So...you've made the decision to write a novel? Well done. Just think, +-15,000 or so words from now, you will be finished. It's an exciting rollercoaster ride so hang onto your hat. ...
15. A watery Eye and a very historical Mission
I decided I’d head south onto the N14, where I landed up in Kuruman in the Northern Cape. Twiddy, a dear (now late), friend, who was a geologist, enthused about the town because of The Eye....
14. An African Farm, unusual shop and Buddhist retreat
For some inexplicable reason I still could not tear myself away from the Marico. Walking down the main road one day, I heard a voice call out … “Are you still here?! Most journalists spend two or three days and they’re gone.” (Maybe they hadn’t been touched by the Marico magic?) Of course, as...
13. When Farm Weekends turn into Permanent Habitats
Escaping the Big Smoke and farming on weekends is something many people do with a passion. Sometimes, they leave that Smoke behind forever....
12. The Glue in the Marico Community
Coming down to earth from telling you about the festival was a little hard to do but there were other things I kept to share with you. Important things – let us say it is the glue that keeps this community together....
11. Escaping to the Riverbank for more Bosman
Early on Sunday, master storyteller, David Muller, returned – captivating his audience as he narrated Heathcote William’s epic poem Whale Nation on the riverbank of River Still Guesthouse grounds....
10. Lapping up even more on offer in the Marico
I had opted for the art group to watch Bill McGill show us how a sketch of a gum tree came alive under his very practiced hand, deftly working in watercolours. ‘Speed is the secret’, he said. ‘Most of the time, you can’t paint in detail when using this medium. It’s a brush held...
9. Bosman Weekend is a blast
Who was Herman Charles Bosman, really? Nobody seems to know. However, a certain literary society is ensuring we never forget him....
8. A town where ‘togetherness’ means something
I had had two weeks of Marico hospitality and I was smitten. For instance, farmers are being encouraged to open their old farm houses for tourists as Groot Marico is only two hours from Johannesburg, Pretoria and Botswana. Accommodation is springing up everywhere. Camping sites abound in the area....
7. More than I’d bargained for
I was going to tell you about my hairdryer drama but I think I’ll leave that for later. I’m sure you’d prefer me to elaborate on my visit to the nearby farm, where they were making Mampoer. I think I heard a resounding ‘yes’ there -- because there has always been a lot of...