thursday cheat

Today has been pretty hectic and I am about to head to bed for an early night.  Last night's early sushi supper ended surprisingly late - time flies when you get into full-on chat mode.  It was lovely evening and the sushi at Kelvin is awesome - I was also introduced to a decadent treat, which is going to be hard to avoid when returning next time - banana fried in tempura batter with honey and vanilla ice-cream!!

Thanks Fay!!

So because today has been a little lazy (and it is nearly bedtime), I have asked Gareth if I could steal a post from his blog.  He used this post for Spring Day.  I love the song he has chosen, I loved those 1st of September days when we sent our little Rondebosch boys (in short pants) off  to school with a bunch of flowers (oh my word, I remember stealing nasturiums from a neighbours window box), I loved my Granny (who had the pleasure of meeting all 3 great grandsons) who lived at Welverdiend for many years and I love Gareth.  I am sure you will enjoy this too.

This is his blog.  Try it and see. I take no responsibility for his humour or language but he has inherited a great taste in music and reads more books in a week than anyone else I know (niece Janet, I hope to see in action next year, then I will be able to compare).  He is passionate about rugby and is like a little boy all over again with this world cup (except he is not collecting stickers (or maybe he is)).  He does not share my love of the English rugby team and I look forward to much fun watching the next month of excitement unfold.

heralding a summer’s early sway

 

Sep1by Primate

Here’s a hymn to welcome in the day
Heralding a summer’s early sway
And all the bulbs all coming in
To begin
The thrushes bleating battle with the wrens
Disrupts my reverie again

Pegging clothing on the line
Training jasmine how to vine
Up the arbor to your door
And more
You’re standing on the landing with the war
You shouldered all the night before

And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill

A barony of ivy in the trees
Expanding out its empire by degrees
And all the branches burst to bloom
In the boom
Heaven sent this cardinal maroon
To decorate our living room

And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill

And years from now
When this old light isn’t ambling anymore
Will I bring myself to write
“I give my best to Springville Hill”

And once upon it
The yellow bonnets
Garland all the lawn
And you were waking
And day was breaking
A panoply of song
And summer comes to Springville Hill
And summer comes to Springville Hill

‘a panoply of song’ – now doesn’t that just sound amazing? Don’t worry – I didn’t know what it meant either so I looked it up. Panoply means “a wide-ranging and impressive array or display” which is just how the Decemberists roll.

This is a panoply of music, nature and the English language and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Spring Day here in South Africa. Nature, music and language must be three of the most beautiful and emotive things and this song pulls them all together so well.

I know it’s not June here nor is it actually summer, but let’s all go out and hug a tree or smell a flower today – it’s the right thing to do.

When I was a young Warthog at Rondebosch Boys Preparatory School I used to love Spring Day. We used to collect flowers and take them to the old age home just the other side of the canal near Newlands.  My granny Housego and my Luvvie granny Jonas lived there and while the other kid’s feared crusty embraces from smelly old strangers,  I’d bee-line for their flat knowing that all kinds of tasty treats would be exchanged for the flowers.

The smell of the flowers, the walk through the ‘burbs, the taste of coke and sweets…what more do you need?  1 September is a good day. Let’s celebrate it.
I’m turning into a sentimental old **** aren’t I?
WAIT:  How remiss of me to forget, especially when mentioning Spring Day and Rondebosch in a post, that today is Mr Lane’s birthday.  I forgot.  Barman never forgets.


Catch you tomorrow, it's Friday - YEAH!!!