STANFORD RIVER TALK Volume 130 | JULY 2016 | Stanford‘s monthly newspaper | R15
E L D PAD R E W O P
Tasting Room open 7 days a week, 08:30 - 17:00
STANFORD RIVER TALK 1
VILLAGE SNAPSHOTS
Pink sky at night, sailor's delight. Taken by Jean Mari de Villiers.
Carrying Arabella back after operation. See page 4.
STANFORD RIVER TALK 2
Brave beekeepers after their first day on the Graze Self-sufficiency workshop.
Hops on the Hills – read all about it on page 5.
Friendly foes at Okkie Smuts. Turn to School The river and mountains: Stanford never fails in Talk page 7. offering us its pristine beauty.
COVER PHOTOGRAPH:
So long- farewell
Club vice-chairman, Felix Unite, with some of our young paddlers in the new SAMSA-approved life jackets donated by WCC. Taken by Bernard Oberholzer.
Dear Stanford It is with mixed emotions that both Sandra and I are putting the July issue, the final edition under our care, to bed. Thank you to the whole village for your unfailing support over the last seven years. You have helped us keep alive what Cape Town radio talk-show host, Mike Wills, once rated as one of the best community newspapers in South Africa! There are countless people who have given their time, skills and words to help produce the newspaper, some are still in the village and some have moved on to other places – without you, SRT would not have been so rich in content and quality. Thank you all. We wish the new owners all the best, and especially Karen McKee in her new role as editor – we’re sure the whole community is behind her to take the newspaper to new and better heights. Long live SRT! Sandra and Michelle
Editorial Contributions & Disclaimer: Editorial contributions are welcome and should include top quality photos where relevant. Articles will be printed under the contributor‘s name or an accepted nom-de-plume if the full name and address is provided. All contributions are voluntary and not paid for. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend, abridge or reject any article. Opinions of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor. Copyright: All material in this issue is copyrighted, and belongs to The Really Famous Publishing CC unless otherwise indicated. No part of the material may be reproduced without prior permission.
Write to us Please send your letters to ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za Try to keep letters as short as possible (100 words or less) and supply your name and address. Anonymous letters will not be published. The editor reserves the right to edit, amend, abridge or reject any letter.
STANFORD RIVER TALK
SEND US YOUR NEWS Karen McKee ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za 081 750 4006 www.stanfordrivertalk.co.za
MONTHLY CONTRIBUTORS Matt Chancey, Andrea Conrad, Suzanne FrancoisRossouw, Andrew Herriot, Olga Koorts, Brigitta Lauer, Karen McKee, Rev Hildie Pansegrouw, Martin Ranger, Bryan Robertson, Naas Terblanche, Tania Weich and James Yeats.
STANFORD RIVER TALK 3
news and updates
FEEDBACK ON MUNICIPAL MATTERS There will be no more ward committee meetings until after the municipal election on 3 August – and then a new Ward Committee will be elected. Until then, Stanford Conservation and Ratepayers will maintain their relationship with the municipality in a more informal manner and report back on municipal issues. MUNICIPAL ELECTION, 3 AUGUST If you are out of town on 3 August, please contact the municipality and/or your political party representative in Stanford and request a special vote. TRAFFIC CALMING IN DE BRUYN STREET After many years of requesting traffic calming measures for De Bruyn Street, these will be put in place in July (the start of the new municipal financial year). Instead of speed bumps, cement speed dips will be installed in two places (similar to those in Dreyer Street). This has a much better calming effect than speed bumps and will go a long way in reducing the dust problem to the abutting residences. CUTTING DOWN TREES FOR A BETTER VIEW A resident in JJ Swart Crescent recently decided to chop down a few wild olive trees on municipal land to obtain a better river view. Although the incident was reported to the municipal office in Stanford and the environmental section in Hermanus, nothing came of the matter as law enforcement requested statements from those who saw the trees being cut down so that it could stand up in a court of law. The decision was taken not to make a statement, as it was felt that law enforcement could clearly see that something illegal was happening. There is much unhappiness regarding this stance, as it opens the opportunity for everyone to chop down trees on municipal land should they feel the need to do so, even with a municipal tree policy being in place. Please contact the local municipal office before taking the law into your own hands.
From left: A close-up of the cut trees; the large area that was opened up with the plant and branch debris still clearly visible.
Keeping the Panthera girls healthy
Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary and Peter Coldwell – Jade, the lion, being sterilized.
Being a true sanctuary and an animal welfare project, Panthera Africa has again made great improvements and this time it was for the benefit of our females. As no breeding takes place it is in the females’ best interest to be sterilized as they stand a risk of cystic ovaries and cancer if they keep coming into heat without producing any offspring. The specialised vet, Dr. Peter Caldwell and his assistant Angie spent two days darting, operating, and performing health checks and everything went perfectly. One of the rescued lionesses, Jade, had severe growths and damage to her womb, which is a clear indication of excessive breeding the at her previous home. Arabella, the tiger female, showed signs of a compromised womb and after careful examination the vet diagnosed her as fully blind! Arabella has cataracts on both eyes from fever and illness as a cub and will need to undergo surgery within the next year. The vet is confident that he can restore 60 percent of her sight which will make a huge impact on the quality of her life. The operation will cost around R30 000, so a fundraiser will be held for her in the coming year. For further updates on our ladies’ recovery processes, please visit our Panthera Africa Facebook page www.facebook.com/pantheraafrica. Panthera Team
Penguin Plunge The Penguin Plunge has come and gone, and what a day! After all the dire weather warnings the previous week we were all holding thumbs for a little sun. And it turned into a glorious day – thanks to our Penguin Plunge Guardian Angels. There was a good crowd of both Penguins and Chickens, and the soup, bread, gluhwein and hot chocolate went down a treat … and don’t think we didn’t see all those bottles of OBS doing the rounds! All that remains is to say a huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the event – Mary Knight, Judy Brown, Peter and Hamish Ground, Fay Myron for making the super-cute penguin mascot, Penguin Tutoring and other sponsor for the beaded penguins, Anton (King Neptune) and Tracy, Rachel Troost, Ernie of River Rat, Yum Eat Café, Springfontein, Graze, Mosaic, Marian (T-shirt sales) and Ou Meul. But mostly to all you very brave Penguins and cheering Chickens – without you the day would not have been such a success. And let’s not forget the Rotarians and their better halves! Rotary Stanford
ROTARY STANFORD
Brave penguins in the Klein River.
Awesome plumbing service in the village
PlumbTec STANFORD RIVER TALK 4
082 609 0809
plumbtec.info@gmail.com
news and updates
Hops on the Hills
Lavender Rose is a small luxury bed and breakfast at reasonable rates. Situated on the banks of the Klein River with uninterrupted views of the Klein River Mountains. Children welcome. Local flavours and sounds: South African folk artist, Louise Carver, performing with Craig Hinds from Watershed.
TEL: 028 341 0098 CELL: 082 446 5156
The hills certainly were alive with the sound of music on 18 June, with the annual craft beer festival taking place at Stanford Hills Estate. This year saw 12 local craft brewers showing off their finest wares, including numerous new experimental brews. The local favourite reggae band, the Rivertones, entertained the crowd and helped to add to the festive chilled-out vibe. The highlight was the performance by top South African musicians Louise Carver and Watershed, who played all their own greatest hits as well as selected covers. DJ Sharklady then took over with some classic tunes and dancing to end off a fantastic day. Thanks everyone for the support, we look forward to seeing you next year! Jami Kastner
STANFORD PROPERTY SALES Ten properties in Stanford were issued with sale certificates in May. These figures include name transfers.
A right Royal welcome
Wining and dining at Sir Robert Stanford Estate.
In June, 17 members of Probus had a great time at Sir Robert Stanford’s Royal Oke. To warm us up on a lovely sunny but cold winter’s day, we started off with a wine tasting of the estate’s red, rosé and white wines, which we really enjoyed. Then we took a short walk along the path to the distillery where we were met by an enthusiastic and bubbly Sarikie who gave us a fascinating talk on how grappa and witblitz are made. Naturally, we had to taste a few before deciding which one we wanted to have with our dessert! Then it was onto the Royal Oke and another warm welcome by Else-Marie who prepared us a delicious lunch that we ate next to the roaring fire. What a wonderful time we had, made possible by both Sarikie and Else-Marie who made us feel so welcome. A definite must on the bucket list! Sarah James
☎☎☎☎☎☎☎☎☎
STANFORD EMERGENCY NUMBERS Fire & Rescue Emergencies 028 312 2400 • 079 507 7326 Overstrand Emergency Control Room 028 313 8111 Police 028 341 0601• 10177 Sewage truck 028 341 8500 Hermanus Medi-Clinic 028 313 0168 Hermanus Provincial Hospital 028 312 1166
The most popular Cheese Boutique in the Overberg has moved down to the Picnic Shed! There's a range of delicious goodies, picnic bits, cheese tastings and farm-fresh warm soup available at the new cosy Cheese Boutique. MON – FRI: 9am – 4pm.
SAT: 9am – 1pm
028 341 0693
www.kleinrivercheese.co.za R326, 7 km outside Stanford
STANFORD RIVER TALK 5
sport talk
STANFORD CANOE CLUB UPDATE
Patatfees Run
When the son of local musician Jerry Fourie came for a holiday from Dubai, he managed to fit the 21-kilometre run at the Napier Patatfees into his holiday plans. Pictured are Shanice and Mark Fourie with dad Jerry and friend Melanie Lourens. Jerry and Melanie finished their third 10-km Patatfees run.
NOTE TO ALL SPORT ENTHUSIASTS: a look on page 17 for Stanford's weekly sport calendar. → Please send us your sport news to ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za → Have
Fantastic Fernkloof
WALK AND TALK
Canoeing has proven itself to be an ideal sport to introduce in disadvantaged communities. Stanford is one such community which is desperately short of facilities and support structures for sporting activities. With an amenity such as the Klein River on its doorstep, it makes sense to take this opportunity and establish the necessary infrastructure to support enthusiastic participation by our youngsters. The club’s committee has engaged with the headmasters of both Okkie Smuts and Die Bron Primary schools in Stanford, who have embraced canoeing as a sport in their schools. We are currently running just short of 20 children through our training programme. We would like to extend this further to include children from Stanford who are at secondary school in Hermanus and Gansbaai. It is our objective to have at least 30 active development paddlers by the end of 2016. Training and boat building In conjunction with volunteers from our partners, the Grootbos Foundation, the club runs training sessions for juniors every Tuesday afternoon and Saturday morning. Our next step is to set up measured courses to enable participants to start training for specific competition distances. The club currently has the use of the following craft: 10 double canoes with paddles (on loan from Sean Privett); three single skis (donated); various old paddles and life jackets (donated) and 15 new SAMSAapproved life jackets (donated by WCC). With the numbers swelling and equipment being in short supply, we are embarking on a program of training our youngsters to build their own craft. Funding for materials for this purpose has been donated by various parties and six Stanfordians will go on a canoe-building course at the end of June. They will return to Stanford with a Guppy and a KI Lancer mould and materials to commence with building. To date various benefactors have pledged R15 000 for this purpose. Our objective is to make the building of a boat a ‘rite of passage’ for our youngsters in the canoeing fraternity, besides being the only viable way of accommodating the club’s needs from a financial point of view. For more information, join the club’s Facebook page (Stanford Canoe Club) and email us at StanfordCanoeClub@gmail.com. Watch the next Stanford River Talk for more news and … see you on the water! Karin Pohl
Nature's Sculpture Corner: Where the gods potter for our pleasure.
STANFORD RIVER TALK 6
SUPPLIED BY SEYMOUR PATERSON
The Saturday morning development paddling sessions are taking off with more and more kids attending. Two weeks ago we held a ‘mini race’ and it looks like we have some future champions on the make! The training sessions are free and take place from 9.30am.
RAINFALL
Fernkloof Nature Reserve is fabulous for the whole family. Not only is it free, but it also has something to suit all levels of fitness. For the littlies, or the not so energetic, you can do a 15-minute stroll to the beautiful 'fairy tale forest' waterfall and just chill in the magical surroundings. Further afield, there are numerous gentle contour-path trails, ideal for those who feel more comfortable keeping one foot on the ground – there are reassuring views of Hermanus below for most of the way. If you want to up the game, tackle Adder Ladder and hike up to spectacular Sculpture Corner, so named for the amazing rock formations, which are truly worth the extra expenditure of energy. High up there, you’ll also find Galpin Hut – the only accommodation on offer at Fernkloof. But be warned, it's very rustic – your bed is provided but you will need to take everything else from a gas cooker and kettle to pots, pans and cutlery. This is not light hiking, and as there is little shade I would suggest doing this overnight adventure in the milder months. That said, we have had many, many marvellous memories made up at Galpin Hut, and would highly recommend it. So what are you waiting for? It’s right on your doorstep waiting for you! Natalie Ground
JAN
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
AVE
19
14
35
37
104
23.4
22,4
34.1
FEB
17.5
20
16
16
17
18.2
23.1
21.7
MARCH
20
26
28.5
29
25
14
64,7
33,5
APRIL
30
56
53.3
54
48
13.3
35.3
49.6
MAY
66.5
83
43.5
55
30
33.2
18
59.1
JUNE
91.5
88
86
84
139
160
101
105.5
JULY
43
56
103
33
91
109.5
89.5
AUG
46
74
125
234
41
52.4
91.7
SEPT
35.5
25.5
73
60.5
42
42.2
56.2
OCT
50
25
111.5
62
36
23.7
56.3
NOV
57
42
26
212
43
49.5
55
DEC
40
23.5
6
5
13
15.7
23.5
YEAR
459
533
708
881.5
629
554.6
school talk
HOME SCHOOLERS
OKKIE SMUTS
Sports derby: Okkie Smuts hosted a successful U/9 Hockey and Rugby Tournament on Saturday 11 June 2016. Laerskool Gansbaai and Gansbaai Primêr took part in various games during the morning. We want to thank our wonderful sponsor, Overberg Agri.
Fine motor skills: A trunk full of LEGO was donated to the hostel children and Okkie Smuts Primary. We would like to thank Matt Chancey for this initiative.
In the year of the 28th Olympic Games, the Stanford Home Schoolers entered their first Maths Olympiad and performed excellently. The competition started with the first round of the SA Maths Olympiad on 11 March 2016 and will conclude with the third round on 27 July. Between those dates, they have fitted in the UCT Maths Competition and the second round of the SA Maths Olympiad. Some 85 000 learners from all over South Africa (and a few other countries) took part in the first round of the SA Maths Olympiad. About 11 000 went through to the second round, and from this the best 100 senior and junior learners qualified for the third round. Five Stanford home schoolers took part and excelled with all of them going through to the second round. Liam Pelser did brilliantly to progress to the third round. The other students are Daniel Boshier, Btsalayl Dill, Jaden du Preez and Dirk Troost. Six students participated in the UCT Maths Competition on 7 April 2016. Our students did very well here too, even though the standard is higher than the first round of the SA Maths Olympiad. Of the six, four were in the top 10% of the students, earning a Merit certificate. Well done to Daniel Boshier (Merit), Btsalayl Dill, Jadon Dill (Merit), Jaden du Preez, Liam Pelser (Merit) and Dirk Troost (Merit). We will take part again next year and should improve on this year's results. In the meantime, there is an ongoing national-talent search. So, if you have any budding mathemeticians looking for a challenge, contact Philip (072 291 1907), or look on the SAMF website (www.samf.ac.za) for more information.
Maths masters: (From left) Liam Pelser, Daniel Boshier, Philip Swanepoel (Tutor), Jaden du Preez and Dirk Troost.
FYNBOS AKADEMIE
FUNIMFUNDO Funimfundo is a pre-school situated at Die Kop informal settlement. Some 55 children are transported, fed and educated in a safe and happy environment. We have three Level 5, government-accredited trained teachers in early childhood development. Please come and visit us by appointment. Maryanne Ward 083-240-8454. THE FOLLOWING DONATIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED: • Paper, paint, crayons, fabric off-cuts • Educational aids: puzzles, books, CDs, toys and musical instruments • Vegetable seeds or seedlings • Balls, buckets, spades
Going for gold: The Overstrand Eisteddfod is taking place in Hermanus. Hoopland and Fynbos Academy had four Grade R children taking part who achieved gold for their Afrikaans poems. (From left:) Jayden Stompies, Charisma Louw, Ernie Nel and Chevanie Lehman.
DIE BRON Joe-Heen Cornelius is once again representing Die Bron Primary in the Overberg Netball Team in Riversdale in August. Well done JoeHeen, we are proud of you!
The Grade R to Grade 3 learners: looked very relaxed and happy to perform on stage at the Gospel Sing-Along on 22 June. We thank our parents and teachers for their guidance and support.
Gr R leerders het Dinsdag, 14 Junie die poskantoor in Hermanus besoek. Die besoek vorm deel van hul skoolleerprogram. STANFORD RIVER TALK 7
history talk
Dr Livingstone , I presume? David Livingstone was a ‘giant’ of the Victorian Age. Guy WinchesterGould tells the story of this remarkable missionary, doctor and explorer.
MARRIAGE 1844 was an important year for Livingstone. Dr Moffat returned from England with his family, including Mary, his eldest daughter. Livingstone hurried to the Vaal River, nearly 250 kilometres away, where he met Mary for the first time. She impressed him, writing his father in England he admitted to being ‘smitten with Mary’s charms’. Mary, 23, had been born in Griqua Town (now Griekwastad), Cape Colony, in 1821. The couple’s marriage took place on 2 January 1845. The Livingstones spent the first decade or so among tribes to the north of Kuruman. Mary accompanied her husband despite a serious shortage of water and depredations by mosquitoes and tsetse flies. Realising the importance of water and having heard reports of a great inland lake lying to the north – across the formidable Kalahari Desert – Livingstone resolved to find it. Travelling ever-increasing distances northwards, he eventually found himself within 10 days of Lake Ngami and might have become the first white man to explore this ‘sea of water’ had he not opted to retrace his steps to Kuruman. This little sortie of ‘missionary endeavour’, however, was to become a template for future explorations in Africa. 1849 saw Livingstone crossing the Kalahari again to visit a chief whose people lived on the fringes of Lake Ngami, the freshwater body he had attempted to locate previously. The party, led by himself and financed by legendary elephant hunter William Cotton Oswell, succeeded in its mission and sighting of the lake was communicated to the Royal Geographical Society in London which, in recognition of the feat, awarded Livingstone and his colleagues the princely sum of 25 guineas! In April 1850, accompanied by Mary and their three small children, he set his sights on the upper reaches of what is now the Okavango Delta. However, before long the children contracted malaria, and with Mary again pregnant, Livingstone took the decision to retrace the 1 000-odd kilometres to Kolobeng (in present-day southern Botswana) where they had settled earlier. Mary duly gave birth to a daughter – their fourth child – but, sadly, the infant died within a fortnight. (to be continued)
Mary Moffat sitting under an almond tree at Kuruman with her parents Robert and Mary Moffat. (National Portrait Gallery, London) STANFORD RIVER TALK 8
Historical Stanford on Foot This booklet was assembled by the Stanford Conservation Trust. Pick up a copy from Stanford Tourism for R10, and go on a self-guided tour. Here are some of the buildings featured on the Historical Walk.
HW 19 & 20 circa 1910 These are good examples of the Victorian cottages constructed in Stanford in the early 1905. HW19 has been sympathetically restored, while HW20 is still in the same condition (excluding the braai on the veranda). Although electricity became available in Stanford in 1961, Tant Grieta Pieters, who was born in the house in the early 1920s, only got this luxury in 2003! The house is still guarded by her two Dalmatians on the veranda. HW 21 This is a typical example of the houses built by Hendrik Vermeulen in Stanford in the 1920’s. The house was built for the headmaster of the school, Mr HAL (Okkie) Smuts. A succession of headmasters lived there after he left. During the1980’s and ’90s the house was owned by Oom Koos Jordaan, a renowned whip maker. His whips became collector’s items when farming became mechanised. Kerri and Brian Brokensha moved into the house in February 2000, and named it Barn on the bend. Read more on page 9.
Stamping around
Birthday months always nudged me towards the postbox to scour the bottom of the little steel cupboard for a parcel slip. Aunties and grannies traditionally sent brown paper packages tied up with string, and if we were lucky, a little postal order for two or five rand also tucked into the greetings card. Nowadays, it is very rare for me to get much more than white envelopes with address windows in the postbox, but my kids still live for parcel slips. A visit to the Stanford Post Office took me by surprise a few weeks ago when I discovered that our branch was completely out of stamps. This did not mean that I could not send a parcel; just that I could not choose a pretty booklet of stamps to plaster all over the brown paper. A plain white sticker was printed and pasted on the front confirming payment. How very unsatisfying! Now, this isn't the postmaster's fault. She places her stamp order every month, and waits to see what strange and small denominations she will receive from head office. If a parcel costs forty rand, she can't exactly sell me eighty 50cent stamps, so a sticker seems the best solution. But this does mean that we are doing without stamps more and more. No more limited edition Christmas stamps, or fynbos flower collections, not to mention old heritage buildings and historical monuments that have festooned envelopes and parcels in the past. And, with a nostalgic sigh, that probably means that stamp collecting has been shot down not just by the advent of email, but also by the slow and perplexing problem of printing stamps. Collecting stamps is a truly oldfashioned hobby, one handed down to me by my grandmother who showed me how to steam stamps off envelopes. Granny Betty also taught me that stamps had to be franked to be worth anything, and that if I was meticulous, I may stumble across a truly rare stamp worth a pretty packet. I used to imagine laying my hands on a Penny Black. She gave me her first day covers and handed down the habit of carefully ripping the stamped corner off all envelopes, never throwing a stamp away. Stamps are not gone yet, but their disappearance from the twenty-first century will be gradual and graceful. As the Post Office itself struggles to reinvent itself in this technological age, I am going to wistfully flip through my stamp albums, and possibly steam some of the stamps loose that I have neglected for over twenty years. Phil Murray
Echoes of the past From humble beginnings to voice of the village, Stanford River Talk has grown into an intrinsic asset to the community. Here Kerri Brokensha takes a trip down memory lane. What inspired you to start a village newspaper?
When I moved down to the Cape from Natal in 1990, my first job was with Unicorn Publishing. They put out five community papers weekly, all from the same office. Working as assistant editor of the Southern Suburbs Tatler, I learnt a great deal in a hurry. It was a hectic introduction to Cape Town and its people and places. I was thrown into attending society events, the Press Breakfast Club and school events. All the time I had this dream of one day starting up a village newspaper, but before that I wrote a weekly column for the Weekend Argus. Brian and I moved to Stanford in February 2000 and found ourselves the owners of a very large house (21 Du Toit St) and a big barn which we named Barn on the Bend. It was dedicated by Professor John de Gruchy to Art and Healing and became the meeting place for numerous local artists. Workshops were held and one brave local lass posed weekly au naturelle,
summer and winter for the group of sculptors and artists. The small wood stove in the corner of the barn provided little warmth, so we strung up an electric cable from the house and rigged up an electric blanket to help her survive! At this time we ran a 12-week course known as 'The Artist's Way'. It encouraged one to delve deeply and subdue negative fears about expressing your creative spirit, and to get started. One great lesson that came out of it is ‘Don’t wait until you are 70 and wish you had reached out for your dream. Do it now!’. So I decided to start a community newspaper. Well-read chess boffin, Terry Haw, bravely offered to join the infant venture and so, in February 2005, two sixty-something year olds set off down an unknown road. Various names were suggested for the paper including the Stanford Star but Terry came up with Stanford River Talk, and so it was. Thrown into working with Microsoft
Publisher we launched forth. We made every mistake in the book photos were stretched, names spelt incorrectly, or worse still, left with a question mark when it went to print, letters to the editor were shortened, or completely left out! We made a few enemies, but fortunately more friends. Bringing in advertising for our infant paper was a challenge. Through necessity we attended every event in the village (hadn’t yet learnt the art of delegating), and we did the layout, distribution and accounts. The paper was printed in Hermanus and then brought home where our team collated the pages, stapled and folded every copy. We were forever grateful to Andre van der Merwe who came to the rescue and did a professional job upgrading the layout. Lisa Holtzhausen took over the books, and for a bottle of red wine, Ansie Reitsma did the proofreading.
Stanford River Talk’s co-founder and editor Kerri Brokensha.
Terry Haw co-founded the newspaper and came up with the name.
Ansie Reitsma has been the proofreader since the first copy of Stanford River Talk.
What were some of the highlights/dramas?
2005 was the year of the Big Floods. The river raged through the region from Caledon to Bredasdorp, sweeping all before it. The Municipality and Roads Dept. were on 24-hour standby as the SAPS attempted to control the crowds. One woman, who was on her way to the Hermanus hospital to give birth was forced, due to rock falls across the road, to have her baby in the car, safely delivered by Yvonne Patterson holding a torch in her mouth! Then, in February 2006, the worst fire in the history of the Overberg scorched the earth surrounding Stanford, Gansbaai Caledon, Bredasdorp and Baardskeerdersbos for several days. In the midst of all, Peter Young Husband, who was a former British war correspondent, went out in the dark of night and through police cordons to bring back the latest news for our stop press edition. The paper flexed its young muscles and grew in strength. But finally after four years, worn and weary, it was time to hand over very willingly to Michelle Hardie and her team. The paper has been a highlight in my life. It has been a source of joy and pride to see it grow, but once again it is time to hand over the baton. We wish the new team every success as the flag continues to fly.
The first-ever edition in February 2005, Asa Hemborg graced the cover.
Nick Bednall, Michelle Hardie and Sandra Slabbert took over the newspaper in February 2009 – this was their first issue.
MESSAGE FROM OUR STALWART PROOFER I have been involved with SRT since the very first issue Kerri Brokensha and Terry Haw put together. Terry, his sister, Val, and I did proofreading and often sat till late at night assisting Kerri in getting the issue together. We saw SRT take flight and become a really professional looking publication under the leadership of Michelle Hardie and Sandra Slabbert (I really enjoyed the ‘payments’ in red wine). When Michelle took off for wider horizons in Cape Town, I was one of those who nagged Phil Murray, saying that ‘she could do it’. It has been a real pleasure to have been involved in SRT in my small way. We salute you all, from Kerri and Terry, through to Michelle, Sandra, Phil and all the other contributors – thank you for ten years of interesting reading, and for keeping us informed about village happenings. As a Rotarian, thank you so much for assisting Rotary in informing people about our projects and for promoting our efforts from your generous hearts. Good luck to the new owners and editor Karen McKee. Ansie Reitsma STANFORD RIVER TALK 9
TALES FROM THE SUD By Matt Chancey
Oh, Poo...
SOAPBOX
A word in your ear Martin Ranger grumbles about mutants of language
Learning about longdrops the hard way ... Some of the funniest tales of my adventures in the Sud revolve around the characters I've met in this crazy corner of the world. One guy – I'll call him Hollywood – was a professional actor and a friend of a colleague of mine. Hollywood was invited to accompany him on a trip to the newly liberated Upper Nile region during one of the interim peace periods. My colleague didn't know that Hollywood's only previous exposure to the Third World was that section created by digital artists on a green screen in Los Angeles. On arrival, the two were treated as VIPs and received the best of everything. They stayed at the local governor's home and they dined on the best cuisine at hand. And, as normally happens, the newbie, Hollywood, developed a case of ‘traveller's stomach’ which necessitated a mad dash to the long drop. When he asked where the gents was located, Hollywood was directed to an outbuilding with two doors. As is custom for the region, the bathroom and shower room are often constructed side-by-side. Through door No.1, there is big hole in the floor (hence the name long drop) where all the human waste goes. Through door No.2, you will usually find a bucket of water and a basin, which functions as a shower. As Hollywood had never been through door No. 1 or 2 in his life, he had no idea of how local waste-removal systems worked. So when he mistakenly entered door No. 2, and saw an empty plastic basin on the floor, he naturally assumed it was his job to ‘fill it’. Having completed a successful evacuation, Hollywood returned to the governor's home. A few minutes later, a blood-curdling scream was heard from behind the house, as the governor discovered that one of his honoured guests had just desecrated his shower room! When my colleague tried to explain to everyone that poor Hollywood had never used a long drop or shower before, they all looked at the poor creature with disgust at his savagery and obvious lack of breeding. ‘Americans...’
For the love of orchids
Varieties of orchids at Eikenhoff.
Eikenhoff Orchid Nursery is a nursery specialising in the growing and breeding of orchids for the pot plant industry. Although we carry a rather large range of the various orchids, our main focus is cymbidiums. We are situated on the Papiesvlei / Elim Road, Stanford (just off the R326). Pierre Martheze has been growing orchids since he was 13 years old and will gladly advise you on how to care for your Orchids. We regularly select plants of superior breeding and breed our own varieties as well as import plants from all over the world. Contact us to arrange a visit to our nursery and discover the beauty of Orchids. Pierre & Debra Martheze 084 038 7055 / 076 292 5267 STANFORD RIVER TALK 10
So who decided that responses to questions should now begin with ‘so’? It makes the respondent sound as if they are talking to four-year-olds. Perhaps it was the same person who changed the use of ‘invitation’ – a noun, into ‘invite’ – a verb? The one who also encouraged the misuse of ‘contestation’ – meaning a dispute, instead of ‘contest’? The morphing of ‘transport’ into ‘transportation’ is another example of this transmogrification of language. The ‘So’ phenomenon is made all the more interesting by its rapid and broad proliferation. Whether it’s an expert being quizzed on Britain’s Sky News or an SA government ‘spokesperson’ (another pet hate), that pesky pronoun premieres their responses. OK – I accept that English, like all languages, has evolved over time. If not we might all still sound like Hamlet or Mr Darcy! Many fear that the language of the text message – Gr8 or LOL – will infiltrate the formal written word. I don’t think they need worry. We see ‘Tonite’ and ‘lay-bye’ all the time yet these aberrations seem to remain in the lexicon of the mass-market vendors. Despite the doomsayers, the sales of printed books have held their ground. The 2008 prediction by the Association of American Publishers that e-books would overtake print by 2015 has not materialised. In fact e-book sales have plateaued while the number of printed books – and those who retail them – have enjoyed healthy growth. Perhaps we need not worry. Perhaps our languages and the words that provide their soul, will develop and remain relevant despite a more casual approach to their use. Chat soon.
kitchen talk
shop talk
A chicken is a chicken – or is it? Mama P, Mother of the Princesses, has a sharp eye for the unusual, quirky and beautiful treasures in the written word which she gladly shares with me. Occasionally we come across these gems in recipe books, particularly the older books. Newer cookbook authors seem too rushed to add the beauty that is often required. Two favourite terms that have emerged are ‘a suspicion of nutmeg’, and ‘chop the parsley just enough to discipline it’. Both seem odd statements, but they convey perfectly what is required. I am currently tripping through French Country Cooking by Elizabeth David (published in 1951) and I am amazed at the ingredient descriptions, especially in the poultry section. To me, a chicken is a chicken is a chicken, but not so for the French. The various recipes call for different chickens: a good chicken, a fine chicken, a good tender chicken, a plump tender chicken, an older and less well-fed bird or a tender young chicken! In my endeavor to keep life simple, I am sharing a recipe that is simple too.
Tarragon Chicken 1 good tender chicken Fresh lemon juice 2 oz butter Salt and pepper Bunch of tarragon 2 egg yolks 1 cup of cream
A brand new Emporium The Village Emporium has just been renovated and our brand new Coffee Stop has been added! Here you can stop for coffee or take a leisurely stroll through our shop to enjoy the displays of great goodies that are handmade and sourced by a group of friends. All the clothing is exclusive and individually made. Our knitwear is 100% cotton and all clothing is dyed to our own specs. We have a small exclusive metallics range for those who need something special, and we love the Wireworx handmade wire art by Gabrio of Hermanus! Nobu’s Birds, Bees & Trees carries the popular range of Simply Bee Honey products, and her husband Tommy regularly brings in fresh flowers and proteas. She has recently added a small range of brightly painted handmade wooden toys which are hugely popular. In our shop you will find wonderful ceramics by Troy from Hermanus, who creates beautiful one-off pieces and sculptures inspired primarily by organic shapes. Troy also does Raku firing which is especially difficult and technical. The Coffee Stop has been created with tired and bored husbands and littlies in mind – usually those who don’t want to shop or hang around waiting for Mom while she tries on clothing. We encourage our Village Emporium shopping families and locals to stop here for a delicious cup of coffee and a leisurely read of the newspaper or Stanford River Talk. We look forward to seeing you soon! The Village Emporium Team See our advert on page 19.
Separated from the rest: Elizabeth David.
Rub the outside of the chicken with lemon juice. Mash the butter with salt and pepper and a tablespoon of chopped tarragon, and put this inside the bird. Place the chicken in a pot with water just covering the bird, and poach until cooked. Leave it to cool in the stock. Take the chicken out and place it whole in a deepish serving dish. Strain the stock. Now beat the egg yolks with the cream and another tablespoon of chopped tarragon. Heat about 250ml of the stock in a small pan, pour a spoonful or two into the egg and cream mixture, then pour all the mixture into the pan, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. Do not make it too thick, as it will solidify slightly as it cools. Pour the sauce over the chicken and leave to cool. Before serving arrange a few whole tarragon leaves along the breast of the chicken.
BUSINESS HOURS • Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 17:30 • Saturday: 08h00 - 13:00 • Sunday: 10:00 - 12:00 • Public holidays: 9:00 - 13:00 CLINIC HOURS
ERWIN'S
• Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 16:00
Traditional German Meat Products
• Public holidays: 9:00 - 12:00
Available at • Stanford Saturday Morning Market • Ou Meul • Directly from Erwin Cell 082 441 5533 • www.erwins.co.za
• Saturday: 08:00 - 12:00
T E L: 028 384 0637 FA X: 028 384 0455 gansbaai@arrienel.co.za H O O F W E F 29 - G A N S BA A I. STANFORD RIVER TALK 11
ALONE
SCREEN TALK
LIVING SOUNDTRACK
By Yon Bonnie Banks Africa to Scotland and Africa again, Andrew Herriot remembers the
James Yeats, grapples with survival Last year I came across this fascinating reality series on the History Channel and, at first glance, I thought it would bore me to tears, but I could not have been more wrong! Ten people are dropped in the wilderness carrying only what they can fit in a small backpack, as well as ten items chosen by the contestants. They live far apart from each other and the idea is simple; the last man or woman standing wins $500 000. There is no camera crew and each person is completely alone. These brave contestants have to build a shelter, hunt for food and fend off predators, all the while documenting their life on camera. They don’t have professional camera skills – the angles and framing of shots are not great – but I am sure that they are given a crash course before the series starts. This adds to the realness of this harsh ‘anti-social’ experiment. Besides having to find shelter, food, and drinking water, they have to deal with being alone all the time for as long as they can stand it. I was amazed by the survival skills and ingenuity of some contestants; they seem to thrive in this type of environment. That is however, until the loneliness starts to set in. It becomes a battle with one’s self to try to remain sane with only a camera to communicate. The contestants that are able to stay out there for a while eventually break down and you can feel the raw emotion as you witness this from the comfort of your couch with coffee in hand. Their wants and needs start to change and as a viewer you become acutely aware of just how fragile the human spirit is. We humans are quite incredible and can survive with very little as far as food and water goes and this show certainly proves that, but it also proves we can’t survive without the interaction of others. TRIVIA: (Spoiler Alert) They are currently busy with Season 2, it is day 34 and there are 4 contestants left. Season 1’s winner survived 57 days. How long would you survive? BOOK TALK
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN – Lionel Shriver
Eva and Franklin are happily married and living in New York. Eva has a highly successful career publishing travel guides, Franklin is less successful but happy in his career. They begin to feel the need to 'turn the page' and decide to have a child. That's when Eva's nightmare begins! Kevin is a child from hell but Franklin refuses to see it until, just before his 16th birthday, Kevin commits mass murder! Eva narrates the story of Kevin's upbringing in a series of letters to Franklin. It is a horrifying story which raises questions on nature or nurture, marriage and parenting. Extremely intelligent, well written and insightful. Full of small gems of wisdom. I couldn't put it down. Winner of the Orange Prize for fiction. Reviewed by Beryl Maxwell
Cosy cattery and kennel in lovely country atmosphere. Qualified dog trainer. Well balanced diets, love and care.
028 3410 961 STANFORD RIVER TALK 12
Remember my Welsh friend in Ghana who showed his library ticket to Customs Security at Kotoka Airport, Accra in 1975 (Volume 123 December 2015)? He departed Ghana in 1977 and took up an appointment in a teacher’s college in Ayr, Scotland. On his recommendation and advice to the principal, a former colleague in the 60s, I applied for a new job there some years later to become the Head of Mathematics at Craigie College Jamming on Rhodes of Education, Ayr. On 21 December in Greece, while on 1988, I was returning to Lesotho from my holiday in 1990, and interview when I learned of the shocking topping up my tan Lockerbie air disaster over Scotland which probably occurred as I was en route back before returning to to Maseru from Glasgow via London, full Scotland. of joy that I had been successful and would therefore return to the West Coast of Scotland in a few months. I had to prepare to leave Africa and my musical sojourn. Draw a line! Put a stop or pause to my Overseas Movement (maybe this article!). Unload. Out of unbelievable sheer imperious stupidity, almost risible, and a deep lack of foresight, my generosity being an anodyne against my final departure from Lesotho, I began gifting all my LP albums (mostly my sons!) – Pink Floyd, Eagles (RIP Glen Frey), Deep Purple, Beatles, The Who, to my Basotho friends. It pains me to recall and report this insane concession. Madness and I perused that one injudicious act in a life-time is allowed. No longer an expat; no longer a known muso; the Gulf War for breakfast (what have I manifested?). I had joined the academic world. How will my passion for music be continued and maintained? With immense difficulty I mused. What Movement am I now in for my Living Soundtrack - ppp? A Capella! Purchase a piano. Get to know the music department in the College. Promote overseas aid from my new position and bring Africa to Scotland. Better still, take Scotland to Africa (Livingstone?). My new career took a twist and relegated my musical passions to the back seat for a while; I lost interest; my relationship with the piano was on a steep decline. We took up residence in Robert Burns’ country and I joined the local Burns Club having been highly involved in the Lesotho St Andrew’s Society. Very quickly, I found myself vicariously accompanying singers for Burns Suppers not so different from the status quo in Stanford these days. I had a new job and a good salary. I countenanced a proper vacation; holidaying in Europe. Yes, Greece. Rhodes (not a migrant/refugee/ people smuggler in sight) here we come; the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese Islands. The descriptive name was the closest I could get to mathematics at the time, especially during the holiday season. I found myself, while tasting the nightlife in Rhodes, jamming with a band at a late-night jazz ‘do’. I could remember some of the Standards that I often played in Maseru and indeed today with my fellow JazzFordians. What a blast (photo)! Momentarily I was reunited with the 88 keys on a real electric keyboard. But it was over all too quickly. A consultancy in Lesotho was arranged from the College and while in the Kingdom of Lesotho I was reunited with ‘big Basso’ American Val Pringle in the Lancers Inn. Another blissful moment. Sadly, Val was murdered in 1999 (RIP Val) while protecting his wife and home from dastardly unwelcome intruders. He shared a stage with Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela and also a small stage with me while entertaining American expats at the US Embassy one 4th July. My ‘silent’ Movement was slowly and gradually rallentandoing (sic) to an end in Scotland with no repeats. Yet another cadenza was about to be scored. The British Government needed an Education Advisor for Zambia. It is a must. Tick the bucket list. Farewell Craigie. Return to Africa. There has to be an Intermezzo and an accentuation of the positive and a careful, carefree oxymoron!
A fine finish to FynArts
FynArts 2016: Delft Big Band in full swing. There could not have been a more rousing finale to FynArts 2016 than the big sound of the Delft Big Band. Their electrifying performance concluded the festival’s 10-day programme of concerts, talks, exhibitions and demonstrations. With 150 different events; scores of musicians, performers and speakers; dozen of coordinators and volunteers and thousands of ticket holders, this year’s festival was both a critical and organisational success. Other highlights were the two sell-out performances of ‘The Last Night of the Proms’. The ceiling of the Onrus DR Church Hall was covered with floating balloons as the walls rocked to the unfamiliar sound of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’! John Kani’s fascinating talk on the role of the arts ended with his emotional acceptance of the festival’s Legacy Award. The sculptures on the cliffs and the Tondo Barrel Head Exhibition at Bouchard Finlayson Wine Cellar will remain for a few months. From fish and chips to French cuisine, canvas to ceramics, or The Great American Songbook to the majesty of Prokofiev, FynArts 2016 provided a memorable celebration of the arts in every form. If you missed out this year, make a note that the festival will be back from 9 – 18 June 2017. Martin Ranger, Chairman – FynArts Management Committee
TOURISM TALK Do you fear missing out on what’s happening in Stanford? If you’ve not yet subscribed to our free weekly ‘What’s On’ delivered every Thursday afternoon, you can do so immediately. It gives you information on events in and around Stanford, which restaurants are open and when, special offers, events in neighbouring villages and activities for you and your friends to enjoy. Go to http://www. stanfordinfo.co.za, fill in your email address in the block below ‘Join our mailing list’ and click ‘Subscribe’. You will also receive a copy of our monthly ‘Grapevine’ newsletter. Social media is the quickest and most cost effective way to get Stanford's message out to visitors and tourists. By sharing events, photographs and links with our fellow members and businesses in Stanford, the picture of Stanford as a diverse and delightful destination reaches more people outside of our usual net. Stanford’s image also develops, with tidbits of information that colour in the understanding in tourists' minds. It doesn't cost anything to share and cross-pollinate across our all of our social media platforms. The increased exposure of Stanford in print and visual media is likely to be a direct result of Stanford’s increasing activity on social media. So please tag Stanford Tourism, and use the hashtags #visitstanford, #thinkstanford and #capewhalecoast when you post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram as this will help us all work together for the benefit of the whole village. Pop a message into our inbox if you would like us to help share and spread word of your event, photograph, special offer or blog. This social media party is definitely something you don't want to miss. We are excited about the changes afoot in the tourism office. Please feel free to pop in to meet Abraham Newman, the new full time Office Manager, and see the facelift of the office. We wish Eben van der Heyde well in the future as he completes his internship at the end of June. He has hopes of getting his own guided tours up and running in the Stanford area. Thank you for your help, Eben! Stanford Tourism Committee
Art gallery OUTSIDE the village! I'm a local artist who is opening my studio and home to visitors as OUTSIDE-IN studio-gallery. The small farm gallery will exhibit my contemporary primitive mixed media artworks and the work of some other self-taught local artists to the public by appointment and at open events. See art by me, Tracy Algar, and guest artist Hugo Prinsloo and meet the artists around the fire with a mug New eyes: Tracy Algar's art is of soup or glass of gluhwein on Friday, 22 July. The exhibition starts exhibited at a new gallery. 5pm at OUTSIDE-IN studio-gallery, Blue Moon Farm, R43, Stanford. Tracy Algar www.tracyalgar.co.za
Grade 12 Geography visit from St Cyprians: Thank you to Bea Whittaker and Eben van der Heyde for their presentation to the matric learners accompanied by Dave Carr. From left: Eben van der Heyde, Saskia van Geuns, Catherine van Voore, Aphiwe Kaba, Julian, Chipo Kombo, Adi Sutherland, Aneesa Kapdi and Dave Carr.
GREAT GIGGLES WITH THE COUSIN Friday 24th June saw Barry Hilton perform live in Stanford. What a fabulous show – loads of laughter and smiling, delighted faces leaving afterwards. Thank you to everyone who attended the show and supported the event by way of sponsorship and willing hands. A very big WELL DONE! to Annie Ranger who organised the event so flawlessly. The handmade quilts were both won by guests from Hermanus. Rotary Stanford
Cousins for a good cause: Barry Hilton with Annie Ranger (left) and Lana Coates. STANFORD RIVER TALK 13
plant talk
vet talk
Suzanne Francois
winter colour So much more than a nose
Why not choose Kalanchoe? Winter has very few flowering plants to speak of. But one plant that gives long-lasting flower pleasure at this time of the year is the kalanchoe. This versatile succulent can be grown indoors as well as in the shade outdoors. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is the more well-known species, sold as a flowering pot plant in nurseries and supermarkets all year round. It’s a compact, upright little plant that bears waxy-looking clusters of brightly coloured flowers for months on end. The best place to grow this succulent is in a well-lit windowsill, but not in full sun as the plant will get sunburnt; not all succulents like growing in full sun as is commonly thought. If you want to keep this plant outside, you need to find a shady spot with well-drained soil, and only water it when it’s dry. I recommend once every two weeks in winter and possibly twice a week in the summer, depending on how warm it is. If you over-water, it will rot. Remember to feed your plant some liquid fertiliser with a high potash content to encourage flowering and strengthen it. My favourite kalanchoe is the Kalanchoe manginii ‘Tessa’. This variety has bell-shaped flowers and drooping stems making it ideal for hanging baskets and outdoor containers. Many more varieties are available and produced either for flowers or for foliage. If you want to give someone a gift that keeps on giving, this is it. Kalanchoes can also be propagated easily from small slips, and some species even multiply from their leaves falling on the ground. The plants live long and by giving them the correct treatment they will last a few years. But when they start to look tired, grow a few cuttings and pull out the original plants.
Dr Olga Koorts knows about noses We assume that our pets are healthy when their noses are wet and we know they can tell merely by sniffing where we have been, with whom and even what we had to eat. But here are a few things you might not have known about Fluffy or Kitty’s nose. Our pet’s noses are wet due to glands inside the nostrils that secrete a lubricating liquid. The moisture traps scents and helps them ‘hold on’ to smells. A dry nose does not, however, mean your pet is sick as a healthy pet’s nose can alternate between dry and wet, and a simple lick can return it to wet and cold. Dogs can smell between 10 000 and 100 000 times better than humans. The noses of both cats and dogs can actually ‘multitask’ as they are able to split the functions of breathing and smell because they have separate passages and specialised organs within the nose that analyse scents. Dogs do not exhale through the nose like humans but air is pushed out of the two slits on either side of the nostril instead. Doggy noses read pee-mails all the time and sniffing other dogs, even their bums, provide a lot information about who they are. Cats read pee-mails too, but for them it’s a way to detect intruders in their territory. Other cats can also be identified by sniffing areas that have been scent marked by rubbing or scratching. Lastly, did you know that cats and dogs have unique whorls and twirls on their noses? These can be used for identification in the same way as fingerprints in humans. And oh yes, they can smell our fear due to the chemicals produced by our bodies when we have this emotion. By Naas Terblanche
ANIMAL LANGUAGE
nature talk
Understanding the messages in sounds
W
e hear the calls of songbirds, the roar of a lion, the croak of a frog, the strange song of whales, the trumpeting of an elephant, the bark of a dog and the bleating of a little lamb. Why do animals make these sounds? How are these sounds made and how did they develop? Hearing is a sense that can be used over reasonably long distances, out of line of sight, in water and even in the dark. It is the ability to detect vibrations in water and air caused either by wind or water or thunder in nature or by deliberate sounds made by animals. How did hearing as a sense develop? It developed out of the lateral line sensors of fish that could detect electric impulses in the water. This later developed
into hearing by specialised hearing organs in other animals. They can detect vibrations in air or water and analyse them. Animals also developed organs to make sounds of their own. These are mainly voice boxes with membranes that vibrate when air is forced over them, making different sounds. Some are simple, as in the case of frogs. Other animals such as mammals have a larynx that is a more complex sound-generating piece of equipment. The most advanced sound-generating organ is the syrinx in birds which is really a double voice box. The two halves can be used to make completely different sounds at the same time – very intricate. Animal sounds have diversified into countless variations with different intensities, different
frequencies, different rhythms and combinations, simply by causing air to vibrate in different ways and controlling it with muscles. What are the messages that these sounds convey? Some of those sent are intended to advertise the animal’s presence. Male animals want females to know that they are there and are available as a potential partner. In this way, the male tells females that he is strong or clever or fast or whatever might make him a desirable partner. This message or call or song is sometimes carried to seemingly absurd extremes. Just listen to the elaborate songs of songbirds. Are they really necessary? Well, some female birds are just fascinated by these opera singers. Sometimes male
and female birds sing together and this strengthens their bond. An animal’s sound language is also used to frighten rivals; think of the roar of a lion, the bark of a dog or the hiss of a snake. On the other hand, baby animals call to tell their mothers where they are or that they are frightened. Sounds are also used to convey information about the environment; birds make a special one when a snake is around, antelope snort when they see a predator and baboons tell others where to find food with special sounds. I think the sound language of animals was copied by humans, who refined it much further, but even our most complex languages contain many elements of animal-sound communication.
ADVERTISING DEADLINE FOR AUGUST EDTION IS 19 JULY Karen McKee | ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za | 081 750 4006 STANFORD RIVER TALK 14
WHAT'S ON
email your events to ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za
STANFORD • Every Wednesday, Graze Farmers Market, 09:00 – 12:00, get your fresh veggies at Graze Restaurant. • Every Saturday Morning Market, 9:30 – 12:00, home-made and home-baked goodies, on The Stanford Hotel stoep. • Every Saturday, Haturday, Wear a hat or funky accessory on Queen Victoria Street, and grab a cuppa or do your market shopping while showing your enthusiasm for the village. •13–14 July, The Journey: Intensive Retreat, Bodhi Khaya For more information, please contact www.bodhi-khaya.co.za •17–19 July, The Journey: Manifest Abundance Retreat, Bodhi Khaya. For more information, please contact www.bodhi-khaya.co.za • Friday 22 July, OUTSIDE-IN art gallery opening, Blue Moon Farm, from 17:00. For more info visit www.tracyalgar.co.za or email hello@tracyalgar.co.za
HERMANUS • 6 July, MOVIE – THE REVENANT, 18:00, Civic Auditorium, Classification 16 V. R45 per ticket at the door, OAK Members R30. René du Plooy 082 940 4238. • 10 July, Fernkloof Holistic Faire, 10:00 - 15:00, therapists, crafters, artisits. Entrance free. More info on Facebook: The Fernkloof Holistic Faire.
GANSBAAI • 30 July, Skaapkopete, De Uijlenes, Aletta Groenewald 082 499 0230.
BAARDSKEERDERSBOS • Last Thursday & Friday of the month, bread making workshop, home of Niel Jonker, 082 651 7414. • Last Saturday of the month, Plaasmark, Strandveld Pub & Grill, Betsie 083 655 5545.
WESTERN CAPE • 3 – 12 July, The Stellenbosch International Chamber Music Festival. Billed as the largest of its kind on the continent, a round of orchestral music, public master classes and student mentoring. Visit www.sicmf.co.za for more info. • 3 – 12 July, The Pick N Pay Knysna Oyster Festival A food and wine fiesta is not just centered on mollusc munching and Champagne drinking; rather, the family-friendly celebration also offers competitive sporting activities and fun entertainment for all ages. Visit www.oysterfestival.co.za. • 8 – 12 July, DISNEY ON ICE, The spectacle promises to whisk audiences both young and old away on a captivating journey through decades of famous tales and magical worlds. Tickets are available via Computicket.com and Computicket outlets, costs from R100pp to R350pp.
July
A message from the Christian Forum
W
e have passed the halfway mark of the calendar year as well as the longest night and shortest day as we approach the year-end festive season. For many there is still a lot of concern and preparation for exams and other year-end activities, and maybe we need to stop for a moment and evaluate if we are still on track for what we wanted to do and achieve this year. In a wonderful little story by Max Lucado, which was filmed and appeared under the title The Book and the Rose, one of the characters is stated as describing her age as, ‘I am as old as everything I have ever done and as young as everything I still want to do.’ A declaration which to me describes a most wonderful and thought-provoking philosophy. If we could look back in satisfaction at what we have done in life knowing that our actions were for the good of others and glorified the Lord our creator, then truly we have done good. To state ‘as young as everything I still want to do’ in the firm resolve to build others up without
regret of having had an effect on them, then truly our lives will have really counted. To state ‘as old as everything I have ever done’, we have to think carefully whether there is anything that still needs to be attended to or corrected in what we have done. Have we learnt new values and applied them to the extent that we engendered new values in others? In all the different plans we have in our lives, the question in the background, is to who or what will we be glorifying in what we do and would we gain the approval of our Saviour? Would our actions elicit the words, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant enter into the glory of the Lord’ from Him? Or a bitter rebuke? Oh! To grow older knowing that everything that I have ever done has made me a better person and everything that I still want to do will keep me on track for service that will keep me young at heart and be of value in eternity. Let our aim always be to follow and honour the Lord’s injunction to love one another as Jesus loves us. Hildie Pansegrouw
IRREGULAR SUDOKU CONCEPTIS PUZZLES www.conceptispuzzles.com
• 10 – 12 July, Idees /Ideas Magazine Trunk Show and Craft Expo, at the Simondium Country Lodge. Specially selected contributors, vendors and makers. Visitors can meet the creative brains behind Ideas | Idees. Pop-up deli and coffee shop. www.capetownmagazine.com/events/ideas-magazines-trunk-show • 11 – 12 July, Franschhoek Bastille Day Festival, a feast of good food and great wine and a entertainment. The festival also includes a number of fun games, like the boules competition, the barrel-rolling contest as well as a gruelling trail running challenge.
The puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid containing given clues in various places. The object is to fill all empty squares so that the numbers 1 to 9 appear exactly once in each row, column and irregular shaped box. Answer on page 18.
STANFORD RIVER TALK 15
classifieds There is an HONESTY BOX at Stanford Tourism where you can pay for your classifieds. Please enclose the amount in an envelope or ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za p 081 750 4006 SMALL ADS: R1 a word
FOR SALE
SUV COVER, new, R550. p 079 523 8453. SINGLE BEDS, wooden without head board. R450. p 079 523 8453.
SERVICES CAPTURE YOUR 35MM slides digitally. R1 per slide. p Dirk Troost 084 643 4504. DOMESTIC WORKER, p Salome 071 946 1073. Reference Sandra Slabbert 079 523 8453.
BOXED ADVERT R105
Vintage Beauty pedicures, manicures, facials massages, waxes, make-up Jacolene 082 357 1245, Victoria Centre Stanford
HEDGE TRIMMING / TREE FELLING, p Aidan on 079 984 7646.
WANTED CAMPHILL COMMUNITY IN HERMANUS would like to swap one of their pure bred Boschveld Roosters (approximately 4 months old) for either a Koekoek or Road Island Red rooster, if anyone is able to assist, please p Debi on 072 600 9608.
ENVIRONMENTAL HERITAGE, LAND -USE PAUL SLABBERT B Art ET Scien, EAPSA, APHP, IAIA
phs@orcawireless.co.za www.phsconsulting.co.za Corporate Social Investment Projects www.africanvisionfoundation.co.za
SKIPGO
Ann’s Kitchen creates home style meals, which can be delivered to your home or self-catering cottage. Meals are prepared with free range chicken / eggs and where possible, locally sourced ingredients. Menus are available on request or can be found on the Ann’s Kitchen facebook page. Ann 076 3327 490 • annskitchencooking@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anns-Kitchen/1629489837298579
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MINI SKIP DROP AND COLLECT SERVICE
• We deliver sand, stone, compost, brick & cement pallets • We remove building and garden rubble • Skip size 2m3 / 2 tons hermanus.skipgo@gmail.com 076 825 6272
cleaning service J U N I TA 072 464 1305 broomstix@hermanus.co.za STANFORD RIVER TALK 16
Call Mike 083 316 1872 • 028 341 0028 overberg@setsa.co.za • www.solsquare.com
AFRICAN HORSE COMPANY
guided multi-day trails & outrides along the whale coast & through unspoilt nature reserves. +27 (0) 82 667 9232 omstables@telkomsa.net www.africanhorseco.com
Private sale A large, magnificent plot is for sale in Buiten Street which retains the rural charm of Stanford’s farming days, with the convenience of being part of this wonderful village.
SIZE: 976m2 PRICE: R750 000 CONTACT DI ON 082 558 3916 OR di.mohr@iafrica.com
local services & facilities ACCOMMODATION A Stanford Country Cottage Beloftebos Cottages Morton Cottage Mosaic Farm Oom Pietjie se Huisie Reiersvlei Stanford River Lodge The Country Cottage Villa on the Bay Walshacres Riverside
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ACCOUNTING & TAX SERVICES Maryke Brandt 072 172 9545 Allan Youens 082 903 4432
your business for just R12.50 a month (only R150/year). ELECTRICIAN HCD Electrical
084 769 1053
ESTATE AGENTS Pam Golding 028 341 0708 Stanford Village Properties 082 893 2282 072 111 9321
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TELEVISION/DSTV Rod Dacre Television
073 160 4495
VINTAGE & LINEN Lace
082 781 1704
WEDDING VENUES Beloftebos Mosaic Farm Stanford Hotel Villa on the Bay
082 391 5331 028 313 2814 082 781 1704 082 336 1573 028 341 0651 072 371 7546 028 3410 841
HAIR Jeanne Retief
072 318 2478
HOTEL Stanford Hotel
082 781 1704
HOUSE MANAGEMENT Stanford Country Cottages
082 320 0982
INTERIORS Kiwinet Maureen Wolters
028 341 0209 082 450 3970
MASSAGE & HEALTH Stanford Health Practice
082 481 8285
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Klein River Picnics River Rat Boat Cruises
WINE CELLAR & SALES Springfontein Wine Estate Stanford Hills Estate
028 3410 693 083 310 0952
WOOD
ARCHITECTURE Guy Whittle Grant Anderson Maureen Wolters
076 113 2741 072 364 3694 082 450 3970
BUILDING Stanford Bricks
028 341 0685
BUILDING PLANS Jan Biernacki
072 546 1567
CONFERENCE CENTRE Mosaic Farm
PETS & PET CARE Stanford Kennels Syringa Country Kennels
028 341 0961 028 341 0961
028 313 2814
PLUMBING PlumbTec
082 609 0809
weekly timetable
RESTAURANTS 1892 Stanford Spookhuis Barke Restaurant Birkenhead Galley Marianas Springfontein Eats
Walshacres Farm
028 341 0685 / 082 898 4889
Tuesday 8.30 – 10:00, Iyengar Yoga ,Birkenhead Brewery, Marianne 082 2919 638. Tuesday 17:30 & Friday 08:30, Maitri Yoga, Tasha Saha, 076 968 8608. Monday 09:00, Yoga, 084 685 2641, Viv von der Heyden, 23 Quick Street. Monday 17:00, Running Time Trials 5km, corner Adderley and Longmarket, last Monday of each month at Stanford Hills Estate. Monday & Wednesday, Canoeing, Slipway Church St, John Finch 028 341 0444, Jan Malan 082 452 9877. Tuesday & Thursday 17:00 to 18:00, Tae Bo, Okkie Smuts School Hall, Ronnie 083 655 4521. Tuesdays 08:30: Canoe Club Social paddle (any craft), 17:30: Canoe Club10 km and 6 km time trials. Chris Wolf 083 455 3605 Tuesday & Thursday 17:30, Cycling, cnr de Bruin & Moore Streets, Sunday 08:00 Caltex Garage David Morrison 082 321 7996, John Finch 082 378 1935. Wednesday, 18:30, Rotary Stanford Club Meeting, Don Gelato. Everyone welcome. Lana 082 216 4398. Wednesdays 10:00 – 10:30, 'War Room' Prayer Meeting, NG Church Hall. All Welcome Thursday 18:30 - 21:30 Heal Your Life® Evening Group Sessions 071 382 9033. Friday 09:00, Yoga, 084 685 2641, Viv von der Heyden, 23 Quick Street. Fridays: 19:30 – 20:30 Alcoholics Anonymous, Okkie Smuts School Hall, Call Peter 082 7888 630 or Theo 082 635 3193 Saturdays 08:00: Canoe Club 10 km and 6 km time trials. Contact Chris Wolf 083 455 3605
WHERE TO WORSHIP IN STANFORD NG GEMEENTE STANFORD Sondae 9:00 in die kerkgebou. Office, tel 028 3410 966. CHRISTEN GEMEENSKAPS BEDIENING, 10:00, NG Kerksaal. Almal welkom. ST THOMAS ANGLICAN CHURCH Morton St, contact Father Joseph Gabriëls 028 3410588 First Sunday of the month 10:30 Communion (Afr) Second Sunday of the month 10:30 Service (Afr) Third Sunday of the month 08:00 Communion (Eng) Fourth Sunday of the month 10:30 Service (Afr) FULL GOSPEL CHURCH OF GOD cnr Queen Victoria & Bezuidenhout St. 09:30 Sunday service. Pastor Johnny van der Schyff • 028 3410 422. VG KERK (next to De Bron School) 10:00 Sunday morning. Maureen Diedericks 028 3410 691. STANFORD UNITED CHURCH, meets at St Thomas Church, Morton St. Interdenominational. English service at 6pm Sunday. Bible Study, 7pm Tuesday night at 45 Queen Victoria St. Jan Troost 072 3459057.
WATER TESTING
STANFORD - RETICULATED DRINKING WATER RESULTS
STANFORD - RIVER WATER RESULTS
The treated sewerage outlet point into the Kleinriver is at the slipway at the end of Du Toit Street. The stream in the middle of town, starting in the dip in De Bruyn Street, is partly fed by the treated effluent from the waste water treatment works which gets complemented only in winter, by the overflow of the two dams in the middle of town. The two sampling points for the river are thus respectively known as under and above the treated sewerage outlet point.
Escherichia coli (E.coli) – bacteria that is a normal inhabitant of the human intestine. Its presence in a sample indicates pollution from human faeces. Total Coliform bacteria – is the name for all the bacteria that produce gas and acid from the fermentation of lactose and its presence in a sample indicates pollution from the intestines of both humans and animals. Heterotrophic Plate Count – is a standard microbiological method used to determine the efficiency of operations to remove or destroy organisms, good and bad, during the treatment process.
Determinant (e. Coli) Under treated Above treated Sewerage Standard Sewerage Outlet poin Outlet point (Bridge R43 0-130/100ml (Jetty next to erf 396) to Hermanus)
E. coli STANDARD (0/100ml)
0
0
APRIL
78
93
Total Coliform bacteria STANDARD (10/100ml)
0
0
MAY
15
47
Heterotrophic Plate Count STANDARD (5000/100ml) 0
0
DETERMINANT
APRIL
MAY
STANFORD RIVER TALK 17
happy birthday Ronja Conrad 2 July
Tony Roper turns 80! 7 July
Viv Gravenor 12 July
Gian Bester 23 July
Peter Ground 2 July
Andrew Herriot 7 July
Zinathi Mancoba 14 July
Melinda Jacobs 2 July
If your birthday or a special occasion is coming up, please email ed@stanfordrivertalk.co.za or send an sms to 081 750 4006
Marlize Hickman & Mar-LizĂŠ Potgieter 2 July
Bukho and Bukhosi Apolosi 9 July
Lindsay Frith 15 July
Wanya van der Walt Joe van Huyssteen 26 July 24 July
Craig Templer 20 July
Dannii Crystal 20 July
Amba du Plessis 27 July
Tina Louw 28 July
Zephan Potgieter 2 July
Ripley Robertshaw 6 July
Rasheed Khota 10 July
Max Field,12 July, celebrating his first birthday
MONTH OF JULY
Chloe de Lange 27 July
Keziah Pedro 29 July
STANFORD RIVER TALK 18
It was named by the Roman Senate in honor of the Roman general, Julius Caesar, it being the month of his birth. Prior to that, it was called Quintilis. Quintilis means 'fifth month' in Latin, which represents where this month originally fell in the Roman calendar. July’s birth flowers are the Larkspur or the Water Lily. The birthstone for July is the ruby which symbolizes contentment.
Kilian Conrad 20 July
Belinda Peck 28 July
Lukhanyo Qonya 22 July
Tasha Saha 28 July
Visit our newly renovated Village Emporium with something for everyone. JULY PROMOTION: 10% off your purchase from items in the Village Emporium Shop
Brand new Coffee Stop at the Village Emporium
Serving delicious coffee, tea, milkshakes, fresh juices, local Mountain Falls mineral water and brightly coloured handmade lollies for kids. Free WiFi on the veranda. JULY PROMOTION: buy one get one free Specialty Coffee Open daily Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm (closed on Sundays out of season). READ OUR ARTICLE ON PAGE 11 FOR MORE INFO 028 341 0061 13 Queen Victoria Street, Victoria Square, The Village Emporium & Coffee STOP
STANFORD RIVER TALK 19