THE CIRCLE
VOLUME 9 DECEMBER 2021
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In this issue: 1. Somerkersfees Koos du Plessis composed this lovely carol for children in South Africa, where Christmas is celebrated in the middle of summer.
2. The villa San Michele Physician Axel Munthe built his dream villa on the site of a ruined 15th century church on the island of Capri. One of the most panoramic spots on the island, and surrounded by pergolas and trellis-covered colonnades, San Michele was Munthe’s home for more than 50 years.
3. The last-minute no-cook fruitcake No cooking required for Marthinette’s fruitcake recipe.
1. Somerkersfees Summer Christmas
Introduction I first sang this haunting carol with the Capital Singers Choir of Pretoria some 8 or 9 years ago. There were less than 100 singers at our first performance, and at the final performance before the Covid lockdown the choir had grown to over 1000 singers.
Somerkersfees was written for children in South Africa, where Christmas is celebrated in the middle of summer with no snow. The song was written for a competition asking for new Christmas Carols, but did not win. 5
Somerkersfees The composer Koos du Plessis (1945 – 1984) was a South African singer-songwriter and poet. He was best known for the success of his song "Kinders van die Wind" ("Children of the Wind") performed by another local singer Laurika Rauch. His songs, in his home language of Afrikaans, started being recorded by other artists during the 1970’s. Today many of his songs have become standards and his work has been covered by more artists that any other South African composer. He made three albums before he died in a car accident in 1984, with a fourth album released after his death. Koos du Plessis worked as a journalist and editor for several Afrikaans newspapers.
Somerkersfees For South African subscribers to The Circle, and former South Africans now living in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, The United Kingdom and in the United States, these are the original words as Koos wrote them in his home language. For all our other Circle members, I have added an English version immediately below. Welkom, o stille nag van vrede, Welcome you silent night, so peaceful Onder die suiderkruis, Under the Southern Cross Wyl stemme uit die ou verlede As voices from our heritage oor sterrevelde ruis. Whisper from fields of stars Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom Christmas is near, Christmas is near Gee aan God die eer Honour to the lord Skenk ons ‘n helder Give us a glorious Somer-kersfees Summer Christmas In hierdie land, o Heer. In this dear land, o Lord.
Somerkersfees Verse 2 Hoor jy hoe sag die klokke beier in eeue-oue taal Kyk, selfs die nagtelike swye vertel die ou verhaal Kersfees kom, Kersfees kom Gee aan God die eer Skenk ons ‘n helder Somer-Kersfees In hierdie land, o Heer Do you hear the bells ringing in an ancient language
Even the silence of the night tells the old familiar story Christmas is near, Christmas is near, praise be to the lord Give us a glorious Summer Christmas, In this dear land, oh Lord.
Somerkersfees Verse 3 The original has only two verses. Songwriter Jannie du Toit added this third verse:
Voel jy ook nou Sy warm liefde as ons die dag gedenk, Toe Hy sy Seun aan ons gegee het – ons grootste Kersgeskenk. Christus kom, Christus kom, Gee aan God die eer. Skenk ons ‘n helder Somerkersfees In hierdie land, o Heer. Do you feel His warm love as we remember this day When He gave us His son - our greatest Christmas gift Christ is coming, Christ is coming, praise be to the lord Give us a bright Summer Christmas In our land, o Lord.
2. The villa San Michele Capri, Amalfi coast
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Introduction The emperor Tiberius left Rome in 26 AD, never to return. He spent the rest of his life on the island of Capri on the Amalfi coast, where he built several villas.
Capri’s rocky cliffs rise directly from the sea. Its worldfamous views include the natural wonder of the Blue Grotto whose azure colours and light defies reality.
The villa of San Michele stands on a high rocky outcrop 325 metres above the sea, with views over the Bay of Naples and the Sorrentine peninsula. It is one of Capri's main tourist attractions, on a par with the Blue Grotto.
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The villa of San Michele
Bay of Naples from San Michele
The Phoenician steps To reach Capri, take a ferry from Naples or Sorrento, and in the summer, from Positano, Amalfi, Salerno, or Ischia. From the ferry port, you can catch a bus right across the island up to the village of Anacapri sitting high above the Mediterranean. From Anacapri it’s a short walk to the Villa.
Alternatively, for the energetic, you can climb the 921 Phoenician Steps, the long and steep stone stairway that unites the population centre of Capri town with Anacapri village. The stairway was probably built by ancient Greek colonists, rather than by Phoenicians, and takes about an hour of hard climbing.
Axel Munthe Swedish physician and writer Axel Munthe (1857 -1949) bought the ruins of a 15th century church on land above Anacapri. He spent much of his life building and furnishing the villa San Michele, and laying out the surrounding gardens on the site. When Munthe began excavating, he found ancient marble columns and mosaics lying buried beneath the soil. He discovered the church in turn had been built on top of the ruins of one of Emperor Tiberius’ villas. Munthe added Tiberius’ marble column fragments and statues he found on the site, to the collection of Roman, Etruscan, and Egyptian artefacts he accumulated during his years of travel.
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San Michele Munthe had no prior experience as an architect, but the Villa has been described by experts over the years as a work of architectural genius. The house was built to his own design, with, in his own words: “columns of priceless marble, supporting loggias and arcades, beautiful fragments from past ages strewn all over my garden, the chapel turned into a silent library with cloister stalls round the walls, and sweet-sounding bells ringing Ave Maria over each happy day.”
San Michele Visitors can admire Munthe’s collection of antiquities. There is a statue of the head of Medusa and a marble bust of the Emperor Tiberius. You will find sacred Medieval art, Tuscan furnishings from the 1700s, Roman frescoes and statues, and a marble mosaic table. An Egyptian sphinx sits on one of the most panoramic spots on Villa San Michele.
The surrounding gardens are lush with Mediterranean flora, including camelias, hydrangeas, rose bushes, and pine and cyprus trees encircled by a white, trellis-covered colonnade. From the garden, the view over the Gulf of Naples is unforgettable. 5
San Michele Munthe’s well-known book The Story of San Michele has been translated into 50 languages. It has sold millions of copies all over the world and continues to be republished regularly.
San Michele was Munthe’s home for more than 50 years.
The villa has been left as he created it, with his furniture and his eccentric collection of curios and antiquities, acquired over a lifetime. It is now run as a museum and a privileged retreat for scholarship-winning artists, researchers, students and journalists who can spend time there dedicated to study.
The gardens of San Michele
3. Last-minute nobake fruitcake This bachelor-proof (cannot flop) no-bake fruitcake is quick and easy to make. The cake can be cut into thin slices and served with ice-cream as a dessert. The fruity truffles are a sweet treat to serve with coffee and tea. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for up to 3 months.
This is a modified version of Marthinette’s mother’s original recipe.
Last-minute no-bake fruitcake Ingredients 125 g (1/2 cup) butter or margarine 125 ml (1/2 cup) brown sugar 1 can (380 g) evaporated milk (Ideal Milk) 500 g dried fruitcake mix 200 g dates - chopped 125 g red or green glacé cherries – cut in half 125 ml (½ cup) mixed nuts – roughly chopped 45 ml Brandy (optional) 15 ml lemon juice 1 extra-large large egg - whisked 5 ml Vanilla essence 2 packets (200 g each) Tennis biscuits - crushed Desiccated coconut
Last-minute no-bake fruitcake Method Grease a cake or bread tin with butter, margarine or non-stick spray. Mix the dried fruit cake mix, cherries, dates and nuts in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the brandy and lemon juice over. Melt the butter and sugar in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the evaporated milk and while stirring, bring to boiling point. Add the fruit mix, egg, vanilla essence and crushed biscuits and mix well. Stir the mixture until it just starts to boil and pull away from side of saucepan. Remove from heat.
For the cake: Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Cover with aluminium foil and chill. Before serving, loosen sides of cake with a knife and unmould on a plate. Sprinkle with coconut. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
For the fruity truffles Allow the mixture to cool and roll into small balls. Roll each ball in coconut and store in an airtight container in the fridge.
“May the joy and wonder of Christmas fill every corner of your heart and home — now and always.” John and Marthinette
THE CIRCLE
VOLUME 9 DECEMBER 2021
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