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Sunday, October 11, 2015

Scavenger Hunt Sunday # 2

I struggled to find an autumn drink image as spring has just finished here Southern Hemisphere and we're entering a hot, dry summer. 

However, going through my archives, I found two images of my all-time favorite beverage which I enjoyed while on holiday in May (our autumn/winter) Rina and I met up with an old friend of mine and we had tea at the local Bistro. I always drink rooibos tea (pronounced roybos) which is a bush tea cultivated in South Africa. Please click on the link for more information. (It's interesting, I promise) 

Autumn Drink
Rooibos tea with my health breakfast at The Bistro, Mtubatuba

Later that week, Rina and I stopped for tea after a day on the beach in St Lucia. She ordered Cuppa-chino and I, well I ordered rooibos tea.  
Rooibos tea at Thyme Square, a quaint but upmarket tea garden

Rina and I specifically stopped off at Thyme Square as I wanted to meet Carla,  theyoung  proprietress. She didn't know that she'd been a teeny little girl when I last saw her. Grant, I and our boys were staying with her parents, Paul and Karen at the beach. The year was 1994 and Carla was a cute four-year-old. She latched onto me and would spend ages watching me do my make-up (which I used on her too) and also go through my jewelry case. Although she couldn't remember any of this, Carla loved my reminisces -  her,  a successful entrepreneur in a thriving holiday town. 

At home this week, we've been bombarded (literally) with ripe mulberries. John, the gardener picked two large bucketfuls. Rina cleaned them; I weighed the fruit, placed into two large pots/saucepans, added equal amounts of white sugar and we made jam! 

Wooden
I always use wooden spoons for cooking and jam making

The mulberry jam bubbling away on the stove - wooden spoon at the ready

I added the finished product for effect!

SEASONAL 
The (seasonal) mulberries on the tree at the corner of our house

The fallen mulberries are a little messy but the season should be over soon

MY OUTFIT TODAY
Rina celebrated a birthday last Sunday

That day I didn't tell her I'd invited a dozen or so friends to join us for tea on Tuesday. Of course I had to tell her on Monday; she bakes a beautiful chocolate cake and milk tart. I made savory sandwiches and bacon cheese puffs. 
Part of my outfit showing beyond the set party table

We Marquard ladies have a tradition. Instead of buying separate gifts, one friend will send out text messages saying she is collecting [cash] for the birthday girl.  Then that person will take the birthday girl (after the party) to buy an ornament, household gadget or jewelry. Well, Rina doesn't wear bling (that's my vice) and our house is so full, she cannot have anymore ornaments or gadgets. Instead she opened her birthday card and the cash was stashed inside, I suggested she buys a set of new inertia seat belts for her 1964 Toyota which has just had a make-over. She was thrilled!

MY VIEW
Of course, the view from my office is onto the lawn and the perennials against the wall
I love the restful shadows playing across the garden


And then: a photo from my East African archives. Way back in 2011, when we lived in a remote valley within the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, I was low down photographing some little white flowers on a school sports field. I wanted to capture the dainty blooms with the majestic mountains in the background. My friend, Sue, was photographing birds (something we did on a daily basis together); she turned around, saw me and snapped! 

MY VIEW - tongue in cheek!


I'm linking my post to Scavenger Hunt Sunday here

Happy Sunday to you all!







9 comments:

  1. Well Jo, I am laughing at that last shot. I think that makes p for 2 shots today!!! Love the view from your study window. Yes very restful. Now I would love to tastesome of thatMulberry jam, never had any. That looks a lovely spread for Rina's birthday adn I am sure she was thrilled with the money. It is a far better idea that. I would not want any bling, ornaments or household gatget,NOT collecting. Roobis tea is gettingwuite commonnow. Judith an Jon of course drink it however recently Judith has discovered one with Vanilla which she tells me is even nicer. Of course you cannot get it in Malawi so moi has to bring it over with me or anyone else who comes there way! I have looked at nextweeks words, not all that easy either but the challenge mustgo on. Have a great week.

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  2. Great shots! Loved that last one. :D Your breakfast looks so delicious.

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  3. Have a happy Sunday

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  4. he he he on the butt shot. love it... and love a friend who would take it. that healthy breakfast looks wonderful and i love the photo of the cup of tea. so a REAL tea party for a birthday... i don't drink tea but i will look at the link

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  5. Hello Jo, first I wanted to say happy belated birthday to Rina. Her birthday cakes look delicious. Your tea, berries and jam all look wonderful too. LOL, the last shot is great! Have a happy new week!

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  6. Hi,
    Great shots. Love the jam shots, brings back lots of memories of my mother
    making jams and jelly's. Have a great day!

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  7. Ah, looks like fun to me!!! And I love the last shot! Hope you have a great new week, Jo!! Enjoy!!

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  8. I like rooibos tea too, in fact there are numerous teas I like. Black currant and chai spice are two of our perennial favorites. And since it is still hot enough here to have iced drinks, I have ice tea flavored with cloves. I like your birthday tradition-a chance for jewelery-awesome! your last my view shot made me laugh!

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  9. Enjoyed your post Jo! Lots to see and read about. Happy belated birthday to Rina. I'm sure she had a blast. The two of you look lovely in your photos. I love black and black and white together so I like what the both of you are wearing. The food looks delicious too. I'm all in favour of collecting money and then the birthday recipient gets to buy what he/she actually needs and will use. By the time we get to be seniors we pretty much have what we need or want so the option of getting precisely what you need at the particular time is attractive. I too love Rooibos tea and drink it often especially through the winter months here. I love the homemade jam. I've never eaten mulberries but berries of all kinds are my very favourite fruit so I'm sure I'd enjoy mulberries too. I also remember that photo of you bending over trying to capture the right photos for your readers, lol. My time sure does fly though. I can't believe it was already 4 years or more since that photo was taken.

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