Rain rain and more rain....

Let the rain kiss you

Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops

Let the rain sing you a lullaby

The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk

The rain makes running pools in the gutter

The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night

And I love the rain.

Langston Hughes

In my Garden

The kiss of the sun for pardon,The song of the birds for mirth,One is nearer God's heart in a gardenThan anywhere else on earth.~Dorothy Frances Gurney, "Garden Thoughts

It is a comfortable garden.No fancy planting here.Even the moles have helped, shovelling seeds underground so that they pop up in unexpected places

Snails live here in peace too.There is enough to go around.

I would like to have ducks to help with the growing snail population.But the resident paws would not tolerate that.

Large Rainspiders make their hammocks in the Agapanthas and only visit us indoors when they need to tell us that there is rain on the way.

I know every corner of this garden.It wraps around this aging house like a green shawl around an old lady's shoulders.

I am so fortunate to be here.

Emma...

Feather...

The day before Alan passed he had a special date with Emma.She was four years old then.They went with her playgroup to The World of Birds in Hout Bay.A Daddy and his Girl outing.The next morning he was gone.

A few weeks later in a lonely,sad moment I sat in his closet.It was a comfort to be surrounded by his clothes and still sense the scent of him there.His warmest jacket was closest to me and I put my hand in the deep pocket.I felt the feather ,tucked in there for safekeeping.I gave it to Emma as a special momento of that day.

A few weeks later Emma was playing on the verandah with a piece of luminous chalk her Uncle John had brought her from America.She drew an enormous circle on the paving.

"I am just marking a place so my Dad knows where to look for me" , she said wisely.

Months later we were in the garden.Emma was playing on the lawn.It was an airless day with a very blue sky.A feather gently wafted down, just whispering past Emma's little face.

"Look Mom,Dad got my message and he has replied!!!" She still has both the feathers.Safely tucked away.

Little Red Shoes

I bought this book because I had little red shoes just like the ones on the cover.I also bought this book as I am a serial cook book buyer.Tessa Kiros " Apples for Jam" is now my all time favourite family cookery book.I was thrilled to discover she grew up in South Africa and I regulary make her Tomato sauce for pasta, fish pie, and because we do not eat red meat,have adapted her Lamb and Green bean stew ,using Ostrich.I also make the Bolognese sauce substituting the beef mince with ostrich !

Recently we had dinner with friends and met a couple who had just arrived in Cape Town after living in London.I got chatting to Mr M and the subject turned to cooking.Of course I mention my favourite Cookbook and Tessa Kiros and he says,..."Tessa ...I have known her for years,she grew up with me in Johannesburg".He went on to say he would call her and tell her she has a fan in Cape Town and promised that if she visits SA ,I will meet her. I am tickled pink! I am waiting Tessa !!

The Chosen Teacup

This is the Chosen Teacup.It has pride of place amongst my many,many teacups.I give this one to myself when setting places for a Tea.I steer people away from this teacup if they appear to want to choose it for their tea.I love this teacup and I have difficulty sharing it with anyone.Tea tastes better in this cup .It has its own portrait which Emma painted as it is the Chosen Teacup.

If you come to my house and stay for tea I will say," choose a cup", but I mean choose any cup ,just not this one.

Mom .....

How blessed I am to have my Mom in my life. This past week she celebrated her 80th Birthday.She is so well,has such a positive attitude to life and remains independent and mobile.How blessed I was to have her here when my children were tiny and Nanna was the only other caregiver.Her sense of humour never fails her and unconditional love is all I have ever known from her.Happy Birthday Mom!