Winter with a vengeance

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends. Winter has arrived. Last week the temperatures dropped drastically from Tuesday. On Thursday, the sun didn't even bother to put in an appearance, leaving us with a whole day of dark grey cloud, drizzly, freezing rain and very cold air.  

Friday dawned. Some of the clouds lifted. And the mountains were white!

The Central Drakensberg last Friday

The same snowy peaks taken from a private property in the Valley

As can be seen from the second photo, the snow only appears on the high Berg and peaks. As soon as news of the snowfall hits the socials, prospective guests from the coast, phone asking that, if they came, would their children be able to play in the snow in garden! As can be seen in the photo above, you'd have to drive to the end of the tarred road, get out and hike at least three hours up into the mountains, before getting to the snow. 

With our warm sunshine the snow soon melts and only the high areas in Lesotho remain covered for longer. 

On Sunday I attended a church service held on a farm about 30 minutes' drive from the farm. I rode with a friend who had asked me earlier if I knew how to read pin directions. I can and she was fascinated that the voice emanating from my phone directed us to the garden of our hosts!

As I normally am cleaning The Bunker after guests and before the next ones check in on Sundays, I don't often get to church. This weekend I had guests staying until Monday, so I managed to get to this service, which had a braai (BBQ) and social get- together afterwards.

Thankfully, when it came to taking communion, we were asked to file past the priest and layman. Although my knee is quite mobile, I still find it a challenge kneeling on it.

Communion with a difference

I'd already been up for communion when I took this photo above. Sitting in the warm sunshine in a beautiful garden, I was reminded of Grant. In 2012, while we were touring London, he expressed the wish to take communion in St George's Cathedral. We visited this beautiful house of worship and read that there were several Eucharist Services in a given day.

I remember filing past the priest with hundreds of other communicants, partaking of the bread and wine.  Grant got his wish!