Blessed are those who offer water to the thirsty wanderer.

In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful.

Peruvian Lillies

31 January 2015.

Eh, Schaapkraal is always filled with drama. Electricity outages, burst water pipes, stolen bicycles, loud machinery on the pavement and cat drama. I was thinking. Everyday people stand at the gate for water; this includes the workers on the pavement. We fill a bottle and then they go their merry way. They must have been walking or working for a long time without anything to drink so they are really thirsty.

Clay water pots in Sudan
Pic: http://www.thisotherworld.co.uk/sudan2

In the Sudan in every road there are clay pots filled with clean cool water and a steel mug tied to it specifically for passers-by. I thought it wonderful and warm-hearted. It has its own filtration system and one would swear that the water comes from a spring of sweet clear waters. When anyone wants to make sadaqah and they can afford it, they set up a little stall with two clay pots for passers-by. Even on behalf of relatives who have passed – a wonderful Sadaqah tul jaria. Sudan can really be hot sometimes 48 degrees in the shade, but that water is always cold and delicious to drink, even better that the best bottled water.

Would it not be swell if we could set up a stall with cool water outside so passersby can drink their fill especially in this crazy heat. But hey this is Cape Town and unless one can glue it to the spot it will probably be pinched just like our refuse bins time and time again. Maybe they will sommer cart it away in a refuse bin. Not funny.

I had an interesting conversation with one of the teachers at the school, who with a friend over December time, goes to Cordoba in Argentina to teach Islam. Their journey to South America was inspired by a lecture given by Ml Taha Karaan entitled "importance of maintaining Muslim identity” and how Arabs who settled in South America lost their Muslim identity. He, the teacher was taken aback by this information finding it impossible to fathom this could happen living in an era of advanced communication and technology. It was through this lecture that curiosity drove them to go to Argentina, to visit and to ascertain the situation of Muslims living under these conditions. They end up going every year.

One Youmul Jumuah in Cordoba, they went down to mosque, finding the area abuzz with activity, food aromas filled the air, children were playing and people were gathering. Patiently they sat in the mosque waiting for the saf to fill and the khutbah to begin. 1 o clock had come and gone. It was 1.30, then 2.00 and then 2.30. They were really worried. Maybe the community had gathered at another mosque, what was happening?

Then they approached the caretaker of the mosque to inquire about the Jumuah prayer. “No”, said the caretaker “there has not been an Imam here in a very very long time.” “So why do people still gather?” “We know this is the day of gathering thus we bring our families and we celebrate the day. Are you an Imam by chance?” “Yes”, said he and he preceded with his interactive jumuah talk, filled with questions. 4 o clock came and went, as did 4.30 and the Imam still stood on the mimbar. Finally it ended at 5.30.

This was the generation of the community of Cordoba whose parents and grandparents had arrived as exiles from Muslim countries, that had been assimilated into the dominant ideology and remnants of memories of rituals and belief of Islam of their parents and grandparents were still visible. It was visible in the calligraphic art in subways and in the graveyards and on the mesangs (tombstones) and in their names. One woman over 80 years old remembers her mother fasting 40 consecutive days – probably 30 days of Ramadhan and 10 days of Shawwal. But practice was absent in their lives. Subhanallah, it brought tears to my eyes to think that they knew on Fridays they needed to gather and even without a more knowledgeable other to lead the salah and khutbah they made an effort and their reward was these two young men coming to visit, coming to share, coming to educate and enlighten and answer pertinent questions.

Hundreds of people came to learn everyday – how to make istinjaa and wudhu and ghusl and salah and how to wash and shroud and bury their dead. Until they were still on the airport these two young men were still marrying couples who wanted to have a halal union. Such dedication I admire, is Allah not great. In fact they found a copy of the Qur’an written by hand 200 years ago.  (I’ll insert some photographs taken in Cordoba later inshaAllah).

clean lettuce and strawberries

I walk around the garden and look at the Inca lillies blooming or some may call it Peruvian lillies, they are pretty pink. I also remember that I have some clean lettuce seed that came from Mexico in fact from the Chiapas Mountain area, that we planted in beds on their own and also as companions to the strawberries, ja ne, the garden has some things from South America too.



New IPSA leaders

This week our courses started off with much energy, some really good interaction with new students on the Global Leadership course. Not a shy group, some confident young men and women who are excited to be at IPSA for the year. I am sommer upbeat!

And then I spy some recycled boxes that Sheikh Ighsaan set up in the foyer and my day was made.

registration, chats and tea.

We have had a protracted registration process for our IHYA course what with school boards having to make decisions and teachers having to settle in first but we were patient. It was well worth the wait, what a wonderful group of participants. Some from Muslim primary schools, Madrasa and Tahfith schools. This morning our Orientation session was wonderfully stimulating and we look forward to the year ahead. In the week I was busy preparing readings for the IHYA course and I came upon a wonderful story that was posted by the group called Education Alive .

The article is called, Looking for Ms. Katy: A Search to Express Gratitude to My Teacher by Omid Safi (@ostadjaan),  weekly columnist. I am so going to make copies and tell this story so that we can elicit those moments when teachers in our lives leave an indelible mark on us. I particularly liked this paragraph:

We set up a meeting, and I finally had a chance to see Ms. Katy after some 25 years. We both joked about getting older. I did convey my gratitude in person, but there was more. As the years have passed — and I have the vantage point of years — I could see that what Ms. Katy had done for me did not just change my life. Through the love of my parents and the mentorship of Ms. Katy, my own life got turned out, and, because of that, my children now have opportunities to pursue their dreams. Ms. Katy had an impact on a whole generation of us. That’s what teachers do: they transform the lives of generations.

I mentioned this to Ms. Katy. She humbly passed it off, saying that any teacher would have done the same, and it was just my own hard work. But having been a teacher now for some 22 years myself, I know better.

I am who I am now because of her.

Plant food, give water to passers-by and remember the Ms Katy in your life.

Yasmine

recycle boxes at IPSA

cleanseed ;lettuce from Mexico

 

 

Dew drops on lime leaves

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.

 

 24 January 2015.
After 5 am

I try to fall asleep but the birds are already collecting; the Wolverine mews heartrendingly to out in the wild. I contemplate because his wounds have just healed –long gashes hidden in his thick fur. But I relent.

I can’t go back to sleep anyway I am far too excited –it’s Orientation Day for the iLABS IHYA course. I throw open the doors and the chill misty air fills the house. I decide that freshly baked scones will be lekker for tea time with a medley of spreads –cheeses and konfyts and jams. So I preheat the oven to a hot temperature, in the meantime prepare some breakfast –  Wolveine and I mix the dough.

I step outside with a soft pssstttwww just to check and our kitty bounds out of the brush, fur damp from the morning dew and excited after chasing a bird or a lizard or whatever he loves to chase. I was worried about his limp and relieved that he can still stride out fully to race me round the corner. Subhanallah the morning is fresh and damp and the leaves are filled with dew. A solitary bee comes to check is if it’s time to nectarise and decides to wait for the sun to warm up the petals. Wolverine mews for me to pick him up, I guess a bit insecure and his paws are full of sand!

I notice more chillies on the bush. The pink bougainvillea has its first summer flowers. I keep on snapping - the bee; the abundance of figs; the dew on the lime tree; the first white hibiscus; the last of the cherry tomatoes. I dip my finger into the dew drop on the leave. It’s cold and pure somehow.

 

 

I remember the scones in the oven and rush indoors, phew that was a close call. I sit down with a good cup of tea and warm scone and mentally check if I prepared the attendance register, proofed the prelims and introduction notes and wake up the rest. Will chat again when I get back, have to get packed and dressed and off to start the day.

 

Plant food and taste the dew drops.

Yasmine

Whats for supper? Chappaties and brinjal surprise

In the name of Allah the most gracious, the most merciful.

 

 

22 January 2015.

Alhamdulillah, our Orientation sessions at IPSA was wonderful today. I needed to start moving on from a painful bladder and ek is sommer reg! Good to see all the old faces Nadeemah, Gadija, Ibtisam, Masnoenah and all the rest. Everyone looks rested and tanned.

Sheikh Dawood led our session patiently.  Really loved the talk of our new Head of Department - Sheikh Mohamad Al Kholi about the beauty of Arabic and how to approach its study and application. Ms Kamalie briefed about Ground rules for the students and they look forward to placing their signatures on IPSA's values poster. In fact they are excited.

A sizeable group of post matriculants, and people who decided to stop  whatever they are busy with to do the Higher Certificate in Islamic Studies (which it is now called). I noticed a few students of last year have enrolled to do the BA Theology. We are excited for the iLABS team to start the Global Leadership and Life Orientation Course.

But most importantly, the gourmet garden has stood the test of summer and staff or students to water it. The lettuce and beans and basil has seeded and as I gathered them into tissues I was quite chaffed. This year inshaAllah the students of last year will hand over the Amaanah of the garden. We will replenish soils and cheer up some scraggly bushes, plant new seedlings and sow some more seed. This year Insha'Allah our Stewardship module starts earlier in the year with Allah's grace. But first a HUGE HUGE shukran to Boeta Gamiet's daughter for watering the plants in the vacation period.

I think this year IPSA is ready for some strawberry plants too, we have more space and time and new students who wants to impress, I'm not complaining. We came home to find the cats lounging in the sun and after a tidy up as we came home and a well deserved feet up for me I wandered through the gardens. There is not a strawberry in sight, many children pick them all the time, but no matter. 

I watered the transplanted ones deeply and as I lifted up the thick brush in the huge wooden crate, I skrikked so much I sommer ran inside to get Abu, the kids and the camera. A lush humongous brinjal, blou balle soos ons hie in die Kaap sê. And right next to it a beautiful green pepper. Of course I danced a jig! So whats for supper? Hmmm I have some mutton sausage that methinks I will steam out all excess fats, cool it down and deep fry in a batter of self raising flour, a spoon of butter rubbed in, salt to taste, grated nutmeg, an egg and some milk to make a smooth batter. I will coat the steamed sausage with this batter and deep fry (my Daddy used to call this chappaties). On the side a sweet sour tomato smoortjie with loads of basil and dem new hot chillies. The main side dish? Slices of brinjals sprinkled with salt and masala, soaked in a bit of lemon juice and fried quickly until soft in olive oil. A sprinkling of thyme when cooked en voila!

Did I not say the garden with its blessings has a way of making everything worthwhile?

Plant food and grow brinjals.

Yasmine

.

Ebb and flow

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.

pomegranates from Wellington

 20 January 2015.

Life is navigating the ebb and flow of things, that's exactly how I feel today. IHYA Teacher training course is still open for registration, IPSA/iLABS starts Orientation for students and Alhamdulillah I am still on the lookout for properties in Schaapkraal and in the Southern Suburbs so we can move. Of course all of this is stressful but also great fun to look at properties even if one cannot afford many of them. The rentals in Cape Town is really over the top and its hard to come by something decent but girl, are their wonderful farms and smallholdings for sale in the western cape. I really would not mind somewhere in Riebeeck Kasteel or the like, its just a bit too far right now. So please keep us in mind if you know of anything.

Generally I am a very optimistic person, I always try to view things from a positive perspective, try to find the life lessons in it, to persevere with patience, to celebrate small mercies and victories and so on and so forth. But when things get really tough, my body sends me signals to get off the world, take better care of myself, eat better, enjoy what is right here and right now. So like many women ( and a few men) once in three years I get really bad case of UTI. When I can feel it starting, I up my doses of green veggies and fruits with high vitamin C but not lots of acid, I cut back on my sugars, drink good fluids such as water and herbal teas etc.

ridge cucumbers

I walked around the garden to see what she has on offer for UTI's and I found ginger and garlic and ridge cucumbers and peppermint and parsley. I know for a fact green juices are the best thing as well as turnips. Somehow my body does not cope too well with antibiotics - my colon goes into a spin, my immune system crashes and so on. But I also need to know when to go for help and to start off with probiotics first.

And then some more bad news, the Awful Cat also attacked the Wolverine, who is limping, wants to take him to the PDSA tomorrow inshaAllah to check it nothing's broken. The Leo is completely healed and the wires come off next week. He so sweet, when Wolverine came inside after his altercation he licked him and nuzzled him and they fell asleep.



swiss chard seed

Anyway, with all that's going on, I sommer did not feel like blogging, not that I don't have anything to say but you know just not lus, ook maar mens. Then I stumbled on a wonderful article: Writing your way to happiness by Tara Parker-Pope and immediately started this post. I peeled and ran the fork down the sides of the cucumber and rinsed with salt, then cut some slices of the cucumbers and started chomping, I made some of that wonderful fruit tea and added ginger and honey.  I went outside to take some pics of the garden. The red chard seeds had dried so I occupied myself with collecting them. Here is some more pics of the beautiful jalapenos, tiny guavas and stunning bug.

 

Jalapenos

new tiny guavas

 

buglife

 

So inshaAllah with Allah SWT's grace the bladder will heal, our kitties will get better and learn to defend themselves. oh Oh and some more good news -iLABS Learning Across Borders has been officially registered as an NPO, yay, Shukran Allah!

Plant food and write your way to happiness and keep your bladders healthy .
Yasmine.

ps. Please let me know if you know of a 3 bedroomed house with garden or some good properties so we can continue our Mili and iStep programmes.

 

 

 

 

Fuschia fruits and swiss chard seeds

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful.

 

 6 January 2015.
I must really get used to typing 2015. I love this month – the start of the year filled with new adventures. Starting new programmes and the beginning of new classes and new students; all the tourists leave so the beaches are a bit quieter. And of course the prospect of establishing new gardens. Abu and I can’t wait for children to start school so we can play hookie, take walks on the beach after dropping them off or an early morning swim to recharge our batteries.

the Wolverine

This is truly the morning of the Day of Jumuah and I can hear the pitter patter of rain since last night.  The weather is a bit disconcerting for the kitties. Just at Magrib we were taking off washing, the Wolverine climbed right on top of the canopy chasing after birds or wanting to get a view from the top and he was stuck. Usually he scrambles up peeps around on top and scrambles back down the way he came. Then he started mewing, “get me down”. We laughed so loud but we all gathered to get him down.

swiss chard seeding

I must say that (with a bit of pride) the organic gardens have truly inspired others to plant their own herb and veggie gardens. Had an sms: “A Yasmine we have arrived home safely and we planted the lettuce seeds.” And good conversations about progress of strawberry bushes and eating strawberries every morning. So those of you who are growing your own now is the time in Cape Town at least to start cleaning up the crowns, trimming off old leaves and invigorating the soil around it and it will continue to fruit. The rain will do it the world of good too.



chilli and lemon



I am in the garden everyday but it never ceases to amaze me. Surprises abound. A chilli bush germinated and grew and wrapped itself around a young lemon bush. My loyalities are divided. I nurtured that lemon bush from seed but the chilli bush in two weeks is so lush and many chillies hang from its branches. Petunia seed also germinated between growbags and purple petunias stick out their heads. This morning when I watered many cucumbers have grown to adulthood hiding in the foliage. An opArt bug nestles in the Black eyed susy, and the egg plants shielded from the wind is filled with flowers and fruit. A dear friend gave me a black fig bush and this morning I was ecstatic to see so many small figs on its branches. Yesterday we gathered a bank bag filled with sweet pea seeds for next year and the last of the seeds to dry are the Red Swiss chard and Chinese cabbage. We repotted our Fiddlewood trees into larger growbags and it looks like espaliered trees against the wall.

 

blackfig

petunias

 

egg plants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


blackeye susy



Leo

As for the cats – The Leo has recovered the use of his paw almost completely, the stitches are out and the scabs around the wires are healed and his rich fur is growing back. He now has a pass to come out and play with the Wolverine and some time in the sun. But when he gets too boisterous wanting to jump out of windows and onto counters - its back to his room. I feel sorry for them with the closed door dividing them like in Frozen and they mew to see each other through the door. The Wolverine is also becoming stroppy, when he gets shooed out of my bed he backchats with a very injured mew, “But it’s so cosy”. On the 24^th  of January, the wires come out of Leo’s leg and of course they have to be neutered. My son and daughter wonder whether they will be cat eunuchs, ha ha.

Fuschia fruits

I received a gift of the Complete Fruit Book by Bob Flowerdew and I was pleasantly surprised when he mentions that the fruits of fuchsia is edible and filled with vitamins. I am really enjoying this book. So in the meantime our family is busy packing books and things readying ourselves for the move from here. Whenever we have moved in the past the most baggage we have had are boxes and boxes of books. This time it is pots and crates of plants and seeds, so apt I say. A huge Shukran to family and friends on the lookout for a smallholding to rent and offering space for our project equipment, plants and trees, books and art things.

Should you step outside this morning the air is superbly fresh as the barakah descends from the Sama’ah and a great start for the day. And Mabruk to matriculants and teachers from the Leadership College in Manenberg for doing so well. Also to Spine road in Mitchells Plain who had a 100% pass rate, wow, well done!

Jumuah Mubarak all.

Plant food and enjoy the rain.

Yasmine

 

Goodbye Schaapkraal and Postcards from Venice.

In the name of Allah the most gracious, the most merciful.

7 January 2015.



Subhanallah! The skyline is exquisite today, in all of its majesty. Looking up and across and above the blue sky is magnificent and I - a grain of sand. A contemplative grain of sand, mind you. The sky is a gift that grounds me, makes me ponder, let’s loose all of those light bulb moments and wonderful ideas, frees my soul and exacts joyfulness from me that I know not from whence it comes. And it makes me peaceful.



The Big Blue

In the quiet of the morning, it is just me, the sky, the birds, the Wolverine and all of the insects. I do a quick couple of brisk walking circuits round the house and a check on the garden. I have to be quick - the builders will be here soon and I need this time by myself.  So while I water, I stuff my mouth with sweet strawberries, one after the other. Yesterday Abu went to the janazah of his Aunt, his Mom's eldest sister in Wellington and I was disappointed not be able to go. A strong woman, a kind woman, whenever we visited she would be busy with something or the other and she's over eighty years old. Verily from Allah do we come to Him is our return. May there be ease in the hearts of the family for the loss of their beloved Aysa Rogers and may the wonderful memories they have together make them smile and may they all be enriched by having known her. I know I will.

Insects on Artichoke bloom

The artichoke, alas has just sprung into bloom before I had a chance to cook it and a myriad of different insects come to plunder her purple stamens for nectar. So I hope to get seeds to share with others too. The chard seeds are almost dry and the egg plants are magnificent. The young asparagus plants are doing so well, one more year and the canes can be cut to invigorate new buds that we will harvest with Allah’s grace.

And as I make my way to the gate, there is a postcard from a friend. Over the years she has sent me postcards from where ever she traveled – India, Bosnia, the Comoros and alas some of them may have gone astray in space because it has been years since I received any. There is no feeling like receiving a card in the mail. I look long and hard at this picture of Venice imagining how romantic it must be, lovers sipping a warm cocoa while the gondolier serenades and I smile. It is not dated so I wonder when she sent it.  My daughter spies  over my shoulder, “Mom can you make out the handwriting, the card is really creased?”. “Of course, it’s from my friend Alette.”

The morning inspires me to go and look for some beautiful writing paper, the kind I used years ago. I love letters and cards, the feel and smell of them; the mystery of where they come from and how they travelled. Aah is this not happiness?

And so our time in Schaapkraal has come to an end Alhamdulilah.  The time here has allowed iLABS to pilot its Mili Project (Mindful Living Initiative) and initiate our iSTEP (Skills Development and training) apprenticeships with the Koedrah of Allah SWT successfully. With the Tahfeeth school being here, it shared in its blessings and invited so much barakah.

Egg Plants

In 9 months, the strawberry plants increased manifold fruiting only the juiciest sweetest berries week after week; plant and tree cuttings took root in abundance; the plants gave seeds to start so many more projects – lettuce of different varieties, coriander and flaxseed; rocket, mustard, celery, cabbage, spinach and swiss chard to name but a few. The fruit trees prospered profusely and new ones germinated.  Also crates full of fruit trees.

 We could all eat from the gardens and this included students, teachers and visitors. We made daltjies from spinach and chards red and green; experimented with kale pies and filled samoosas with the different onions and greens. We made soups and used peas and beans and broccoli. Cabbage and cauliflower found their way to scrumptious dinners. Chillis spiced up our meals and chutneys and peppers and cucumbers our salads. So many different lettuces were enjoyed and added nasturtium blooms too. And so on.

So I stand in the soil (kaalvoet), under the big blue sky with thankfulness to Allah SWT for this journey and I try to envisage where we will find a smallholding to take these developmental projects forward. Surely Allah has a plan for us where we will find a place to stay, a place to grow our plants and projects, a place where can we continue this amazingly wonderful work.  Why else would we have gained this experience and knowledge and happiness in so short a time and thousands of new plants and trees and ground covers and creepers and seeds and flowers, but to settle them in a place to be a benefit for others to learn and to feed and to inspire to take better care of ourselves and the earth?

I am hoping that those of you who enjoyed the blog will help to find iLABS a place to rent where we can continue to do the work that we do best. To grow an improved organic environment; where we can open our centre for skills development and where we can tread on the earth gently. You may know of a space or place or piece of land that needs to be worked.  Anything is possible with Allah!

what's for breakfast?

And as the workers turn up, I slip on my shoes and head inside examining the lime tree's progress on my way and I spy a beautiful caterpillar snugly attached to a branch. I am about to knock it off when I think how can we expect mercy if we give none? So I bounce inside with a hop in my step and sit down to breakfast that Abu prepared. So what's for breakfast? Lots of fruits that he brought home from Wellington - gorgeous ripe figs with brie, yoghurts and some cashew baklava. Only a smidgen for me kanala!

Plant food and never despair in the mercy of thine Lord.

Ps send postcards too.

Yasmine