COVID-19 NOT ALL DOOM AND GLOOM. BEAUTY IN IT

The covid-19 2020 tree

My wife and I were treated/blessed with a week holiday at a trout fishing farm in Mpumalanga - and that was a blessing.

As I was walking around and looking at the plants and wondering about it and the old historic relics of erstwhile people living there, I was taking photos at random. And I took a photo of the original covid-19 2020 tree below: 

The original covid-19 2020 tree

As I was walking away from this tree, the thought struck me that it is tangled and "confused." And the next thought struck, and the next and the next. And I got really excited about this photograph. 

And I started playing with my camera very limited editing tools and it stimulated more ideas - all about the very strenuous 2020. I deliberately chose not to be pessimistic about it; hard times, yes, but pessimistic and doom and gloom? No. 

And I thought about a friend of mine and his pattern making with photography. Last night I made this pattern from the original covid-19 2020 tree. 

I hope that you have enjoyed it and inspired you to be positive and to pray. 

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CATHEDRAL PEAK VISIT

My wife and I went to Cathedral Park Hotel during November 2020. And  it was such a blessed experience - we met the most wonderful people. Please have a look at my short audio-visual that I created and you will read their names. They told us stories about their lives and we in exchange told them stories.  

While surrounded by majestic mountains, I constantly thought of my seedlings and cuttings of plants that I cultivate back home. Being surrounded by these mountains I was in awe of God's handiwork. But, having referred to my seedlings, what I see happening there, is just as awesome as those mountains. I have the utmost privilege to actually work with the plants and experience how they grow and thrive and eventually producing fruit, flowers or vegetables. And my chickens? They produce eggs for my household.

I can carry on but will leave you to think about your interaction with nature. Please tell by writing to me: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za

Please visit my GALLERY page. 

Thank your for visiting my page and I trust that you have received a blessing.  

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Grendel Papawers Lockdown Poppies 2020

 

February 2020 was a normal month with normal human interaction and the comings and goings on between people continued on the face of it just like always. There was a threat brewing but, it was in the background and therefore part and parcel of background noise. Or so it seemed.

Suddenly by end of March 2020 in my country, South Africa, our government locked our country and started telling/commanding us to wash our hands. To keep a social distance - not a physical distance as it should have been, but a social distance. All of a sudden benches were out of bounds; demarcations in shops and outlets were painted on the floors. Coffee shops were no longer friendly places but dangerous places where you could contract the virus covid-19.

In this developing madness that not only gripped my country, but the world at large, it seems as if the sun would go down forever. Oh no! Oh no! I want to shout OH NO!!!!.  

Then a very special lady whom I will call Maryna appeared on the scene. In her hands she had some tiny baby plants: poppies. Because of the total lock down, she did not gave it personally but left it at our gate. My wife expected her to come but didn't see her delivering it. And she went back home. She left something behind - plants. Living things. 

We planted it in our back garden and waited for it to grow. We cherished it; watered it; looked at it and best of all our shadows fell on these wonderful little plants. And it grew. Even the sun loved it. And my bees fell in love with it as well. And the wind caressed it lovingly and softly. Back lit shadows provided a backdrop for me to take video recordings of these lovely red poppies. 

No - Maryna didn't see the flowers. What I am going to do is to forward her the link to my blog for her to see what happened to those plants. Maryna: you are the gift to us. Thank you.

The only noise you are going to listen to are from my bees, wind and birds. Keep very quiet while you look and enjoy this gift from Maryna.

It took a very long time for me to publish this - I was somewhat protective over this lot and wanted to keep it to ourselves. But no, I must share it with you.

Please write me an e-mail: neelscoertse@wirelessza.co.za

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MY BOSVELDER CHICKENS

 

I am looking down onto my Bosvelder chickens

while they are feeding.

My Bosvelder chickens 

Ever since I was a young boy I had chickens - at times, for instance when I did my military training I did not had any. The last lot were the Hi-Lines which were bred for their egg laying capacity. And then they got old and were replaced by the Bosvelder's. Bosvelder means "from the bushveld" - they are very robust and strong chickens. It is the first time for me to have them and I am very satisfied.

They are the most colorful I ever had. I trust that you like my video of them while I was feeding them. 

We use their eggs which is a pleasure to harvest - at the moment, they are not producing and I am looking forward to harvest in the future. In the past I had some French guinea-fowl and I understand that they are bred for the table. We only ever used their eggs as well - those shells were all shade of brown and white and off-white. Wonderful birds those guinea-fowls. Maybe I should get some in future. In the meantime, I am enjoying these small Bosvelders and to see them growing up. 

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CAITLIN ROOSKRANTZ - INSPIRATION DURING COVID-19 NOT ONLY FOR SOUTH AFRICANS BUT FOR HUMANITY

CAITLIN ROOSKRANTZ SOUTH AFRICAN OLYMPIAN 2020

AND BEYOND

Yesterday, Sunday 2 August 2020 at 10:00 Caitlin should have performed - but she didn't. Covid-19 stopped her from representing my country at the 2020 Olympic spectacle! But it didn't stop her form showing us what she could have done. You want to have a look? I bet you would like to - well, you can by clicking on this link and then watch it. Please follow the instructions to have a look at her performance. I also salute her coach Ilse Pelser who guided her to become an Olympian! Wow! Congratulations the two of you!

I also salute the photographer who took this stunning photo of Caitlin performing - this photographer obviously is also outstanding. 

All of you inspire me. My wife and I watched Caitlin's performance live yesterday from the comfort of our home. Now you can do that as well. No - we are not going to be conquered by covid-19! We are more than conquerors by the power of the Holy Spirit - that is why we are created in the image of God. 

I do hope you enjoy this performance. 

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THE BLUE MONSTER

THE BLUE MONSTER

If you want to have a look at this blue monster that I created, please click here.

Just a fun project with a milk carton and some others for the long ears. Then paint it as you will. In the background you can see my Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur I sculpted years ago. 

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RESILIENCE THE POWER TO BOUNCE BACK; IT NEEDS A WHOLE NEW MIND

RESILIENCE: IT NEEDS A WHOLE NEW MIND

I was walking the other day in my garden and was shocked by the havoc the frost caused. Throughout the year I make new plants and look very carefully after it - well, those new plants are tender and need extra care and attention. Now - early morning it is obvious that something big went wrong during the night. Frost! O my word! Utter disaster! So it seemed to me at first glance. But then I looked carefully and found not everything was lost.

'

Not total disaster. There is life in the garden!

Now I had a look at my herbs. The marjoram and oregano were badly hit.You are right, I did not cover the plants before to protect it from frost. There were some strands that were still alive and I dug it up immediately to transferred it to my "maternity ward" - that is in common language my nursery in the front garden. These were transplanted in plastic pots and carefully covered with straw and now the waiting game started. Will it survive or won't it? 

New life: oregano busy sprouting new leaves!!!!

There you can see new life. I was successful. Is this what it means to be resilient? The Margaret Roberts Basil cuttings were also badly hit. And yet, it is recovering. 

Margaret Roberts Basil recovering from the frost

There you can see it: these plants are recovering.

I learnt a big lesson here in my garden. The powerful forces of nature are at work even in my garden. Be it the frost. Be it the regrowth. Have a look at the spekboom below - on the surface the plant was killed. But it stunned me when I discovered new growth at the bottom emerging from the soil. Deep down the plant was alive and well. 

Spekbook [portulacaria afra] on the rebound

A lesson about resilience. Covid-19 is like the black frost. What is our answer to this pandemic? Of course there are millions of words spoken and written about it and I don't pretend that my small contribution is the last word about it. It is a small contribution from my side. Resilience. 

You can write a thesis about this topic. But when the tire hits the road, that is a different story. Read all about it the Bible: Romans 12: 1 - 2 [click here to read it online] : 

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Ask God to transform yourself and your thinking by the renewing of you mind - that is what I do constantly because it is a ongoing work in my life. 

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