Life On The Domestic Front

Life around the home

Christchurch sweltered yet again with a very very hot day yesterday.  Our Temperature peaked at 36 degrees Celsius well into the evening - South-swelters-in-real-scorcher.  As I type this I have most of our downstairs doors open to let all the pent up heat OUT of the house.  I shouldn't complain as a small town south of Christchurch, called Timaru, got to 40.  We didn't really know what to so with ourselves with all that heat and no wind.  Our Church put on a special lunch with sausages, drinks and ice cream.  The children specially liked this, however the ice cream was melting faster than the ladies could handle.  You couldn't talk to people or else you lost your ice cream down you hand.  I took the children for a much needed swim at a local public pool about 4pm. We stayed until around 6.30.  I must say they were lovely cooled and calmed children to take home.


Homeschooling

What has been happening over the last week here? We have been concentrating again on getting the basics started for the year.  This means grammar, math, English and science and some history.

Do you remember our monarch caterpillar called Nibbles? Sadly he drowned in some water in our bathroom several weeks ago (a bizarre accident I know).  The children were gutted as they had desperately wanted to see a chrysalis form, so how lucky were we when a very large caterpillar was found crawling on our next door neighbour's drive.  Clearly looking for a new home and a nice juicy swan plant to nibble on.  Munchy arrived on Tuesday and started his metamorphosis on Thursday night

Amazing to capture the metamorphosis beginning

We kept a close eye on Munchy ALL day Friday until about 3pm when we finished school and mucked around in other parts of the house.  When we came back after 4pm, look what had happened.  You obviously need to be quick when observing the insect world!

We were all very disappointed we had missed the show so we checked out You Tube to see what we had missed .  The good news is there are 2 new little caterpillars on the plant as well, so we may yet get to see the metamorphosis after all.

Filling the Baking Tins

This last week I spied 500gm butter at the supermarket for $5.95. I just about fainted!  I have always baked cakes, slices and biscuits to fill our baking tins, but these new butter prices have forced me to reconsider what I am baking.  I certainly haven't paid that price (yet) for my butter.  I hunt out the absolute cheapest option in what ever supermarket is the cheapest.  In this case it is Pak N Save.  For budget butter I am paying $3.79.  What most people don't realise is that all the butter in the South Island is made in the one factory.  They just put different packaging on for each "brand" of butter, but it's all the same.  My budget butter is just the same as the flash Mainland brand at over $5.95.

When I look  through my recipes for day to day baking, I now have to take into consideration just how much butter is used.  I still believe baking from scratch is far cheaper than buying packets of biscuits and muffins.  A tray of 6 muffins is costing around the $5 mark, almost the price of a 5kg bag of high grade flour. Lets look at what I have been baking in the last week....

Horse Happenings

Georgia has started riding lessons at a new riding school about 30mins north of Christchurch.  Our time at the paddock looking after Spice, the ex race horse, came to a nasty end just after Christmas.  Needless to say, Georgia ended up being treated very badly by the girls and their mothers there.  Georgia left feeling very upset and stressed after being continually accused of stealing since September.  As a homeschooling family, we have been shielded from alot of the rampant bullying that is occurring in our schools and society at the moment.  Perhaps we were naive to think those frequenting the paddock would be like-minded people like us, however that was not the case. Georgia was a rock, sticking to her guns when being faced with nasty accusations and rumours.  Since we made the decision to leave the paddock just on Christmas, Georgia has been quietly de-stressing at home as all that drama did eventually take a toll on her health.  She is, after all, just a 12 year old dealing with nasty 16 year olds. So starting out at a new riding school has been like a breath of fresh air for all of us.  

Below is a shot of Georgia and Tiny at Ashley Downs Riding Centre.

Celebrations and More Shaking Earth Part 1

Sunday 14th November 2010

It has been Show weekend here in Canterbury.  Show a great success , Friday is a public holiday here, so no school or work.  We have been busking in hot summertime over the last week with temperatures reaching the mid to high 20's. So a time to relax for a few days, everyone doing their own thing.

Friday saw Georgia and Alex swim at a local river with the other girls from the paddock.  The horses also got to go along for a swim as well.  With a float that takes only 2 horses at a time, several trips need to be made to get all the horses out and back.

Friday was also our wedding anniversary.  The day was kicked off with a brunch of waffles, bananas, bacon, coffee and grape juice.  The children got right into the swing of things.  As predicted Georgia set the table and made a lovely job, she made the coffees and organised getting the boys to the table while I cooked.

Brunch plated up and ready to go, Mmmmmmm

Talk at the table soon turned to how Alf and I met 18 years ago.  It's funny when your children get old enough to want to know about things like this.  Alex at 14 and a half was genuinely interested at "how" we met.  I laughed and said it sounded like an episode of How I Met Your Mother.  But it was a lovely time sitting and enjoying a family time together, even though Alex had quickly eaten his plate of food and was eagerly checking out everybody else's bacon! poor teenage boy, to think if we had been out at a proper restaurant, he would have polished off more than 1 plate of  food, likely 3!

The hot weather has encouraged the cats to lounge around more, trying to find a cool breezy spot.

 Now I know why some strawberry plants are squashed.

Bye for now, Lee-Anne

A case of mistaken identity

Monday 1st November

"Pinch and a punch for the first of the month"

Already November and a mere few months to the end of the year and Christmas.  Seems it was only the other day we were struggling  through winter and dark days, now we are almost in summer.

It seems that Miss Lettuce has turned into Mr Basil.  I knew things would be touch and go back when we were planting out the seeds and the trays were not labelled.  However, the basil looks to be doing really well.  What was obviously the lettuce therefore failed to even sprout.

Escapee in the bean garden, quickly whipped her out of there!

Dinner is cornish pasties and there is enough mince mixture leftover for a pie to freeze (or so I thought...)
mashed potato and coldslaw made with cabbage, red cabbage and carrot.
Plymouth Pie
(page 37, Destitute Gourmet - Everyday smart food for the family) If you want me to place recipe on here I shall do so.

Dinner served with lots of leftovers, which is unusual in our house.  My nephews arrive (20 and 16) for a catch up and have been offered no dinner at home (long story) so the said pie for the freezer does nicely with vegetables. My heart is happy providing for the boys, a wonderful catch night for everyone.

Springtime on the outskirts of the city, 2 mares and  their foals

Bye for now, Lee-Anne

Games we play

Tuesday 26th October 2010

A busy day with homeschool.

On a Tuesday morning Georgia is a horse handler for a local Riding For The Disabled group. It is her job to control horses that are being ridden by distabled teenage riders. She loves her job very much.
Her instructor is full of praise for her calmness and compassion as she goes about her job. Being homeschooled has allowed Georgia much more freedom to pursue her passions.  And an absolute passion for her is her horse and horse riding.  So much so in fact, she plans on a career in the equine industry as a riding instructor.  I am so proud of her at the grand old age of 12, she knows what path in life she will travel.  It is my job to help direct her on this journey.

So on Tuesday mornings we head out to just past the satelite township of Templeton at 9.30, she begins at 10 sharp.  I then go back out at 12pm to pick her up.  I must be honest that this disrupts our Tuesday schooling day, however, Georgia tries very hard to make up her lesson time throughout the rest of the week. And I think everyone should encourage their children to volunteer in some capacity .  At her age she can even undertake qualifications and unit studies which will help her to ultimately become an instructor.  I believe with her very mature outlook, empathy and natural teaching ability she will do very well.  I know I'm very biased, but I can be because I'm her mum!

A resource we use in homeschool is a game called Kiwi Quiz. I want our New Zealand general knowledge lessons to be fun and preferably oral. However, we don't play it according to the rules. So on a Monday  I gather together 20 questions, and proceed to ask those questions, sometimes getting a correct answer, but mostly not.  This is good because it gives us all week to find out more about answers we didn't know.  Even I'm learning heaps.  Topics covered range from history to quotes, art to Maoris.  It seems to cover all the basics.

It's handy to have the New Zealand Encyclopedia on hand as well.

Here are a sample of some questions, see how you go.  Will give answers tomorrow...

Hone Tuwhare is well known for what? golf-rugby-art-poetry

What is the edible larva of a flying beetle, found in decaying wood & regarded as a Maori delicacy?

In what year did NZ first win the Americ's Cup?

What town was once called Kororareka & in 1840 was the largest settlement in NZ?

What do paua derive the colour of their shell from?

In which forest is the world's largest kauri tree?The passing of the New Zealand Ensign Act in 1902 instituted what change to the NZ flag?

Bread rolls for tomorrow's lunches.

Simple fruit loaf from my trusty Edmonds Cookbook.  This recipe is an absolute godsend for me in the kitchen. I try to make it as I'm doing dinner as it is soo quick and basically looks after itself.  The tins can go into the warm oven once dinner is cooked.  I usually double the recipe therefore getting 2 loaves.

Sultana or Raisin Loaf

1 cup sultanas or raisins

1 Tablespoom butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

1 cup boiling water

2 cups baking flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Put sultanas, butter, sugar & salt in a bowl.

Sprinkle baking soda over.

Add water.

When butter has melted sift in flour & baking powder.

Mix quickly.  

Bake in greased 22cm loaf tin at 180 degrees centigrade for 40 mins, or until scewer comes out clean.

Bye for now, Lee-Anne

Road trip to the country

Monday 25th October

The majestic Southern Alps with the last of the winter snow

Crossing the Waimakariri River, a large braided river that flows across the Canterbury Plains from the Alps to the sea. You can just see the Port Hills and Christchurch in the distance.

Up early today to head out to the country for a horse show.  It promises to be a beautiful sunny warm day. We are going to support one of the girls from the farm, Kat, who is competing in the View Hill Pony Club Outdoor Event.  Georgia is part of the support crew for Kat, she has slept overnight at the paddock, ready for an early start out at 5.30am. Alex and I have the luxury of being out there by morning tea time.

So into the kitchen to make some food to take.  Pizza dough made in bread maker yesterday, so have pizza for myself, Georgia and Alex.  Something sweet to have with my coffee...

Spiral Sponge
This sponge roll is delicious and quick enough to fling together in the mornings. TIME 20mins.

3 eggs
2/3 cup white sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
25g melted butter

Beat eggs, salt, and sugar until pale and thick.

Sift in flour and baking powder and fold together. Gently fold in melted butter.

Pour into lined sponge roll tin. Bake 10mins until golden and risen

Turn out onto clean tea towel and remove paper.

Roll the sponge quickly in the towel, then unroll and spread with jam or cream.

Homemade strawberry jam, see all the strawberries!

Roll up again, dust with icing sugar and then slice

Delish! do try it

Packed up a and ready to go

Kat riding Indy, she did well and placed 2nd in her class. Camera was on zoom lense here, you can just see her jumping.  Georgia finally finishes her long day at 7.30pm.

Goodbye for now, Lee-Anne

Running on empty

Monday 18th October 2010

An unschooling day is called for today.

Georgia has had an exhausting weekend of activities.  It has been about 6 weeks since we have taken over the care of a standardbred chestnut called Spice.  There is a real little community of horse loving girls at the paddock where spice lives and we have slowly been intergating Georgia into it.  A bbq for the girls and their families was held on Friday night, followed by Georgia's first proper sleep over with all these girls. The weekend was then spent at the paddock, mucking out and riding.  Hence a very tired girl today.  We discussed having too much on at the weekend and being too tired come Monday morning.  Mmmmm, I told her one big activity only, like sleepover/riding or mucking out/taking horses swimming at the Waimakairi River.

So, we listen to an audio book, CHERUB CLASS A, by Robert Muchamore...

When Cherub kids go under cover, they can

 succeed in infiltrating criminal organisations that

have eluded MI5 and the police for years.

James Adams is on his biggest mission yet,

to nail Europe's most powerful cocaine dealer.

He'll need all his specialist training if he's going

to bring down the man at the top.

The reason for CHERUB'S existence is simple: adults

never suspect that children are spying on them.

For official purposes,

these children don't exist.

A story not for the younger set.  Written along the lines of Tomorrow When The War Began, I am pleased I can listen at the same time, just to monitor and discuss the adult themes involved, like drugs particularly.  So Georgia draws as we listen, I potter in the kitchen.

Out to the garden we go to tidy last of leeks.  I have noticed some are starting to go to seed.  Over the winter Georgia has been thinning out the carrots, so time to finally pick some.

We have been doing science in the garden, discussing the planting we did over the weekend, checking over the chickens, sorting out seed raising trays and watering them.

Off to secondhand bookshop to exchange big pile of horse books, come home with smaller pile of Star Trek books to read.  Library day as well.  Off to art class at 5pm.  All very tired by end of day.

These books took my fancy and couldn't resist getting them.  Homeschooling and purchasing books is so expensive, anytime I can get handy secondhand stuff I jump to it.  However I still have to stick to my budget.

Mmmm, these also took my fancy, Georgia is studying reptiles next up in Zoology 1, lovely illustrated herb book (really informative for someone like me just starting out) and another dictionary.  I love nice old dictionaries, especially Collins ones. This dictionary is massive and will be very handy. Trying really hard to get the kids to use a dictionary to look words up in (like we learnt) instead of going online.  I can forward one of my other ones on to my sister now, as she was telling me the other day how she wanted a nice old one like mine.

One day old chicks with very protective mother hen.  They live at the farm where Spice the horse is kept.  This mother hen has been sitting for about 3 weeks on her eggs.  These are the only ones that hatched.