PARTY – CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY WITH THE HORSES
...how a birthday party can be a wonderful opportunity to combine a child's dream with the art of doing nothing for the parents...
Our daughter Enya is madly in love with horses. If it were up to Enya, she'd spend every single day of the week at the stables. So, for her birthday she had only one wish: to celebrate her seven years with Rusty, Round, Christie and Indiana Jones. She didn't want to hear of a typical birthday party. Instead, she invited her two favourite friends to come and ride the horses with her and her 5 year-old brother James. "After the ride, you'll have cake in the stables and celebrate with the horses," Suzie told her. Enya was over the moon and produced a smile as broad as the whole of False Bay.
Suzie knows Enya and James well, she's been giving them riding lessons at Mount Rozier since a year and a half. When we arrived, the 'birthday horse' looked absolutely beautiful, adorned with a gracious tail plated especially for the occasion. Enya nodded in approval and excited, the party of four little riders left the stables for an hour's ride through the forest and the vineyards. Sipho is scared of chickens, so I didn't tell him the farm is home to many noisy peacocks. It was amazing to see how much this 'chicken fobia boy' enjoyed riding a big horse! His sister Emily too, didn't show the slightest sign of worry although this was a first for her too. And Enya, well... she led the party like a queen.
Back at the stables Enya, James, Sipho and Emily groomed their horses and sang a cheerful 'Happy Birthday'. The cake had become nothing more than a traditional accessory. A good thing I thought in an era where the focus is often more on stuffing the children with sweets than the actual enjoyment of doing something fun together.
Emily and Sipho's parents joined us too, but we kept a low profile a little further away... at the tasting room. I had organised a cheese platter with wine for the parents while the children enjoyed the birthday party. We spent the afternoon in utter relaxation. Sitting under century old trees, indulging in lekker wine, cheese and good company; and seeing the beaming little faces of the children, made me feel incredibly happy too.
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A birthday party in true Kids of Nature style was most enjoyable indeed... for the whole family.
Mount Rozier Wine Estate is located in Sir Lowry's Pass near Somerset West, Cape Town. Suzie can be reached on 082-3911693 and she'll do anything in her power to make the outing a very special one. For wine tastings, ask for Alverica, she knows all about their wines, the estate and the local community.
Author: Petra Vandecasteele, Photography Paul Godard
Source: www.InspirationalWritingByPetra.com
Date: 25 Nov 2008
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