Savour life’s simple pleasures

 Bougainvillea in many colours – hot pink, deep crimson, neon orange, cool white spills over urban and suburban walls. My garden is bright with poppies which have lasted for over three months now as well as snap dragons, orange and yellow calendula and petunias basking in the heat.
Summers in southern Europe and North Africa are about living and eating alfresco. We often fail to enjoy the heat because we worry that it won’t rain. But this year we have taken advantage of balmy nights to sit outside, lay a table, light the candles and appreciate the beauty of a summer night under the stars and moon.
More summer celebrations came from Totem Shumba in Umwinsidale – a lovely location for a late afternoon book reading jointly hosted with publisher Weaver Press. Brainchild and home of local businesswoman, entrepreneur and corporate strategist, Gloria Ndoro, Totem Shumba boasts a lovely gallery featuring wrought iron furniture, exotic fabrics and home décor. The garden with a spectacular view over the hills was a perfect place to watch the sunset, drink a glass of wine and appreciate some local literature.
Sometimes it feels we have been conditioned over the last decade to expect only problems and that we don’t deserve pleasure and peace. It’s refreshing to embrace joy and abundance – so thanks Gloria for that.
Sure it’s a bit fraught driving back into the city down busy Enterprise Road with heavy oncoming traffic and minimal lights. I was pleased to see Arcturus Road finally closed for long overdue repairs. The surface had become very broken up and almost impassable.  Hope this is the beginning of some attention to city thoroughfares. Not many roads allow for free flow and Harare Drive and Enterprise road beyond Chisipite are breaking up and dangerous,- especially at night.
This spirit of enjoyment brought me back to favourite restaurant – Shop Café on Doon Estate – where a delicious meal is guaranteed.  It’s a setting perfect for summer – a courtyard around an ancient flamboyant tree with a huge shady spread of feathery branches, cool lemonade, breezy canvas awning, greenery from the rampant wild grape (rhoicissus tomentosa), fresh flowers and a buffet of good food. Emphasis is on freshness, lightness and seasonal choice.  On a hot day we helped ourselves from the abundant buffet (US$10 for a small plate, US$15 for a large). Hot dishes were cauliflower cheese, tomato rice and herby potatoes but we opted for the array of bright salads – including chick peas, herby cous cous, Asian flavoured noodles with shredded carrot and paw paw and bright butternut. Highlight was refreshing watermelon salad with thinly sliced radishes, red onion, olives and feta cheese in a crisp minty dressing. It’s a lovely summer dish – sweet, salty and full of complementary flavours.  Chicken and fish dishes are made to order (US$20 includes the buffet).
As always the homemade lemonade goes down a treat and homemade bread – pink with beetroot, or stuffed with black olives – is brought to the table. 
Saturday rain was a delightful cooling bonus laying the dust and marking the need to do all the rainy season chores – clearing the gutters, varnishing the outside doors, checking and mending roof leaks. The grass is quick to come to life as the first rains wash up the old season’s dry debris in tide marks and after only one downpour, a veneer of fresh green is already visible.
Welcome summer.  Welcome rains.
-g.jeke@yahoo.com