Planting for winter

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

 

 

23 April 2015.

The cats mew at the door before dawn. I say shoosh go away, but I get up nonetheless. They bounce down the passage and wag their tails. I’d like to think they are happy to see me when I greet, but as they push their snouts into bowls, I know it’s not me.

The autumn morning is quite chill and I do reconnaissance to check for Stalker Cat. Satisfied that he is not around, I open the doors and let the cats out and go back inside.

Sorry for the lull in the conversation, have been so busy juggling. Our chances of finding a house look positive thank you Allah. I have become so disillusioned with the rudeness of agents never letting one know if you  were lucky just a “its taken!”- no “dear Yasmine, I regret to inform you that  the house you inquired about has been taken, better luck next time”. So much for good customer relations. We finally spoke to some people who are helpful in getting a place that is reasonably priced for good space. I am so hoping we get the one with the fireplace and an oven to bake all sorts of warm goodies for winter.

But enough, patience is all. I’ve really missed blogging and responding to those who ask what happened to the Schaapkraal diaries, so here goes. What have I been up to? Mentally rewinding…

Yesterday I took a red eye flight to OR and the Gautrain to Pretoria with a few colleagues almost a precursor to a trip we will be making as post grads to Oslo in the coming few weeks. We went to sort out Schengen visas and after on line applications scheduled staggered appointments. I laugh now, but filling in all the details of siblings and children when you come from a large family can be quite daunting ne. It was a lovely experience though – the Gautrain was efficient and comfortable but somehow I had visions of a bullet train whooshing us off to our destination in a whizz. It took us just over an hour from the airport. We are all excited for our trip - a conference on Learning outside the Formal Educational System and alternating between formal, informal and non-formal learning as well as some site visits.

While we waited at the Norwegian embassy some suggestions from others to visit the Palace and Art park. I am so going on a trip to see the fjords right? Maybe on Viking ship?

I have also been busy with researching new materials and creating "knowledge bags" for a post graduate course and it has been wonderful. All the things out there, from youTube videos and ebooks and articles and so much more. I am elated at all the MOOCS (Massive Open Online Courses (free online courses) check out https://www.mooc-list.com/ and https://www.class-central.com/report/ten-most-popular-moocs-april-2015/. And a particularly useful resource for teachers is the Educational Technology and Mobile Learning site.

I enjoy traipsing up to campus for seminars and meeting other post grad colleagues and have refined my methodological tools, and continue to gather data. Insha’Allah this too will come to an end.

I am excited about flipping our classes for this term and starting our stewardship module earlier this year. We use the blended learning approach but decided to create on line platforms in order that there are extra readings at learners fingertips; discussion board; online quizzes; online posting and submissions of assignments and above all to prepare students for 21st Century learning. 

Have been buying compost instead of making our own; tools and wheelbarrows and checking out which of Bob Flowerdew’s wonderful books are free resources for Gourmet garden factions. The Art and Creative expression faction started off with a bang and the IPSidedge Blog group are starting with a photographic workshop soon and already busy chatting to all and taking pics and will post soon insha’Allah.

Our IHYA group are enjoying their classes amidst shuffling their workload as teachers, parents and betrothals. We hope to have our Ghazali day soon and we are excited to take some time out watch educational videos/vimeos and discussion and meeting families. One of our teachers has offered their family space in the Faure Kramat area. Roadtrip!

 

As for progress with gardens. We have rebagged our propagated plants, fruit trees and so on for new projects this year and Sheikh Saaleem has offered us space at their family home till we can sort out iLABS offices. Shukran so much to the Peck family for use also of their borehole water to keep the plants happy.


I am happy to see that the asparagus has grown a metre in length with lots of new shoots; one red hot chilli; the date pips have developed into strong plants; the chrysalis still hangs silently on the wall; the curry leaf tree has lots of new plants that emerged at the base and ready for separation and the trailer is packed with lemon grass and chaste trees waiting to be transported to their new home. But wait, that’s not all the chaste trees are sporting their first round of berries!!!

During the end of term vacation, a few lecturers at IPSA took young leaders on a paintball excursion. I was so not looking forward to bruises so the rest of us played 30 seconds and dominoes and braaied. Let’s look at some pics…

 

 

So for tomorrow, we are donning our gumboots and spade in hand will start tilling new spaces and checking soil. We plan to create a peace corner with a swing and all. The beds will be resuscitated after we shift some of herbs and small date palms. We’ll plant strawberries on the edges of the beds so in September the strawberries will hang down. And then we’ll plant some spinach.

So have a beautiful end of week and Jumuah Mubarak, enjoy the long weekend!

Plant food and start planting for winter.

Yasmine

Ps. Planting for winter in the western Cape are the following vegetables:

Beetroot
Broad been
Cabbage
Carrot
Celery
Dwarf spinach
Endive
Garlic
Kohlrabi
Leek
Lettuce
Onion
Parsley
Parsnip
Peas
Radish
Swede turnip
Swiss chard
Turnips