Bits and Pieces

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roses

My Mother loved her garden. She grew vegetables, herbs and flowers of every kind. Her ideal gift was bags of mulch, fertiliser or a new plant. She loved receiving gift cards for the local hardware store. So I try to have some flowers next to her photo all the time. These are Iceberg roses. They have a lovely scent, although some of them, planted at a different time, have very little perfume.

The Abraham Darby is still flowering, too. It smells lovely.

The Mr Lincoln is a large standard rose. I have painted the roses many times because they are so lush and smell lovely.

Despite constant battles with chili thrip I have decided to keep the roses. So many people I know have dug up their roses. The experts explain how you can control chili thrip but not eradicate it. Some of the sprays suggested are not products I want to use in our garden, so I persist with the water blasting. It is successful on some roses, not others.

cooking

Soup weather is traditionally winter time, but I’ve been making soup since January. Most of our soups are flavoured with curry, because that’s one of the flavours my Husband can taste. I often use carrots as the base vegetable, too, as they blend well and thicken the soup.

One kilo of carrots makes a lot of soup base. I add whatever else is available. I begin by frying the onion then adding curry powder, then the carrots and anything else that comes to hand, so no real recipe!

I made more muffins but used passion fruit pulp instead of blueberries. I’ll make more this weekend. They were very popular.

The passion fruit muffin batter doesn’t look very enticing, but they were delicious.

picking

Apart from the last of the roses, I’ve been picking lemons and limes. Also herbs and perpetual spinach. The spinach is a versatile vegetable; it can be eaten in a salad, cooked as a vegetable or wilted into anything else you’re cooking which would benefit from a splash of green! Easy to grow from seed. I have three plants which are ‘cut and come again’. The more I pick, the more they grow.

flowers

I once read in a gardening magazine that peonies will only grow in areas where apples grow. Apples don’t grow where we live, but they are grown domestically and commercially further down south. So when I saw in our local news paper the nearby fresh fruit and vegetable market had peonies for sale I mentioned it to my husband. Well, actually I placed the folded paper, showing the ad. over his computer screen. Subtle? Effective.

Added little branches trimmed off the lemon tree. Some of the branches have immature fruit attached. The pink against the deep green of citrus leaves contrasts well. So pretty!

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Reading, Painting and Ginger Rice Chicken.

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reading

I’ve been reading a book by Pip Williams which I have really enjoyed. Amazing memories of time spent in Italy are well and truly stirred up by her latest book One Italian Summer. Pip Williams is the author of the best selling books The Dictionary of Lost Words and The Bookbinder of Jericho.

One Italian Summer tells the story of Pip, her husband and two young sons moving from Sydney to the Adelaide Hills. Still feeling overwhelmed by work commitments they sign up for the WWOOFers (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms ) program. This is when farmers provide accommodation and food in return for work. The family goes to Italy. WWOOers stay for short periods of time then move to another farm, travel or go back to their home. The accommodation provided varies in this case from a woodshed with no facilities to an apartment.

Doesn’t matter how often or in what intensitivy of light I photograph, the title of ONE ITALIAN SUMMER is difficult to read.

In between work commitments the family explores nearby towns and architectural remnants of times gone by. They can’t afford a hire car so travel on trains and walk. There’s a little home schooling and lots of eating and exploration.

I’ve also been reading another Lisa See book, Peony in Love. Really enjoying it. She writes historically correct stories about traditional high ranking Chinese communities, often set in towns I know or have lived in, in China. I borrowed another book of hers from the library and took it back almost unread. It didn’t resonate at all. Seems I preferred her books about ancient China, not modern America!

The ability to read is a bit of a hot topic at the moment. Reading skills in some developed countries are declining. Philip Womack (https:www.spectator.co.uk/magazine) refers to a recent American study called ‘They Don’t Read Very Well’ which analysed the reading comprehension skills of English Literature students in two mid-western universities.

The students were asked to read aloud the first paragraph of Charles Dicken’s ‘Bleak House’. Most of the students didn’t recognize common punctuation and were unable to understand the paragraph. Intrigued, I looked it up. The punctuation makes it easy to read although some of the text would be called ‘old fashioned.’

The article goes on to say many children can hardly read. Their ‘tech blinded parents’ don’t read to them or encourage reading. Their teachers don’t have the resources nor support or are of similar age of the parents. The article states that ‘many think that making students read difficult books is elitist.’ Not very encouraging.

painting

I have painted botannicals for years. I’ve done classes, I’ve worked under a painting master in China for three years and I’ve painted at home. Usually I paint on the dining room table which is handy to all the other things I do such as cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing and so on. All major painting disruptors. Eventually I packed up all my painting things and put them away. Sad moment but we had other commitments for some months.

Then this week I needed to paint. I gathered up my equipment and settled to paining a rose at the dining room table. A camellia followed the rose . Then some tulips and another rose. Now I am waiting for a Abraham Darcy rose to bloom so I can paint that next. I’ve just read a book about old roses grown by Vita Sackville West and I think that’s what prompted the rose paintings. Really enjoying painting again.

cooking

Regular readers know I’m a fan of www.recipetineats.com. So, lacking inspiration after weeks of putting curry in everything, I got the ingredients ready to make the Recipetineats version of Ginger Chicken Rice.

Used the only mushrooms I had, but would buy oyster mushrooms to make this again.

Quick (I bought chopped chicken) and tasty, this made two dinners for two people. I’ll make it again.

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Lino Printing, New Journals and Cooking

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lino printing

Really enjoyed a lino cut printing course. I haven’t done any printing for years. Our first activity involved our drawing our chosen image onto paper which transferred onto a polystyrene type of block. We then printed this image (the fish) onto paper. This allowed us to learn how to apply the ink all over the image and place it on the paper.

Next, we transferred our image for the lino cut onto the lino block, ready to cut. This was not old fashioned stiff lino which required heating but a far softer product. It all would have gone well, except I forgot to take my glasses and had pre-drawn a complex image for printing.

Never mind! I’d made several copies of my image and we left with some extra lino, so I’ll cut it and print the bird image again. I have (somewhere) a set of cutting tools. And I’ll wear my glasses.

journals

For years I have written in a journal everyday. I used to be able to buy them at Chinese supermarkets in Northbridge and some newsagents. They were easy to find. Post Covid they are hard to find. I ordered ten from an online auction site.

What I hadn’t anticipated was that these journals would be a little bit bigger than the ones I’ve used for over thirty years. The photocopied images I cover the books with are fine, the marbled pages I glue in as end papers are too small. A morning of marbling coming up. Bit tricky, though, as it has started to rain and the rain is forecast to continue for a week. I print the in the laundry then lay the prints to dry on the paving just outside the door. Need fine weather but we’re so pleased with the rain.

Apart from the larger format, these journals have traditional embossing on the corners and binding. I hope the printed covers will cover the embossing smoothly. Don’t really like it!

cooking

Our son was here for four days and I had most of the meals prepared. I had to make dinner for one night. Checked what was in the fridge. Found eggs, bacon and cheese so the die was cast. Snipped some spring onions from out the back. Cooked up a chopped onion and the bacon, whipped up the eggs, added some yoghurt and spring onions, grated cheese , and wilted spinach and then grind of black pepper. Into the oven.

While the egg and bacon pie cooked I prepared and cooked some vegetables. Leftover apple crumble followed.

My husband can taste a range of flavours now, but curry still dominates our soups and meat dishes. This time the slow cooker was in use to make enough meals to eat some now and lots to go in the freezer.

Browned onions, then 2kg of cubed rump steak and added it to bay leaves, curry powder, beef stock, five chopped carrots and some sweet potatoes. Salt, pepper, left it to cook for five hours on ‘high’.

Next morning when the curry was cold I put two lots in the fridge and the rest into the freezer. Experience has taught me to label the boxes. We’ve had some interesting thawed dinners which weren’t what I expected!

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Reading and Cooking

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reading

Although I read a lot, it has been a while since I just couldn’t put a book down until I’d finished it! That book was Lisa See’s Lady Tan’s Circle of Women! It was lent to me by a neighbour who’d read it for her bookclub meeting this week and she thought I’d like it. Set in China in the 15th century, See’s story is based on a wealthy family and the strict rules and structures of the era. The main protagonist is based on the records of a female doctor. A really good read.

Off to the library and able to request four of See’s many books from local libraries. I get the first one this afternoon. In the meanwhile, I have read a fast paced novel by Linwood Barclay called Find You First. The main protagonist donated sperm as a student to fund his education. In his forties he is diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease and tries to find the children he has fathered. His technology business has done very well and he wants to eave each child a bequest. Things go horribly wrong! Good to read, but I think it would scare me if it was made into a film. Pretty violent.

cooking

Our son is here for four days. I was already committed for two afternoons of those days so wrote a meal plan, went shopping and cooked up a storm so meals will go smoothly. I began by cooking a piece of corned beef. The brine is my Mother’s recipe; white pepper, vinegar and brown sugar in water to just cover the meat in a large pot, cook until it is done. I know there are no amounts listed and that’s because I don’t know, I just do what looks right for the piece of meat and it always works well! I can’t remember my Mother ever measuring the ingredients, either.

While the meat was cooking I boiled potatoes and some mixed vegetables. While that cooled I made a mayonnaise to add to the vegetables to make a Potato Salad. I think there’s more flavour if you make the salad a day before you intend to eat it.

The muffins looked much better cooked than as raw batter!

That was followed by two trays of blueberry muffins. The muffins cooked while I boiled some apples. While the apples were cooking I mixed the oats, flour, cinnamon and brown sugar to make a crumble. Drained the apples, leaving some juice as I spooned the apples into a Corningware dish. Covered with the crumble and into the oven for 40 minutes. That is about eight serves of Apple Crumble. Smells wonderful.

I also have a large frozen lasagne plus spinach leaves and celery to make salads and lots of sweet potato to roast and serve with corned beef and later, lasagne. We’ve just taken delivery of an order from a local supplier who has the best glacé ginger, crystalized ginger and ginger Turkish Delight. Also in the box, macadamia nuts, rocky road, Japanese rice crackers and vegetable chips flavoured with chili and lime. My husband can taste ginger and spicy things now, not just curry, although I have made curried sweet potato, fennel and carrot soup, too. We will not starve this weekend!

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Basket Weaving, Mother’s Day and Other Things

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basket weaving

I joined a friend at a basket weaving session. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the tutor had an array of beautiful baskets, from tiny ones to really big ones, hand woven from rope and stitched together with wool or cotton thread. Very inspiring.

The rope I’d chosen and the thread I used to stitch the bowl together.

We each selected a piece of rope, cut off some wool or cotton thread and threaded our darning needle. We began by making a loop to start forming the base. Everything was stitched into place using blanket stitch. Once we’d shaped the base we were shown how to make the ‘walls’. Three hours flew by. I came away with a small, slightly wonky basket. Really enjoyed the activity, the chatter of the people around the table and seeing the lovely baskets people made. The tutor offers other courses, so I’ll be looking them up.

mother’s day

Australians and many other countries celebrated Mother’s Day last Sunday. I hope all the Mothers had a lovely day, whatever they did with or without family. Our son couldn’t be here so he arranged two boxes of treats to be delivered from a French bakery. One box of croissants and one of mixed delicious cakes, scrolls and macarons. Superb!

A wonderful box of various delicious French treats.

My husband and I celebrated Mother’s Day by heading off to our favourite yum cha restaurant. We’ve been going there for years. We arrived quite early as the line builds up quickly on weekend mornings. The queue was already enormous! Often one member of the party lines up and the rest arrive later or sit on the walls. When the doors open and guests can enter, suddenly the person in front of you actually represents eight family members!

We were so lucky! Most groups were six or eight, but they had one two person table available! The line behind us was as long as the line in front of us, so some people were waiting ages to get a seat. But the little treats are so good! Brisk service, really good food and interesting watching the world go by. A huge selection of flavours. We had squid, crab, prawn and some pork dim sum plus a favourite turnip cake, all beautifully presented, all delicious.

One of my Mother’s Day gifts was Janelle McCulloch’s latest book, Where The Old Roses Grow. The sub title is Vita Sackville-West and the Battle For Beauty During Wartime. I am really enjoying it. Regular readers know I only buy books I really, really enjoy (I borrow books from the library, generally) and I have almost all of the books Janelle McCulloch has written. There are many.

other things

Forty odd years ago it was cold on our wedding day. Monday was 28ºC but there was a lovely sea breeze.

We celebrated our wedding anniversary on Monday. We went for lunch at a local restaurant with a great view over the Indian Ocean taking in Rottnest Island. It’s only been open a few months but has had very good reviews. We were not disappointed!

Half Shell Scallop Blue Swimmer crab tart.

Fremantle Swordfish Saltbush Fed Lamb medallions

Yuzu Tart Neopolitan Semifredo

more other things

I really like this small urn, one of a pair and struck some rosemary slips a while back put in both of them. They don’t have holes so I wanted to plant them in pots I could take out for watering. Problem was, I couldn’t find pots that fitted well!

So I cut the rim off two yoghurt pots which fitted well but were too tall. Then I reapplied the rims using double sided tape. Worked really well.

Washed the empty pots and sliced the rim off with a Stanley Trimmer. Reattached the rims to the pots using double sided tape.

Fits snugly.

I will toparize the rosemary plants when they are bigger. It will help them stay small enough for the pots. Bit of a long term project.

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Coffee, Reading and Eating

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coffee

The pendulum has swung back in favour of coffee according to nutritionist Dr Federica Amati in COUNTRYANDTOWNHOUSE.COM March/April 2025. Coffee can make you feel alert and now, studies say coffee improves athletic performance and sharpens thinking. Recent research claims moderate consumption isn’t bad for coronary health. In fact, longer and larger studies show coffee can reduce the risk of heart disease. Interestingly, some more recent studies suggest moderate consumption of coffee can protect you against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Surprisingly, coffee contains 1.5g of fibre. Good gut health requires 30g fibre a day. Other studies suggest moderate consumption can reduce the likelihood of developing some cancers. The trick is to drink black coffee, although a little splash of milk is fine. Avoid sugar, syrups and other additives to get the best outcome. Good news!

reading

As usual, lots of reading, due to waiting at appointments and also not sleeping well. Actually, I use every opportunity to read. Have done, all my life. Books I’ve read lately vary from new releases to older books by preferred authors.

Martine Murray’s THE LAST SUMMER OF ADA BLOOM captured family life in small town Australia. I really enjoyed this book, even the happy ending!

I borrowed Maggie Alderson’s SHALL WE DANCE? as I really enjoyed a previous book of hers, WOULD YOU RATHER. Her books are easy to read and entertaining. I was pleased to see she’s written many more books. I try to get all my books from the library and will see what other titles they have on the shelf.

Another Elizabeth Strout novel featuring Olive Ketteridge. TELL ME EVERYTHING is set in the period of post Covid recovery in America. The characters are mostly in their 60s and 70s managing family dilemmas and friendships in typical Strout style. A good read.

A huge success when it was published I was late to find this book. Everyone seems to really like it, except me! I found Nina George’s THE LITTLE PARIS BOOKSHOP coyingly cute and overly descriptive. I gave up about a third of the way through. Let me know if you’ve read it and what you thought!

There’s a reason these two books are at the bottom of this list. Reviews of YELLOWFACE referred to it’s freshness. I think I’m about 40 years too old to identify with the behaviour of the main character. Interesting insight into the world of social media and it’s impact on publishing, promoting and reviewing books.

cooking

My husband’s taste buds are recovering slowly. What he can and can’t taste is unpredictable, so knowing he can taste curry, much of what we eat from soup to main courses involves curry. We ate Masaman curry two nights in a row and I froze some for later. Very convenient when his immunotherapy appointments finish well after 5pm.

Lamb roast at Easter and now he’s enjoying air dried lamb our son brought with him.

Too many Easter treats means we are still eating our way through chocolate and nougat. The Fig and Raspberry nougat we had yesterday for morning tea was delicious!

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Scents, Recycling Bins and ANZAC DAY

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You can consider this blog very late or a day early. Your choice! Last week was very, very busy.

scents

Apparently, 75% of human emotions are triggered by smell. Aromachology, is the science of how fragrance effects your mood. In 1997, Clinique launched a new fragrance called ‘Happy’. Apparently this scent could make you feel happy. Scent triggers the part of the brain that processes emotions., releasing endorphins, the happy hormones and GABA, a relaxation agent.

I was in New York when Clinique released ‘Happy’. We were bombarded with ads for this revolutionary perfume. Every department store, bus, train and gallery seem to be scented with ‘Happy’. I actually bought a small spray but don’t remember using it very often. Surprisingly, I recently found the atomiser and a refill vial when I was sorting through a drawer. I suspect the scent has deteriorated in the past 18 years! It is very strong. Instead of making me happy it made me sneeze! It’s a nice scent but too intense for me now.

There’s a whole new selection of scents available now. Brands talk about a ‘wardrobe’ of fragrances to suit different occasions and emotions.This is alongside a plethora of home scents and body sprays and mists. These scents are intended to make you feel invigorated or relaxed or happy. They are aimed at emotional well being and claim science backs the impact the scents can have on how we feel.

I’ve used the same perfume for years so thought I’d try some of the lighter, fruit based scents. The brand I chose offers scents based on energising citrus, grounding wood and calming florals. One also has notes of burnt caramel but I don’t know what emotion that evokes, except it is very strong! Unfortunately, these ‘mists’ are very strong and actually awful. They linger for hours with an overbearing scent. Made me think of air fresheners. These scents are often called ‘mists’ as they are generally a lighter version of traditional perfumes. There’s also a range of stick on fragrance pads for your car. They’re very strongly perfumed, too. None of them for me.

glass recycling

I wasn’t really sure if glass face cream jars should go in the glass recycling bin, so went looking for more information. ( www.recycleright.wa.gov.au) In our area, this bin has a yellow lid, the general rubbish bin has a red lid and the plant matter bin has a green lid. Glass things you can put in bin for recycling are glass jars with the lid removed, glass drinking glasses, cleaned, empty glass cosmetic jars and glass bottles. Any bottles with the label saying 10c can be taken to the Containers for Change depot.

Here is a list of things which shouldn’t go in the yellow lidded bin:

Pyrex and any other heat resistant glass ceramics, light bulbs, nail polish bottles and spectacles. Spectacles can be dropped off at many optometrists or contact your local Lions club if you’re in WA.

anzac day

Commemorated on the 25th of April, ANZAC ( Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) Day is to remember those who fought in all wars. Many of us have parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents or siblings who have served in the armed forces.

We used to go to the local ANZAC memorial for the early morning service, but that ended during Covid. Like many people, we stood out on our driveway with a candle and listened to the service on a radio. By the end of the service the sun had risen and it was a very beautiful beginning to the day. One of our neighbours suggested we all sit on her verge. We got our folding chairs, she brought out her coffee machine, we sat, properly distanced and a new tradition began.

This ANZAC Day was held, as usual, in a neighbour’s carport. It was a cold, clear morning and we stood together listening to the service, each with our own memories. Then the breakfast began! My husband worked the coffee machine and we all brought treats to share. Lovely to catch up with everyone’s news and plans and neighbours who have moved away but came, too. A special way to begin the day.

All images used in this blog supplied by Pixabay.

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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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