Nature’s economy; Luna; Olive harvest 2026; In Paradise & Two Better Friends
Good Morning
In anticipation of Wimbledon Tennis there is always an upswell in the love for the game. Tennis courts are fuller than usual, kids with tennis racquets can be seen knocking balls about on the streets and the take up of sports channels spikes. In the afterglow of the King’s speech to the US Congress, there is a renewed and palpable admiration of both the English language itself, and the subtle delivery of messages, so quiet that they demand your attention.
King Charles III described nature as a ‘precious and irreplaceable asset’ and spoke of ‘nature’s own economy’ emphasising that it forms the foundation for human prosperity, security, and well-being. His was a persuasive call to protect our soil, water, forests and fish stocks. In a world where one feels quite useless in the fight against the ills of humanity, this action is something each and every one of us can play a part in.
Environmental activist and author, Paul Hawken’s advice to ‘just go outside’ emphasizes a shift from intellectualizing climate change to experiencing the living world directly. He encourages moving away from screens and replacing ‘digitized awareness with direct, physical interaction with the environment. By going outside, one can observe that life’s default mode is to regenerate, heal, and renew, rather than merely decline.’
To meet the vast challenge of climate change he assures us that ‘Where you are is where you are most effective. The power to act does not lie elsewhere.’.
Journalist and writer, Claire Keeton, took these photographs for the Sunday Times. Take next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off and be part of a mixed group walking the Blue Mountain Trail. Book by reply mail.
Back in 1858 Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke of this longstanding tradition with ‘Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.’ Andreas and Patrick will offer fulfilment of each of these for you, join us.
Go outside, we did. On Freedom Day the Green Mountain team took the train from Bot River station, armed with our Green Mountain Trail coffee flasks and skof tins filled with sweet treats for breakfast en route. We had the time of our lives. As we meandered through the villages of Bot River, Houw Hoek and De Rust, we waved at people we knew, laughing our heads off. Patrick pointed out our trail routes as seen from the comfy old fashioned inside of the train. Stunning vistas of how mother nature stands the tests of fire and flood rolled by. We rediscovered that feeling of exhilaration that struggles to surface in our dumbed down world of experiencing less and less first hand.
These words of Sharon Santoni, founder of My French Country Home, ring true for me. ‘I work with a team I adore, and together we do our best and we have fun along the way. I firmly believe that the ability to reinvent ourselves is one of today’s biggest privileges, and one that is available to all.’ More encouragement from her is in the PPPS.
You can find us outside gardening in these autumn weeks, preparing the garden for winter’s rest while making some changes. Book a day in your diary over the two weekends 31 October and 7 November, our open charity days that are Elgin Open Gardens. We visited the charity open garden day of the Ferreira family at Tokara a week back. Thousands must have visited judging by the abundant cars. What a treat to peek inside on this one day of the year generously raising funds for Camphill.
Visit Wildekrans Country House on these weekends and raise funds for the Bot River Education Fund (BEF). Education equips our youth for this life. It is a privilege to work with BEF, our charity garden gate has supported them for more than twenty five years now.
We have a new resident, Luna, who bears a strong resemblance to our late Smeagol. One of our extraordinary local vets assisted us with the easy passing of Smeagol, reassuring us that it is a privilege to be able to relieve these eternal pleasers of unbearable pain. Luna is a rescue from Grabouw Animal Welfare, the kennels are above Knoflokskraal at Denel.
The last fortnight brought around the harvesting and pressing of our olives. I love the sound of laughter and clicking ladders. Olive harvesting is a gentle process. While our olive oil is available for purchase now, our bottled olives will be available just in time for Elgin Open Gardens. At thirty percent less than usual, you can eat, sleep and wander at Wildekrans Country House. Enquire about discounted winter stays online or by reply mail. www.wildekrans.co.za
In Paradise & Two Better Friends also telling us to get outside with their Indie song, Beautiful World 2025
Get outside, open your eyes
Feel that sunshine kissing your skin
Throw your worries out to the wind
Climb some trees, skin your knees
Feel that grass on your feet again
Get out there and take it in
Oh-oh-oh, it’s a beautiful world
Ain’t nothing on a screen
That’s ever gonna beat this view
Oh-oh-oh, it’s a beautiful world
And I just wanna share it with
I just wanna share it with you
This beautiful world
Such a beautiful world
In Paradise & Two Better Friends also telling us to get outside with their Indie song, Beautiful World 2025
With love
PS: Join SANG curator Andrew Lamprecht and artist Jill Trappler for ‘rocks, cliffs, crags, and stones’, a weekend art retreat on the 2nd of October. SboNdaba Dance and Jill Trappler’s 15 May art retreat is sold out.
PPS – A choice of autumn and spring trails for you to join 🏞️
• 📅 11 May: Blue Mountain Trail
• 📅 24 August: Blue Mountain Trail
• 📅 31 August: Green Mountain Trail
• 📅 7 September: Blue Mountain Trail
• 📅 21 September: Green Mountain Trail
• 📅 5 October: Green Mountain Trail
✅ Group availability in between. Book your spot HERE.
PPPS: More from Sharon Santoni; ‘So I’m here to say that if you are thinking of going in a new direction, professionally, artistically or personally then Go.For.It!! Don’t wait to be ready, because you never will be!
Your new direction could be a new job, it could be travel, it could be artistic, or social – this is not a competition, its the chance for each person to work out how to express themselves in a new way.’
