Petes-Pix: January 2019

My Books

"Pinotage: Behind the Legends of South Africa's own wine" is available on the ibookstore

Learn more about my new book telling all about Pinotage and read sample pages at
pinotagebook.weebly.com

A I Perold's
A Treatise
on Viticulture
A I Perold (1880-1941) was South Africa's first Professor of Viticulture and Oenology. He dedicated himself to improving the quality of grapes for wine, brandy and the table. He studied wine and brandy production in Europe, imported more than 60 varieties to the Cape and bred new ones. Perold said this book “is intended to serve both the student and the practical grape-grower. There are in it technical passages that will appeal more to the student, e.g. the chapters dealing with the biology of the vine, its external and internal morphology, the theory of grafting. My remarks on the practice of viticulture, such as those dealing with the propagation, manuring and pruning of the vine, the production of table grapes for export, will, it is hoped, assist the practical grape-grower as well as the student.” This is a newly typeset reprint, not a photocopy. Text on the 712 pages have been aligned to match the original pagination so any external references to pages in the Treatise will be valid in this edition
Available in paperback and hardback editions. 712 pages

A Year in Paarl
with
A I Perold

Dr Perolds report on his Paarl experiments 1915 - 1916 reprinted with glossary, introduction and brief biography. Fascinating historical document on viticulture for wine and table grapes, wine and brandy making.

29 January 2019

Red Riding Hood at Criccieth

To Criccieth for a long weekend to see the Starlight Player’s production of Red Riding Hood.

Dan and Joan

Dan was the evil Squire Bullymore, and he had a lot of fun in the part. Mention has to go to the very impressive performance by 12 year old Jake Rice playing Patches.

Snow on mountains behind Dylan's Restaurant on Criccieth beach

Weather was cold but bright. There was some snow on the mountains but it didn't snow lower down till we came back on the Tuesday and caught it on the passes to Bala and Tanat Valley.

Dinner at Dylan's

We had dinner on Sunday with Dan and Krisie at the apartment where I cooked a roast for them after the matinee and on Monday evening at Dylan’s


Criccieth Castle at night

Display on Criccieth Railway Station

23 January 2019

First Snow of 2019

Tuesday 22 January was cold but the sun shone and the sky was blue without a cloud, so weather warnings of snow seemed unlikely, but come 15:45 the sky had darkened, covered by a low sullen grey cloud then the first few drops of rain turned to sleet then snow. The flakes grew larger and settled. The road was covered.

Following morning (pictured) the roads were clearing and by the afternoon only grassy areas in shade had any snow left.