This Week I've learnt... #1

1. Dr Suess' real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel. Is there any child who hasn't loved a Dr Suess story at some time in their lives? (If you haven't you've definitely missed out and should head out to your local book store or library immediately to experience the whimsical, non-sensical, rhyming humour of this master story teller.) R has, on our latest library visit, rekindled a love for Dr Suess and was even reading the book she borrowed (which contains three stories) as we walked home from the library! Dr Suess stories are not only fun and easy to read, drawing children into a love of reading but they are also great teachers of reading in context as children discover which character each passage is about by combining the words and illustrations.
2. I have an aspidistra; also known as a cast iron plant. Actually, I already knew that, my Dad told me that's what it was, I just kept forgetting it's name. Although the aspidistra is commonly kept as an indoor plant I have learnt through reading that it will also do quite well outdoors, as long as it is in shade and not watered too frequently. This plant (which is in the process of dying off slowly at the moment due to being in the sun and bursting at the seams of it's pot) may just be the ideal plant to put under my pine trees and spring is the ideal time for separating it. My aspidistra is definitely ready to be moved and I can use it as the centre of that space with the clivia around it to quickly fill the space. The lady next door has also said that I can take some of the spring star flowers from her garden so they will brighten up that patch a little more. I also learnt that the aspidistra flower grows from the base of the plant.
3. Whilst googling for the pictures of violets I used yesterday I learnt that violets are edible. That's right, violets, both the flowers and the leaves, are edible. We used to sell honey at fruit and vegetable markets, direct from the producer and I often thought about making infused honeys with chilli, rosemary, ginger and various other plants. Catherine Alice reminded me of this when I stumbled upon her blog and she had put some violets into honey to infuse. Isn't it funny how once you know something (violets are edible) that same knowledge repeats itself to you again and again?
4. I learnt what a Chameleon skeleton looks like; see the picture below. Karen, The Graphics Fairy, has been sharing a series of skeletons in honour of Halloween. You can visit Karen to see skeletons of men, an elk, a chimpanzee, a hand and I'm sure there will be more to come in the next couple of weeks.
5. Cottees Cordials are now being produced in new 1L double concentrate bottles, replacing both the 750mL and 2L bottles. Thanks to Kidspot Social I was lucky enough to receive a bottle of Coola flavoured cordial to trial.  I'm very pleased to report that it still has the same great taste we love!

Cat in the Hat, The Grinch and others...
Do you know who they are?

Aspidistra flower; beautifully unusual.

Mango, Dandelion and Violet Salad.

Chameleon Skeleton.

New 1L Double Concentrate Cottees Cordial.

This list was inspired by incidental learning.

Kindest Wishes,
AJ