23 August 2010

Cool towers falling

Today we had a late start because we wanted to see the cool towers falling. Sue and Lucy came with Josie who still doesn't want to know us. But I was happy to see her! It was a bit of a blustery, wet, cool day and we had to cross raging torrents at Newlands Forest (that involved some undignified picking up of dogs), and cross exposed scree slopes to get to a vantage point near the Blockhouse on Devil's Peak in order to see the deed being done.
These are the cool towers that were about to go up in smoke.
We found a spot to have tea so that we could see the towers - and all jostled for a good spot to watch the fun. This rock was a bit precarious ...although Josie seemed to find it more comfortable. Dougal and I thought Josie's raincoat was funny. We have never seen a dog raincoat!
Eventually I found a good spot to watch the action from the edge of the path.
Then a little puff of smoke appeared on the horizon in the rain and mist, and we heard cheering and general human noise all around: the cool towers were down - and a bit before schedule too. Then there was a huge bang and Dougal immediately looked greatly alarmed - the big drip!
Nothing left.
After finishing our interrupted tea, we pushed on a little way to the Block House but it was really windy and cold on the other side of Devil's Peak. The silver trees (Leucadenron argenteum) were flowering spectacularly. These are males. (You can see Sue and the Alpha Male in the background waiting for Lucy, Josie, me, Dougal and the FL to come back.)
A wet and bedraggled Geeltulp (Moraea collina) looking a bit how we all felt - drippy and droopy.
We came down a lower, different route, which was fun because there were lots of dogs who had come out with their humans to look at the towers falling. The rain stopped for a bit, but not for long.
While the Food lady was taking artistic shots of misty mountains and pine trees, we were just wet wet wet and glad to get back to the land rover again.

1 comment:

  1. Just discovered your blog! I absolutely love the post on August 2nd. The flowers blow me away and the photos of the landscape and the pets are super. Thanks for sharing these.

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