A Moment in Time. Oil on Canvas 70cmx101cm. A painting of the Heads in Knysna. The cloud formations reminded me of a ship and in painting them, I decided I liked the idea of a sailing ship entering through the Heads. I have also done a small, 20cmx20cm canvas ‘Through the Heads’ of the sailing ship.

Along the main road through Knysna, they have set up planters each of which is sponsored. At the moment they are filled with marigolds and daisies. Vibrant in yellow and white.

Polly moulding into her ‘surfer dog’ image. Hair matted with saltwater and beach sand, whipped into dreadlocks by sticking her head out of the window of her mobi-kennel. She is less sure of the high tide, when the sand is soft and the waves that bit rougher, knocking out her back legs. The beach sand relocation program to inside the house is making rapid progress.

She is also becoming a Seattle Coffee groupie. Morning coffee with the cyclists at Hein’s one of her favourite stops.

Painting the small picture ‘Waiting to Play’ of a yacht on the Knysna Estuary, I was reminded of a scene from the movie about William Turner when he takes a dollop of red paint and splots it down on a canvas painted by Constable, eventually creating a buoy amongst the blue sea. I added my own red splot.

Dinner with Ronnie and Mimzie amongst the trees at the Phantom Eco Lodge, with its fabulous view out over the Knysna lagoon. Didn’t see any of the Phantom moths (Spring only?) that give name to the pass, and despite the ethereal mist, didn’t come across the ghost of the Italian women and her horse, struck by lightning, whilst trying to save the silk farmers from poverty.

A short, demanding walk along the circle route in the forest at Bibby’s Hoek. A fair amount of mud under the ancient canopy, with lichen, creating intriguing spots of colour amongst the green. No elephants, which wasn’t surprising given the noise being made by a bunch of kids enacting their own Survivor movie. Excellent venison pie at Molly’s Tea Garden, which is part of the small Millwood museum. With your own pot of coffee and attentive service, it makes a worthwhile stop.

The hills are covered in purple Erica. With the valleys full of morning mist, it’s little wonder that they call this the Garden Route.