Sophia Lindop - A Unique Food Experience

City life...

I have always struggled to get used to life in the city!  Having grown up on a farm, I find it ridiculous that neighbours don't want to know one another, let alone greet one another!  Why? 

We have designed a beautiful garden on the street outside our home, and ever since its conception, people have been stealing the little topiary shaped trees that sell at around R210 per tree.  At least they used to do this at night, so we would wake up, go outside to water the plants and find half of our garden missing!  They do have the decency to pack the rocks back neatly, mind you!

But, the November market has dictated a new need - to rob us during the day, when I go out shopping for dinner around lunch time!  Yes!  They arrive with neat little buckets, and conduct procedures with care...  Last week a tree went missing while I was away between 11h10 and 11h25.  Today, while I was in a business meeting late morning, the thief struck again.  But this time we were prepared...

Confessions of obsessions

OK, so everyone who knows me, knows of my love affair with fresh artichokes!  I attempted to grow an artichoke plant for about two years, with no luck.  But, Tenacity is my middle name, so Paddy and I planted six more! 

I was able to score a prime spot in the garden, where there is a lot of sun...  And quickly my artichoke plants started to reach for the skies!  They are good looking plants - growing up to about a metre and a half tall.  I love the foliage, and with this artichoke season drawing to a close, I assumed that their first year would go by without bearing fruit, and that I would be blessed next year with a crop second to none...

Blogger's sabbatical

OK, I took a sabbatical.  I felt as if I was running out of things to say.  But, then, this morning I woke up with a spring in my step again - I had a cup of coffee under the tree in our garden, watched the dove interact with her two chicks in her nest, breathed in the fresh air, and felt so in love with life!  Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I started exercising again on Thursday after a few months of being sick on and off.  Aaahh, the effect of endorphins!

I am entertaining guests for dinner here tonight - not yet sure what I will be cooking...  But, I am looking forward to preparing a special meal for Daniela and her family!

I have been reading a few great books lately - Tom brought a book for me on his last visit from London.  It is by Susan Jeffers and is called, "Feel the Fear, and do it Anyway!"  At first I thought, "Now, this is a great book for Paddy to read!  But, how was I going to get him into it?  What if I start reading it myself?"  And, that was the end of that!