Cultural Exchange - a parcel from Indiana USA!

More excitement this week with a great parcel arriving from Indiana USA! 

It is such fun to be part of the Worldwide Culture Swap and learn more about different cultures, one exciting parcel after another!

We received a letter from the exchange family with some lovely photos of themselves and their home, plenty of information on Indiana, and some interesting items collected from their travels to several other states.

The following items were also in the parcel:

beautiful postcards

instructions on how to make a Native American Feather Headband

some corn meal along with a recipe for corn bread 

Uncle Sam mask

mini American Flag, coins & tattoos

American pencil and windmill toy

a shopping bag from Meijer (our surname!)

and some delicious peanut butter cup chocolates...enjoyed immediately!

We are going to have great fun immersing ourselves in their culture and enjoying discovering more about Indiana!

A little fresh air and lion's teeth

Today is the fourth day in row that it has been raining and cold, I am not complaining...I love the sound of rain drumming down onto the earth. I love the cosiness of a fire and the fact that the weather makes us want to stay indoors and take things a little slower. Last week we were blessed with some sunshine, and despite the nip in the air and the kids and I ventured out with a friend and took advantage of the "good" weather.

Not far from where we live is what used to be a forest. A large pine forest that holds many memories of good times with family and friends. Over the last while, the forest has been felled to make way for Fynbos.

We decided to do a circuit of the "forest".  

On the perimeter we passed a flower farm where the workers were chatting away happily as they were planting. In the long grass on the other side of the path we spotted a Blue Crane, our national bird. The views of Table Mountain against the clear sky were magnificent. In the distance, feathery plumes of Pampas Grass glistened in the sunlight.

Along the way we discovered the cutest little wooden seats carved from pines that had been felled. To the children's delight there was also a wooden swing. A patch of clovers was searched for a lucky four leafed clover. Frogs were belting out their songs as we passed the stream.

Wild Dagga or Lion's Tail displayed their brilliant orange blooms. In what is left of the pine plantation, squirrels chased each other in giddy circles around tree trunks. The scent of pine permeated the air, a scent I will never grow tired of. In contrast to the evergreen pines, some trees displayed the last of their autumn glory. I am sure they are now bare after the recent stormy weather.

Beside the path, Dandelions displayed their brilliant yellow blooms and perfectly rounded and fluffy seed bearing orbs. I had seen a section on them in our Handbook of Nature Study so we picked a few to bring home....

We learned so much about this delightful "weed" named after lion's teeth (dents-de-lion in French), due to the shape of the leaves. We learned how the yellow flowers don't open on dark and gloomy days. We studied the flowers, seed heads and parachute type seeds, and marvelled at the blossom bald seed head with it's mosaic pattern. We learned how the seed head is concave before releasing the seeds and later becomes convex and in doing so, the seeds embedded in it are liberated. It was most interesting to learn how this plant is able to conquer us and take possession of our land.

Once again we referred to my Companion Planting book and learned so much more regarding this little wonder which builds up the soil. We learned that the vitamin and mineral rich leaves could be eaten and each had a taste....a little bitter but it could be disguised in a salad, sprinkled over a soup or added to a stir fry. Apparently it makes a brilliant compost too, so from now on it shall be added to the compost heap.

The children made some pencil drawings for their nature journals.
My once reluctant youngest seems to be enjoying our nature studies more. Excitedly, he called me out to the garden the next day to show me his dandelion discoveries! 

I love the way this unplanned learning took place and look forward to visiting the area again and perhaps spending some time observing some of the other wonders of nature in that area. 

Bo Kaap Walking Tour

Yesterday we ventured off to the Bo Kaap Museum to discover some of the Cape's rich history. I knew were in for an interesting time when we met our guide, Faried. He has made it his mission to educate himself on the history of the area, and grew up in nearby District 6 until his family was forced to leave.

The museum is situated on the fringe of the city centre, at the foot of Signal Hill, in the area that became home to many freed slaves after the abolition of slavery. It depicts the lifestyle of a 19th century Muslim family and showcases Islamic culture and heritage. It is the oldest dwelling in the area, dating back to the 1760s.

Bo Kaap , with it's colourful houses and narrow cobbled streets, is one of the Cape's most colourful suburbs. Many of the residents in the area are descendants of slaves from various African countries as well as Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. These slaves had been imported to the Cape by the Dutch in 16th and 17th centuries.As Faried pointed out, the slaves were incorrectly known as "Cape Malays" despite the fact that they were not all of Malaysian descent. The name however has stuck, and the area is also know as the Cape Malay Quarter.

These two houses were obviously my daughter's favourite!

The colourful houses, once homes to the freed slaves, have either Dutch or British influence, and most are semi detached. The stoep (patio) is elevated from the street and has a 'skinner bankie" (gossip bench).

One can just imagine families and friends enjoying summer evenings together after a days work in the city.

 Faried entertained us thoroughly as he led us through the narrow streets and pointed out various facts. He arranged for us to visit the Auwal Mosque, South Africa's very first official mosque. This was most interesting and we were allowed to enter the mosque. (We have never set foot in a mosque before.) There he explained to us the ritual washing before prayers, why we needed to remove our shoes and many other fascinating facts regarding their religion and culture.

We slogged up cobbled streets to visit a Kramat and enjoy the view of the city below.

 On our decent, Faried took us to a popular corner cafe where we were able to enjoy the

 best samosas and doughnuts the Bo Kaap has to offer.

We also visited Atlas Trading, a treat in itself. They have been selling spices since 1946 and you can find every spice you have ever heard of and many that you may not know! The aroma is just incredible! 

Spices are sold in small packs or by the kilo, dispensed from great wooden boxes and weighed.

Some of the spices are imported from India. One can buy beans, rice, nuts, dried fruit and incense too.

 We stocked up on some necessities and leaf masala, apparently their best seller - a mix of 12 spices that will go will with  anything. They even supplied me with a recipe!

We ended our amazing day with rooti and home made mince curry for dinner.

Last of May and into June Joy Dare Gifts

Last of May

Day 29

(a gift at 8h00, 12h00, 20h00)

552) @08h00, hugs from my sleepy boy on a cold winter's morning

553) @12h00 a happy baby waking after a nap

554) @20h00 wonderful family time and dinner at my in laws with relatives who are visiting from Holland 

Day 30

(3 gifts blue)

556) jeans my youngest wore today,

557) the blue jersey he wore,

558) and the smart blue shirt among the big bag of clothes he was blessed with from overseas!

&

559) kids sharing their Dutch Liquorice with me...yum!

560) leftovers from last night so kindly given to us and enjoyed for dinner after the busy day today

Day 31

561) my daughter and her baby cousin playing & laughing happily together early this morning

562) 3 different friends who popped by and encouraged me when I was finding things difficult

563) reading Ann Voskamp's writings...good for me

JUNE

564) hubby starting a new job today after 18 months of unemployment

565) encouraging messages

566) perfect morning walk in this beautiful place... lifting my spirits

567) eating the best savoury muffins that my sweet friend brought over to fill hungry tums after our walk

Day 2

(3 gifts funny)

568) laughing hard over breakfast with a friend

569) 3 teens in the car, chattering away and laughing

570) friends coming over and bringing dinner....good fun, good laughs, good times

Day 3

(3 gift's from today's conversations)

571) conversations with my mum...always a gift

572) conversations and encouragement from a dear old friend

573) laughter and cheer in a conversation with my brother

Day 4

(3 gifts found in Christ)

574) never ending grace

575) forgiveness and the ability to forgive

576) beautiful friends who are in Him

& more my own

577) receiving another wonderful cultural exchange package today,

filled with surprises and new learning experiences

578) heart to heart with my almost 17 year old son...where did the time go?

Cultural Exchange - second parcel arrives!

On Monday last week, I just had a feeling there would be a package waiting for us on return from our school outing. With great delight, we received 3 packages that day! 

One was a prize of tasty jams that I had won, another a gift for my daughter from a friend in the UK and the third our second cultural exchange pack!

There was much excitement as we unpacked our package from Canada.

In the pack we received the following:

Canadian Flag

Canadian money

Canadian puzzle map

Maple sugar...yum!

Maple Syrup candy

Canada stickers

Canada pen and notebook

Inuit games pamphlet

Brochures and a DVD

The maple sugar was gobbled up immediately and the map puzzle was done. Our youngest was delighted to discover Melville Island in the north - my maiden name is Melvill. 

Next week we look forward to spending some time discovering the wealth of information on the DVD, playing some Inuit games and learning all about Canada. 

We are thankful to kind family who sent us such a great package!

Oodles of sprudels and billions of beans!

Last Monday we had the pleasure of an outing to Beanland, home of The Bean People....

and makers of magical bath times for little and not so little people!

 As one of the moms said, we all knew it would be a magical experience when we walked into the factory and it smelled like heaven! 

We were welcomed by Sharon and her team of delightful, happy factory workers. The children paid close attention as the safety rules were explained and then we set off on an adventure through the working factory.

First stop, the children had a chance to be creative and try their hand at a new design for bath beans.

 More creativity followed as they got to work with colourful paints and stamps,

 creating their own wrapping paper.

Next they were shown how the foam is cut into the various designs that are inside those magical bath beans. Each child had a turn to use the machine and do their own cutting.

The dying process was interesting....we learned that vinegar alters the pH of the water, 

making the foam shape hold the dye. 

The shapes are dried in a tumble dryer before the next phase of production.

Loading the bean was not as simple as it looked! 

The one I loaded would certainly have been rejected by quality control as I managed to crush the casing with my clumsy fingers!

We then entered the "heavenly zone" where the sprudels were being made.

 One cannot describe that delicious aroma and certainly think it should be bottled and sold 

so all our homes can smell so wonderful!

The children each got to make a sprudel under the watchful eye of the wonderful workers, who patiently instructed them how to make these magical balls that fizz in the bath....

releasing colour, scent and a bath bean for added fun!

Once dried, oodles of sprudels are packaged and boxed....

ready to delight children at bath time!

   The children thoroughly enjoyed their visit to this working factory and were delighted to go home with a surprise pack containing bath beans and a sprudel! Thank you Beans at Beanland!

Slow Living Month 5: May 2012

May has been jam packed and as Christine said in her post, 

I too feel like I have been chasing my tail! 

Exams for our eldest son dominated the month alongside a fair amount of busyness. 

I feel the need for more slowing down!

NOURISH: 

Some of what we have enjoyed in the month of May-

* Butternut soup with lentils and apples to lower the GI and a hint of curry, shared with old family friends and then made again:
 some to enjoy and some to freeze for one of those busy days.

* Sausage stew, a family favourite from my childhood, loaded with fresh veg and some frozen marrow from the farm, in a sticky tomato and herb sauce.
*Spicy chicken curry slow cooked at lunch time and ready for dinner.
* Cooler mornings call for something warm at breakfast- 
I have been putting a breakfast bake in the oven at night alongside dinner:
apple & oats with cinnamon, enjoyed warmed up at breakfast time.
* Tried out some new muffin recipes: carrot and ginger & then savoury muffins with spinach, feta and sun dried tomato...delicious!

My daughter baked up a storm one Monday morning when there was no bread in the house..

*Challah- a plaited yeast bread with finely chopped spinach from the garden, mixed herbs and sun dried tomato.

*Apricot muffins - a double batch for those in between times when snacks are needed.

*Crunchies- plain for us and a batch of choc chip for the neighbour

and then she treated the boys to pancakes for lunch.

* An orange cake baked for her Opa's 75th birthday.
* Dinner kindly made by her on one of the days of crazy revision with my son - a delicious vegetarian North African spicy butternut and chickpea tagine with fresh peppers from the garden.
* She has been making pots of home made hot chocolate with vanilla and cinnamon and sometimes a dash of chili for me!

PREPARE:
Not much done in this department...

* More of that tomato and sweet chili jam for my boy...here is the recipe I use and adapt here and there if I don't have everything on hand:

about 500g tomatoes (red, green , frozen or fresh...whatever I have)

4 cloves of garlic

2 or more teaspoons freshly grated ginger

4 or more red or green chillies

30ml fish sauce

300g of sugar (though I usually use a bit less)

100ml red wine vinegar (I use what ever I have or a mix of what I have on hand)

1 or more onions diced (more is good)

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar ( if I have it)

I let it simmer in the pot until it has reduced and thickened well, then bottle it. 
It doesn't last long as he eats it with everything!

 Really good on a cheese sandwich.

GROW: 

*I have planted peas and beetroot seedlings and then there are tomatoes shooting up everywhere that I didn't plant!

*I have harvested green peppers, spring onions, mustard greens, spinach, kale, basil, coriander, rocket, first peas and believe it or not a few more beans!

CREATE:
I have had little time to be still and be creative besides starting a new scarf for my daughter but she has had fun being creative...
* Her monthly Krafty Kow workshop was yesterday, scrap-booking with the girls. Each girl received a pack with pretty embellishments & templates she had made up for them. I loved the tags she re-purposed from old paint swatches.

*Below is a fun card she was "commissioned" to make for a 13th birthday and a pretty rose and ribbon bookmark she created from fabric scraps as a gift for a friend.

* She made this blue beaded handbag charm/ key ring to add to 
the bookmark to complete the  gift.

DISCOVER: 
Most of what has been read by me this month has been to help my son prepare for his exams. I think I could have written too and passed the geography and English papers!
 The younger two kids and I have been enjoying numerous books on Ancient Egypt as they decided they wanted to re visit that. 
And then of course there are the blogs I follow on home educating, mothering, gardening, green living and home making.

ENHANCE: 

* My daughter volunteered her time manning a table at the Teddy Bear Fair.

*She has been babysitting in exchange for sewing lessons.

* Our little nephew had a sleepover so his mum and dad could enjoy a night out and a late lie in. He has also been coming more often to us during the day 
as his mum is working mornings.
* Shared lifts to exams and other outings have been a blessing.
* We joined up with Free Rice, a free fun place to learn and earn grains of rice to feed others. Thousands are earning grains of rice daily, while having a great time learning! 

ENJOY:
* My family really spoiled me on Mother's Day with a lovely breakfast in bed, handmade cards and gifts and flowers picked from the garden.....

I love the fabric painted tray cloth with bright red poppies that my daughter made for me!

*There were many birthdays celebrated with family & friends this month and one of my dearest friends celebrated her 40th with a most enjoyable breakfast.
*It seems it was the month for numerous school outings too,
 creating enjoyable moments of fun learning times together.
*More weekends spent at home instead of galavanting all over the place.
* We enjoyed keeping warm next to a cosy wood fire on chilly nights too.

Thank you Christine for the opportunity to share again by linking up at
Slow Living Essentials.