Day 073 of Our Winter: It was another Monday at the Minuwangoda house. The weather was fickle today. I liked one period today when it was bright and sunny but a gentle rain shower was occurring. I swear it was raining on one side of the house but not the other. The birds didn't seem to care, so I didn't either.
I'm standing just a few meters away from the house. The tree behind me is coffee. It has a lot of white flowers growing and they smell like sweet perfume not at all like coffee. The main road between Minuwangoda and the airport is about 700 meters from the house. We have to take Kopiwatte Road to the junction. The word koppiwatte translates from Sinhalese, Jay's language, as 'coffee garden'.
Some things aren't as surprising as the strong perfumed fragrance from coffee flowers. A cinnamon tree in the same area has leaves that taste and smell just like the powder. Of course, cinnamon is the harvested outside bark that is stripped off. 'Real' cinnamon comes only from Sri Lanka. The type that comes from Thailand is different. It is cheaper but one generally gets what one pays for. It's best to ensure you're buying the real thing.
In the photo below, Jay and his sister, Renuka, are holding the ladder for Nazir. He had to change a solar light street light back to a smaller one. The new replacement wasn't staying bright all night. So, the old one is making a comeback temporarily. Nazir is a friend of the family and often helps out around the house.
