Here's what I love about red clay

Barcelona Masters Series Final

Unlike the Virginia red clay that plagues my housekeeping efforts, the red clay on which tennis is played makes me very happy indeed! Seriously, I love watching tennis, especially during the European clay court season. Today's final is between two Spaniards, which bodes well for a nice long match. Rafael Nadal, of course, is known as the King of Clay, and is arguably the best player to ever take on the terre battue. David Ferrer is another excellent clay courter.

I do find the images of clay court tennis to be especially beautiful. The game itself is much more meditative to watch on clay compared to hard-court or grass. It's a little like chess in that the players have to think ahead as they construct the points. I suppose it's the extra fraction of a second that the ball hangs in the air that makes this a much more intellectual game. There's a terrific graphic demonstration of why the ball moves the way it does on clay (and also why Nadal's game is so tough to crack) in the New York Times. I'll figure out how to add the link here.

No photos of porch progress today, as I am completely wiped out from working out there in the 90-degree April heat. I must say my own legs were about as muddy as Ferrer's in this photo, but not quite as bloodied. So I've cleaned up, turned on the AC and the Tennis Channel, and plan to spend the afternoon watching these two guys work on the clay. I'm done for the day.

Here's what I hate about red clay

As I was working on the porch today, I thought about how much energy goes into trying to keep red clay out of my kitchen. Most dog-owners in this part of the world share that concern. It's a constant battle, and with a pair of terriers, it's an all-out war. After I took this photo a few years ago, I considered for a moment the idea of terra-cotta decor. But I hate that color. I hired a housekeeper who cleans floors like nobody's business, and I make do with a series of "mud-abatement" procedures at the back door when it rains.

That said, one of my primary motivations for redesigning the back entry is to keep the mud out. I started hosing it off some areas near the house and it just doesn't go away.