After sorrow we dance toward a brighter tomorrow — What a coincidence that I wrote this on Sunday as our first rain in two weeks arrived after a fortnight of extreme heat with temperatures reaching 35° Celsius most days. I could smell the petrichor wafting in through the kitchen door, drifting over to bless me at my desk. How…

A stark reminder we all have to leave one day — Although David Crosby’s distinctive voice is now silent in life, the arrival of sound recording in the 20th century will enable me to immerse myself in oceans of music for the rest of my days. I can turn on and tune in whenever I want. Background I’m a baby boomer who…

Growing my own vegetables is a balancing act between intuition and facts on the ground — In the spring of 2020, we asked the landlord’s Malawian gardener to help us prepare a small bed for us to grow our own vegetables. The ground around our little cottage is mostly bush veld and very stony soil, but we identified a small spot outside our kitchen we could…

Thrifty Words 100 Challenge #89: Discover Me — is the me you see the same i see wrapped in layers of complexity tied in fancy ribbons or cheap string whatever was to hand why unwrap this decades-old parcel of possibilities and potential expose those fancy-filled dreams and clever schemes which turn to dust when exposed to air i…

Neurobics and aerobics ease your neurotic abhorrence — Why not embrace stocking up as an avenue to boost your fitness rather than throwing a frothy fit? It shouldn’t be a drag, especially if you’re hungry. Imagine all those delicious meals you can enjoy once you’ve completed the preparation, planning, purchasing and unpacking when you return home — except…

Your family tree is an anchor you can raise and sail to other harbors — My family history goes back centuries, as does my husband’s — mine from England and his from Portugal. You will notice the surname on my profile is de Braganza. However, my full surname is Lucas de Braganza. When we married, I took my husband’s surname — de Braganza — but…

A poet’s lament on our endless blackouts — When my heart is closed. Poetry Unlocks the door, Spills pent-up emotions. Words Pour onto rage and Drown the pesky rant. I crave power When there’s none. No electricity, No lights on Ten hours a day. When may I play with Draft, essay or article, Access electron particles To spark…

Can you believe I did it again? — It’s no surprise I’m no longer a Top Writer in Mental Health, because I keep doing insane things that set a terrible example for others. There’s that famous quote from Einstein which defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Well, what I…

Take a sniff of these olfactory haikus — New car’s leather seats Heady rush of endorphins Revs nasal engine Fresh baked aroma Bread, cake, muffin or biscuit Olfactory bliss Redecorating Change of color alters mood Scent of pristine paint Frankincense and myrrh Drift and spiral through the room Redolent incense Slow-cooker curry Fragrance of basmati How my nostrils…