The Eastern Free State is showing its colours and temperatures! Definitely going down…..having said a fond farewell to all sandals for the year we are definitely into boots weather.

Pork chop arrived this week to inspect his new abode. A little daunting to see a 350kg pig start to eat his way into the bark of the nearest tree in the paddock. It took three men behind him to ‘persuade’ him in the right direction, but he has since taken to more pigly pastimes and is now just wallowing in his pen. He is more wirey and hairy than expected – ok, so there is still some city girl in me – I thought all pigs were pink and soft.

Our Peacocks are well settled in and amble around the farm together. Seeing they come with built in crowns we decided that they required equally regal names so Victoria and Albert they are!

The horses had a moment of madness yesterday and all decided to make a break for it. Gallop-a-trot down the drive towards the church, even the timid ones were sneaking a quick nibble on the church lawn. I promise you that horses can look guilty!

Driving down to Durban last weekend for the AA Accommodation Awards dinner there was an excitement about the possibility of winning but alas, Wyndford is a bridesmaid once again. They do have lists of winners on the website http://www.accommodationawards.co.za/ for anyone interested. I drove home singing along with Queen and Elton John ….The show must go on! (Glad there was no-one else in the car with me…) Be assured that we always try our best to ensure that your holiday, however long or short, will always be of the highest standard and hopefully a memory making occasion!

Our festive football games room is complete with new fooseball (soccer with sticks…?!) machine and all 32 flags of the world cup. I think we might offer a prize to the person who can stand in the middle of the room and tell us all 32 flags and countries……none of us are there yet! There is something about waving a flag that lifts the spirits…on the way up to the games room with our SA flag there were shouts of Bafana Bafana from all around the farm and putting up the flags was one of the most enjoyable (and noisy….everybody has an opinion on who will win!) tasks undertaken.

Seen above is a very special picture Shane took in the trees outside reception. We have repeatedly heard the African Wood Owls talking to each other at night but have not seen one. This chap spent an hour or so with us allowing his photo to be taken from each and every angle! A very exciting sighting indeed!!

To all oldies, who missed their discounts in June/ July holidays watch for a special in the near future…having said that, oldies still qualify for the 20% four nights or longer discount so round up the kids and grandkids and join us. Remember, if you are visiting us in the winter months, remember to bring your passports just in case it decides to snow up in the mountains.

I was told last time that I was getting my games muddled, red carded, sidelined…maybe I should stick to something I know and say …Book soon for June July holidays if you do not want to be caught in the deep…

Waiting for your call or email
Until then, stay well and warm,
Best regards from the Wyndford Team

Having had so much rain in the last little while, the Eastern Free State is looking particularly pretty as everything is green and lush and the leaves are painting a palette of gold as autumn arrives. The morning and evening temperatures have dropped and a jersey is definitely required (even Shane arrived so attired one morning this week!) Crisp fresh mornings but still getting up to the mid 20’s during the day with clear bright blue skies – all adds up to being great for walking and photography!

This season has been a delicious veggie garden year. We have had our own broccoli, cauliflowers, rocket, gems, and yellow tomatoes, to name a few as well as pumpkins by the score! (14 of which grew ‘by mistake’ in the church garden!) Tonight’s pudding is raspberry cheesecake with our home grown raspberries!

It would appear that the adoption of the peacock and his lady will go ahead as they have so far behaved with aplomb. After the first day of freedom to roam the garden, Lucas and Shane spent an eventful half hour directing them into the pen with the ducks and geese for the night and now if we can’t find them in the garden late afternoon they have taken themselves off home! They have inspected the reception and the games room - not their favorite place – tiled floors and claws are not very elegant to negotiate!! Any suggestion for names will be duly considered…

We have another prospective member to the family coming soon in the form of ….. Pork Chop. He is a 350kg pig belonging to a local farmer’s wife and we agreed to take him over in exchange for a bunny.. (or two) We are now busy building a pig pen at the bottom of the paddock as his new accommodation.

Talking of accommodation, we have recently renovated Outlook’s bathroom – into a shower room. With the rich additions of kelims on the floor and a few other tweaks, this room is still an old favourite. We also have a new look office with golden poplar which we are really enjoying.. although after the first week we had skid marks on the counter from where Wyndford (the cat) lands after jumping off the cupboard. Pictured above negotiating the top of the tennis court fence – heights are not an issue!

Our winner of a two night mid week stay for two is Suzanne Maritz. We look forward to being able to welcome you to Wyndford.

Soccer fever passes us by a little here in the country, but with so few days left to the World Cup kick off and the wonderful school holidays, we still have some availability over June and July. Eskom and DSTV withstanding we should be able to enjoy all the excitement from afar! Don’t leave it too late if you do not want to be side lined (or is that rugby?!)!

Waiting for your call or email
Until then, stay well,
Best regards from the Wyndford Team

March news

Maybe it’s just me, but the years seem to be going by faster and faster….here we are at March already when it seems that we just arrived in 2010!

Let me start by suggesting a new direction… as posted on our blog this morning, I have twice traveled the road to Joburg and back in the last week via Reitz, Frankfort and Villiers and it is our suggestion that the road via Warden is a better option at present.

The potholes on the section from Villiers to Frankfort have claimed many tyres and we only recommend this route should you wish to put your 4x4 to the test…. for all others, from Joburg continue on the N3 to Warden and then onto Bethlehem. Safe and happy traveling!

Looking out the window from the ‘Hub’ as I write this - the office is being given a facelift – (come to think of it, the office gets a facelift and Ponte gets regular pedicures…..I must be doing something wrong!). Anyway back to gazing out the window….it is a misty overcast day with the purple Maluti mountains in the background. George is off on the ‘twin bridges’ walk (yes, great news but rather miffed as he was informed that only long trousers from now on – no more shorts!).

We sadly have to report that Mr Squirrel has obviously decided to move on to greener (or higher) pastures as he is no longer in residence at the bottom of the road. We have acquired a peacock and peahen pair, who have spent the last few weeks becoming acquainted with all the other feathered residents who were not impressed with the new arrivals – you don’t want to know how much noise 90 chickens 10 ducks and 15 geese can make!!! We are hoping the geese and ducks will teach them where they are and are not allowed to go – otherwise the adoption will not be finalized!

Buttercup had her first baby on Wednesday – much to everyone’s surprise! We knew she was pregnant but not that it was due quite yet. We had to go up and fetch ‘Junior’ from the bicycle trail and mother and son are doing well.

Along with the hurrying year, one realizes that summer is drawing to a close. Some of the poplar trees are already turning. The roses along the bowling green have at last decided to flower (after two years of abstinence?!) and we are still waiting for the figs…….

Once again a reminder that Wyndford rates will not be inflated over the World Cup, the only difference is that the Senior Discount does not apply over this period but the 20% discount for a four night stay or longer still applies – bookings are rolling in so don’t leave it too late if you do not want to be ‘red carded’.

Waiting for your call or email
Until then, stay well,
Best regards from the Wyndford Team

Direction suggestion...

Have twice travelled the road to Joburg and back in the last week via Reitz, Frankfort and Villiers it is our suggestion that the road via Warden is a better option at present.

The potholes on the section from Villiers to Frankfort have claimed many tyres and we would only recommend should you wish to put your 4 x 4 to the test....

for all others, from Joburg continue on the N3 to Warden and then onto Bethlehem.
Happy travelling

January News

If you thought you were weary at the end of last year you were not alone…. We were beginning to think Father Christmas had forgotten us, but after a long search we discovered him asleep on the couch in the lounge! Fortunately all his gifts were safe and duly distributed to very happy children and relieved parents.


December saw us with wonderful hot weather, if very little rain, perfect for outdoor activities and fun. We did a couple of bicycle, walking, horse riding and tractor outings to Agate Bank and Ibis Gorge and congratulations go to the four year old twins who push cycled all the way there!

New Year was brought in on a high note and a few off notes but with a lot of laughs and good cheer. I think that the jury is out on whether Wyndford’s Got Talent, but don’t think any of us will be receiving a call from Simon Cowell anytime soon.

Last Saturday saw the river full enough to once again go tubing – actually it was just two brave guests and most of the Wyndford staff! A muddy good time was had by all. We have since then had wonderful rains of 28mm on a number of occasions, and the grass, trees and flowers all breathed a collective sigh of relief. As did the veggie garden, which is now (that most everyone has departed) produced the most wonderful gems, cucumbers, baby marrows, yellow tomatoes, pumpkins, carrots, beetroot and two very ‘watched’ watermelons are on the way.

Talking about things on the way – Celvin and Angelique’s twinkle in their eye is now three months on as a twinkle in the tum! Not just the bunnies and ducks busy around here….

For those of you here at New year, George is making good progress after the clot in his leg (didn’t really think those magnificent legs could actually get bigger than they are) and we are just grateful he is still here. It was a great lesson in patience for him to be immobilized while we had a full house and hats off to all our staff who proved that the Wyndford Team works well.

We also have spotted a new resident at the junction of the driveway with the road to the car port…a small ground squirrel has made the gutter his home, much to the fascination of our husky, Dodge!

Wyndford rates will not be inflated over the World Cup, the only difference is that the Senior Discount does not apply over this period but the 20% discount for a four night stay or longer still applies – bookings are rolling in so don’t leave it too late if you do not want to be disappointed.
Until then, stay well, and we wish you a winning year
Best regards from the Wyndford Team

Well, here we are nearly to Christmas and the end of 2009.

Our November newsletter got sidelined with the general rush, Cherry festival and jam making. Unfortunately, not with our own fruit which was blown away by an icey wind in September although hopefully we will have some figs soon…

We have two new calves, Ace (yes she is completely black but we couldn’t call her Blackjack…) and Pearl, so named by Hamish, as he was up every morning at 6 waiting for her to arrive, and because of her white drop marking on her forehead.

After the scatty season with the quackers, we had three mothers sitting on eggs but have unfortunately only managed to get two to the teenager stage. Unlike the geese and hens, they are the most dreadful moms.

The ‘Piet-my-Vrou’ has been desperately yelling all morning, and how we would love some rain but unlike a few weeks ago when the garden looked amazingly lush, it is very dry and a little crisp around the edges. We did the bicycle trail and back along the river road this morning and had many gasping guests heading straight for the pool after tea. This afternoon the twin bridges walk is planned and hopefully a little cooler in the shade.

The river is so low at present that it seems impossible that a few short weeks ago we were able to take guests tubing, in a rather muddy Caledon River.

After our annual assessment by the AA we have now been awarded the title of Highly Recommended Accommodation instead of the previous Recommended Accommodation. I think that the newly revamped dining room had a lot to do with this decision!

Christmas decorations are up and everything is in place – hopefully, for a great holiday period – trusting that the weather and Eskom all behave. Father Christmas has the address, the turkey is ready (no not one of ours)and we have dusted off the midnight oil for New years when we are going to celebrate the night with “Wyndford’s Got Talent”!! Wish you were here.

There is still place available for the last few days before schools go back for all of you with little people, and for the oldies…the 30% discount will once again be available after the 12th January 2010.

Until then, stay well,
We wish you a special Christmas and a Winning 2010!
Best regards from the Wyndford Team