A Year in Paarl
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
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 Fascinating historical document on viticulture for wine and table grapes, wine and brandy making.
Dan and Krisie came to stay Friday and Saturday night then on Sunday we all went to Aylesbury
to see Finley and his cousin Madeline christened by the same priest who had christened Jack.
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| Courtesy of Brionnie |
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| Courtesy Dan |
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| Courtesy Krisie |
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| Courtesy Krisie |
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| Courtesy Krisie |
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Courtesy MickWe all enjoyed seeing Brionnie & Mick.
The first daffodil bloomed today, it would have been the third but the first two blooms were killed by frost and can be seen lying on the ground.
In eight years the earliest has been 1 Feb (2020) and the latest 21 Feb (2025)
To Criccieth on Friday 2 January for The Starlight Players Pantomime Cinderella in Blunderland.
We stayed in Min y Traeth, a modern detached house in a close, but it was lacking champagne glasses, anywhere to hang towels in the en-suite bathroom, and a cutlery basket in the dishwasher. And it was cold, the wooden window fittings had warped.
We saw Cinderella in Blunderland on Saturday night, after dinner at the Prince of Wales. It's a blast, so fast, with none of the standard tired pantomime tropes and with a huge energetic cast.
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| picture courtesy Dan |
I loved it; it was the best Panto the Starlighters have delivered. So new, lovely costumes and a confident cast. The jive-talking high-fiving White Rabbit (Paula Carr) with his lighted shoes and bow tie dominated the stage, Awen Pritchard played a feisty Cinderella who wouldn't accept any sexist crap from anyone, her bearded Ugly Sisters (Paul Dunn & Dave Roberts) had jaw dropping dresses and I particularly enjoyed the King and Queen of Hearts, (Bryony Green & Swyn Williams), he with his jaunty curled moustache and roving eye and her with a haughty gaze and a penchant for chopping off heads. And then there's the Dormouse (Shon Williams) whose thunderous snores probably were heard in Porthmadog.
How will the Starlighters top this in 2027? I suspect they have a cunning plan.
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| picture courtesy Krisie |
Sunday we had a roast with Dan & Krisie after they had cleared the Memorial Hall of stage props after the final show that afternoon.
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| picture courtesy Krisie |
Then home on Tuesday 27 Jan to a Deliverood Nando's
To Lanzarote and the Costa Calero hotel again, this time for 4 weeks from 15 December 2025 to 12 January 2026 with the intention of missing Christmas and New Year at home.
Lovely sun and very hot out of the shore wind.
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| View from our sheltered balcony |
Established customs had to be maintained, such as the pre-dinner Cava-time.
And watching the Yellow Submarine submerge and surface at the entrance to the marina.
Scenery to admire
Food to eat
plus this model of Notre Dame made out of sugar and chocolate by the hotel's pastry chef to look at.
