Saturday, August 4, 2012

Catching up


It is very hot.

Actually, I just checked the temperature. It's 88'F/31'C at a quarter to one pm, and climbing, so, it's not as hot as I thought. It feels much worse. The terrace is baking. We ate inside last night, always an indication of discomfort levels. Our new air conditioner is absotively posilutely wonderful. Because inside it is cool.

Flakes of grey ash from last night's braai fire are floating in a whirlwind on the terrace, on whose edge the orange portulaca has recovered from being transplanted and has opened all its buds at once. Bees are busy, strawberries keep turning red. For dessert last night we ate ground cherries from roof. Roof cherries. I'd still like to know what species of Physalis it is - low and spreading, stiff limbed, with the tight little lanterns uncomfortably close to the striped branches, not suspended, like the Cape gooseberries of South African Physalis agriculture.

I have to bake today. Counterintuitive. But there is probably a rhubarb tart in The Book and if so it needs to be photographed, and I need to decide on a final recipe. With tarts I change what I do every time. I found some wonderfully late rhubarb stalks, and pounced.

Later, we may walk to Dumbo to find that glorious passionfruit soft serve sorbet again. But it might melt too fast. And has anyone seen ripe beach plums, yet?

The aeroplane (in South African)/airplane is a future thought. We will fly to South Africa at the end of November for a mere week. I know. But book editing will be in full progress and I'm told that longer will not be a good idea. My father is turning 80, my mom's birthday is a couple of days later, and there will be a Party. With tents and music and catering by the wonderful Food Fanatics, who are the next best thing to doing it oneself. We'll swoop in, help with everything, do flowers, party, perhaps zip up the West Coast to Kobus van de Merwe's Oep ve Koep, zip back and then return to Brooklyn. Hopefully we'll be able to visit for longer in the first part of next year. We miss the road. We need to air the tent. Last night we talked about living in a house on a beach. One can dream. I even found one, in Kommetjie, near this beach.

If we put all our eggs in one basket...and borrowed some other eggs. And promised omelettes, all round...

Back here, the cat's birthday is approaching. He may or may not be 13. What might be a suitable gift?

17 comments:

  1. Catnip. The purr-fect feline gift!

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  2. In a frightening time, you choose to focus on the beauty that survives in spite of our insensitivity...a true poet

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  3. These cape gooseberries of yours; very, very sweet when golden yellow and about 1/2" in diameter? Aunt Molly's gooseberries, or what is being touted as golden berries, I think. The uncomfortably close to the crook of the stems is I think the telling thing.

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  4. Anonymous - he has catnip! Next?

    Thank you, Renae241. Frightening time?

    Rachelle - yes, that's them. But I don't trust common names..."Cape gooseberries" are larger, hang from slightly longer stems, lower and comfortably :-)and have that tart edge. These golden berries, whatever berries, can be very sweet even if still a bit green.

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  5. My cat Sony recommends a Drinkwell fountain, the round stainless steel kind. He says it is still necessary to sometimes howl for dripping sink or tub water when you have a fountain, but only occasionally to make sure the humans are still minding you.

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  6. Charisse - Sony may be onto something, there...

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  7. Pesto the cat suggests PartyMix cat treats-they are kitty crack. She got a pouch of them for Christmas. She tried to rip the pouch open herself because apparently her staff were opening it too slowly. Hmmm Drinkwel fountain sounds like a perfect idea!

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  8. Marie, if you can, get that dream beach house.
    I just (like ten minutes ago) heard of the sudden loss of a unique and truly wonderful friend, from UK but met his true love and the guys settled in Milwaukee. He was only 46. It presses home, yet again how fragile and how out of our hands it all is...

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  9. Dear Estorbo's Wooman, I think the cad would like mango, enoki moshrooms and Ned Fleeghs wrappers. Or maybe some pens for his caddle.

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  10. Estorbo wud like caddle to roostle for his birthday.

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  11. bet the cat would luv some wors

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  12. 'n 80ste verjaardagpartytjie! Fantasties. Jammer jul kuiertjie sal so kort wees. Nugter alleen weet waar ons is in November.

    (En ek weet nie of ek dit al gese het nie, maar ek is baie excited oor jou boek)

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  13. Love, love your photos. Those gladiolus ....

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  14. What date is Estorbo's birthday? Maybe we share a birthday. Mine's on the 8th.

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  15. Aah Marie. I know the feeling of yearning to be on land where you come from, where you feel understood, where it's home. I also know the immense freedom of being outside of one's home range, and that the world is a big, big, beautiful place. I hope you and Vince settle where it brings you most happiness. (PS, if you come to Kommetjie, you can walk down Long Beach and visit us :)

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