Reiki @ Oak Grove Farm

Do you need rest & relaxation, peace & tranquility and some energy balancing on an emotional, physical, mental and/or spiritual level?

Take some time out to give to yourself and allow the Universal energy (Chi or Ki) to replenish, ground, balance and uplift you or simply just fill you with inner peace and love.

D'Ville Ads

This is the advert I put together with the help of the designers of D'Ville Ads Publications, for insertion into a special Overberg feature, being distributed Dec 06 and Jan 07 on the Cape west coast area. I know we have had one direct call from this advert thus far and we shall keep tabs on the effectiveness of this type of advertising.

A gentleman, we'll call him Larch, leaving the farm two days ago returned yesterday to collect a small silver charm necklace which his daughter had inadvertantly lost and Bruce had managed to find, much to her delight, glinting in the garden in the evening sunlight near the barbeque area where the family had enjoyed themselves the previous evening. Larch, from the Kirstenbosch Botanical Society, said something to this effect: "When you close your eyes in Onrust (where they went on to vacation for a further 3 days) all you hear is shouting and splashing kids, noisy children, cars..." as he closed his eyes and soaked up the peace and tranquility that is Oak Grove Farm, albeit even for only another moment.

Evidence of the fire having literally licked the leaves of the Oak Trees is seen here in this photo of me in the lower dam with Hobbes and Baloo, one of the places where I practice my art of Reiki Healing for animals.
This photo shows the expanse of the farm as yet unestablished in the landscaping arena. Note the bare area around Rooibos House
Of course one needs to take time out to relax after getting fit running up and down the hill between the units. It had been quite some time since I considered myself fit in any way and the guage of one's fitness level is judged by one's rate of recovery - so I practised that a lot!! The burned pine forest in the distance still looks virtually identical
Yes, and there the dogs and I were, running up and down the hill - again! Just for the photo though... I am always looking for new photo opportunites for my other blogs, like Rainbow Kidz

BEFORE THE FIRE...
This is how the farm was in our first month of being here - before the fire! Before the houses were finished, before the gardens were planted, before, before, before...
We had just completed the wire fencing job on the white picket fence around Lavender Cottage, to ensure that our two rather large hounds, suitably named Hobbes and Baloo after their cartoon namesakes, would remain confined when necessary - and, of course, to have an accredited "pet-friendly" establishment in the future.
Note the large alien vegetation in the bottom left photo which soon got burned out! Now it has regrown after the fire to about 1m already and we are using poison donated by the DWAF Working for Water program to create areas of completely rehabilitated Fynbos land.
Personal note from author: One sometimes wonders what it is all about when your neighbour goes out hunting for the indigenous Rooikat under the auspices of them taking lambs... And that Fynbos behind Baloo in the picture of him with the Red Hot Pokers, well that is already all gone, for sheep food. I ask merely, what happens to that land if the rains don't come? Where is the respect, where is the love, where is the conscience, are we not all connected?

Fire Fire Fire...

FIRE ~ FIRE ~ FIRE

This is where we were 11 months ago!

Stanford's burning
Stanford's burning
There're no engines
There're no engines
FIRE! FIRE!
FIRE! FIRE!
Beat with the Wattle
Beat with the Wattle

28 January 2006

Note from author: The fiery rage which had burned inside me down at Reiersvlei - for various reasons, was made beautifully manifest by the awesome power and humbling ferocity of this fire, which raged around us for 15 days. On the last day when it was once again necessary to receive outside assistance, we were inadvertantly having lunch with the retired Chief of London's Fire Dept, Frank Mees, OBE to the Queen. We received a call from Stuart Findlay that we ought to get back as the helicopter was having to put out the flames coming closer to our new home, Lavender Cottage, as well as the rest of the units up at the top of the farm!

Sunset Cocktails on the stoep of Rooibos House, the new Cape Dutch designed home from home. 4 separate sumptuous en-suite bedrooms with heated towel rails to boot!

A warm and friendly atmosphere welcomes you to Oak Grove Farm.

Photograph courtesy of Mr Van der Merwe of the Stanford Technology Centre and Kerri Brokensha of Stanford River Talk.

That thing that makes your day!
The new owners of Oak Grove Farm tell their African story.

Standing on the stoop of Rooibos House, the newly built farmhouse of Oak Grove Farm near Stanford, the three owners, two English and one Dutch, tell all about their African adventure. “After a holiday in South Africa we decided to buy a holiday home as we wanted to stay here now and than for a month or so. We decided for Hout Bay. Although being happy there, we thought it after all a bit too townish and too busy. We always wanted a farm, and after a nightly break in, the decision to move was easily made. We sold the house and started searching in the Overberg region, an area we always loved because of its nature and people. After a few months we found this beautiful retreat in the hills, just 10 km from Stanford. We are overlooking the Klein River Valley and the mountains, and have views stretching all the way to Hermanus. We believe it’s the best place on earth.

Although the farm is not huge, there were several existing buildings in good condition and also some ruins. The old main house, a traditional South African farmhouse with 7 bedrooms, was not exactly what we wanted. We always had a Cape Dutch style house in mind, and found Maureen Wolters prepared to do the plans for it. It has become a balanced layout in a rather classical way, with a big living and on each corner a bedroom/bathroom. Lots of old wood has been used. But the place to stay is definitely the stoop. That thing makes your day.

From the beginning of the construction work we had Jason Woest as a project manager on the spot. He checked all details, bought materials, rushed around all the time in his bakkie to find the old oregan pine and other old stuff we needed. It should be a house giving that old majestic feeling. We ourselves came over from Europe now and than to assist Jason (and probably also to disturb his daily ritm.) Beginning 2006 one of the English partners and his wife came over for the finishing touch and to move the furniture from Stanford Storage into the house . Than again a period of work started as we needed blinds, a drive way, upgrade electricity, improve water supply, seed grass around the house etc. You name it and it was on the list. On top of organizing all those things, they had to cope with the bush fires, as they reached our boundary from two sides. That was not funny anymore. Several times they were prepared to evacuate. Thank God it was not necessary.

Having decided to build our new house, the question came up what to do with the other buildings? It was an easy decision: The old main house has been divided into more units which will be let out as self catering cottages. With their own stunning view and their own swimming pool we think people will love to be here. Slowly we also will renovate the other old buildings as much as possible in their own old style.

We found Philippa and Bruce Castle, a couple with experience in the tourist business and well known in Stanford. They now live on the farm and are the managers of Oak Grove Farm. They are responsible for the lettings. They love Stanford and the Overberg and are the best to market our farm and the region.

Aah Baloo...A Red Hot Poker view... from Oak Grove Farm

Baloo, my big baby boy, at the bend in the driveway with the Red Hot Pokers (Knipphofia uvaria) (Afrikaans: vuurpyl) that grow naturally on the South-facing slopes of Potberg, Soetanysberg and other coastal hills in the area between Clanwilliam and Port Elizabeth. Flowers October to January.

The views in the background stretch accross the Klein River Mountains all the way to Hermanus Lagoon and Hermanus itself.

Video Video Video

Model: Philippa Elaine Castle http://www.philippacastle.blogspot.com
Camera: Alan Robb +27 (0)72 538 8317
Date: May 2006
Editing: Alan Robb
Copyright: Digivid http://www.digividsa.co.za

Aah, such is life in the country! Our advert to be appearing in the July to December issues of Country Life magazine. Spot the bird overhead...

Rooibos House next to the Oak Grove showing the greenness appearing after the 15 days of fire which rages through the Overberg in January and February this year. The Buffalo grass planted in March is coming along well, so were the weeds and winter grass which were taken out by hand and dumped and later burned.
View of inside of Protea Studio. Angeline, the local seamstress has since tailored the curtains to fit just above the kitchen counter.

 

Oak Grove Farm, Salmonsdam Road off R326, Stanford, Western Cape, South Africa.

Tel: +27 (0)28 341 0570

Cell: +27 (0)72 135 1687 +27 (0)82 943 4327

www.oakgrovefarm.co.za

info@oakgrovefarm.co.za