Category Archives: Belize

Teas For Insomnia.

November 21, 2016 Munchkin 2 Comments

Hello, Munchkin here!! I am feeling a lot better and the serosi (bitter gourd) tea really worked. Mouth ulcers gone in 48 hours. Since, we’re on the subject of herbal teas, Gnome and I have been experimenting with different teas for insomnia. We’ve been drinking each of the different teas every night for about a week. The overall conclusion for each of them is that they help you to get to sleep quicker but then sleep can be interrupted during the night. None of them actually work great by themselves and the effects seem to lessen with subsequent days. We are looking more in depth into this personal study to see if a combination would actually work better…perhaps with a few more additions.

Here is a summary of some of the main effects from the different teas; do remember that this experimentation is completely subjective.

Passionflower (Passiflora sp.) tea.

Preparation: 12 large leaves including flowers (if you can get them) boiled in 500mls (pint) of water for 15 minutes. Then steeped for 1 hour. This makes enough for 2 people.

Effects: Felt sleepy about 30 minutes after ingestion and managed to fall asleep fairly quickly. It was a deep, calming sleep but we both experienced interrupted sleep (Gnome couldn’t get back to sleep for about 4 hours and I had a 2 hour sleepless period). Felt refreshed in the morning on waking up.

White Lily tea:

Preparation: 2 flowers(chopped up) and boiled in 500mls (pint) of water for 15 minutes. Then steeped for 1 hour. This makes enough for 2 people.

Effects: Fell asleep within 1 hour and both us experienced prolonged dreams with “running commentary”…ie. dreams with a constant internal dialogue in the background. The content of the dreams were very mundane like talking about what to prepare for dinner or running through “to do” lists. We would wake up and then fall asleep in a few minutes back into the same dream (over and over again…sounds really bizarre!). Woke up in the morning feeling groggy.

Lotus Flower tea:

Preparation: 20 petals boiled in 500mls (pint) of water for 15 minutes. Then steeped for 1 hour. This makes enough for 2 people.

Effects: Gnome didn’t get anything out of this one! We both felt sleepy on drinking the tea but as soon as we got into bed, 30 minutes later, the sleepiness was wearing off!! Not much information to say about this one!! Do you possibly have to drink this one in bed so that you can take advantage of the effects as they come on?

Anyway, will keep you posted on our insomnia experimentation…watch this space.

Amusing, Belize, Blog

Time for Clarification…

November 21, 2016 Gnome

Gnome.Writing.in.the.Library

Hello All:

This is a quick clarification…

The only one with the mouth ulcer (which has now gone, thanks to serosi tea…and not eating deep fried yum-yums….) was the Munchkin. The Gnome didn’t have them and neither did the Panda. The one who threw the wobbly and has been chopping was the Panda, not the Munchkin (well, not this time, anyway).

For those of you that didn’t realise this, there is one woodland creature (a Panda) and two deep earth creatures (the Munchkin and the Gnome) who are writing on this blog. Don’t get us confused!!

The Munchkin lives with the Gnome and both of them get up to mischief in the bush (since we both came up from deep beneath the earth to live a new life on the surface). The Munchkin is cute, bossy and likes to be in charge. The Gnome is philosophical, surly, skinny and generally not very friendly. Both are not very popular, if Blog stats are any indication to go by.

The Panda is the new kid on the block and he is trying to find enlightenment by tempering his spirit with hard physical labour, isolation and discovering his own thoughts. He is emotional and is learning to be in touch with his feelings. He likes working with bamboo. He is also very, very popular and really pumps-up our blog stats each and every time he puts up a post!! 🙂

He is so popular that we are going to have to update our About Us page to include him and give him some credit.

Okay, everybody on the same page now?

together-munchkin-eating-food — Gnome and Munchkin.

Belize, Farming, Plants

Planting Day.

November 19, 2016 Gnome

Gnome.Another.Glasses.Shot

Have been trying to take advantage of the super full moon…I guess it is not all just about madness, lunacy and wobblies.

The two different types of potato that have been planted are doing well and growing. The potato shelter seems to be working as the rot issues seem to have stopped. Hopefully, we will get some seed potatoes from these two plants and be able to then start the “Potato Project” properly.

The other things that have been planted, thanks to the availability of rain free, sunny space include:

thyme
oregano
chamomile
rocket
red, curly mustard
black tomatoes
purple tomatoes
black beauty eggplants

I have also scarified and am soaking:

lotus
winged bean
gingko
boabab
rosemary
sage

Yes, even though I have managed to get out of a couple of days worth of posts (yay!), I have been keeping up with “the Blanket” and I am practising enum classes (since my compiler can handle C++11) and getting ready to tackle the Chapter 4 quiz.

The Panda is off gallivanting with camera equipment to build upon his new found popularity but he did help by moving heavy rocks (almost got busted by the ministry of works…ha-ha-ha!) a couple of days ago.

The second season of Alone isn’t that good, the first one was more enjoyable.

That is it for now. Cheers!

Amusing, Belize, Blog, Farming, Food, Plants

Unusual Edible Greens!

November 16, 2016 Munchkin

It’s official: The Blogging Wars have started and Man-Shack Panda is in the lead! If this keeps up, we’ll be making Panda Appreciation Products (PAP) as an off-shoot of Casa Mascia.

Gnome: “Dearest, there are no blogging wars…it’s all in your head!”

Munchkin: “I know…but the mere whiff of competition gets the stats up!”

Anyway, let’s not get waylaid by interpersonal blogging. This blog is about living in the bush and the wonderful things that come with the change in lifestyle. Here are some unusual greens from the farm.

Jute leaves are very nice to eat steamed or stir-fried.

Oooohhh…horse radish leaves…tastes like mustard:

We bought some chia seed from the supermarket and managed to grow them. They have mint-like fragrance and makes a nice tasting tea:

C’mon then, give Munchkin some Likes!! She is sticking to the true essence of the Blog!!

Amusing, Belize, Blog

So, How Do I Get Out of It…

November 16, 2016 Gnome

Mayor Gnome Shows Grace.

Panda’s new popularity might workout well for me too (hee-hee-hee); he gets the self-esteem boost, groupies, popularity, people thinking he is really cool and “spiritually advanced” because he can talk about his emotions, in touch with his feminine side, so to speak. AND (this is more important!) I can stop writing these stupid posts and do some real work for a change….the plot thickens…

So this morning, to Munchkin:

“The Panda is doing really well, isn’t he?” Gnome.Funny.Face

M: “Yes, I’m glad we are getting him out of his shell…” Munchkin.Drinking

G: “I just thought of a great idea…” Mayor Gnome. Gets Raw.

“Yeeeaaaahhhh, what?” Munchkin.Upsidown.Upset

“I don’t want to take the lime light away from him by writing my dumb posts…how about I take a break for a while (I can do some extra work) and let him experience the joy of popularity?” Gnome with Enigmatic Smile.

M: “No!” munchkin-full-hankie

Amusing, Belize, Blog

Needle-Work With Munchkin and Gnome.

November 15, 2016 Munchkin 2 Comments

Together.Pointing

It’s too funny!! Panda is now the official celebrity of our blog!! After the weekend wobbly post, our stats are booming. I guess Munchkin and Gnome have to take a back seat…so what fun and exciting offerings do we have….hmmmm….this post is on needlework. I can hear you all groan and say, “these guys…they are two boring fogies in the bush!”

Well I am dying to tell you that Gnome is crocheting a beautiful blanket:

It’s a basket weave pattern and the picture does not do it justice. It is 8 foot wide so Gnome diligently does one row a day which takes one hour. He is aiming for an 8 foot length blanket so we have calculated that at this rate, he will finish it by dry season (April/May) next year! We definitely won’t be using it at that time so we will have to store it away for next winter. Best things come to those who wait.

So, Gnome is teaching me to crochet. I am a knitter and have had disastrous lessons from Gnome…this was about 15 years ago and I remember getting terribly upset and I telling Gnome he was an awful teacher,

"You're an Awful Teacher!" — “You’re an Awful Teacher!”

This time round, the lessons have been great and I have picked up crochet really quickly. I told Gnome that he wasn’t such a bad teacher after all, and wondered in amazement at what had changed after all these years. This is what he said:

“Dearest…I have not changed in the slightest. You have changed. Before you were rebellious and contumacious. Now you actually listen!”

Gnome.Smiling

Oh. He’s such a smart-arse and the worse thing is, he’s right.

Anyway…next exciting project for two boring fogies in the bush is crocheting pineapple doilies!! They will look great at our camp ground by the pond…Ha-Ha!! Imagine us sipping cups of tea and eating cucumber sandwiches! Doilies are a must!!

Now we have to find some fine mercerised cotton thread in Belize. Hmmm…we may have to take up spinning….

Belize, Construction

Remember Remember The 5th of November.

November 13, 2016 Munchkin

Yes, we did have a Guy Fawkes Night on the 5th of November! Here are some pictures of the day.

Special thanks to Panda for The Guy (made from rice trash and lots of imagination)!

Penny For The Guy:

You really have to have grown up in the UK to realise the significance of Guy Fawkes Night. As children, back in the good old days, we used make an effigy of Guy Fawkes and then take it around town saying “penny for the guy” to get money for the bonfire and fireworks. The 5th of November is a really big day in the UK and is usually marked by spectacular firework displays.

Gnome made a temporary camp, with bamboo, by the pond:

We had all our meals for the day out here. It was really quite lovely with the views of the pond:

Towards the end of the day, the wood was stacked in preparation of the bonfire:

Ooooh…great Bonfire!!

Got to end the post with this…

The Fifth of November
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England’s overthrow.
But, by God’s providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James’s sake!
If you won’t give me one,
I’ll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn’orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

Amusing, Belize, Blog

Thoughts for Today…

November 13, 2016 Gnome

Gnome.Writing.in.the.Library

The day has been productive.

Now I am at the stage of converting 8-bit signed and unsigned numbers to and from decimal numbers. A few more exercises and it will be done.

More sorghum is maturing.

I still have not done today’s row on “the Blanket.”

I analysed the bamboo structure (that Panda will talk about soon…) and that we built together. It is stronger than the first one I made by quick and dirty eye-balling and guesstimating by myself. The zip ties were a good idea, though thicker ones would have been better, the amount of time saved in not having to use string was significant. Measuring to a standard length also had its advantages in terms of evenness of the structure (apart from the inevitable bananas). I would use a shorter standard length next time; say, cut down the distance between posts to 6 or 8 feet. The next one will be better.

Also: started two new growing tables under the potato garden for…yup, potatoes.

The Panda is depressed. He sounds like Lucas from a dodgy History channel series called Alone (…given to me by the same Panda…no less!). I told him to publish his email to me as his second blog post, as therapy but I get the feeling that he is too shy to reveal his inner-most sensitivities to BlogWorld (TM!). I think he is still finding his inner Panda…

Okay BlogWorld (TM!), have a nice Sunday and think deep thoughts.

Amusing, Belize, Blog, Construction, Farming, Philosophy

Slice Of Life.

November 12, 2016 Munchkin

New.Munchkin.Gnome.Yellow.Boots

I was thinking that the best way to describe our blog is that it is a “Slice of Life.” They are snippets of conversations, ideas, farm life and our way of life. With humour thrown in for extra good measure.

This snippet is a perfect example of the Tao of Munchkin, Gnome and Panda.

The other day, Panda came at 8am in the morning to assist Gnome in the construction of a bamboo shelter for growing potatoes. There was no pre-amble and “let’s have a cup of tea first, mate.” Gnome and Panda went off to the bamboo to cut and haul. Everything was measured to the correct size. Holes were dug in the ground and work was done without the need for idle chit-chat.

The structure was made in 6 hours (separated into two mornings of 3 hours). Panda, still new to the “The Way of Munchkin and Gnome” kinda looked at us funny and asked politely what farm work had to be done for the afternoons.

Munchkin reply:

“Our farming way of life encompasses a way of life. It is not about working like a dog for 8 hours a day…”

munchkin-walking-shops

Gnome added,

“It’s all about doing what you want to do…with focus, discipline and motivation.”

gnome-reaching-out

So Gnome suggested that Panda take the extra cut bamboo home and, “have fun with it…make something cool…maybe some blinds or something.”

Panda, who happens to like working with bamboo (well, he is a Panda after all) was very pleased that this way of life also offered creativity and leisure:

“This is great. I like that! I’m off then!”

He said this as he slung the bamboo poles over his shoulder.

Casa Mascia Apothecary

Category Archives: Belize

Time for Clarification…

Planting Day.

Unusual Edible Greens!

So, How Do I Get Out of It…

Needle-Work With Munchkin and Gnome.

Remember Remember The 5th of November.

Thoughts for Today…

Slice Of Life.

Everything Handmade in Belize.