Spring is on its way

Since the World Cup in June and July ("feel it--it is cold!") the weather has warmed up considerably, and now the camellias in our garden are blooming. Spring is in the air, and it feels as though winter is past, though past experience makes me think that there could be a couple more cold snaps before it's gone completely.


Unfortunately the flowers in direct sunlight seem to wither and drop almost as soon as they have opened.



And I'd heard about the birds and the bees, but no one told me about the ants!

Two gardens

We're interested in family history and last week we went to the Mormon Family History Centre in Johannesburg to do some research in their library (details of what we found are on our family history blog).

One of the things I always enjoy when visiting there is the walk from the car park to the reading room, through a garden filled with ponts and shady trees. The ponds have goldfish in them, and it is a pleasant peaceful place, and it's cool shade is especially good in summer.

And then on alternate Sundays we go to church in Mamelodi, where we have services in a classroom at the Zakhele Primary Schooll. Outside is a vegetable garden, where the kids learn about botany and agriculture, and last Sunday it seemed in particularly good condition. It seemed to say something about the quality of the teachers and the diligence of the learners, and gives one hope for the future of education. This picture was taken from the window of the classroom where we had just held our service.



So there are two gardens, one ornamental, and the other practical and educational.