A Winter Morning On Lovane

The rain came pouring down as the white-grey clouds cast a blanket shadow over the Stellenbosch mountains. Inside the restaurant, the glow of the warm fire spread across the room, and the dim light radiated an inviting welcome to the crisp weather outside. The farm was blessed with yet another classic rainy Stellenbosch winter morning.

When the glass doors opened, pots and pans clacking together where people were hard at work to cook breakfast filled the space. The crackling of the fire and light chatter and laughter from the guests filled the air and created an inviting atmosphere. In the corner, you could see a woman putting a warm cup of coffee to her lips. A sigh of relief and tranquillity filled the air as everyone ate breakfast.

Suddenly, the inter-leading door from the cellar opened, and the winemaker entered the room. He had just returned from a morning of winemaking. He rubbed his cold hands together in search of a steaming cup of coffee. I could hear my stomach growling, demanding a piece of the delicious-smelling flavours that snuck from the kitchen. A moment later, a slice of buttery French toast and two pieces of fatty bacon grazed my lips, but it wasn’t long after the plate was empty.

The windows were fogging from the heat from cooking breakfast all morning. Some guests were entering the restaurant, leaving their muddy boots outside. A sense of peace I had never felt before came over me, and all I could think about was how I never wanted to leave.