
Piper and I have been sowing seeds for winter vegetables this afternoon. It’s fun to do with children of any age when outside is stormy and wet, and inside is a much nicer prospect. Northern hemisphere folks sow summer veg for a school holiday activity.
Learning to grow vegetables is a valuable and important life skill.
10 Easy Steps
1. Find something in your recycling that will make a suitable plant pot. Suggestions: bottom half of plastic milk bottles, yoghurt pots, bottom half of egg cartons.
2. Fill the receptacles with compost. Get organic compost from your local nursery/garden centre or use sifted homemade compost.
3. Plant seeds. Suggested for winter: Swiss chard, spinach, some lettuces, some carrots, onions, peas.

4. Water.
5. Admire.
6. Put in a sunny window.

7. Water daily or when dry.
8. Wait.
9. Harvest.
10. Eat.
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Give some moms a big pile of recycling and instead of dropping it off at the nearest recycling centre, they come up with an inspired toy for their kids. This cute WALL-E robot is made out of what “Kitten Muffin” (not her real name, surely) found in her recycling bin, although looking at the raw materials, not much of it is recyclable in my neck of the woods, only the cardboard.

What makes this WALL-E robot project so perfect is that in the movie he’s the guy cleaning up after us humans who leave the planet in a jolly big mess, so why not have him clean out your recycling bin at home too. You can see exactly what was used and how to make your own WALL-E robot out of stuff from your bin at Kitten Muffin’s blog, Filth Wizardry (note to self: file as something cool to do for the upcoming school holidays).
Home made recycled WALL-E [Filth Wizardry]
[via elephantjournal]
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CAPE TOWN – Here’s something really worthwhile to do on Tuesday’s public holiday. I’m going because I like to make a contribution to keeping places that I enjoy in good nick, and because I want to teach my children that being a member of a community is a give and take process.

Photo credit: Millstone Cafe website
We enjoy spending time at the Millstone Cafe and Farmstall at Oude Molen where you can get the best breads, quiches and pizza in town, as well as such delicacies as chocolate beetroot cake. And while you enjoy your cake and sip on a creamy cappucino, the kids get to play in this terrific tree-house .

Photo credit: Millstone Cafe website
Or in this little playhouse.

The place has a very homely feel to it, the staff are warm and friendly and it’s a great place for families or for kids parties. There are even pony rides next door. Millstone Cafe and Farmstall is open from 9-5, Tuesday to Sunday.
Pia of Mother City Living paid Oude Molen Eco Village a visit a few months ago, read about it and see her photographs here.
Reggie of Grains of Sand reports that Oude Molen Eco Village is under threat by developers, which is another good reason to support Tuesday’s clean up and the Oude Molen businesses.
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