Sailing With Your Lawn

Despite the fact that everyone thinks of Egypt as a barren desert (which in fairness, much of it is), anywhere you have water, almost anything grows. Still, I was surprised to see grass growing on the rudder of a felucca sailing near us on the Nile the other day. At least the captain isn't bringing a goat along to mow it.

Going, Going, Gone!

 We found a gorgeous green chameleon at the farm today. A speedy little fellow and not very shy. He was happy to threaten us with his gaping mouth.

 When placed on a visitor's arm, he made tracks for the wall with the bougainvilleia from which he had emerged.

 It didn't take long for him to figure out how to reach a branch and to scamper up the vine...

and disappear.

Supervisors

My housekeeper's son was playing in the garden this afternoon and I noticed that four of the dogs had lined up next to each other and were watching him carefully. I couldn't resist the photo, but my moving over to take it did distract his oldest watcher at the left end.

A Jewel in the Orchards

This is such an extraordinary villa set out in the midst of palm and mango orchards. I don't know who owns it and have only seen an older woman out in the garden as I've ridden by on horseback. The colours and the tile work are gorgeous. One of our hidden treasures.

Colour Changes in Spring

It's the season for our bougainvilleia to be bursting in colours over the garden walls. But one of the interesting things is the way that the plant gradually can change colour. The picture on the bottom is from the same garden and the same vine as the white blossoms above, but they are gradually turning pink. I have no idea why or how.

Exploring Water With a Friend

We were doing some watering today using a diesel pump attached to the well and a used firehose. I think "flooding" is really the right word. The resident infant was playing on the grass and one of my larger dogs walked in front of him and stood there looking noble for a couple of minutes after which I realised that the toddler I'd been watching was nowhere to be seen. I walked around the aviary to find him happily sitting in a flowing stream of well water while another one of the dogs supervised his explorations. This is a lucky kid. Not that many have this much  clean water to play in.

Finishing The Job

Homework is universal. These boys are doing theirs in the garden of sculptor Adam Henein. I can't think of anywhere more comfortable.

Sweet Prickliness of Summer

The prickly pear cactus bears its fruit in the summer, flowers giving way to bulbs that ripen to a red yellow on the oval leaves. Farmers harvest them and bring them into the city where they sell them one by one to passersby who want some of the sweet, sticky fruit. The seller peals them for the buyer so that thorns aren't an issue. Interestingly, no one seems to use the leaves in salads as the Mexicans do. One of these days I will collect some leaves to make nopalitos.

Moringa Trees

The Moringa tree is a miracle. Almost every part of the tree is edible and it is well-suited to our climate. A friend of mine brought seeds from east Africa and another friend with a nursery is growing seedlings to be planted in the countryside here. The only specification is that they cannot be sold but must be given as a gift. Their lacy foliage is beautiful and will be a welcome addition to our farmlands and gardens.

Moringa Trees

The Moringa tree is a miracle. Almost every part of the tree is edible and it is well-suited to our climate. A friend of mine brought seeds from east Africa and another friend with a nursery is growing seedlings to be planted in the countryside here. The only specification is that they cannot be sold but must be given as a gift. Their lacy foliage is beautiful and will be a welcome addition to our farmlands and gardens.

Colourful gardening

Wheelbarrows are quite simple to make and despite the cheap factories of China, most of them in Egypt are still made here. And Egyptians like colour. So why shouldn't your wheelbarrow match your flowers? The wooden poles in the barrel are handles for tools that are also made by hand by our blacksmiths

What Do You Suppose?

If you live in an area of Cairo where there are villas you might see this, but you will definitely see it. And what is it? Gardeners will tie a line to the upper branches of a bougainvilleia, tie a brick to the other end of the line and then toss it over a wall. Walking past the wall, you can see what appears to be a floating brick against the wall.

The Fairy Tree

I have one of these trees in my garden here because they are simply magical looking. Although they are often called acacias, they actually are Albizia julibrissin, commonly called a Persian Silk Tree. They aren't terribly large trees and here are dwarfed by the enormous mangoes behind them.

The Bean Cart

One of my earliest memories of Egypt was the donkey-drawn cart that delivered foul (stewed fava beans) every morning. These are simmered gently in huge heavy pots overnight and then every housewife has her own secret seasonings for them. The donkeys are amazing. They learn the route in no time at all and stop automatically at the various homes that are customers.

Lights Above You

Growing up in North America, I thought of lights as strictly utilitarian. In Egypt, on the other hand, every light is a piece of decor. This brass chandelier in a garden is a lovely piece.

Tryouts

When you buy something from one of the traditional village stores, it's expected that you will try it out. Mohamed was buying a sprayer for our trees. (We have to use very mild treatments with all the animals around.) The shopkeeper insisted on filling it with water so he could check that the sprayer really sprayed.

Don't you wish Walmart did that?

Heavy Duty Hose

We water our garden from the well and in order to do the vegetables and the horse corn, we went looking for a BIG hose. We found a used fire hose that delivers a stream of water about 4 inches in diameter. Everyone gets a bit wet, but a lot of water is what the plants need on these hot summer days.

Mining For Worms

The hoopoes love my lawn right after we've watered it because the worms and grubs come up to the surface where they are easily caught. The birds are striking with their black and white bands on the wings and the crest.

The Gardener

This is Khaled, one of my gardeners. I can't understand a word he says to me even though theoretically we are both speaking Arabic. He sort of mumbles a local dialect that leaves me searching for an interpreter. But he has a wonderful face and the plants like him.

Watching the Door

The Photography Elf was waiting for me to do something at a friend's place the other day and noticed this statue at a garden gate. Nice catch.