Reaching for heaven

Self portrait

A whole autumn day, as perfect as a ripe peach. At dawn, when the call to prayer came from the Bo-Kaap, a white flag of cloud wrapped itself in the half darkness around the foot of the mountain.
Then I went for a walk up Kloof Corner, my ritual every year on my birthday. Feeling so happy to call this place home, I reached for heaven and touched the blue sky, washed in sunshine.
At Kloof Corner, huge slabs of sandstone baked in the sun and swifts flew like arrows into tiny clefts in the rock face.
I rubbed a buchu bush between my fingers and the scent of the mountain rushed up to me: sweet, earthy and strong.

Lion's Head from the beacon on Kloof Corner, one of my favorite spots on the mountain.