Slow Living Month 10

I can scarcely believe October has come to an end already!
 It has been exam exam season here with our son having written 7 papers so far and just 3 to go...
then his home education journey of 15 years is over.
 I still remember the day we decided to home educate when he was just a wee little thing of 3 years old.
 Now a strapping young man of 18 and I wonder where the time went...

NOURISH: 

This month we have eaten loads of rice. Way more than we normally do. This is because I won R500 worth of rice! We have eaten tasty rice salads, and various curries and rice. 

We have eaten plenty of fish too as I won R500 worth of fish vouchers too! My son asked when we plan to eat anything other than fish!
Leeks from the garden were used to make a delicious cheesy leek pie...

 ....and tonight we have a leek and chicken pie in the oven alongside the usual apple, cinnamon and oat bake hubby enjoys for breakfast.  

PREPARE: 
I have doubled up on meals once or twice to save cooking a meal from scratch each night. 
We received a wonderful gift of bags of granadillas and my youngest and I made a refreshing cordial and a delicious granadilla yogurt tart was made a few times during the month.
Besides that, I bottled some beetroot. Always good alongside a meal.

REDUCE: 
I have been stopping by a dump bin outside a local wood shop regularly and have picked up some lovely bits of wood, free for the taking. Some will be used as fire wood and some has been cut into bases for me to mosaic onto. A friend also made me an oak bread board from one of the scraps. 
We have sorted through my younger son's clothing, some of mine and my daughters and were glad to give bags full away to two families that were victims of shack fires.
I have also sorted through the unused school books in our study and was happy to sell off a fair amount at a recent open day at a local school. 

GREEN:
My garden has enjoyed home made compost, worm and seaweed tea this month.
I have tried lemon balm tea and found it refreshing and soothing. Lemon balm is springing up everywhere in my veg garden!

GROW: 
This month I have sown sunflower seeds, various chili seeds, coriander, beans, butternut and courgettes. They are all doing well.
I planted some basil seedlings, aubergine and gem squash as well as bush cucumbers and black kale given to me by a friend. 

We have harvested herbs, lettuce, spinach, broad beans,  peas, gooseberries and leeks. 



Today I picked a beautiful red tomato from the bush that just sprung up out of nowhere and is my best ever tomato plant. 
There are loads more on this almost one meter tall plant!

CREATE:  
My daughter and I made about 60 cookie monster cupcakes for her 16th birthday party. 
I have been busy with my mosaic projects and got my first orders for some items.



I knitted up a slouch beanie for my youngest and a quick knit snood as a gift. 
I am now busy with a slouch beanie for my daughter and then my oldest son would like one too!
My pottery has finally started arriving in drips and drabs. 



I love the way my little jug turned out!

My youngest made a DVD rack at his technology class and my daughter held her monthly craft workshop where she did a few card making tutorials and taught the girls to make a gift box too.

I have also been having a bit of fun making cards again.

DISCOVER: 
I read an e book on Paleo breakfasts to try and get some new ideas for breakfast. I am not a breakfast person but there were some great alternatives to the usual carb breakfasts of cereal.
The kids and I have been enjoying reading A Passage to India and a wonderful living book on Egypt.
 I really need to get stuck into a novel for myself again too...

ENHANCE: 
We have had my sweet nephew here for a sleepover and babysitting. 
It has been great to have the little man around. 

A group of friends have gotten together and decided to set up a mini moving market. We will each bring our crafts or whatever we have to sell and set up a market in different venues as and when we can. We had the first one this month and another is due this weekend.

We have taken part in a book exchange and the international coin exchange again this month.

My daughter has taken on teaching a young boy to cook and bake.

ENJOY: 
Beach walks and braais, 
forest and mountain walks....



.....all good for the soul.

I had a dear friend visit from up country for just over a week and it was wonderful to spend time together and catch up as we haven't seen each other in a while.

Our daughter's 16th party was a wonderful event with loads of teens dressed in pjs and playing party games like musical bumps and pass the parcel. 
They enjoyed reliving childhood party games and fun.

We celebrated hubby's birthday this week too and enjoyed a home movie evening and rare treat of take out for dinner.



Thanks for the link up Christine.