Babylonstoren

Recently our nature club organised a visit to Babylonstoren. Most of the members could not make it but we decided to go anyway and it was a wonderful treat, despite being delayed for about 2 hours due to traffic!

 It is one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms located in the Drakenstein Valley which was originally inhabited by the Khoisan people. After the arrival of the French Huguenots, and the expansion of the Cape Colony, the farm was granted to the burger Pieter van der Byl in 1692. He laid out the first vineyards on the farm.

Guests are free to stroll around the farm and explore. We explored a tiny part of it, as the farm is 200 hectares. The fruit and vegetable garden (8 hectares) is where we spent most of our time.

 I stopped to ask one of the gardeners if they sell the produce and he informed me that the produce is used in the two restaurants on the farm. My little veg garden is so small and produces so little in comparison to this wonderful garden!

I was amazed to see Sunflowers in full bloom as mine have long since been dead and dried out for next years planting. I will certainly sow more seeds later in the season next year. 

This garden has a formal structure and over 300 varieties of plants are grown, all edible. The children were delighted to receive a map of the garden and set about exploring and finding different areas.

We caught up with them after they sped off and found them playing hide and seek in the prickly pear orchard. 

 Water is fed into waterways that run through the garden. This was a great relief for me as my shoes broke not long after we arrived. I could walk in the water channels or on the raised walls, instead of the paths which really hurt my feet!

We stopped to watch some beautiful birds flitting around and the children discovered nests of their own.

I could certainly do with a nest of my own.... a quiet spot to relax in!

The farm shop was a delight to explore too. One can purchase wines from Babylonstoren as well as surrounding wine cellars. Hand-crafted cheeses and delicious cold meats alongside freshly baked artisan breads would be perfect for any picnic! Freshly picked fruit from the farm was available too. Various preserves and handmade soaps and so much more to delight the senses. The kids enjoyed the dried pumpkin sprinkled with castor sugar.

 I was thankful to leave with belated birthday gift for my sister (rhubarb and plum preserve and some dried pumpkin) as well as a loaf of bread that had an entire garlic bulb baked into the middle of it. My friend chose the cheese and spring onion bread as well as a Merlot sour dough bread....all delicious!

There is plenty to do at Babylonstoren. One can stay overnight at the farm hotel and guests can make use of the spa, gym and swimming pool. There are daily guided tours of the garden, guided cellar tours that take one through the wine making process from the vineyards to the bottle, and then wine tasting. Guests can canoe on the farm dam, hike up the koppie or cycle through the vineyards. It is also a birdwatchers and photographers paradise. Something I know I would truly enjoy is a return visit to enjoy a meal at one of their restaurants.This is certainly a wonderful piece of paradise worth visiting if you have never been. Linger a little or perhaps a lot longer.....

WCS Easter Mini Swap

Recently Worldwide Culture Swap announced another mini swap, this time for Easter. We so enjoy taking part in these swaps and were matched up with a family in USA. After discovering they have 3 sweet little ones, I asked my daughter to make some finger puppets for them.

We included some stickers, chocolates and cute little bunny masks for the children to make.

Though Easter for us is not all about chocolate bunnies and eggs, we still enjoy eating them of course!

We sent an Easter card, explaining how we celebrate Easter, and packaged it all into an African animal themed bag.

We are thankful for our risen Lord and Saviour and the enormity of His sacrifice for us. 

Joyfully counting on

Counting His blessings in my life....

Day 19

 gifts eaten

1373) last piece of delicious bread baked by my youngest yesterday , thankful the kids hadn't finished it

1374) meal shared with hubby over looking the ocean

Day 20

 gift that made me laugh

1375) laughter shared with friends as we enjoyed a simple meal together under the stars tonight

Day 21

1376) thankful that our daughter arrived safely at youth camp

1377) and a gift just right .....surrounded by friends and family today

Day 22

gifts found in His word

1378) Psalm 139: 1-5

O Lord, you have examined my heart

    and know everything about me.

² 

You know when I sit down or stand up.

    You know my thoughts even when I'm far away.

³ 

You see me when I travel

    and when I rest at home.

    You know everything I do.

⁴ 

You know what I am going to say

    even before I say it, Lord.

⁵ 

You go before me and follow me.

    You place your hand of blessing on my head.

⁶ 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

    too great for me to understand!

1379) Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;

    I have all that I need.

² 

He lets me rest in green meadows;

    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honour to His name.

³ 

    

⁴ 

Even when I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid,

    for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff

    protect and comfort me.

⁵ 

You prepare a feast for me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You honour me by anointing my head with oil.

    My cup overflows with blessings.

⁶ 

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me

    all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord

    forever.

&

1380) a wonder-filled day exploring Babylonstoren 

Day 23

3 gifts found in women today

1381) thankful for a brief chat with my mum

1382) blessed to see my longest standing friend from my childhood days

1383) blessed to sit and chat with my aunt, such a gentle soul

Day 24

3 gifts spoken

1384) thankful that hubby asked me for help

1385) thankful for conversations with my friend

1386) thankful to hear my daughter's happy chatter again after her safe return from camp

Day 25

1387) knowing this....."His goodness and mercy pursues me all the days of my life"

1388) thankful for my dear neighbour who cooked a turkey for us today when my day was overflowing.

Counting rainbows, not thunderstorms

Continually counting my blessings...

Day 12

a gift in wind, in water

1360) a gift in wind...coolness on this scorcher of a day

1361) in water.... running water in our home, thankful we don't have to walk kilometres to get it

Day 13

a gift round

1362) round trip to town and back with my eldest son.... time to connect and chat

Day 14

gift found in silence

1363) solitary walk on the beach, sand underfoot and pink skies above

&

1364) white roses on our 21st wedding anniversary

Day 15

1365) blessing of friends and family who care and are always there for me and mine

Day 16

1366) hard eucharisteo..... difficult but necessary conversations that bring hope 

1367) wonderful prize of a bag of books delivered to my home

Day 17

1368) a walk on the beach with a dear friend, afternoon braai at family friends and St Patrick's day celebrations in the evening with the neighbourhood

Day 18

1369) a gift red....

...freshly picked today :)

1370) a slower school day, but learning none the less

1371) two youngest cooking up a storm in the kitchen, dinner made by them

1372) friends helping out with lifts for kids

Paper making fun

My youngest and I had some hands on fun making paper for the life science curriculum he is working through. The objective was to discover how paper can be recycled. 

He shredded some old newspaper and placed it in a large bowl. It was covered with water and left to soak for ten minutes. While it soaked, he mixed a quarter cup of water with 6 teaspoons of cornflour.

He removed the newspaper from the water and blended it with the cornflour and water mixture. Just to be different, he added some mustard seeds once the mixture had been blended. To make interesting paper, one could add tiny dried flowers or a little food colouring if desired.

We then covered a cooling rack with and old stocking and he spread the pulp out over the rack.

The pulp was covered with wax proof paper and excess water was squeezed out by rolling the pulp out, making it flat and thin. 

It was a beautifully warm day and the rack was placed out in the sun for the paper to dry thoroughly.  This could take a day or two in colder climates.

Within a couple of hours, it was totally dry and he could gently peel his handmade paper from the cooling rack. The paper had a light grey colour. It could be used to made cards or gift tags or in this case, it can be planted in the garden and mustard greens should grow!

It was great fun and I am sure we will make paper again.

Baby Bananas...

In keeping with my sister's philosophy of "USE-IT -DON'T LOSE IT" , my daughter and I had fun using up some miniature bananas. These bananas were hanging over the wall near my veg garden. I had asked hubby to ask our neighbour if it was OK for us to pick some. The neighbour is hardly home and hubby had no luck in getting his permission. Every day I noticed the bananas getting riper and riper, and the birds were beginning to eat them. I figured they would eventually just rot and fall into my garden so I took the liberty of helping myself to a few....

They are delightfully sweet and the flesh has a pinkish tinge. Perfect for an in between snack, and perfect for making some healthy banana bakes that the family would enjoy....even those who don't eat bananas!

I made banana bread, a firm favourite in our family, though I am not too fond of it. 

Here is the recipe I used :

8 mini bananas mashed

80ml melted butter

180ml sugar

1 beaten egg

5ml vanilla essence

5ml baking soda

375ml flour

Mix mashed banana and melted butter together.

Add all other ingredients except flour. Mix well.

Finally add flour and bake at 180 C for about an hour.

My daughter made some oatmeal and raisin cookies which were truly delicious!

Here is the recipe:

1 cup oats

1 cup mashed banana

half a cup of peanut butter

2.5ml cinnamon

5ml vanilla essence

3 tablespoons raisins

3 tablespoons sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon sugar

Mix all the ingredients and don't eat too much dough...

Shape into balls and bake at 180C for about 15 minutes.

A healthy snack that disappeared in no time at all!

Glut of Granadillas...

Besides our own harvest, which was not too large, we received a shopping bag full of granadillas from my sister's mum in law. A delicious blessing!

I shared some with my neighbour and she made some granadilla sorbet and in turn, shared it with us.  It reminded me of the granandilla ice lollies we enjoyed as children....

 but the sorbet tasted so much better!

My daughter tried her hand at granadilla butter, similar to lemon curd, but made with granadillas.

It is very simple to make and delicious over vanilla ice cream. 

Here is the recipe if you would like to try it yourself :

130g butter

2 cups granadilla pulp

2 cups sugar

5 eggs

Put all ingredients, except eggs, into a double boiler and bring to the boil.

Remove from heat and allow to cool down a little.

Beat eggs and then add to cooled mixture while stirring.

Return to heat, stirring all the while until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat before the egg curdles.

Enjoy!