Along the herbal path

I've always found herb-strewn stone paths and terraces incredibly appealing. Herbs tucked amid the stones seem to give a path, no matter how new, a sense of history and romance. There are several plants that thrive in these restricted spaces, ignoring the trauma of being trod upon, and when the Slasto path was being laid, I asked the gardener to leave s space here and there where I could tuck in some creeping thyme.

I bought several different varieties at the local nursery, dug them in the small pockets that had been left, watered them well and waited. Before long, the path had lost its harsh, just-finished look, and tiny purple and white flowers covered the little clumps of thyme that grew here and there, releasing their fresh fragrance whenever anyone walked by. Soon other plants joined the thyme. A few springs of mint escaped from the culinary garden, chamomile seeded itself here and there and even savory, yarrow and fennel popped up between the cracks. I pulled out most of the trespassers, with the exception of the chamomile with its tiny white flowers.

Eventually, the thyme threatened to cover the entire path, so several times a year I must harden my heart and ruthlessly lift great mats of it off the stones and cut them back. For a day or two, the plants look ungainly, but shortly they begin to spread out again, the edges of the patches softening once more. Through it all, the bees continue to buzz joyously among the thyme flowers, relishing this herbal path as much as I do.

A new stepping stone path taking shape leading to the cottage at the bottom of the garden planted with Nasturtiums, Rosemary and Wild Garlic. This area was surprisingly free of harmful insects, probably due to the Wild Garlic planted at intervals.

I find that any spot that's doing poorly in the garden,  especially shady spots under trees, benefit from laying a couple of paving slabs or adding some crushed stone and with a garden ornament or two, can be turned into a really stunning area.

 

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As winter fades to spring...

… hangers-on will be forced to let go, 

making room 

for new growth 

fresh color, 

life.

A little corner created in the shade

It’s the middle of August and I feel Spring is in the air! The warmer weather has spawned an activity of going through my garden to check on what needs to be done and I was horrified to notice that the chickens had just about annihilated my whole garden – what the winter didn’t get, they did! I haven’t been totally oblivious of this, it’s just that it’s been too cold to do much about it.

The start of a new garden

First it was the major job of cutting down and/or removing dead stuff and then taking stock of what was left – lots of open space! Many of the plants I removed were those that needed sun and had totally deteriorated because of too much shade in my garden now that all my trees have matured to 10m beauties – it’s amazing how things creep up on you without you noticing…



So some new spaces were created in the sun with old favourites. Some crusher stone defines a pathway for easy access, now it’s just the waiting until the plants get big and fill the spot.



After removing Red Hot pokers from this shady patch and not having anything to replace them with, I thought it easier to create a feature for the time being, but will have to get to the nursery some time or another!



A temporary feature in a shady patch – It’s amazing what a bit of crusher stone and things found will do to help out when you’re stuck without any plants…


Joseph filling up an empty spot with some crusher stone and turning it into a new pathway.

 
And of course, no day in the garden is perfect without our feathery friends enjoying a snack!

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Green Tip #9 : Honey & Lemon

Drink warm water mixed with honey and lemon juice. It will bring you in shape and clear your body and skin.

The medicinal value of the lemon is well-known: It is an antiseptic, or is an agent that prevents sepsis [the presence of pathogenic bacteria] or putrefaction [decomposition of tissue]. It is also anti-scorbutic, a term meaning a remedy which will prevent disease and assist in cleansing the system of impurities.

Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently thus controlling constipation and diarrhea.

Early-morning showers

What better way to start the day than with an early-morning rain shower?
.

In this early morning

When the dawn hasn't even been breaking

In my bed I'm lying half asleep

Listening to the sound of rain

Sound of droplets touching the street gently

Lulling me to sleep more tightly

- Little Red Apple

The blossom is spent

Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature ― the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter. And there’s something so absolutely pleasing about a bunch of carrots with tops on! Maybe it’s the thought of pulling them out of the ground. As I stood there looking down at the carrots, thunder rumbled its way into the distance, and then the rain came, dropping words to the ground all around me. The blossom is spent and the trees are now all clothed in fresh green. Nature is throbbing with the sound of summer, a loud bird chorus. I felt the warmth of the sun on my shoulders and I felt at peace. If I had a song that I could sing for you, I’d sing a song to make you feel this way.

African Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)
Camera : Kodak EasyShare C195
Taken in my garden

Being a dragon is amazing!

Remember when you were a little kid and someone asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And you looked at that person with bewildered eyes because you realized the possibilities were limitless and you could really be anything you ever wanted. You said something dumb like “a dragon” and they laughed and patted you on the head and said, “Oh how cute, you little child person, you.”

African Skink — Taken on my patio
Camera : Canon EOS 550D

I walk with ... beauty

Beauty before me, I walk with.
Beauty behind me, I walk with.
Beauty above me, I walk with.
Beauty below me, I walk with.
Beauty all around me, I walk with.
—Navajo Night Chant

Camera : Canon EOS 550D
Taken in my garden at my wildlife pond (Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa)

Southern masked-weaver, male – Ploceus velatus – surveying his domain from a rock at my wildlife pond.

Regaining my connection

I sat down on the grass, crossing my legs yoga-style, and took a deep breath. Watching the river flow by deep and strong, sending ripples to the bank, I felt myself calm down. Today had not been a good day and I knew I needed to get out into the fresh air to think things over. His words were still ringing in my ears and I felt my heart cringing in pain. What had led to this? Was it my fault?

I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of the sun on my shoulders. Proof that life goes on, no matter what. I opened my eyes and took in the scenery around me. A Cormorant landed in a tree on the opposite bank and I could see it feeding its young. They will soon have to face the large and sometimes hostile world out there one of these days and I wished that I could be there for them if and when adversity strikes.

My thoughts returned to my heart-ache. I realised that, unlike birds, we have a certain amount of control over adversity, over what happens to us. We can do something about it. Getting up and brushing myself off, I walked back to my car. My mind was clear, I knew what I had to do.

A sense of well-being

As I laboured, packing the rocks for my new water feature, I felt a certain sense of satisfaction in the gnawing pain in my back. Physical labour — feeling the weight of the rocks, their smoothness, their warmth from where they had been lying in a pile in the sun for a couple of weeks — gives me a sense of accomplishment. I stand back, surveying my handiwork and feel an exquisite sense of well-being.

What do I miss about my life before the internet…?

It seems that nostalgia is big these days. Everybody is always referring to "the old days" and the other day I was asked whether I don't miss life before the internet and all the gadgets we are surrounded with these days.

Seriously? Do you want me to tell you that I miss standing in the queue at the bank to deposit money to pay my accounts? Do you want me to tell you that I miss writing out cheques to pay creditors, putting them in envelopes and then having to go to the post office to post them? And then having to follow up where the cheque is when a creditor says they haven’t received it?

Do you want me to tell you I miss taking photographs and then having to go to a photographic shop to have them printed out, with many botched photos in the batch for which I have to pay, and then having to post them off to family and friends to share? Do you also want me to tell you I enjoyed paging  through telephone books to find a store’s number, spend hours on the phone with various stores to find out what products they have, how much it is and then spend hours comparing prices?

I also can’t tell you that, before the internet, I enjoyed having to deal with scores of estate agents when I wanted to sell a property, signing endless mandates from which nothing ever materialised. I also can’t tell you I enjoyed huge phone bills endlessly querying wrong accounts and talking to rude people and, to boot, getting nowhere!

No, I can’t tell you that there is ANYTHING that I miss about my life before the internet!