At the risk of boring people, although I won't know who they are so it probably doesn't matter, I have to say that we are having day after day of glorious winter sunshine here in Cape Town. Those who come from Jo'burg think that Capetonians are very 'cliquey' and that is probably true because we do have the mountains and the sea, don't we? That doesn't mean to say we are hiking up them or swimming in it, but we have the comfort of knowing they will always be there when we suddenly want to do these things. In the meantime, we are happy to sip our cappucinos in the coffee shops and take in the views.
The thing about Cape Town is, it seems, that everyone was at school together, went to university together, possibly worked together and generally live in the area they grew up in. This provides the perfect breeding ground for our laid-back lazy lifestyle where you can leave off and pick up friendships again without a hiccup and which is mistaken for 'cliquey'. We are in fact warm and welcoming to all outsiders and are always excited to show off our city. We even apologise when it rains or the south-easter is blowing too hard. We probably prefer a braai to a dinner party and are not great when it comes to dressing up for parties; as long as we don't go shopping in our slippers, we have made the grade.
I just came back from a short walk along the seafront and have to confess that in mid-winter the sun is just too strong to be enjoyable - without Cape Town's inevitable cooling breezes, that hole in the ozone becomes very apparent. It is even possible to get a tan at this time of the year if you don't use sunblock!
Tomorrow is August and a daytime temperature of 27 degrees Celsius is predicted. Time to bring out the sunhat!
Wednesday 31 July 2013
Monday 29 July 2013
Brilliant sunshiny sea
As I sit at my writing desk overlooking the sea, the warmth of the winter sun is such that my thoughts already turn to Spring. The sun is catching the crests of the rolling sea, sending out sparkles like diamonds. Puffy white clouds scud across the tops of the mountains of the Peninsula, and sunbirds are twittering like there's no tomorrow.
We haven't got to August yet, which is our real winter, and I suppose we will be in for a rude shock, but there didn't seem to be a lot of berries on the trees in autumn, which is usually sign of a hard winter to come. Maybe it's going to be drier than usual. The weatherman says we are neither in an El Nino or a La Nina, and so the weather is 'unpredictable' - a fine thing for a weatherman to say - so I find it best to just look out of the window to know what's going on! Watching the sea gives a good warning of bad weather, with the swells increasing ahead of a storm and I also keep a weather eye on the sea lice down at the rocks to see how far up they scuttle before a high tide. Observing nature never fails.
In the meantime, the daisies are emerging and new shoots are on all the trees. It will be a pity if they die back in a cold snap, but once again, it has happened before and everything does recover.
The whales have arrived in False Bay for calving and that is always a sign of Spring. The bay has been full of bait fish lately, providing food for seals, dolphins, the odd pod of orcas and at the top of the pile, sharks. The shark net will be used at Fish Hoek this year, so hopefully no more fatalities in summer!
Will keep you posted.
We haven't got to August yet, which is our real winter, and I suppose we will be in for a rude shock, but there didn't seem to be a lot of berries on the trees in autumn, which is usually sign of a hard winter to come. Maybe it's going to be drier than usual. The weatherman says we are neither in an El Nino or a La Nina, and so the weather is 'unpredictable' - a fine thing for a weatherman to say - so I find it best to just look out of the window to know what's going on! Watching the sea gives a good warning of bad weather, with the swells increasing ahead of a storm and I also keep a weather eye on the sea lice down at the rocks to see how far up they scuttle before a high tide. Observing nature never fails.
In the meantime, the daisies are emerging and new shoots are on all the trees. It will be a pity if they die back in a cold snap, but once again, it has happened before and everything does recover.
The whales have arrived in False Bay for calving and that is always a sign of Spring. The bay has been full of bait fish lately, providing food for seals, dolphins, the odd pod of orcas and at the top of the pile, sharks. The shark net will be used at Fish Hoek this year, so hopefully no more fatalities in summer!
Will keep you posted.
Saturday 27 July 2013
A spin around the Peninsula
Took a spin around the South Peninsula in the Mini just before sunset today. It was lovely to see the mountains and wild, tumultuous sea in late afternoon sunlight, as this is not the usual time of day to travel down towards Cape Point. As we rounded the corner above Smitswinkel Bay, a stunning rainbow bent down into the sea in the middle of False Bay, with a backdrop of dark clouds and a smooth sea blown flat by the brisk westerly wind. We didn't pass another car on the road for a good twenty kilometres and there was not a baboon in sight - they must have already been up in the crags at their night shelters.
The Mini pulled up Red Hill without a hiccup, the overheating problems of the old days (I think it's about seven years since I last drove it) a thing of the past. The best feature of a Mini is the cornering - you can practically take a 90 degree corner without slowing down - and the hairpins of Red Hill didn't pose any problem. By the time we descended into Scarborough, the sun had set and a curtain of rain was heading for us from the horizon. It became rather a race against the rain as we belted along the coast road in growing gloom as the cloud moved closer and closer, and we got back into the garage with only moments to spare before the heavens opened.
In the meantime, the breyani that I had simmering on the stove had cooked to perfection (I thought we were just going on a short jaunt) and was only slightly stuck to the bottom of the pot. It was declared to be one of the better meals I have produced in the last 40 years, which I thought was a bit of a cheek considering I had put very little effort into it, but hey ho! compliments are hard to come by! I must admit it was very delicious!
The Mini pulled up Red Hill without a hiccup, the overheating problems of the old days (I think it's about seven years since I last drove it) a thing of the past. The best feature of a Mini is the cornering - you can practically take a 90 degree corner without slowing down - and the hairpins of Red Hill didn't pose any problem. By the time we descended into Scarborough, the sun had set and a curtain of rain was heading for us from the horizon. It became rather a race against the rain as we belted along the coast road in growing gloom as the cloud moved closer and closer, and we got back into the garage with only moments to spare before the heavens opened.
In the meantime, the breyani that I had simmering on the stove had cooked to perfection (I thought we were just going on a short jaunt) and was only slightly stuck to the bottom of the pot. It was declared to be one of the better meals I have produced in the last 40 years, which I thought was a bit of a cheek considering I had put very little effort into it, but hey ho! compliments are hard to come by! I must admit it was very delicious!
Friday 26 July 2013
Winter for the weekend
You see? I don't exaggerate - the sun shines more in Kommetjie than the rest of the Peninsula. These shots taken this afternoon show the edge of a rather fierce cold front moving in from the north west, already covering Table Mountain. To the south we have ice clouds and blue sky! The sea is whipped up into a froth of icy green water and pure white surf and of course, as I write this, the front has now covered Kommetjie and the rain is starting to drip in drops from above. The wind is freezing! A good night to sit in front of a fire and read a book or do a puzzle.
However, I have been invited out for supper - you'll never guess, the Pickled Fish - Kerula Prawn Curry!! The last time we were there, she was supposed to be on a plane to Europe having misread the date on the ticket! Tonight we are going for the last time before the new owner takes over and we don't want to take a chance of never savouring those prawns again. I have been promised the recipe, but I doubt whether I will be able to replicate the dish to that degree of professionalism.
I'll have to leave the puzzle for tomorrow.
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| Clouds over Table Mountain accompanied by a fresh north-wester |
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| More clouds roiling in the sky |
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| What's happening overhead... |
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| And more of the sunshine! (Those are decking planks against the shed, drying in the sun, if you are interested!) |
Thursday 25 July 2013
Dreaming of daisies
All has been quiet on the home front, with no exciting happenings, no baboon raids or flamingos to speak of. Even the weather has been fair to middling.
I've been working on a particularly tedious bit of proofreading this week, and I can only imagine that that is what is making me lethargic with matters of the mind. The subject matter relates to the need for skills and education in Africa.
On a more interesting note... nope, can't thing of anything right now!
Even the animals are lethargic, preferring to lie on their pillows all day, snoozing, rather than going out into the garden and barking at passers-by. I can't blame them - it really is chilly out as we approach real winter, the month of August. Rumour has it that we are going to have a wet August and I suppose we do need the dams to fill up, so okay, let it rain! We will then have a magnificent display of spring flowers before we know it and the days will rapidly lengthen as summer approaches - something we all will appreciate.
Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead (last year's daisies):
I've been working on a particularly tedious bit of proofreading this week, and I can only imagine that that is what is making me lethargic with matters of the mind. The subject matter relates to the need for skills and education in Africa.
On a more interesting note... nope, can't thing of anything right now!
Even the animals are lethargic, preferring to lie on their pillows all day, snoozing, rather than going out into the garden and barking at passers-by. I can't blame them - it really is chilly out as we approach real winter, the month of August. Rumour has it that we are going to have a wet August and I suppose we do need the dams to fill up, so okay, let it rain! We will then have a magnificent display of spring flowers before we know it and the days will rapidly lengthen as summer approaches - something we all will appreciate.
Here's a glimpse of what lies ahead (last year's daisies):
Tuesday 23 July 2013
More stuff for the garage
He Who Can Fix Anything is a collector of stuff. That is why he needs a garage that takes eight cars - the walls are lined with shelves from floor to ceiling and the ceiling abounds with every kind of device imaginable for hanging everything from doors, rolled up carpets, planks, fishing rods, old surfboards (none of us have ever surfed), a paddleski (none of us have ever paddleskied) - come to think of it, we don't fish either - a veritable treasure trove of stuff. If you are looking for a nut that fits a bolt that was made in 1950, he will probably have it.
He also has a lot of stuff that hasn't yet made its way home. One such item is a half-size snooker table that he bought for a song at an auction about fifteen years ago. In readiness for many evenings of snooker, we reinforced the beams that hold up the house and then removed one of the pillars which hold it up. This was necessary to enable players to have enough room to position themselves from any angle when going for the black ball. And then the space got filled with other things - spare engines, an old Mini, woodworking tools, more cars when the kids could drive - and the snooker table stayed in the workshop in Hout Bay. Boats were built around it and layers of polyurethane foam and tarpaulins protected it from being incorporated into the building operations.
But tonight the snooker table finally reached its destination, upside down in the back of a trailer. It will need some restoration, as the legs have been kicked around a bit, but the slate top is perfect (about 3/4 inch thick and only needs new baize). The table bears the date of manufacture (1958) and the name of the person who fitted the original baize. HWCFA tracked him down at the time of purchase, but by then he was of advanced years (both of them) and I doubt whether he will still be around, so I can see this being added to the list of skills.
It took seven men to load the table onto the trailer, but as usual, just he and I, with assistance from our daughter, slid it off the trailer without mishap. We should hire ourselves out.
He also has a lot of stuff that hasn't yet made its way home. One such item is a half-size snooker table that he bought for a song at an auction about fifteen years ago. In readiness for many evenings of snooker, we reinforced the beams that hold up the house and then removed one of the pillars which hold it up. This was necessary to enable players to have enough room to position themselves from any angle when going for the black ball. And then the space got filled with other things - spare engines, an old Mini, woodworking tools, more cars when the kids could drive - and the snooker table stayed in the workshop in Hout Bay. Boats were built around it and layers of polyurethane foam and tarpaulins protected it from being incorporated into the building operations.
But tonight the snooker table finally reached its destination, upside down in the back of a trailer. It will need some restoration, as the legs have been kicked around a bit, but the slate top is perfect (about 3/4 inch thick and only needs new baize). The table bears the date of manufacture (1958) and the name of the person who fitted the original baize. HWCFA tracked him down at the time of purchase, but by then he was of advanced years (both of them) and I doubt whether he will still be around, so I can see this being added to the list of skills.
It took seven men to load the table onto the trailer, but as usual, just he and I, with assistance from our daughter, slid it off the trailer without mishap. We should hire ourselves out.
Monday 22 July 2013
Major and minor misadventures
A month ago, my friend and I went to the Pickled Fish for sublime Kerula Prawn Curry (as was well documented in my blog!) as she was leaving the next day for a cycling holiday in Holland with a few other stops before and after. She has now returned to regale me with tales of adventure and misadventure.
The first misadventure was that, while we were devouring dinner that night, she should in fact have been at the airport! When she arrived at the check-in counter the next day, full of the joys of life and looking forward to her trip, she was asked what name she had booked under. Uh-oh! They then broke the news that she had been a no-show the day before and that her ticket for all seven flights she was booked on for the duration of the holiday had accordingly been cancelled.
Well, the look of panic and dismay on her face must have been of such proportions that the airline bent over backwards to accommodate her and she was placed on every flight, albeit a day late! And in window seats!
The adventure went smoothly, with the group covering about 50km a day on bicycles in Holland, until one day, after suffering in a particularly strong headwind, she decided to rather catch a train to The Hague for the last 25km or so and meet them there. First of all, she only had enough coins for herself and was unable to buy a ticket for the bicycle, so she was in a froth of anxiety for travelling with an illegal bike (!) but was fortunately not caught out. Then she got out at the wrong station and got completely lost trying to find her way to the hotel.
But worst of all, she took a tumble in the street, right outside the poshest hotel in The Hague and landed in a heap, tangled in her bicycle with 2 panniers! Actually no, even worse, the smartly dressed dollybirds who worked in the hotel rushed out to pick her up and took her inside, fed her copious amounts of tea and attended to her every need until she was ready to resume her journey. Needless to say, she didn't want to damage her reputation even further by asking for directions after that!
She looks pretty good for having gone through all that - her adult children are asking her when she is going to start acting her age and not her shoe size (a very petite 3!!).
I can only think that would be a dreadful shame! She sure knows how to live life.
The first misadventure was that, while we were devouring dinner that night, she should in fact have been at the airport! When she arrived at the check-in counter the next day, full of the joys of life and looking forward to her trip, she was asked what name she had booked under. Uh-oh! They then broke the news that she had been a no-show the day before and that her ticket for all seven flights she was booked on for the duration of the holiday had accordingly been cancelled.
Well, the look of panic and dismay on her face must have been of such proportions that the airline bent over backwards to accommodate her and she was placed on every flight, albeit a day late! And in window seats!
The adventure went smoothly, with the group covering about 50km a day on bicycles in Holland, until one day, after suffering in a particularly strong headwind, she decided to rather catch a train to The Hague for the last 25km or so and meet them there. First of all, she only had enough coins for herself and was unable to buy a ticket for the bicycle, so she was in a froth of anxiety for travelling with an illegal bike (!) but was fortunately not caught out. Then she got out at the wrong station and got completely lost trying to find her way to the hotel.
But worst of all, she took a tumble in the street, right outside the poshest hotel in The Hague and landed in a heap, tangled in her bicycle with 2 panniers! Actually no, even worse, the smartly dressed dollybirds who worked in the hotel rushed out to pick her up and took her inside, fed her copious amounts of tea and attended to her every need until she was ready to resume her journey. Needless to say, she didn't want to damage her reputation even further by asking for directions after that!
She looks pretty good for having gone through all that - her adult children are asking her when she is going to start acting her age and not her shoe size (a very petite 3!!).
I can only think that would be a dreadful shame! She sure knows how to live life.
Sunday 21 July 2013
Exercising the brain
They say (the ubiquitous 'they') that by doing a puzzle (crossword or similar) every day, you keep your mind active and so do not let it fall into atrophy. It certainly seems to work for Mom and Dad, who in their mid-80s are still actively involved in many interest groups and are well able to conduct more meaningful conversations than some who are 60 years younger. So I will follow their example and make a habit of exercising the brain every day.
I'm particularly fond of Sudoku. Not the easy or medium, as they provide absolutely no basis for creating new neural pathways, but the difficult and cruel versions. It doesn't matter whether I only complete one out of fourteen; the sense of achievement is far greater having failed and tried again. The biggest problem with Sudoku, for me, is that I cannot allow other thoughts to intrude, such as what I have to do tomorrow or whether I should make apple crumble for pudding. I have to concentrate only on Sudoku, otherwise I have no chance whatsoever of solving the puzzle.
I can think of all sorts of things when doing a crossword and sometimes fill in two words at the same time. I suppose this is part of being female - you can multitask, But when it comes to logical thinking, you have to be focused and single-minded.
Uh-oh! I think I just opened up a gap for men to say that's why they are logical and women are scatterbrained!
I'm particularly fond of Sudoku. Not the easy or medium, as they provide absolutely no basis for creating new neural pathways, but the difficult and cruel versions. It doesn't matter whether I only complete one out of fourteen; the sense of achievement is far greater having failed and tried again. The biggest problem with Sudoku, for me, is that I cannot allow other thoughts to intrude, such as what I have to do tomorrow or whether I should make apple crumble for pudding. I have to concentrate only on Sudoku, otherwise I have no chance whatsoever of solving the puzzle.
I can think of all sorts of things when doing a crossword and sometimes fill in two words at the same time. I suppose this is part of being female - you can multitask, But when it comes to logical thinking, you have to be focused and single-minded.
Uh-oh! I think I just opened up a gap for men to say that's why they are logical and women are scatterbrained!
Saturday 20 July 2013
Dental disaster
No matter how hard you try to do the things that will be of most benefit to you, there is always something that can go awry. As an avid student of nutrition and natural foods, I endeavour to eat food that has the most beneficial effect on the body. Pomegranates are supposed to keep your arteries clear, so naturally they are at the top end of the affordability scale, as well as being seasonal. I bought the dried arils to add to plain yoghurt and was happily munching my way through this chewy snack when I bit on something really hard. I spat it out before it could do any damage, thinking it must be a particularly hard pip, and on closer inspection, saw that the damage had already been done. There lay half a molar!
I can only say how grateful I am that it wasn't a front tooth and I will try and fix it with that special toothpaste for sensitive teeth which I am told works very well by making a coating over the exposed area. My fear of dentists goes back a long way and they are always a last resort. I went for a check up only a year ago and was told there was absolutely nothing wrong and could come back in ten years' time! That was patently not true, as I have suspected for a while that the tooth was cracked anyway.
I have years of experience of living with a half tooth! When I was about 8 years old, I was running in the garden and tripped on a step and knocked about a third off one of my front upper right tooth. In those days there was no such thing as cosmetic dentistry, or at least it didn't figure in my life, and it never occurred to me to be in the slightest bit worried about my appearance. All I remember is that I grew up with a space big enough to fit a straw through. I thought it was quite fun!
When I left school, my mother must have decided that I couldn't go out into the corporate world with half a front tooth and I had it fixed with a porcelain implant, which I have now had for nearly 40 years. That is amazing - it still looks like new - I should throw a party for it!
Having lived half my life at that stage without a complete tooth, I walked around grinning like someone who has had their braces removed, and I was so upset when absolutely nobody noticed that I had had my tooth fixed!
This proves that looks are not important and that personality is all that matters (lol!). So take heart, all who have less than perfect gnashers - they are your personality!
I can only say how grateful I am that it wasn't a front tooth and I will try and fix it with that special toothpaste for sensitive teeth which I am told works very well by making a coating over the exposed area. My fear of dentists goes back a long way and they are always a last resort. I went for a check up only a year ago and was told there was absolutely nothing wrong and could come back in ten years' time! That was patently not true, as I have suspected for a while that the tooth was cracked anyway.
I have years of experience of living with a half tooth! When I was about 8 years old, I was running in the garden and tripped on a step and knocked about a third off one of my front upper right tooth. In those days there was no such thing as cosmetic dentistry, or at least it didn't figure in my life, and it never occurred to me to be in the slightest bit worried about my appearance. All I remember is that I grew up with a space big enough to fit a straw through. I thought it was quite fun!
When I left school, my mother must have decided that I couldn't go out into the corporate world with half a front tooth and I had it fixed with a porcelain implant, which I have now had for nearly 40 years. That is amazing - it still looks like new - I should throw a party for it!
Having lived half my life at that stage without a complete tooth, I walked around grinning like someone who has had their braces removed, and I was so upset when absolutely nobody noticed that I had had my tooth fixed!
This proves that looks are not important and that personality is all that matters (lol!). So take heart, all who have less than perfect gnashers - they are your personality!
Friday 19 July 2013
Aloe, aloe!
You may wonder what this has to do with the pictures of the aloes - nothing at all, just wanted to update on the whingeing I have been doing about not using pictures in my blogs.
These aloes and leucadendrons are in front of my house and I am very proud of my gardening efforts. You would never say I have been living here for 31 years if you looked at my garden, particularly this part, but things are coming on. The rest of the neighbourhood looks magnificent, with vast displays of aloes, proteas, calendulas and succulents dotted around the ancient milkwoods which line the roadside. Indigenous is the name we go by here, and I think everyone is encouraged to keep on planting the verges and create landscaped areas by the very fact that the neighbours are all trying to outdo each other with the splendour of their pavements. It certainly is nice to live in a place where natural beauty is treasured.
Thursday 18 July 2013
Rain and rainbows
Intermittent sunshine with torrential rain today. Made the birds happy. They love to twitter in the branches, having impromptu baths and shaking out their wings after each downpour. It's like turning a hose up towards the sky - in no time you will have a variety of garden birds flying in and out of the spray, cleaning out the dust from their feathers.
I saw the brightest rainbow I have ever seen today - each colour was so intense and well-defined, like the ones you see in a children's picture book. I don't know what made it so, after all, the sun is always shining at the same intensity and the raindrops are still made of water, but it was really noticeable today. If only I had had a camera at the ready, but unfortunately I was driving at the time and it was gone by the time I got to my destination.
Having a camera in the cellphone is one of life's great pleasures - you can capture every moment (except rainbows, maybe!) at the drop of a hat. Every important event in your life can be recorded at no expense, and instead of having three or four photos covering each year of your child's life, you can make movies almost all day! I wonder if anyone will still look at them when they are older?
As usual, the sunset was a vibrant cerise, with low grey wisps in the foreground. That's another thing that seems more intense these days - sunrises and sunsets. The presence of high ice clouds has enabled us to enjoy nature's most spectacular paintings, and these have been freely shared on Facebook by a talented team of photographers from the Fish Hoek valley who bring these awe-inspiring images to the computer screens of ex-pats all over the world. Much appreciated!
I saw the brightest rainbow I have ever seen today - each colour was so intense and well-defined, like the ones you see in a children's picture book. I don't know what made it so, after all, the sun is always shining at the same intensity and the raindrops are still made of water, but it was really noticeable today. If only I had had a camera at the ready, but unfortunately I was driving at the time and it was gone by the time I got to my destination.
Having a camera in the cellphone is one of life's great pleasures - you can capture every moment (except rainbows, maybe!) at the drop of a hat. Every important event in your life can be recorded at no expense, and instead of having three or four photos covering each year of your child's life, you can make movies almost all day! I wonder if anyone will still look at them when they are older?
As usual, the sunset was a vibrant cerise, with low grey wisps in the foreground. That's another thing that seems more intense these days - sunrises and sunsets. The presence of high ice clouds has enabled us to enjoy nature's most spectacular paintings, and these have been freely shared on Facebook by a talented team of photographers from the Fish Hoek valley who bring these awe-inspiring images to the computer screens of ex-pats all over the world. Much appreciated!
Heading towards spring
I thought I'd conquered the downloading of pictures problem with this blog, but copy and paste doesn't seem to work any more either! So I can't share with you the pictures of the weather here in Kommetjie in mid-winter. However, most of the photos that are on my blog page pretty much cover the full spectrum, so you can enjoy them from there for now if you so wish.
The flamingos come and go and only a handful were in the Kom yesterday, despite one of the best winter days ever, a glassy sea, no breeze to ruffle its surface, and a steady chug of fishing boats making their way past the lighthouse on the way back to safe harbour in Hout Bay before the next cold front makes landfall.
Last night the clear skies allowed for a bit of stargazing and this morning at 6.30, the constellation of Orion was already high in the sky - when it is overhead at 9 pm you know it is spring and time for planting summer crops, so even seeing it in the morning sky makes one feel that winter is passing by.
Before we know it, the white daisies will be out again, creating a carpet of snow along the byways of Kommetjie, good enough to rival any West Coast flower display, with bokbaai vygies increasing in number every year to provide splashes of bright colour among the white.
All is quiet again now that the school holidays are over. The children really had magnificent weather this year; I recall the July holidays of my youth being sunny and mild with many opportunities to climb the mountains and go sandboarding at the dunes in the Fish Hoek Valley. Sadly, they are now fully covered with alien vegetation and the playground of our childhood is no longer available for new generations.
This morning it is raining again, but soon it will be sunny - weather systems pass very quickly in Cape Town!
The flamingos come and go and only a handful were in the Kom yesterday, despite one of the best winter days ever, a glassy sea, no breeze to ruffle its surface, and a steady chug of fishing boats making their way past the lighthouse on the way back to safe harbour in Hout Bay before the next cold front makes landfall.
Last night the clear skies allowed for a bit of stargazing and this morning at 6.30, the constellation of Orion was already high in the sky - when it is overhead at 9 pm you know it is spring and time for planting summer crops, so even seeing it in the morning sky makes one feel that winter is passing by.
Before we know it, the white daisies will be out again, creating a carpet of snow along the byways of Kommetjie, good enough to rival any West Coast flower display, with bokbaai vygies increasing in number every year to provide splashes of bright colour among the white.
All is quiet again now that the school holidays are over. The children really had magnificent weather this year; I recall the July holidays of my youth being sunny and mild with many opportunities to climb the mountains and go sandboarding at the dunes in the Fish Hoek Valley. Sadly, they are now fully covered with alien vegetation and the playground of our childhood is no longer available for new generations.
This morning it is raining again, but soon it will be sunny - weather systems pass very quickly in Cape Town!
Tuesday 16 July 2013
Interesting times
It’s been a
strange kind of day. Quiet, no wind, flat sea, low cloud – almost as though the
world has breathed in and is waiting to exhale. Time has dragged by, minutes
seeming like hours.
Everyone I
speak to remarks on how unsettled they feel, that over the last few weeks they have
had difficulty relating to people they are normally close to and how they are
feeling as if they have almost had a personality change. There is no doubt that
everyone is waiting for something.
The next
thirty years have been predicted to be the time when mankind enters the Golden
Age and it certainly seems, with the current state of the world, that this is
long overdue. There are many events happening in the world which point to a
change in the way things are done and what is no longer being found acceptable.
In places, perpetrators of violence towards their fellow citizens appear to be
almost desperate to retain the status quo, while the world in general is
questioning their actions more and more, although having no idea how to turn
the tide.
Whistleblowers
are stepping forward at the risk of their personal safety to let the public
know what is occurring in their daily lives without them being aware of it.
Inordinate attempts to silence these whistleblowers must beg the question, what
are those in power trying to hide from us? Desperate times apparently call for
desperate measures.
We are living
in interesting times, if unsettling. Let’s keep track of the truth.
Monday 15 July 2013
Update on the day
As I look towards Table Mountain from home, the Peninsula mountain chain is cloaked in puffy clouds blowing in from the north west, but as always, Kommetjie is bathed in sunshine, with no sign of clouds coming in off the sea. I don't know if it's my imagination, but it always seems to me that the number of sunshine hours in Kommetjie and the far south Peninsula far exceed those of the rest of Cape Town. When a cold front passes through, it always clears from the south west and we are the first to enjoy the sun, usually as it sinks into the sea at sunset! It certainly is a most temperate place to live, and the ozone-laden air is exactly what the doctor would have ordered in the old days.
Earlier today, there was a huge commotion among the pigeons that gather in the neighbourhood as a black sparrowhawk jetted in from above and scattered the flock as chaff before the wind. Thirty or so birds took off in all directions, their flight obviously panic-driven, as the sparrowhawk passed low overhead. When I took the birdseed out now, pigeon feathers from every part of the body littered the driveway, so either the sparrowhawk caught dinner or there is a cold pigeon nearby.
My local coffee shop has changed hands and the refurbishment has taken longer than expected, so it has been a bit hit and miss trying to find cappuccino in Kommetjie for the last two weeks, but our little group of ladies has survived the building operations and will soon be able to sit at our table in the sun again and life will be back to normal. Pop in at Espresso Dotkom in Kommetjie for breakfast if you are in the area. You never know who you will bump into - the famous, infamous and even the unknown!
Earlier today, there was a huge commotion among the pigeons that gather in the neighbourhood as a black sparrowhawk jetted in from above and scattered the flock as chaff before the wind. Thirty or so birds took off in all directions, their flight obviously panic-driven, as the sparrowhawk passed low overhead. When I took the birdseed out now, pigeon feathers from every part of the body littered the driveway, so either the sparrowhawk caught dinner or there is a cold pigeon nearby.
My local coffee shop has changed hands and the refurbishment has taken longer than expected, so it has been a bit hit and miss trying to find cappuccino in Kommetjie for the last two weeks, but our little group of ladies has survived the building operations and will soon be able to sit at our table in the sun again and life will be back to normal. Pop in at Espresso Dotkom in Kommetjie for breakfast if you are in the area. You never know who you will bump into - the famous, infamous and even the unknown!
Sunday 14 July 2013
Leopard in the wild
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| Leopard at Rooiels 2013 Photo by Tertius Gous |
Whenever we drive along the scenic route that hugs the towering Hottentots Holland range, with its rugged crags absolutely devoid of vegetation, I scan the slopes for signs of leopard - a useless occupation with my eyesight! - and seeing this photograph is sufficient evidence to know that they are still there and hope that there is more than one. Let's hold thumbs that successful breeding increases the population, which as far as I am aware is the natural predator of the local baboons. That in itself should serve as an incentive for preservation of the leopard population, as the baboons cause havoc when raiding the little seaside villages along the False Bay coast.
Saturday 13 July 2013
Appreciating the beauty of the world
The only difference is the elevation, but you can still see the kelp beds on the left and right and the rocky edge of the island at the Kom. The tide was at the same level at the same time of evening.The clouds are not all that different and the sea is flat calm.
So what does this tell us? That despite the things that go on in the background - births, deaths, divorces, marriages, buying a house, buying a car, learning to drive, traffic jams, taxis, road rage, starting school, leaving school, getting a job, being unemployed, earning money, losing money, making friends, making enemies, being happy, being sad - everything is transient and meaningless in the greater scheme of things.
While all this has happened, every day the tide has ebbed and flowed, the sun has risen and set, the moon and stars have traversed the heavens. These are our constants, the things we can rely on to never change and the things that soothe our souls in good times and bad. Appreciating the natural beauty of this planet is the most important tool we have been given for self-healing and all it requires is to sit in complete silence and allow it to be.
Friday 12 July 2013
Crumble grumble
I threw out some pieces of bread the other day for the birds (I had originally put it out to entice the mouse out from behind the wall). Today I realised that no bird had touched it and also recalled that, although the mouse must have been very hungry, it had also not taken a crumb. There is also no sign of mould although the bread is at least five days old. Surely if the birds don't eat it, we shouldn't either?
I looked at the ingredients and found that, as with all our soybean flour and perhaps other soya products, this ingredient is genetically modified, something which is increasingly being banned around the world for health reasons, while here it seems we are unable to have a say in what we grow and eat. There is almost no processed product which is free of this GM ingredient. The blurb on the wrapper says that we can still enjoy the bread they made in 1930. I doubt it.
The fat portion is stated as palm fruit and other vegetable fat and various other preservatives, flavour enhancers and enzymes are added. No wonder the bread lasts so long, doesn't have any texture, squashes paper-thin when making a toasted sandwich and can't form crumbs. When could you last crumble a piece of day-old bread for use in meatballs or puddings?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps we should learn from the birds.
I looked at the ingredients and found that, as with all our soybean flour and perhaps other soya products, this ingredient is genetically modified, something which is increasingly being banned around the world for health reasons, while here it seems we are unable to have a say in what we grow and eat. There is almost no processed product which is free of this GM ingredient. The blurb on the wrapper says that we can still enjoy the bread they made in 1930. I doubt it.
The fat portion is stated as palm fruit and other vegetable fat and various other preservatives, flavour enhancers and enzymes are added. No wonder the bread lasts so long, doesn't have any texture, squashes paper-thin when making a toasted sandwich and can't form crumbs. When could you last crumble a piece of day-old bread for use in meatballs or puddings?
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps we should learn from the birds.
Thursday 11 July 2013
Update on overhead activity
It's early morning on a mild winter's day in Kommetjie. Wisps of ice clouds provide a backdrop for an elegant formation of sacred ibis flying in from their roosting place. Individual birds peel away from the sides and glide down to their preferred feeding sites for the day. There is no sound but the swish of their wings.
Hard on their heels is what can only be described as a honk of hadedahs. What a racket as they approach in an untidy jumble - so unlike their quiet cousins. A few of them seem to have picked up flying tips from the ibises and they attempt a v-formation, but the rest of the flock just won't co-operate. There are now 22 of these raucous birds, which means that the environment is ideally suited to their breeding habits. Unlucky us! They eject copious amounts of bird poop as they fly and leave great streaks on the walls that have to be hosed off. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone gets a splat on the head. They say it's lucky, but perhaps not in large quantities.
Another johnny-come-lately is the Egyptian goose, which also appears to be thriving at the expense of more interesting indigenous birds. They are also inclined to be noisome and messy, but don't seem to travel in more than pairs, so that's something to be grateful for.
The little sunbirds nesting in the branches are feeding young ones, I think. One can only imagine how tiny and fragile the baby sunbirds must be. I would love to see one, but they are so well protected in the nest that they will be fledged by the time I notice them. I hope they survive the hazards that lie ahead, particularly my cat which lazes on the balcony railing nearby.
Hard on their heels is what can only be described as a honk of hadedahs. What a racket as they approach in an untidy jumble - so unlike their quiet cousins. A few of them seem to have picked up flying tips from the ibises and they attempt a v-formation, but the rest of the flock just won't co-operate. There are now 22 of these raucous birds, which means that the environment is ideally suited to their breeding habits. Unlucky us! They eject copious amounts of bird poop as they fly and leave great streaks on the walls that have to be hosed off. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone gets a splat on the head. They say it's lucky, but perhaps not in large quantities.
Another johnny-come-lately is the Egyptian goose, which also appears to be thriving at the expense of more interesting indigenous birds. They are also inclined to be noisome and messy, but don't seem to travel in more than pairs, so that's something to be grateful for.
The little sunbirds nesting in the branches are feeding young ones, I think. One can only imagine how tiny and fragile the baby sunbirds must be. I would love to see one, but they are so well protected in the nest that they will be fledged by the time I notice them. I hope they survive the hazards that lie ahead, particularly my cat which lazes on the balcony railing nearby.
Wednesday 10 July 2013
Mouse on the loose
We have a mouse in the house! The cat brought in a striped field mouse and let it go and it ran into the toilet where it has been hiding ever since. There is a tiny gap where the plumbing exits (wooden house - you can make alterations at the drop of a hat, but somehow we never bothered with the gap, not expecting a mouse!) and it has now decided to hide in the drywalling. My daughter is worried that it will get into her room and never be seen again, as it munches its way through her wardrobe. I did think about leaving the toilet door open to encourage it to come out, but the remembered the last time the cat brought a mouse in and it ran behind the kitchen cupboards, only to meet an untimely death, judging by the smell a few days later. And of course, a mouse in the food cupboard would cause chaos.
Now I'm thinking of closing the mouse inside the wall and hoping that it will just run down until it reaches a gap at ground level, but then what if it is a stupid mouse and doesn't go in the right direction and thinks it has to chew its way to freedom? Do you think it will smell the biltong in the bar area in the back of the garage? Do mice eat biltong? Will it call its family? What to do, what to do? (Wringing of hands, pacing back and forth.)
Perhaps a piece of bread and some water will entice it out, but there is no chance of catching it - they move like greased lightning. And leaving the cat in there will defeat the whole object of trying to save the mouse.
Any suggestions?
Now I'm thinking of closing the mouse inside the wall and hoping that it will just run down until it reaches a gap at ground level, but then what if it is a stupid mouse and doesn't go in the right direction and thinks it has to chew its way to freedom? Do you think it will smell the biltong in the bar area in the back of the garage? Do mice eat biltong? Will it call its family? What to do, what to do? (Wringing of hands, pacing back and forth.)
Perhaps a piece of bread and some water will entice it out, but there is no chance of catching it - they move like greased lightning. And leaving the cat in there will defeat the whole object of trying to save the mouse.
Any suggestions?
Tuesday 9 July 2013
Weather extremes
In the morning, everything was washed clean and we headed off into the mountains to the picturesque village of Grazalema, which is in the area traversed by the famed Camino walk. As we drove higher and higher along a narrow, twisting road, the views became more and more spectacular, while the outside temperature decreased with altitude. We didn't notice until we stopped in a lay-by to take photos and nearly froze our fingers off! After that I resorted to taking photos through the window. The photo below shows the terrain these brave hikers pass through.
It got progressively darker and within half an hour, it was hailing. These are some of the highest mountains in Spain, so it was hardly unusual, but we had packed for Marbella and I was somewhat underdressed for cold weather!
The next day we set off for Granada. The bad weather had passed through there as well and we were thrilled to find that the Sierra Nevada had a substantial coating of snow. It was as though it was specially arranged for our visit, and our hotel room faced towards the mountain range, providing us with memorable pink-tinged sunsets at 10pm every night that we were there.
After heat, hail and snow, we finally reached the Mediterranean, where the temperature was mild and sunny, the sand too hot to stand on and the water too cold to swim in! You just can't win.
But we're ready to do it all again!
Monday 8 July 2013
Up a ladder
He Who Can Fix Anything is known among his friends as McGyver, for obvious reasons. He's been restoring the windows and window frames in our wooden house by the sea, which over the last 30 years or so has taken a tremendous beating from the sea air, winter storms and blazing sun in summer. He started off with a long ladder (the windows are all on the first floor) and spent hours at a time perched precariously as the top of this without any way of actually anchoring himself to the building. But with him, it is either the whole hog or nothing, and each piece of glass was removed, the beadings broken out and everything sanded down to the bare wood. Ably assisted by Appie #1 (me) and sometimes Appie #2 (K).
Weekend after fun-filled weekend has gone by while we have painted, puttied and varnished, cleaned windows with thinners and chipped off resistant old paint with our bare nails. All the while, McGyver has balanced on the outside, looking in. And the more I insisted he was going overboard and that no-one was ever going to see that a top storey window frame had a tiny spot of white paint on the varnish, the more determined he became to do it his way or no way. The result is windows that look as though they have just been newly installed in an old house. He assures me that the rest of the outer walls will soon be matching, and I have no doubt that, when it is eventually done, he will be right and the house will be good for another 30 years.
By that time, our ladder-climbing days will be long over, and we may even be living in Shady Pines retirement home, if they will have us! So he is banking on never having to climb the ladder again when it's done. His McGyver skills came to the fore when the ladder was unsuitable for the situation of the window and he built a scaffold between the steps and the house, nailing planks and clamping a platform into place in a matter of moments. The windows were taken out and only replaced the next day, leaving easy access for any would-be criminal straight from the front door into the office area and the computer. But as I refuse to allow that kind of activity on my property, I slept easy that night and even the wind and rain stayed away, just to make sure all was well!
It will be a sad day when he is too old to fix things, as there is no doubt that nobody else can do it as well as he does, but it will definitely cut down on the swearing!
Weekend after fun-filled weekend has gone by while we have painted, puttied and varnished, cleaned windows with thinners and chipped off resistant old paint with our bare nails. All the while, McGyver has balanced on the outside, looking in. And the more I insisted he was going overboard and that no-one was ever going to see that a top storey window frame had a tiny spot of white paint on the varnish, the more determined he became to do it his way or no way. The result is windows that look as though they have just been newly installed in an old house. He assures me that the rest of the outer walls will soon be matching, and I have no doubt that, when it is eventually done, he will be right and the house will be good for another 30 years.
By that time, our ladder-climbing days will be long over, and we may even be living in Shady Pines retirement home, if they will have us! So he is banking on never having to climb the ladder again when it's done. His McGyver skills came to the fore when the ladder was unsuitable for the situation of the window and he built a scaffold between the steps and the house, nailing planks and clamping a platform into place in a matter of moments. The windows were taken out and only replaced the next day, leaving easy access for any would-be criminal straight from the front door into the office area and the computer. But as I refuse to allow that kind of activity on my property, I slept easy that night and even the wind and rain stayed away, just to make sure all was well!
It will be a sad day when he is too old to fix things, as there is no doubt that nobody else can do it as well as he does, but it will definitely cut down on the swearing!
Sunday 7 July 2013
Sunsets, soup and stews
Started off the day with a walk along the boardwalk at the lighthouse, in a blustery and cold north-wester. The wind whipped the crests off the impressive Atlantic rollers, spraying plumes of foam in true white horse fashion, and Table Mountain lay shrouded in low clouds in the distance. No photos could be taken due to poor visibility, but as is always the case, by sundown the wind had disappeared and the sea calmed down, and a splendid sunset lay before us, waiting to be captured for posterity and shared with the rest of the world. The texture of this cloud was incredible, all bobbly, and the photo doesn't do it justice, but the colour is close.
While browsing through an old recipe book for a good soup recipe, I came across this tongue-in-cheek recipe (although in this day and age, nothing would be impossible!) and thought I would share it with you:
Elephant stew:
1 Elephant
Salt and pepper
2 Rabbits (optional)
Cut elephant into bite-sized pieces - this should take about 2 months. Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook over kerosene fire for about 4 weeks at medium heat. This will serve about 3 000 people. If more are expected, add 2 rabbits - do this only if necessary, as most people do not like to find hare in their stew.
More recipes:
Saturday chicken:
Chicken pieces, garlic, onion, parsley and tin of mushroom soup. Bake in oven.
Sunday chicken:
Same ingredients, but add curry powder and a chopped apple.
Perhaps I make too much effort in the kitchen. I can't imagine what Monday chicken consists of!
While browsing through an old recipe book for a good soup recipe, I came across this tongue-in-cheek recipe (although in this day and age, nothing would be impossible!) and thought I would share it with you:
Elephant stew:
1 Elephant
Salt and pepper
2 Rabbits (optional)
Cut elephant into bite-sized pieces - this should take about 2 months. Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook over kerosene fire for about 4 weeks at medium heat. This will serve about 3 000 people. If more are expected, add 2 rabbits - do this only if necessary, as most people do not like to find hare in their stew.
More recipes:
Saturday chicken:
Chicken pieces, garlic, onion, parsley and tin of mushroom soup. Bake in oven.
Sunday chicken:
Same ingredients, but add curry powder and a chopped apple.
Perhaps I make too much effort in the kitchen. I can't imagine what Monday chicken consists of!
Saturday 6 July 2013
The moods of Kommetjie
Vegging out on the couch watching re-runs of That 70s Show. It's one of those cold and windy winter days when everyone is inside and it feels like the world has shut down. A good excuse to do nothing for a change.
Because TV deadens the brain and kills creativity, I am just going to post some pictures!! Enjoy the view on my doorstep!
Because TV deadens the brain and kills creativity, I am just going to post some pictures!! Enjoy the view on my doorstep!
Friday 5 July 2013
Gliding in a gondola
It appears that some of the gondoliers in Venice are displaying unruly behaviour and the gondoliers' association wants to introduce alcohol and drug testing. A would-be assistant gondolier was forced to strip and dive into the canal in order to get the job. It seems that even old traditions are plunging to new depths!
Our trip to Venice a few years back was on a very strict budget (I had 3 euros for four days) and so I didn't even have enough for a gelati or the teeniest glass curio! Also walked a lot. Fortunately Father sponsored our food (thanks, Dad!) and probably a whole lot of other stuff, but the highlight was a gondola ride. We initially thought we wouldn't spend 60 euros on a tourist trap, but in reality the experience is not one to be missed.
Gliding silently along those ancient waterways, between crumbling buildings held together with metal staples, wondering about the lives lived inside those damp walls and just soaking up the atmosphere of one of the world's unique cities, is something I will remember well into old age. We slid past stairs long sunken beneath the water, a reminder that either the city is sinking or the water level is rising - it doesn't really matter which, the end result is a disaster for those living on the ground floor. Surprisingly enough, the canals didn't stink as legend would have it.
The gondolier was amazingly skilled as he steered us round corners that we were convinced would snap off the forcola or at the very least, leave him clinging to his gondolier's pole while we drifted off into the distance. There wasn't a single close call as he ducked under quaint bridges, calling out in the melodious tones that are the language of the canals, warning oncoming boats of our presence. He greeted other gondoliers, probably comparing notes on the passengers and whether they were expecting a good tip!
If you go to Venice, don't worry about the cost of a gondola ride - you will forever regret it if you don't succumb to the experience.
Our trip to Venice a few years back was on a very strict budget (I had 3 euros for four days) and so I didn't even have enough for a gelati or the teeniest glass curio! Also walked a lot. Fortunately Father sponsored our food (thanks, Dad!) and probably a whole lot of other stuff, but the highlight was a gondola ride. We initially thought we wouldn't spend 60 euros on a tourist trap, but in reality the experience is not one to be missed.
Gliding silently along those ancient waterways, between crumbling buildings held together with metal staples, wondering about the lives lived inside those damp walls and just soaking up the atmosphere of one of the world's unique cities, is something I will remember well into old age. We slid past stairs long sunken beneath the water, a reminder that either the city is sinking or the water level is rising - it doesn't really matter which, the end result is a disaster for those living on the ground floor. Surprisingly enough, the canals didn't stink as legend would have it.
The gondolier was amazingly skilled as he steered us round corners that we were convinced would snap off the forcola or at the very least, leave him clinging to his gondolier's pole while we drifted off into the distance. There wasn't a single close call as he ducked under quaint bridges, calling out in the melodious tones that are the language of the canals, warning oncoming boats of our presence. He greeted other gondoliers, probably comparing notes on the passengers and whether they were expecting a good tip!
If you go to Venice, don't worry about the cost of a gondola ride - you will forever regret it if you don't succumb to the experience.
Thursday 4 July 2013
Wildlife witterings
It appears I am in good company as I give frequent reports on the presence or not of the flamingos of the Kom. Richard Branson is now blogging about the flamingos on his personal piece of paradise, Necker Island in the Caribbean. His are featuring in a book which follows the daily lives of 4 particular birds and abounds with photographs. He threw out a question on how they turn pink and I replied, so am waiting for his personal response! (It's okay, I have plenty of time).
I was lucky enough to see a young boubou shrike catch a locust in the garden and drop it on the brick paving right in front of me. It was unperturbed by my presence and even ignored my dog as she rushed by on her way to get a piece of biltong in the garage that He Who Can Fix Anything was dishing out. The bird pecked repeatedly at the locust as it tried to hop away, but the insect was no match for that beak, and I was very happy to have a garden pest removed organically rather than having to try and catch it myself. I could never stand on a locust and my modus operandi would be to walk up the driveway and hurl it as far as possible in the opposite direction of home.
The mole rat that has been throwing up heaps at the top of the garden has disappeared way up the road now, but a running mole now seems intent on loosening the top six inches of soil of my entire garden, ready for spring plantings. There won't be an insect or worm left by the time he has finished. I'll leave that problem for the cat to sort out!
I was lucky enough to see a young boubou shrike catch a locust in the garden and drop it on the brick paving right in front of me. It was unperturbed by my presence and even ignored my dog as she rushed by on her way to get a piece of biltong in the garage that He Who Can Fix Anything was dishing out. The bird pecked repeatedly at the locust as it tried to hop away, but the insect was no match for that beak, and I was very happy to have a garden pest removed organically rather than having to try and catch it myself. I could never stand on a locust and my modus operandi would be to walk up the driveway and hurl it as far as possible in the opposite direction of home.
The mole rat that has been throwing up heaps at the top of the garden has disappeared way up the road now, but a running mole now seems intent on loosening the top six inches of soil of my entire garden, ready for spring plantings. There won't be an insect or worm left by the time he has finished. I'll leave that problem for the cat to sort out!
Wednesday 3 July 2013
Flamingos have flamingone!
It seems that the flamingos must have eaten every last shrimp in the Kom, as they haven't been back for a while. Perhaps they are a breakaway flock looking for greener pastures (wrong metaphor - maybe shrimpier shores?) and having depleted the stock here, have flown off to Onrus. There certainly are plenty of estuaries along the coast to support a flamingo population. It will be sad if they don't come back.
The spring-like weather continues in Cape Town, showing off the Cape at its best at this time of year, with very little traffic as most Capetonians take off for the game parks in winter, hoping to escape the Cape winter. We are all being fooled with the change of weather patterns, and it looks as though home is the best place to be at the moment.
I'm having a busy week with plenty of work and other activities - Tai Chi, Toastmasters, Astronomy - nice to have lots on the go, but also difficult to settle down into doing the really important activities - writing and painting!
The takeover of our ladies' meeting place up the road, Espresso.kom, has happened and the transformation is under way. Soon it will have a neat expanse of brick paving under the beautiful milkwood tree that characterises the venue, with tasty breakfasts and good coffee to welcome us all back to a new era in eating out in Kommetjie. Pop in if you are in the area.
The spring-like weather continues in Cape Town, showing off the Cape at its best at this time of year, with very little traffic as most Capetonians take off for the game parks in winter, hoping to escape the Cape winter. We are all being fooled with the change of weather patterns, and it looks as though home is the best place to be at the moment.
I'm having a busy week with plenty of work and other activities - Tai Chi, Toastmasters, Astronomy - nice to have lots on the go, but also difficult to settle down into doing the really important activities - writing and painting!
The takeover of our ladies' meeting place up the road, Espresso.kom, has happened and the transformation is under way. Soon it will have a neat expanse of brick paving under the beautiful milkwood tree that characterises the venue, with tasty breakfasts and good coffee to welcome us all back to a new era in eating out in Kommetjie. Pop in if you are in the area.
Tuesday 2 July 2013
Quality eating outweighs quantity
I spend a lot of time reading labels in supermarkets and researching good eating habits. I make green juice nearly every day with celery, coriander, ginger, cucumber, kale and pear/apple. I add powdered superfoods to this juice from time to time. Morning oats are accompanied by raw honey and cinnamon, and no juices that are bought have preservatives or sugar added, and definitely no aspartame. Every meal is cooked from scratch unless no offensive ingredients are in a ready-made product. A wide variety of spices and herbs are used in my cooking for their beneficial properties.
Jars of pumpkin pips, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries and goji berries line my shelves for anyone who feels like a snack at any time. Homemade chocolates made from raw cacao and honey with chopped almonds are in the fridge for the sweet-toothed.
In the garden you will find aloes, bulbinella, rosemary, lavender, savoury, thyme and the medicine cabinet is stocked with tissue salts and natural antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Even the birds are catered for with indigenous vegetation.
I endeavour to only buy and serve food that has a high nutritional value, with the outlook that quality far outweighs quantity. I have just published a book on this subject.
You can imagine how I despair when I find an empty McDonald's packet in the dirtbin! I wonder if I will ever reach the stage where I actually give up feeding my family good food and just leave them to their own devices? I feel like it would be handing them a lifetime of disease, so I will persist for the moment.
Jars of pumpkin pips, raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries and goji berries line my shelves for anyone who feels like a snack at any time. Homemade chocolates made from raw cacao and honey with chopped almonds are in the fridge for the sweet-toothed.
In the garden you will find aloes, bulbinella, rosemary, lavender, savoury, thyme and the medicine cabinet is stocked with tissue salts and natural antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Even the birds are catered for with indigenous vegetation.
I endeavour to only buy and serve food that has a high nutritional value, with the outlook that quality far outweighs quantity. I have just published a book on this subject.
You can imagine how I despair when I find an empty McDonald's packet in the dirtbin! I wonder if I will ever reach the stage where I actually give up feeding my family good food and just leave them to their own devices? I feel like it would be handing them a lifetime of disease, so I will persist for the moment.
Monday 1 July 2013
Pooping peacocks
Having a good old summer south-easter blow today. False Bay is full of white horses and the clouds are draped over the Peninsula mountain chain - Table Mountain has its tablecloth. The wind is icy cold, as if there are icebergs off Cape Point.
Woke up at 3.30 this morning and never went back to sleep. There was a background hum that had been around all day and it seemed to be the only thing I could hear in the small hours of the morning. I was convinced it was Obama's ship that was anchored off the coast nearby that was causing the disturbing vibration and I think the annoyance of that is what kept me awake. I wanted to take a drive up the mountain road to see if it was still there, just to confirm my suspicions, but by 7 o'clock there was no sign of it. Doubtless cruised off to another strategic spot on taxpayers' money. Perhaps Mauritius for a little R & R.
Haven't had much time to look at the tennis lately, although interest has waned since the top seeds have been falling like flies. I wonder if this is going to be a record year for outsiders? Perhaps someone slipped something into the strawberries? There is only one female left with a pronounceable name and she is sure to be knocked out soon. It doesn't have a winning ring to it. Of the men, I'll have to back Ferrer to win, as at least he is Spanish and can fly the flag for Nadal, who is, according to his Facebook page, enjoying a rest at home on the island of Mallorca. I'm sure he'll appreciate some home cooking after eating out in all the fancy restaurants of the world as he follows the tennis tour.
And speaking of eating out...
Had breakfast at Imhoff Farm yesterday under a huge old pine tree. High in the branches perched four proud peacocks. I didn't know they flew so high - quite cumbersome with those long tail feathers - and as one was directly over our table, I knew the inevitable would happen. I looked up in nervous anticipation, calculating the trajectory, and, as if in slow motion, a green blob parted company with the peacock and descended onto the table in front of me. Although lightning is not supposed to strike twice in the same place, sensibility overtook us and we relocated to a new table rather than court disaster. Here is a picture of the culprit and the evidence:
In hindsight, we were lucky it wasn't a hadedah, as they are notorious for coating the walls of the houses as they fly over, and our chances of being hit would have been considerably greater!
Woke up at 3.30 this morning and never went back to sleep. There was a background hum that had been around all day and it seemed to be the only thing I could hear in the small hours of the morning. I was convinced it was Obama's ship that was anchored off the coast nearby that was causing the disturbing vibration and I think the annoyance of that is what kept me awake. I wanted to take a drive up the mountain road to see if it was still there, just to confirm my suspicions, but by 7 o'clock there was no sign of it. Doubtless cruised off to another strategic spot on taxpayers' money. Perhaps Mauritius for a little R & R.
Haven't had much time to look at the tennis lately, although interest has waned since the top seeds have been falling like flies. I wonder if this is going to be a record year for outsiders? Perhaps someone slipped something into the strawberries? There is only one female left with a pronounceable name and she is sure to be knocked out soon. It doesn't have a winning ring to it. Of the men, I'll have to back Ferrer to win, as at least he is Spanish and can fly the flag for Nadal, who is, according to his Facebook page, enjoying a rest at home on the island of Mallorca. I'm sure he'll appreciate some home cooking after eating out in all the fancy restaurants of the world as he follows the tennis tour.
And speaking of eating out...
Had breakfast at Imhoff Farm yesterday under a huge old pine tree. High in the branches perched four proud peacocks. I didn't know they flew so high - quite cumbersome with those long tail feathers - and as one was directly over our table, I knew the inevitable would happen. I looked up in nervous anticipation, calculating the trajectory, and, as if in slow motion, a green blob parted company with the peacock and descended onto the table in front of me. Although lightning is not supposed to strike twice in the same place, sensibility overtook us and we relocated to a new table rather than court disaster. Here is a picture of the culprit and the evidence:
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