The book came about, largely thanks to my parents who had kept the letters that I sent regularly, describing the new life that I had made on this isolated farm in the southern Free State of South Africa.
When it was first written it appeared in "Country Life" magazine in South Africa who serialised it over the course of a year. Emboldened by its success, I enlarged the original and as memories came back to me, I added to the chapters.
In 2001, I was invited to lecture on several tours aboard the Cunard ship the QE2 and in order to have material to back up my talks, I had the book published in the UK. A power point presentation was shown as I described our lives on the farm, and to my delight, a long queue formed at the end of each lecture and my stock of books disappeared.
It has never been re-printed, but thanks to computer technology, I have been able to present it in blog form for friends who have asked for copies which I no longer have.
It was written to be read with ease and to give the reader an armchair visit to Africa. I hope that you will enjoy it too.
Kate Fagalde
Languedoc Roussillon - France 2011
