Gardening

I know that I only have a tiny patch of South Africa to keep neat, but ever since I was stung - nearly to death - by a swarm of bees, I have not been as active in my garden as I could have been. I commented before that everything in KZN grows like weeds, and this is never so true as when you do gardening! I had a guy helping me, but it is MY garden. I could not just sit back watching the Cricket World Cup, but felt that I had to get involved.

In my front garden were 2 trees, a huge palm tree and a smaller - very attractive - tree that grew pink flowers. I walked past it recently and there was the constant buzzing of "death on wings" so I hacked down the foliage that was attracting bees! That left a stump of the tree!

Thinking about it, this tree was - I am sure - a foreign import! With the current drive to eradicate invasive plants, aybe it was good that this tree - as attractive as it was - was removed. My neighbour came across with his chainsaw and he cut down what was keft of the tree, and 2 other stumps outside my bedroom window! This has cleaned up my garden a lot!

The assistant was busy tidying up the patch of garden between the tap and the corner of the garden. This has been overgrown ever since I have lived here. Now it has had all of the undesireable plants taken out!

I spent the time in pulling out a fren type plant - that I dislike completely. Not only is it a virulent plant - gets in everywhere - it is not attractive. Sure it is green, but everything else is green - you dont need ugly in your garden!

The barrier between me and the neighbour on the left - outside my bedroom window - is a split pole barrier, that is falling down. I can see - where it has fallen down, that these neighbours are not interested in beautifying their patch of KZN, so I have planted a small bamboo along this fence! The other side, I planted some around 3 years ago to give me privacy from their bathroom, and that has flourished. The hedge that was along the front when I moved in was a fast growing hedge of really large leaves - again, really ugly - so I cut that down and to prevent regrowth, I used Roundup on the remaining leaves. Roundup is a poison taken in through the leaves, and it kills the roots!

My garden is finally looking like someone cares! I was subconsciously scared to go out in the garden - that is where bees and wasps live - as I am highly allergic to bee venom, and I think, so to to wasp venom. Someone at Church warned me that not only am I allergic to bee stings now, it is a better than even chance that I am shellfish intolerant. I refuse point blank to put this to the test! If I eat seafood, I prefer to order Calamaru Steaks than to order really messy eating prawns! My daughter freaked when I ordered Garlic Snails as a starter - sure they have shells, but they are not shell fish - or were not the last I looked!

I know that I used to think - before I tried them - that snails were kind of undesireable food! In a restaurant in Waterval Boven, I discovered that they are actually tasty things - no different to eating cows or pigs, but as a starter, are really divine! People try to get me to order shark steaks or snake or crocodile steaks. I am not that adventurous as to order something that when delivered, can eat you back! Ever since I was stung by bees, I have gone off honey, partly out of respect for bees, and partly because I am suddenly diabetic! I feel that I am diabetic as a reaction from the shock of "several thousand" bee stings, and dont wish to tempt fate at consuming the products of "death on wings" - maybe I'm irrational, but it seems to me that honey is high in sugar content, or why would it crystallise if left standing? If it is high in sugar, surely it would do my diabetes no good whatsoever!

Ever since I was diagnosed as diabetic, I have cut out sugar in my milo and sweets etc. I have dropped huge weight, and am still losing weight. I saw my General Practitioner about this and he says that I have a barrier of 20 kilogrammes of weight that he considers if I lose more than that, he will be concerned! I am wearing Longs sizes that I "grew out of" 15 years ago! When I first got my Medic Alert Bracelet for my allergy to bee stings, it fitted - just - but now is quite loose on my wrist asnd I have taken links out, making it smaller!

I have an idea that maybe it will be a good idea for me to buy a mens silver bracelet, and get the alert bracelet incorporated, so it is kind of like jewellery. I dont think that I am vain, but if I HAVE to wear a Medic Alert Bracelet, it may just as well be a great thing to look at!