In the name of Allah the most gracious, the
most Merciful.
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| squash plants |
22 October 2014.
There is a particular quietness in the air,
only interrupted by the swish of tyre on asphalt. The miniscule mist dewdrops
descend on the soil and on the leaves and petals. I look closely at the sky and
wonder whether this is a prelude to a scorching day, even the birds are
contemplative– not a chirp from them.In the background someone is pounding a heavy hammer. So I put on my gumboots walk briskly around the property a couple of times and pick some strawberries for a smoothie. Then I do my rounds. I wish I could spend all of my time from dusk to dawn in the garden – planting seeds and seedlings, repotting and replanting. But alas, it’s a luxury right now other work to be done too. So I make up my bed and rearrange my desk that I might look out on the garden.
Every day brings new developments to the
property. The blueberries are bluing faster, gooseberry kadoesies are
brown and dry so I know they are ripe, the pomegranate trees have teeny buds on
the ends of its branches. The sweet peas are finally blooming in a cacophony of
different colours. The chaste trees have sprung into action and the trees are
becoming full leaved. All the lavender plants are poised in the garden with
open their arm like fans and the smell is heady especially when we water them.
New cosmos seedlings emerge and the delphiniums will be blooming soon, I am as
anxious as a Mom with a new born. We planted all kinds of flower seeds, from
snap dragons to petunias. But I still buy some punnets here and there to create
some colour quicker.
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| wild dagga on our side |
The kittens are growing faster and already
spend lazy days in the sun, clambering up and over things, digging their nails
in the netting and tentatively climbing. Cats, hey, do they know how to squirm
in the attention. The students and teachers are gaga over them and Mikaeel is
petting them and a bit less threatened at losing the number one spot.
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I am elated at the progress at the back of
the house. The neighbours rows and rows of potatoes are thick and bushy and
strong and purple flowers have emerged. On our side of the wall the cucurbits
are growing strong, I am happy to add, check out the pics at the end of the blog
While I check the garden and tidy and
water, my son in law comes to help. We take turns with watering ( more him than
me ha ha) and although dragging the pipe
around is good exercise, I am thankful when he comes round and effortlessly
yanks it to my side of the garden. The back yard is filled with stacks of
planks and stacks of planting pots being filled. In fact stacks of wood are
all over. I love the smell of wood and
my son and I quiz each other is it mahogany or oregan pine or yellowwood or
birch or beech or maple or oak. Hmmm I love the smell of wood. I don’t mind the
wood all over, as long as it tranforms itself into a farm table, a few
ottomans, bookracks, mirror frames.
The next few days I will spend cleaning up
all the little stacks of weeds, the grass desperately needs a cutting under the
clothing lines and that grows wildly around. When the grass is cut we all head
for cover because die hayfever is los! I look at all of my tasks ahead for
today but first I have a brother who has turned 60 today, Happy Wholesome
birthday brother as we grow older we realise the milestones, may Allah bless you with great health, Salaamah, Sa'adah and Sakeena. Thinking about gifts that are interesting ne. A trip to
interesting and sacred places? Most definitely.
Grow food and visit sacred places.
Yasmine
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| giant pumpkin seedling |
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| butternut plant |
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| watermelon plants |
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| more butternut |
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