Category Archives: Philosophy

What Is Gnome Doing?

September 24, 2023 Munchkin

Gnome is always doing, fixing, repairing and figuring out anything from plumbing, electrical wiring, solar to mowing. Plus he’s the soap-maker and coconut oil presser. Oh, and a Doctor too. To add to his endless repertoire, he also draws (pen and ink) and he is a tattooist. I have probably missed many, many things but he basically tries to do everything. This goes along with our self-sufficient life-style and he likes to learn new things. However, the bottom line is that somebody has to do the work!!

Gnome…you have to do the work because somebody has to do it!

So, just to update you on a few of his projects. We have been for sometime trying to breed soldier fly larvae as a protein source for our duckies. We watched some u-tube videos and came up with a few of our own breeding contraptions. This is a ‘Black Fly Love Cage’ where hatching takes place and then they are supposed to breed and lay more eggs. The love cage is for the procurement of eggs. Well, this one didn’t work despite Gnome’s best efforts. We caught flies inside and they didn’t breed…or they just sneaked out somehow!!

This was another attempt to breed and feed the pupae. Sturdy piece of work but rain got into it!

Well, after all these efforts, you will not believe worked in the end. Just a simple plastic container filled with fermenting food stuffs; the large plastic tub is set on jars on the 4 corners and is placed on a metal tray filled with sand.

Once the larvae are mature, they crawl out of the plastic box and drop into the tray of sand …they crawl round and round in circles until they find a card-board ramp (made by Gnome) and inevitably travel through the entirety of the ramp to fall down into a collection container with smooth walls.

So, there you go. The black fly project was a success after all but there was a lot of sweat, tears and failures!

Gnome has given me the option to cook on coals…yes, we have coals…lots and lots of it because we have plenty of wood to burn…

And he has equipped me with a coal stove which is modeled from a blast furnace project that is for forging knives! He said that the fact that I got first dibs on the blast furnace for cooking meant that he loved me dearly….

Charcoal Blast Furnace For Munchkin Cooking.

As you can imagine, the fire that comes out of this is very strong…so it’s good for soup making and steaming food. Oh, and great for a real, authentic stir fry! You just have to watch your eyebrows so they don’t get singed with the blast of heat…just joking…but it is HOT!

I have plenty of other projects to talk about but let’s leave it at that for now. Here is a tattoo that Gnome designed (with collaboration with da Munchkin). The arm belongs to a friend who has since left Belize (for Scotland incidentally) and wanted to take a reminder of Belize.

This is a picture of Ixchel, Goddess of Medicine in Mayan culture. This is the outline…I can’t find a picture of the completed tattoo. But, look at the smoothness of the lines. One pass only and this is Gnome’s first tattoo. Well Done!!

Belize, Farming, Philosophy

Quiet Time.

December 23, 2018 Munchkin

This is our quiet period of the year; Christmas and New Year…it’s the time in-between time when we try to stop our crazy, goal-orientated farm projects and reflect upon the year. Today we will try to “potter” around and look for likely goosie laying spots to put nests. They are usually over-grown areas with shade or bang right in front of the house whenever the mood takes them.

The geese have been especially feisty, noisy and aggressive. Bossie goosie has been chasing me around so I have been thwarting his attempts by shaking buckets in front of him…there is now a special broom in front of the house…designated “Goosie Broom” just in case things get a bit hairy and out of hand. So far, we are getting through goosie wars…

Okay, goosies! Time to lay eggs! This year we have decided to eat the first lot of eggs because they are usually not viable. Gnome says that he can’t wait to have a fried goosie egg with toast…mmmm…what a treat!

Okay, we will have a quiet day today pondering the meaning of our lives in a background of goosie shrieking and haranguing! It’s actually cold write now…both wearing our Christmas hats…

Belize, Farming, Philosophy

What’s Happening On The Farm?

December 20, 2018 Munchkin

Well, I think I need to cram in a few posts before Christmas especially when our website was down for a wee while. Some people may need an extra dose of Munchkin and Gnome…Ha-Ha!

Anyway, the first grey water pond is dug and is receiving washing machine, dish-washing and bathing water. It’s not completely full because of our conservative use of water (still hauling buckets due to pressure tank giving out) and it has been dry and sunny. Here is a picture of Gnome digging…I cannot emphasize how hard it was to move this heavy dirt with a spade and muscle power…

Moving quickly on, we are constructing more concrete beds to plant cassava, sweet potato varieties (we have the Belizean yellow, the orangey one and a purple!!) and any other root we can get our hands on. In our efforts to plant roots and tubers, we have found that the raised bed works the best since the soil is loose and it allows ease of digging. Also, with the torrential rains here, the beds are good for water drainage.

Panda and I have been clearing at the pond area. Mostly we are using machete and muscle power. Gnome says that I should take snap shot pictures every week so that we can see the work coming along; it is a shame that I didn’t take the pictures from the beginning because this place was just bush! Anyway, I am pleased with our efforts and I am happy that I can wield a machete and chop things up; I use it as a cardiovascular workout!

You can see the bamboo in the picture; before the place was cleared, you could only see the high tufts. The plan is to plant bamboo all down the east side of the area.

This used to be all bush!! Look at the work of Panda and Munchkin!! Look at that!!

And this is the west side:

This is the line cleared on the west side. So, there you go…this is how we all keep fit on the farm. No need for exercise bikes and jogging…

I will leave you with a sunset picture from our farm; you can see the silhouette of the palms underneath and the swirls in the sky are amazing to look at:

Okay, I think I got the hang of WordPress 5…

Amusing, Philosophy

Jungle Lyrics.

January 6, 2018 Munchkin

As soon as I posted up this morning’s post with “our” Jungle Song at the end,

Gnome said:

“I can’t hear the lyrics…I just know that they are singing about a Jungle and singing “yeah” after each line…”

We decided to check out the lyrics. So, here they are; they are actually really inspiring (if you don’t think too deeply about it!!).

X- Ambassadors:

“Jungle”
(with Jamie N Commons)

Yeah
Yeah Well it’s too long living in the same old lives (yeah)
I feel too cold to live, too young to die (yeah)
Will you walk the line, like it’s there to choose (yeah)
Just forget the wit, it’s the best to use Oh, Lord
I said, “Oh, Lord”
I said, “Oh, Lord” Won’t you follow me into the jungle (yeah)
Ain’t no boss on my streets in the heart of the jungle (oh, Lord child)
Won’t you follow me into the jungle (yeah)
Ain’t no boss on these streets in the heart of the jungle (oh, Lord child)
Won’t you follow me into the jungle I lost my mind, in the city of lights (yeah)
In the backstreets buildings and the neon lights (yeah)
When I heard the thunder, I could feel the rain (yeah)
It’s the same to me, just a different name Oh, Lord
I said, “Oh, Lord”
I said, “Oh, Lord”

Won’t you follow me into the jungle (yeah)
Ain’t no boss on my streets in the heart of the jungle (oh, Lord child)
Won’t you follow me into the jungle (yeah)
Ain’t no boss on these streets in the heart of the jungle (oh, Lord child)
Won’t you follow me into the jungle

Oh
Oh
Oh
Oh, Lord
I said, “Oh, Lord”
I said, “Oh, Lord”
I said, “Oh, Lord child”

We are ready to fix the wonky gate (yeah)

Need to listen to the tune one more time though…

Philosophy

Recapitulation.

December 31, 2017 Munchkin

The years start running into each other and before you know it, time has passed. In order to catch the moments and remember them, I will attempt to write a bit about the past year:

We had no water worries this year with water tanks placed ready-to-go for dry season.
We kept a vegetable garden going all year round and had a bucket garden during dry season. We also made rotating gardens from guinea pig concrete homes.
We reared ducklings in guinea pig crèches with success.
Gnome single-handedly built a veranda and a wonky looking gate.
Gnome fixed the washing machine and saved money. He also removed the cover and gave it to a broody goose to set in.
The geese are still tyrannical but we are managing to live with them…we love them actually! They laid some eggs for us.
We have a camp area at the pond with a spaceship tent.
The brush-mower finally died on us this year.
We canned about 200 jars of food in July when it was really wet and depressing.
We added Psychotherapy and Acupuncture to our medical repertoire.
Panda is settling down better and got a lot better towards the end of the year. He is doing more rather than just talking about doing.
Munchkin and Gnome are fine but still need to work on being lighter and more humorous in their life goals.
I did not blog this because I was so devastated but a possum got into our guinea cages and wiped them all out. We have to start again in the new year with brand new piggies. After this happened, we decided that we will eat possum.
On the balance, we think that 2017 was a good year.

Auld Lang Syne: Three versions to take us into the New Year:

Trance:

Gregorian:

Traditional:

Wishing Everyone A Great New Year!!

Belize, Blog, Philosophy

Why Munchkin and Gnome?

December 3, 2017 Munchkin

Nobody (dares?) asks us but I think that it would be good to tell you why we use personae to portray ourselves. Firstly, we think that it is funny and we think it is fun to make fun of ourselves. Also, it is innovative because our writing is all original (our thoughts and personal experiences) and not a re-hash of some other website or some other person/expert/consultant/master of whatsits. It is our attempt at humour in order offset the extremely (we think) dystopic nature of news, television and media. Munchkin and Gnome want to to keep the magic of living whilst still keeping a firm ground on reality…that’s why we dig our own dirt, grow our own food and write silly stories about our animals.

Amusing, Belize, Philosophy

Camp Night!

November 12, 2017 Munchkin

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.

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!!

Belize, Philosophy

Camping with Munchkin and Gnome!

November 10, 2017 Munchkin

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… 🙂

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.

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.

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:

Yummy:

Ooooh, every year Guy Fawkes Night gets better!

Amusing, Belize, Philosophy

Have We Done Enough?

October 17, 2017 Munchkin 1 Comment

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…

Oh and gathered some wild papayas to make relish:

Studying the life cycle of butterflies for fun too:

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….

Belize, Farming, Philosophy, Plants

Twisting With Gnome.

May 24, 2017 Munchkin 1 Comment

I think it always good to encourage everyone to be artistic; it is a form of expression. I have been trying to help Gnome make the time to relax and do more activities just for the sake of passion and fun. With some of the physical labour on the farm, he does sometimes feel that the work is never-ending…it just ends up being a to-do list. He actually does the farm work out of necessity (who else is going to do it?) and to keep himself very healthy and strong. Pulling out heavy logs and brush-mowing are not his primary goals in life.

His likes are very simple though. he loves growing vegetables especially tomatoes and aubergines. And one of the things that he does for sheer pleasure is just to walk about his garden, taking the time to look at the fruits of his labour.

He enjoys the process of making things. He likes to make wine: the pressing of fruit, the fermentation and bubbling away and then waiting for something special. It’s all about time and love and I don’t mean it in a wishy-washy sort of way…it’s solid. It’s not for the end product anyway because he rarely drinks.

Another thing that I am encouraging him to do is to grow tobacco. This is again about making something good and proper. He enjoys the curing process which takes about a year: hanging it up inside the house (yes, we need a barn or we’ve ended up making our house into a barn!), the flavouring, curing and blending.

This allows Gnome to express himself and these are his arts. Yes, he will have lovely, aromatic pipe tobacco and cigars in the end but its the artful journey that releases the joyful spirit.

Gnome has been making rope twists with his tobacco; it is a form of pressure curing. Once he’s done his work of art, he gives them to Munchkin to store away for a year or more.

I have written about the history of tobacco. Click on link if interested. Personally, I really enjoy the presence of the plant (not sure if you understand what I mean). You almost form an affinity towards certain plants and they draw you to them and you can sit for long lengths of time just staring at the beautiful velvety leaves or inhaling the spicy aromatic scent of the flowers. That’s what I mean.

These are the things that we should be doing in our lives. It’s a fine balance of labour properly done to meet your necessities (shelter/food/clothing/energy requirements) and after that, we should foster an attitude of relaxation and enjoyment without filling up our lives with only monetary orientated deeds. And we need each other to remind ourselves that we are supposed to be having fun on this journey of self-discovery.

Casa Mascia Apothecary