The Trees of Life

View from top floor of Huis Lettie Theron, Hermanus

Visiting Essie yesterday we had opportunity to discuss the ownership of the land directly in front of the oldies home, Huis Lettie Theron. Essie says it is owned by 3 churches, and  I really wish I knew which ones. I would like to request of them to go ahead with a project that has come to mind - to raise the funds and plant a small Orchard of about a dozen fruit trees and some trellises for the vines, all around the periphery of the park. Then when the church(es) are built the trees will already be there. Essie said that people would then be able to experience the blossoms, and that each fruit would only be available in its season. I can tell she likes the idea a lot, its right up her street.

It would take a fair bit of planning, and perhaps even require the co operation of the houses that border on it to tend the trees over high summers until they establish in the water table.

And then we would have to think which trees. And being reasonable, this is the Western Cape. No Avo's or Bananas. Autumn would have apples, lemons, pears and pomegranites, then Winter would have Guavas, Almonds and Loquats, Spring is mulberry.. and maybe other berries like the butter berry bush, and over the Summer time it would be apricot, peaches, nectarines, grapes and granadillas. And Figs.

And we'd have to get some funding. it could be a lot of fun to raise - especially seeing as Essie will be 90 next birthday - and then we can make her vision of the Tree of Life come true right there in front of her eyes, in the piece of ground outside her window.

So the next step is to find the owners of the land.