sugar. 

To serve, garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Thanks for joining us and we hope that this unique cake will soon be part of your menu.   

Sending Lots of Love from South Africa 

Sandra 

A Stroll Thru Life; A delightsome life; Craft Berry Bush; Crafty Allie; 

Create with Joy; China on a shoestring; Confessions of a Plate Addict; Elizabeth & Co; 

Embracing Change;  Fishtail Cottage; Funky Junk; Have a Daily Cup;Imige-in-ingblog; 
Ivy and Elephants; Katherines Corner; Knick of Time; Life on Lakeshore; My Romantic Home; 

My Salvaged Treasures; Miss Mustardseed; Rooted in thyme; Redoux Interiors; 
The Dedicated House; Shabby Art; Savvy Southern style; Sweet Bella Roos; 

The Shabby Nest; The Jenny Evolution; Too Much Time  

Believe in well-made bed

DeOudeHuize

Sleep is the best meditation." - Dalai Lama

What could be better than slipping into a crisp, well-made bed? 

Rebecca, our housekeeper that is responsible for the making of the guest room beds, and 

Aletta, our housekeeper that is responsible for the crisp and fresh feel of our linen 

we say thank you. 

De Oude Huize Yard shares a few secrets for making the perfect bed.

Using an excellent cotton sheet is very important
We always make sure that it is white and crisp 

The right pillows is very important. 

We make sure that they are of the best quality aren't prone to sagging.

When prepping the pillows, they get a karate chop down the center of the pillow 

to fluff it then fold in half lengthwise and insert into its case.

We prefer a oxford style pillow case with a beautiful satin stitched border 

For a more attractive look and to ease the ironing we use a flat sheet instead of a fitted sheet. 

For the bottom sheet we tuck it in top and bottom and at each corner it is lift to form a triangle. 

Pull and tuck the sheet under. 

With the top sheet the bottom is tuck in, leaving sides hanging. 

Fold the top of sheet back around 15 centimeters.

From bottom to top:  handmade quilt, fluffy soft blanket, cotton thermal blanket,
flat sheet with lace use as top sheet, flat sheet used as a bottom sheet and
Oxford pillow cases with satin stitching 

Place the pillows on top 

Fold the quilt to about 50 centimeters and place at the bottom of the bed 

Thanks for joining us and if you do have any tips for the perfect bed please let us know in the comments.  

Sending Lots of Love from South Africa 

Sandra 

A Stroll Thru Life; A delightsome life; Craft Berry Bush; Crafty Allie; 

Create with Joy; China on a shoestring; Confessions of a Plate Addict; Elizabeth & Co; 

Embracing Change;  Fishtail Cottage; Funky Junk; Have a Daily Cup;Imige-in-ingblog; 
Ivy and Elephants; Katherines Corner; Knick of Time; Life on Lakeshore; My Romantic Home; 

My Salvaged Treasures; Miss Mustardseed; Rooted in thyme; Redoux Interiors; 
The Dedicated House; Shabby Art; Savvy Southern style; Sweet Bella Roos; 

The Shabby Nest; The Jenny Evolution; Too Much Time  

Sandstone through the lens in the Eastern Free State

DeOudeHuize

Harrismith and surroundings 

Even the land itself was recycled.
This is the site of an old farm house

I grew up in a small town but through pictures and books I know the world

Entrance to the Military Cemetery 

The outbuilding on a farm yard 

Only memories remain

An outside cooler with the water tank at the top 

The gate post tells the the story of an abandoned entrance to a farm 

Fence post

An Outbuilding on a farm 

An unfinished farm manor house with a never ending view 

Sandstone and Wheelbarrow 

An early bridge to cross a river 

The foundation stone in a building 

A small bridge built with sandstone

The ruins on a farm 

What makes most people comfortable is some sort of sense of nostalgia.
I grew up in a small town, and I could count my friends on one hand, and I still live that way.
I think I'll die in a small town.
When I can't move my bones around a stage any more,
you'll find me living in a place that's spread out and rural and spacious
De Oude Huize Yard

A Hawkins dam wall was built using sandstone 

There are all kinds of futures.
There is a hoped-for future,
there is a feared future,
there is a predictable future,
and there is an unimagined future.

When we trust in the natural goodness around us,
we open ourselves for the blessings of life to flow toward us

Vision stands on the shoulders of what is actual
to get a better view of what is possible

The tragedy of  abandonment

Wonderful craftmanship 

A dam built using sandstone 

Thank you to everyone that supplied photo's 

Thanks for joining us on a short walk and hopeful you enjoy the sandstone as we do. visit to this building and the interesting history hiding between die walls. 
Sending lots of love from South Africa 

Sandra