Slow Living Month 11

The first of December has rolled around and signifies 1 week left of school for 2012. It also means that in 26 days my eldest child will be 18 and I am humbled to have raised this wonderful child for all these years. I watch as she prepares to start out on a post schooling adventure in a few months time and am delighted for her.

November has been a busy month wrapping up schooling, being used in ministry, summer gardening and a special visit from friends...so here it is laid out in categories as per Christine's Slow Living Month by Month.

Nourish

I included venison in our diet this month and we have enjoyed Springbuck stew, Springbuck meatballs and Springbuck Kofta. We found the taste pleasing and there were not complaints.

A few loaves of 5 minute bread were baked and the winter soups for lunch made way for summer salads.

My elder daughter has taken on making lunch for us each day and its so great to not have to break with schooling to prepare the food. She has churned out delicious chicken salads, falafel salads and more.We also enjoyed a cheats pizza from Jamie's 30 minutes meals...so scrumptious.

Prepare

I spent a morning taking out 20kgs of olives from the brine solution and making up various concoctions for the olives to lie in. We have some in chilli, others in fennel, others in herbs and garlic.


My elder son, who loves fizzy drinks (although we limit these drastically) decided to learn how to make homebrewed ginger beer. We have had 3 batches of brew this month and it is delicious.




Grow
This month I planted sunflowers, beans, carrots, courgettes, tomatoes, aubergine and cucumbers. We also planted a kitty garden.

I haven't been sprouting through winter so I started off that process again for our salads and I bought a grass kit to grow sunflower sprouts, wheat and barley grass. As we are jucing regularly again I thought this would be a good addition to our juices or green smoothies.

Reduce

As summer hits us full on I know we will be doing many picnics. This month also saw my son and I do the last of his 3 homeschool outings. I have in the past just bought us a Woolies lunch but I was determined to be better pepared for this month and for the rest of the summer picnics. Also the Woolies packaging is always a issue of wastage and recycling. I sorted through my plastic cupboard and matched lids to bases and got a little kit together for picnics.

The night before the outing I made sure I made a meal that would produce picnic left overs like meatballs, or roast sliced meat or chicken. A loaf of bread was put on in the machine for overnight, fruit sliced or picked from outside and Voila! a no fuss, cheap easy picnic was ready!

Green
I recieved my water bill the other day and on the back of it there was a graph showing our water usage for the year. Shock and horror followed as we simply use to much water. In my defense though we have a household of 9+ everyday of the week as Superman works from home and we have his two staff members (actually more like family!) everyday of the week. This will be my area of attack for December and the rest of summer! Stay tuned!!

Create

Zip...nada...nuttin!!

Do memories count? Got lots of those!










Discover - Enhance -Enjoy

Intaka Island Wetland

All together these three as I cannot seperate them...Outings done with my son to places of new discovery...spending time with friends from the States after not seeing them for 20yrs...touching lives of people who need love and Jesus....walking through my garden and seeing the promise of future harvest.

Newlands Stadium

Finding time to connect with each child knowing the time is precious...finishing projects and wrapping up a year of schooling...iced coffee with Superman...early morning Kitty cuddles....walks with my dog, a friend or children...delighting in My Saviour each day.

While the year has seemed long and trying at time I know that in His presence is fullness of joy and it's been a good month, a good year...