Friday, April 20th, 2007
Mir Heaven
Today we drove inland to the Western Cape wine region. We have been to Cape wine country twice before and always enjoy the beautiful mountainscapes and peaceful countryside. An internet search yielded a place called Dombeya Farms in Stellenbosch. Not much info was given on the place–I knew they sell yarn, particularly mohair and that’s all–so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was thinking probably a high end shop with lots of lovely yarn that is way overpriced. But hey, why not check it out?
We stopped in Stellenbosch town to get a more detailed map of the area and wound up checking out an African arts and crafts market. After much negotiation, we decided on a very nice and very unique painting–Sam always drives a hard bargain, so we got “the friend price” to be sure.
Driving onward–did I mention we are renting a 76 Beetle??–we continued out of town and past Blauklippen, wine estate. After while we saw our turn and made our way back through a windy road flanked with grape vines waiting to be turned into wine. At last we reached Dombeya Farms, right next to one of the three wine estates tucked back along this little road. Wine and yarn–at this point I began to consider that I just may have stumbled into heaven.
Once inside we were greeted by a cheerful woman who showed us around. We started with the room where women spin raw cotton, wool, and mohair (all from within South Africa, though not the Western Cape). All the yarn in the shop (except the few selections that are imported from Italy) is spun and dyed on the premises (by this point I am drooling with excitement). There are also looms, upon which women weave brightly colored shawls, place mats, and more for sale in the shop. Also for sale are skeins upon skeins and balls upon balls of wool, cotton, and mohair yarn.
Sam kindly released me to the yarn room and settled at a table in the “tea garden” which overlooks a breathtaking view of Simonsberg Mountains and fields of grapes and tawny colored waves of grass.
After amassing a pile of gorgeous and incredibly well-priced hand spun hand dyed yarn, I too settled at the tea room and had a tasty glass of white wine. Ah, I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect afternoon.