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ISSUE 4 | 2014
THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BOARDWALK MEANDER HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
Stoep Talk focuses on Boardwalk Meander Estate. The magazine is compiled and published by Estates in Africa (Pty) Ltd trading as EIA Publishing on behalf of the Boardwalk Meander Home Owners Association Board of Directors. The opinions of personnel of Estates in Africa (Pty) Ltd do not necessarily reflect those of the HOA and Management of Boardwalk Meander Estate. Articles written are edited for
grammar, however reflect the authentic styles of the writers. We encourage residents to contribute to our estate magazine. Contributions may be forwarded to [email protected].
Publisher: Nico Maritz • [email protected] • Advertising: Martin Fourie (Marketing Manager)Cell: 072 835 8405 | E-mail: [email protected] • Casper Labuschagne (Sales) Cell: 083 410 8789 | E-mail: casper@eiapublishing.
co.za • Production Coordinator and Design: Nicola Wilson E-mail: [email protected] Credits: Magriet Basson • Pretoria Office: 84 Glenwood Rd, Lynnwood Park 012 348 2001
Johannesburg Office: Now Media Centre, 32 Fricker Rd, Illovo 011 327 4062 The deadline for advertisements and editorial contributions for issue 5, is 1 September 2014.
Chairman’s Message
Welcome to Boardwalk Meander
Family Fun Run/Walk
Service Delivery
Gardening in the Winter Months
Meet the Directors
Our Estate
Noel Durrheim: Life Defining
Experiences
Wildlife
Wine Tasting
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4
7
9
12
14
15
17
18
24
Contents
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Stoep Talk is electronically available from our website www.boardwalkmeander.co.za click on Newsroom and then select the Stoep Talk tab.
www.boardwalkmeander.co.za
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Ambulance..................................................................0177Police...............................................................10111Security Manager...............................073 680 6395Boardwalk Meander Estate Offi ce......012 991 2770Paramedics.........................................086 108 6911Fire......................................................012 310 6400Faerie Glen Hospital...........................012 365 1121Garsfontein Dierehospitaal.................012 991 2770Dentist: Dr Pereira..............................012 991 7616
Emergency Numbers
For a full business directory of approved service providers, log on to our website www.boardwalkmeander.co.za and click on News Room
and then click on Business Directory.
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 3
Dear ResidentsThe winter solstice has come and gone, days are getting longer and summer is on its way – all very exciting! Nobody, however, has told the weatherman about these changes. During the past three weeks my garden was devastated by the cold. We have
never experienced this phenomenon during the ten years since we moved into this lovely estate. I am being told to be patient, clean
up in the beginning of August and wait for the summer sun to nurture my garden to its previous beauty.
As with the weather, we have also experienced changes in the management of the Estate. A new Board of Directors was
elected and we have already had our fi rst preliminary meeting to plot out our way forward. We realize that we have a few serious
challenges facing us but we endeavour to address all these matters as urgently as possible.
I would like to express my appreciation to the previous Board for the healthy condition of the Estate that we have inherited. I would
also like to thank the new Board members for their availability during the course of the next fi nancial year.
Kind Regards
Koos van Wyk
Cha i rman ’s Message
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 4
Welcome
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 5
Welcome
Welcome home!
The older you get, the colder it gets for you in winter! So they say. I started believing this until a good old friend of mine mentioned to me, “It has been the coldest in Pretoria in seven years this winter. Not feeling old anymore, I swiftly started working out how many days till spring. At that moment, still 49 days to go. Looking at the number of weeks, noted 7 weeks to go, seemingly palatable, well for now at least.
Further in my investigation as to how far off spring day is, I researched the sunrise times. My findings included the fact that the date when the sun would get up the latest is, 12 July and then the countdown would begin on the 13th. On the 1st of September at 06h20, the sun will rise. At this stage, still a far off occasion.
I am just so upbeat for the season ahead. Why go away? Mother Nature is about to spread her magic over the estate. The gardening team is hard at work making the last few finishing touches to the common areas. Would you agree with me that the areas around the big dam (Meander Lake) as well as on all the walkways are just looking fabulous? Visitors to the estate must think we live in paradise. Yes we do! Have you seen the little braai area next to one of the smaller dams? I bet that’s a half-way house for some – waiting to happen.
In this issueWe have just had our AGM and our new Board of Directors has been nominated. There are challenges ahead, as per our Chairman’s message. Special projects have already started in the estate.
Brace yourselves for a Family Fun Run/Walk along with Arbor Day on 6 September. a day for a nice fun run for those who want to run as well as a good walk for those who want to walk. Bring your children. Lots to do, as we have become accustomed to. Good old fashion family fun along with your neighbours. There will be more marketing closer to the time. Watch out for Stoep Talk Newsletter next month advertising all you need to know about this fun day.
Now it’s that time again. Sit back with a good coffee, relax and indulge yourself in this issue of Stoep Talk. Always lots of estate content. Some interesting gardening tips and more.
“The highest reward for man’s toll is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it.” – John Ruskin
Thanks for coming home to your home in the country!
Nick Behrwww.boardwalkmeander.co.za
A very warm welcome to your home in the country…
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 9
News
On the 2nd July, the sun rose as normal at 06h54. Another cold winter’s morning. Residents of our estate had electricity as normal.
Power interruptions are a regular thing in Pretoria this year. Touch wood, we haven’t really been affected. Maybe just once, however not a real hassle.
But…
At 09h00, there was a power interruption. One of the power units literally burned out.
Ilonka, our Administration and Finance Manager, went along with Armandt, one of our Security Supervisors, and evaluated the situation. Swiftly Ilonka radioed the estate office. Rene, the estate administrator, took the call.
This is when the magic started. Rene called on the municipality and informed a contact of hers of the dilemma. At 11h00, Tshwane arrived. They awaited clearance to work on the fault. Then awaited to be insulated (cut off) from the grid before operations could commence.
Pretor was informed, and they in turn advised all residents that there was a power failure, and that the power might be off for two days…
At about 16h00, the Tshwane electricity department started their repairs.
But…
There was also a water leak that occurred. An interruption in water supply too. This time Willem Hechter, Body Corporate Chairman of Vineyard Village, got involved. Swiftly repairs got underway in the late afternoon too.
Boardwalk Meander had a taste of double jeopardy. General services were interrupted. A winter’s night ahead. Maybe no electricity and no water too.
When I arrived home I noticed Willem Hechter supervising the repairs on the electricity and water supply and informing passersby of the interruption. Residents were up in arms.
At about 17h35 the sun was setting, and I thought about the approaching winter night. Lucky there were some leftovers from the previous night in the fridge; we were armed with candles, and gas bottles. Ready for dinner!
Ilonka informed me that the generator responsible for the power supply for the gate house,
the cameras and the fence was also giving trouble. The team had managed to sort out the gremlin in that generator. Sean from Amax was also there to assist with the cameras, fence and monitoring systems.
Whilst I was standing with Willem, Ilonka and Sean, I paused for a moment and wondered what the power failure in Centurion entering its third day must be like…
At approximately 18h45, the electricity supply was restored, and shortly thereafter the water supply was also restored.
An absolute sigh of relief.
What great service delivery. The secret was in our Estate staff, Security, Amax and Vineyard Village Body Corporate.
On a formal note, thank you to the following good people serving our beautiful estate, Ilonka, Rene, Sean, Armandt, Heine, Willem Hechter, as well as Tshwane municipality.
It’s always proof – “it’s how we manage situations like these that sets you apart from the rest”.
This is definitely the Boardwalk Meander Way!
Serv i ce de l i ve ry
– the Boa rdwa lk Meande r Way !
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 12
Gardens
G a r d e n i n g i n t h e w i n t e r m o n t h sJuly is the coldest month of the year, and in winter-frost areas, the ground will be covered with frost. But that will not worry the gardener accustomed to cold-winter gardening. The gardener who may be in for an anxious fi ve minutes or so will be the one who lives in the warmer districts, which catch an occasional “snap” frost.
If the garden does get the stray frost, get up early to assess the extent of damage done. There will be no mistaking any plants that have been frosted. They’ll probably be bent over and looking pretty miserable. Potatoes and beans are likely to be the worst affected. Shrubs and even some tender annuals will not be harmed much, but those soft tops of potatoes and other succulent things are easily damaged. They must now have a light spraying over with cold water. But you must do this early, before the sun gets on them, or thawing will cause the frozen cells of the plant to expand too quickly, and you may lose the plants.
The pruning of fruit trees takes precedence over everything this month. There are two reasons to prune. One is to shape the tree, in its early years, by inducing it to develop into a nicely balanced specimen, the
F R O S T
P R U N I N G F R U I T T R E E S
branches so spaced that they will make a good framework to carry the fruiting wood. The other reason is to keep the tree free from dead wood, which would prove a harborage for pests, and to remove weak shoots and unwanted wood – branches that may grow into the centre of the tree, keeping out light and air, and branches that may rub against another.
For your pruning operations you will require a good sharp pruning knife, a small pruning saw (choose one with a curved blade for preference), and a pair each of hand secateurs and long-handled pruners or loppers. Before making the fi rst cut, walk round the tree and examine it from all angles. It will then more or less tell you just where a little cutting back and trimming is necessary.
When pruning apples and pears, the idea is to promote production of as large a number of small spurs as possible, since as they grow older these spurs will develop into fruiting
wood. Apples and pears fruit on their old wood.
First look for the dead wood and the water shoots. They’re no good, so the sooner they are out of the way the better.
Now you will be left with a tree that has a lot of leading growths made from the ends of the branches last season and perhaps quite a number of lateral shoots, which are probably growing in all directions, some of them on the outer side of the branches and some right into the centre of the tree.
Cut all that centre stuff out fi rst by pruning it hard back to two or three buds from the branch from which it sprang. This will leave a little spur, which is just what you want, for those spurs will develop fruit buds for next season.
Now cut back the other lateral shoots similarly. There will still remain those long leaders, and these can now
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 13
Gardens
G a r d e n i n g i n t h e w i n t e r m o n t h s
• Mulch over the tops of beds planted with spring-fl owering bulbs and see that the soil does not become too dry.
• This is pruning time for most ornamental shrubs. All that is normally necessary is to thin out growth somewhat and remove dead wood. When pruning hydrangeas cut back only those shoots that have flowered. Many garden shrubs and hedges, particularly Pyracantha and quince, are host plants to fruit tree pests. When spraying your fruit trees also therefore spray your roses and other ornamental shrubs.
• Sort over the stored Gladioli corms and grade them into sizes. The larger ones can be planted in beds and borders for blooming in summer and the smaller cormlets will develop into fl ower-size corms if grown on for a seaso somewhere.
• Look for the new season’s seeds at your local nursery.
• If you have a greenhouse, a start can now be made with the sowing of seeds of begonias, Streptocarpus and Primula obconica for summer fl owering.
• In areas where lawns come into growth early it is not too soon to start preparing for the new season by thoroughly raking, brushing and spiking the turf.
• All stone fruits appreciate plenty of lime in the soil. This may now be scattered over the surface. In winter-rainfall areas take advantage of favourable planting conditions to get in new trees and shrubs and to transplant perennials.
• Loosen the soil between winter-fl owering bedding plants to break up the crust and conserve moisture.
• Order seed potatoes in cold areas and make a further planting for succession in districts where potatoes are a winter crop.
• Dig over manure and compost the ground well where it is intended to make an herbaceous or mixed border in spring.
• Cacti and succulents will soon be coming into growth again and may have their water supply slightly increased.
Indoor plants will not require much water now and this should only be given when the surface of the soil really begins to look dry. Most of the foliage plants grown in pots make little growth at this season, which is the resting period. Keep them out of draughts, and clean them. Sponge the leaves over once a week with tepid water, and when you water them at the roots use water of the same temperature as the room.
Primulas, cyclamen and cinerarias, now either in bloom or making their fl ower buds, will respond well to a little feeding once a week, and these will require rather more water than the plants which are more or less dormant.
Begonias bloom constantly and you can get varieties with either single or double fl owers.
African Violets are great favourites. Be especially careful how you water these, and don’t get moisture on the foliage.
Pruning of rose trees follows much the same lines.
Cut out all dead, weakly and badly placed wood, then cut back the remaining stems, to a good outward-pointing bud.
The harder you cut back the more vigorous will be the resultant growth.
Prune a weakly-growing tree severely, to encourage more robust growth, prune a moderately strong-grower more lightly, and just trim back unripe
· Be sure all your pruning tools are keenly sharp and clean, and when large wounds are made protect them by painting them over with builders’ knotting, lead paint, or sealing compound. Then the wounds will heal over nicely.
· Always cut cleanly, just above a good strong bud pointing in the direction in which it is desired the branch should grow.
· Gather up the prunings after- wards and burn them, for there are sure to be the eggs of insect pests on them, and when all is done spray them with lime- sulphur.
P R U N I N G R O S E S
I N D O O R P L A N T S
T A S K S I N J U LYmo r e pruning t ips :
be cut back to about one-third their length. The fi nal result should be a nicely balanced tree with an open centre.
Now we come to the peaches and nectarines. These fruit on the new wood produced the previous season, so the pruning process is different. This makes pruning very simple since the object is to cut away as much of the old wood as possible and retain all the new wood you can.
This means that you follow the same tactics so far as keeping the tree well balanced and open-centred is concerned, and reducing the length of the leaders to reasonable proportions. But there is not the same necessity for hard spurring back, since blossom will be produced at intervals along the length of the new wood. It’s easy to distinguish between old wood and new wood. Old wood is weathered and dark; new wood looks fresh and bright. It’s also easy to tell the difference between fruit and leaf buds, since leaf buds are slim and pointed and fruit buds are round and chubby.
Apricots, plums and cherries should not be pruned at all, except for the cutting-out of dead wood and possibly the removal of some awkward branch. Cherries may gum or bleed considerably if they are cut about much. These trees bear their fruit on twiggy shoots often produced right along as well as at the tips of the branches so, there really is a danger of cutting next season’s fruit away if you prune them at all drastically.
wood and preserve balance in those roses that show a natural tendency to grow strongly.
Another good fl owering plant is the Kalanchoe, whilst geraniums make fi rst-class winter-fl owering plants on a sunny windowsill.
Meet t he D i rec to rsChairman
Koos van Wyk
Garden Director Reg Botha
Financial DirectorChris Liebenberg
Legal Director/ Human CapitalRaj Daya
Security Director Deon Strydom
Vice-Chairman Nick Behr
• Ensures each Director fulfi ls his or her mandate • Monitors corporate governance and direct accountability to Directors
• Upholds aesthetic rules • Ensures facilities and gardens are maintained and improved
• Manages and maintains the Estate fi nancial statement
• Upholds MOI Process and MOI • Educates community on legal proceedings, AGMs, SGMs and the Mandate of the Board • Human Capital
• Upholds security rules • Monitors, maintains and upgrades security systems if required
• Assists the Chairman in the board achieving their mandate• Communicates with the estate• Stoeptalk Magazine / Newsletter• Website management.• Community involvement Project
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 14
Es ta te News
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 15
Our Es ta te
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 17
I nsp i ra t i on
A friend of mine delights to take his two Border Collies for a ramble over the Bronberg Mountain every Saturday morning. It was therefore surprising to see him, recently, with only one dog on a leash. My enquiry regarding the whereabouts of Brodi (the missing dog) elicited this remarkable story.
He informed me that Brodi had been out of sorts lately, finding it difficult to cope with the steep inclines. He took him to a veterinary surgeon who gave him a thorough examination that disclosed a massive hernia which protruded into his chest cavity, impacting his heart. He was referred to the medical facility at Onderstepoort for surgery. The operation took five hours, leaving my friend with a R7,500 dent in his bank account! The dog was kept under observation for a week.
My friend’s wife went to collect the dog and was flabbergasted when a young lady, wearing a surgical gown, rushed up and threw her arms around Brodi, caressing him and kissing his face. The dog’s owner was concerned for the young woman’s safety, fearing that the dog would attack her. (To her surprise she found Brodi reciprocating the affection lavished upon him by licking his admirer’s face.)
The demonstrative young woman, seeing the surprised expression on the dog owner’s face, informed her that she was a member of a group of veterinary students who participated in the surgical procedure performed on Brodie. She went on to say that she had cradled the dog’s pulsating heart in her hands, while the operation was being performed.
This had been a defining moment in her life. She became so aware
of the Presence of the Omnipotent God, Creator of the universe and the Source of life that she debunked Darwin’s theory of evolution, which had been inculcated during her medical studies. Her faith in God was rekindled, which led to her putting her trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal saviour!
It is amazing to see the ways in which God communicates with people, for example in the case mentioned above, the life giving throb of a dog’s heart; on another occasion by using a donkey to communicate a message to its owner.
Notwithstanding the fact that God had given specific instructions to Balaam, he was disobedient and chose to do his own thing. Mounting a donkey, he set off on his journey. He found the animal to be most unco-operative, as it veered off the route he had chosen to travel. He beat the donkey mercilessly. His exasperation reached fever pitch when the animal crushed his foot against a wall and then finally fell down under its master on a narrow road. Balaam’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he heard the donkey rebuking him in no uncertain terms: “What have I done to you that you have beaten me three times?” Only then did Balaam see the heavenly messenger with a drawn sword in his hand blocking the way. He fell to the ground, confessing his disobedience and submitted to the Lord’s direction (Numbers 22). What a life defining experience!
God sometimes resorts to drastic measures in order to capture an individual’s attention. A religious zealot, who was determined to eradicate every Christian that he could lay his hands on, was brought to an abrupt halt by a bright light
from heaven and God’s audible voice – “Why are you persecuting Me?” Paul experienced a total paradigm shift when he responded by saying, “Lord what do You desire me to do?” (Acts 9). His life was transformed – instead of persecuting Christians he was prepared to put his own life on the line as he proclaimed God’s message.
Years later, during his imprisonment, just prior to his execution, he penned the following: “My time has almost run out. Very soon now I will be on my way to heaven. I have fought long and hard for my Lord and through it all I have kept true to Him ... In heaven a crown is waiting for me which the Lord the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of His return, and not just to me, but to all those whose lives show that they are eagerly looking forward to His coming back again.” (II Tim 4:6-8).
This must be one of the most remarkable life defining experiences in human history!
Comments or details of other life defining experiences may be sent to Noel, Tel: 012 361 7264, or email: [email protected]
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 18
Wi ld l i f e
A new cycle
of seasons
by Manie Maree
I have burned my fair share of firewood this winter, and we’ve had some pretty special evenings around the fireplace, but I am not complaining that winter is dying off slowly…
As the days start to heat up again, we will soon see nature bursting out all around us, with probably first the pink peach blossoms pushing their way out of the buds. Thereafter, the beautiful bunches of white flowers of the South African Wild Pears (Dombeya rotundifolia) will follow. Appropriately named in Afrikaans die Bruid van die Bosveld! Then the aroma of the Jasmins and the bright green leaves of the White Stinkwoods (Celtis Africana, Wit stinkhout) and the Bushwillows (Combretums, Wilgers).
Colourful birds will appear out of nowhere and the mornings and evenings will be filled with their song, joined by the choirs of frogs and crickets around our streams and dams.
More often the air will be filled with the odour of braaivleis and the laughter of people with it. And the sound of children having fun at the swimming pools.
New life will erupt all around us, as a new cycle of seasons will start from the beginning again. A new cycle that will affect all our senses in such a way that we cannot help but to take notice. A new cycle that will hopefully wake up something exciting inside all of us again.
Perhaps something that will make us stop and smell, or maybe stand and listen, or just look and smile…
For me, this is really the start of a new year, and I pray that this spring will be the kick-start of new and exciting things in your life as well!Make a point to slow down and look around you, and don’t miss out on it…
WildlifeIn this issue of Boardwalk Meander Wildlife, I would like to focus a little on birds in our gardens.
If you already have lots of birds in your garden, hopefully this issue will provide some tips on keeping them there, or if you don’t have a lot of birds in your garden yet, some info to get them there!
First price is always planting indigenous trees and shrubs! The right plants in your garden will ensure a constant supply of natural food to birds living in your garden or just birds passing by. It will also provide them with the ideal habitat to stay in or even perhaps make their nests in.
Also, natural food on trees (fruit, flowers and nectar, and insects) will be available during different times of the year and different times of the day - which again will encourage birds to come around more often to your garden to see if there’s something to eat.
A well planned indigenous garden might even result in some birds deciding to stay in your garden most of the time, making it their residence!
But not everyone has the space or desire to go this route and then feeding birds (fruit and nectar) and
maybe putting up some nesting boxes might be a good alternative as well.
If I had to choose ten trees/shrubs that I believe would be ideal to invite a variety of birds to your garden and to keep them there, they would be:
- Tree Fuchsia (Halleria lucida,Notsung) – fruit, nectar and insects. My all- time favourite!
- Cape Honey Suckle (Tecomaria capensis, Kaapse kanferfoelie) - nectar
- Dogwood Tree (Blinkblaar, Rhamnus prinoides) – fruit and insects. Throughout the year!
- Aloes (Aalwyne) – nectar and insects
- Wild Peach (Wilde Perske or Kiggelaria africana) – fruit and insects; also one of my favourites
- The Carissa family, also commonly called the Num Num. The most common species in our area in this family is probably Carissa macrocarpa and Carissa bispinosa - fruit
- Thorn Trees, of which the Sweet Thorn (Acacia karroo or Soetdoring), Paperbark Thorn Tree (Acacia sieberiana var. woodii or Papierbas Doring), Fever Tree (Acacia xanthophloea or Koorsboom) and the Common Hook Thorn (Acacia Caffra or Gewone Haakdoring) are probably the most common ones – insects, general habitat and nesting
- Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus, Wilde dagga) – nectar and insects
- Wild Olive Tree (Olea europaea, Olienhout) – fruit
- Indigenous grasses – seeds The abovementioned plants will without doubt ensure that birds like the Grey Lourie (Kwêvoël), Fiscal Shrike (Fiskaallaksman), Common Bulbul (Swartoog Tiptol), Cape Robin (Gewone Janfrederik), Cape White Eye (Kaapse Glasogie), the White-breasted Sunbird (Witbors
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 19
Please contact me at [email protected] with any interesting information
or pictures about plants, animals or birds in our Estate.
Wi ld l i f e
Suikerbekkie), the Amethyst Sunbird (Swart Suikerbekkie) and a lot of seed-eating birds like Finches and Sparrows will become a regular sight in your garden!
And apart from the thorn tree species, these trees don’t have aggressive roots and can be planted in small gardens and close to walls.
Your favourite indigenous nursery will have most of these plants.
Go knock yourself out!
Cape Robin (Gewone Janfrederik)
Wild Peach (Wilde Perske or Kiggelaria africana)
Fuchsia (Halleria lucida,Notsung)
Carissa macrocarpa
Amethyst Sunbird (Swart Suikerbekkie)
KING PRICE
KING PRICE
STOEP TALK • ISSUE 4 2014 • 2 4
Even ts
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NEXT TIME
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Narina FischerNarina FischerNNarina FischerThe first agent in Pretoria and surrounds, who recieved the Re/Max Lifetime achievement award.
19 Years of Realtor experience - 17 Years with Re/Max
082 456 6051 [email protected]
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www.narinafischer.co.za
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