Sunday, December 21, 2008

My "Wedding" Photos

In my previous post I waxed lyrical about my nephew's farm wedding, but couldn't find my camera! Well I finally found it, so here are my photos. There are none of the groom and bride or the boat or the horse or the barn with the beautiful tables and decorations.... But I am sure there will be plenty later on Thelwyn's blog.


The morning of the wedding we helped to get everything ready. Here Jan and Dorette are threading crystals onto satin ribbon to decorate the wedding canopy on the island.

Waiting for the wedding to begin: My sister Elsabe's 2nd daughter, Netta, with her pretty little Elsabe. Young Elsabe's nickname is "Blom".

After rowing across the dam, the bridal party crossed the bridge to the island.

"Kyk Ouma, ek het vlerke!" After the wedding, Thelwyn clipped on wings to Martelize's fairy dress - a gift from her Aunt Dorette.

The wings from behind. I thought they would bother Martelize, but she was quite happy to wear them and Franco thought they were very interesting! Nice things to grab and chew!
Ouma couldn't get enough of this pretty little fairy

Well hi there! Haven't seen you for two days!

My children: Hendrik, Dorette, Gert with Franco and Thelwyn with Martelize. (Frans stayed behind to look after the farm.) Just after taking this photo the mothers put the children on a blanket on the lawn, where they happily played while we had some punch and hors d'ouvres.

The tractors were of course taken out of the barn for the wedding and lined up out of sight - but not out of sight of Elsabe's grandchildren who had a grand time on them: each little boy had his own tractor! Here is Jan, Netta's son.

Hananiel, Ethelwyn's (Elsabe's oldest daughter) second son.

Alma, Ethelwyn's youngest. Have you ever seen such gorgeous hair?

Evan, Ethelwyn's eldest. Die "haasbekkie" (missing teeth) says it all! Guess who is going to Grade 1 in January?

The line of tractors with my sister Elsabe and Alma standing close by. Koos and Elsabe have 8 grandchildren with 2 more on their way. They live in Kwazulu-Natal, so we don't get to see them often. Their son Hendrik is getting married in January and then we'll get together again!

On the Monday after the wedding we went to my sister Anne's farm near Ladybrand where we had a fun drive on the back of the bakkie (pickup) and a lovely picnic. Here Martelize and Franco enjoy the outdoors, sharing a "Spoegdoek" (cloth nappy used for dribbles and comfort).

The old sandstone farm house. It is almost impossible to have a going concern on that farm, because is it right on the border with Lesotho and there are many thefts. Anne's daughter dreams of living there and farming with something that is not likely to be stolen - something like herbs perhaps.

Marianne and her friend Riaan. (A part of her dreams?) They are both into making of videos (professional ones that is) and they made a lovely video of Neil and Marissa (the bride and groom) for the guests to watch while waiting for the bridal couple. We can't wait to see the DVD they made of the wedding.

Marianne's friend Riaan getting the fire going for the braai. Hendrik, Marianne and Dorette in the background.

Thelwyn with Martelize, Hendrik, Jan, Dorette, Marianne, her mother (my sister) Anne and Gert with Franco in front.

TheCaledon River: the border of their farm, but also the border between Lesotho and South Africa.

Gert standing in the shade with Franco. The sun was hot and despite sun screen, both Dad and son get sunburnt easily.

7 comments:

Kelly said...

I love the photos! You have a beautiful family and it looks like everyone enjoyed their time together. It's so interesting to see the scenery, too--very different from where I live.
Christmas is coming soon--will it come to South Africa first or South Carolina first?

Dorette said...

Is sy nie die pragtigste feetjie gewees nie? Ek en haar nefietjie het albei so gedink!

xxx Lief vir julle!

mariki said...

Oooo Miekie -- daai kindertjies en daai plaas en daai sandsteenhuis en, en, en....Suid-Afrika en sy mense is enig! Het ek die kyk-kuier nou geniet; dankie hoor! Ver teruggedink.
Mag ons Here julle veilig bewaar.

Kelly, South African time is 7 hours ahead of South Carolina. I see you are a sister in the Lord -- a wonderful Christ celebration to you and yours.

Jan and Miekie said...

Hi Kelly
South Africa is a very beautiful place and the scenery differs from lush green forests to thorny bushes and grassy plains. A great part of the country is very arid, but it has a beauty all of its own.
We'll be opening our Christmas presents long before you! When I was in Montana over Christmas(nearly 40 years ago)my "family" booked a telephone call to my folks here: it was 8 o'clock in the morning in Montana and here they were having afternoon tea - about 4 o'clock p.m. (Yes, you really had to book an overseas call in those day and it took about 24 hours before the call came through! You also had to wait a bit before you spoke because it took a while for the sound to come through and there were lots of "excuse me's" and that was terrible because the calls were frighfully expensive.)Aerograms or letters took 10 days! What a privilege we have today with satelite and internet!

Mariki
Kom jy dalk van die Vrystaat? Ek bid dat julle 'n baie spesiale geseende Kersfees sal he.

Sandra said...

Pragtige foto's Miekie die twee kleinkinders word nou regtig groot. Hulle is vreeslik oulik.

'n Geseende Christusfees vir jou en jou familie!

Jan and Miekie said...

Dankie Sandra! Geseende Kersfees vir julle ook!

mariki said...

Van oraloor is ekke! Grootgeword in die Kaap, geswot en gewoon in die Transvaal, tuisgeraak in die Vrystaat vir 'n paar jaar.

Maar my ou Ma (beleef ook die eerste Kersfees sonder haar), was in hart en wese'n plattelander en het daardie liefde aan ons oorgedra.

Interessante vertelling van hoe jy gesukkel het om uit Amerika "Afrika" toe te bel! 'Skuus vir my voorbarige antwoord aan K, en dit op JOU blok!