☔ Where Did Winter Go, Stellenbosch?

TOGETHER WITH

If you've been wondering why your gumboots have barely left the cupboard this winter... you're not imagining it.

The Western Cape has just recorded its driest July in decades, with several weather stations reporting their lowest July rainfall on record. Cape Town International Airport measured just 14.4mm of rain for the entire month... the lowest July total there since records began in 1958.

It's not just Cape Town either. Areas across the south-western Cape, including Hermanus, Malmesbury and Kirstenbosch, all experienced exceptionally dry conditions. Weather experts say the lack of winter cold fronts has left the province well below its usual rainfall for this time of year, raising concerns about water supplies and what the coming summer could bring.

The good news? Stellenbosch is still looking beautiful.

The bad news? We're all starting to side-eye every cloud that floats past.

"Is... is that one actually going to do something?" ☁️😅

At the beginning of every year, I tell myself, "This is the year I'm going to read more books."

Business books.
Biographies.
History.
Maybe even that novel everyone keeps recommending.

Then I became a parent.

Technically... I've absolutely smashed my reading goal.

By December, I'll have read well over 1,000 books.

Unfortunately, none of them were on my reading list.

The Gruffalo.
Green Eggs and Ham.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
A collection of nursery rhymes that somehow gets requested every single night.

And here's the real mystery...

Your child owns 200 books.

Yet for three straight weeks, they only want that one.

The one you can recite from memory.

The one where you've accidentally started giving each character a different voice because you're desperately trying to keep yourself entertained.

By page two, your child has already corrected the one word you accidentally skipped.

By page six, they're fast asleep.

By page seven... you're strangely invested in whether the Gruffalo ever sorted out his public image.

One day we'll get back to reading the books we bought for ourselves.

Until then...

"Just one more story..."

...the greatest lie ever told between a parent and a child. 😂 📖

If you drove anywhere near Stellenbosch on Saturday, you probably noticed one thing...

The town was absolutely packed.

Parents. Supporters. Buses. Bakkies. Cars parked in places that definitely weren't designed for parking.

It could only mean one thing...

Rugby at Paul Roos.

Can we also talk about the size of some of these schoolboys?

Every year I think, "Surely that's one of the coaches."

Nope.

Grade 11.

Some of these okes look like they've already completed three Rugby Championships and have 42 Springbok caps.

At their age I was still trying to grow a convincing moustache.

Meanwhile these lads are built like they invoice Discovery Vitality for protein.

To all the visiting schools and families... thanks for bringing the fantastic atmosphere (and the traffic).

Stellenbosch wouldn't have it any other way.

Well... maybe just slightly fewer cars. 😉🏉

If you haven't visited Spier Wine Farm in a while, it might be time to put it back on your list.

The Sunday Times has named Spier as one of Stellenbosch's best winter getaways, and it sounds like the farm has quietly reinvented itself. Gone are the days when it was all about tourist attractions. Today, the focus is on regenerative farming, beautiful gardens, incredible food, world-class wine, art and simply slowing down.

The estate, which dates back to 1692, has embraced a more authentic farm experience. Wander through historic Cape Dutch buildings, enjoy a wine tasting beside crackling fireplaces, explore art exhibitions, or take a stroll through rewilded fynbos that's been returned to nature.

Sometimes we forget that one of South Africa's finest winter escapes is sitting right on our doorstep.

No airports. No passport.

Just a jersey, a glass of red, and maybe an excuse to pretend you're on holiday for the afternoon. 🍷

One of the quickest ways to become unhappy is to constantly compare your life to someone else's.

Someone always seems to have a bigger house, a better job, a newer car, a fitter body, or a more exciting life. But you're comparing your behind-the-scenes to someone else's highlight reel.

The only person you need to compete with is the person you were yesterday.

Can you be a little kinder today?

A little more patient?

Learn one new thing?

Take one more walk?

Read one more page?

Make one better decision?

That's how real progress happens. Not in giant leaps, but in hundreds of tiny improvements that quietly compound over time.

And if today doesn't go to plan, that's okay.

Tomorrow is another opportunity to become just 1% better.

Life isn't a race against everyone else.

It's a lifelong journey of becoming a better version of yourself.

🌤️ Monday
24°C / 9°C
Warm with sunshine filtered through high cloud. A beautiful winter's day.
☀️🌤️

☁️ Tuesday
23°C / 11°C
Increasing cloud during the day, but still mild and pleasant.
⛅

🌬️ Wednesday
17°C / 12°C
A noticeable change. Cooler, windier and mostly hazy sunshine.
🌬️🌤️

🌦️ Thursday
16°C / 8°C
Cloudy with occasional morning rain and drizzle before improving later.
🌧️☁️

🌤️ Friday
18°C / 8°C
Mostly sunny and cool. A pleasant way to end the week.
☀️😎

📝 Week at a glance:
A warm start to the week with temperatures around 23–24°C, followed by a cool change from Wednesday onwards. Thursday looks to be the only day where you'll likely need an umbrella, before sunshine returns for Friday.

As always, thanks for reading. If you spot something in town worth knowing, reply and tell us. Half the best Stellenbosch stories begin that way.

See you around town,
Stellenbosch Brief

If you know someone in Stellenbosch who would appreciate this, feel free to forward it to them. The right readers tend to find each other.