June in South Africa is a month marked by Youth Day and Father’s Day.

Father’s Day is an opportunity for us to honour the dedication and love that our fathers have shown us. Fatherhood does not necessarily have to be biological, and many of my friends have benefitted from having a wonderful ‘father’ in their lives.

On Youth Day we honour our young people because the future is in their hands.

Actually the month of June is named after the Roman goddess Juno. She was a very important deity and was the patroness of marriage, partnerships, protector of the state and wise counsellor.

In the Southern Hemisphere, June is the first month of winter. Days are shorter, nights are longer. The winter solstice this year is on Wednesday 21 June. This is the shortest day of the year. With the sun setting earlier and days shortening, we look forward to winter.

Winter is characterised by cold and darkness. Our ideas of winter however, are governed by the Northern Hemisphere winters – which are colder and darker than any we have here in Africa. South African winters are crisp and cold, often sunny (except for the Western Cape) and very energising. A winter walk in the crisp air brings a healthy flush to your cheeks and puts a spring into your step.

Evenings smelling of wood-smoke and cold, encourage us to snuggle under the warmest blankets and throws (all from Linen Drawer, of course), while enjoying a mug of hot chocolate or gluhwein. Children with cold rosy cheeks running across lawns crunchy and white with early frost, trees with bare branches, snow on mountain tops, crackling fires and long winter nights – all these are evocative of a South African winter.

And in the Western Cape - rain. Slick roads, grey skies, black bare branches of oak trees, mountains shrouded in cloud for days and days. Here the impression is of hibernation and hunkering down against the elements. Rainy days when the smallest streams become raging rivers and flooding is a constant worry. These are the times when the beautiful colours of a Hinterveld mohair blanket or Horizon throw are an antidote against the grey skies and streaming windows.

Don’t dread the winter – embrace the cold, and use the chilly weather to indulge in soft snuggly bed linen, warm pure cotton blankets, mohair rugs and throws, long visits with friends around the fire, hearty meals, indulgent desserts and cheerful conversations. By fully enjoying the cold and bright winter days, we honour the season in which the foundations of new growth are laid.

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