Towerwater Aan De Breede: Of birthdays and blossoms

Tuesday 27 August 2019

Of birthdays and blossoms

Driving home to Towerwater, I noticed the big old Almond tree alongside the road between the towns of Robertson and Bonnievale, once again in full blossom. Seeing the plum orchard near Wolvendrift, reminded me that it is the fifth year since I started the blog. A photograph of the espaliered plum trees in blossom, was in fact the first image to be posted on the blog.

Almond tree alongside the road between the towns of Robertson and Bonnievale

Now it is five years later. I still feel the same excitement when preparing the Towerwater garden for spring as I did during that first post. I could never have thought that the story of an old Cape farmhouse would find an international audience. As the blog approaches 110000 pageviews, I still wonder about the people who read it in Russia, Belgium, India, Egypt, Kenya, Syria, and another 130 countries.

Towerwater front facade

One must wonder how many stories there are in the world that never get told. Stories of the interesting lives led by creative people in their own unique way. I also realise that we are losing valuable vernacular histories in the process. The art of passing on vernacular skills and histories from generation to generation, is disappearing.

Orchards and windbreaks outside Bonnievale

I hope that my blog will help to keep some of my culture and its traditions alive. I should write more and record precious vernacular skills and recipes. This year has, and is proving to be, a year for major changes in our lives at Towerwater. Time for recording and writing is often sacrificed for the actual activities of gardening, harvesting, preparing, preserving and effecting long-overdue changes.

Violets in the garden

Violets in a Towerwater fruit salad

I feel the pangs of guilt for not writing more in the course of this year. I am also aware that there will come a period when I can dedicate more time to writing. I am nonetheless happy that I can celebrate five years of writing this blog. Knowing that somewhere in the world, someone is enjoying reading it as much as I am its writing.