Alida Coetzer Optometrist Westonaria

21/08/2025

Meet the Angel Oak Tree

Estimated to be around 1,400 years old, this majestic Southern live oak in Charleston, South Carolina, is a living witness to history. Its longest limb stretches 89 feet, and its canopy spans an incredible 160 feet. Surviving hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and centuries of change — it’s a true natural wonder.

20/08/2025

During World War I, elderly women in Belgium sat by their windows, their knitting needles clicking away as German supply trains rumbled past.

But this was no ordinary pastime. These women were spies for the resistance. 👵

They were recruited to watch the tracks and record every detail of enemy movements. Their method was as simple as it was brilliant.

A dropped stitch might signify one type of train, while a purl stitch could mean another. A specific combination of stitches could relay the number of cars or the nature of their cargo.

These seemingly innocent scarves and blankets were actually coded reports. Once completed, they were passed along to intelligence officers, providing the Allies with invaluable information.

This practice continued into World War II. In 1944, a British spy named Phyllis Latour Doyle parachuted into occupied France to gather intelligence. 🪂

She encoded her messages on a piece of silk, which she then wrapped around a knitting needle and hid in her hair tie. This allowed her to transmit 135 critical messages without ever being caught.

These women proved that courage comes in many forms, and that even the most common household skills could be turned into powerful tools for freedom.

19/08/2025

08/08/2025

Canola fields Caledon.