Skimming Stones | Sula's Blog | Sula1968 A South African poet, potter and mother

  In 2006 we could not resist the lure of Augrabies Falls in full flood.  On our trip home we spent a night at River View Lodge in Prieska.  We loved the view which embraced the Orange River and left with a good feeling.  Our room then was a tad over-doilied (tissue boxes dressed in ball gowns, that sort of …

Since moving to Jo’burg from Durban 14 years ago, some things in Durban have changed for the worse (oh my goodness, what has happened to East Coast Radio?), some for the better (The Bush Tavern in Umdloti) and many have stayed the same.  Remaining as special and dear to me as before.  Mitchell Park seems to have retained all the qualities …

  Once a year I use my grandmother’s cookie roller to make Christmas Cookies.  The children help with cutting out the shapes and love eating them.  I make these before Christmas day as there is always so much other food on offer on Christmas day.  Here is the recipe.  Mine look a bit scrappy this year but no one seems …

The magical Karoo can pull some marvellous surprises from its hat.  On our off the beaten track route from Jo’burg to Cape Town, we left Prieska at 5am.  Carnarvon was still in dreamland when we passed through.  Breakfast became a gnawing priority, but the dot on our map representing Williston didn’t inspire much hope.  Plans were made to find a …

I should not be reading at the moment.  I hardly have time to draw breath, the days are a manic race through a to-do list which would make a great scarf if I could wear it.  Crazy as it sounds, at night, when I crash onto my bed past bedtime, I fire up the e-reader.  Sometimes turning it off past …

Recently Mum gave me the Mary Berry recipe book ‘At Home’.  I have only tried one recipe from it so far, the ‘Spinach & Three Cheese bake’ and if that’s an indication of the rest  of the book, we’re off to a good start.  I’m always on the lookout for new ‘meat free Monday’ recipes to try, this will be …

I have had no car radio for over a year, it has been beyond annoying.  The car felt so empty in the hollow silence.  About 6 months ago Cliff bought a car radio from Autostyle in Mayfair, Johannesburg; they do not do installations and directed him to an installer two blocks away also on Church Street.  The person trying to …

A while ago I wrote about the formation of Durban’s Live Poets Society (LiPS) and my time with the group. I asked Brett Beiles to write about the years when he took the reigns. This is his story. LiPSomania Brett Beiles Convenor: January 2002-August 2007 Poetry helps to concentrate the mind, crystallise emotion and distil the spirit. These processes make …

After several recommendations to read ‘The Rosie Project’ by Graeme Simsion, I picked it up last week.  I loved it! It is a humorous romance novel, I believe there’s a movie in the pipeline which should prove to be romantic comedy at its best.   Although I found ‘The Rosie Project’ an absolutely delightful read my only criticism is that I …

Before computers and cell phones, the land-line was a link to my friends.  Any subject could be talked through inexpensively at length.  These days I don’t even know my friend’s land-line numbers.  Expensive cell phone calls are short and to the point.  As we get more busy face to face time is minimal.  I live in a bubble with my …

Reading provides mental nourishment, it fuels imagination and introduces ideas.  Reading takes us back and forth in time and through the pages of books we discover places and people.   Now and then books are a refuge, a place to escape to.  2 Weeks ago, we discovered that my father has leukemia.   I don’t need to explain how distraught I felt …

20 Years ago my eldest children Domi & Heath were 3 & 5, around then I first took them to  their first Uncle Jumbo’s Christmas Party.  That and all following visits remain special memories for us.  Now 20 years later, I took their little siblings Fjord (7) and Acacia (4) for their first Uncle Jumbo’s experience.  I would have taken them …

It’s that time of year.  Lovely African heat, long days and festive cheer.  The little dark cloud blotting the sunshine is the sound of mozzies when we turn out the lights.  When the children were babies I bought Mike Mozzie from Baby City to protect them.  This comes (or came) in 2 forms, a spray or a stick.  I found …

Since discovering Angela Day’s winning Mince Pies recipe a few years ago I have not bought a shop one, I just can’t bear the thought of eating any, other than these.  Many times when sharing these I have been told “I don’t usually like Christmas Mince Pies, but these are delicious!”  The secret is her almond topping.   Not only are …

Politics can be a real drag, so much talk so little walk.  Politicians hide underground, not making a peep until election time, then they are all over us like a rash.  This puts many off playing an active part, we’ve all heard so many promises and seen so very few results.  Why bother?  I’ll tell you why bother, because if …