Slow Living Monthly 9 : September and October

“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, If a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, If the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, Rejoice, for your soul is alive.” - Eleonora Duse

NOURISH: 

I have had a bit of fun in the kitchen recently. My aim is to try new recipes often and we have enjoyed a few new favorites more than once.

A quick and easy wrap filled with mince and marinated courgettes is a winner. Fully loaded cauliflower is another firm favorite. It is packed with mushrooms, bacon and cheese in a sour cream sauce.

Our lemons have been used in a variety of puddings that my daughter has made. The best being a lemon meringue pie. Rooibos and lemon iced tea is enjoyed on warmer days.

PREPARE:

Our daughter prepared  a tomato jam and an apple chutney.

REDUCE: 

I collected a broken mirror from a friend so I can reuse it in my mosaics. An occupational therapist was also throwing out a number of her clients half finished projects and I have claimed them to rescue the tiles for my own mosaic projects too.

GREEN: 

Lemon balm tea is a soothing refreshing drink I have been enjoying.

GROW: 

I love this time of year in the garden. It's so exciting to see the new growth. My California Poppies and sweet-peas are looking gorgeous. Seedling are peeping through the soil and there are first fruits of tomatoes, chilies, passion fruit and peppers. Carrots and beetroot are ready for harvesting, corn is knee high, beans are climbing the tripods and squash are putting out leaves.

I have planted aubergine, lettuce, peppers, basil, spring onions as well as numerous different seeds. It is going to be fun to see what does well.

CREATE: 

Beanies galore have been knitted from the tiniest prem baby beanies to slouch beanies for teens and a lovely new "tea cosy" style fitted beanie for my daughter, niece and dear sister. 

This little guy is a month old and the tiny prem beanie is still way too big!

I adapted the baby pattern for the adult sizes and the recipients all love them. 

I have made some baby jerseys and booties too.

It was fun to put together the blue set, adding colours as I went along. 

Its a great way to use up even the smallest scraps of wool. 

It was lovely to create some mosaic projects again. 

My nephew loves his new mirror.

The blue one will go up in my son's room and the neutral one is for my sister. 

DISCOVER: 

I have been enjoying quick reads on blogs and in magazines. A recent win of a recipe book also makes great reading.

ENHANCE:

I joined a pay-forward initiative for the fun of it. My recipients will receive a surprise from me at some point during this calendar year- anything from a book, a ticket, something home-grown, homemade, a postcard, absolutely any surprise! There will be no warning and it will happen when the mood comes over me and I find something that I believe would suit them and make them happy. 

ENJOY: 

Hubby and I had a rare weekend away on the West Coast. Wide open spaces, spring flowers and freedom. 

My sister visited from the farm and we enjoyed her daughter's photography exhibition.

'Beach and forest walks fed the soul.

My siblings and I visited the Oranjezicht City Farm and market. 

We celebrated the birthdays of my niece, daughter and hubby.