I was so pleased that everyone loved Aurora! Many people fell in love with the town through my blog! It is romantic in a special way as each house has a solitary aura about it. Look at this cheeky cottage with the turquoise veranda: It looks as if it stands there alone with the mountain behind it, although it is on a street in town! There is a West Coast chimney on the outside which means there will be a cosy inglenook for cooking inside the kitchen!
Here is tiny Aurora's role in history: In 1751 the Abby de la Caille arrived from France to measure the earth's meridian. He did his triangular measurement from a barn near Aurora using Strand Street in Cape Town and the mountains of Riebeek West as his other points of reference. Ooopsy, despite his accuracy the earth was found to be mmm....slightly oval! Two centuries later it was found that the mistake could be blamed on the magnetic pull of the the nearby mountains.
Now I can also feel that magnetic pull! For the next painting you will find me taking the 3 -looped pass to visit the top of Piketberg Mountain!
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Oh, Marie! This is a favorite! I can so envision myself in this little place, fixing it up, making it pretty and delighting in those mountain vistas from my kitchen window and back yard. How exquisite!
ReplyDeleteI do hope over development isn't in Aurora's future. A relatively short time ago California was a long way from anything with no through roads. :).
ReplyDeleteLove the detail on the roof. Adore the way you have me gazing smoothly from left to right along the fence, back again at the house and back again along the mountain range!
ReplyDeleteMarie, I need to take time out some evening to enjoy your posts. The paintings are wonderful and the descriptive bush work and lovely colors and history combined it's fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing
What a lovely little place!! Your painting is wonderful!! It certainly does look romantic!!
ReplyDeleteMy gosh Marie I don't log on and look what I miss!! The Swartland is so incredible and your paintings and stories about Aurora made me smile! Maybe I can get to visit it too, one day! This little house is so typical and so beautifully painted.
ReplyDeleteI love the way the blues of the house is repeated in the hills and the sky. That great little gate seems to have a purpose, but the vast empty area around it suggests there is no reason. Yes.... someday an artists retreat, painting houses and wildflowers. I must start saving now! Is there sailing nearby? Then I could convince my husband.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you for these remarks, Sherry, Sheila, Dean,Joan, Manon, Liz, Catherine and Linda!
ReplyDeleteI must explain the lack of fencing at the back. Many people who live near nature reserves, including ourselves, use the natural bushes (fynbos) as fencing on one or two sides. It is too thick for little pets to escape and intruders to enter through.
I also need to answer Catherine's lovely dream even though we may be play-acting: will she/will she not.... the best little town for artists is Darling. I have many posts (about 15) done from April onwards last year.
And the best spots for sailing and keeping a sailing yacht are around Langebaan. We have wind!!!!There are often regattas being held between Langebaan and Hout Bay which is way past Cape Town.
Liz, being so close you must really visit Aurora. I think one should go with some appointments planned.
Been away again, so missed out on the actual dates of the wonderful aloes post, the Aurora post and now the wonderful little cosy looking home. The painterly feel of the work is yummy. Thanks for all the historical info and little anecdotes.
ReplyDeleteI'm loving your work. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteHi Joan and ArtTrip, thank you. Joan I hope you know most of these towns from your tour?
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