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

 

 

Beautiful graduations and the Art of Tea.

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

2 March 2015

Today is the 62^nd day of the Gregorian calendar. It has been more than 90 days that we started to look for a new home for us and a new home for iLABS and we are still trying. I realised yesterday that there are so many more people who are looking for accommodation, I speak to property agents and its dry out there. Many people have divided up their homes to rent out separate entrances just to make ends meet. It’s tough.

IPSA class of 2015

But not someone to be disheartened easily, I have been hard at work. Busy with the young leaders and of course celebrating with the students that were on the course last year – yep it was IPSAs graduation for 2014 at the Kelvin Grove.

On Saturday our class was delightful, my head was a bit whoozy of the night before. When we got to the gates of the MJC, the students were waiting for the gate to open. U Rasheed was sick so we had to wait a bit. Hope inshaAllah you get better soon!

Friday evening was wonderful seeing the 2014 students coming in for their Higher Education Certificates. The students with their pretty white dresses and twirly scarves. Some of them are studying at UCT; some at Stellenbosch and UWC; some  at CPUT; at Northlink; and the Madinah Institute and many have stayed to complete their BA in Theology at IPSA. One of students laughed and said, “Should have paid more attention last year A Yasmine, we’re busy with Durkheim and Max Weber and theories I have to get my mind around.” I made a mental note to buy him a copy of Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder.

Yesterday we walked on the fleamarket looking at beautiful crockery, vases and bird cages. The bird cage had potential – a scrub with a steel brush, a lick of paint but a bit too expensive. My son rummaged around the leather stall convinced he will find pieces of leather to buy to make an elegant quiver. My daughter found a copy of Homer's Odyssey for her collection and Foucault’s Pendulum – by Eco for her Dad. All I wanted was a Florentine from Rosa’s bakery. And there stood Abu with two beautiful porcelain cups.

The first morning bus passes by and the cats are strutting up and down along the passage mewing for a snack. I get up to look outside and realise the Wolverine has snuck outside but I know that when I tap a saucer on the floor he will come running. I am still worried that our cats cannot hold their own with Stalker Cat next door. I breath in deeply the night is still the air is warm and calm and the wind is at rest. I fill the kettle and put it on gas while I feed the cats a snack.

I go through some of the pics I took and have to re-adjust the exposure and one of the students of 2015 sent me a picture she took, shukran Yusrah, but the resolution is too bitty. I have so many things going through my head and I remember today I have meetings. As I put the kettle on the gas and wait for the whistle, I remember a quote from Yutang in the Art of Living: “There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.”

 

 

So I take out the  tea kettle and warm it thoroughly. I rinse the teabags in hot water to release the flavour in the leaves and continue to pour water. I close the lid and wrap a cloth around the kettle and place it on the tray. I rinse out the two new cups and place them alongside. I warm some milk and place sugar and honey and teaspoons on the tray cloth - that was this morning.

Late this afternoon I came home lekker tired - constructive meetings with my supervisor and Adult Ed Masters research group at UCT. On my way to have tea with my supervisor I run into Aqeela, one of the 2014 IPSA students. Hugs and introductions later I said this is my lecturer and supervisor and Aqeela says this is my lecturer, meaning me. It was a good feeling I was on my way out and she was on her way to her tutorial!

We rushed home to water the garden what with the heat and a quick supper and of course a wonderful cup of tea.

plant food, kick off your shoes and brew a good pot of tea.

 

Yasmine

Reflective narratives

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

 24 February 2015.

February is supposed to be the hottest and less windy month in Cape Town but its lekker windy - canopies blowing off in the night and tango-ing with washing. And then it’s filling in grids and writing reports and I am thankful I keep reflective journals, Alhamdulilah.

I started off just keeping a diary many years ago - at the end of the day or class I write up my thoughts and so on and it takes a narrative form with some doodles that tries to be graphics (just kidding). I also wrote profusely to make sense of my life. Now I have a fancy name for it. A reflective narrative where I start the reflective process by determining the aim of writing in order to guide me. Am I writing to comment on personal behaviour of students and to what end? Is it a statement of observations of this personal behaviour and participation? What can I do to structure the course better, for it to be more interesting and relevant to the participants in their everyday.

It started off with just writing notes about events and learnings and light bulb moments to becoming more descriptive and finally to more deeper writings in which I could interrogate my thoughts in a more profound way. 

I find it particularly useful when I introduce new strategies such as dividing a group of about 60 students into groups of 15. Here I can observe and engage in giving voice to the quieter students and encouraging the confident ones to learn to listen and respect others opinions too. Sometimes it gives me a better idea of a student that would generally be quiet in a more rambunctious class, so I will go through my reflective entries to find the session that I observed and enjoyed while everyone takes a chance to speak out.

Sometimes in order to introduce the leadership class to formal theory and new information I make use of many different kinds of methodology such as showing them video skits, reviewing a current movie, and so on. Utilising my reflective notes allows me observe and note their receptiveness to new knowledge and different ways to make meaning of it. And I can add little light bulbs moments in my narrative text such: “must show them TEDex – The barefoot college.” “Or check what movies are current and interesting for class discussion”.

Occasionally the narrative poses a jamboree of ideas that need sorting out in my head, when I express those sortings on paper, I realise that I have learnt something completely new that needs deeper reflection and discussion with my colleagues and maybe further input.

All of this allows us to tweak our courses all of the time so it is relevant to the group of participants of a particular course at a particular time. It is useful also to stay on course while observing what happens in the fabric of the course continuously reflecting and modifying and improving. It is so helpful for discussion in meetings with tutors and other lecturers and in reports and as a great research tool.

So why reflective writing? My underlying intention of reflective writing is for the purpose of my learning to teach better; to develop learning course materials better and although it is relatively subjective it is to benefit those whom I teach. I think that writing narratives come to me naturally – I love telling stories. But my learning /teaching narratives are about sorting out ideas, an awareness of all of the role-players in a particular discourse and a means to make meaning.

This blog started out as just a narrative about the goings on in Schaapkraal and our projects at iLABS. I started sharing some personal things connected to the gardens – the cats, birthdays, cooking, carving, seeds, etc and it has been immensely valuable to me as a reflective narrative about planting organically while of course also honing my photography skills and hoping to inspire others to live a bit more mindfully and plant food. As I post I realise in three weeks it will be a year’s writing – 125 blogs and 5000 pageviews later Alhamdulilah. Shukran everyone, have a fabulous day!



the first strawberries

spinach for Ramadhan cooking



Weeding



Plant food and start writing reflective journals/narratives/diaries

Yasmine

ps. I don't have much comments but the pageviews are currently at 5008 and the favourites according to stats are:


A place called the dry dock 79

Die Toekamannie 63

Ornate gates, door stoppers and pastry wheels.  62

Imagine 56

New beginnings 55

Tell me mystoy herstory  history 56

Never under estimate the power of a seed 54

12000 believers will not be defeated 53

Blessed are those who are invited to Makkah 53

Whats more fun china or platinum? 51

Now let me know what your favourite blog was!!!

 

Negative filters and lightbulb moments

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

 

 

21 Feb 2015.

Subhanallah, yesterday, Youmil Jumuah was filled with barakah, a gift for us all. Even those of us who despair and are just feeling a bit down, a bit sick, stressed and a bit overwhelmed with much work.

Life is filled with uncertainty sometimes – am I going to pass this essay, find a house soon, make new friends, enjoy this class, get rid of this cough and so and so forth. The one thing that guides us is our steadfastness. And in that we gain support from friends and colleagues who stand firmly next to us. And so we should also be thankful for those whom Allah SWT puts in our way and us in the way of others.

This morning I was feeling a bit despondent but one look at the students sommer cheered me up. As for good friends, somehow Allah puts the right words on their tongues that we need to hear at that given moment and one knows it’s OK. Someone related a lecture on patience/sabr that when one feels it ebbing and hard to find that patience after what one thinks patience was what you had – that is actually the time when a beautiful Sabr is needed. That is the time when one lets go of circumstance and develop a quietness knowing that you have done the best you can and you keep on doing but to trust in Allah. To trust Allah has a plan for you, to trust that this test will only make you stronger and to trust that Allah will not bestow more on you that you can bear. Allah hu Akbar.

So with those words in mind I came home, cleared up, walked into the garden and gathered aubergine, curry leaves, chili, lettuce, tomatoes, danya. I started a pot of a chicken curry with wedges of aubergine, some fluffy white basmati, chucked salad greens in a bowl and added olives and feta. We had two gentlemen come to fix our bakkie to share the table with us.

I also managed to find Salwa of the beautiful scarves and bought a bright green scarf, she's on the left. So when I see her this weekend I will take some pics and have you know where to find her at different times, at different markets, inshaAllah.

We look forward to the month ahead what with graduation of last year’s students at IPSA; exciting happenings with new students possibly a weekend hike; the IHYA programme planning their Al Ghazzali day for March and with Allah’s grace unpacking boxes at a new home.

This morning we had a wonderful class at the MJC Boardroom, while some of us were early we watched the 90 10 principle by Stephen Covey, which we did just to pass time. It ended up as a much discussed point throughout our class today - Personal learning and Critical, thinking particularly the part on negative filters.

 I promised to post the link, this is it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6402QJp52M 

Plant food and enjoy a stress free rest of weekend.

Yasmine

Canned fruit, jelly and Ideal milk

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

 

  

 
18 February 2015.

Alhamdulilah I am thankful. For our iLABS projects and good camaraderie in our projects team despite feeling a bit of pressure now and then and frustration with outages. The electricity cuts are playing havoc with our electrical appliances - the washer is bust so is the micro wave and we have to change light bulbs all of the time. So I commit myself to patience in the hope that as South Africans we can start addressing this 'crisis'. If it is a drain to an ordinary household, what must it be doing to our economy?

Class was good today but so hot that most of our young leaders were looking rather drowsy- nothing that a brisk walk to the bathrooms for a face splash and an energiser could not remedy. Shukran said one of the young men just for letting us step out and stretch ha ha, "that's my job to know when you are affected by the heat and energies take a dip this time of day." Reminds me when we teaching at the College of Joburg in Langlaagte. One does expect just after lunch time that energies dwindle and we feel lazy. So the class and I would sometimes take a brisk walk/some would jog around the field and then refocus on class.

Methinks the garden is also losing some energy thank goodness deep watering helps them rise and shine again. The cats are the coolest lying stretched out in the shadiest places, on the cold tiles and yesterday found Wolverine lolling over the fence which brought a cool breeze to his belly.

Our house hunting continues and this evening we went to view a house and about 8 other couples were there, ja, finding good accommodation in Cape Town is tough. We have been viewing for weeks now and hope inshaAllah there is a place set out for us, duahs.

But life goes on in Schaapkraal. We had a birthday celebration on Tuesday and we all opted for cool desserts instead of birthday cake-cake we can have the weekend. So I rummaged through the grocery cupboard - found jellies and evaporated milk. We went off to buy some canned peaches and guavas and had an awesome dessert, old school, how many of you remember those days when this was the average household summer Sunday dessert. Besides jelly is packed with Vitamin C and its quick and easy and no hot oven thank you Allah.

When all is said and done, the gardens inject a spirit in me that cannot be quenched. The rhubarb stems are turning red (Rhubarb jelly soon); the bright red chillis hang in multitude; the bougainvillea blossoms continue to bloom on new growth; a lonesome caterpillar chews on the orange leaves and tomatoes hang heavy. Wolverine poses for a shot with fuschia while Abu is drenching the strawberries.

As I am writing I pop down the passage because I remember there is still some dessert left. Aaah is life not beautiful.

 

Plant food and make jellies.

Yasmine

A walk on the interesting side

In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful

16 February 2015.

So yesterday we went to Milnerton fleamarket, of course each one of us for our own reasons. It was a cool and windy day, layers of clothing and comfortable shoes and of course some sunblock for those long lovely hours in the sun.

My son was on the lookout for tools, leatherman knife, leather for quivers and interesting objects de art. My daughter was looking for books trying to complete her Jane Austin collection and other books of interest and novel things to adorn her bedroom (she picked up a Mansfield Park for R6 )

Abubakr usually goes off to the one side and I to the other. But not before we talk small budget, ha ha. I am never sure what I am looking for - to quote myself, I am always on the lookout for things with potential. I found a plastic box with recipes in Afrikaans; a French cooking book, some silver napkin rings; a tin for R5, a kenwood handmixer, some silver knives and a pretty glass jar.

My daughter found a cute memo chalkboard and books and my son was disappointed that an entire set of carving chisels were sold so he settled on some craftsman books . Abu found some interesting nibs for calligraphy and red ink in a pretty bottle, a magnifying glass and an ink pen holder that he is cleaning up.

I felt I could stay for hours - there were beautiful new picture frames for R5 each. Wish I had a camera. . . Someone sold panels of eiderdown for R150 for 9 panels. A beautiful old Kenwood made in the 50s but a bit too pricey (R1200) for my budget (something like this one).

A man with a truck and cold storage sold delectable snoek smoked with mustard seeds and my favourite - smoked mackerel.

A young man sold plants in recycled tomato tins, the catering size, looking something like this from:
http://gutterspecialist.co.za/13-creative-and-innovative-rain-gutter-garden-ideas/

Really attractive, I meant to go back because he had a tansy plant but I got side tracked.

And just before we left for home a quick pop in at Rosa's Bakery stall/truck. Delectable feta and spinach wrapped in phyllo, almond croissants, olive ciabatta and how could I resist a Florentine that I stashed in my bag for later. The Florentine was groovy - made with flaked almonds it was light and crispy and delicious.

And then back home. We threw together some garlic, strips of red and yellow peppers and a jalapeno into an olive oil warmed pan and settled the mackerel on top. Tossed a garden salad with some feta and had a light lunch with the olive ciabatta.

While Abu was busy trimming all kinds of fuchsias, white ones and light pink and cerise and red ones,  I snuggled down to a book and a Florentine of note, relaxing because the night still lie ahead filled with Admin tasks and grids and proofreading.

 

Plant food and spend your money wisely.

Yasmine

Beautiful scarves and sunflower seeds

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

sunflower seeds

14 February 2015.02.14

Current news in the world can occupy one’s mind and make one feel helpless and blue: The brutal slaying of the three young people at the University of South Carolina, the rape of a boy at a school in the Northern Cape and so on. We try to do something about it and share it on facebook or sign petitions; have class discussions and try to make meaning of all of these events.

 

Then it’s back home and more depressing chores, mopping floors. The washing machine has packed up, scripts need to be attended to, names and numbers captured, preparation and checking of next week's work. If I do not spring into action I fear it will all just pile up.

I must say that the IHYA course is going well Alhamdulillah, the class is starting to form its identity. Adult learners engaging with new texts and we are all enjoying discussions and group work. The hunt for houses continue unabated and the garden maintains its serenity despite a bit of neglect now and then.


English Lavender

We took lots of plants:  lavender and an array of bushes and small trees and herbs that we propagated in our Mindful Living project to the iHATA centre for Abused women who were so opgemaak, the expressions on their faces, joyous. We are looking at dates for our first workshop on planting organically Insha'Allah.



French lavender

 

 

 

 

 

There is nothing that cheers me up more than beautiful scarves. The different hues lifts the spirit and fabric is soft to the touch. Abu’s cousin Salwa sells the most beautiful ones. I needed a navi one, my old one was gettinga bit shabby. Then I spied a beautiful white and navi geometrically designed one and a cheerful green flowery one that cheers yet it is soothing to the eye.

 Its so weird - when I look at my clothing in the cupboard I make a metal note of the colours I need. But when I see them hanging and folded in an array of colours I know not which to choose. I came home definitely wishing I had taken ones with russet and bright orange or maybe azure. I know she has a stall or two and as soon as I know where I will keep you informed, I am so off to buy some more scarves.

Methinks tomorrow morning would be great for a walk, maybe to Milnerton flea market, maybe to the beach, maybe on a mountain path and definitely going to find the stall with the beautiful scarves.

A deep watering for the garden before Magrib so we can walk early in the morning  - the ridge cucumbers are hanging beautifully, the chillis are turning red in the sun, figs are ripening and the sunflower heads have dried and offers us so many new seeds. Who would have thought so many comes from only one flower.

Plant food and gather ye sunflower seeds!

Yasmine