april issue 2

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Happy Easter! ISSUE 2APRIL 2014 A Healthier Easter tips to keep the weight in check! Beauty on a Budgetyou can do it! The Easter Bunny’s Tips for Success! INTERACTIVE PUZZLES | FEEL GOOD BOOK REVIEWS EVENTS CALENDER FOR THE VAAL | MOVIE REVIEWS FOR THE FAMILY FREE EASY BAKE EASTER RECIPES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY TECHNOLOGY MOVING FORWARD - PART 2 The Beauty of the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

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Happy Easter! ISSUE 2—APRIL 2014

A Healthier Easter—tips

to keep the weight in

check!

Beauty on a Budget—you

can do it!

The Easter Bunny’s Tips for Success!

INTERACTIVE PUZZLES | FEEL GOOD BOOK REVIEWS

EVENTS CALENDER FOR THE VAAL | MOVIE REVIEWS

FOR THE FAMILY

FREE

EASY BAKE EASTER RECIPES

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

TECHNOLOGY

MOVING FORWARD

- PART 2

The Beauty of the Suikerbosrand Nature

Reserve

2

Publication Contact DetailsPublication Contact DetailsPublication Contact Details Cell: 082 075 4553

P O BOX 717 [email protected] 086 247 8286 robyneclaire RANDVAAL, GAUTENG 1873 Other than the snail mail, fax to email and Skype click on the picture above to be connected with us in an instant!

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Inside this issue …. Tips for Success from the Easter Bunny 4– 5

Easter Bunny Masks for children to enjoy 7

Beauty on a Budget—you can achieve it! 8

Dealing with a Dominant Dog 9—10

WIN A WEDDING Winners 11

Where to from here … Part Two in Our Technology moving forward series 12—13

Creating storage space in small bathrooms 14

Autumn Gardening Ideas to get your garden ready for Winter 15—16

How to make Delicious Easter Bunny Cars for Children 17

Easy to Make Hot Cross Buns 18

Interactive Puzzles to keep you busy 19—20

Book Reviews to Delight 21

A Healthier Easter for you and your Family 22—23

Event Calendar for April 2014 24

The Beauty of The Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve 25—26

Easy Ideas for Decorating your home for Easter 27—28

Movie Reviews for Easter Entertainment 29

About Randvaal Lifestyle Magazine 30

Disclaimer: Randvaal Media t/a Randvaal Lifestyle Magazine hereby does not take responsibility nor liability (including credibility, defamation, slander) in respect of articles or advertisements contained in the publication. Any views that are expressed are done so by the writers of the said articles and not of that of Randvaal Media or any of its subsidiaries or staff. Randvaal Media is not liable for any loss, damage, inferred defamation or credibility claims arising from readers acting upon any articles or advice in articles in the publication. Readers must verify for themselves the accuracy of any statement or article before acting on same. Editorial Submissions: All submissions must be made via email to [email protected] for consideration. Randvaal Media or its subsidiaries reserves the right to decline any articles without giving reasons to the writer.

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Almost everyone knows the Easter Bunny. No matter what your faith or denomination the month of April is filled with Easter eggs and adverts for these eggs. But really the Easter Bunny is a great business guide. Think about the organisation that has to go into this holiday. The months of planning for a day’s eating. There are a few things we can learn from the Easter Bunny too! Spread your eggs around We’ve all heard the phrase “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. Our little hopping friend hops all over the place stashing his eggs. Develop your talents to encompass a wide variety of skills and make yourself more attractive to prospective employers or to strengthen your current position. In the current climate more employers are looking for multi skilled employees who will be able to cover a vari-ety of functions. We need a good set of ears We can’t go through life trying to do it all alone. Balancing a social life, family and work life can be especially demanding on time and sanity. We all need that special friend who we can talk to, sound ideas off and very importantly let off a bit of steam with. There’s no such thing as too much chocolate And by too much chocolate I mean joy and happiness, which is kind of the same thing depending on who you ask. Mostly I’m saying make time for real fun. The kind you can’t buy in a shop. The kind that isn’t loaded with sugar and other unhealthy stuff. Look for and celebrate silver linings everywhere. From a great game of soccer with your friends to every target your company or department hits. Make it special and memorable. All work and no play makes someone very dull Easter creates great memories with silly hats, colourful eggs, and family orientated events such as the ever fun Easter egg hunt. Your family and you needs time to be silly, have fun and connect. Preferably outdoors. Switch your phone off! Unless you are an on-call surgeon your clients and colleagues won’t die if you are

TIPS FOR SUCCESS BY THE EASTER BUNNY

BY AMY DE BREYN

A mom and massage therapist whose greatest passion is helping

other people to feel better emotionally, physically and spiritually.

She’s great lover of wholesome food and the outdoors. She’s also

rather weird and insane in the best possible way.

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TIPS FOR SUCCESS BY THE EASTER BUNNY

Continued

Variety is awesome Like Easter eggs that come in different shapes, sizes, fillings, coatings and more; variety is what keeps life fun. Keep trying new things. New ways to do your work, new places and games to explore with your family and yes, even new types of food. Hop around Get active. A healthy body and mind go hand in hand. If you get it right to move around a lot and get a healthy amount of fitness then it doesn’t matter if you indulge in Easter eggs once in a while.

The big bad wolf isn’t the only person who gets things done Often as a customer or a boss we feel that the only way we will get customer care or our employees to do as we say is to be tough and scary. To have people fear you. However the Easter Bunny isn’t s scary. He’s cute and adorable. Sometimes it’s more appropriate to be kind and soft than tough and scary.

Sweet is good Success is sweet, life can be very sweet and helping others adds a richness to life that should be experienced by everyone. Enjoy the sweetness of your life. Enjoy making it sweet for you and for others.

Happy Holidays! Make it meaningful for you and your family.

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CRAFTS FOR THE

KIDS

Easter Bunny Masks

Submitted by Antoinette Strydom

Designed by Belinda

Graham

This is a cute project to keep them busy or an easy alternative to creating a fiddly

hat for the Easter hat parade. The bunny mask is so simple kids could do it on their own with a little help from you – and it’s fun for kids to wear. Don’t forget to make

the woolly pom-pom tail to go with it.

You’ll need:

Cardboard Pencil

Cotton wool – torn up Glue

Paintbrush Sticky-backed pink felt (available

from craft shops)

Double-sided tape Scalpel

A straw Scissors

Single hole punch

How to put the bunny mask together:

1. Draw onto cardboard a bunny mask with extended sides and a bump for the

nose.

2. Cut out, remove the eyes and stick on the pink felt in the center of the ears.

Cut the straw into half, then slice in half lengthways and cut four slits to near

the end.

3. Have the children paint on the glue and cover the mask with cotton wool. Glue

the “whiskers” into place on either side of the nose and use double-sided tape to fasten the two ends together around the child’s face. Alternatively for a

shorter mask, pierce holes on either side with the single hole punch and tie thin elastic to each hole to stretch over the child’s head.

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One of the best facials you can get before any important event is the Diego Della Palma treatment. The detoxification process is a peel: The first step to a

healthy glowing skin. The Moisturizing segment for a dehydrated skin: Enzyme

peel. Speeds up the elimination of dead cells. It also encourages cell rejuvena-tion, removes impurities, restores dull devitalized complexion! At Glamour Inc

we offers different peels for specific skin problems range from R300.00—

R450.00. Simply white for pigmented skins is also available. Retail products are also available for dehydrated, anti age and sensitive skins too!

Gelish Gel Polish which we stock and use in our salon also gives the natural nail shape. It is wonderful for those with weak nails and it lasts up to 3 weeks!

Gelish Gel Polish comes in a huge range of colours for you to choose from. It

only takes 45 minutes to make your nails look stunning and the removal of Gelish Gel Polish takes a mere 15 minutes! For the overlay for great look nails

our retail is about R200.00 a set. We also offer acrylic nails at R300.00 a set!

WRITTEN BY MELISSA NIEMAND OF GLAMOUR INC

IN VANDERBIJLPARK, GAUTENG

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CONTINUED

WRITTEN BY MELISSA NIEMAND OF GLAMOUR INC

IN VANDERBIJLPARK, GAUTENG

Pedicures

You maybe take extensive care of your face and body but we often forget

about our feet. They also deserved to be pampered. I mean they survive the stilettos pumps, the bumps to the toes and they take us from one place to the

another! A pedicure is not just relaxing but it gives your feet that much

needed care and tender loving care that they need!

Waxing

If you consider waxing here are some fun perks:

Waxing is hygienic! The most a waxing takes is about 10-15 minutes to get done!

The effect of a waxing lasts for 4-8 weeks where saving using a razor

barely lasts for more than one day! It reduces the effect of perspiration to the area

All in all….. the experience really isn’t as horrific as you think — so what

are you waiting for?

Massages

What more can I say about massaging? Every body deserves a massage! A

massage is a healing tool. Massaging increases circulation, it relaxes and

softens injured tissue. It reduces cramps, spasms and it increases joint flexibility!

You can contact Melissa at Glamour Inc on 082 926 5229 or email her at [email protected]

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Dogs can be aggressive through fences. A less stronger woman would need to consider a remote collar to be able to handle a large dog. By the way it is critical that you get a ID NAME TAG for your new dog as soon as you get the dog. If by chance the dog would get away from you and not come when called, you would have a way for people to identify you as the owner when they catch him. With this said - we would never leave a new dog alone in a fenced back yard. That's a terrible idea and a perfect way to loose your new dog. When the walks and fence are going well there comes a time to allow your dogs to meet face to face when you are not holding the leashes. Allow them to sniff one another. Talk to them in a firm, commanding, neutral voice. Keep the meeting short. Then take them for a walk together. If there is any growling they always get a VERY STRONG VERBAL NO!! Be prepared to use the dominant dog collar the way it is intended to be used (lift the dogs front feet off the ground by the leash). When dog fights begin they are often right out of the blue and lighting fast. If by chance a dog fight starts - NEVER STEP IN AND TRY TO BREAK UP THE FIGHT by grabbing both collars. Not unless you want a quick trip to the emergency room. There is a protocol to follow in breaking up dog fights. Dog fights are very dangerous events. But with that said, know your physical limitations and always err on the side of safety. When I introduce 2 adult dogs I will allow sniffing but no dominant posturing – it’s called "T-ing" off. In other words, the dominant dog will put its head over the top shoulder of the other dog and press down. When the meetings in the back yard are working, then you can try allowing the dogs to be loose together in your home.

DEALING WITH A DOMINANT DOG – PART 2 WRITTEN BY ED FRAWLEY

SUBMITTED BY ANTIONETTE STRYDOM

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The winners of the Win A Wedding Competition held at the end of March 2014 and sponsored so kindly. We wish the winners a life time of happiness and great joy in their wedding preparations!

JP Meyer & Corrie Steynberg Dawie Kasselman & Alicia Immink

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TECHNOLOGY MOVING FORWARD—PART 2

WRITTEN BY TOM RAYMOND

In last month's issue, we took a look at a few developments from yesteryear going forward. In this issue, we will again ponder a little in the past and visit a little of the life of Tannie Sarie and what technology did to turn her world upside down too. Traditionally, the role of the housewife and her daily chores also underwent a huge change too. The most basic chore such as washing of clothes, ironing, cleaning of the homestead and cooking all underwent mind boggling changes . Here are a few to ponder . In previous years, Tannie Sarie did the washing in a big basin and used a washboard to rub the clothing against – no mean task , I might add! This also gave her a mean left hook as she was a very strong lady so not good to get on her bad side! Her soap too was laboriously created from a recipe handed down through the generations. Can you imagine the huge smile she would be wearing today? Many years back, there was a “breakthrough” in that a washing machine had now made it's appearance. This device rather resembled a bullet proof tank with a gatling gun mounted on top of it. It had to be either hand filled, using a bucket or a hose pipe attached to either the hot or cold water tap using a rubber nipple type attachment – no permanent connection! In short, a pilot's licence would have come in handy to run this gadget. I think the most “fun” part for the youngsters of the day was to play with the “mangle” mounted atop this machine – the gatling gun in other words, as there were two very sturdy rubber rollers through which clothes were passed through and winding the handle and feeding the article of clothing through it. I won't go into any further technical details save to say that this was the forerunner to what is today known as “the automatic washing machine”. Today, you simply pop your clothing etc in this machine and hey, presto - all done and dusted – just strain your back bending over to remove the articles out of the machine!

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That was the washing – now for the ironing! Again an instrument of torture and the makings of a champion shot – put athlete! This device was probably just as heavy and rather bulky – thrown at someone, was a lethal weapon too. The iron sat atop the coal stove, getting nice and hot, and once hot, the top of the iron unhinged and several fiery coals were deposited inside the iron – for prolonged use off the stove! Very clever feature indeed . Now all one had to do was to ensure that no coal dust or ash deposited it's self on the ironed article or – game over, wash again! The modern day iron is indeed a wonder—plug it into a waiting electrical socket it gets hot, set to the right temperature on it's dial and hey, presto! It turns into a hissing steaming hot demon! And yes, water added to its built in tank even steams the clothing too! We now turn our attention to the chore of cleaning the carpets of the day , all sorts of methods were employed – brooms, pans, brooms wrapped in wet towels to remove dust etc. Again, a very laborious task indeed! An evil thought creeps into my mind at this point too – no needed to pop into a gym in that era with all that effort ! And out of the blue TADAAAAA, enter her brand new “vacuum cleaner”. Also electrically powered. This article rather resembled a “sausage dog” with a bazooka attached. The second model, some years later also terrified all and sundry as this one had a big bright light in front of it – to see in dark places, was pushed along with a handle, made a devil of a noise as it beat the carpet to a pulp whilst sucking up the ensuing dust - needless to say no living being wanted to be anywhere near this beast! Dogs, cats, rats and so on –kazaam! Gone! The vacuum cleaner today runs smoother , quieter, far more efficient and a whole lot less terrifying too! Water filtration systems, micro fibre filters but to name a few of the filtration techniques. Another aspect worth mentioning was the back breaking, down on all fours floor polishing nightmares that had to be performed in the day are also long gone with the advent of the electric polisher – now so advanced that they are ridden on! This is more for the industrial application though! I hope you have enjoyed the romp down the corridors of time and the changes that have come about, more to come in next month's issue, where I will once again dig up some more advancements for you . Enjoy your technology!

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Now days we just have to look at our tiny bathrooms that the architect thought would be ample for a human being to bath, shower and do all the necessary beautifying things in! Well one thing is for sure the developer and architect forgot about storage space! Where is one supposed to store all the toiletries, towels so you don’t have to run around the house to find one soaking wet! Here are a few ideas I found and hope they help others to create that much needed storage space!

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GARDENING TIPS FOR AUTUMN

Autumn is a great time to rejuvenate a garden for the new season and for next spring! The tips below are an autumn garden check list that will keep your garden flourishing: Autumn is the time to make new plants from cuttings. Take 10 cm cuttings

for hardwood herbs such as rosemary. Remove the lower leaves, dip cut-tings into hormone powder and pot in small containers of good quality potting soil mix. Keep moist and shelter from strong wind and sun!

Trim hedges before the onset of winter to keep them compact and busy from

the ground level. Check your lawn and make sure any weeds you sprayed last month are

dying. Repeat the treatment if necessary. Aerate the lawn with a garden fork and scatter lime lightly over it. This sweetens the soil after many years of lawn food applications. Rejuvenate tired lawns with an autumn feeding to ready them for the onset of cool winter weather.

Gather falling leaves, grass clippings, organic kitchen scraps and shredded

prunings and layer them in a compost bin. Turn periodically with a garden fork to allow air to circulate and feed organisms, and to decompose the or-ganic matter quickly.

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An old ladder makes a good support for climbing vines such as sweet peas.

A splash of paint will give extra impact in the garden or up against a wall! Get started on varnishing the tool sheds, wendy houses in Autumn to allow

them to have time to dry and not get damaged further by the cold weather on the way!

Don’t rush to prune spent seed heads. They provide a wealth of food for

birds that visit the garden. Get ready to divide evergreen perennials. Lift them from the soil, divide the

root and replant. If you have not done so now is the last month and chance to get those

winter bulbs in for a colourful garden!

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Ingredients Large Marshmallows, cut horizontally Bunny Peeps Mini pretzels Cream-Filled Cakes Decorator Icing Frosting Sprinkles Instructions Cut a small rectangle out of the top of the cream-filled cake about a third of the way back from the “front” of the car. Use the white decorator icing to adhere the bunny Peep, mini pret-zel “steering wheel” and large marshmallows in place. Use frosting and sprinkles to decorate your car. Allow to set.

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Ingredients 2 cups white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 2 cups all-purpose white flour 1/2 cup warm water 1/2 cup warm milk 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast 2/3 cup raisins, currants, or golden raisins (or a mix) Finely grated zest of half an orange 1/4 heaping teaspoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice 2 teaspoons fine salt 3 1/2 tablespoons castor sugar 1 medium egg 3 1/2 tablespoons butter

Instructions Preheat the oven to 200 °C. In a bowl, combine the flours, water, milk, yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the egg and butter and mix to a sticky dough. Then, add the dried fruit, orange zest, and spices and knead until silky and smooth. Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. Deflate the risen dough and divide into 8 equal pieces. Shape into rounds and dust with flour. Place on a floured board, cover with plastic wrap or cloth, and let proof for about 30 minutes, until roughly doubled in size. To make the crosses, whisk together flour and water until smooth, then transfer to a pastry bag and snip off the end to make a fine hole (or use a plastic food bag with a corner snipped off). Transfer the risen buns to a baking sheet and pipe a cross on top of each one, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt jam and water in a pan. Brush over the buns to glaze as

you take them from the oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

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Click on the images below to go to our online, interactive puzzles! We will publish on our Facebook Page in a few days time the solutions!

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The Language of Flowers, Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable young woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.

“A deftly powerful story of finding your way home, even after you’ve burned every bridge behind you. The Language of Flowers took my heart apart, chapter by chapter, then reassembled the broken pieces in better working condition. I loved this book."

From the popular and exciting author of Spirit Junkie and Add More to Your Life comes this practical and fun 40-day guidebook of subtle shifts for radical change and unlimited happiness. Are you ready to work miracles? Gabrielle Bernstein believes that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including our relationships, finances, bodies, and self-image. In this inspiring guide, Gabrielle offers an exciting plan for releasing fear and allowing gratitude, forgiveness, and love to flow through us without fail. All of which, ultimately, will lead to breathtaking lives of abundance, acceptance, appreciation, and happiness. With May Cause Miracles, readers can expect incredible transformation in 40 powerful days: simply by adding up subtle shifts to create miraculous change.

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BY AMY DE BREYN

A mom and massage therapist whose greatest passion is helping other people to feel

better emotionally, physically and spiritually. She’s great lover of wholesome food

and the outdoors. She’s also rather weird and insane in the best possible way.

Easter and Easter eggs go hand in hand. Of course this is one of those times in the year when indulgence is a norm usually resulting in feeling bloated and a bit like an over fed swine. Follow a few simple tips to make this Easter slightly healthier for you and your family.

1. Start your day correctly Before the chocolate deluge strikes make sure that breakfast is the healthiest meal of the day. Fresh fruits with yoghurt and honey, or scrambled eggs with chives on multi grain toast. At least you'll be making sure that there are some nutrients and fibre going into all the bodies in the house.

2. Eat real food before sweets Make Easter eggs the dessert. Have a healthy meal followed by sweets. This way you'll eat fewer Easter eggs and won't be overloading a hungry body with sugar, diary and all the other additives that are so bad for you.

3. Easter egg hide and seek Make it fun (and get moving) to find your Easter eggs. Go to a local park with a group of friends and make an enormous Easter egg hunt. Make sure you and your kids will be running all over the show burning calories in time to replenish them with sugary yummiest.

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4. Black is beautiful Dark chocolate (70% cocoa and higher) is so good for you that it almost can't be classified as a sweet. Loaded with antioxidants, containing less sugar and dairy, dark chocolate actually helps control blood sugar and even helps to harden tooth enamel. Would you like more reasons to learn to love dark chocolate (if you don't already)? Dark chocolate is good for your heart and brain, and it has been proven that eating small doses of dark chocolate regularly has been linked to lower body fat in people trying to lose weight.

5. Portion control

This year go for smaller eggs and bunnies. If you are anything like me you will eat whatever chocolate is in the house. A big bunny can contain as many as 1 075 calories, whereas the small hollow eggs only have about 72 calories. And if you get a good haul of Easter eggs from friends: share them with your colleagues, friends, family, and even those underprivileged kids you see running around on the side of the road. A good deed on top of stopping yourself binge eating it all? Priceless!

6. Hydrate

Keep your water intake higher than normal to help flush out the sugar. Add thin slices of lemon or cucumber to up the vitamin dose and help flush out your liver.

7. Give in to temptation A bit of a contradiction? Maybe. Just remember that Easter chocolate over-loading should only be done once a year and indulge your craving following a few of the tips above. It’s been shown that if you really deny your craving you’ll probably land up over indulging in some other way.

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TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE WALKERVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAND AT THE

WALKERVILLE AGRICULTURAL SHOW! YOU CAN CLICK ON THE PICTURE ABOVE TO GO TO THE

WEBSITE FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR CALL EDDIE KNUIST ON

082 821 0771.

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FRIDAY

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PICNIC &

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HUNT (016)

9713650—

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20 EASTER STONEHAVEN ON

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MONDAY

22 23 24 25 26 Style &

Glamour

Fashion Show

@ Bedworth

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Vanderbijlpark

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DAY

28 PUBLIC

HOLIDAY

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The Beautiful Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

The beautiful Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve is a gem hidden close to Heidelberg, Gauteng. A short distance from Johannesburg brings one in touch with nature and all it has to offer. With 134 kilometres of unspoiled natural beauty the reserve boasts a vast amount of fauna and flora making it the most lovely walking and hiking trails nature has to offer.

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The wildlife that is in the reserve to name a few are the Aardvark, Black—Backed Jackal, Brown Hyena, Chacma Baboon, Eland, Kudu, Porcupine, Springbok, Steenbok and Zebra.

The reserve includes a Visitor’s day centre and Diepkloof Farm Museum. The reserve can be explored on foot and mountain bike. Steep climbs, twisting decents and meandering paths make it a must for hikers! A holiday resort is also on the reserve—chalets and caravan with tents are allowed. A large pool, children’s pool and indoor heated pool are available for use.

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Crafts Ideas to Decorate Your Home for Easter

Holidays

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Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma Watson, Anthony

Hopkins, Logan Lerman

Director: Darren Aronofsky

Genre: Drama

Release Date: April 04, 2014

Even as far as “religious” films go, Darren Aronofsky's cinematic adaptation of the story of Noah has drawn a quite staggering amount of controversy – most especially by the more conservative Christians and Muslims out there who abhor Aronofsky's very obvious refusal to adhere to a literal understanding of the story as it is presented in the Bible. Generally, this sort of controversy says little about the quality of the film in question, but that's actually not the case this time. For a start, when I saw the first trailer for the film, I was not exactly what you would call excited to see the finished product. This had significantly less to do with being somehow offended by it and pretty much everything to do with it looking like another crappy Hollywood take on a biblical story. By nature, such things tend to be high on the preachiness and low on the intelligence – and obviously, things like nuance and quality of filmmaking don't even come into it. Noah looked expensive, with high production values but even with its disaster movie aesthetic, I was fully expecting another terrible load of quasi-religious hogwash. And yet, and yet: the only thing that gave me hope was that Noah was directed and co-written by Darren Aronofsky who, even at his very worst, is an interesting filmmaker with something to say. The trailer made it look pretty worthless but with Aronofsky at the helm, there was always the possibility that the film may just be a whole lot better than the trailer implied. Aronofsky wisely treats the actual text as mythology and sets his film in a world that could just as easily be Middle Earth or Mount Olympus, which gracefully sidesteps any distracting questions of the true lineage of mankind or the historical accuracy of the story. Instead the focus is set purely on what it all means. Aronfksy's Noah (quite brilliantly portrayed by Russell Crowe, in rare form) is a man racked by guilt and by doubt by the awful tasks with which he is tasked, and even as he is weighed down by his responsibilities, he is left to ponder The Creator's (presumably for the sake of universalism, the word “God” is never used) will, as well as the very nature of humankind itself. What results is essentially a meditation on, among other things: religious extremism; nihilistic barbarism; divine inspiration; duty; the nature of good and evil; man's responsibilities to his planet; mercy and, ultimately, mankind's relationship with that which we cannot understand. Sure, there's plenty of action, spectacular visuals and old fashioned bombast, as well as a fair amount of overwrought dialogue, elliptical storytelling and the odd, weird storytelling choice, but what makes Aranofsky's Noah – and steeped in tradition as it may be, it's still very much Aronofsky's Noah – the intriguing, frustrating and boldly chutzpadic film that it is, has everything to do with its ideas. You may love it, you may hate it, but Noah will engage you. And, really, what more could you want from a trip to the cinema?

MOVIE REVIEW BY

ILAN PRESKOVSKY

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