Friday, May 29, 2009

Show and Tell Friday – African Sand


Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your closet if you have to share! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.
Visit
http://www.kellishouse.blogspot.com/ to see more participants!

South Africa is huge! It is 5 times bigger than Great Britain, and it is a beautiful country! From north to south, east to west we find all kinds of landscapes! Luxurious vegetation to semi-desert, mountain ranges to magnificent beaches.

Today, I am going to share some African Sand with you!


I have mentioned the Amphitheatre in the Drakensberg before! Well, to get to the little hotel we normally stay at, one has to go through an area called Qwaqwa! The drive through Qwaqwa is stunning. Little villages and homesteads all brightly painted with colourful murals. Children stand on the side of the road selling bottles of sand which they have so carefully made landscape designs in. This is one that we bought on our way home from Witsieshoek.


Coming back from the Drakensberg, (depending of course on the route you take) you can go past Sterkfontein Dam.
The Sterkfontein Dam is very popular with visitors to this area. Nearly 200 species of birds have been recorded at the reserve. There are a number of wonderful trails here hikers can enjoy fresh air, open veld (flat grasslands) as well as forested ravines. The wildlife is not huge, but one should be able to find the odd antelope. Local children take sand from the river and very gently mould and shape animals with the wet sand which they allow to dry before painting with paints made from the sand and coloured with natural ingredients. They are VERY fragile and break in a breath. Of course they cannot get wet, or they melt away like cotton candy. Stacey bought me this giraffe on her last trip to Champagne castle at Easter time. Isn’t he beautiful?




“Desert Rose” is the local name given to a rosette formation of sand chrystals. These rosettes occur when chrystals form in sandy, desert conditions. They are VERY rare and VERY fragile. Some of them are quite intricate and they cost of lot of money to buy! On his last trip to Namibia, P bought me this little one which I keep in my cabinet, along with the sand bottle and sandstone giraffe!


These are a little blurred, I just could not get them clearer :(

A little bit of Africa in sand! I think these are pretty special!

19 comments:

Hootin Anni said...

Special indeed!!! I love this wonderful show n tell this week. Very unique and a piece of your world.


My show n tell is decades old toys. Come on over if you can find time.

Happy Friday.

Cindy said...

Wow. How special. Thanks for sharing your treasure.
Cindy

SmilingSally said...

It's fascinating to see things made from sand. How you keep it together is impressive.

Jeanette said...

Wow, your house must be jam packed with stuff.

Janet said...

LOL! It drives Philip mad! I have things all over - the special stuff is kept in my grandmother's display cabinet which I inherited! I can't get rid of ANYTHING!

Marcelle said...

Thanks for your kind words in my blog...am okay, find I have to put what I'm feeling down, I'm an open book emotionally, I dont pretend or hide from my emotions...so please bare with me as I adjust to be the only South African left in this place...its very lonely!

I have to agree, South africa is a beautiful country...
wish it was safer!!

Carla said...

Ok, that sand in bottle is amazing! The giraffe and sand formation is cool too:)

Love Bears All Things said...

Loved your show & tell and your commentary as well.
I would be interested to know more about your Dinner club.
Mama Bear

Susan said...

Thanks for sharing some of your Africa with us.
Susan

Carrie said...

Thanks for sharing about these items...so fascinating!

Avril said...

Oh nice one!!! Love this post about our sand!! Have always seen the kiddies on the side of the road selling the bottled sand and animals but we always whizz passed them.
Of course ... the Drakensberg sand is extra special!!!

Anonymous said...

How neat to actually have a part of Africa in your house!

Thanks for stopping by my show and tell today. (o:

Corey~living and loving said...

oh my...that bottle art is amazing. LOVE it!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Ooh, I love the sand in the bottle landscape!

But of course, I have to say the giraffe is my favourite!!

Lisa Cobler said...

Those are amazing. I love the bottle! Awesome Show and Tell!

Jean said...

Very unique and special items! Thanks for sharing them with us. Jean

Judith said...

wow Janet what fabulous photos and commentary I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog this morning. I have just linked up with another one of Nigel's relatives in South Africa via facebook. Internet makes the world an even smaller place!! lol take care, Judith

Firefly the Travel Guy said...

What a great collection of "sand". Amazing how such little things can have sentimental value. In Hogsback here in the Eastern Cape they make clay wild boars that gets sold on the side of the road. I should have bought one last time we were there and never did. Maybe next time.

Kelli said...

Wonderful show and tell and treasures!
~Kelli