Namaqualand blooms

Every year, when the winter rains fall, the arid plains of the Northern Cape explode with colour. The flowers of Namaqualand only bloom over a period of a few weeks, and when they do people travel there from far and wide to see the spectacle.


Unfortunately I think I'll have missed the show this year. Lucky that I'm still likely to be here the next. But to my delight, I found that a similar, albeit smaller in scale, event was taking place on my balcony.

Each year, when the winter rains fall, the arid plains of my flower box explode with colour. Ok, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration. But what I thought was weeds were in fact pretty yellow flowers that now are blooming in all their glory. There is a second green sprout sticking out of the dirt for which I have high hopes. There also is what seems to be a stem of dill which, though not pretty, might prove useful for boiling potatoes, Scandinavian-style.

All this time, this microcosm has been lying dormant, waiting for spring. The surprise kind of makes up for my missing Namaqualand this year.

In other news, I'm hoping to go to Maputo (mozambique) in early September for a couple of African Union meetings. It's just round the corner - but as there are no direct flights I'll have to change in Jo-burg. Debating whether to start eating malaria pills. They are strongly recommended for the country per se, but I hear that staying in the city centre you're safe enough without.

I've also managed to lose my UK debit card. Doubtless I hid it in some 'safe place' because no money is missing. A bloody hassle.

Oh, and the sofa doth arrive! On Thursday. But visiting Century City at the weekend and checking out its black sibling (mine is 'eggshell' - I hope in a nice, bleached hen kind of way rather than, say, an eco-friendly brown way with bits of hay and feathers stuck on) I realised it's actually quite ugly. Oh well.