What's with the name?

One of the more amusing and contrived bits of nonsense that is practised in South Africa is the custom of giving names to homes of any and every size and shape. Must have adopted it from the Brits who do it all the time. Nonetheless, driving down the R63 from our home in Constantia, over Constantia Nek and down the long hill to Hout Bay, we would drive past home after home with names -  lofty, descriptive, imaginative and sometimes downright dumb - but hey, I figured if they can name their homestead just because... so could we.

The search for a name for our Vermont home was simple and, to be honest, I came up with it years ago after earlier visits to South Africa.  Now seemed the appropriate time to launch it officially - Asparagus Ende - because, yes indeed, we have an asparagus patch in the back garden. It was a selling feature back in 2001 and a source of annual delight since. We also happen to live in the last home in our section at the far end of our homeowner's association so it's kind of accurate and I like to think it evokes a romantic image of a charming cottage in the countryside- so what if this is suburban Vermont?

This Spring we are bolstering the longevity of the patch with some new plants (new kind in fact!) ready to go into bare spots. If it would just stop raining for a day or two I'll get out there and plant.

View from the back patio

does not look like much yet!

but look a little closer

These are the first spears of 2011- growing slowly after the bitter winter and suffering from 2 years of relative neglect while we were away but still popping up in old places on a daily basis. We are reassured!

beautiful little purple tips a'sproutin'

pushing up through last season's stalks

and a few days later-  almost ready for harvest

Tomorrow we plan to have our first dinner featuring our own asparagus- yum! If you time it right you might even be able to share in our bounty- so stop on by.

PS I still have not come up with a good name for the house in South Africa so those with ideas, let me know.