Deluxe Coffee Works. A new artisanal coffee roaster in Stellies. The fixed wheel bicycle and surfboard should have been an indicator. And if not, the portraits along the wall of guys sporting various strange haircuts should have rung alarm bells. This is serious coffee that explodes your senses so they vibrate with the steel guitar music.

Wind chimes, and pine needles, as the wind turns. Bringing some relief from the hot summer days.

An unusual wine and salt pairing dinner in the underground cellars at Bergkelder. Five artesian salts (Hawaiian – red one and a black one, Australian – pale pink, and West Coast – white, and Uppington – white) paired with various food and wine combinations. Some of the salts were flaky, some round crystals, some volcanic, some from sea water, some from underground sources.

For the first time I have seen mechanical grape harvesters at work in the Zevenwacht vineyards. No more basket wielding pickers, moving between the vines. A hum and lights at first light, with the smell of fermented grapes filling the air, all the indication that the harvest is underway.

The house transfer moving quicker than expected, prompting a trip to Knysna to see what our options are, as the studio won’t be ready for another year. To keep up with the 30 painting schedule, while traveling, I needed to get a couple done in advance. An overcast morning making it easier. My hand cramping with the contortions from the additional workload.