AFTER THE FIRE

Since the fire which ravaged the Jonkershoek Valley a month ago, I have walked regularly in the affected areas and am amazed at what I discover. The pine plantations smoldered for days and everything was black, shrouded in blue smoke. Our house & garden is a little green oasis on top of the hill. The weather is still unusually very warm for this time of the year with no rain and the regular strong winds sprinkles a generous new layer of ash at every gust, but I am thankful I still have a house to dust! A touch of luminescent green makes an appearance here and there and now the forest floor is covered in a thick carpet of crispy pine needles. The colours in the damaged foliage of the trees are taking a multitude of russet shades and in the evening light make a textured canvas in rich monochromes.