Slow Living Month 7

Month 7 was full and fabulous.  Our winter brought some beautiful sunny, wind free days as well as some really cold and wet spells. The third school term begun after a great midyear holiday and days have been filled with all sorts of enjoyment as we learn, live, laugh and love...

NOURISH: 

Hubby has been great at helping out at dinner time and the kids really enjoy his cooking. Of course it is great for me to have a break too. On cooler days we have enjoyed curries, using chillies from the garden, cheese and herb muffins with soup have also made great dinners. We enjoyed home made French onion soup for Bastille Day celebrations with the neighbours and butternut soup was once again a winner.

 Warmer weather encouraged us to enjoy meals outdoors and we braaied a few times as a family and with our neighbourhood. This meant making salads to go accompany the meat. Hubby's favourite is my broccoli salad and I was thankful to use freshly picked broccoli from the garden.

PREPARE:

Our granadilla vine has been dropping fruit daily and my daughter and I made some granadilla butter. 

This is simply delicious on pancakes or drizzled over vanilla ice cream.
 The kids even enjoy it on toast. 

Here is the recipe:

140g butter

2 cups granadilla pulp

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

Melt butter, sugar and pulp over double boiler.

Add beaten eggs and stir constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Be careful not to over cook and allow the mixture to curdle.

Pour into sterilised jars and enjoy once thickened and cooled.

Store in the fridge.

I made a batch of tomato and onion relish with a good dose of freshly picked chilli.
 We enjoyed it with bread and cheese and in a mince dish too.

Hubby picked a load of lemons at his mom's place and my daughter made a batch of lemon curd which she  used as a filling for vanilla cupcakes for her brother's 18th birthday....they were simply heavenly!

Lemon curd has been enjoyed in much the same way as the granadilla butter. 
A batch does not last too long in this house!

REDUCE: 

A friend hosted a clothing clear out and swap. It was great to get rid of all those items that are no longer worn and know that someone else will have the pleasure of enjoying wearing them. I managed to walk away with about 5 pairs of good pants, a number of pretty tops and a lovely dress. My daughter was lucky enough to get a beautiful brown leather jacket and many more items too. 

We were blessed with a coffee machine from my cousin and we needed to do a kitchen clear out to make space on the counter for the machine. Numerous glass bottles were sent for recycling and we have passed on the coffee machine we had. 
The new one makes delicious cappuccinos!

GREEN: 

Not much here....

GROW: 
This month I planted peas and coriander.
First strawberries were harvested.....

 and granadillas, tomatoes, chillies red, green and yellow, red and green peppers, pepperdews, peas, herbs, spinach, gooseberries and broccoli.

I have shared gooseberry seedlings with friends as well as lemon balm that seems to be coming up everywhere.

A visit to the nursery gave me my freebie of a packet of mixed spring flower seeds.

CREATE: 

I finished my mosaic mirror in time to give it to a dear friend as a birthday gift.

 The next one was started too. 
My daughter and I spent time making cards cards, and doing some bead-work. 
I completed another scarf ...

.....and begun a slouch beanie for my sweet girl. 

DISCOVER: 

I have enjoyed reading a number of encouraging blogs and my gift that keeps on giving ...a magazine subscription from my dear sister. 
School read aloud time has been enjoyed reading a novel written by a fellow home educating mom, 
"Seekers of the Lost Boy" has kept us wanting another chapter each time!

ENHANCE: 

The teens had a busy time doing various babysitting jobs in the holidays and my daughter spent a week of her holiday volunteering at the church holiday club. 
I had the pleasure of babysitting my cute nephew a number of times.
On Mandela Day the kids and I volunteered some of our time to pack stationery boxes for underprivileged little people.

I took part in a craft gift exchange. It was such fun to make a gift for someone else and receive a beautiful gift in return.

A new friend and I have been getting together weekly to enjoy mosaicking. It is wonderfully relaxing to chat and just be creative.
Our youngest son joined a robotics club and started playing basketball. A fellow home educating parent is coaching the kids free at a nearby local school. 

ENJOY: 

Life certainly has been enjoyed !
The kids and I made the most of a special holiday outing to Ratanga Junction Theme Park with friends.



A friend and I attended a ladies breakfast together and I have been treated to lunch and coffee out with various girlfriends. A bunch of us recently enjoyed a girls evening out to the movies where we were spoiled with goodie bags and a great comedy. 
Bastille Day celebrations and a pancake evening were enjoyed with our neighbourhood.
We celebrated our eldest son's 18th birthday with a Christmas in July dinner and a weekend full of fun.

My youngest and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon with friends at the waterfront and a sneak peek at the aquarium. Beach walks have been enjoyed too!
We had the great pleasure of watching our daughter and some fellow home educated kids perform in the Shakespeare Schools Festival. They performed "a Winter's Tale" and the show was superb!



All in all a wonder-filled month with much to be thankful for!