Saturday, June 14, 2008

A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS


Often I have said to prospective purchasers of property in this area, “The West Coast doesn’t grow on you; you have got to fall madly in love with it the first time you see it” - and this is precisely what happened to Marcello Pogglioni.
During his annual holiday here in the height of the summer and windy season Marcello lost his heart to this stark but beautiful countryside. Of course the safety and security of life as it should be lived and the inherent friendliness of all whom he met during that time did much to convince him that there is life after Gauteng and so he purchased a piece of land in a new development called Kompanjeskloof. Backed by granite boulders that are synonymous with the West Coast and fronted by wrap-around views of Stompneusbaai and Shell Bay, the foundations have just been laid to what is going to be his dream home.
Plans are afoot to allow for solar energy and wind power and Marcello’s already thinking organic gardening and wise usage of ‘grey’ water. He even purchased a bag of seeds from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden’s Seed Bank and intends to scatter them before next year’s winter rains in the fallow land directly behind his new home. His original order for 2 kg of wild flower seeds was soon tempered to a mere 100 grams when he learned that the price per kilogram is R1 000,00. “I’m scared I’ll sneeze while scattering them,” he quipped.
Next springtime I hope to be able to share the rewards of his not inconsiderable investment with you as gazania and mesembryanthemums show their true colours. Watch this space!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Saying thanks to my first guests

I'd like very much to offer Dale Simpson, Nicola Fellows and Lars Timmerman a free night's accommodation at Dolphin B&B+S/C, but I have not been able to track them down.
They were the first guests to overnight here 10 years ago and I've often wondered what it was that made them ask over breakfast, "Are we your first visitors?" I didn't burn the toast nor did I scramble what should have been fried eggs so was it perhaps the sheen of perspiration on my brow as I scuttled about?
Unless I can trace them I guess the question will remain unanswered. So if anyone out there knows how to get in touch with these elusive three, I'd really appreciate hearing from them.