I am in limbo, going through the motions like a machine while all I can think of is our dear Sebastien and the terrible unknown illness that is claiming him. He has undergone a ct scan and a biopsy was done but results take forever to become available. In the meantime he is on pain medication and rehydration intravenous drips but getting weaker day by day.
A Back a Buddy fund has been started to raise funds for private medical care. If you feel called to donate, please go to
Back A Buddy - Saving Sebastien
We had a busy week at the Restory with a group of hikers coming for lunch after their daily hike, friends spending the weekend on retreat, having a wild sanctuary gathering and visiting Sebastien in a government hospital a 100km away.
For the hikers’ lunch I prepared a triple recipe of our popular Butternut Quiche with a layered green salad and freshly baked sourdough bread. Peanut butter cookies with coffee rounded off the meal and all went down really well with hiker Dave’s self-produced wines.
Having old friends on retreat was a heart soothing gift and the conversations, deep and meaningful, helped me in coming to acceptance of my own limitations in the current difficult situation.
Autumn is fully arrived but the mornings and late afternoons we spend in the clouds. The week was exceptionally cold and rainy for this time of year, due to a huge weather system that stormed in from the Cape and flooded many parts of the interior of the country.
Chilly evenings call for lapsitting and a fire in the wood stove. Sitting with my yarn and a crochet project and Mily’s soft weight in my lap, it feels bittersweet to be alive and healthy. How we take this for granted!
Sunsets are spectacular. And though we couldn’t witness the solar eclipse from South Africa on the 8th, it is worth a mention as the global community shared their experiences and photos on social media. South Africa had a total eclipse on October 1, 1940 and the next one will be on November 25, 2030.
Our Wild Sanctuary Gathering centered around the nature of death. Carol read an excerpt of Terry Pratchett’s essay, Shaking hands with death. I sat under the pear tree huddled in a blanket with a cold breeze rustling the aging leaves. Here and there a new and perfectly unblemished leaf reminded me of how we come into this world. Around me dead leaves in tatters - evidence of a life lived to the full and finally surrendered back to the earth. Everything is harvest. No leaf need fall in vain.
Upcoming Events:
Enneagram workshop: 19 - 22 April 2024 at Forellenhof. All available places are filled and we are extremely grateful for that.
Blue Crane Retreat: 28 - 30 June 2024 at Forellenhof. Only a few places still available for this silent retreat where the Blue Cranes guide us in the qualities of tranquility and innocence. Drop us a line for more information.
The Botanical journey was cancelled due to no bookings. We’ll be re-introducing it in the Spring on international platforms.
Wish List:
A dishwasher and large fridge for the retreat house will be such a blessing!
Single bed mattresses (2 urgently to expand our accommodation capacity)
Hanging lights and another 2 sets of bedside lamps for bedrooms
Side pedestals (we acquired two sets at a sale but need another two)
Armchairs for bedrooms and library
Small desks or dressing tables and hanging mirrors
Rugs in bedrooms and living spaces. As winter approaches we feel the cold underfoot.
Retreat Savings Plan
Saving up for your next retreat
This down payment option ensures a steadier income for us and ensures that you will have the funds when you feel the need to retreat. Please consider this.
We thank you for your prayers and thoughts for Sebastien, his mother and brothers and all of us who hold him dear.
Much love
Matilda