The psychology of the colour brown touches on some aspects of nature, but interestingly states that in large amounts, the colour can evoke negative feelings.
Some of the best things in my life are brown – the crackling leaves in my favourite season, the cork from a spicy red wine shared with good friends, coffee, chocolate, wood, and leather. I’ve developed a much deeper appreciation for the latter being employed in the (ostrich) leather industry. I have learned to love the feel, smell, versatility and durability of a well-crafted leather item.
I think part of my attraction to brown is that I am born under an earth sign.
Having been fortunate enough to see many parts of South Africa growing up, I can tell you that there are even more shades of brown in our country as there are languages in our Rainbow Nation.
One merely has to hike in the Tsitsikamma to experience the different browns of the forest woods, or take a leisurely drive through the Klein Karoo to see the shades of a semi-desert landscape. While a damp forest and an arid region of polar opposites, they both expose beautiful brown hues in their own way.
Two of my favourite indulgences are brown – coffee grounds and chocolate. What’s great is that they are pick-me-ups whether on their own, or together (did someone say cafe chocolat?) I cannot count how often they have been a much cheaper alternative than therapy.
There is one brown thing of which I am not overly fond…
For three quarters of my life, I’ve lived in a seaside town. The irony of this is that in thirty-one years, I’ve probably been on the beach maybe a hundred times. The reason being is that I am not a lover of sand. Beach sand has a knack of sticking to me (and getting in everywhere) and regular sand just gets under my nails. This is quite likely why I have not got green fingers. I do love the earthy smell of petrichor though. Also, I am not keen to work with dough or make food where I’m required to use my hands to mix it. I shudder at the mere thought.
And it’s on that note that I’ll leave you with wishes for a wonderful week ahead – may your coffee beans be ground to perfection and may you enjoy some deliciously dark chocolate too.
Reflections of a Misfit 