We were just having our morning coffee when suddenly smoke started billowing across the valley.
It is the Zulu custom to burn dry grass in the winter to encourage new growth for grazing, but this is now Springtime and the grasses are green already. Could be an accident?
Anyway by the time the wind had changed direction and I could see where the flames were, a great swathe of the valley had been blackened.
Thank goodness I hadn’t put any washing out.
I suppose taking the seasons here for granted as they change and watching the valley go through it’s different colours and ‘vibes’ for the past 30 odd years has made me rather protective of it’s rhythms.
We are used to the cows, the monkeys, the porcupines, snakes and bird life, but then the goats arrived this year. Gee, they are destructive !! Siddhartha planted avocado, banana and paw paw trees and they soon made short shrift of the lower branches. Thank goodness he is of the ‘can do’ mentality and in two twos fences were up and surrounding the new growth. It is almost uncanny how the goats now know which parts of the property they are allowed to eat. Some one in the valley has a herd – there must be about a dozen from rams and ewes to the dainty kids as they skip around. For some strange reason, they gravitate towards our land and have a good feast.
Meanwhile in my garden there are swathes and splashes of beautiful colours as the plants take their turn to shine.
I have already scattered marigold seeds all around, now I must find the sunflower seeds I gathered last year and plant them, too.
I am so glad that the protection lilies are blooming. When living in Africa it is as well to observe as many protection customs as possible!!
So, once again, the valley settles into it’s eternal rhythm. Next month, November, will be rainy and cold, then the days will warm up for the hot and humid Summer.
