Lumbering lumber ...

Continuing my fascination with the forests of the Midlands, I liked the patterns formed by the canopy foliage of these eucalyptus / blue gum trees. I'd been asked to scout for some locations by two contacts - one for some pre-wedding shots for a soon to be married couple, the other for a furniture location shoot where they don't want to use the usual boring room setting styling. I think both will shortly be here. I hope I get to see the results.

I often take several shots to get just one that I really like (of course that's a huge benefit with digital cameras - no wasted film), but with this shot I could see that I got just what I wanted first time.

Snow seen.....

I believe it is the heaviest snow to have fallen in the area in twenty years. This was the view of iNhlosane and her mountains I awakened to this morning - and it was magnificent. The weather has however wreaked havoc with the local roads this week with the main N3 highway between Durban and Johannesburg having been closed since the heavy snow falls of Monday. We're simply not equipped to cope with this European type weather in these parts and the latest traffic reports spoke of a fifteen kilometre backlog of stationary traffic queued up at Van Reenen's Pass waiting for conditions to improve to continue on their journey. Stuck in sub zero temperatures, and totally unprepared for the enforced and unplanned stopover, my heart goes out to those poor drivers enduring this. I risked a drive out through the Dargle Valley closer to the mountains, and the iced over roads were treacherous - thank goodness for the quattro drive on my Audi - many other vehicles were slip-sliding across the slush and ice.

The rising sun reflected magically off the white of the snow capped hills, with the valley still sleeping in the early morning chill.

Lonely tree 2 ...

It's darned cold here today. All day it has rained. There's snow up at Nottingham Road. I'm going tomorrow to take some photos. With the dull misty grey of today I cannot believe that this past weekend delivered such crisp and glorious weather with such cloudless clear blue skies as seen here. But that's our winter, and by this weekend hopefully this latest cold front will have passed us by.
This could only be Africa. It's part of what I love about the place.

Ringing a bell ...

One of the more unusual attractions on the Midlands Meander is the fascinating  Culamoya Chimes. Found in the Lidgetton Valley area just off of the R103 the home of a thousand chime notes is also the home of delightful couple Frik and Lola Haupt who have turned an unusual interest into an equally unusual business venture. With small to giant wind chimes made from metals, glass, bamboo, woods and even sea shells the soothing sounds of chiming fills the air as notes from Big Ben, Westminster and a myriad other appropriately named instruments harmoniously fills the air. If you like the sounds you're certain to find a suitable model to take home and relive the music of the area long after your visit is over. Reached via a winding hill-climbing road the views across the valley are spectacular reward enough - even if the sound of chiming reminds you of the last bout of tinnitus you thought you'd cured.

The magnificent candelabra like mountain cabbage tree at the garden's edge adds foreground interest to what must surely be one of the most beautiful outlooks you could awaken to each day.

Falls View Centre ...

Looking somewhat like a timber fortress from a frontier town the Falls  View Centre in Howick houses an eclectic collection of fascinating shops and galleries from woven rugs, through art collections to a bygones and collectables emporium certain to satisfy the cravings of seekers of shabby chic and mid twentieth century nostalgia. You know - the sort of thing your parents or grandparents discarded that is suddenly this year's retro rage. All part of the Midlands Meander route this is why the dusty little (though fast growing) town of Howick rightfully claims its place as the hub of the Midlands.

The vibrant colours of the place make a tantalising image, which certainly reflects the spirit and vibe of the often busy little centre

Water Falling ...

This area has an abundance of waterfalls. Perhaps that explains the good humour of Midlands folk, for I have heard that the falling of water creates negative ions, which are extremely therapeutic for man's soul. There is no question that I find a while spent listening to the splashing, roaring or even thundering of these wonders of nature very relaxing, and I have set myself a personal mission to visit as many of them as I can find. I have already made a good start having so far taken in the Howick, Woodhouse and Karkloof Falls, and I will become more serious in this quest when the next summer rains start in earnest. The Umgeni Valley alone is said to have some fifteen falls to see. In the meantime here is a fairly unknown cascade in the Dargle Valley area. Surprisingly it lies only a few hundred metres from the main road, but remains unsignposted, and is best viewed from a small path from a private residence. Having gained permission to hike down into the river gorge I was privileged to spend half an hour here exposing my stresses (what stresses?) to the negative ions of the Dargle waters.

Again challenged by the overhead lighting directly behind the falls, the shade cast by the overhead branches of a riverbank tree allowed a good shot of the twin cascades of these as yet unnamed falls.

St Pauls ...

Unlike the same named cathedral in London,the small church of St Paul's in Curry's Post has no claims to great architectural merit or grandeur. And yet built in 1876 by Sgt M Curry it has been a centre of Anglican Christian worship for over a century, continuing to hold regular monthly services for Midlands worshippers to this day. One of four churches under the wing of the central St Luke's church in Howick I have already featured St Andrew's in the Dargle Valley and St Mark's in the Karkloof/Shafton area. Like those two there is a graveyard alongside the church with many graves of the Curry family, and other notable dynasties of the Curry's Post area. There truly is much history recorded in the simple (and sometimes not so simple) tombstones. So, my recording of the Churches of Midlands county continues.

A simple image for the delightful simplicity of the red brick building was all that was needed.

Bless the blesbok ...

I became instantly  fonder of the fairly common blesbok during a visit to the FreeMe Foundation KZN near the Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve where a young doe named Ella was being nursed back to health after having been savagely attacked by domestic dogs. She had been taken into captivity by a probably well meaning human, with tragic consequences that will hopefully have a positive outcome. FreeMe is a wildlife rehabilitation operation funded only by public donations and benefactors, and provides a wonderful service to our distressed and injured indigenous animals. In the neighbouring valley reserve handsome specimens roam freely - as nature intended. They are a beautiful breed.

Once again capturing a good shot of these animals in Umgeni Valley is quite a cinch, the animals being quite used to human visitors ogling them at close range. No telephoto zooming required. Magic.

Likin' lichen....

With parts of the Midlands being in what is known as the mistbelt of KwaZulu Natal conditions are evidently ideal for certain lichens to thrive. Many trees and rocks are covered by these fungal growths, and they can give an old trunk or rocky outcrop an amazing look of age. Actually lichens are extremely hardy and different varieties are found in even the most extreme conditions from arid desert landscapes to arctic tundra. A close look at their formation reveals a form and colour palette that is quite amazing, such as this example of a rock face in the Lidgetton Valley, almost entirely covered with growth. It could almost be an underwater scene. For an interesting foray into the world of lichens refer to this piece on Wikipedia - fascinating stuff!

Often the abstract simplicity of a single subject can make an interesting study in texture and depth,  which seems to go beyond the two dimensions of photography.

Country Kitchen ...

There are many delightful restaurants dotted around the area, and you’ll be certain to find one on any day trip along the routes of the Midlands Meander that will suit your dining needs. I have sampled around ten of them so far, and not one has been a disappointment,  with the personal host’s attention that one just does not find in franchised city eateries. To discover that the kitchen is as rustic and charm filled as the main dining area is a bonus, and this is the kitchen at the characterful Travellers’  Rest at New Hannover.

Taken with only the natural light of the room on an ISO setting of 200, the warmth of the kitchen and its copper accoutrements is well captured here. Delightful.

The trees for the wood ...

I have mentioned previously that there are vast forest reserves in the Midlands, and they do provide much of the character of the area. Although some indigenous forestation remains intact (and conserved) most of the forests are either cultivated coniferous timber for the pulp and paper industry, or the harder woods of the eucalyptus or gum families. Planted in amazingly straight rows, a walk under the canopy of the trees provides an interesting view of the world with patterns of shadows falling on the ground, and cathedral like aisles between the trees often forming arch like apertures at the edges of the forests reinforcing that church like feeling.

A good shot in the forests is not difficult, once you are in amongst the trees you are spoiled for choice about which direction to aim and shoot.  

In the Glen ...

I guess if Hollywood (posted yesterday) is colloquially called an informal setlement, then the village of Amberglen (and the other Amber developments of Amber Valley and the original Amberfield) must be formal settlements. So just for the record here is a view from the north east looking back over Amberglen towards the town of Howick. A lot more uniform than its informal counterpart, unquestionably more comfortable, and almost (but arguably not quite) as great a setting. The Amber developments were started by Ian Taylor, then continued by his son Rob, and were one of the reasons for the recent dramatic growth in the population of Howick. Comprising of over a thousand units to date, two new phases are underway. Rob's  often controversial life ended off Table Mountain last year. The Ambers remain his memorial.

Once again I have cropped the image to a widescreen landscape aspect. Magnifique.

Hollywood ...

Perched on the edge of the Umgeni Valley, and in close proximity to Howick Falls is an informal settlement that the locals call either Hollywood or Beverly Hills. While these names are obviously intended to be as ironic as they sound and you can be certain that living conditions for the shack dwellers is far from ideal, there is a  definite sense of order about the layout of the housing when viewed across the valley. The rapid growth and development of the town of Howick has lured many employment seekers to the area, and many have been disillusioned as planned residential developments have slowed in the current economic climate - but the announcement of two new planned residential estates in the sprawling development of the area known as the Ambers just outside the town offer renewed hope that things are about to get better. Remembering that property is all about location, location, location this must be one of the more spectacularly sited shack settlements in the country.

A widescreen setting portrays the panorama of township life.

Umgeni Valley ...

On these cool and frosty days nothing beats a good vigorous hike through the hills and valleys of the Midlands. The snakes are hibernating (hopefully), and although many of the grasslands have been burned (under control - as a fire prevention measure) many others still offer pleasant and scenic rambles such as this area of the impressive Umgeni Valley. The hills are typical Midlands savannah, populated with a variety of acacias and the fascinating candelabra like Mountain Cabbage trees, whilst closer to the waterways you'll find riverine forests similar to those seen on the gorge walk below the Howick Falls. Game is plentiful (buck, zebra and giraffe along with many smaller animals) and there is still an abundance of colourful flowering flora if you keep your eyes open for them (and of course plentiful blackjacks). The grasslands first thing in the morning, before the frosts which settle overnight have melted, are something magic to see; just be sure to wear warm socks and good waterproof hiking boots!!! As you'll notice from a closer look at this image (click to enlarge) the Umgeni Valley is a feast for waterfall lovers, some more of which I will feature in later postings.

Back to the old framing technique for this image, and the low hanging meandering branches of acacias with the long foreground grasses serve this purpose well.

In bloom ...

A promise made .... a promise kept. I said on Friday I'd post this shot, so here it is. Did you expect the flower of the humble dandelion to hide so much beauty? (Click and enlarge to see the detail)
Me neither. And again I wonder - why is it that so many winter flowering plants have yellow flowers?
As for my camera settings - it's that zoom macro setting again.

Just dande ....

I've apologised before for posting some things that are not Midlands exclusives, and let's face it you could probably go out right now and find a dandelion growing within a few metres of your home. But the difference is you wouldn't. You probably wouldn't even notice one anyway (other than to mutter 'damned weeds') - and if you're a city dweller you'd likely not have the time to stop and look at just what  marvellous works of nature the delicate seed heads of the dandelion really are. Do yourself a favour and take that time - I've even noticed the incredible beauty of their vivid yellow flowers - I'll post one on Monday and you'll probably be as amazed as I was.
I have again used the zoom macro setting on my camera (a Ricoh Caplio - R3 for those interested) to capture the incredibly fine detail of this shot. Selecting a head which had partially dispersed its seeds allows the lace like tracery of the soft silky hairs of the seeds to show up clearly. Simple, but effective I thought - (definitely an image to click and enlarge to fully appreciate).

Laager Wall ....

Another small but significant piece of local history can be seen in the small town of Howick. Often overlooked by, or its existence unknown to visitors to the Howick Falls it is the remains of the town's laager wall. Built by Sir george Sutton and the villagers of the area its history is recorded thus:

In 1879 (subsequent to the overwhelming defeat of the British at Isandlwana) a laager wall was built behind the Howick Falls Hotel to protect Howick from imminent Zulu attack. The Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879 was the first major encounter in the Anglo-Zulu War between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Eleven days after the British commenced their invasion of Zululand in South Africa, a Zulu force of some 20,000 warriors attacked a portion of the British main column consisting of about 1,800 British, colonial and native troops and perhaps 400 civilians.The battle was a decisive victory for the Zulus and caused the defeat of the first British invasion of Zululand. 

The pattern of the stonework would make an interesting abstract image. Including some of the plant life growing from the crevices, and the sign recording the wall's origins almost tells of the age and story.

Frosted Drops ...

It has been cold these past few days. Many locals have commented how this is the first midyear in recent times that we have really had a winter, so mild have been the winter months for some number of years. And so it was quite something for me to brave the early morning to get out to photograph some nearby falls. Having tried in the afternoon, it was evident that to get the right lighting for a particular waterfall I’d need to be there in the early morning – and with my not really being a morning kind of person it took some doing and willpower. I made it, but it did mean braving the early morning frosts which in places leave the open grasslands looking almost as if snow has fallen. Amongst all the frost burned leaves and plants the beauty of some specimens is all the more noticeable such as these strikingly beautiful pea flowers. I’m no botanical authority but suspect they are examples of the polygala family. As the morning sun battled to warm the cold morning air the frozen dewdrops settled on the flora had started to thaw, resulting in jewelled highlights on the colourful blooms. It made my braving the winter chills (some two degrees) worthwhile.

Again using the zoom macro scene setting on the camera, the detail I needed was possible with a great field depth effect defocusing the background. I’m pleased with the result.

I'm a Gnu ...

Meet one of my neighbours - a blue wildebeest or gnu (Connochaetes taurinus). The estate I live in borders onto the Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve, an Eden of landscapes, rivers, waterfalls, forests, plants … and animals. Managed by WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) – a non-government organisation caring for the earth since 1926, I have enjoyed a number of hikes through the area – and plan to undertake many more. Having grown up on a southern African farm, I enjoy returning to nature where one can feel relaxed and free with only the great outdoors and its natural inhabitants for company. I have at home a splendid woodcut of zebras and wildebeest by local artist John Moore, and always felt the striping on the wildebeest was a little exaggerated. Of course I’d seen wildebeest in the wild, but never so closely and as clearly as this, and as you can see the striping is very distinct. The artist got it right, and favouring the same grassland habitat as the zebra, they are natural companions in the wild. The gnu is a beautifully ugly animal, here’s how comic songsters Flanders and Swann immortalised the beast:

I'm a Gnu,

I'm a Gnu

The g-nicest work of g-nature in the zoo

I'm a Gnu,

How do you do

You really ought to k-now w-ho's w-ho's

I'm a Gnu,

Spelt G-N-U

I'm g-not a Camel or a Kangaroo

So let me introduce, 

I'm g-neither man nor moose

Oh g-no g-no g-no I'm a Gnu

Wildlife photography can be something of a challenge and often the best results are obtained with strong telephoto lenses. The subject here is used to close human presences, and with a standard lens I was able to capture this beautiful specimen.

A Captured Past ...

On the 5^th August 1962 an event occurred in the Midlands that was to become a part of South Africa’s convoluted political history. At an otherwise uninspiring point on the R103 between Durban and Johannesburg, our most famous political prisoner was arrested. His given name on being taken into custody - David Motsamayi.

Today the site, although still modest in its acknowledgement of that event is clearly marked for passing travellers – these often being contented tourists experiencing the magic that is the Midlands Meander. Signs displaying the familiar symbol of National Monuments and placed a few metres either side of a poorly maintained brick memorial wall read Mandela Capture Site. Already crumbling, being slowly covered in weeds and uncollected litter - obviously paid little attention by the ineffectual local regional council - it was here that Nelson Mandela was to begin the most arduous part of that Long Walk to Freedom. Both he and our history surely deserve better treatment.

There is hope that things may change, for the significance of the place has been acknowledged by the ‘curator’ of much of our cultural and artistic heritage the director of the apartheid museum, Christopher Till. More about this and Christopher’s plans for the area can be read on the sagoodnews website.

The word tsiamelo (a place of goodness) found on the granite plaque of the monument interestingly strengthens the links of the site to the Meander route on which it is located – the Meander’s by-line being ‘a good place.’ That it is!

In much the way that I admire the stark simplicity of the Deportation Martyrs Monument in Paris, I like the simplicity of the design of this memorial – it suits the historical context. (If only its upkeep was the former’s equal). I did some weeding, removed the litter, and with the overhead cables of the train lines in the background, the light and dark of the two wings of the wall, I think the spirit of the site and significance of its history can somehow be sensed here.

The best I could do.....

Rather like the earlier old barn images of last week, the shack at Lions River had plenty of scope for interesting detail shots. The small neighbouring turquoise residence, where there were signs of life including colourful washing on the laundry lines, offered attractive potential but I felt that would have been a real invasion of privacy, and decided to keep to the washed out pastels and shadows of the seemingly abandoned building's verandah. All the time the words of the Mike Batt song about the Railway Hotel echoed through my mind ....

I had wanted much more for the first night with you, 

But the railway hotel was the best I could do. 
I knew the Savoy would have suited you well, 
But the best I could do was the railway hotel

Shadows and light can make or break a study like this, and I did try a couple of angles and heights to get the effect I wanted. Only back home did I notice I had made one common beginner's bloop - can you spot it? Nothing a bit of cropping couldn't fix, and I'm not telling - but I know it's there.