Right now, my country is on fire. Exactly the same as when Trump's supporters stormed the US Capitol because he couldn't get his way, our crooked ex-president has unleashed his thugs because he was finally made to go to jail for contempt of court, that is: refusing to appear before the commission created to probe the grand corruption and looting that happened when he was in the hot seat.
The hill next to my house was on fire 14 days ago, luckily the fire burned itself out before it got to my place
Not going to bore you with media images of the burning and looting that's going on, the news is full of it. Google riots in South Africa if you want to see.
Last night, I could hear regular gunshots that continued throughout the night because looters were attempting to get into the supermarket down the road. The police were on the scene and kept them out although the bar on the corner was looted. Another local bottle store and supermarket was burned and looted the night before.
This brings back bad memories of the 1990s, when rampaging thugs did their best to derail the transition to a democratic state. Funny enough, it's the very same people doing it 27 years later. The looting: the perpetrators start the burning and breaking and then ordinary bystanders and opportunists take their chances because everyone is sick and tired of lockdown and the misery and poverty that Covid lockdowns have brought. So partly, this is about one man being prepared to watch the country burn to avoid going to jail and the other part is a bit of the 'Arab Spring' that has been waiting to happen here for many years
In the meantime, the rest of us try to carry on with our lives as best we can. Most people disapprove of what is currently happening and as my neighbour said: "We are going to eat grass" (as an economic consequence of what is happening right now). As I went to work on Monday, I saw the remnants of burning tyres that had been used to block the road I use and on the way home, I very nervous because I was told to go home early, but then couldn't leave ecause we were still busy. Driving home was nerve-wracking as I remember what happened to a friend of mine caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and I had to pass through a rock barrier in the road in a nearby suburb where the looting has been happening but I made it home in one piece.
The other consequence of this is that our vaccination campaign has stalled, I'm very grateful I got to go last week and get my first shot. The place I went to is currently a no-go zone. Hell, even the nearby animal anti-cruelty organisation was robbed.
A 3-hour wait outdoors in blistering cold in a vaccination queue at a local hospital. Those are African Sacred Ibises hanging out on the roof. They don't conduct the souls of the dead here, just dig in the garbage in the dumpster below
That was the fire, now for the ice: why would I spend 3 hours in a
freezing vaccination queue? The current surge of cases in my city caused by the Delta variant has meant that if you need hospitalisation, it's completely unavailable. Partly because the main hospital had a fire a few months ago and was closed. Copper piping to the tune of 30 million was looted from the hospital during this time... And no, Ivermectin doesn't work. It's widely used here and has made no difference.
Tonight we have a severe frost warning, the temperature will drop to -3C and be below freezing for a couple of hours so we can expect a "black frost", which is when the plant sap freezes and kills the plants. Due to the chaos around me, I didn't want to go out and get frost covers. So I'm doing it another way
I expect the taro potato leaves to all be black in the morning but that's ok because they are ready for harvest
I went and cut grass to insulate the vegetables. This accomplishes 2 things: removes the dry grass at the perimeter of my yard, which is a fire hazard, and insulates and protects tender plants from severe cold. Every single plant in a pot was moved to a sheltered position and all the smaller ones have been brought indoors. Luckily, it's only one night and I will see what's left of my garden in the morning.
What happens next in my country is anybody's guess. The army has been deployed but it all looks very ugly right now
Gee, here in Spain nothing has been said about the situation you are living in South Africa, I suppose because now the politicians are taking advantage of the Cuban population going out onto the streets, an issue that has always attracted our right and our left to censor themselves. mutually. I'm really sorry about this situation and I hope you are well and that it is resolved soon. I also hope that your plants do not freeze in the frosts and you continue to show us those fascinating cacti, of which you are specialists. Take care.
Thank you Juan. Sadly, our situation is not unique in the world and we will get through this somehow
Yes of course. Much encouragement
It's horrible!
Be careful please!
I wish You all the best!
How are you not afraid to live in such a country?
I'm afraid but what can I do? My life is here so I do the best I can
Oh ... honey, I wish you were always good!
Be careful!
Glad you made it home safely. Politics can sure turn ugly as people try to find someone to blame for what they aren't happy about.
Hope those plants make it through the frost. Do you get many days below freezing there usually? We seem to be having a pretty mild winter here, so far. Last winter was our coldest for a while, but not sure if it will drop cold enough for long enough for our cherry tree to produce this coming season. Not that it matters, it could do with putting more growth on anyway.
This is exceptionally cold, but only one night, according to the weather bureau. The vegetables under the grass were fine, the ones I covered with plastic pots froze and the exposed ones were frozen stiff this morning
Grass for the win, then.
For sure! Oddly enough the spinach and kale simply thawed out and carried on as normal, despite the freezing. Other things just turned black
Crazy stuff happening in a lot of parts of the world. It’s shitty what some people in power will do to terrorize and ruin the lives of so many others just because. We are also in the age that rich people will hire and pay people to protest and loot to add to the chaos of situations like this. It’s happening all the time in America, I’m pretty sure it’s probably happening in SA as well. Brutal shit!
Tough weather, hopefully the plants survived the bitter snap you had! Grass is a great insulator for that reason, the Germans used it a lot to keep things warm and the water retained.
The world is a very ugly place right now. Inequality and poverty doesn't make people behave well, but I can't blame them much.
Th grass was the bomb! The plants were fine that were under it
That's great the plants survived! Hugelkulture is the method the Germans used. It's more for water conservation but it does apply to situations like this I think!
Grass is an old-school method here, I can remember my mother building little grass tipis for tender plants
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Gosh... What surprises me more is that I was expecting due to the pandemic people to be more united and together against this crisis. To become better, said shortly, but unfortunately, instead I see everywhere people go crazy and crazier. Total madness...
My country is in, what it seems to be a permanent political crisis, a normal government cannot be selected. Each new minister says the previous ones had stolen millions of Euro. If I listen to the news I have to go to Mars to avoid all the BS.
I hope you are well, safe and sound!
The good news is that people have pulled together to prevent this insurrection in the days since I wrote this. You are right, Mars looks appealing
Good news indeed, I am glad to see this!
Mars... judging by who is planning to "cultivate" this planet, we should start dreaming of another one, I suppose :)
Yes, Mars is probably out 😉