Here is my "bit of this, splash of that" recipe for some of the best muffins I have ever made... they were all eaten so quickly I didn't even get a photo!
Ingredients:
Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil: one third to half a cup
Caster sugar: half cup-ish
Eggs: two
Kefir (or any runny yoghurt or sour milk): about a cup
Real vanilla essence: a bit more than a teaspoon
Plain flour: approx. one and a half cups
Baking powder: two teaspoons
Mixed spice: one and a half teaspoons
Icing: one cup icing sugar, two tablespoons softened butter, one teaspoon real vanilla essence, a dash of fire-engine-red food colouring, mixed together until smooth.
Method:
1. Mix oils and sugar together until smooth.
2. Add eggs and mix well
3. Add kefir and vanilla and mix well
4. Sift dry ingredients in and mix until smooth (should be almost runny)
5. Spoon mixture into muffin tin prepared with olive oil to prevent sticking
6. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius until an inserted skewer comes out clean (20 to 25 minutes)
7. Allow to cool
8. Ice with pink vanilla butter icing
Try it and let me know what you think... do the measurement amounts need any adjustment?
YUMMY!!
Tuesday 14 October 2014
Wednesday 30 July 2014
Something to inspire progress
Life can get hectic sometimes. Actually, it is as hectic as we make it. How many activities are actually optional? Pretty much most of them. De-clutter a too-busy life by cutting back on those activities that don't help improve life.
With so many items on the to-do list, so many bills to pay, I need a few more hours in the day! Maybe I should be grateful for the person who phoned and let it ring for just two seconds at 0430 this morning - there are my few extra hours of awake time. A perfect time to blog and fix up links in my proofreading web pages. Maybe join another group on LinkedIn and update my profile.
Last night at my Toastmasters club prizegiving we had a great time, a fabulous catch-up and amazing supper. As the current Vice President of Education for the club I am in the process of organising the upcoming Table Topics and Humorous speech contests. The main difficulty is finding judges from outside our club, as it means some people from our club need to go and help judge at other clubs. With everyone being so busy it is a challenge to find enough volunteers to do this. I have a feeling I and one (or hopefully two) others will be able to help at several other clubs in hopes of someone from those clubs coming to judge our contest night.
The homeschooling is picking up now, with a complete math revision of the entire primary math curriculum in progress and set to be completed by the end of this term. Spelling is another focus area, with some progress being made using much repetition and positive reinforcement. On top of the daily bookwork is drama classes, gymnastics and junior science classes. I think three extracurricular activities a week is enough at the moment.
This blog is turning into a bit of a diary, though I meant it to be an inspirational read with fun and motivating links... maybe next time!
With so many items on the to-do list, so many bills to pay, I need a few more hours in the day! Maybe I should be grateful for the person who phoned and let it ring for just two seconds at 0430 this morning - there are my few extra hours of awake time. A perfect time to blog and fix up links in my proofreading web pages. Maybe join another group on LinkedIn and update my profile.
Last night at my Toastmasters club prizegiving we had a great time, a fabulous catch-up and amazing supper. As the current Vice President of Education for the club I am in the process of organising the upcoming Table Topics and Humorous speech contests. The main difficulty is finding judges from outside our club, as it means some people from our club need to go and help judge at other clubs. With everyone being so busy it is a challenge to find enough volunteers to do this. I have a feeling I and one (or hopefully two) others will be able to help at several other clubs in hopes of someone from those clubs coming to judge our contest night.
The homeschooling is picking up now, with a complete math revision of the entire primary math curriculum in progress and set to be completed by the end of this term. Spelling is another focus area, with some progress being made using much repetition and positive reinforcement. On top of the daily bookwork is drama classes, gymnastics and junior science classes. I think three extracurricular activities a week is enough at the moment.
This blog is turning into a bit of a diary, though I meant it to be an inspirational read with fun and motivating links... maybe next time!
Sunday 7 October 2012
A very interesting book
Hi there, have you ever read any of the books about the Bible Code?
I have just finished my second reading of the original book by Michael Drosnin, an atheistic journalist who learned Hebrew so that he could check out a phenomenon in Genesis, where equidistant letter sequances spelled out names of significant persons who lived thousands of years after the original five books (known as the Pentateuch, or Torah) were given to Moses. This is HUGE in relation to the significance and prophetic power of those books. The author, Michael Drosnin, still thinks aliens with a supercomputer coded those books to fit the facts - I don't think he wants to believe in God, really. The mystery of the codes has been known by Jewish Rabbis for thousands of years, but only with computers is it now possible to find some of the many relevant names, dates and happenings which are all interrelated hidden in the original Hebrew words of the Torah. Statistically the findings are highly significant, as measured against another very large book written in Hebrew.
If you are interested in looking further into this phenomenon, have a look at the more up to date book by Chuck Missler about Cosmic Codes (hidden messages from the edge of eternity). This deals with the subject more thoroughly, looking at some of the other mathematical and codified information which can be found in those ancient Hebrew writings.
Mind-boggling stuff!
I have just finished my second reading of the original book by Michael Drosnin, an atheistic journalist who learned Hebrew so that he could check out a phenomenon in Genesis, where equidistant letter sequances spelled out names of significant persons who lived thousands of years after the original five books (known as the Pentateuch, or Torah) were given to Moses. This is HUGE in relation to the significance and prophetic power of those books. The author, Michael Drosnin, still thinks aliens with a supercomputer coded those books to fit the facts - I don't think he wants to believe in God, really. The mystery of the codes has been known by Jewish Rabbis for thousands of years, but only with computers is it now possible to find some of the many relevant names, dates and happenings which are all interrelated hidden in the original Hebrew words of the Torah. Statistically the findings are highly significant, as measured against another very large book written in Hebrew.
If you are interested in looking further into this phenomenon, have a look at the more up to date book by Chuck Missler about Cosmic Codes (hidden messages from the edge of eternity). This deals with the subject more thoroughly, looking at some of the other mathematical and codified information which can be found in those ancient Hebrew writings.
Mind-boggling stuff!
Thursday 8 September 2011
Teaching creativity
Creativity can be such a broad term - we can be creative in the kitchen, creative with the decor, use creative language, have creative ideas for clothing - the possibilities seem infinite. Is creativity something we can teach? Teaching itself requires creativity to make the subject or topic interesting and memorable. But can it be taught? I believe it can be caught - from being exposed to the creativity of others, and being encouraged to express our own ideas in whatever form we choose - whether it be as a song or a dance or on paper or in the many other ways of expression available to us.
Encouragement is the key - or at the very least, tolerance - for the off-key tunes of the toddler or the wobbly first few years using a pencil to depict those interesting ideas visually. There can be such joy in being creative, in expressing ourselves in new ways.
Tolerance - not the "Eeeek!" at seeing the son's wall covered with black permanent pen. (I will provide him with an interesting array of testpots from Resene and some little sponge rollers which he can use as he wishes on those walls. He thinks that is a wonderful idea.)
How do we lose that belief in our own creativity over the years? In my own experience, it is simply through lack of encouragement, perhaps from comparisons with similar work from others where our work is not quite as perfect as we wished. All it takes to recapture that spark of "I CAN be creative!" again is someone who will gently guide us into producing something we can be truly proud of, letting us do all the work but providing ideas which we can use if we choose to. I wonder if that is why cookbooks are so popular?
Anyhow, this article is about teaching creativity. What is your definition of creativity? One dictionary defines it as:
"— adj
1. having the ability to create
2. characterized by originality of thought; having or showing imagination: a creative mind
3. designed to or tending to stimulate the imagination: creative toys
4. characterized by sophisticated bending of the rules or conventions: creative accounting
— n
5. a creative person, esp one who devises advertising campaigns"
Most people think of making artwork when they are asked to make something creative. Colours and textures on paper. One problem - boys don't have such a strong ability to notice either colour or texture (their retinas have fewer of those receptors); what they can see very clearly is movement, speed and distance, and action - so their attempts at capturing what they see can be a little confusing for us mothers who have more affinity with colour and texture. Boys seem to prefer black on white, and their pictures are usually about what is happening - verbs - rather than things or nouns. Those boys who notice their pictures aren't really understood or appreciated tend to withdraw from the "pictures on paper" play which is so essential for learning to control a pencil enough to write. My solution is a special "scribble book" where my seven-year-old son can put whatever he wants however he wants into the pages. The first few pages look like tornadoes. This book helps as an outlet when the request to do some writing practice is too much for him. It is used as "pencil handling practice" instead of handwriting for that day.
Some children shine in their creativity with sound - making up songs and tunes all day long. Some enjoy being creative with food - making tasty dishes to try (pizza topping fun is a great example here). An appreciative audience helps to bring out even more ideas.
So how do we teach creativity? By noticing and applauding those creative moments in the day - a new tune heard, some new flavour tasted, a picture or sculpture or idea expressed. Being creative can bring such joy and satisfaction, when you see from other's reactions that your work is worth trying to put effort into. What we as teachers respond to is what we will see more of, what we praise is what will be repeated, but most of all, what we do is what will be copied.
Encouragement is the key - or at the very least, tolerance - for the off-key tunes of the toddler or the wobbly first few years using a pencil to depict those interesting ideas visually. There can be such joy in being creative, in expressing ourselves in new ways.
Tolerance - not the "Eeeek!" at seeing the son's wall covered with black permanent pen. (I will provide him with an interesting array of testpots from Resene and some little sponge rollers which he can use as he wishes on those walls. He thinks that is a wonderful idea.)
How do we lose that belief in our own creativity over the years? In my own experience, it is simply through lack of encouragement, perhaps from comparisons with similar work from others where our work is not quite as perfect as we wished. All it takes to recapture that spark of "I CAN be creative!" again is someone who will gently guide us into producing something we can be truly proud of, letting us do all the work but providing ideas which we can use if we choose to. I wonder if that is why cookbooks are so popular?
Anyhow, this article is about teaching creativity. What is your definition of creativity? One dictionary defines it as:
"— adj
1. having the ability to create
2. characterized by originality of thought; having or showing imagination: a creative mind
3. designed to or tending to stimulate the imagination: creative toys
4. characterized by sophisticated bending of the rules or conventions: creative accounting
— n
5. a creative person, esp one who devises advertising campaigns"
Most people think of making artwork when they are asked to make something creative. Colours and textures on paper. One problem - boys don't have such a strong ability to notice either colour or texture (their retinas have fewer of those receptors); what they can see very clearly is movement, speed and distance, and action - so their attempts at capturing what they see can be a little confusing for us mothers who have more affinity with colour and texture. Boys seem to prefer black on white, and their pictures are usually about what is happening - verbs - rather than things or nouns. Those boys who notice their pictures aren't really understood or appreciated tend to withdraw from the "pictures on paper" play which is so essential for learning to control a pencil enough to write. My solution is a special "scribble book" where my seven-year-old son can put whatever he wants however he wants into the pages. The first few pages look like tornadoes. This book helps as an outlet when the request to do some writing practice is too much for him. It is used as "pencil handling practice" instead of handwriting for that day.
Some children shine in their creativity with sound - making up songs and tunes all day long. Some enjoy being creative with food - making tasty dishes to try (pizza topping fun is a great example here). An appreciative audience helps to bring out even more ideas.
So how do we teach creativity? By noticing and applauding those creative moments in the day - a new tune heard, some new flavour tasted, a picture or sculpture or idea expressed. Being creative can bring such joy and satisfaction, when you see from other's reactions that your work is worth trying to put effort into. What we as teachers respond to is what we will see more of, what we praise is what will be repeated, but most of all, what we do is what will be copied.
Friday 18 March 2011
Recipe for rehydration
Here’s something I wanted to make available for anyone who needs it (I have been asked to share it with extended family, and thought it would be good to have it kept somewhere for others to see as well). A cheap and easy recipe for treating a tummy upset:
Recipe for rehydration after vomiting and diarrhoea (kind of like a sports drink or one of those fancy pharmacy sachets but it is a lot easier for kids to stomach)…
1 part juice
2 parts water
2 pinches salt per 200 ml
2 pinches baking soda per 200 ml
a dash of lemonade for fun (optional)
Sip small amounts often.
Avoid any protein foods (dairy, meats, fatty foods) for about three days.
That final little piece of advice – to avoid proteins – will save you a long and painful recovery time.
All the best!
Recipe for rehydration after vomiting and diarrhoea (kind of like a sports drink or one of those fancy pharmacy sachets but it is a lot easier for kids to stomach)…
1 part juice
2 parts water
2 pinches salt per 200 ml
2 pinches baking soda per 200 ml
a dash of lemonade for fun (optional)
Sip small amounts often.
Avoid any protein foods (dairy, meats, fatty foods) for about three days.
That final little piece of advice – to avoid proteins – will save you a long and painful recovery time.
All the best!
Monday 20 December 2010
Emotions, hurts and forgiveness, Love...
We have to be so careful what we rehearse in our minds, what beliefs and feelings we allow ourselves to take hold of. There is such damage done by not giving people the benefit of the doubt, or by reading into other's words or actions what we think their motives are.
St. Paul pleads with the churches "do not allow a root of bitterness to spring up among you, to defile many" - bitterness spreads defilement, gossip, slander, malice, mistrust etc. If you have people that need your forgiveness - it is a matter of life and death for you to forgive them - "if you do not forgive your Heavenly Father will not forgive you". Whether or not they will accept it or even see the need for it, it is really necessary to forgive anyway for your own good!
Reconciliation can sometimes seem impossible, the hurts and history/memories/rehearsed wrongs can be too raw and painful to even go back into the same room with the person involved for a while.
My love language is words, I desperately need good words to feel loved, and any words which are spoken in a negative or hurtful way to me tend to leave deep scars like a sharp stick would leave a scar if used to inflict pain.
We all need to feel loved, everybody needs compassion, and "all have fallen short". That is where the power of forgiveness can shine - God's grace covers over a multitude of sin. Love covers, it does not expose.
Love is patient and kind, longsuffering, it never gives up, it always believes the best and rejoices with the truth. Speaking the truth in love does not mean speaking it from hurt, it means being gentle and kind, believing the best.
Fault finding or laying blame never solves problems, and accepting our own part in relational upsets can help bring healing where it is needed. Trust may be damaged, and patterns of interaction may be changed. Only a change of heart can bring full reconciliation - and only God is able to bring that about.
I have learned afresh the need to continue letting go of self and allow God to live in and work on me. These times of deep pain can have a cleansing effect. I have been repeatedly reminded that all things do work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes. So this is a promise I take hold of yet again, and I claim the good.
Love is stronger, higher, more pure and powerful than any evil or selfishness this world can throw at us. I will keep pressing into that Love, hiding in the cleft of the Rock, trusting Him to carry me through it all. Love never gives up.
St. Paul pleads with the churches "do not allow a root of bitterness to spring up among you, to defile many" - bitterness spreads defilement, gossip, slander, malice, mistrust etc. If you have people that need your forgiveness - it is a matter of life and death for you to forgive them - "if you do not forgive your Heavenly Father will not forgive you". Whether or not they will accept it or even see the need for it, it is really necessary to forgive anyway for your own good!
Reconciliation can sometimes seem impossible, the hurts and history/memories/rehearsed wrongs can be too raw and painful to even go back into the same room with the person involved for a while.
My love language is words, I desperately need good words to feel loved, and any words which are spoken in a negative or hurtful way to me tend to leave deep scars like a sharp stick would leave a scar if used to inflict pain.
We all need to feel loved, everybody needs compassion, and "all have fallen short". That is where the power of forgiveness can shine - God's grace covers over a multitude of sin. Love covers, it does not expose.
Love is patient and kind, longsuffering, it never gives up, it always believes the best and rejoices with the truth. Speaking the truth in love does not mean speaking it from hurt, it means being gentle and kind, believing the best.
Fault finding or laying blame never solves problems, and accepting our own part in relational upsets can help bring healing where it is needed. Trust may be damaged, and patterns of interaction may be changed. Only a change of heart can bring full reconciliation - and only God is able to bring that about.
I have learned afresh the need to continue letting go of self and allow God to live in and work on me. These times of deep pain can have a cleansing effect. I have been repeatedly reminded that all things do work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes. So this is a promise I take hold of yet again, and I claim the good.
Love is stronger, higher, more pure and powerful than any evil or selfishness this world can throw at us. I will keep pressing into that Love, hiding in the cleft of the Rock, trusting Him to carry me through it all. Love never gives up.
Sunday 4 April 2010
Sleep deprived musings
I often wake in the wee small hours (anytime between 0230 and 0430), sometimes because of noises from outside on the cul-de-sac which is usually silent. Then of course there is the need to visit the "little girls room", followed by a thirst which will not be ignored. So here I am, wide awake with a warm chocolate drink at my side, wondering if it will take the usual two hours to get back to sleep. Wanting to redeem the time.
Elijah has grown without me really being aware of it - we went for a bushwalk and discovered more of Eskdale reserve together on Easter Sunday (yesterday), and had a good talk. I tried to practice my speech which is due to be delivered Wednesday evening, but only got as far as a short introduction.
I know I want to talk about the brain, and have so much to share, but really ought to make a proper outline so I have a plan of where to go with it. There are several points I remember from Terry Small's sessions at the "Mind Your Brain" conference which I can remember thanks to his making us all repeat them aloud many times in the day. 1) The number one job of your brain is to KEEP YOU ALIVE. 2) The brain thinks in PICTURES. 3) The brain learns by MAKING CONNECTIONS. Also there are many other interesting facts such as you have over 100 billion brain cells (neurons), each of which is capable of making up to 40,000 connections. Therefore, YOU ARE A GENIUS. That doesn't even take into account the trillions of glial cells (white matter), which are also continually interacting on a cellular level with the neurons.
The brain has two hemispheres, each of which takes turns (about 20 min at a time for adults) being more awake than the other. We concentrate best in blocks of time about 20 min long, then for best productivity we need a short break, including movement across the midline, to wake up the whole brain again. I will demonstrate some interesting brain gym exercises, and also encourage the listeners to try some of them. Holding each ear with the opposite hand and squatting, slapping across to the opposite shoulders, crossing feet and twisting hands together and up under the chin. Some of these exercises have been used to great benefit to counteract panic attacks, to help children with severe learning difficulties improve dramatically, to improve memory (where DID those keys go?), and of course for older students who have essays to write!
Now, I need to flesh it out with some little personal stories and then practice fitting it all into 5 to 7 minutes. Might be a challenge, and I have until Wednesday to make it polished. Plus of course, including the loud and soft voice dynamics on which I will be evaluated for this particular speech... FUN!
Wish me luck - or please pray if you don't believe in luck.
Until next time I wake in the night...
Sleep tight! And have a wonderful time reminding everyone around you they are all geniuses.
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