Two Bits – 5 February 2016

Ol’ Mrs Summer isn’t finished with us yet, not by a long chalk. Longing for rain intensified over the weekend as temperatures soared above 34 degrees, turning the much anticipated Saturday amble around the golf course into a sweaty struggle with a heavy bag and hot, slippery clubs.
It’s useful to be able to blame the blazing sun as an excuse for the usual dismal showing on the fairways, but I think even Rory McIlroy would have struggled to put up a good score with the sweat pouring into his eyes and down his arms like a trail of ants.
Here we are going into February, sometimes the hottest month of the year, though this time without the humidity that can make the North Coast a penance. Mind you, I’d put up with a bit of humidity if only it would rain!
While grass and leaves in our garden wilt under the fierce sun, the indigenous Natal Plum looks as cheerful as ever. Also known as the Big Num-Num, but perhaps better known by its Zulu name of amaThungulu. Sometimes you’ll hear people talking about the ‘Martin-gooloo’ plant and you’ll think ‘Eh, what?’ until the penny drops.
It’s a pity this shrub is not as widespread on the North Coast as it is further south. The  five-petaled white flower is pure white, like a blazing star against the dark green, leathery leaves, yet another shade of green from the wide range in the backdrop of our sub-tropical landscape.  The flower has the scent of orange blossoms.
Rose loves to eat the large, red fruit though when I complain that they’re a little bitter for my liking, she just scoffs at the townie and says I’ve picked the wrong one. What’s new.
They make an excellent jam, if you can collect enough before the monkeys and birds make off with the most accessible ones. The long, fierce thorns usually make sure the highest ones escape any passers by. It attracts birds and butterflies and grows so easily on sandy soil I’m surprised there isn’t more around here.
We saw a Giant Kingfisher while walking along Catfish beach early on Monday morning. There are often the black and white Pied Kingfishers that fish busily in the Salt Rock beach stream and Chaka’s Rock tidal pool year round, but very seldom the Giant. So that is a good omen for February.
Catfish beach is a delight out of season, as we mostly have it to ourselves. All those rows and rows of holiday flats south of Salt Rock main beach are empty 50 weeks of the year, which seems somehow criminal, but no people means we have a virtually private beach to enjoy the sunrise and take a dip. With your back to the land, you can be anywhere your imagination cares to roam.
If you’re ever stuck for something to do on a weekend, have someone drop you off at Tinley Manor and walk back home along the beach to Salt Rock or Ballito. It is a very pleasant two to three hour amble on the beach and through the rock pools of Sheffield Beach. It’s best done at a spring low or thereabouts, when you can walk on the firm sand (and remember to take takkies for the rocks). It’s a great way to entertain visitors and has the added benefit of making them thoroughly envious of this paradise we live in.

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The Orphan Fund is helping a young man prepare for medical school, and it would be a great benefit to him to have a laptop to help him with his studies.
If anyone can spare an unused laptop,  please call Courier general manager Pieter Naudé on 032 946 0276.

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Employer: In this job we’re looking for someone who’s responsible.
Applicant: Then I’m your man. In my last job, whenever something went wrong, they said I was responsible.