Propagating Plants, Muffin Cases and Happy Easter!

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So, we are nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century. Politically and economically, things feel off balance. Immigration is under the spotlight, especially in Europe. Changed working conditions, instigated during Covid, are now being reconsidered in developed countries. While academically successful countries begin formalised schooling for children around seven years of age, Australia is planning school entry for three year olds. Such a saving on child care costs! One teacher and maybe one assistant for 23 three year olds! Absolute craziness.

muffin cases

Much more relaxing to concentrate on decorating the home. I’d like to repaint throughout but the thought of shifting everything away from the walls almost brings me out in hives. I’m thinking of smaller plans. Jobs in the garden. I’m propagating some spearmint scented lavender, some rosemary, a deep red geranium and two olive trees. The lavender is to bulk up an existing one which smells lovely when you rub against it walking by, the rosemary is to replace a bush which has become so big it became straggly around the base and the olive trees are cuttings I’ve struck from two olive trees I struck 25 years ago from the farm where I grew up. The original olives were planted there more than a hundred years ago. Erratic watering and being pot bound means I need to replace them. ( Although I had the cuttings, except the olives, in water until little roots appeared, they are now in pots )

The cuttings for the spearmint scented lavender and the rosemary were left to grow roots in water. I have now put them in pots as they all rooted.

Both cuttings from the old olive trees have developed new leaves.

Do you decide on projects when the season changes? Does the constant heat of summer and repetitive salads make you list jobs you want to do and clothes you need to buy as soon as it is cooler? Sometimes I find lists from previous years and I’m surprised how similar the ‘job lists’ are, year after year.

paper muffin cases

The muffin pans looked scratched and tired. The muffin mixture often overflows the paper cases and I soak and scrape endlessly, meaning the muffin baking pans look awful. I’m experimenting with today’s blueberry muffins. Half of the mixture will go into paper, lime green gingham cases and half will go into baking paper cases I’ve cut and folded from squares of baking paper.

I made the paper cases by cutting baking paper into 19cm x19cm squares then folding the square to make a triangle then again to make a smaller triangle. Unfolded then placed the paper under a bottle that fitted snugly into the patty pan. Then I just worked around the bottle folding the paper. Pressed to crease the folds. The baking paper patty pan looked like a tulip!

Found a bottle a similar size as the patty pan so shaped the baking paper around it’s base.

The baking paper shapes retained their shape when I pushed them into the muffin holes in the baking pan.

Put each one into the patty pan hole in the tray. Filled the pretty lime green gingham paper case tray and the tulip lined tray and into the oven. I use an old icecream scoop to fill the cases as it delivers perfect amount of batter.

The overflow was actually the additional crumble on top, but it was still a sticky mess!

Two of the muffins in pretty little paper cases overflowed despite careful measuring of the amount put into each. None of the baking paper cases overflowed. Closer inspection revealed it was the added crumble on top of the muffins which over flowed, but I still had to scrape the pans clean again. I think it took about five minutes to make the baking paper cases. They look like the ones cafe muffins are served in. Both lots of muffins were delicious!

The new tray after baking the muffins poured into baking paper cases. No overflowing batter.

Interestingly, the paper peels away from the muffin cleanly. My new preferred way of lining the muffin pans.

easter

If you celebrate Easter I hope you have a wonderful break, surrounded by family and friends and all the things you like to eat.

HAPPY EASTER

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Are EV Vehicles Really Green, Butter Bells and Sweetpeas

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are e.v. vehicles really green?

Are EV Vehicles really green? No! We have been massively tricked. And our Minister For Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, is complicit in this hoax.

Nickel mining is essential in the production of EV cars. China dominates the production of EV cars and sources it’s nickel from Indonesia. Nickel is essential in the manufacture of rechargeable batteries. The two main nickel mines are in remote areas of Indonesia. There are no environmental laws or worker safety regulations and visitors are forcefully discouraged. There are no limits on the destruction of native rain forest, forced destruction of towns and farming land and pollution of fishing grounds.

Image Pixabay

The energy to drive the smelters and power stations used in production comes from low quality and cheap coal barged into the area from nearby Kalimantan. No records are kept of worker injuries but fatalities are apparently common and not necessarily recorded. This has all been funded by the Chinese Belt and Road initiative. So, how ‘green’ are these cars?

( Since I wrote this I have watched 7NEWS Spotlight, Sunday 6th April, an exposay of ‘the dirty truth behind so-called clean, green electric vehicles.’ Then the next night Channel 7 news showed parts of the documentary plus the response from our Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen. He had no answers and stormed off, refusing to be questioned. Shocking.)

Britain has gone ‘green’ on many fronts and doesn’t hesitate to highlight its policies on limiting climate change. I enjoy British decorator magazines but after 120 pages focusing on recycled everything, ‘green’ paints and glues and wearing more clothes to stay warm in winter, comes the 30 odd page review of holiday destinations. The Maldives, Iceland, Mauritius and anywhere with saunas and spas feature as desirable destinations. I assume they all walk or swim to these exotic holiday destinations.

Image Pixabay

I feel cynical about the politicians, reporters and all their support people flying from one end of Australia to the other, leading up to the Federal Elections. I think they should ride their bikes. I’m also tired of all the money being promised by ‘the government’. That’s tax payers’ money, our money. Just stop it!

butter bells

Butter bells or butter crocks date back to the 16th century. I started investigating butter bells due to frustration cause by butter left out over night in a covered dish turning liquid and tasting rancid. Butter left in the fridge overnight was hard and I had to almost slice off pieces to put it on my breakfast toast. Not ideal. Softening the butter in the microwave resulted in it separating and tasting awful very quickly.

My butter bell sits on the counter top in a cool corner and keeps the butter soft and fresh. I bought a ceramic bell but there are also glass bells. ( I originally bought one from an online auction site online but had to return it. The lid didn’t fit properly on the base. Annoying. Go into a kitchenware shop and check the fit first!) To set it up, spoon the softish butter into the top cup smoothing the surface with the back of the spoon. Then estimate the depth of water needed so the butter is in contact with the butter. I change the water morning, some sites say every two or three days.

I am really pleased with the butter bell. Soft spreadable, fresh butter.

planting

Image Pixabay

Traditionally I’d plant sweetpea seeds around St Patrick’s day. It was easy to remember as the 17th of March was my parents wedding anniversary. I’ve just planted them because it has been too hot until now. It’s still warm during the day but getting cooler at night. My Mother grew forests of sweetpeas, mostly self seeded in the later years. They had reverted to various shades of purple and were highly scented. They will probably be a surprise to the new owners of her house. I hope they enjoy them.

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Eating 30 Different Things, Reading and Should You Wash New Clothes?

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gut microbiome health.

Eating 30 different foods a week, including herbs and spices, plus nuts, fruits and vegetables, is a re-occuring number mentioned by many renown scientists and doctors. A diverse diet is closely linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases, better immune function and even improved mental health. It isn’t as easy as it sounds and takes quite a bit of planning. Part of the problem is we are not a vegetarian. I do occasionally add tinned beans, chick peas and lentils to recipes but they are not our main source of protein. So fish, chicken and beef don’t count. Some plans allow eggs, some don’t, but we eat eggs regularly. Anyway, this week I got to thirty!

reading

Circumstances have meant I have spent a lot of time reading. I’m averaging about four books a week! Usually I read one or maybe, two, books a week. Added to that number is my usual haul of magazines, too. Now my husband has started immunology every three weeks we spend a great deal less time at the hospital.

Not a murder but a cleverly crafted story about a young, dominated wife escaping her husband and starting a new life in another country. Lovely travelogue throughout France, too.

My preferred books are murders! Not always, there’s some biographies and non fiction in amongst the murders, but often I read everything available by the same author if I’ve really enjoyed their books previously. I cannot explain why I find a clever murder so relaxing and like to have one on the go to read when I go to bed.

Not a murder, either but a series of emails between an Australian and American woman. They begin exchanging emails by mistake (the American has a very similar address to the Australian women’s ex-husband). A friendship develops resulting in regular contact via emails. Very engaging story with a satisfying outcome.

In January I read a book reviewer’s plan to read 100 books a year, but she quickly changed that to 80 books early in the year because her longtime boyfriend proposed and she had a wedding to plan. Valid excuse! It’s week 13/52 and I have read at least three books a week. Some I haven’t photographed nor named as they’re health books I’ve flicked through from the past, tracking specific information.

I also really like decorator magazines and subscribe to several, well, maybe five or six. I get a magazine from France, three from the UK and two Australian magazines, which sounds very indulgent, and probably is, but I don’t buy many books, preferring to borrow them from the library. If I really like a book I’ve borrowed I’ll go and buy it. If something on the cover of a magazine catches my eye, I will probably buy that, too. Apparently, regular reading assists in a healthy brain.

Talking to a friend about brain training activities online has also increased the number of online activities I do now. I do Wordle before I get up in the morning and now I’m doing a few other online brain training activities. When I have the time I’d like to investigate Scrabble (I haven’t played for years) and jigsaw puzzles, both recommended online for brain training. I play mahjong every week, but shy away from bridge! Some friends who play are fiercely competitive and don’t encourage chatting whilst playing.

The other behaviour recommended by brain training sites refers to social interaction. Well, this pretty easy. Unfortunately, my time is committed to other things at the moment, but that will pass.

should you wash new clothes before you wear them?

The chat around this subject really surprises me as my Mother washed everything from tea towels, to bed linen and clothes, even socks before we could wear them. So, I thought you always washed new things before using them. It’s a topic online at the moment.

Image Pixabay

Apparently, everything should be washed before they are used. This helps remove chemicals, dyes and germs resulting from the manufacturing process. Washing helps remove bacteria, fungi and parasites which are presented during manufacturing, storage and transport.

Articles based on research refer to garments tested from popular chain stores that had been tried on then put back on the rack or shelves. The research found norovirus, strep and staph and fecal germs. Scabies, lice and fungi were also found. Dyes, resins and tanning agents, such as formaldehyde, used to keep garments wrinkle free, can cause skin irritation, dermatitis and eczema.

Image Pixabay

So, my Mother was right; give everything a really good wash before you wear it! This includes bed linen, tea towels and towels. Interestingly, several articles I read suggested baby clothing, blankets and bedding should be washed and, if possible, line dried twice before use.

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Early Onset of Myopia and a Quick Lunch

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Myopia and Children

Myopia, short sightedness, is increasing at an alarming pace in children. Globally, the rate of myopia rate tripled between 1990 and 2023, according to the British Journal of Ophthalmology. In fact, the World Health Organisation predicts that by 2050, half the world will need glasses. Ten percent will be high myopic which can result in severe complications and even blindness.

Myopia increases the risk of ocular disease. This includes cataracts, glaucoma, plus retinal detachment. Alarmingly, the greatest rise in retinal detachment is amongst young patients. One third of all people suffering from myopia go on to develop macular degeneration. This leads to visual impairment and eventually, blindness.

It’s estimated percentage of children in Britain with myopia is 15-20%. East Asia and Singapore are way ahead in data collection. In Singapore, the ‘myopic capital of the world’, 80% of adults are myopic. Myopia affects around 96.5% of 19 year old males in South Korea. Typically, East Asian children start school earlier, work longer days, do far more homework and spend very little time outdoors.

Why has this happened? Put simply, children are not spending time outside. Daylight is thought to stimulate the release of dopamine in the eyeball, inhibiting eyeball growth and distortion. The other critical change is the amount of time children are spending in ‘near work’ on screens. The recommendation for children to prevent myopia is 20/20/2, that is for every 20 minutes of near work, spend 20 minutes focusing on something in the distance, and the most important part, spend 2 hour outdoors every day.

Leisure activities have changed for children, too. China has the highest rate of video gamers (12.4 hours a week) and myopia in the world. Screens are blamed for the massive increase in myopia. Jonathan Haidt, who wrote the best seller The Anxious Generation claims the wide adoption of smartphones since 2010 plus the gradual erosion of outdoor play has resulted in a catastrophe of poor teenage mental health and higher rates of suicide and self harm. He refers to the current generation of teenagers as ‘anxious, sleep-deprived, narcissistic, and susceptible to terrible influencers and the rest.’

All images in this entry Pixabay

Children need to avoid myopia. It can’t be stopped or reversed, so best avoided all together. Apparently, the best way to avoid myopia is put down the screens and send children to play outdoors.

baby cos lettuce with Pesto dressing

After twelve weeks of attending appointments we had a little break. All my husband’s post radiotherapy scans are now back, as are blood tests. Good results. Next week he starts immunotherapy. One of the problems with spending hours at the hospital was the food available. It was pretty grim unless I went to the Childrens Hospital. Although that added several thousand steps to my step count, it also took a lot of time, even though I didn’t sit down to eat.

So I’ve mastered quick meals I can make. My new favourite was so easy! I just washed and halved a baby cos lettuce, then drizzled vinaigrette over it. The dressing was simply 6 dessertspoons of olive oil and 2 dessertspoons of vinegar, then a grate of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt. I added a dessertspoon of pesto, shook the jar, then poured it over the lettuce. The second time I made this salad, I added slithers of preserved lemon to the dressing and would do that again. I crumbled sheep feta over the lettuce, but if you were eating at home you could add smoked salmon, tinned tuna or shredded chicken.

Added a spoonful of pesto to the vinaigrette, shook until it blended in, then poured over the lettuce. Crumbled feta on top.

My husband’s sense of taste has not returned although sometimes he can taste tea, but it doesn’t taste like tea! Today I made a buttered chicken curry. I was heavy handed on the spices and chopped the chicken pieces into slithers when I served my husband. He can taste the heat but not the flavour. Fingers crossed this improves with time.

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Pesto, Nutrition and Sharpening Knives

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making pesto

It’s that time of the year when the tomatoes are mostly finished but the basil is still thriving. So I make pesto. You can buy the basil if you don’t have any growing but make sure it’s not an Asian basil which has a slight aniseed flavour. The leaves should be medium sized and green with no yellow tips or black spots. Wash the basil then collect the other ingredients.

PESTO

45g toasted pine nuts (about 5 minutes in the oven, don’t let them burn)

1.5 cups basil leaves

60gm pecorino or parmesan cheese

5 tbspn olive oil

2 small cloves of garlic

Process the basil, pine nuts (cooled), garlic and cheese, then drizzle the olive oil in a steady stream into the machine. Purists use a pestle and mortar, I use a food processor. Scrape into a jar when you’re happy with the texture. Coat with a layer of olive oil to prevent oxidisation.

Pine nuts can be replaced by pumpkin seeds or walnuts. I’ve been reading Norman Swan’s What’s Good For You. ( He also promotes the usual; daily exercise, avoiding processed foods, getting enough sleep and maintaining social connections) Based on years of research he recommends following a Mediterranean diet. Pesto ingredients get the tick of approval. And it tastes amazing!

I use sheeps pecorino because I like the strong flavour. I only made a small amount this year as my husband can’t taste anything at the moment. I stir a spoonful into tomato pasta sauces, a smear on cheese and tomato toasted sandwiches and a drizzle on cheese on crackers. If I was making gazpacho I’d drop a teaspoon of pesto into each bowl. Enjoy!

a nutritionist’s hints for well being

Laura Southern, a nutritionist, in this week’s The Australian Weekend Magazine writes about optimal gut health. She says the way we combine foods can increase the absorption of nutrients and antioxidants and help good bacteria to survive the digestive process. Here are her six top recommendations.

Add honey to Greek yoghurt. Honey’s prebiotic properties feed and support the probiotic in the yoghurt as it is digested. This can reduce infection and inflammation.

Image Pixabay

Eat black pepper with turmeric. Research suggests turmeric has anti-inflammatory, antioxident and anti-cancer properties. It is also thought to strengthen the intestinal barrier, balance the microbiome and also aid digestion. The piperine in black pepper can increase the absorption of curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric by 2 000 percent.

Drizzle olive oil on salads. The antioxident properties of olive oil to lower bad cholesterol and raise levels of good cholesterol is well known. Now there’s evidence showing the polyphenols in olive oil can be absorbed by the intestine, increasing beneficial bacteria in the gut. Eaten with green salads, olive oil helps balance the microbiome.

Image Pixabay

Miso paste and bok choy. Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans and grains. It is packed with millions of probiotic beneficial bacteria which nurture the gut. To feed the good bacteria, add bok choy or seaweed flakes.

Stir cinnamon into stewed apples. Cinnamon increases the anti inflammatory impact of polyphenols in apples. Their soluble fibre, pectin, is also a prebiotic.

Image Pixabay

Sprinkle seeds on porridge. Betaglucan, the fibre in porridge, acts as a prebiotic. Adding chia seeds and flax will supply vitamins, minerals and cancer protective antioxidants and stimulate gut movement.

sharpening knives

Blunt knives are really annoying. I like to keep ours well honed. I use a whet stone to sharpen them regularly. The name derives from the actual process of sharpening the blade, called ‘whetting’, using a whet stone. The whet stone needs to be submerged in water until bubbles stop rising.

I place the stone on a hand towel so it doesn’t move then hone the blade in smooth motions along the stone. I start using the coarser side then finish with the finer side. Quick wash and it’s all done!

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Beef Stew and Other Food, Plus Making a Notebook

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really good beef stew and other food

If you live in Western Australia where it is still really hot, you’ll wonder why I’m making beef stew. Last November my husband was diagnosed with Parotid Salivary Gland cancer. Initially he was going to have it surgically removed but a PET scan showed the cancer had spread. What followed was radiotherapy, usually five days a week, plus frequent visits to the radiologist, the oncologist, a dermatologist, a speech therapist, a swallow specialist, a dietician, three different sorts of dentists all orchestrated by the wonderful cancer co-ordinator. Immunology and three monthly PET scans to follow.

He can now swallow soft, finely cut real food! He has no sense of taste but was tired of meal replacement drinks, scrambled eggs, chicken soup, Weetbix mushed into milk and cool, easy to swallow but tasteless icecream. I stumbled upon this stew, called Martha Stewart’s Beef Stew on https://www.lynnskitchenadventures.com/martha-stewarts-slow-cooker-stew/ I made it in the slow cooker and then stored portions in the freezer. It is a really wonderful, easy, quickly reheated stew and I can slice or mash the pieces so he can chew and swallow. No flavour, as he has lost the sense of taste, but he enjoys eating real food again. So I keep making it despite the heat!

I didn’t have diced tinned tomatoes with chili so used plain tinned tomatoes and I didn’t add garlic, either. Otherwise, I followed the recipe. I think the vinegar ensures soft, fall apart meat but also makes the gravy really delicious, too. I used Apple Cider Vinegar, but the recipe suggests any vinegar will work. I cooked it on high in the slow cooker. Easy, tasty, ingredients on hand. No one knows when or even if his sense of taste will return.

Meanwhile, I made myself a feta and spinach pie. I had thawed the spinach, diced the onions and crumbled the feta, left the eggs to reach room temperature and went freezer hunting for the roll of filo pastry. Found it, but instead of sheets of pastry I found shards of broken, shattered sheets of filo. It had reached the end of the road! So, as I have done before, I used some shortcrust pastry. Tasted good but I missed the crunchy, crumbly, buttered flavour of filo pastry. Also, my usual recipe makes three meals for the two of us, so I was really tired of it! To use it all I had it for lunch and dinner for three days. Enough!

I’m still trying to eat at least thirty different foods every week. I wasn’t meeting this goal in the last fortnight, at all. Cooking for myself came last on my To Do List. Trying to make smaller meals to eat over a few days. Made ratatouille and added shaved Massadam cheese both times I had it. I don’t make big pots of it as my husband doesn’t eat it, anyway. This has resulted in a greater variety of foods, but not thirty different ones!

making a notebook

I write in a journal everyday and have done for more than thirty five years. I buy notebooks from the newsagent, cover them and add marbled papers as inner lining pages. So when I saw an advertisement for a notebook making session I was quick to enrol.

We were shown how to stitch the signatures (pages in sets of five sheets, folded in half to make ten pages and stitched down the spine.) how to sew and knot them together, glue a mull, or fabric strip, along the spine, then glue on a ribbon page marker. Next the outer fabric cover and finally, the lining pages front and back. Lots of cutting and gluing and I’m really pleased with the outcome and hoping the class will be offered again. I loved it!

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Bookmarks and Reading, Tomatoes and Plastic Utensils

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bookmarks and reading

Tidying up and sorting through your Christmas and Valentines Day envelopes, do you wish you could recycle some of the very pretty envelopes? Me too. I read a lot and often scramble for a bookmark. Now I’ve made a few from leftover envelopes. You could use coloured or patterned envelopes to make the bookmark. Gather a few envelopes and a pair of scissors and you’re ready to create.

1. Cut a triangular corner off the envelope. Glue down the flap at the back. Let it dry.

2. Fold the triangle in half longways.

3. Cut an arc shape from side to side. You can pencil the arc before you cut.

4. Viola! Pretty heart shape bookmark.

If you lose it just make another one.

I’ve read four books lately. Three ‘whodunits’!

An engaging book, but not of the happy ending genre! This Australian author writes clever and rather scary books.

I enjoyed this clever story so much I recommended it to my husband. Then I borrowed another one of her books and suppose I will enjoy it when he’s finished it! Complex plot and an ending I didn’t see coming.

This starts off as a nice story about two women living next door to one another and how they became friends. It finishes with one of them in prison and the other hiding the truth and bringing up the prisoner’s children. No happy ending here !

Not a murder story, but an account of one woman’s life as a wife and mother. Anne Tyler is a prolific American author. She has a wonderful way with words and is keen observer of women’s lives. A reviewer whose column I enjoy recommended this book as one which had stayed in her mind for 20 odd years. I ordered the book. It began well, with typically lyrical descriptions of the main characters, but then, when the family was at the beach one day, the wife just walks away and hitches a ride to another town and starts another life.

Set in the late 50s, she successfully flies under the radar for a few months. She narrows her life to eating, sleeping, working and not much else. She doesn’t seem to miss her husband or children. When a family member finds her she pleased to hear news of her family but doesn’t return to her hometown.

Eventually she returns for her daughter’s wedding. It’s a total fiasco and she resorts to feeding everyone and cleaning up, just like she did before walking away. She decides to stay. A puzzling plot.

tomatoes

Tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, chopped red onion and basil. Delicious.

Sadly my tomato crop is coming to an end. Fresh, warm, thin skinned truss tomatoes are delicious! I have saved the seeds from one of the biggest, reddest tomatoes to plant next summer. These are heirloom seeds which are true to the parent plant. There’s no genetic modifications and the fruit is always predictable. I actually planted some seeds for another tomato this time, as well, and they didn’t fruit. Disappointing. So I just stay with the seeds I got from my Mother.

These truss tomatoes are reliable and explode in your mouth, releasing sweet flavour and no tough skin. At the end of the tomato season I chose a really luscious tomato, cut it in half and squeezed the seeds onto paper towel. When the seeds and remaining pulp was dry I wrote a label on the paper and stored it in an envelope in the laundry cupboard ready for the next tomato season.

Some growers suggest leaving the scooped out seeds and adhering pulp in a jar for a few days so they ferment. Apparently this prepares the seeds for germination. I have never done this and have always had great germination rates.

The tomato process is save seeds from the best tomatoes, plant the seeds, watch them grow, then paint the tomatoes and finally, eat the tomatoes.

plastic utensils

First we were told to throw out plastic utensils, particularly black plastic utensil, due to toxic chemicals. This still remains good advice, as concerning levels of cancer causing flame retardants are present in black utensils. One recent report has ‘corrected’ the probable risk of toxic chemicals but emphasize the risk is still concerning.

Meanwhile, the sales of stainless steel utensils increased by 13% last year . During the same period sales of silicone utensils increased by 70%. Do your own research and decide if you need new utensils!

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Pet Ownership and its Many Advantages

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pet ownership

Do you have a dog or a cat, or maybe both? The majority of people in Australia do, with similar numbers of ownership across all developed countries. Whilst the biggest surge in ownership occurred during Covid, the rates of pet ownership has continued to grow. There are about 29 million pets in 6.9 million households in Australia. This figure includes dogs (48%), cats (30%) then fish and small mammals, such as guinea pigs and reptiles.

People who grew up with pets are more likely to owns pets themselves as adults, with the greatest growth in pet ownership amongst 28 – 35 year olds worldwide. This group of younger people will spend about 150 euros (AUD 264) a month on their pet. People over 65 are less likely to own pets.

Australia ranks behind the US and China for pet ownership. Most pets now live partly or full time indoors. Pet food and accoutrements is a growing market. Demand for premium pet food is growing rapidly. Many Australians consider their pet a member of the family and, as a result, the pet industry is growing rapidly. Clothing, accessories, care, training, tech items and even therapy sessions are popular.

Luxury brands are hot on the pet trend! Amongst other things, the luxury brand Celine offers a lambskin bowl and a plastic toy featuring the brand’s monogram (160 euros), Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton offer collars and leashes. Dolce & Gabbana have launched a dog perfume (100 euros). Other luxury brands offering dog or cat merchandise include Gucci, Hermes, Ralph Lauren, Barbour, Moschino and Versace.

Pet owners say their pet offers good company, affection and comfort. Owners of dogs say they prompt exercise. There is a social aspect about visiting the local dog park. I’m having coffee tomorrow with someone I met at our dog park 24 years ago. I also have lunch with a group from the dog park occasionally. Good company, a beautiful park, lots of exercise on grass amongst the trees and lots of amusing antics provided by the dogs.

benefits of dog ownership

Then I opened an article called ‘How Your Dog Can Help You Worry Less and Live More’ (Link) Every dog owner knows the joy of arriving home tired or frustrated to be met by an enthusiastic pet. They’re very pleased to see you and keen for a cuddle and attention. All they want is some play time and then to cuddle up with you. In fact, research shows dogs can help us manage stress and anxiety. There’s no judgement, no tricky questions and no need to explain. This is the concept of Angelika von Sanden’s book, ‘Sit, Stay, Grow. How dogs can help you worry less and walk into a better future’. The author is a social worker and therapist, so was often told by dog owners how their dog gave the owner a sense of purpose, the need to carry on, ‘the shoulder to cry on, the one steady, unjudgemental being in people’s lives.’

She writes that daily walks, playing and even just observing your dog can ‘relieve negativity, find happiness and live more meaningful lives. Von Sanden suggests we need to treat ourselves with the same love and kindness we extend to our dogs. ‘We treat our dogs with so much more love and patience than we give ourselves.’

Other studies she refers to support this claim, showing dogs can lower cortisol levels, increase oxytocin and also lower blood pressure levels. Patting a dog can trigger regions of the brain associated with social bonding and relaxation. The author also claims dogs can teach us to be more intentional by paying attention to their behaviour, such as curiosity, joy and intention. She says ‘ a dog is an amazing example and teacher to help us be in the present moment. No phone, just you and the dog.’

The daily dog walk is an opportunity to observe your dog. Focus on what the dog looks at, sniffs, just being present in the moment. The author suggests beyond companionship, dogs, through curiosity, loyalty, playfulness and their ease can help their owners to enjoy these behaviours, too.

We’re currently without a dog. We had intended to do a lot of travel this year, so were postponing getting another one. Reading this article reminded me of the time spent at the dog park over the last 20 years. Our dog park is green with mature trees, views of the river and delightful dogs and their lovely owners. I miss going to the park!

All images Pixabay.

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Making, Cooking and Other Things

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making

The collection of beads used to make a new necklace. The (sadly) broken white bead was right at the front.

When I was a junior primary teacher, my necklace made from these faux pieces of licorice allsorts was a bit of a hit. Not so much now when I go out to mahjong or shopping and certainly not at yoga! Then I bought a black and white striped shirt. Eying off my necklace collection inspiration struck and I knew I could reuse some of the licorice allsorts pieces and bigger beads from a necklace I dropped on the floor. One of the pieces broke on impact. I wore that necklace often, so hunted down a replacement. Now I will reuse pieces from the original.

Put the large beads from the broken necklace and pink pieces of licorice allsorts and smaller black pieces together. Changed things around a few times. Then I made the new necklace. I already had the string and the catch for this new necklace. There may be more soon. My elderly neighbour can’t be bothered with necklaces or earrings anymore and has given me several necklaces made from glass beads. Very pretty and ripe for reusing.

sourdough

I’ve been making sourdough bread years. My first sourdough starter died when we were away for a long period but the replacement has been bubbling away happily for a long time. Until it didn’t look sprightly at all. Read lots of articles abut reviving runny starter. Followed the instructions and fed it twice, using more flour than water, let it rest between each feeding and it’s back to normal. I will make a loaf tonight and bake it in the morning.

Most online examples of sourdough loaves are boulés, round balls, and are baked in a Dutch oven. I make my loaves in a loaf tin as this results in slices of similar size, which I prefer.

Sourdough baking appeals to a wide range of people. Reading some of the advice was daunting but I found an easy method which worked. Sourdough bakers who post online are totally passionate about their bread and jump through all sorts of hoops to make it and some, like me, use the same recipe and are happy with the outcome.

The newly ‘recovered’ sourdough starter made a very good loaf of bread.

There’s so many recipes for using the discard from feeding the starter and so many for adding things to the bread, too, but what really caught my attention was the names people give their starters! One blog lists 160 potential names, some very funny. Another list included Must-Tang-Sally, Lazarus, Doughkey Pokey, Festus and Sour Seymour. Mine is called The Flour Child!

other things

I’ve read two books this week. I spend quite a bit of time waiting while my husband has treatments and also, there’s not much on TV. Currently we are watching on ABC iview The Secret History of the English Garden. Monty Don is the commentator and it is one of many programs about gardens he’s has visited. It is very interesting and he is a born storyteller. Really enjoying it and learning a lot about the role of gardens in history. Also seeing some amazing gardens.

The first book I read was The Night We Lost Him written by Laura Dave. Like her previous book I wrote about The Last Thing He Told Me, this is a book about lies, intrigue and the secrets of successful men. The families left behind struggle to find out what really happened. A great read.

The second book written by Nadine Williams, an Australian journalist, is about her third marriage (having vowed to never marry again) and how it led her to France. From France With Love, A Story With Baggage details how she met Oliver, how they traveled together to France and then try to sort out their cultural differences on a road trip around the country. I seem to be attracted to books about visiting France, living in France, renovating in France….I enjoyed this book . It is funny, sad and informative. I am looking online for her second book.

Tim Spector’s book Food For Life which I wrote about a few weeks ago makes alot of sense. A diverse diet results in a healthy gut but I’m struggling to eat thirty different foods every week. I was relieved when I read spices and herbs count as different foods as that got me a bit closer to goal. Close but not perfect.

Meanwhile, I have picked my first tomato of the season. Two days later there were many ripe ones. Delicious. Do you grow any food?

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Weeding Books and Paper Rubbish

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bookshelves and weeding

We are a family of keen readers. We are not so keen on throwing things out, and even likely to have a good ‘weed’ of our book collection. When we built the house we have shelves built from the floor to the ceiling on one wall, plus on another wall with windows and a half height return on a third wall. Over the years the shelves have gone from neat and tidy to books two layers thick, books poked in horizontally on other books and books overflowing onto other furniture in the room. Time for a change!

Two days later and about third of the shelves are done.

Our son was here for the long weekend. After breakfast the sorting and tidying began. We packed the discards into boxes to take to the Save the Children Book depot. So far it has taken two days but we will persist. The big bonus of this exercise is discovering forgotten books, in my case, now all shelved together. It became apparent I like to read autobiographies written by people who have lived in foreign lands. I found and am currently reading Marjory McGinn’s Things Can Only Get Feta. Along with her husband and crazy Jack Russell they move to a remote town in southern Peloponnese.

Seventeen boxes done and ready to go.

Marjory has had a passion for Greece since she and her family arrived in Australia from Scotland and her assigned ‘buddy’ at school was from a Greek family. In her twenties she worked in Athens and speaks enough Greek to organise a house, get a car and settle into life in rural Megali Mantineia. There are few foreigners in the area. They soon meet the locals and the scorpians and the hornets. This is a humourous and engaging account of their experiences in rural Greece and some of the hot spots, too. She and her husband decided to stay for a second year despite the difficulties Greece was experiencing during the austerity years.

I really enjoyed this book and set off to see if she’d written a second book about the next year in Greece. Found there are seven more books. The titles all suggest McGinn and her husband, both freelance journalists, stayed in Greece for some years. I will be trying to get some of the other books.

rubbish recycling

Are you still sorting through post Christmas or holiday paper, cards, envelopes and cardboard? All these products can be recycled easily avoiding landfill. Recycling reduces deaforestation and the impact of the processes required to manufacture new paper based products.

Effective recycling relies on ensuring only products suitable for recycling go in the paper/glass recycling bin. Contamination spoils clean paper and means all the materials are sent to landfill. Typical contamination is related to food stuffs, such as pizza boxes and oil stained paper bags and wrapping. Recycling paper means a reduction in landfill gases and reducedCO2. It’s easy, too.

Image Pixabay

WHAT SHOULD YOU PUT IN YOUR PAPER RECYCLING BIN?

Brochures, even if they are glossy, but not ones treated with plastic laminate, plus glossy and matte packaging
All envelopes, even if they have a small plastic window, as the processes involved sort them out
Shredded paper so long as staples and paper clips have been removed before shredding
Cardboard boxes, although waxed or greasy boxes are not suitable
Magazines, newspapers, advertising brochures, childrens’ used exercise books if the staples are removed.
Due to the materials used to line paper cups and fruit juice containers, they cannot be recycled.
Recycled paper is used to make more paper for printing on and writing on, cardboard, bags, gift tags, tissues, toilet paper and napkins. Recycled paper is processed to sterilize and remove dye. Paper can be recycled up to seven times before the fibres become too short and too weak to reuse.
Image Pixabay

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