Winter is warmer with beanies and ear warmers from MUSHKA at Piggly Wiggly on the R103. These are the answer for chilly days. Mushka has stocked up with gorgeous winter warming stock, Made Locally with Care.

Thank you to #GiantsCupAnimalWelfare for organising a three day steri clinic in the Underberg/Himeville area where 39 dogs and 13 cats were sterilised. We set off on Tuesday to a very crisp morning and snow on the mountains.

Thanks very much to Les and Raina Shaw for accommodating us at #NorthEndSelfCateringAccomodation and giving us a delicious hot meal and glass of sherry at the end of each busy day. Was so lovely to come back to a hot shower and comfy bed.

We were in a different location each day so as to reach as many people as possible, was great to see so many township dogs coming in.

More about Midmar Vet Clinic

Since 2010 Harvard Electrical Wholesalers has grown three fold, thanks to the support of their loyal client base. This rapid growth has allowed Harvard Electrical to move to larger premises in Howick. They believe in offering excellent customer service, a wide range of diverse products at very competitive prices and most importantly, they listen to their clients.

Harvard Electrical supply products which are manufactured both locally and internationally and are fully compliant with recognised safety standards and specifications.

Harvard Electrical is the only ELECTRICAL WHOLESALER in the greater Howick area.

Angle Grinders, Multimeters, Impact Drills, Cordless Drills, Hand Tools, Indoor Lighting and Outdoor Lighting products are on special for 16 & 17 June 2023.

Saturday the 10th of June, our Girls Hockey and Boys Rugby U9 to U13 Teams competed at Howick Prep. After a solid (cold) morning of great hockey and rugby, our teams walked away confident in their individual growth as well as their growth as a team. We are proud of their passion for their sport. This was their last interschool fixture of the season.

Next weekend we will see them face off against their parents in our family weekend fun!

Supplied.

Yes, you heard it right! It may sound counterintuitive, but winter is the perfect time to begin preparing your home so that it is ripe and ready to shine bright in the summer sun.

In her many years of experience as a top Cape Town interior designer, behaviour specialist, and owner of the Kim Williams Design studio, Kim Williams has learned that the best thing about being hunkered indoors during the cold winter is the downtime it gives to renovate, redecorate, and rejuvenate your home spaces. 

“In winter, we naturally tend to prepare our spaces for comfort, warmth, and protection from the harsh elements. There’s plenty of candles, fluffy blankets, throws and textured carpets for added layers. Even our seating areas are rearranged so that we get maximum exposure to that crackling fireplace,” Kim says.

Despite this period of cocooning, there is also the prospect of seeing brighter, longer days during the approaching summer. In an exclusive interview, she explains four of the ways she goes about crafting the perfect summer oasis.

Reconnecting with colour

Interior spaces are now becoming more expressive and personal which has transformed our relationship with colour into a beautiful love story. There is no denying that colour brings joy and peace, a sense of fun and life.

In a recent re-do of the Coleman AirBnB Studio, I used a soft pastel colour palette that inspired feelings of being outdoors, drinking in views of the ocean and being washed over with feelings of serenity and calmness.

Tones of turquoise and apple greens combined with a beautiful ocean themed wallpaper and pops of gold on the bathroom vanity amalgamate to create a modern and peaceful atmosphere that engages your senses but feels harmonious at the same time.

Creating more with less

Like it or not, the concept of micro living is here to stay, especially with the escalating property prices, making it more costly to buy more space. Our only alternative is to shape our existing spaces and create premium dual living areas that turn previously unused space into practical, functional, and integrated parts of the home. 

This is exactly what we did in a bedroom recently designed in Constantia where a previously unused space in the closet was transformed into a glamorous dressing area. We focused on increasing functionality and being mindful of waste by building on what existed rather than create something entirely new. 

Although creating space is a particular challenge in a micro space it isn’t impossible. We had to remove the ceiling in the loft area of the Coleman AirBnB Studio. so that the extra ceiling height space could be used to house an additional sleeping and relaxation area. 

We also added a dry wall in front of the bathroom to create privacy to the open plan lounge area, as well as crafted a discreet space for laundry. I used colour to help zone off the separate spaces and planted furniture strategically to create distinctive areas for cooking, eating, working, relaxing, and using the bathroom. 

Again, the unused space under the staircase was also given a new purpose. By just adding a built-in desk, the area can now double up as either a workstation, extra serving or eating areas. A server was also added behind the sofa for extra counter space or to serve as an additional bar, which creates even greater functionality.

Being sensitive to small joys

It is often difficult to find a momentum of calm in a world that feels chaotic, busy, and over-polluted with information and stuff. This chaos plays with our creativity, and use of colour, producing layered spaces that are a medley of old and new items. 

It’s called expressiveness and it helps ensure our spaces are not just personal to us, but they exude happiness, peacefulness, energy, and stimulation. You can see the bold use of colours and textures in the Constantia bedroom which goes against the typical neutral colours that are usually used in a bedroom.

Instead of simply copying and pasting design styles and principles, these unique and vivid colours combine with soft curtaining and foliage prints to add a playfulness and sexiness to the space while still retaining a harmonious feel that is at one in nature.

Establishing a grounding

Grounding is about using a space to connect us to a sense of tranquillity and peace that makes us feel happy. Winter is the perfect time to recharge and establish a disconnection to useless information and instead, connecting to what evokes a positive emotion within us – be it nature, colour, or sentimental items.

The existing light green of the cupboards in the Constantia bedroom, combined with red embroidered headboard was the source of inspiration for this space but I added navy to continue the colour journey, grounded the red and brightened the green. I used texture in the new wallpaper and fabrics to engage the senses and make it feel luxurious and peaceful, then repeated the colour journey into the new dressing room space.

Taking your home from winter to summer isn’t difficult but the trick is not to wait until the last minute to start preparing. Take advantage of the serenity and calmness during winter to carefully plan and execute your perfect summer haven. A few small tweaks to your layout and paying attention to details like colours and textures, can help you create a beautiful and welcoming home that you'll enjoy all summer.

For more tips from Kim Williams, sign-up for her blog at www.kimwilliams.co.za or follow her on Facebook and Instagram @kim_williams_design.

Images supplied by Kim Williams.

On Friday our Cross Country team set off to @cliftonnottiesprep for our final Cross Country meet of the season. It was a very successful afternoon and we had a number of children placing really well.

U8
Henriette Bean
Victor Mukeshimana

U9
Gabriel Gonzales
Thomas Wellbeloved

U10
Mila Terblanche
Tyler Hayward

Open
Olivia McKenzie
Megan McNamara

The full list of results will be available in this week’s newsletter.

Congratulations to everyone who ran.

Suprema Quaero

After a short interval league has started again.

The ladies’ team and one of the men’s teams played against Maritzburg in the Park on their home greens on Saturday afternoon with some challenging matches being played. Overall, the ladies came home with a nice total of 8.5 points. One of the games saw UWBC will all three skins and the game, while in the second game we won, peeled, and lost a skin. Well done ladies on an overall win!

The men’s team playing in Maritzburg had some great bowls, but very tough opposition. Each game gained us a point with a win one skin, and so the men came home with 2 points. Our second men’s team playing against Howick at Howick Bowling Club. One game was lost by only one shot, but 2 points earned for winning two skins, while the second game won one of their skins, awarding the team three points overall.

Well done to all our players who represented our club, and good luck to them for the next matches which will be played at the end of June.

On Sunday we had four teams enter the NIBA Pairs competition where they each played 3 games of 18 ends through the day. Almost 60 ends makes it a very long and tiring day but well worth the experience. Well done to the following teams who regardless of results played their hearts out and flew our flag high:-

Lisa Nagel & Wendy Smith - Won 2 and lost 1 game
Steve Smith & Kevin Palmer - Won 1 and lost 2 games
Colin Burden & Neil Wright - Won 2 and lost 1 game
Koos Marais & Dave McLean - Lost 3 games

Events to keep an eye out for…

On the 16th of June we’ll be having a family fun day to celebrate Youth Day where a child aged between 10 and 18 will play with a bowler in a game of pairs. Players will play one session of 10 ends, after which we’ll have cheese dogs (R20) and beef burgers (R40) on sale for lunch. Competition entry is R30 per person and anyone wanting to enter can contact Sharon on 082 900 5944.

With winter settling in so well we’re also in the early stages of planning a poitjie competition for July. Keep a look out for more information on that!

That’s all for this week… see you on the greens!

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, 14 June: Halfway Toyota Drawn Pairs 4-3-2-1. Tabs In 13h15
Friday, 16 June: Youth Day Fun Day
Tuesday, 20 June: J Leslie Smith & Co Nominated Pairs 2-4-2. Tabs In 08h15 (Book with Lisa on 084 586 6984)
Friday, 30 June: Dormehl Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 08h45 (Book with Pippa on 083 467 8140)

Regular tabs in times are:-
Tuesdays at 08h45
Wednesdays at 13h15
Saturdays at 13h15.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact Wendy on 071 353 2866

Coaching by registered coaches is available: Contact Colin or Bernice on 071 164 3162 for further information.

This weekend, thousands of local and international runners, their families and support teams will be in KwaZulu-Natal for the 96th Comrades Marathon which will be held on Sunday,11 June 2023 and the exceptional Zulu Kingdom is ready to welcome them with open arms.

The MEC for KwaZulu-Natal Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mr Siboniso Duma said the province is ready to ensure that all runners and spectators will have a world-class experience and a memorable stay and that they would promote the Zulu Kingdom when they returned home.

“We are thrilled that the number of runners is on an incline, this year we have 2 354 international runners from 84 countries who will take on the 2023 Comrades Marathon, alongside 17 920 South African athletes who have qualified to line up at the start of this gruelling 87.70-kilometre race.

“The Comrades Marathon Association has confirmed that this is one of the highest numbers of international entrants making this a truly international event, and we hope these athletes will not only enjoy the race but take the time to explore our province - from the beach to the berg,” said MEC Duma.

The lion’s share of the international athletes are from India with 403 athletes, Zimbabwe with 255, the United Kingdom with 224, the USA with 173 and Brazil with 142 runners.

“In addition to Zimbabwe, we are pleased to see that South Africa’s SADC neighbours, Eswatini, Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and Malawi are listed among the top 20 international entries along with Zambia and Kenya from the rest of Africa. This is a testament to our efforts in forging greater air access linkages with our SADC neighbours.

“Other countries on the list, are the US, Brazil, Australia, Russia, Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Japan and Ireland. Some of these are our key source international markets where we want to cultivate more travellers to come to KZN in the future.” Said, MEC Duma.

He pointed out that major sports events such as the Comrades Marathon were vital for the province. Not only did they highlight what KwaZulu-Natal has to offer but they provided a much-needed boost for the tourism industry. For instance, we expect 100% occupancy for Pietermaritzburg spilling over into the Midlands and that eateries will also be busy. This and other related spending have a positive economic impact on the region. Last year the estimated direct economic spend for the Comrades Marathon was over R248 million, and this year it is expected to well exceed this.

The province has a well-established history of rich cultural landscapes and a wide range of the finest destination routes. Its appeal ranges from safaris, beaches, good cuisine, and a myriad of tourism experiences. This is a good reason for runners, their families and support teams to stop and relax after months of preparation for this thrilling race and explore some of what KZN offers.

While urging Comrades’ visitors to take advantage of what’s on offer MEC Duma said he hoped that the cash injection will trickle down to all communities along the 87.70-kilometre route and throughout the province.

This year’s theme is This is it – Ziyasha, which sums up the feeling of every race participant as they prepare for the race that will test their endurance to breaking point.

“The excitement, camaraderie and spirit of the race will once again spill over thousands of spectators cheer the runners on encouraging them to keep going to the end.

“We can’t wait for the second post-pandemic Comrades Marathon this Sunday, and we wish all the runners the best of luck for this year’s down-run. Don’t leave us in a hurry, but stay on longer, rest and enjoy our hospitality,” concluded MEC Duma.

Supplied.

The incredible true story of a young girl who navigated dangerous forests, outwitted Nazi soldiers, and survived against all odds with the companion-ship of a stray cat. Growing up in the Polish village of Tarnogrod on the fringes of a deep pine forest, Mala Szorer had the happiest childhood she could have hoped for.

More from Nuts About Books and Toys

So many things to report on for the last week!

On Wednesday, the 14th of June we hosted our monthly Halfway Toyota Drawn Trips/Pairs competition with quite a full field. A big thank you to Halfway Toyota for their sponsorship of cash prizes and well done to the winning team of Colin Norris & Sindi Hlongwane, as well as Ed Speed, Pat Norris & Jo Boonzaier who came second.

On Friday morning we celebrated Youth Day by teaming an adult with a child for two sessions of pairs games. It’s such an amazing experience to watch someone who has never rolled a bowl take to the greens and settle into the game and absolutely love it; some of the natural talent in the youngsters was phenomenal! After bowls we all enjoyed a lunch of burgers and cheesedogs on the braai and enjoyed the winter sunshine. All of the youngsters who played were treated to a prize, but special mention of Paige Smith and Aya Molefe who tied for 3rd place, Jordi Taylor who came 2nd and Dale Spires who was the ultimate winner. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making the day a success and to all the bowlers who got their children and grandchildren involved; what a fabulous way to spend a public holiday!

On Saturday we played some of the first rounds of the club singles competition where there were some very challenging games played with quite a few of them exceeding 21 ends. We’ve also had some brand-new novices take up the challenge and enter for the first time. There’s a huge difference between tabs in and playing a singles game so for a bowler who’s been playing for only a short amount of time, it’s quite daunting to go onto the green with no team mates to back you up. Well done to all who played on Saturday, and good luck to those who have made it through to the next round.

Events to keep an eye out for…

The planning for our first ever inter-club poitjie pot competition has started, and we’ve set the date for Saturday, the 5th of August. The day will start at 10am, with cooking starting at 11am and judging and tasting taking place between 5 and 5.30pm. It should be a great way to spend a day watching or playing some bowls with the wonderful aroma of poitjie pots cooking and come fires going. For more information contact Wendy Smith on 071 353 2866.

Tuesday, 20 June: J Leslie Smith & Co Nominated Pairs 2-4-2. Tabs In 08h15 (Book with Lisa on 084 586 6984)
Friday, 30 June: Dormehl Nominated 2 Bowl Trips. Tabs In 08h45 (Book with Pippa on 083 467 8140)

That’s all for this week… see you on the greens!

Regular tabs in times are:-
Tuesdays at 08h45
Wednesdays at 13h15
Saturdays at 13h15.

Visitors are always welcome. For more information contact Wendy on 071 353 2866

Coaching by registered coaches is available: Contact Colin or Bernice on 071 164 3162 for further information.

Pictured here: Our Youth Day participants.

More about UWBC

'We congratulate Ezra Robertson (Grade 10) and Jason Reineke (Grade 8) who were awarded medals for their top 10 positions, based on their performance in the 7 inter-school races, at the final prize-giving of the PMB & Districts Cross Country league. Age Quod Agis!' happy news from Howick High School.

“Sweet Dreams are made of this…” Kath McClelland, Jenna Hornby, Evan Oosthuizen and Paul Spence bring their hot new 80’s Hits show to Fern Hill Hotel for a Howick High School Governing Body Fundraiser. Party to wall2wall No.1 chart topping feel-good faves from Michael, Madonna, Belinda, Blondie, Sinead, Kim, Tracey, Joan Jett, Roxette, Police, WHAM, U2, Berlin, Prince, The Pretenders, Soft Cell, Human League, Heart, Bryan Adams, Bruce and more… every fab hit a great retro memory. Win 80’s Pop Trivia prizes and let Jenna, sexy ‘Material Girl’, ‘Take Your Breath Away’ with her wild 80’s dance moves!

So don’t be an ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ and miss this FUN 80’s Pop Party.

Book your table NOW with Lisa Candler and get out your Big Hair 80’s gear; shoulder pads, leg warmers and crop tops and you’ll be ‘Walking On Sunshine’ on ‘La Isla Bonita’! Snooze and you’ll be ‘Living On A Prayer’ and feelin’ like you’re ‘Just Another Brick In The Wall…’ “Ev’s 80’s Mix Tape Party” is coming soon…

The event takes place on Tuesday, 8 August 2023 and tickets for dinner and the show are R290 each whilst tickets for the show only are R140 each. Tickets can be purchased from Lisa Candler on 083 681 5774.

(NB: Wednesday, 9 August is the Women’s Day public holiday.)

Congratulations to Briony Fromwald (Pictured below), riding Invisible Ink and Abigael Don-Wauchope (Top image), riding Lady Julia, who have been selected to represent KZN, for the 95cm Eventing Team at the Eventing Youth Champs in Kyalami at the end of June.

Briony and Abigail will make up a team of 5, who will compete together at the Youth Champs.

Photo credit: DN Photography

Supplied.

Congratulations to Mrs Christina Evans and Mr Simon Mbuyazi who both completed the 2023 Comrades Marathon this weekend.

Mrs Evans completed her first Comrades in a time of 11:28:41 and Mr Mbuyazi finished his 12th race in a time of 8:21:06. We are so proud of both members of staff - Age Quod Agis!!

More about Howick High School

With world-class facilities and quality organisation awaiting them later this year, the country's rising young stars can expect a memorable experience when they compete for top honours in various age groups at the SA Schools Hockey Association (SASHOC) National tournaments to be hosted by Southern Free State Hockey between 25 June and 12 July 2023.

Once again, the SASHOC Nationals 18-day hockey festival is expected to deliver superb performances from the best schools players across the nation, who will turn out for their provincial teams.

By building a solid platform over the years - through district and provincial events - SASHOC has ensured the top-flight inter-provincial tournaments will not only offer a strength versus strength format, but will also give young hockey players valuable experience both on and off the field with the host province and sponsors ensuring the best awaits them in terms of organisation and hospitality.

Along with the hard-working local organising committee, SASHOC started the planning and logistical process for this year's Nationals in December 2022, ensuring organisers were given sufficient time to put quality events together across the board.

The hosts are also providing superb facilities, boosting the experience offered to the participating players and teams.

The main field to be used will be the Kovsies Astro university ground, where the A-section games will be played. The B-section matches will be played at Grey College and Eunice High School for Girls. 

"We are looking forward to welcoming team officials, players, parents and all other hockey lovers to Bloemfontein,” said Louise van der Merwe, the head of the LOC.

“We invite everyone to come and experience and appreciate schools hockey at the highest level and true Free State hospitality.”

The SASHOC Nationals will be backed by multiple valuable partners - including sponsors Sportsmans Warehouse (retail partner), Grays Hockey (ball and umpire shirt supplier), Trompie Sport (sports facilities partner), and renowned brands SPAR and iKhokha – ensuring the players receive the support they need throughout the tournaments in all age groups.

“We truly appreciate the tremendous backing we have received from all our partners and sponsors, who all make a huge difference in ensuring this event is as successful as has come to be expected from our premier schools hockey event of the season,” said SASHOC chairman Wendell Domingo.

“With more than 118,000 players registering to compete in schools hockey last year it is clear that the sport is growing in popularity in terms of participation and youth development and we are eager to see the latest generation of young stars in action.

“The SASHOC team and the LOC are doing an incredible job in the build-up to ensure this is a world-class event in terms of organisation and hospitality, and we are grateful for their continued efforts.”

With organisers having extended their agreement with SuperSport Schools, the SASHOC Nationals will also have significant reach.

Family members and friends of players, as well as hockey fans around South Africa, will again be able to watch live, with matches in all age groups being broadcast on television and on the SuperSport Schools app.

Supplied.

Funda Nenja strives to change the way people perceive their dogs, to develop affectionate bonds between them, and thereby change the way they treat their companion animals. The root cause of most animal suffering is inappropriate human behaviour, so by facilitating social behaviour changes, we can improve the quality of life for animals.

Please support our outreach programmes so we can sustain our positive influence on the community we serve.

More about Funda Nenja

Sommer Home Vibes - TONY COX TOUR OF SOUTH AFRICA - 24 June to 16 July 2023

Where: The Old Mushroom Farm
When: Sat 1 July @ 6pm
Booking: www.quicket.co.za

Award-winning international guitar maestro, Tony Cox, is heading home for a long-awaited tour of South Africa. His return is a rare opportunity for local audiences to see this acoustic guitar phenomenon play his unique brand of dazzling, finger-style guitar. With dizzying playing skills, he combines African and European influences into his own inimitable style - taking audiences on a foot-tapping, heart-beating, soul-feeding journey in every show.

Tony’s laid-back grooves, effortless guitar wizardry and astonishingly layered musical creations are interspersed with his wry observations, engaging warmth and playful, ribtickling banter. If you come to one of his performances as a stranger, you will leave feeling that Tony is your new China.

Born in Zimbabwe, raised in Cape Town and now living in England, Tony’s fan base has grown from a loyal horde of South Africans to include Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom and numerous other enthusiastic bands of followers worldwide. This ascent to his current heights as a master musician began as a 9 year old playing Hawaiian guitar in what was then Rhodesia. In his teens, he evolved towards a more conventional playing style - and later, to polish his technique, he studied classical guitar for an intensive two-year period.

After his family relocated to Cape Town in 1969, Tony enhanced his already considerable skills and Western training by absorbing and adapting the multi-textured rhythms and varied styles of the indigenous music of his upbringing and surroundings. He began to compose his own music early in his career and his creations are shot through with rich African imagery and influences. Tony’s fingers have assimilated the techniques of international greats like Leo Kottke, Bert Jansch and - closer to home – folk-stylist, Jannie Hofmeyr and Zulu maskandi master, Sipho Mchunu.

Alongside his solo career, Tony has collaborated and recorded with many other musicians to produce three award-winning albums and many nominations. In 2002, 2003 and 2008 he won the ‘Best Instrumental’ category at the SAMA Awards. Tony’s current tour, while mainly focusing on his solo performances, will include a series of reunion concerts with Steve Newman, one of his most well-known collaborations. Tony will be performing in Johannesburg, Kwazulu-Natal and Cape Town.

FOR ALL VENUES, DATES AND BOOKING LINKS
www.tonycox.co.za/shows.html

Author credit: Greig Coetzee

Diarize our Womens Day Event - Wednesday 9 August 2023. We are working on some exciting ideas, we just need to pull them together before we can share them.

If you would like to get involved or be kept up to date please chat to Meghan 033 330 5257/ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.