I Simply Remember These Favorite Things with Dr. A June 2024
A Plant - Carex, ornamental sedge ‘Feather Falls’
Sedges are everywhere but if you have not grown them or even noticed them, it may because of their poor marketing department. The name sedge likely conjures up a bog, rather than a beautiful garden. Native sedges are valued by native plant enthusiasts, and while not particularly ornamental, they are highly functional (i.e., they grow well) and very useful in area reclamation projects.
However, the more handsome forms happen to be non-natives, and they are equally tough and far more ornamental. There are quite a few different ones, and they are usually sold with grasses at the Garden Center or online. I have tried a good number, but for me, one of the prettiest, toughest, and most persistent is ‘Feather Falls’.
A Garden - Kirstenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa
Friends and acquaintances who travel to South Africa for safari trips to the national parks come back with stories of treks through savannahs, brilliant scenery, and extraordinary animals. It is wonderful to do those things, but don’t miss the marvelous gardens at Kirstenbosch.
Kirstenbosch, one of 10 National Botanic Gardens in the country, was founded in 1913 to study, educate, and preserve the native flora of South Africa. The conservatory highlights plants native to specific biomes, such as the savanna and the fynbos; however, spends as much time as you can simply walking about the park. The gardens and the plantings will astound, but the setting of Kirstenbosch at the base of Table Mountain will mesmerize. Then take a deep breath and pinch yourself – you are actually in Kirstenbosch in South Africa!
It is truly a wonderful place to visit.
A Book -Isaac’s Storm, A Man, a Time
and the Deadliest Hurricane in History.
Author: Erik Larson
Non-fiction. The hurricane that hit Galveston, Texas, on September 8, 1900, arrived without warning, even though all signs showed a huge storm forming in the Gulf. The storm was the deadliest in history, destroying an entire city and killing well over 6000 people (some estimates claim as many as 10,000). The story, however, is far more than a tale of deadly seas, flooding, and the inability to escape. Rather, it is the account of inept leadership of the fledgling National Weather Service, whose director, Willis Moore, insisted that the storm was heading to the Atlantic Ocean rather than racing through the Gulf. The story is told through the eyes of the decent but inexperienced meteorologist Isaac Cline, who was sent to Galveston to head up the Weather Service for Texas. Larson chronicles the hour-by-hour progress of the hurricane with its extraordinary storm surge (15 ft by some estimates) and the winds (up to 200 mph) that systematically ripped the entire town to kindling.
As you read of the approaching storm, you want to shout out a warning to the townspeople, who are totally unaware of its potential for destruction.
It is impossible to put down and turn away.
A Show- The Mentalist
After watching Jeopardy in the evening, my good wife Susan and I sometimes disagree on the content of an upcoming show. Sometimes, her "who-done-it" selection is a little too intense for me, while my choice of mystery show is a little too tedious for her. That’s why we have a second TV.
She finds The Mentalist a little boring, but the series is an easy watch for a simple fellow like me. Simon Baker plays the role of super mentalist Patrick Jane, whose goal in life is to find “Red John,” the madman who killed his wife and daughter many years ago. In between searching for him, he uses his keen powers of observation to solve all sorts of crimes, usually rather calmly. He doesn’t even have a gun. Other than Susan, others seem to have enjoyed it, as it ran for 13 seasons.
A Place -Grenada, Spain
Who doesn’t like Spain, where a visit to the North finds the bulls in Pamplona, the Plazas of Madrid, and the Cathedrals of Barcelona? However, going South is equally wonderful, and the coastal towns of Malaga and Marbella are as charming as any beach experience in the world. However, for exotic old-world charm, beauty, and attractions, it would be criminal not to visit Grenada.
Walking the hills (Grenada is at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains) will provide all the exercise you need, and exploring the Albaicin district, the oldest and surely one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Grenada, is also a must.
The Alahambra
And if you need another excuse, the historic palace at Alhambra is spectacular. The Alhambra is not a single building, rather a collection of palaces and fortifications added over the centuries, each successive ruler trying to outdo the predecessor. The result is one of the best-preserved examples of Medieval Islamic, Renaissance Christian, and modern architecture styles.
But I also very much enjoyed the extensive gardens, water features, and simple beauty of the grounds. A very special place, not to be missed.