I Love Lemons

There's something about lemons .. they seem so "common & garden" but they are magical...like figs!  So, from when I bought my first piece of land with my former husband Theo, way back in early 1980s, I have always planted a lemon and fig tree on the land, if there were not any.  I haven't always enjoyed the fruits of them though!  I was thrilled when I arrived here in Grootkloof to see 2 humungous lemon trees, dripping with beautiful, ripe sunshiney fruit.

I went to town!  Made lemon curd, cordial, L'hamd Marakad (Moroccan Preserved Lemons using salt), juice in a glass of hot water each morning to alkalise the system, zesting, drying and storing in sugar or salt.  They are just so yum and giving!  One of my favourite treats is the delish curd with double cream Greek yoghurt (forget all that unhealthy low fat rubbish!!), with home-made blackberry coulis.  Add meringue if you want it to be a dessert!

beautiful baby!

mmmmmm ... what shall we make??!!

made from the freshest of ingredients, all from the farm!

sun-drying the zest

L'hamd marakad, excellent addition to stews, salads, soups, vegetables

All Things Bright & Beautiful, All Creatures Great & Small

Life on the farm remains a great joy!  Here's what I've seen through the lens this week.

It looks like a skwatta but Big Brown Hen and her brood are dry and warm 

Breakfast sunbathe

Yummy local sourdough bread and homemade strawberry jam
(I had fun practicing the focus on my camera!!)

I love this shot ~ it's one of those seldom seen moments and even though I was on my way to Bredasdorp 55km away, and in a hurry, I had to stop for the scene

Have passed this farm a few times and always want to take a pic ~ today was the day!

Die Mannetjies Sterk

Grootkloof in spring

Gypsy, the newcomer ~ defiant, sharp-witted, rebel, free spirit ~ refuses to go into the roost at night ~ I understand her :)

Lacy winged phantasmagorical creature

The Magical road to McGregor, my favourite valley

OK!! So I don't kill, heck I even scoop ants out of the bath before opening the tap.  But these babies can deliver a really bad bite that requires quick medical attention.  So I said I was sorry and Doom'd them.  Isis, the all-seeing, one-eyed cat, was sniffing all around the chair in my bedroom, so I knew there must be something there.  I cautiously tipped it over (could have been a snake under it!!) and saw this mother.

Decided to check the second chair and lo and behold, another nasty.  The one on the right is definitely a brown button spider, with the tell-tale orange mark on under belly.  I'm not sure of the one on the left ~ maybe someone can identify for me.  I thought it might be a sac spider - very large bulbous body but, not so sure.  Spiders and I have a love hate relationship - I have a scar on my back about 3cm long, which looks like a stab wound, and that is from a sac spider. I cannot describe the pain - a necrotic area the size of a saucer, I kid you not.  It was horrrrrrible!  So they are not allowed into my space ~ it's survival of the strongest, and that's me with any weapon or a can of Doom

Young 'un enjoying Sunday lunch of creeper leaves

The Lovers

Unusual skies over Grootkloof

Isis, watching Zsofie going crazy

Zsofie going crazy

Zsofie the Photogenic

She hates it when I leave without her :(

Thanks for popping by! Please leave comments - it makes it all worthwhile!