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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNCArPzIbBQ Love is a melody and music pins your memories.  Soon after meeting Cliff on an online dating website matchmaker.com, I knew that we would stay together.  During our 1st month of dating I was listening to a Nick Cave CD and the song ‘Are you the one that I’ve been waiting for’ played, I knew then that it will …

How very strange to be left with a smiley feeling when service has fallen a little short of the mark.  How odd to look forward to your next online shopping experience with a company when there has been a glitch.  Yuppie Chef have got customer service totally nailed, they seem to really care, they go the extra mile and that …

I remember The Waffle House when it was still The Teahouse of the Blue Lagoon.  In my school days it was already an institution.  My son Fjord can only eat home-made waffles made with Orgran ‘No Egg’ as his is allergic to eggs.  It is not fair to go a-wafflin’ when he cannot partake.   We were prepared to block our …

Until the year 2000 I lived in Pinetown and Durban.  In all those years I saw very little of the Natal South Coast.  Durbanites consider any trip more than 30km to warrant a packed lunch.  The South Coast was viewed as ‘That place where the uncouth Vaalies (Transvaalers) over-run during holiday season.’  The irony that I now visit as a …

I deplore queues, if there are 3 trolleys in front of me at a supermarket, chances are I will abandon my shopping.  When it comes to elections I somehow take it in my stride.  This post was written in a notebook during my 4h 30 min wait to cast my vote yesterday at Parkdene voting station.  It was a long …

Cliff and I have travelled South Africa extensively, there are few towns which we have not passed through or visited.  Throughout our travels I cannot think of a restaurant with a view to rival Leopard Rock Coffee Shop’s, make no mistake there are some stunners but this one is super special.  The panorama of Oribi Gorge is breathtaking.  If you …

    Today is my turn to take eats to Top Tots.  I wanted to make a cheesecake but try something new, I also had a tin of cherries in the cupboard which has been languishing there for ages.  My rule with posting recipes is that my recipe must be tweaked almost beyond recognition from any recipe which I have …

The giant flat-crown, crowns my memory of Rustic Cottage at Oribi Gorge.  Her limbs a tapestry of wood and light.  A marriage of permanence and elusive elements.  At sunset her dark silhouette stood firm against sunset’s fire.  What tales she could tell at our campfire.  She who has seen countless seasons, she is memory and she is now. Rustic cottage …

When Cliff and I married it was a time of financial abundance.  We had 2 salaries and no small children.  Now we have 2 small children and 1 salary as we made the decision that it would benefit the children most if I am at home with them.  The abundance of joy in sharing precious time with our children far …

My brother Paul is one of those people who was born cool, lucky for me  sometimes some vicarious cool rubs off on me when I’m with him.  On my most recent visit to Umdloti, where he lives, he treated me to a night out at The Bush Tavern.  I felt so fortunate to be at the first of what will …

Last night I read the heart wrenching post by Diane on the blog Chad Life Us about the day that she lost her 17 year old son.   I cannot imagine anything worse than the death of a child, a child whom you have nurtured, cherished and watched grow over any length of time.  I cannot imagine how I would …

I am a last minute kind of person, yesterday (Good Friday) I suddenly decided that it would be great to have a look at how to make Easter easter baskets. I woke in the wee hours thinking of how to do this. I decided that I would like to sew quilted bags for the children to use. I looked at …

Let’s do a creative exercise in imagination. Cast thoughts of corruption into a dark room in your mind and close the door. Now with a pure of heart Jacob Zuma in mind let’s believe that he didn’t have a clue what costs were being incurred in the building of his home, chicken coop et al. Immediately I have a sense …

A stone skipping over water enchants the mind, always wanting one more hop, one more movement which defies natural law.  One more centre sending out endless ripples.  The stones in our  lives, thoughts, experiences, people and emotions may sink from view but they remain in the other world of memory, they become part of the structure of who we are.  …

Last year the children painted Easter eggs with food colouring using a paintbrush, it was fun but made the candy coating very sticky and wet.  Today we did the project again, this time the children drew patterns on the eggs with toothpicks which was much neater and less messy.  I then made a tiny mix of water icing using 2 …