Ashleigh Whaley
August, Homeschooling Activities and Adventures.
August Activities:
Homeschooling.
We took two weeks off in August to have some fun adventures! The children just love it when we take a break from school… I try to organize breaks, as and when, the children have finished their current PACE books. This meant that Murray John had to work one Saturday morning, in order to finish off, before we set out on our adventure.
As I have taken on a new business, this means that the children will once again be travelling with their school work. They are used to this, so it’s now an easy exercise for them. I just need to organize desk space for them, in a quiet room.
My latest post is; “Creating Agricultural Entrepreneurs Whilst Homeschooling.” I am a strong believer in mixing school work with business. I would like my children to have a comprehensive business knowledge, once they have completed their homeschooling with me.
Every Monday, the children write about a highlight from the previous week. Below are their diary entries of their trip to Imire Game Park.
Muray John’s Dairy age 9. 
Paula Joy’s Dairy age 10.
Homeschooling Friends.
All the children’s furred and feathered friends are thriving and enjoying some spring weather. We had new baby chickens at the stables and the rabbits and guinea pigs have become close friends.
Homeschooling Art.
This month the children built wigwams out of banana leaf stems. The end result was so colorful and made for a fun afternoon of garden camping. The guinea pigs and rabbits joined in the fun, as well as the cat!
Horses.
The end of August brought a close to the polo season at Chinhoyi polo club. Looking back at old polo videos on You Tube, I can see how much the children have improved this season. It was sad not to have had any polo tournaments this year, although just being able to practice together was a blessing.
At polo the children always have a fun foot polo match, once the Sunday chukkas have ended. This is a great way to include children who do not ride.
This month the children have learnt how to roll polo bandages and over the summer they will learn how to apply bandages to their ponies legs, for polo.
We love re-living all the happy times from the season and will continue to practice at home, and improve our skills before next season. Now is the time for the ponies to have a bit of a rest, before the eventing season starts.
Homeschooling Sport.
We did manage to do a few golf, cricket and music lessons this month, as the country started emerging from Covid lock-down. We shall increase the lessons next month.
August Adventures:
Farm life.
The addition of the new farming venture gives the children two farms to experience and compare. It’s very interesting for them to see how differently each farm does their land preparation and ridging for the tobacco crop. This is now becoming a wonderful agricultural experience for them both. -They are looking forward to tobacco planting, which will start in September.
Murray John dressed to farm. 
Murray John farming with Dad.
Murray John, the avid farmer, always follows his dad around the farm and makes sure that he is dressed for farming action!
The children love riding their bikes around both farms, and this month they headed off to see the new irrigation pivot being put up on our home farm.
Zimbabwe Economy.
With the craziness of Zimbabwe economics I am having to start a new business, in order to add to our current income. I do enjoy creating jobs for others and hopefully my new business will help everyone involved to survive in a country with very high inflation. I have already managed to create 65 new jobs, for people living in nearby communities.
Environmental Awareness.
Quelea are small seed eating birds that fly in huge flocks. Once the wheat comes into ear and starts to dry out, these birds descend on the crop in their thousands. They can do an enormous amount of damage to the crop, so we have to employ crop guards to chase these birds away.
Quelea birds in our wheat.
Travel.
We travelled to Imire Game Park, to join friends for a two night stay in the Chiwawe self-catering tented camp. It was an adventure of note and so educational for us all.
Feeding the black rhino and elephant was the highlight of the trip, followed closely by seeing a python and tracking the white rhino on foot. Imeri is a wonderful place and I will send out a blog post about this adventure, in a few weeks time.
From Imire we completed our trip, by visiting a friend’s farm in Macheke, where the children could ride motor bikes and see a massive dam wall being built.
All in all, August proved to be packed with plenty of learning and new adventures!
Please continue to ‘keep safe and keep praying…!’
“Surely, LORD, You bless the righteous; You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12
Please leave your comment below…..
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