Sunday, March 30, 2014

South Africa, Part 2

We didn't spend all of our time at the orphanage, although I always enjoyed coming back and cuddling the babies. One day Corey (our host) took us about an hour away from Jo-burg to a scenic view, where we rode a cable car to the top of a mountain.
 
 
This photo was taken on the way up to the top of the tree covered mountain. 

 
Part of the mountain wall was literally straight up. 

 
The cable supporting the cars and the view.

 
Karen poses with us. They have the advantage of sunglasses while I simply squint. 

 
We were told that on a clear day three to four mountain ranges can be seen in the distance. Although the sun was shining, it was somewhat hazy and we could see two sometimes.


 
The lake in this photo supplies water for several cities.



 
This path follows the edge of the mountain and has beautiful views all along it. 




 
Notice how the trees in this photo grow right out of the rocky mountainside.

 
Cable cars not being used that day, but lined up and ready for the weekend when it is very busy.

 
I found it fascinating how they build on hills we think are pretty steep. I guess they very seldom have snow or ice to contend with. 
 
 
The lake in the previous pictures is dammed up close to the cable cars. Because it had rained for ten days straight, there was a lot of water. Therefore, the waterfall here is much bigger than normal. I had seen pictures that some of the girls on Karen's team had taken when they were there a few days earlier. By comparison, those pics looked like a trickle.

 
So, if you are interested, the name of the dam is Hartbeespoort. I knew I would not be able to remember, so here are the details.






 
Do you see the waterfall coming out of the mountain on the right side? 

 



Sunday, March 23, 2014

South Africa Adventure Part 1

Noah and I were privileged to go to South Africa for eight days this month. Our daughter, Karen, is volunteering at an orphanage in Johannesburg, (hereafter referred to as Joburg,) for six months along with four girls on her team. We arrived there late afternoon on Saturday, 26 hours after leaving our house back in the Midwest. We were not complete zombies, but getting to that point! 
 
 
On Sunday we attended a black church in the city. We enjoyed their service very much and felt like we heard Truth spoken. I was reminded of "every tribe, every tongue, every nation..." Behind the church is the first Door of Hope orphanage..

 
Missy and Karen are posing in front of the "Hole in the Wall." This is a safe place where mothers can anonymously leave their babies and be confident they will get the care they need. When a baby is placed here, an alarm is triggered in the orphanage alerting them that a baby has been left. To date, 150 babies have been left in this manner. I understand that an average of three babies a day are abandoned in Joburg. This is not the orphanage where the girls volunteer, however, it is associated with that one. There are three Door of Hope orphanages in Joburg, but only one has volunteers. 

 
Labeled bottles are prepared for each baby. All are fed at once. They are taught to hold their own bottles as soon as possible. If they cannot or refuse to, an auntie helps them. Most of the time the aunties are feeding two at once. I wish I could post a picture of feeding time, but the orphanage asks that no pics be posted of the babies' faces. And since they don't lay on their backs to drink their bottles ...

 
The babies love to be held, and it generally doesn't matter by whom. Here Noah holds one at one of the other orphanages.
 
 
A peek into one of the bedrooms. There is one more crib in here.

 
Karen holds one of her many favorites. 
 


 
I took these pics on the way back from church, so they are not completely clear. However, they give an idea of the scenes along the way.

 
This would be considered a poor section of the city.

 
 
Joburg is a modern city, much like a US city. I felt like the culture there was not that different from our own. However, Karen told me out in the villages they have more of a tribal culture.

 
This is the orphanage where Karen and her girls volunteer.
 
 



 
It is quite hilly or mountainous there. This is the view of Joburg from close to Door of Hope.

 
In the steep places along the streets they plant lovely flowers and shrubbery.

 
It seemed every property was walled and gated. I love the landscaping along this wall.

 
Lots of houses in close proximity!

Thursday, March 6, 2014

A Cherished Memory

Have you ever had that moment when some object took you back in time, brought back a memory long forgotten, or reminded you of someone in your past?  This happened to me when I recently bought a new pair of dressy ankle height boots. When I brought them home and put them in my closet, I decided to keep the box to store the steps of my Celtic Solstice mystery quilt.
 
And that is when my memory happened. My grandmother, who was an avid quilter, stashed her unfinished projects in shoe boxes. She would pack the cut, scrappy pieces into a box along with the pattern for that project. The box often included completed blocks, but perhaps she needed more of a certain color to finish or just became distracted with another pattern, as quilters are prone to do.
 
When she passed, her daughters found several unfinished projects. (My mom fell heir to some of them.) They happened upon a rather dilapidated box that contained a Wedding Ring in its early stages. One aunt told my mom she should take it, but my mom looked at the tiny pieces and said she didn't think she had the patience for that. So the aunts told Mom to give it to my sister, which brought laughter from Mom. She told them my sister would promptly toss it in the trash; that I would be more likely to actually make something of it.
 
And that is how I acquired a box of Grandma's UFOs. I transferred it to a small tote and stuck it in my closet. I see it occasionally when I am scrounging through those shelves in search of just the right fabric. I got it out the other day to take the following photo, and I decided I really must finish that quilt in memory of my grandma. My grandma had 13 granddaughters, and as far as I know, I am the only one who is carrying on her love of quilting.

 


Now that I am finished with Celtic Solstice, another UFO has made its home in my shoebox. Because I became distracted with other quilts, and because I am not certain how I am going to finish this off, Star Tricks has taken up residence in the shoe box.
 

I thought you might enjoy seeing some of my grandmother's work. She made a quilt for each of her grandchildren, and somehow I was favored with the Broken Star.
 
 
She loved to use red in her quilts to make them really pop.


 
This Green Path Flower Garden quilt is taking my time and attention. It is for a lady I met at a farmer's market years ago, and she is going blind and is unable to finish it. She had all of the flowers made when I agreed to finish it for her. I do, however, still need to make half flowers for each end. That is what I am hoping to accomplish on our upcoming trip.