Here in South Africa, it is Winter…  the time for a hot cup of Soup, a Hearty Stew and Pancakes with Cinnamon Sugar…

What a stunning site!  With fresh air after the down pour.. and water puddles reflecting the artful sky …typical of Calvinia!

Even though the air is cold and the rain drops fall, it will be soon that the flowers will bloom…

In CALVINIA, a town in the NORTHERN CAPE,  one can experience a grey, bitterly cold winter bursting into a landscape of colour.

Here, at winter time, the temperature can drop below zero and a tap with frozen water or a mountain covered with snow is not unusual.

The day after a light snow fall – Rubini Mountain in the back ground

The Karoo  winter landscape is dull and the secret of  an abundance of spring colour is hibernating below the soil…

Beetle Daisy  in Calvinia

Gazania krebsiana is an extremely showy plant when in flower.  Many individuals together may give a rather mat-like appearance.  Flower heads measure 50-60(-90) mm in diameter.

So Pretty!

The upper side of the ray florets (the florets at the margin of a flowerhead in the Asteraceae) is mainly a magnificent dark red or orange, with dark brown markings on the lower quarter.

Namaqua Daisy – Yellow

Namaqua Daisy – White

a Natural Bouquet

The Candelabra Flower – Brunsvigia Bosmaniae

This specie is found in Calvinia as well as below the koppies  near Niewoudtville .  The large heads of individual flowers vary in shades of pale to bright pink, with darker keels. Each flower head consists of 20-40 flowers on a stalk.  The triangular-shaped capsules are 30-60 mm long.

Purple Vygie  – drosanthemum tuberculiferu

Drosanthemum is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family of southern Africa. They are known as dew flowers or vygies.  Most species grow in a variety of colours.

Red Cup-and-saucer (Androcymbium burchellii ssp. pulchrum)

The common names for species in the genus are cup-and-saucer and men-in-a-boat. There are about 40 species and 13 of them are in the Cape Floral province.

Calvinia is known for Sheep Farming and the annual Meat Festival!

It is custom for the people of Calvinia to host a Meat Festival during the last weekend of August.  This is a Festival where Lamb and Mutton are prepared in every possible way.   Visitors,  from all over,  come to enjoy this festivity along with the incredible site of the Spring Flowers in full bloom.

More info about the Meat Festival will be available soon under the “EVENTS DIARY” and  you will find Where to Stay,Shop,Eat@Calvinia under “SHOP WINDOW”