Sofias Country Gardens

In the last days of November the ground froze deep, and soon after it began snowing. It is not so common to get a deep layer of snow so...

A few weeks ago the snow had thawed and I was happily looking forwards to spring, and then... it started to snow again. "Hurrah!" said...

There is nothing as beautiful as when the light returns after a long, dark winter. As quickly as the round-a-clock darkness descends in...

A new year is upon us, and with it all the hope and good intentions a fresh start heralds. Last year was challenging, to say the least,...

A few weeks ago it began snowing. At first came a light drizzle, and then some more. The gardens turned into a beautiful winter...

This winter has felt exceptionally long. Perhaps it is the state of affairs in the world, the constant anxiety of going from a pandemic...

“I’m telling you, something strange is going on here!” says Betty in January. “What has the hooman done?!” Hilda is aghast. “Ou nou did...

My mother liked things to be as they had always been. Truth be told, she abhorred change of any kind. She felt a little bit run down was...

All winter long my godfathers and I have started each Saturday evening family dinner conversation more or less with the same incredulous...

Last new year as we turned into a new decennium as well as a new year, the world looked so different in many ways than it does today. It...

Twelve days before Christmas we made the gingerbread dough for building our traditional gingerbread house. It needs to stand in the...

Keeping summer chicken has been a great joy for me for many years, and this year I decided to take it one step further and keep chicken...

On advent Sunday it started to snow. What perfect timing! The skies have been grey for weeks now, and this makes the days seem even...

And then suddenly its here - mid November. It is a grey month and most days are overcast with a thick and heavy blanket of clouds. Within...

There is a quietness that descends as autumn progresses. The weather turns more unstable, with rainy days and cold mornings, deterring...

Within two months Lazarus the duck had grown into a happy young person, curious about everything and everyone. Life was a constant...

Last spring when the Corona lockdown started, we had no idea of how long it would last, so the youngsters (and their close friends) all...

This weekend we are celebrating midsummer, although in a quieter way than usual. Most years all my friends come over and we have a really...

April was a tricky month for the gardener in this cold climate part of the world. One moment it was beautiful and warm, and the next......

I think Easter is one of my favourite holidays. I probably say the same thing about all national holidays, but as I'm a great chocoholic...