Rain Spiders and Jerusalem Crickets, and Beetles, OH MY!

    T-top of the morning to ya!

 

    I am currently scratching myself nervously due to the creepy crawlies... Guys, all of the insects in King Kong are REAL!! They must've done a casting call in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga because alllll of those bugs are living it up in a golf estate and giving a particular welcome to the Whitlocks.

   Recently, to my utter dismay, I heard someone say that if all of the bugs in the world were exterminated, human life would not exist in 50 years... That is just a sad thought. The other sad thought is that the Afrikaners have made me reevaluate my murderous ways. Their rule is if you kill it, you eat it. Otherwise, rescue the bugs and put them back in their natural habitat.

   Problem is, they seem to be naturally inclined to trespass upon the Whitlock premises.

   I didn't blog about the rain spider; but that was a frightening experience. I can handle reptiles and amphibians... Lions and rhinos. Etc. But anything with more than four legs is on my hit-list. I discovered the existence of the rain spider (or the Huntsman spider) when I was using our little powder room a few weeks ago. I was going to wash my hands when I saw eight eyes shift and stare at me. I SCREAMED and sprinted out of that bathroom.

  My brothers wouldn't even get it when they got one look. Dad was out of town. So... We called our superhero and the REAL Spiderman - Shaun Adams - to come up and rescue us. He got a real kick out of "The Americans" and taught Gab (the only brave soul) how to catch spiders. He said you can actually handle these disgusting, 8-legged, hairy man-hand sized creeps.

   I would've taken a photo but I ran out too quickly.

   Today, however, was when it dawned on me just what jurassic creatures we have in our midst. We got home from dinner and saw what was the equivalent to an elephant hiding behind a pillar: a Jerusalem cricket trying to crawl under our front door to hide from us. I don't know why HE was scared.
 
   The one we caught is much much uglier than the photos online. It serves him no justice. He looks like his mother was a half cricket and half ant and his father was a scorpion. HUGE. And my favourite part of the description in our insect guide was the fact that they have a terrible bite. Yes, folks. He's huge, can jump, has the face of a Goliath-an ant, and can BITE. I didn't take a photo of him because I am afraid my faithful iPhone is too small to capture the size of that thing. He is now in a jar and showing himself aggressive to anyone who tips it to get a look.

  So, the moral of my story is: King Kong is realistic. Forget dinosaur days. They all just migrated to Africa and the Middle East.



"Well... That's all I have to say about that."

Apple of My Eye

Top of the morning to ya! 

     We have had the opportunity to meet a lovely family in our neighborhood. The ladies of the house have been very intentional about extending hospitality for afternoon tea and, boy, did they go all the way! We were showered with luxurious pastries and samoosas that were all home made. Our family has been blessed by their generosity.

      I decided to show our gratitude by making my all-American absolute favourite dessert: Apple Pie. 

     I grew up on my grandfather and mother's apple pies. Theirs are so good that I have to dare myself to try any other. None can match theirs. I have also had the privilege to observe how they make theirs and take some tips. No two chefs cook or bake the same way and a true one always incorporates a secret ingredient and a unique trait that makes theirs forever different from ANYone else's. :-) 

     I'll be honest and say I like mine too. But I have to give credit where credit is due and I like it because of the great examples I've had in the two relatives aforementioned. (I just wanted to use that word.) 

   I'd have to seriously practice to match theirs in a competition. However, in a pinch, it'll do. Besides, who else will be willing to feed my insatiable appetite for this stupendous dessert?? I am not a chocolate fan like my mother. I LOVE anything with fruit and could eat it all day everyday for the rest of my life! 

   Ladies and gentelmen... Behold: 

Due to my compassion for the masses, I'll share one tip that my mother taught me. If you want a good apple pie DO NOT use Granny Smith apples!!! ... We love the mild sweetness of the Golden Delicious  I will never deviate unless it is that rare occasion when I feel adventurous enough to mix in either a few Fuji or Pink Lady apples. (Blurry photo courtesy of Caelyn's iPhone.)

I only got one uninteresting blurry photo of Morgan's pie crust process. She is the QUEEN of pie crust. I'm so thankful to her for making them every time I go into this project.

All the goodies being mixed in: white sugar, brown sugar, secret ingredient, secret ingredient, water, salt, butter, flour, etc.

Morgan does not understand this about me... but I can't resist pie crust dough and I get beyond tickled when there's some left over. I can't believe I am admitting this but I must.... *heavy sigh*... I roll my ball of dough in sugar and eat it. Yup! It's out. That's what I do! I am guilty. It was me.

  This time, there was a considerable amount of dough left. So after Gabbi and I ate some delectable sugar-rolled dough balls, Gab came up with the superb idea of sauteeing it in coconut oil with sugar and cinnamon. Then I decided to put the leftover apple filling in my portion of dough, seal it like a dumpling, and sauté THAT in coconut oil, sugar, and cinnamon. Since it had coconut oil it was good for us, right?!? - Mom and Dad loved it. Even my disciplined sister, Morgan, couldn't resist trying it! Score.

My pies never look identical so I marked the pretty one for our friends. I really hope they enjoy it as much as I do. The pastry chef daughter has NEVER had one... I can't let her see another day without sharing in my favourite dessert. 

"Well... That's all I have to say about that."

The King We Have Chosen

 

Top of the morning to ya! 

    I've been hearing a lot about the government shutdown and enjoying my laughs at political puns and cartoons. I find myself gaining much satisfaction in blogposts and articles that reveal the TRUE agenda of the US government. I also like being able to say: Eh. That doesn't surprise me. After all, this is the government we're talking about. They're basically legalised mafia. 

    I have extremely low - if any - respect for our government. There are a few people I may esteem lightly. But overall, in my opinion, you have to compromise to a degree in order to make it in politics. My mom read a great article the other day that pretty much expressed the vengeful spirit hovering deep within me. As the daughter of a former Army Ranger, I am loyal and proud of the men that serve and their wives/girlfriends and families that support them. I am grateful for the firemen, policemen, the private farmers, and other faithful people in various occupations who have been the backbone of America. When I think of what makes me proud to be an American, I think of these people. 

Not the government. 

    Despite the rooted bitterness that I face every time I read about the nonsense in American politics; I can't help but be reminded of when the Israelites first asked for a king. We do not serve a king. But that was the form of government they were used to and they wanted to be like the nations that surrounded them. 

   America claims to be founded off of biblical principles and Bible-believing founders (I'll spare you my opinion on that). - With this heritage in mind, I will take us back to one of my favourite passages that holds me accountable. It serves as a good reminder for we professing Christians who find ourselves complaining about Obama and every other government figure that we've found ourselves paying exorbitant amounts of taxes to. 

   In 1 Samuel 8, the leaders of Israel approached Samuel demanding a King. Why?? Samuel's sons had rejected the ways of their father, they believed a King could rule them and judge righteously over them, and they wanted to be like the other nations. Samuel's heart did not feel at peace when he heard this. Nevertheless, he prayed to the LORD and this was His answer:

"Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day - in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods - so they are doing to you also. Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them."

What procedure was the LORD referring to???

1.) He will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots.

2.) He will appoint commanders of thousands and of fifties: to plow, to reap harvest, to make weapons of war, and to make equipment for his chariots.

3.) He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants.

4.) He will take a tenth of your seed. 

5.) He will take a tenth of your flocks and you, yourselves, will become his servants.

   Sound familiar??? I, for one can definitely see that played out in today's government. But look at what the LORD also warned:

"Then you will cry out in that day because your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day."

  Does THAT sound familiar??? I'd say so. As much as we can blame and hate our government and/or their decisions, we have reaped what we've sown. We raised these leaders. We ignored the warning signs of our trajectory long ago and are "suddenly" surprised by an intelligent, selfish man (Obama) who is manifesting *exactly* what our Marxist society nurtured.

   When the animated movie, Wall-E, came out I was disturbed. It was so so true. We, as Americans, have taken the bait of entertainment and celebrity news. We have allowed ourselves to be numbed and distracted by useless idiocy rather than being aware of the times. 

   Scriptures that speak about being aware and praying for our leaders are really standing out. Why would God warn us? He has warned His people once and we ignored. Now we find ourselves exactly where the Israelites were warned they would be under a king other than God. Yet, in His infinite mercy, He has given us another warning:

1.) Be on your guard.

2.) Know the times.

and,

3.) Pray for those in leadership over you. 

... As much as I want to bash the government (and find myself still doing it), I pray that I will take heed and come up with solutions that are grounded in the Word of God. What kind of future are we fighting for for our children?? During the Labor Movement in the states, many people were hanged by the government so that we could work an 8hr day! How much more so should we fight for the rights and souls of our children???

"Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24: 14-15

"Well... That's all I have to say about that."

{Gabbi}

 Top of the morning to ya!


     Meet Gabbi. Bona fide genius, this girl. 14 years old with the intellect of a 40 year old. Sunshine and happiness. Has the best chipmunk giggle. Strong. Caring. Creative. Organised. ... Just look up "Gabbi" in the dictionary and you'll find lots of strong attributes attached. ;-)
   She has loads of nicknames that describe her. Before she could understand, my parents jokingly called her "Gabzilla". I'm sure I don't have to explain that one. She has always been partners-in-crime with our brother, Graham, and the two NEVER seemed to run out of energy. In fact, they're still like that and will continue to be rightfully referred to as Thing 1 and Thing 2.

   One thing that I really admire about Gabs is her determination. (Yes, I call her "Gabs" too. That wasn't a typo.) She is self-motivated and an avid learner. She asked me to quiz her for her biology test and I am confident the girl is going to ace it. I chuckled to myself because she got stumped by the word "Holdfast" but she could tell me - without hesitation - the Phylum, Habitat, Organization, Cell wall, and also give an example of anything she learned in the Subkingdom Algae.

Holdfast: a special structure used by organisms to anchor itself.

   There's a lot to say about this girl... But I better be careful because she knows I am writing about her and is suddenly motivated to look at my blog I've been telling her about!! 

  Here are some photos of our study session: 

"Well... That's all I have to say about that."

A Proper Quiche

Top of the morning to ya!

   I had the best breakfast in a while- thanks to my lovely sister, Mo. She and Gabbi have been very diligent in their eating habits and exercise and they are challenging me to do the same. Day 1 was one I will not forget and it was quite hardy. Part of the diet is to help various health nuisances we each have.

A proper quiche is loaded with sauteed veggies and chopped ham/turkey/chicken etc.

A proper quiche has roasted broccoli.

A proper quiche has LOADS of chopped basil. Woot-woot!! 

And a quiche ain't a quiche without loads of cheese. We used cheddar...

... And Danish Feta.

Obviously you need the eggs. I add milk, seasonings, and my secret ingredient: dijon mustard. You can't taste it but it enhances the ingredients, to me.

Mo likes tomatoes. I do too but I'd prefer to have them with mozzarella and basil.

Morgan made some lovely coconut-milk rice with nutmeg and agave nectar.

And roasted zucchini and cauliflower... Er... What ONCE was roasted zucchini and cauliflower. That was so good none of our plates had any left when I thought to take a photo. ;-)

"Well... That's all I have to say about that."

Swaziland

Top of the morning to ya!

   So, we reached our 90day mark on the 29th of September, which means we had to leave the country and come back through to renew our visas. 

  We definitely didn't want South Africa kicking us out and we're still waiting on our work permits to process AND it just so happened that Mom's birthday was the 30th. Why not make a trip of it???

   I have never been to England, but I know many who have including my parents, and Swaziland is probably it's African equivalent as far as the weather. It is influenced by the English; but that weather! When Mo and I were children we would watch Beatrix Potter and LOADS of BBC movies and say: It sure seems to always be cold and wet in England! We went to some of our favourite shops in Ngwenya and I told the cashier at one boutique that as many times as I've been to Swazi, I've never experienced warm sunshine. She exclaimed: No, Sis!!! Shame! It was JUST warm until Friday and then this rain and cold front. - I guess it wouldn't be like old times if the weather was different, eh?? ;-) 

   The plus to all that rain is the green lush. It is a magnificently beautiful country and very peaceful. Here are some photos of our weekend: 

 

The Royal Swazi Spa Hotel. Many many nationalities were represented on the weekend guest list. Gotta love diversity! 

Mo, Gab, and I walked around on the grounds as soon we arrived. We almost bombed a wedding happening just a few meters from where we took this photo.

The back of the hotel had a bar, restaurant, pool, and jacuzzi.

I have a fascination for old trees and thought this one was pretty awesome. If it weren't for the poolside bar staff, I would've climbed it.

The hotel was definitely an atmosphere of be lazy and indulge. 

This was actually the pathway to a relaxing spa. After all seven of us scheduled appointments on separate occasions the ladies were like: Wow! Are you one whole family?? We've had a lot of Whitlocks come in today. 

I thought this sign was hilarious... It was in this whack Dutch-owned gift shop at the hotel.

Gabbi is so cute with her nerd glasses! This was in the one restaurant where we had a breakfast and dinner buffet.

Gabbi and I getting stoked about our first spa appointment.

Horrible lighting but here's the main entrance to the spa. I loved the atmosphere.

Ngwenya Glass Factory. Such a cool place. If you come at the right time, you can watch the guys as they make the different glass products.

I thought this was the coolest invention. The glasses have a centre of balance and never tips. 

These are pretty popular here because people love their drinks on the beach. I've never seen glasses like this and had to take a photo.

Gabbi must've been enamored by the glass or something. ;-)

I got some other photos of the actual factory side and then Graham told me there was a no photography sign. We had just read a comical chapter in The Royal Road to Romance that made me think twice about posting them. I decided not to and my conscience is clear. :-)

This is so clever! I'll admit it took me two times reading it to get it. Ha!

Several peacocks roamed the grounds near the glass factory.

This guy was really full of himself and kept wooing the ladies. I tried to get a video but, again, my enemy Bad Lighting ruined that.

"Well... That's all I have to say about that."