Mud & Sunsets

It’s been a great afternoon. About half way through the Bulls versus Crusaders Super 14 semi-final, with the score a tantalising 27-23, Mrs 6k decided that it would be a good time for us to take the kids up to the local school field, let them run around and let me not watch the end of the rugby. Her plan was extremely successful on both counts.
But I’m glad we went. The kids enjoyed the mud on the churned up fields after the morning school rugby games and I booted a properly shaped ball around, chased Alex and took photos of the sky and the mountains.

I was even allowed to look up the Bulls score on the way home. Result. Literally.  

I was working hard on the first Peroni of the weekend when I glanced outside to see a completely orange sky. Now, I’m very used to blue, quite used to black with tiny white dots in and sadly, becoming used to grey again, but orange is still a bit of a novelty.

Quickly grabbing the point-and-shoot camera – mainly because I wanted to take photos and it’s the only camera I own – I ran outside, climbed on top of the braai, pointed and shot. I should probably inform readers at this point that we have a built-in braai and it wasn’t a Weber or one of those rubbish disposable things. That would have taken a monumental amount of balance or made absolutely no difference to my overall height whatsoever. Or both.
No, our braai is pretty big.
Fortunately the sky is also pretty big and I was able to not miss on a number of occasions. This probably being my favourite hit.

Although I quite like this one too. You can see the whole lot of them on flickr and make your own decision.

And once again, I must remind you lovely people that taking good photographs in Cape Town isn’t difficult. Most of the work is done for you. So yes, despite the fact that I think some of these are “good”, once again, none of them are exceptional. And, once again, I’m left wondering if I can at least partially overcome the paucity of my talent by buying a better camera.

The alternative, of course, is to spend that camera money on beer, and then see if my creative abilities are augmented by imbibing (what I calculate to be) about 1,000 bottles of Amstel. Being a scientist, I am tempted by the idea of exploring both possibilities as fully as possible.

Strike one…

Spectacular shot of Cape Town thunderstorm this morning, taken by Hout Bay photographer John Maarschalk, (bigger here) via here.

3551014084_4e5d2fe847 

Alex and I stood for 30 minutes watching the lightning out of the window this morning. Although it wasn’t a particularly big storm, it was pretty active and there was plenty to keep him occupied. Alex is three years old and is less scared of thunderstorms than his mum. No comment.

Quick question:
Why is the lightning striking Kloof Nek rather than the 670m Lion’s Head or the 1050m Table Mountain?

EDIT: Many apologies to John. I emailed him to ask permission to use the picture, wrote the post and then managed to hit PUBLISH instead of PREVIEW. They should make those words easier to tell apart.
Thus, when he arrived on the site, his photo was already here.
How embarrassing.
Needless to say, I do now have the go-ahead. Thanks and sorry again, John.

Barely Hanging On…

Seemed an apt title for this quota photo post, since sleep was at a premium last night thanks to our baby daughter.


Barely hanging on… 

Shame, the poor thing was really struggling with a snotty nose and (probably) the after effects of a vaccination she had last week. That’s not her, by the way. That’s a butterfly hanging onto my windscreen wiper on the way through Diep River earlier this week. K-pu has fewer wings. And she’s slightly larger. Also, she tends to travel in the car.
But anyway, unhappy was the word of the night. That, and awake. Thus, tired is the word of the day.

I used to be so sensible on my own
Now I’m so sensitive it’s a joke
I’m getting by on decibels like a drug
And greet every brand new day with a shrug
I’m barely hanging on

Pål Waaktaar

Snow Patrol are my drug of choice right now. Hands Open and Open Your Eyes. Keeping me going. Just.

However, when it all seems to be too much of a struggle, there’s always something to make it all worthwhile.
Like the fact that tomorrow is (another) public holiday in South Africa. Or even that today is our wedding anniversary. Which is nice, cos I love my Mrs 6000 very much.
And if that little butterfly could hang on all the way from Grassy Park to Bergvliet, then surely – whatever challenges your day holds – you can overcome them.
OK, so the butterfly actually turned out to be a bit dead on arrival, but theoretically, the principle still stands.

Quota Photo: Misty Cliffs

Featuring precisely no mist and no cliffs.

Although that is an incoming cold front. You can see it bigger here.

After all the fuss and palaver over the Stop Zuma campaign yesterday (and throughout today) I thought it was best to give myself and my readership a last minute break from all things election and remind you just how beautiful this country can be when it’s not getting all ugly over political issues.

Tomorrow, we’re back onto election stuff, because it’s election day.
But let’s try and keep things a little more lighthearted, shall we?

Happy voting!