Starry Starry Night

As I left the house to go to work tonight I couldn't help but look up at the amazing starscape that was out.

There wasn't a cloud to be seen but there was millions of twinkling lights that seemed to dance over the universe.

It is good to be alive :-)

Anniversary

Well it has been another year since my John passed and I made it through the anniversary with no problems.

It gets easier each year, as it should, but at the same time I feel a bit guilty about it getting easier. I know my head tells me that life does go on, we don't mourn forever and it is all good (and I believe this) but my heart sometimes feels like it is betraying John because I have moved on.

Okay these are just fleeting moments and it isn't really an issue. I guess it just becomes more relevant on days like yesterday's anniversary. And it would be much more of a worry if I was still as messy as I was on the first anniversary :-)

Anyway Womble, you are gone but definitely not forgotten - hope you are having a ball wherever you are :-)

Kindness

Kindness in words creates confidence.
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.

Lao-tzu

Illustration bu Michael Leunig

Artwork of the Day

Dancers in Repose - Edgar Degas

Very True...

When you can be yourself, why try to be a clone of someone else?

Anonymous

Cheryl's Makeover

As I mentioned before, the lovely Miss Cheryl is going to live with the lovelier Miss J-Bear in Texas. As such I have begun to prepare her departure outfit, with J-Bear's consultation of course. This is her ball gown - all hand-made, hand-stitched and hand-beaded by yours truly. The ear-rings were Miss K's RAK. The only other thing is that the gown is more of a purple than a blue but that is how the photos came out :-)

A Beautiful Weed

Where There Is Life...

It's the Attitude

You may not be responsible for being down, but you are responsible for getting up.

Jessie Jackson

My Bear

When I was born I was given a teddy (appropriately named Ted) from my grandfather in England (or at least I think that is how the story goes). He is currently being fostered by the fabulous Miss C but suffice to say he was very, very loved when I was little. Much of his coat was worn away from cuddles and the growler apparently stopped growling after I gave him a bath.

Imagine my surprise when watching Bargain Hunt yesterday when 'my' bear went up for auction and got GBP110! Given the age of the program that makes it about AUD300.00! Now this bear was obviously loved, but not nearly as loved as mine and I shall NEVER part with Ted on a permanent basis but how cool to know that I have a 'brand name' (Chiltern) bear!

The pic is the closest I can find to my bear - you would think it would be easier to locate but you get the idea :-)

I Spy Pies

Yes it is cooking day - yippee and, you guessed it, the theme was pies.

Now these weren't intended to be fancy pies, it was more a case of showing the lovelies how to make an easy and quick pie (using either filo, puff or shortcrust pastry - all store bought) with the option of including some meat (I provided chicken or mince) and whatever else. It was one of the few cooking groups that didn't have a recipe in sight and it was based upon a mini theme of 'follow your tastebuds'!

And yes the lovelies excelled yet again. And yes my camera was sitting right there. And yes, I forgot to get photos of most of the pies. These are the one's I grabbed before everything got eaten ...

We had a 'traditional' beef and gravy pie, a chicken and vegetable pie with mornay sauce, chicken and corn triangles (pictured) and an apple high pie (pictured before and after). Oh, and a great salad to go with the savories and ice cream to go with the dessert :-)

The beef and gravy pie was made using the mince with some herbs and bits and a gravy poured over. This was cooked in a baking pan using the puff pastry - including the creation of a face as a garnish - both top and bottom.

The chicken and vegetable pie was made by dicing boneless chicken thighs and adding this to boiled or steamed vegetables (we just raided the fridge for an interesting combination). My colleague made her 'secret' mornay sauce and this was mixed through. This pie was made using puff pastry top and bottom.

I minced my chicken thighs, stirred in a drained can of corn and a large handful of frozen peas. I added a touch of cayenne pepper just because I could. I used most of the mix to form triangles using filo pastry, and then the remainder into little filo pies using a muffin pan. Unlike the beef pie, i didn't precook my filling because there was only a tablespoon of mixture in each of them.

The apple high pie was made in springform pan lined with shortcrust pastry. I added two cans of pie apple in which I stirred in a little cinnamon. Top with more shortcrust pastry.

All of these were chucked in a 230 C oven (roughly) and cooked until golden.

Very, very easy and most delicious :-)

Hmmmm ....

It's not what you are that holds you back, it's what you think you're not.

Denis Waitley

Sculpture from Mind And Matter Art

Bird Watching Mystery

I found another bird in the tree outside my window. I would describe it as a small, blue-green kingfisher shaped bird. I didn't hear its voice.

I have a great website that has never let me down but I stumped with this one. It was definitely a kingfisher shape (I am sure of that cos it was the same shape as a kookaburra) and the color appeared to be all over - as opposed to a wing color or a band or whatever.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Dance Like No One's Watching ...

Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no bird sang there except those that sang best.

Harry Van Dyke

Painting by Spencer

Spaghetti Sauce

I grew up in a little town in WA that was 85% Italian. And by Italian I mean 'old-style Italian' - the mommas wore black, all shop attendants could speak the language, arranged marriages were the norm and every family joined together for both the pig kill and the tomato harvest and bottling of the sauce. It was all very normal to me but I wish I had some of those moments again.

I say this because the original Italian's in the town were WWII prisoners that decided to stay. By the time the late 70's came around, some started to travel back to the old country to see their family for the last time only to realize that the Italy that they left, and continued to perpetuate, had long since gone. Let's face it, Italy in the 70's was ... well, Italy in the 70's, not the 40's.

To get to my point, we had two Italian families as neighbors. On one side was the Cochiavera's (hopefully the spelling is close) who had the most amazing vegetable garden - including exotic things borlotti beans and I am sure a complete range of other things that I would just kill for today. On the other side was the ... not the Ferraro's, not the Italiano's, not the Scambelluri's, not the Panetta's, oh, I can't even remember their name now which is most embarrassing.

I am sure we were invited to dinner more than once but I only remember one time and we had spaghetti to die for. I have tried for the last 20 years to replicate the sauce and haven't even got close - mainly because it is the memory of an unsophisticated child of maybe 6 or 7 who wasn't into culinary appreciation at that time (aside from developing a passionate dislike for Brussel sprouts but that is another story that ranks with the spider one).

I assume that the actual pasta was homemade because this was the day and age when we "real Australians" bought our spaghetti in a can with a Heinz label on it :-)

It is the sauce that haunts me.... again I assume this was all homemade, from homegrown produce. It definitely had tomatoes in it, and I assume was bolognese. On the edge of my plate were three drops of tomato sauce and oil that had separated and fascinated me incredibly. And the taste was to die for. From there you would have to step in my head to experience the dish because I just can't get a better description than that out which is one of the big problems I have in trying to get a similar recipe.

And again, why do I mention this now - because (in my very sleep deprived state) I was cooking a chicken fillet at lunchtime, with a little fried onion, and one of the components of the aroma brought it all back. And no the sauce wasn't so easy as to contain either of those ingredients (as such) and I have cooked both ingredients a thousand times over the years and have never experienced the feeling. Somewhere, in my somewhat deep somnambulistic state, receptors were triggered and I am now in search of a memory again.

I would give my first-born child to eat that meal again...

Mountain Girl's Tragedy

I started work at 9.00 last night and I wasn't due to finish until 10.30 this morning (with a 30 minute break of course) - it is a killer shift at the best of times.

I had been watching the Test and although there was only a few wickets to go, and plenty of overs, the last couple of days had been slow and not very interesting (not that I would ever say that about a Test Match). So, I decided to be a responsible employee and have nap before work - even though I wasn't really tired, but I was 'responsible'.

I tossed and turned a got a few minutes sleep over the next few hours and I guess that was okay.

I awoke to the news that Australia had won - with 7 balls to spare...

Doh!

It sounds so pathetic to say I knew the Aussies would win (and equal the record for Test Match wins) if I went to sleep - and if I stayed awake it would diminish into a boring draw. I know I really don't have that power. More like a case of Murphy's Law. But ... well, doh!

Today was going to be my last Sport's Report because I figured I really don't care about sport and the challenge of producing something vaguely interesting has been good, but I am not sure I succeeded. Now I realize I do care about sport (sometimes) and I never actually write anything here for the popularity so ... well the Sport's report will be back next week ....

If Music Be The Food of Love...

We are members of a vast cosmic orchestra in which each living instrument is essential to the complementary and harmonious playing of the whole
J Allen Boone

Picture by Christine L Windley

Michael Jordan and the Passing of Time

When I was in my other prime, I was a basketball babe. I would like to think I was a legendary player but I was ... well somewhat competent player. But I was a great trainer, manager, statician, fund-raiser, administrator and a passable junior coach.

In these days Michael Jordan was the undeniable king of the hoop, the court and most everything else. Yes we all chanted (in our heads anyway) "I like Mike" we bought Haines and we drank milk. Slam dunking was the ultimate be all and end all (except for the vertically challenged like myself). We wore Air Jordan's, red and black most anything and displayed the number 23 wherever we could. Okay so there maybe some dreams mixed in with reality but you get the general idea.

So why do I mention this here and now? Simply because I am on night shift and after about 3 o'clock my cognitive function diminishes considerably and my mind beings to wander. Last night it wandered to the Mike days (don't ask me why) and the contemplation of what young (ish) people do in days like these when they don't have Michael Jordan. And through the cloud of pleasant dreams, toe-curling and trying to stay awake I wondered aloud (much to my embarrassment but everyone was asleep so I think it was okay) if David Beckham is the Jordan of today.

My initial reaction was 'surely not - he is a twit' but is that opinion only because I am not world-game-aholic? And if that is true, was Mike not really *Mike* but just a bloke with a good marketing campaign? Hmmmm ... I think I desperately need some sleep ....

Food For Thought

I did a bit of a grocery shop this morning - been a while since I did one this big and I paid extra attention to my food miles.

My latest considerations : I could only buy one brand of canned tomatoes that came from Australia - and that had a 50% price premium over the Italian brands - and it wasn't from my state let alone my neighborhood. I use a lot of canned tomatoes so now I have a choice of not using them, or reducing their use considerably, or concede that my food miles will be higher for doing so. And then I started to think about how far the can had traveled!

I realized that while I intended to drop my food miles to almost nil, practically that is almost impossible - at this stage anyway.

I was actually buying the tomatoes for a black eyed bean soup, and to restock the pantry. I then realized that I don't know of anywhere in Australia where they grow black eyed beans, and they weren't in the supermarket so that put paid to that option.

I got some red wine vinegar - a choice of three brands, all from Italy. Sigh, I gave into that one.

I went to buy some general (non-olive oil). I usually avoid canola oil simply because of the GM debate so I looked at everything else. None of the options available (yes I was in a major supermarket) had a pure Australia oil - all were made from 'Australian and imported' product. I even reverted to looking at the canola items but that was no different. Well I would only use a couple of litres a year so I will stick with my Australian olive oil instead.

The last decision I made, of any importance, was to not buy my Paul Newman's Ranch Dressing. I love the stuff but the ingredient list is way too long (and with way too many non-natural products) so I got some buttermilk instead and will make my own tomorrow. Now this is nothing against Paul Newman - all dressings are in the same boat - including the vinaigrette styles (which again I will now be making instead of buying) and in cutting out the 'numbers' this was an easy choice.

I went to buy packaged pasta but I then considered I really only use packaged product for fuel food, and not for actually savoring, or 'real' food. I left the pasta behind and shall make an effort to continue to make my own pasta - and avoid eating anything just for 'fuel'. To be honest I am not sure how sustainable that will be in the long run but I will make a strong effort.

I discussed this with Brother G and, at his suggestion, I think I have decided to keep a look out for a little mill so I can make my own flour. This will provide me with additional nutrition but I will also know exactly where my flour comes from - when buying a bag of grain you can invariably trace it to a specific farm - I just don't know where the supermarket product comes from so I can't even guess at the miles involved - lets face it 'Product of Australia' doesn't really help me narrow much down :-)

I have also decided to bottle my own tomatoes so will continue to purchase the Australian canned product until the local season kicks in later in the year at which time I can make a year's supply.

I am also going to make a supreme effort to get all of my fruit and vege at the local growers market. That is going to necessitate a complete overhaul of how I eat - probably making more vege-style soups with product that doesn't last the distance between markets but I can live with that - imagine real soup made with real sour dough (using my own starter and my own flour)....

When I decided to be more aware of my food miles, are reduce them where possible, I didn't actually realize what a big and complex job it actually would be. But I have made a start and shall continue to do what I can where I can. Shall continue to update as I can :-)

In the meantime I have a lot of research to do :-)

Sunny Days

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.
Pablo Picasso

It Has Rained A Little Bit

Look, he's walking on water! Whoops, no, he's just walking 'in' the water :-)

Yep, definitely a dry zone this one!

Someone is playing Pooh-sticks without me!

Meat Update

I know you have been to polite to ask so, instead, I volunteer a Meat Loaf update.

Well .... there is no update as yet so I figure Mr Meat is recovering very well (no news is good news surely....) but as to an Australian tour, well fingers, arms and legs are all crossed that it will be sooner rather than later. Otherwise, this is just an excuse to mention him again.

And no, I don't have a Mr Meat problem so don't even go there :-)

Oh, whoops, just 'happened' to have another pic so may as well post it ....

The Camel Photo - Click to Enlarge

Small Change, Big Difference

The Small change, Big difference campaign encourages people to make minor changes in their lifestyles to give them a better chance of living longer, healthier lives.

It is aimed at adults with a message that it is never too late to start, and that even small changes in diet and physical activity can make a difference.

The idea that small changes are not only a step in the right direction but have proven benefit in themselves is new.

The research has identified that day to day activities, including what you do at work and at home can extend a person's life by up to three years.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The maximum amounts of additional exercise you need to do to get the most health benefit, depend largely on the type of job you do. If your job involves a lot of physical work, you might already be doing enough daily exercise.

The following list of professions will help to give you an idea of the maximum daily amount of physical activity you should be doing: office workers need one hour; hairdressers, shop assistants and guards need 30 minutes; and, plumbers, cleaners, nurses, bricklayers and construction workers are already doing enough daily exercise at work.

But remember, you don't have to try and do all of the extra activity at once. Start small and build up gradually at your own pace.

For example, if you should be doing an extra hour a day, start with 10 minutes and build up from there. Remember, some activity is better than none, and building more activity into your daily routine will be of huge benefit to you.

HEALTHY EATING

If you would prefer to change what you eat, here are some tips on how to get that extra portion of fruit or serving of vegetables each day.

* Next time you reach for a snack, grab a piece of fresh fruit instead of crisps or chocolate

* have a glass of fruit juice when you are feeling thirsty instead of tea, coffee or a fizzy drink

* add some salad to at least one meal you have each day

* stir a handful of fresh or frozen vegetables into pasta, soup or noodles

* top your pizza with extra veg such as peppers, mushrooms, onions tomatoes.

Just eating one piece of fruit or serving of vegetables a day is better than eating none at all.

Chinese Wisdom

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.
Chinese proverb

Picture by Dona Turner

It's Raining Outside

Hibiscus in the Gutter

I noticed this as I was taking the groceries out of the car this morning - and no I didn't set it up .....

Today's Thought

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people do that , but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
Mark Twain

Kulfi - the finished product

I didn't get to do my cooking group today (doh!) but, on the upside, I do have the ice-cream here :-)

So I pureed a mango, carmelized some pineapple wedges and bingo! I did have a little taste of the kulfi (despite saying I was going to eat it all the other day) but I am not really a sweet-tooth so I made two dishes and took them to the couple next door.

One thing worth remembering is that, like the homemade ice cream of my childhood, it is harder than shop stuff so I had to sit it out for a few minutes before I could get it out of the tub. Now if I wasn't taking photos I could have used a hot knife and cut it into squares like Grandma did, but all in all, a little wait is a small price to pay really.

Food Miles Confession

I got some of my favorite gnocchi earlier this week and cooked it up yesterday. After I finished eating it I thought to check where it was made. Yes my favorite gnocchi is from Italy.

I just cannot justify the food miles in getting such a very basic product to my table so I commit here and now to make my own unless I find a product with *very* minimal food miles that is made in New South Wales from NSW potatoes. Yes I have considered the loophole that the potential company might source their potatoes from (say) Western Australia.

Okay it is only a small sacrifice but I am getting serious about my food miles. I can't make an informed choice all of the time but I certainly will when I can :-)

Smart Man This One :-)

Chicken Girl

Despite my casual approach to writing here on the blog I do actually know how to write 'proper'. I have been called on many times over the years to edit other's work.

Most of these have been uni assignments and the like so it has been easy to edit for style not content - that is make sure it reads well, the punctuation is correct and there are no spelling mistakes, as opposed to whether the actual content of the assignment is accurate.

Now I have been asked to edit (as in *really* edit) a friend of a friend's creative work.

I don't like it.

The storyline doesn't work, there are holes everywhere and the flow is wrong. I am not saying that I am an expert on these things and yes it can be fixed through a couple more re-writes but I just don't know how to tell her that her 'masterpiece' that she is so proud of just doesn't work, nor can I not say anything.

In moments like this I usually try and phrase things positively, or at least with a positive spin but I am struggling here.

When I wrote my first book I handed it around for comments and feedback and got some excellent responses. Almost all positive, some including ways to improve things. The exception was my mother with tight lips just said "it has spelling mistakes" (because I had used American spelling instead of the Australian version). That devastated me and, remembering that pain, I really don't want to pass that on to the writer I am reviewing at the moment.

Okay I know I need to do this - and I can do this - it will be a good opportunity for personal learning but I guess I just wanted to be easier somehow :-/

Kulfi

The other item I have made is Kulfi (Indian icecream). Again I will post a 'serving' photo when I get to do the group :-)

Another VERY easy recipe - and the only reason that I have made it beforehand (rather than let the lovelies make it) is simply because of the freezing time.

If I was honest, I would say I tempted to make another batch today and just start eating but ... yes I will wait and just have a scoop tomorrow :-)

Kulfi

4 T sugar
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half
2 x tins evaporated milk
3 T cream

Add sugar, cinnamon and cardamom to the milk and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan continuously. Remove from the heat. Remove the cardamoms and cinnamon. Mix well and leave to cool. Stir in the cream. Freeze.

This is based on a recipe by Camellia Panjabi. Camellia used saffron instead of cinnamon (which I didn't have) and poured her kulfi into special moulds whereas I used a plastic container :-)

Paneer

Today is cooking group day - and the theme is Indian food - but I have a bit of an upset stomach (nothing major) so I am going to do it tomorrow instead.

BUT...

In anticipation that it would be today I have already prepared a couple of bits. I have made my own paneer (cheese) for example. Okay so it doesn't look like much at the moment but I wanted to get a 'before' cooking photo in .... especially as I am not actually cooking today :-)

The recipe is dead-easy and something I can really recommend to all. I made a triple-batch so please don't worry that mine is bigger than yours ha ha ha

Paneer

1 litre milk
1 1/2 t vinegar

Boil the milk. Add vinegar. When the milk curdles (yes you will know when it happens cos it looks like cottage cheese and the 'milk' is watery) remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Pour it onto some cheese cloth (I used a clean teatowel). Squeeze as much water out as you can - but be careful because it is HOT. Then put something very heavy on it for 2 - 3 hours to squeeze out the rest. Shape the curds into a rectangle (or any other shape you want - I used a pie dish). refrigerate and use as required - although keep in mind it should be used in a few days.

Stay tuned for recipes as to how to feature your paneer :-)

Postive Thought

"Always leave time in your life to do something that makes you happy, satisfied, even joyous"

Paul Hawken

Don't Forget Kenya

There are many tragedies in our world - Darfur and Iraq come to mind easily. And then we can't forget Burma and Pakistan. The list can actually go on and on.

In amongst your busy day, please spare a thought, prayer or white light moment for the people of Kenya.

The disputed presidential elections has resulted in the death of over 300 people in the last few days. Overnight the news broke that 50 people who were seeking shelter in a church were burned to death.

And that doesn't take into account the looting and other forms of violence in the country. It is too dangerous for some people to leave their houses and they are beginning to run out of food - what a horrible choice, starve or be shot.

Part of the violence is between different ethnic groups and then the police are also opening fire on groups of protesters. Whatever the 'reason', it doesn't justify the action.

All in all it is making my heart ache.

Maya

Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday. Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.

And, there on television, she said it was "exciting." Regarding body changes, she said there were many, occurring every day...like her breasts.They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first. The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this:
"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow."
"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights."
"I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life."
"I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life."
"I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. "
"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back."
"I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision."
"I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one."
"I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.
People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back."
"I've learned that I still have a lot to learn."
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya, Me & The Sisterhood in 2008

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.

Maya Angelou

The New Year

Well, going along with the theory that you start as you mean to continue, I am playing Scrabble :-) I started last night (yes I had night shift) and I am working on 30-odd games at the moment.

Yes, that is right, I am playing 30 different people in Scrabble. Gotta love the internet - or Facebook more specifically.

It will become a problem soon cos I have only had 90 minutes sleep but it's Scrabble :-) Oh and I have to make some Indian icecream and some paneer (cheese) at some point ... I love my life :-)