Help is needed, real help

Terwyl ek wroeg oor Eerste Wêreld-probleme soos watter hekelprojekte om saam te neem op vakansie, die sukkel met die nuwe foon, watter Boobi Brown-oogskadu om te kies, is daar mense wat swoeg met Regte Probleme.

Soos om voer vir hul diere in die hande te kry, want daar is niks meer in die veld nie.

Soos om water vir hul diere in die hande te kry, want dit het nog nie hierdie jaar gereën nie, en die boorgat is droog.

Hier is gewoonlik man-hoogte mielie/sonneblomlande.

While I'm struggling with First World problems like what crochet project to take on holiday, getting used to a new phone after my upgrade, what Bobbi Brown eyeshadow colour to choose, etc, other people are facing Real Problems.

Like getting feed for their cattle, as there is nothing in the veld.  

Like getting water for their cattle, as it hasn't rained yet this year and the borehole is dry.

These should be fields of man-height maize/sunflowers:

Dry land, Kameel
Source: Noordwes Droogtehulp @ Facebook

Boere in die Noordwes-provinsie het letterlik nie meer die fondse om voer aan te koop nie.  Hierdie foto is uit 'n helikopter geneem in die Mefeking-Bray-omgewing.  Daar is niks meer voer in die veld nie; geharde, inheemse bome gaan dood, vee soek desperaat na enigiets groen, enigiets om te drink, voor hul vrek.  Twee en tagtig karkasse is hier getel. 

Farmers in the North-West Province literally do not have the funds to buy feed for their cattle.  This photo was taken from heli between Mafeking and Bray.  There is nothing left to feed on; indigenous, hardy trees are dying, cattle search desperately for anything green, anything to drink, before they die.  Eighty two carcasses were counted here.

The face of drought
Source: Facebook friend

Hierdie is Suid-Afrika se vleisbeeswêreld, jou Texan- of Blou Bulsteak.  Dis sonneblom- en mieliewêreld.  

Hulle het niks om te oes nie.  

This is where South Africa's prime veld-reared  beef comes from, your Texan or Blue Bull steak.  This is sunflower and maize country.

They have nothing to offer.  

As jy kan help, 'n donasie wil gee, gebruik asb die besonderhede hieronder.  Hul het reeds of is in die proses om PayPal ook op te stel.  

If you can help and want to donate, please use the following details:
(Apparently they are set up for PayPal payments as well).

 DROUGHT AID DONATIONS OF CASH AND DONATIONS TO drought forage producers in the NW PROVINCE
Cash donations and donations of feed can be made to Agri NW as a representative organization of Agricultural producers in the NW Province. Agri NW is registered as a non-profit organization with registration number 930005516 ....
All gifts and donations received will go to the best judgment of Agri NW exclusively distributed and shared.
State your name and contact information when electronic payment is made and specify the payment as Drought relief.
Offers of help can feed directly by e-mail or phone Agri NW Main Office communicated to Marlize Fritz at 018 632 3612 or marlize@agrinw.co.zaAgri NW account details;
Agri NW
ABSA Lichtenburg
Branch code 632005
Account number 990142955
Cheque Account. 
Any other inquiries can be directed to Agri NW Executive General Manager Boeta du Toit 082 388 1722

Kyk ook na die FB-blad Noordwes Droogtehulp

Also have a look at their FB Page Noordwes Droogtehulp (mind it is mainly in Afrikaans).

PS - PayPal nwdroogtehulp@gmail.com

Coffee and crochet @ Karoo Café

I was shuffling dates around for a last crochet & coffee for the year, to hook squares for Yarn Indaba, when my sis's visit came up.  Having attending two previous Craft Shares on the very days she would fly back, attending this event was not thought about for longer than five seconds.  More than enough time to pack and shower afterwards and hop on the Gautrain to the airport.  

We were joined by a good number of friends at Karoo Café, a lovely place for early morning breakfast and coffee.  The Karoo breakfasts and pumpkin fritters are fantastic and you can lounge here the whole morning, as long as you don't sit on the Great Dane's couch!

Oops...cut off half the table...was taken blind, hanging from the corner of the table!

Loma and Christia brought a laundry basket full of squares from the Happy Hoekers group at Green Olive:

108 squares!

Petria brought another 76 squares from friend Caren:

We're getting more and more! :-)

With my sis came these two from her MIL:

I love the green yarn.

 Sis hooked these with remaining yarn after completing two baby blankets:

The green square with red edging is one of those of the road trip!

Colourful squares of German wool, courtesy of sis:

More colourful squares:

Wilhelmina brought these with her - beautiful vintage patterns...

...of which one is this:

Her wedding dress of 37 years ago! She crocheted it with Tridalia.

I really struggled to fit behind the dress :-)

Wilhelmina's daughter brought along this gorgeous Christmas snowflake, the size of a sideplate:

Hooked with twine

And Stephni brought along a teaser of their soon-to-be-available I Love Yarn wool, the loveliest, softest blue, on its way to become a shawl.  

 A great day, successful in all matters crochet, breakfasting, hooking up with friends and creating memories. So much so, that we did not even take a photo of the two of us!