Gowns glowing with beauty

Intricate work make gowns in Dubai glowing objects of beauty

Soft colours on a warm day

Exquisitely detailed shoes show soft colours on a warm day in Dubai - 

why not visit this beautiful destination?

A quiet moment in the day

Photograph from exquisite Dubai - why not visit?

The San Bushmen masters

Amazing colours, some the soft ochres of the San Bushmen masters,
 paint these plants hiding shyly under 
an ash-coloured stile in Cape Town.

Bejewelled green design

Soft rain drops bejewel the beauteous green stylised design of this amazing Cape Town plant.

Cheerful Capetonian trees

Tranquillity in the heights

The soft Olympian heights of a Cape Town evening

The glowing Chalice of evening

Sunset near Cape Town. The glowing chalice of the evening accepts
the golden host of the sun into its cradle as the sun prepares to set. 

Breathless beauty of a Free State morning

Dawn was breaking as we travelled from the Free State towards Cape Town. No words can describe the breathless beauty of a Free State morning. First, the soft touches of colour brush the sky. The little crescent moon sighs as it readies to go to sleep for the day. The gentle apricot brush of sunrise colour paints the silhouette of the independent trees, the miracle of electricity poles, and the slumbering houses of the villages and towns. The apricot eventually starts fading into a watercolour wash of faded blue which undergoes the spectrum of ink wash - until the dark indigo of the mysterious African night watches over the new efforts of the shy day to make her beauty known to the South African inhabitants.

We were travelling in the bus so could not hear the sounds. But oh, I can tell you just exactly what it is like to be walking through a village or squatter camp in the South African dawn. Firstly, there is a hush; it seems almost as if the sacred red earth is afraid to breathe as she prepares for the great change from dark sacred night to wondrous colour-filled day. A cool wind rustles, and your hair lifts slightly from your forehead, almost as if the wind has small teasing fingers to pull a lock of your hair free and toss it playfully in the air. Then you hear the cicadas; the crickets;  truly, there is a sound all of its own in Africa. They crick-crick-crick, and become more joyous and enthusiastic in making their bush music as the day approaches. 
Then a scent comes from the earth; a soft, insistent fragrance made wholly of earth and mystery and thorny tree beauty as the leaves stir to life in the early dawn breeze.

And then, oh my. The golden beauty of the dawn bursts triumphantly over the hilltops, throwing spears of light into the rivers and a golden path of coins onto the water of the dams. Bursts of violet, rose and gold brush strokes across the sky, and it is wonderful - simply wonderful - to be alive.

Then as the early morning breaks, the sights and sounds of African life start. Small grey plumes of smoke from wood fires as the early tea gets made, and the breakfast is cooked. The pigs snuffle and push their bristly snouts into the plants at the wayside. I know so many pigs whose owners bought them in squatter camp areas in order to have bacon in the lean winter months. These endearing animals then became family pets, and so many were the tears and recriminations of the wives and children that the fathers of the families - themselves delighted to have such a devoted family pet waiting for them at the top of the village path each day (knowing their home time by some alchemy) - forebore to kill their friend. So pigs roam everywhere.

Women plait their hair into their traditional African turbans, and carry water pots along the dust roads. Children, beautifully washed and dressed in their school clothes, run up and down, some pushing intricate cars made of wire before them. The rooster goes oh-oh-oh-ohhhh and struts up and down. The hens shyly retire to their boxes of hay and soon offer eggs for breakfast. Sometimes there is singing. Oh, how there is singing. People in Africa break out into bursts of praise to God, with rich beautiful voices. Neighbours harmonise absently as they stir their mealie meal and pap. And above all this rich beauty, can be felt a Presence - the Presence of the One to Whom our African hearts turn at all times; in times of happiness, sadness; despair, pain; hope, puzzlement; difficulty, mischief. The Owner of the wondrous beauty of our earth and our African sunrise; God.

If you are in Africa, make sure you follow an ancient tradition amongst us. Every now and then, we wrap up in a blanket, sit together with hot tea in flasks, and watch the glorious sunrise. And, after marvelling at the beauty, we get up to go and enjoy another day.

*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette. Please feel free to use copyright free for any worthy purpose

The softness of a Cape Town day

A misty day near the foot of Table Mountain. Exquisite flowers form a soft tapestry of pink and grey, against a backdrop of glowing  muted green. The softness of the Cape Town day made me feel as if I was enclosed in a precious hidden garden of beauty; free as a bird between the walls of the sky, the mountain and cloth of cloud, and the gentle dignity of the plant life...

*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa

Shyness of little faces turned towards the sun

The shyness
   of little faces turned towards the sun...
      petals slightly daunted by the recent heavy rains and winds of Ireland
         yet still beautiful in their innocence and simplicity.
If the God of Creation
   created such innocent beauty
      then how beautiful are we
         His created human children,
                      in His sight.
Let our hearts 
   be at innocent as these little blooms
      Let our thoughts
         be as adventurous as the contrasting colours of the petals
            let our spirits be as courageous
                as the petals which stand up to the rain of challenge and difficulty
                   and bloom undeterred on into the beauty of the day.
Let us have the courage to be ourselves
   As these tiny flowers are
      so uniquely - so wonderfully - themselves.
         Praise to the God of Creation who crafted these exquisite miniatures!

*Photograph taken by Catherine Nicolette - please feel free to use copright free for any worthy purpose

Sheep in South African Pasture

The animals in South Africa are so beautiful. They have such personalities. Look at this sheep, looking intently at our family and friends having an animated conversation. The sheep was so interested in what we were doing ...