Hello, Good Morning! Just posting up some pictures of Guy Fawkes Night that a friend sent us. They have more of a human element to them ie. there are pictures of people which is very rare for our blog posts. Most of our pictures are of plants or animals or something like that. Alas (Ha-Ha!!) there are no pictures of us so that we can amuse you with our fictional character pictures (although, it has been said on many an occasion that we bare an uncanny resemblance to our anime characters).
Guy Fawkes night was such a success that we decided to spend a night over in the new camp,
“Oh, wouldn’t it be awfully nice to do an over-nighter in the spaceship.”
(Just in case you didn’t read our last blog post, Gnome fixed up a shelter that was essentially made of a tarp draped over a bending bamboo at the bamboo stand. It partially hovers a few inches above the ground so that’s why we have called it “Munchkin & Gnome’s Spaceship.”)
On Thursday, we made preparations to spend a night out at our camp by the pond. We put the animals to bed (geese, ducks and guinea pigs) and wheel-barrowed our supplies to the camp. I had a beef heart stew ready to put on the fire, hot-chocolate and marshmallows and some home-made sorghum beer.
Gnome set up the fire just outside the spaceship so that the bugs would be kept at bay and to keep the shelter warm and comfortable. We sat together and talked, mesmerized by the fire.
Campfire.
It was refreshing to do something different from our usual messing around on the Internet or watching a film for the hundredth time. Good food, good company!
When we finally settled for the night, we laid blankets down on the ground of the shelter with cushions. It did look quite cosy and romantic by the light of the camp-fire.
We did manage to spend the night out at the spaceship; however, we did have a few minor complaints. The first one was that some stray mosquitoes did get into the shelter so they did start to buzz around our ears which was really quite annoying. However, Gnome was feeling positive about the whole experience and said,
“…we can get a mosquito net…that’s okay…we can sort that one out.”
The second problem was that we woke in the morning with hip pain since we were lying on the hard ground. Ouch…soooo so many aches and pains!! We just laughed at each other and Gnome said,
“…ohhh the aches…that’s NOT okay if it’s due to old age…and there’s nothing we can do about that.”
Overall, the overnighter was a success and we have a pleasant time together. Next time we will be equipped with a mosquito net…and a mattress!!
Hello Everyone! I thought that I should post my Guy Fawkes pictures before it got too late. This year, we had our traditional 5th of November at the pond area again. It’s been raining on and off so Gnome had to do another quick fix-it shelter this year. I am very pleased with this years efforts; it is actually a huge tarp wrapped over a bending bamboo at the bamboo stand. I am proud to present Munchkin and Gnome’s Bamboo Spaceship; because it is attached to a live bamboo, it actually hovers a few inches above the ground…hence the name…it’s also silver… 🙂
The Spaceship.
It was a very cosy shelter and we (six people in total) ended up sitting inside it because it was so comfortable. We had the food fire directly in front of the spaceship so that the inside was kept warm and toasty for the entire time.
Oh and here is the Guy…thank-you to Panda for making it..this one looks quite jolly and relaxed.
Guy Fawkes Guy.
This year, we had two fires going (Gnome like fires!!). So there was the bonfire for the guy a few metres from the camp site and a food fire at the camp.
Much fun was had by all. We had some of our home-made sorghum beer, hor d’oeuvre (see below) and of course, our famous M & G waffles.
I made these starters with moringa biscuits that I found in the Chinese supermarket; I used our home-made pesto sauce and sprinkled toasted sunflowers seeds on top.
Guy Fawkes Starters.
Gnome was of course in charge of Fire 1 and Fire 2 (self-designated) and he also made the waffles. We made yeasted waffles this time…they are a lot more crunchy and crisp when done on the fire…definitely the best way to eat them:
Gnome is a neophile and so he always likes to try new things:
“Munchkin, howz about you try using the shampoo ginger on your hair?”
Shampoo Ginger.
Munchkin is a neophobe and does not like new things,
“Eh…why don’t you try it first?”
He kinda of gave me a funny look and then I realised that he had just shaved his head again so there was no hair to wash. I had to change tact:
“Okay then, let’s try the cat…”
I got the same funny look. He didn’t need to say anything. We haven’t washed the cat for five years so I think that the cat bossie would be none too pleased to be grabbed and washed with a flower. There would be a lot of scratching and clawing…
Okay, so I realised that I was the prime candidate to use shampoo ginger (Zingiber zerumbet) ; the root and the leaves of this ginger are edible and can be used as aromatic flavouring in cooking. The red flower heads can be squeezed to extrude a soapy liquid which feels like diluted soap and smells like soap. Apparently the Hawaiians use this as shampoo and conditioner for hair. We always find that the same information (usually from Wiki) just gets re-hashed from one blog to another without anyone actually trying it out. Gnome reckons that it is important to write from personal experience so I decided to be the “guinea pig.”
I was a bit tentative at first because I have so many problems with itchy scalp in the past from hair products. I had to end up using dermatological preparations until Gnome formularised the coconut castile soap (AKA Can’t Believe it’s not DB’s) for my hair. Anyway, I harvested the “shampoo” by squeezing the flower heads into a bucket.
Shampoo Ginger Juice.
I managed to get about 1 litre (1 quart) of liquid from about 6 flower heads. I thoroughly wet my hair in the shower and poured the whole lot of juice onto my head. It was mildly soapy; I massaged my scalp for a bit and rubbed the juice into my hair right to the very ends. My hair felt very smooth with it. After drying my hair, my hair was clean, shiny and felt a lot softer and well conditioned. Oh, and no itchy scalp so I was doubly pleased. Okay so it does work so I recommend it and we might even make a hair product with it in the future.
Oh by the way, according to Wiki you can drink this juice as a refreshing drink. We tried that too…only drink under survival conditions…it tastes like mild soap. It’s drinkable but not exactly as thirst-quenching as a cold lemonade!
Hello!! Yes we did attend the British High Commission reception a few days ago. Well, we kinda thought that it was a good idea to show our faces since we hardly leave the farm. Gnome:
“…well, we haven’t been seen in public for a while…people might start to believe we are fictional characters…”
Somebody asked me why I was attending and I said that it was because I was Scottish…somehow I think that there was a joke contained in the question…
Anyway, back on the farm, It has stopped raining for a few days but it is still very grey. At least we can walk out and not be sloshing about in wetness!! I’ve got some new pictures…mostly vegetables and plants…ha-ha…we are soooo exciting…but what pictures could we possibly have to show you if we have a farm?
We are growing horseradish which also doubles up as mustard greens. They are in buckets on the veranda…this is to ensure that we always get our greens even when I can’t get out with the heavy rains or if the geese are plotting to ambush me downstairs.
Horseradish.
The peppermint is growing really well. And hey look…my pictures are getting better…
Peppermint.
Finally, at long last, we have managed to get the sage and rosemary going. Yes, these are more plants on the veranda that need shelter from the heavy rains.
Sage.Rosemary.
The akee are starting too:
Akee.
Oh and here is a picture of our back yard. We do indeed live in the bush…
Bushy Yard.
Okay, last farm picture; the summer squash is going crazy with the rains. I guess you can’t complain too much about the weather when you get this:
Hello!! I am posting up some extra pictures that I have taken that never made it into my blogs. Oh by the way, it’s been really wet with torrential rains down here. We are sliding about in mud and can’t get anything done…what’s new, right? Here’s to sunnier, drier days in the future…
I don’t think I ever posted up pictures of The Spice Farm in Toledo. Anyway, here you are if you want a nosey:
Every now and then, we go to visit the owners; the owner is also a medical doctor (so, have a few things in common…doctoring and farms…but, his farm is a sooooo much bigger). The last time we visited, we ate fresh lotus seeds (after a lovely chicken biryani). If you get the seeds green, they are very sweet.
Eating Lotus Seeds.
Oh, and this is a new project on their farm…a special arched walk-way for weddings and such…
Flowering Arches.
So, more visiting pictures…these ones are of The Earthship, a building made from recycled glass bottles. Our friends, Alisa and Richard have put a lot of time and passion into this one…
This post is written for Gnome. We’ve spent the last week or so cooped up in the house (more rains and wetness all around). He asked me yesterday, “…have we done enough dear…I don’t think we’ve done enough…” GUFFAW!!! Shrieky Fury Munchkin!! Okay this is what we’ve done in seven days: canned 57 jars of sorghum, canned 114 jars of black beans, made two lots of soap, planted chrysanthemums and fennel out, made soursop cider (56 bottled and under pressure), made sorghum and jackass bitters beer and making coconut castile soap as we speak! WHAT!! I told Gnome that he needed a reality check and that we were doing plenty. I think I ranted, raved and shook my fists at him enough for him to get the idea!!
So this is what we have been doing…
Canned Sorghum.Straining Sorghum Beer.Bottled Soursop Cider.Toasting Sorghum for Beer.
Oh and gathered some wild papayas to make relish:
Wild Papayas.
Studying the life cycle of butterflies for fun too:
Caterpillars.
Now I do recall when we worked in the Emergency Department in good old Royal Darwin Hospital that the average number of patients seen per doctor was about 25 in an 8 hour shift. He used to see about 40 patients in a shift.
We’re not running a hospital my dear! It’s just a few ducks and geese flapping about. No emergencies here. Remember that we chose this life-style to live a more tranquil life. You know…the spiritual quest thingy-me-bobs that we go on about…and the philosophy and all that stuff….
Anyway, after my silly little rant I went outside and was backed into a corner by Chiney-goosie and Rebel-goosie (yes, they have names!). They sneered and threatened me, pecking fiercely at my ankles; I had to fight them within an inch of my life (just exaggerating a bit but they were behaving like hooligans). Anyway, I ran back to Gnome and wailed,
“Oh Gnome!! The geese cornered and attacked me!!”
Gnome’s response: “Oh that’s great dear, it means that it is breeding season soon.”
WRONG ANSWER!! And then I started Fury Munchkin again….
Hello Everyone!! Well, tropical storm Nate passed by without a drop of rain. We had stayed indoors on that day (thinking it was going to pour down) but it was actually a fine sunny day. Gnome said afterwards,
“let’s never look at weather reports EVER again!! They never get it right!”
Munchkin: “Yeah sure but if you remember correctly it was the fruit-monger who told us about the incoming storm first…”
Gnome said: “Since when did the fruit-monger become a meteorologist?”
Munchkin: “Eh…since we trashed the last weather report…”
Anyway, it is absolutely pouring down right now so I am forced to come indoors. Anyway, I should really keep up with my blog posts!
What have we been up to? Making some new chocolate soaps for the new season; oooh nice!! And I even managed to take a cool looking picture (a la Panda…he’s really into fuzzy background photos…sorry, I mean professional looking “coffee table” pictures!! Ha-Ha!!)
Chocolate Soap.
Oh, and Gnome bought me this Vision cooking pot as a gift. It was about time for some new cookware!! Over the years, I’ve slowly accumulated bits of kitchenware from people (usually people leaving Belize because they don’t want to be here any-more). So, I’ve ended up with a hotch-potch assortment of old pots and pans…and many missing lids. Gnome told me it was about time that I should have my own set of cookware:
“Munchkin…you really love cooking….why, after all this time have we never got you your own set of pots and pans?”
Gnome bought me one of these to “try out” and I absolutely love it. This is great for french onion soup. Ooooh, can’t wait to get the whole set!!
Vision Cookware.
We’ve been digging up our sweet potatoes…they are huge:
Sweet Potato.
Tobacco is growing and Gnome has been soaking dried leaves in a solution of brown sugar and lovely essential oils. He has packed them in bamboo to cure. Watch this space in 12 months:
Tobacco Curing Solution.Bamboo.
Tobacco:
Dried Tobacco Leaves.
Ok folks, I would lIKE TO WRITE MORE BUT MY CAPS LOCK KEEPS STICKING…LOOK AT tHIs!!
We are waiting for the tropical storm Nate to pass over so we are trying to stay out of trouble by having a quiet day. Right now, looking outside, you wouldn’t think that there was a weather alert…there’s a little gusty wind and no rain at all. So what have we been up to? We went through a dry spell and managed to clear a chunk of bush behind the house; we even managed to burn a few wood piles because it was so hot and sunny. This clearing up is in preparation for rotational goosie pastures which we should hopefully have ready by laying season early next year. The last week has been very, very wet with overnight downpours; the whole place has turned to mud so we had to stop the clearing this week.
Yes, that’s why we wear wellies all the time!
Anyway, I would like to show pictures of the new vegetable garden. If you have been following our Blog, you’ll know that we have been rotating our guinea pig houses and planting vegetables in the unoccupied houses which are full of lovely piggy mulch. I am very pleased with results! We have okra, endives, rocket and aubergine.
With the equinox, Goosie Wars have begun; the shorter day lengths have caused an immediate switch in temperament. Goose breeding season is starting and they will lay sometime in February. This is what happened a few days ago: Gnome went out into the yard and was immediately pecked at by big bossie goosie on the big toe! Then another male goose lunged at him side-ways. It was a close call and Gnome was rather taken aback by the fray.
Gnome shouted out to me,
“Watch out Munchkin!! Goosie wars have started!”
This means six months of goosie bullying, severe hooliganism and general chaos on the farm. When I go down to the yard every morning, I will have to be armed with a broom. Watch out Panda too…goosies are really brutal with him!!
Mean and Tough!!
As a follow-up to the “mechanical failure” of the weed-wacker, the carburetor needed adjustment; Gnome’s comment:
“I messed around with the screws that the manual said that shouldn’t be messed around with…”
So, we are clearing bush right now…sorry, I wish I had more exciting “catching up” news for you but it can be a bit mundane at times!
