Weekly Wrap-Up: A Cultural One

The weather has been getting a little cooler and long sleeves and cardigans have made their way out of the cupboards this week. I love the subtle changes as we head into autumn. 

School days have been full with loads of learning taking place. On Monday Keren had an outing to the National Gallery with her art class. The focus of the outing was the exhibition "Time and Again" by a South African artist, Penny Siopis. 

They had studied this artist and her works. Her works speak of personal and collective history, trauma, shame and loss. This exhibition is a retrospective look at three and a half decades of her work.

 Keren enjoyed the exhibition so much that we took the morning off on Friday and went with a friend to see the exhibition again. Keren was able to guide us around the exhibition and tell us what she had learned. This time the artist was there too and it was great to hear her speak of her works. 

I found some of her works very disturbing, especially the shame series. 

Term projects have taken priority for Keren this week. She had to create and come up with a business plan for a small entrepreneurial business for Consumer Studies. She made this cute, classic, crocheted sock monkey out of donated wool and recycled stuffing. 

Her brand name is ' Monkess". 

I love the handmade label which instructs the purchaser to snuggle the monkey lots!

We were blessed with tickets to the Paulo Nutini concert at Kirstenbosch this week. 

He was unknown to us but it was great to pack up a picnic to enjoy in the botanical gardens midweek. Sadly before the main act began, Zak wasn't feeling too well and we had to bring him home.

 Thankfully some friends were there and could bring Keren home after the concert. She thoroughly enjoyed it and has been playing his music ever since. 

There was some mosaic work this week. Hours of cutting tiles for kits that had been ordered. Zak lent a hand too by picking and cleaning tiles for a larger project.

Thursday was a pj day as both Zak and I were not well. I was thankful when hubby came home and took over making supper and ordered me to bed early. 

Another highlight of the week was an afternoon visit with my sister who is visiting Cape Town. Wonderful to enjoy coffee, milk tart and afternoon conversations in the shade of a great tree. Great for cousins to connect too. 

Oh! And Keren received her mark for her practical and came top of her class with the highest mark she has ever attained for an art practical!

 We are so happy for her and all her hours of hard work certainly paid off. 

How was your week?

Monday's Multitudes

Its been a while since a Monday's Multitudes post and there has been so much to be thankful for, no matter how small...

Autumn colors

seeing our oldest regularly

dinner with friends

roses gracing my table again

steady stream of mosaic work

sun warming my back

chats with far away family

my younger two enjoying each other's company

winning an awesome ice cream experience with Magnum

pizza evening with friends

celebrating 23 years of marriage with an enjoyable lunch out, another prize I won!

rose petals, complimentary champagne and dessert

good, peaceful sleep

answered prayers

blessed with cuttings and seedlings for my garden

seeing my dear farm sister and her family

spoiled by my dear sister

kindness of a stranger

good school days

Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with Beautiful Art

Deadlines mean hours of work.

Sometimes all day and all night.

Every spare moment put to good use.....

On Tuesday I had the feeling that I would win another competition soon. Seems when I get that feeling, it comes true! I opened my inbox to the pleasant surprise of an email telling me I had indeed won vouchers to the Magnum Pop Up Store!

 I figured what better way is there to celebrate the end of weeks and hours of hard graft on an art assignment? Keren's assignment was finally handed in on Tuesday so we met up after her art class with friends to enjoy decadently, delicious Magnums and celebrate the end of hours and hours of work on these amazing pieces of art.

Decadent indeed with choices of dark, light or normal chocolate and three toppings with another drizzle of chocolate! Toppings such as caramel cashews, popping chocolate candy, honeycomb, ginger, pistachio and coconut, strawberry or oreos to name a few. I opted for dark chocolate, chili, mixed berries and caramel cashews...a real treat! 

The pop up store  in Cavendish closes on Sunday, if you can, it's worth the treat to go and enjoy your own before then!

Otherwise the week was taken up with normal school days where the kids progressed steadily. There was some mosaic work for me too. Somehow I lacked the motivation to go on my morning walks. I am hoping to be more diligent next week. 

Friday is always more relaxed and Keren went to church early this morning to do the decor for  youth tonight. She took along some school books so she could do some work too. It will be a long day with her getting home late after youth tonight.

Despite the fact it was Friday with a more relaxed attitude, Zak re started an anatomy and physiology course that we had started last year and somehow not got too far with. It felt good to make a fresh start despite it being the end of the work week.

Tonight the kids will enjoy youth while hubby and I chop vegetables at a work party preparing for our neighbor's son's  school food fair tomorrow. Lots of chopping will be paid for with good company, a glass of wine and pizzas! Should be fun!

Weekly Wrap-Up: The Fiery One

Last weekend our beautiful mountains caught fire. The winds fanned the fires and the fires grew and grew and spread far and wide. Helicopters flew for days trying to bomb the fires. 

(Photographer Reon Rich)

Fire fighters came from up country to help our crews here. There were evacuations at night, some homes lost too. Communities pulled together and donated food, drinks and medical supplies to those fighting the fires.

(Photographer Reon Rich)

We were thankful that my Dad's home was safe despite being so very close to the fires. 

The devastation of our beautiful fynbos and forests is unbelievable. One cannot begin to imagine the loss of wildlife too. 

(Photographer Reon Rich)

We were not affected as we don't live close enough to the mountains. Just the smell of smoke hung in the air and fine ash was scattered in our garden. On top of the fires, we had the hottest recorded temperature in 100 years this week! 

 (Photo M. Barnard)

As a city we salute all those men and women who fought bravely against these fires all week. Crews remain out there monitoring the situation in case of flare ups. 

Despite the chaos of the fires, we had a good work week with school. Zak finished off the table he has been working on at technology class. Hubby just needs to help him with the sanding this week.  Midweek I treated him to milkshake when I did my shopping at Food Lovers. He now wants his own Food Lovers card so he can enjoy a milkshake as often as he likes...pity he has to wait until he is 18. Nice for the two of us go get out together though and great to have a willing helper in the shop.

There were visits from friends and time spent swimming and he tried his hand at mosaics too.

He really enjoyed it!

As usual Keren applied herself diligently to her work. Art taking up much of her time when she is not working on her books. She had her monthly book club, fit club classes and also started as a volunteer with a Christian Union at a local high school this week. She was responsible for last night's youth meeting too so it was an extra busy week for her. 

Working on mosaics while Keren works on her art.

I had a fair amount of work with mosaics this week. The beauty of it is that I can fit the work in around the kid's schedules and can work in the evenings too. 

This weekend hubby is attending his 30th school reunion and otherwise it's all about relaxing and enjoying time with friends and family. Hope your week was good too!

Weekly Wrap-Up: One That Flew By

Another week seems to have slipped by so fast! 

The mornings are noticeably darker and the sun does not seem so harsh despite the beautiful sunny days. Leaves are beginning to turn shades of brown and autumn is on its way. 

I have missed my girl this week as she has had a busy one with three days where she has been gone from early morning until evening. Two days were taken up with hair modelling

and she now sports a funky purple hairdo! Art classes took up the remainder of those days and yesterday she spent the day at the Design Indaba Expo with her art school. 

This is South Africa's premier showcase of high-end African design. African talent and creativity at its best. Design across all disciplines: architectural, communication design, design for social impact, digital design, industrial design, fashion and accessories, furniture, handmade goods, home ware and jewelry!

She had a fantastic day! The students were sponsored by Woolworths and given backpacks filled with all sorts of goodies as well as t shirts. They attended workshops and she thoroughly enjoyed exploring the expo and meeting and chatting to designers. She met the creators of a new South African superhero comic book and they were inspired to create a character based on her as they loved her purple hairdo so much! 

On the days she was home she spent much time on her art practical and has enjoyed reading her set-work, The Life of Pi. 

Zak has made good progress this week and we were thankful that big brother was here one evening to help with math concepts. One of my requirements is that he reads at least a chapter a day in whatever book he is reading. The weeks read has seen him reading more than a chapter a day as he is enjoying the story.

Oh, and he was thankful to get a haircut this week too!

I had some challenging mosaic work this week.

 Miss ducky! I have not worked with cement and sometimes the tiles didn't hold and would fall off while I was working on another area. 

We enjoyed a visit from my little nephew too. Always a pleasure!

And yes, he's had a haircut too!

At the end of the busy week, it was youth as usual and hubby and I spent a relaxed evening home. How was your week?

Monday's Multitudes

freshly picked roses filling my lounge with their beautiful scent

fresh perspective

much needed sleep

time with my sweet nephew

friends dropping in for an evening swim

hubby's encouragement

an evening with our son

angels in our home town who helped me get a very ill woman to hospital

a new friend

Sunday afternoon full house at tea time

doughnuts brought by my dear friend

His provision in ways most unimaginable

good school days

connect group time

morning walks

a friend putting petrol into my car

my dear neighbor taking my boy to the beach while I was working

mom and daughter time

toes in the ocean and ice creams with my girl

insight and candid conversations with my sweet youngest

messages from a sweet friend

hubby making dinner at the end of a busy week

a pj day

spoilt with fudge and flowers, a lovely gift much appreciated from an appreciative neighbor

hubby's 3 course Valentine's dinner

Sunday service

picnic for two won by hubby

relaxing in the botanical gardens with him

our son here for dinner

creative work

cool evenings after scorching days

ice bites when temperatures soar

my kind neighbor lifting my girl to lessons when we locked the keys in the house

ice cream pancakes shared with loved ones

our son visiting again

a new opportunity

fantastic fun day out with friends

a visit to my Dad, always relaxing

peaceful Sunday evening with our son

His peace

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The Art of the Brick

On Saturday a friend took Zak and I to the Art of the Brick Lego exhibition. 

What a treat to see the amazing work of the very talented New York artist, Nathan Sawaya. 

My Sawaya gave up a career in law and plays with Lego full time. 

What he creates is nothing short of marvelous! 

Life size pieces that took days to build. 

Not a wonder this has been voted as one of the world's top ten must see exhibitions by CNN. 

"Fortunately, there are no rules in art !"

 Nathan Sawaya

" Create what you see.

   Create what you feel.

   Create what you have never seen.

   Just create"

 Nathan Sawaya

"I first learned adjectives through School House Rock.

  I learned how to count to ten through Sesame Street.

  I learned about gravity through my Slinky. Imagine if a child 

  learns about art history through Lego! "

Nathan Sawaya

"Art makes better humans, art is necessary in understanding the world and art makes people happy. Undeniably art is not optional." 

Nathan Sawaya

Over 30 000 pieces!

"Disintegration"

"Beware the winds of life that nibble away at your sense of self. Stay Strong."

One of my favorite pieces.

6m long and 80 000 Lego bricks!

Due to popular demand, the exhibition dates in Cape Town have been extended for another month until 22 March. If you haven't been yet, it is well worth a visit. Lego enthusiasts and art lovers will find this a real treat!