Owls, Bokmakieries and Wild Horses

Goeie dinge kom met tyd.

These past few days and nights the Eagle owls have been at it. Talking to each other. From treetop to rooftop. I guess male and female. Talking and planning things for what lies ahead. Negotiating the site of their home. Planning a family perhaps. A little nightjar endlessly asked the lord to deliver us. From what, I am not sure. And tonight, a Barn owl announced itself. It is owl time baby.

Of course, winter is approaching, with longer hunting hours for the owls, more food for the owl family. And less pesky rodents to eat the goat and cattle feed.

What the Bokmakieries* get out of the oncoming winter I don’t know but these mornings they put up a show for the world to hear. Listen to their amazing repertoire of duets in the Roberts bird guide. *Bush Shrike

While the owls and other night creatures contemplate their time in the dark, we prepare the vineyards for the winter break. Putting down feed and mulching on the bankies and planting cover crops between the rows. The goats will soon go on maternity leave.

The olives look so much better this year. We will not have a record crop but will be picking for a while still. Into winter. There will be enough to look after our existing clients. A lot of thanks to Anro and his team.

A result of my absence has been that we were not able to do regular wine tastings. Finding the right person was always going to be a challenge. Marelise, identified her.

Arno’s wife Wilmarié, a primary school teacher, was hoping to get a post nearby when they moved here in September. But there were no jobs and by December she was climbing the walls.

She started with helping Jackie and Lereen with the cheese and oil orders and deliveries. She got involved with the goats and paperwork. But her life changed when she started in the cellar and met Marelise with this year’s harvest.

She was in there, boots and all, working with our award-winning winemaker and interns from all over the world. From teacher to cellar rat. Scrubbing and punching down and pumping over, tasting and taking readings; learning from the best. Jac and Moulish need special mention. Academy Anysbos.

Two weeks ago, Wilmarie had her first solo tasting, with great success. Some learning to do still but the energy is there. And teachers are trained to listen. Do things over and over until it is just right.

And us septuanagerians? We have finally bought the sometimes-mentioned vrekplek. But we will stay here on the farm until the wild horses drag us away.
So, things are getting back to normal, in a different kind of way. A great relief for us ou toppies. I do miss the interactive energy of showing our wine, but I guess you cannot have it all. If you hear a Oomie whistle like a bokmakierie. It is me.

So, what have owls got to do with wine tasting you ask. Or Bokmakieries? Not much I guess, except that birds do what they have been doing for thousands of years. Nature has its own rhythm. People must adapt. From teaching kids to washing barrels, to showing our wine. A new life. She is happy. So are we. Our winter will start knowing that someone will do the job. And we can start planning our yearly pilgrimage to Kruger. We can not wait. We could not go last year.

Phone her at +2776 111 2246 or Lereen at +2782 897 0273 for an appointment to taste our and Marelise’s wines. And olives and cheese and olive oil. And we may just bump into each other.