Now, focus on the following picture. Apart from the Western Cape which is a winter rainfall area, the rest of South Africa is covered in a Winter jacket. It is dry, the grass is yellow, trees stand naked without any leaves if they are not evergreen, veld fires took their toll on the landscape, dust is everywhere when the wind is blowing and so I can continue. The picture is bleak and depressing. Soup, sherry, and an electric blanket don't do it for us anymore. We don’t see the beauty of branches against a crystal blue sky. Or the vibrant colors of aloes in full bloom.