Slow Living Month 12

December is a month we always look forward to. 
School holidays, hubby on annual leave, summer and Christmas.
 Time to unwind after a busy year. 
Much to be enjoyed!

NOURISH:

With warmer weather this month, we have been enjoying various salads, often adding fresh pickings from the garden. 

Fresh juices have been on the menu and I have had fun trying different combinations. One of my favourites has been pineapple and carrot with a touch of ginger and loads of ice. 
Due to the abundance of not so baby marrows/courgettes from the garden, we have found tasty ways to use them...

 ...a crust less quiche using marrow and baby tomatoes from the garden, topped with feta and fresh rosemary and my daughter made a chocolate marrow cake.....
delicious served with whipped cream!

PREPARE:

With more time on my hands I was able to enjoy preparing a little more this month....

 curried green beans,
 pickled beetroot,
 grilled courgette  preserved in olive oil, 

 lemon curd, basil pesto and the usual onion marmalade .

REDUCE: 

Once again, cardboard boxes have been re- used for packaging orders.

GREEN: 

I started using my citrus cleaner but am not too fond of the smell so will not make more.
 Aphids attacked my cabbages  and I managed to combat them with a simple vinegar spray.

GROW: 

The garden has been a continual source of delight to me.

 The granadilla vine is heavy with fruit and I look forward to seeing the fruits ripen.
 Red and green cabbages are forming firm heads, broccoli and beans, peppers and various types of chili are flourishing. Green peppadews are forming on the little bush and I look forward to pickling them once they have turned red. Strawberries are sending out runners, bright red beetroot are hiding just under the soil.  Marrows/ courgettes have done particularly well. My tomatoes have taken a beating from the wind but they are still producing fruit daily. Corn stands tall with first cobs forming. I cannot wait for the first watermelons. Gooseberries popping up everywhere. Butternut and pumpkins sending out runners. The gem squash has produced one little squash so far.

We have enjoyed eating red and green cabbages, green peppers, celery, lettuce, herbs, green beans, marrows, tomatoes and just a few strawberries.

CREATE: 

With more time on my hands....

 I enjoyed using empty tuna cans and turning them into beautiful candle holders...

...lovely inexpensive gifts!

After a weekend visit to my Dad and his wife, I came home with bags of bits and bobs to keep my daughter and I going for a while....

...these colourful bits and pieces have been strung together to make toys for their parrots. 

It's such fun as there is no right or wrong way to create them,

 just lots of imagination!

My daughter mosaicked a mirror for her room...

and had plenty of work before Christmas....

creating beautiful edible art at Sweetarts. 

Some of the miniatures on this cake, such as the tiered cake and the burgers are her handiwork,

as well as these cute teddy bear faces!

At his last technology class, my youngest made a wooden Christmas tree decoration with its own little flashing lights. He finished it off  at home with a coat of paint and it really looked great as the little lights flashed on and off.

DISCOVER: 

My gardening books were consulted over and over again.

ENHANCE: 

The teens spent a morning at Cavendish selling Red Socks, Peace Pops and Christmas wrapping paper to raise funds for the Chaeli Campaign. 

ENJOY: 

Holidays have been good.
 Time spent with family and friends. 
A friend's teen son spent time staying with us while on holiday here. 
My daughter and I enjoyed the alpacas at my Dad.

Picnics , braais , movie nights, games evenings and more.
 My mom in law and I both celebrated our birthdays in December.
  Christmas was wonderful and New Year's Eve lots of fun too!

Thanks again Christine for the opportunity to link up with Slow Living in 2012.