Wednesday, May 6, 2015

In the Mountains...

 How lovely it feels to be home once again!  
I had a wonderfully blessed time away and learnt so much, but I am sure you will agree with me that there is just no place like home...
Before I left, I told you that I would be visiting my grandmother who lives in the mountains...

 

One weekend my grandmother came to pick me up from where I was staying and off we went to her beautiful place in Bain's Kloof!
The Lord blessed us with such a special time and I also enjoyed a good rest - my grandmother never permits me to do any work while I am with her and loves to spoil me by bringing me tea in bed in the morning which of course is a delightful treat!

 I think the reason we get along so well, is that we share many of the same interests and love to discuss our recent gardening or sewing attemps or share secrets or tips we've found along the way!


Before we left the city, she decided to take me to her favourite quilting shop...
Dear friends, I thought I had stepped into a little piece of heaven when I walked into this wonderful fabric shop!  
I couldn't believe how lovely it was and the selection of fabrics was just so exciting!
After we had browsed a bit and made a few purchases, I took her out to tea and we shared a delicious slice of Turkish delight cake...

 

That evening when we arrived at her little log cabin, the wind was furiously blowing and thus we couldn't enjoy a meal outside which we would have loved, so we drove up the way to a quaint restaurant where we had supper...

 
^ This cheeky Robin hopped onto the table at breakfast time and enjoyed a little snack of bread crumbs!

That night I had such a wonderful sleep, listening to the wind beating against the log cabin...
When I awoke the next morning, the wind had subsided and we were able to have our breakfast and take a walk in the lovely open air.  Isn't God so good...?
Of course I took my camera along as I knew how you would love seeing photographs of my Grandmother's sweet cabin and the beautiful scenery that surrounds it!

 
^ Beautiful mountains surround her cabin...

 

"As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever."  Psalm 125:2

 
^ Can you spot the little log cabins in the corner of this picture?  My grandmother lives in one similar to these, except she has planted trees around her house to provide shade as the heat in summer can become quite unbearable.

 

 

 
"You will go out with joy and be led out in peace.  The mountains and the hills will break into songs of joy in your presence, and all the trees will clap their hands."  Isaiah 55:12

  
 That evening we had supper outside and sat up late enjoying the crisp open air...  Coffee and bed followed shortly after and the next morning we again went out of doors as soon as we could!
While Granny gave her dear garden some water, I walked a little way down to the river running near her cottage and enjoyed some peace and quiet...

My heart filled with joy and gladness as I glanced around me at the Lord's glorious creation!
From the happily gurgling river, to the great mountains surrounding me...from each tiny and beautiful flower to the cheeky birds tweeting their joyful songs...
Our Creator made an amazing world for us to live in and gave us such simple things to love and enjoy!
How can we not praise Him and give Him all the glory...?

~

Welcome dear readers!  I am so excited to show you around my grandmother's little home and give you a peek into my special time with her!

 

Welcome!  Do join me for a tour...?

^ The side of the cabin...


 

^  I love this sweet rustic style fence!

 
 ^ River stone markers... 

 ^ Stairway up to the cabin...


"Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."  Psalm 90:2


^ My grandmother has been a gardener for as long as I can remember...even though she lives in a very harsh climate where a lot of fynbos grows and where there are baboons, meerkat and pheasants to help themselves to a lovely lunch of fresh vegetables, she has still managed to grow a few salad ingredients and vegetables such as beans, peas and even pumpkin. 



 "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whenceforth cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth..."  Psalm 121:1-2




"...He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:  he that keepth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepth Israel shall neither slumber not sleep.  The Lord is thy keeper:  the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand..."  Psalm 121:3-5



 
^ Old kettles, jugs and shoes are but a few of the many interesting planters my granny has dotted around her garden...



 "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee."  Isaiah 54:10

^ Candles light up the area at night...


Now I would like to show you the interior of my Grandmother's cabin...
Over the years my granny has collected all sorts of bits and pieces and spent many hours happily sewing on her lovely old Singer...
She spends just as much time creating a beautiful place inside as she does outside in her garden...

~ The Craft Room ~


^ This is where everything craft related happens...while my Grandmother and I have very different styles, I really love what she has done to create a beautiful workroom for herself!




^ A few of her sweet creations...

^ Threads...

 
^ My grandmother covered mini wooden drawers with fabric and various embellishments...don't you think this is a lovely idea?
  
^ There is no electricity, so she does all her sewing on this gorgeous old Singer...

~ The Living Room ~

^ My grandmother is actually a teddy bear artist and I can remember how I would walk into her home as a little girl and feel quite overwhelmed - there were bears everywhere and the theme she used for almost all her decor was teddies...she became known as 'Teddy Granny' to me!  
She no longer makes traditional jointed bears, prefering to play with patchwork and anything else that takes her fancy...

^ A handmade patchwork cushion placed on a chair...

 
^  One of the most important places...the pantry!

~ The Bedroom and Bathroom ~

^ My grandmother sleeps in the attic and has made all her own country style bedding...

^ The bathroom is beautifully decorated too...handmade patchwork curtains adorn the windows and are held back by twisted fabric ties...

Before I left, my grandmother graced me with this gorgeous little tea cup!  She knows how much I love tea cups and one of my greatest joys is collecting them.....

...And so a wonderful visit came to an end...   I will always treasure the memories we made and I look forward to hopefully visiting her again in the near future!

I do so hope you enjoyed your visit...it was such a pleasure showing you around!
Have a wonderful and blessed day, dear friends!


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22 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful place Kelly-Anne... your grandmother has created an oasis in her little corner of the world. What a blessing to be able to visit her and share with her... thank you so much for inviting us on your tour :0) mari

Parlor Room Ponderings said...

Beautiful pictures Kelly-Anne! I'm glad you had such a nice visit with your grandmother. Such a memory to treasure. I was not able to know either grandmother. I can see that the love of home and handiwork was passed down. Thanks for sharing! Diane

magnoliasntea said...

What a glorious place! It does seem that your grandmother lives in heaven. I really enjoyed this beautiful post with all the lovely photos, and I'm so glad you have been able to rest and enjoy your grandmother's company. Grandmother's are very special. :) Thank you for sharing your vacation with us.

Debby Ray said...

Oh my, Kelly-Anne...what a glorious haven! I would have never wanted to leave! Your grandmother sure sound like a wonderful woman...I mean, to be able to live there with no electricity is only the beginning! What a treasure it is just to have your grandmother around...I have no memory of any of my grandparents since they had passed away before I came on the scene. Your photos are just stunning too...so many wonderful things to photograph! Thank you for sharing part of your little adventure with us!

Karyn said...

Wow Kelly-Anne Her home is absolutely beautiful and your photos are breathtaking! What a beautiful story!

Christine Taft said...

These pictures are gorgeous! I love the style of your grandma's house. It sounds like you had a great time together! Thanks for sharing. <3

Heidi said...

BEAUTIFUL pictures, Kelly! Thank you so much for sharing! :)

Heidi said...

Kelly-Anne -- my apologies....but I forgot to type the "Anne" part in your name on my last comment. Please do forgive me! :P

Jazzmin said...

What a sweet delight to read your post this morning, Kelly-Anne! Your grandmother's home is so charming and lovely and I can see why you enjoyed your time there so much. And what amazing land she lives on up in the mountains. I love the mountains. My grandmother on my Mama's side lives in the mountains, too :) Oh my goodness, that sewing room is a dream. What a wonderful place. Your photos are so lovely and looking at them and admiring each one makes me feel the joy you must have felt being up there with your dear grandmother.

It is such a joy to read your post today♥ God Bless you!
Hugs and blessings to you,
Jazzmin

Julie's Lifestyle said...

Hello Kelly-Anne,
Wow what a beautiful place where your grandmother lives. Thanks so much for the tour of everything as I really enjoyed it. How wonderful to have been able to spend that time with her!
Julie xo

CherylQuilts said...

Oh, Kelly-Anne, what a delightful and peaceful tour of your granny's log cabin and the glorious surroundings where she lives!! I loved each of your beautiful photos interspersed with the wonderful Scriptures. How precious to have as dear a granny as you have, and I'm so glad you had such a wonderful and refreshing time with her. You are a treasure, Kelly-Anne, and I am so delighted to be following your blog. Sending hugs and love!

Jill said...

These photos are absolutely breathtaking! It must be so nice to visit your grandmother and be able to admire this part of God's beautiful creation while you're there!

Vicky Hunt said...

Lovely photos Kelly-Anne! My, what a wonderful trip you had and such a sweet visit with your grandmother. Her home is so warm and cozy looking. The craft room looks like a very creative space. I am in awe that she lives with no electricity. I can tell she lives in a very remote area though and it is just gorgeous. have a lovely Thursday!

Hugs, Vicky

Hannah said...

What a strong character your granny must have to live alone in a remote cabin with no electricity, but make such a wonderful and creative home there. I'm just floored thinking of gardening with baboons and meerkats! And I thought moles, voles, rabbits, and deer were a handful! Thanks for taking me on your lovely visit, I'm the granny in my family. What an inspiration, and I loved all the mountain scripture verses.

Spiritually Healthy said...

Such wonderful loveliness, Kelly-Anne! Every picture was so beautiful and gave me a peek into your grandmothers lovely life and your relationship with her! Thank you dear, for sharing!

Pam~ Virginia Retro said...

Such a lovely post, with gorgeous photos and a peek into your grandmother's world. Amazing!

Stephanie said...

Oh friend, what a charming and quaint place in the woods! It's like a place from a fairytale :) How did you ever manage to leave it? I think I could stay in an area like that forever and be content.

Your grandmother is so talented! I can see where your beautiful gifts come from. And how lovely that she gave you such a seet tea cup. Your grandmother sounds absolutely precious. What a joy for you to spend time with her.

Thanks for sharing your time away with us. Hugs to you!

Scrappy quilter said...

This post brought tears to my eyes reminding me of my great grandmother and the homestead she lived on. What a pretty place. I'm so glad you got to spend this precious time with your grandmother.

Ana said...

Oh Kelly-Anne,
What a beautiful place your granny lives in. There are no more beautiful decorations than natures beauty. So glad you had a wonderful stay with her. Welcome back.

Hugs and Blessings,
❤️Ana

living from glory to glory said...

Hello, What a wonderful trip you had! I am so glad your Grandmother pampered you while there. I am sure she enjoyed doing even more. Her craft room was very sweet and filled with treasures and creativity! Your photos were perfect, but the one with the tea cup hanging on the little branch was adorable. You will always treasure your time with her and the gifts she has given you! You are so very special...
I can just imagine your trip to the fabric store, I love fabric all the colors and textures. I also love those checker curtains she had made, how cheery and cozy!
Hugs, Roxy

Paige said...

Wow, what a beautiful and rugged landscape your grandmother lives in! She has such sweet cabin decorations and lovely flowers too. I like your photographs!
I'm glad you enjoyed your time away. :)

Emma Jane said...

I LOVE your Grandma's little cottage! It's so sweet and cozy-looking. I'm glad you had such a wonderful trip! Thanks for sharing these beautiful captures. :-)

~Emma