Are ya ready?

Here is another evening of 'fillers'.

... and on a sad note, our dearly loved chookie 'Helen' was put to rest on Tuesday.  The vet suggested  (without an expensive autopsy) that she had a large tumour inside her and poor Adoring Husband had to make the decision to end her pain as humanely as possible.

RIP lovely laying chook Helen.

Nite all.

A bit of fun ...

If I don't have the time or the inclination to write a big post, you get facebook quotes, photos OR youtube presentations.

I really enjoyed this one and thought it worth sharing.



It's been raining since last night and has rained practically all day today.

Chicklet and I have been jumping in muddy puddles and searching (unsuccessfully) for frogs today.

We also had a trip to buy some new toys .. dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles, frogs, lizards, books and a very large plush talking Wreckit Ralph!

Plenty of stories before bed tonight and now I hope to fall asleep to the sound of the rain.

Nite all.

I'm Here

After the usual 3 hours sleep the night before I travel to the Sunny Coast, I arrived here safe n sound just before 8am.

I was so exhausted that I slept for about 2.5 hours this afternoon and I woke up feeling just as tired!

Half an hour after I woke, my throat began to feel a bit sore, well, not actually sore, but you know that feeling, like you might be coming down with something?

I had a teaspoon of Byron Bay Honey and have been drinking plenty of water and it doesn't seem to have progressed any.

Just to be on the careful side, I am going to bed early and hopefully, my body will heal itself overnight.

It's been a few years since I had a cold or flu, so I guess I could be due for another one to build up my immunity levels.

Anyway, it's lovely to see my little Chicklet and we've been playing with dinosaurs and cars and octonauts and reading books.

She is my little treasure and I'm feeling the love.

Nite all.

Warm and Fuzzy

I loved this so much, I just had to share it.  Please click on this baby bump link and watch and listen.

Did you love it too?

That's all I'm sharing tonight because it's already late and I have to pack!  I'm leaving at 5.15am tomorrow!

Nite all.

Small Fail

I cooked a pork belly for dinner tonight.

My plan was for crispy skinned slow cooked pork belly.

Well, it was slow cooked and it was pork belly, but it was not crispy skinned!

Sadly, this is my second fail at crispy skin!

I scored the skin and I rubbed salt into it and I cooked it in the very hot oven (230C) for 30 minutes and then reduced the heat to 170C for the next two hours... just as the Jamie Oliver recipe suggested.

Last time I used a different recipe, but the instructions were basically the same.

My skin just doesn't go crispy.

The pork itself, was delicious and tender and melted in the mouth.

I lay it on a bed of apple, cabbage and bacon mix.  Potato mash and baked pumpkin on the side with a fairly disappointing gravy.

Unfortunately I had a visitor for a couple of hours this morning, so I didn't get to make the chocolate muffins as I'd planned.  That will be a job for tomorrow now.

It was another beautiful day today and after I'd been to the Seat of Knowledge, I pedalled around town for a while looking for 'something' to photograph.

There wasn't much happening, so this is all that I have to share today.

Adoring Husband and I are not doing very well in our local footy tipping comp this week.  We only have 2 out of 4 so far and the fifth game is not looking promising at this point .. however there is still 23 minutes to go, so there is still hope.

I'm off to cheer the losing team on!

Nite all.

Group Therapy

I don't know if you remember me telling you about the 104 group that I started in facebook a few years ago.

It's called '104 Things to Photograph in 404 Days', and I started the group to encourage some friends, and friends of friends with their photography.

The numbers in the group fluctuated a bit in the first year.

One or two people caused a bit of a stir and were asked to leave, others joined the group but never contributed, so I removed them.

Gradually the numbers steadied and after about 18 months, when most people had taken a lot of photos from the list, the group became quiet and needed a bit of a boost, so we began weekly challenges just to change things up a little.

That injected some new energy and soon we were all taking turns choosing themes for the challenges.  We had a lot of fun with that.

Each of us have shared a few highs and lows with each other over the THREE years that this group has been together ... I can't believe that it's been that long!

We've each provided some emotional support through some good and bad times, but since just before Christmas, the room became very quiet again.

So, at the beginning of this month, I set a new challenge.

"Ten photographs that show us a little bit about YOU, and a paragraph explaining why you chose each photo."

I expected 'light', 'trivial' or 'quirky' eg a photo of a dog with an explanation about how they acquired the dog and how it is now a family member OR photos from other countries with a description of the dream holiday OR collections of shoes, bags, jackets, teapots!

Not this group.

This group have posted photos from the most meaningful and deeply emotional moments in their lives and have written essays that have literally moved me to tears.

I wish I could share some of them here with you, but that's the beauty of the group.  It's closed and private, so we all know that it's just between us and we can bare our souls safely.

The best part is, that opening up about these massive events that changed our lives forever, seems to be linking us in a way that I never thought possible, and everyone is supporting and encouraging each other, which is beautiful to see.

The only problem that I have with it, is that I feel like it's almost 'expected' of me to share my own dramatic life moments (which I am very hesitant to do), but on the other hand, I don't want to trivialise their beautiful stories by posting a photo of my strange middle toe that is longer than my big toe!  I'm sure you understand what I mean.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this information because I am so amazed by the friendships that have formed, albeit in the cyber world, and how comfortable these ladies are, sharing intimate details of their private lives.

It seems that the timing of this challenge was spot on because some of us really needed to purge!

I love my 104 group :)

Nite all.  

Fire!

Yesterday, around lunchtime, a fire broke out in the forest just north of our town.  It's still burning.

The State Emergency Services were activated yesterday afternoon.

Adoring Husband, along with the majority of our local SES group, have spent the last 24 hours supporting the 50+ Volunteer Fire Brigade members, who have been working tirelessly fighting this fire.

The volunteers in these groups are all very dedicated and really deserve our respect and gratitude for keeping us safe.

This is what it looked like from my front driveway this afternoon...

The fire fighters are still out there keeping the fire at bay, while we sleep in the comfort of our beds.

While AH was fulfilling his SES duties, I was in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

I'll be away for a few days next week, so I've prepared some meals for AH to reheat in the oven.

Turkey Mince Shepherds Pie (which is also full of other veggies like spinach, carrot, zucchini and onion).

Chicken and Mushroom casserole (also has tomato, onion, chilli, spinach and zucchini).

Mini Sweet Potato and Potato bakes.

There is already Pumpkin Soup and a Beef and Veggie casserole prepared in the freezer.

Yes, you might gasp!!  "What a lucky man that Adoring Husband is, to have such a considerate and dedicated wife as she!"

Tomorrow, I have to make our special GF Muesli so that I can leave some for AH and also take some down to my little Chicklet.  I'll make some chocolate muffins, some of which I'll take with me for my Sunny Coast family.

Vegan Chickie will need a candle in one for her birthday on Sunday!  Note to self ... take a candle!

That's it for tonight.  Sleep time for me.

Nite all.

Start the Day

I don't know about you, but just recently I've been finding it a real struggle to get out of bed in the mornings!

I would rather lie in bed for an hour with my ipad, than get up and greet the day with enthusiasm.

I've decided that I don't like starting my day like that and I want a new routine.

So I've come up with this idea.

Positive ways to start your day:

• Before you even get out of bed, silently say 'thankyou' to the universe for allowing you to wake up and live another day.
• Lie comfortably in bed and look around.  Notice the beautiful morning light, listen to the early birds singing or just notice the colour and decor that you have created around you. 
• State an intention for the day eg be more patient with your husband,  make a 'catch up' phone call to an old friend, clean the windows or just take a quiet walk in your garden.
• Stand at your window and look outside at the sunshine or the pre-dawn light, better yet, step outside (in your pyjamas) and either feel the sunshine on your skin or feel the stillness of the early morning air.
• Go to the nearest mirror, look at your reflection, smile, say "Good Morning" to yourself, and then follow it up with "YOU ARE PERFECT, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE."

It doesn't matter if you are dieting, on a new fitness regime, are about to get a new haircut, are quitting smoking tomorrow or have absolutely no plans for yourself.

Right here, right now, as you look back at your reflection ... you really are perfect, just the way you are.

Now you should have a smile on your dial and a spring in your step and you can go ahead and make the day count.

I'm going to try this tomorrow and will report back my perceived results.

Nite all.

Smelly

Yesterday, I left the fish (the whiting that I offered the White Breasted Sea Eagle) in the basket on the back of my trike.

It's been there for 24 hours in 30+ degree heat.

Ew *insert screwed up nose here*

I have now removed it, but the garage smells REALLY bad!

Adoring Husband returned home safe n sound today, though pretty exhausted after some heavy duty training for the last 6 days.

All that I have to share today, is this lovely butterfly which was playing around my flowering Geisha Girl shrub this morning.

I'm taking an early mark tonight.  I was up til midnight last night baking chocolate muffins for Adoring Husband, so I have some sleep to catch up on!

Nite all.

Home Coming

No photos today.

I spent quite some time out on the trike this afternoon and got myself a touch of sunburn!

I took my hat off because it was so windy.  I thought I would lose it because it's quite loose fitting.

I wasn't expecting to be out on the beach for so long, but the White Breasted Sea Eagle appeared and I followed it from one end of the beach to the other.

I had a whiting as an offering, hoping he would swoop down to eat it, but I don't think he trusted me, and after a mid air altercation with a Whistling Kite, he flew off.

So I've spent the evening making chocolate muffins for Adoring Husband who is returning from Townsville in the morning.

Lemon Chicken Risotto for dinner, was delicious, and there is enough left over for lunch tomorrow.

It's after midnight, so I'm off to bed.

Short and sweet.

Nite all.

Focused on Study

Today, I was very productive, studying.

After my morning at the Seat of Knowledge, I came home and made a red smoothie.  This is my new favourite smoothie ...

You can replace the kefir with natural yoghurt or Greek yoghurt.

I had never tasted dragon fruit until today.

Last week when I was in the Go Natural store, I saw the dragon fruit, so, out of interest, I picked one up.  It has been sitting in my fridge for 5 days, so I grabbed it this morning and cut it in half.

Straight away, I fell in love with the colour and texture of this beautiful fruit.

I took a spoon and scooped out a mouthful to taste.  Sweet and juicy and delicious!

That's when I decided to add it to my morning smoothie and result was amazing.  I had two big glasses of it today and there is a glass left for tomorrow + the ingredients to make more on Tuesday.

The ingredients in this smoothie are very good for cleansing and detoxing, as well as adding good bacteria to your gut.

I think it also contributed to my clearer head for study today.  It's the first time that I've been able to fully focus on my study without being easily distracted.

I got 4.5 solid hours in today.  Previously I could only study for an hour before needing to stop and do something else to clear my mind.

I haven't been making smoothies every morning, like I was, so I think my nutrient levels have been a bit low.  I must be more diligent!  I need brain food!

Here is the finished product of Calcium Powder ...

If you want to try it, try to use 'organic' eggs and make sure you wash your egg shells after you've broken them .. you don't want any egg white left behind .. and I just stored mine in a bowl and on the kitchen bench until I had enough.

I use at least 18 eggs each week for breakfasts and in my cooking (eggs are a superfood!), so it didn't take long to have enough eggs for the calcium powder.

Boil them for at least ten minutes, then lay them on a tray and put them in a 200C oven for ten minutes.  That dries them out and makes them nice and crunchy for grinding.

Crunch them up by hand and then feed through the coffee grinder.

It's what I used in my smoothie today.  It's recommended to only use 1 teaspoon per day - otherwise it can cause diarrhoea... and we don't want that!  It's an excellent natural source of calcium without the synthetics and additives.

WHAT IS CALCIUM AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

Calcium is a mineral that is necessary for life. In addition to building bones and keeping them healthy, calcium helps our blood clot, it helps our nerves send messages and it helps our muscles contract.

About 99% of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth, but every day, we lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and faeces, but our bodies can't produce new calcium.

That's why it's important to try to get calcium from the food we eat. When we don’t get enough calcium for our body's needs, it is taken from our bones.

It's important, when taking Calcium, to make sure you are getting a natural source of Vitamin D .. this is needed to absorb the Calcium.

Thirty minutes in the sunshine before 10am or after 3pm every day, with at least your arms and legs uncovered so that you have enough skin surface soaking up the sunshine.  No sunscreen!

That's your health lesson for the day :)

Nite all.

Broken Sleep

I climbed into bed early last night and switched on the telly just for some background noise, only to discover that the movie 'Sleepless in Seattle' was on!

I forced myself to stay awake and watched it to the end, but fell asleep the instant it finished.

Unfortunately I was woken by a barking dog at 2.20am.  Colli was in the laundry barking, so I got up to see what she barking at.  I couldn't see anything, so I told her to get back into bed and I too, went back to bed.

Within 10 minutes she was barking again, so I got up and checked again.  Nothing.

I opened the laundry door to let her outside, so that she could either do her 'business', or satisfy herself that there was nothing to bark at anymore.

I put her back to bed and then went to do some of my own 'business' before climbing back into bed.

Of course Colli started again, so I got up and brought her into the bedroom with me.  I figured that if there was something or somebody outside, she would continue to bark in the bedroom and then I could take some kind of action, otherwise she would go to sleep and then so could I!

Well, she went to sleep alright, but by now, I was wide awake!  It was almost 4am when I finally fell asleep and then the alarm went off at 5.15am for me to go to work.  There was absolutely no way I could get out of bed, so I reset the alarm for 6am and went back to sleep.

Needless to say, I am feeling decidedly lethargic today.

I did make some poached pears for lunch ...

... and I've boiled up some organic eggshells and then put them in the oven to dry them out properly.  The next step is grinding them in the coffee grinder to make my own calcium.

I'll put it in my smoothies and in my cooking.

I have one photo to share from yesterday.  While I took all of the photos of the creatures IN the water, these butterflies were dancing OVER the water ...

I did have an hour at the Seat of Knowledge this morning and there were two turtles swimming around the boat ramp, as well as a lot of different fish.

The Captain was out on his yacht this morning and spotted a small shark in the water, chasing the smaller fish.

It's Super Saturday, so I am perched on the couch watching the football - I could quite possible doze off as last night's broken sleep catches up with me!

Nite all.    

Clean and Healthy

The Seat of Knowledge.

As you face the river, to the right of the Seat of Knowledge is a boat ramp.

To the left is a set of white timber steps (approx 12 steps to the ground).

At low tide, they lead to the sandy/rocky beach.

At high tide, they lead directly into the river, which comes about halfway up the set of steps.

This morning I sat on those steps and took these photos of the marine life.  It was better than Underwater World!

See the four cuttle fish?  Butter Bream and fish of unknown origin that look like floating sticks and leaves until you look closer!  There were 4 turtles around the boat ramp this morning.  Herrings and Mackerel and Zebra Fish.

We have lived here for almost 6 years and I have never seen so much life in this river, even at it's cleanest.  The river is cleaner and healthier than I've ever seen it.

A shark was spotted closer to the mouth of the river yesterday.  There have been a few sightings in the last couple of weeks.

Except for the sharks, I'd have given anything to grow a tail and become a mermaid so that I could slip into the water and join the other sea creatures this morning.

I was overwhelmed and my ride along the path that hugs the river was very slow and very enjoyable this morning.

Life is good.

Nite all.

Autumn Day

I love the month of March.

That fading out time.

Summer fading into Autumn.

The cooler temperatures that make for perfect sleeping weather.

The cleaner, clearer morning air that makes you breathe deeper.

The brighter and more vibrant colours of nature, that capture your attention.

The water is clearer and the wildlife is friendlier ...

... and the fish are freaking, as they are chased by the bigger fish .. mackerel, in this case...

It was a perfect morning and I almost didn't want to go home.  I could have pedalled around town for hours, soaking up the sunshine.

When I got home from my lovely morning, I made some blueberry crepes for breakfast, which were nice, but I didn't fancy the blueberries.  Apples next time I think.

Then it was time for some study, some housework, some more study, some facebook time, some more study and then I crumbed some fish for dinner and drenched it in lime juice - delicious with a side salad of baby spinach, cucumber and watermelon.

Chocolate muffin with strawberries and cream for dessert.

The day couldn't be much better.

An early night tonight I think, so that I can get an early start to another glorious morning tomorrow.

Nite all.

Leaky Boat

Nah, this is not about leaky boats.

It's about 'leaky gut'.

The 'gut' is the key to good health. If your gut is healthy, chances are that you are in good health, but there’s a condition called 'leaky gut'.

When your gut is leaky, things like toxins, microbes, undigested food particles, and other yukky stuff can escape from your intestines and travel throughout your body via your bloodstream.  Your immune system marks these “foreign invaders” as pathogens and attacks them and THAT can lead to all kinds of health problems like ...

• Digestive issues such as bloating, diarrhoea and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Seasonal allergies and asthma.
• Autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid conditions, lupus, psoriasis, or celiac disease.
• Diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue or Fybromyalgia.
• Mood and mental issues like anxiety, depression, ADD & ADHD.
• Skin issues like acne and eczema.
• Candida overgrowth.
• Food allergies or intolerances.

Food, infections and toxins cause leaky gut.  Gluten is the number one food that causes leaky gut.  Inflammatory and toxic foods like dairy (homogenised and pasteurised, but not raw), sugar and excess alcohol are other culprits.

The most common infectious causes are parasites and small intestine bacterial overgrowths.

Toxins that cause leaky gut come in the form of medications, including NSAIDS (like Aspirin, Naprosin, Motrin and Advil), steroids, antibiotics, and acid-reducing/heartburn drugs (both over the counter and prescription).

There are also environmental toxins like mercury, pesticides and BPA from plastics.

Stress and age also contribute to a leaky gut.

So, if you suffer from any of those conditions mentioned, it’s possible that you have a leaky gut.

To heal, you obviously need to remove the toxic and inflammatory foods from your diet, add good bacteria to help fight the bad, by using nutrients and supplements like L-glutamine, an amino acid that helps rejuvenate the lining of the gut wall, or good probiotics and my favourite ... good old fashioned home made bone broths.

See, no leaky boat :)

This is a photo, from the archives, that I took a couple of years ago at Apple Tree Creek.

I've always liked it.

I have to get up early in the morning to work, so I'd best get some sleep.

Nite all.

Let's Quote

Just because I'm feeling lazy tonight ... for your viewing pleasure ...

Nite all.

Greyish day

After a late night, I slept til about 7am and then lay in bed for over an hour, so I missed my morning time with the boys at the Seat of Knowledge.

I made some juice with the acid free pineapples that I bought at the markets yesterday.  It was VERY sweet!  I think it needs some lime juice to balance it a bit.  I still have a jug of it in the fridge ready for tomorrow morning.

I did a bit of studying and then went for a ride to check the mail and do a grocery shop .. meat and veggies.

I pedalled to the water, where I saw some Bar Tailed Godwits on the beach ...

After I got home, I made some Sushi for lunch for something different, but my goodness I made a hell of a mess in the kitchen doing it!

Once I got all that cleaned up, I made some of Adoring Husband's favourite muffins.  Chocolate Hazelnut Zucchini muffins with a chocolate ganache frosting.

They are pretty nice .. even if I do say so myself.  In fact, I might have one as soon as I finish this post!

AH and I are watching the last NRL game of the round, which is between AH's team, Cronulla Sharks and Gold Coast Titans.  The score is currently 12-12, so it's a good game!

Oh, I unexpectedly received another of my text books in the mail today .. I wasn't expecting it for at least another week.  I only need one more book for this semester and I'm all set.

So I'm off to watch the footy while eating chocolate muffins.

Nite all.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that plays a critical role in helping the immune system, joints, and arteries heal and function properly.

The health benefits of Vitamin C:

• Vitamin C plays an important role in the health and function of the immune cells.
• White blood cells depend upon Vitamin C in order to survive and withstand the attack of pathogens and free radicals.
• Vitamin C also plays an important role as an antihistamine and reduces inflammatory conditions associated with colds, fevers, flus and allergies.
• Vitamin C plays an important role in the production of collagen, which is the major constituent in ligaments, bones, discs, tendons and skin.
• Vitamin C has been shown to improve the healing process of burns, cuts, wounds, sprains/strains and broken bones.
• Vitamin C is also extremely important for the health of eyes and many experts believe that as little as 1000mg of liposomal Vitamin C, daily, may stop cataracts altogether.

This is just the tip of the ice berg.  

There is so much more information about Vitamin C and how it can be used to fight cancers and heart disease, and also how to find the best way to take Vitamin C, and in what form, plus a whole lot of links to even more information, if you go here.

I have never been a big believer in Vitamin C, but the more I read about it, the more interested I am becoming.  I don't think I'll be buying the orange flavoured, sugar filled Vitamin C tablets from the supermarkets, but I'll investigate further and follow my instincts.

I'm keen to learn more and I'll share the best stuff here in the near future.

I had a big sleep in this morning .. even after going to bed almost 2 hours earlier than usual!

I woke just after 2am to use the bathroom and noticed that it was raining very heavily, but immediately went back to sleep and then didn't wake again until my alarm went off at 8.20am!

I set the alarm to remind myself of an appointment for a photo shoot, so it was lucky I did, or I may have missed it.

Adoring Husband and I enjoyed a pleasant morning with the people involved, whom we have known for a few years now, but with whom we have never spent a lot of time.  It was a nice way to start the day.

After we arrived home, we enjoyed a very late breakfast of bacon, eggs and tomato and then, with a full belly, AH spent the afternoon in the garden, mowing and whipper snipping and making our garden look like somebody lives here, instead of like the abandoned home that it was beginning to look like!

I'm looking forward to spending tomorrow morning on some solid study while AH is at the SES shed.  

There is lots to be done!

I just had to share this .. it made me laugh out loud, because I have days where I want to do this ...

Nite all

Study Mode

I thought I was stupid .. or going crazy .. because I couldn't find the study details on the 'study smart' site for my course.

I was beginning to feel a little disheartened, but today, much to my relief, the study details appeared and now I can see clearly what I need to do, and in what order to do it.

Whew!

Instead of getting straight into it, I procrastinated ...

I then experimented in the kitchen (surprise surprise).

Adoring Husband and I usually have pizzas for dinner on Saturday nights ... we put them together at half time, or between games on Super Saturday footy nights.

Now that our eating habits have changed, I have to find a tasty alternative to the old pizza bases that we used before.

I found a recipe that used coconut flour, eggs, sour cream and seasonings.

It wasn't bad, but I think I can do better.

That was our lunch.

We had rice paper wraps for dinner, with turkey mince, kale, coriander, lime, lemon, chilli and coconut milk.  They were wrapped with julienned carrot, red capsicum, cucumber, mint, bean sprouts and spring onions.

They were nice but I put too much oil in the sweet chilli dipping sauce.

This has been my mantra all week ...

... and this is a message to Adoring Husband ...

I'm off to watch the second half of the last game footy for the night.

Nite all.

Bugga!

Well, if you read my blog post yesterday, you will know that I was rooting for the Roosters to win the first NRL match of the season last night, but alas they lost .. and in a big way!

Bugga!

Today has been a mixed bag.

It started with Adoring Husband attempting to instal a new tap in our kitchen, with a little bit of assistance from me.  It took a touch longer than first thought, but eventually we managed it - thanks to AH's ingenuity.

Then we met some friends, down by the river, for morning tea which was lovely.

The weather, once again, was perfect.  It's coming up to that time of year, when the air is clear and all the colours of nature are more vibrant.  The sunlight glistens on the water and I just want to soak it all into my memory.

Last night, I stepped outside to our outdoor area, just to look at the night sky.  We have quite a few pot plants out there, with little ornaments .. mostly frogs .. and some of them sit on the edge of the pots.

Imagine my surprise, when what I thought was an ornament, changed position on the edge of a pot!

As I write this, I am waiting for the courtesy bus to arrive, to take AH and I to the Bowls Club for our usual Friday night socialising.

We'll be home in time to watch the footy.  Wahoo!  I love footy season.

Nite all.

Getting Serious

Today, I made Christmas bark .. translation .. chocolate squares full of cranberries, peanuts and pistachios.  YUM!

I also used an idea of Best Cousin in the World's .. she messaged me with her 'made up' version of chicken meatballs .. so I modified it, using turkey mince (instead of chicken), besan flour (instead of coconut flour), and raw cow's milk (instead of coconut milk).

They are full of spring onions, coriander, chilli, ginger and garlic.  I browned them in coconut oil in a frypan and then put them in a hot oven on a baking tray lined with baking paper for ten minutes.

I made up a sweet/sour orange chilli dipping sauce and served them with a garden salad.

They were so delicious, I wish I'd made a double batch!

Finally, I filled the top 3 shelves of the dehydrator with tomatoes and apples and they have been dehydrating for 9 hours.

Next time I make the Four Cheese Spinach Tart, I'm going to use my own dried tomatoes.  The apples will go into my next batch of muesli.

It's been another productive day in the kitchen.

I was happy to find this big white fluffy kookaburra near the tree where my Tawnies usually reside.

I'm excited that today is the start of the NRL footy season and the first televised game is about to start, so I will love you and leave you to go focus on the game.

Wahoo!  Go Roosters!

Nite all.

What the?!

Today, I have been given access to the online interactive study website for AIAS.

I've spent quite a few hours figuring out how to navigate my way through the site, but I think it will take quite a while to familiarise myself with everything.

It's rather daunting to say the least!

I was very excited to receive my first text book in the mail today ...

I believe that my 15 years with the CES and Centrelink, gave me plenty of time to hone my interviewing and counselling techniques.

One thing that I have discovered today, much to my horror, is that this semester, I have to make a video for one of the assignments, in which I create a mock interview between myself and a client.

What the?!!

If I'd been given this information, prior to signing up, it would have been enough to send me elsewhere for my education!  However, I am here now, so I have no choice but to make the best of a bad situation.  Ugh!

I must keep a positive frame of mind and move forward through every challenge with enthusiasm and fervour!

Onward and upward!!

We had a lovely evening down by the river for our barbecue yesterday.

The weather was glorious, the company was perfect and we all shared delicious GF food ... thank you to the wonderful friends who are able to eat gluten, but who always make an effort to provide GF food, when we are all together.

You really are appreciated more than you know.

My carrot cake was well received.

Adoring Husband had TWO slices!  I found it a bit heavy or rich for my liking and could only eat half of my slice.  I think everyone else enjoyed theirs .. although the rubbish bins were behind me, so some of the group could easily have snuck some cake into the trash!

AH has plenty of dessert for the next couple of days anyway!

Meanwhile, I have a roast chicken dinner to attend to.

Nite all.

As Requested ..

Chocolate Cupcakes recipe ...

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of grated zucchini
4 eggs
2 cups hazelnuts
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup raw honey
1/4 cup of butter, ghee or lard
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 T vanilla extract
1 t baking soda
1/2 t himalayan salt

1. Preheat oven to 180C
2. Put muffin sized patty pans in muffin tray or use silicone muffin trays
3. Grind hazelnuts in food processor or magic bullet until they are super fine or almost butter
4. Finely grate zucchini (I grated them and then pulsed them in the food processor to get them fine)
5. Combine ground hazelnuts, zucchini and remaining ingredients in a bowl.  It will be quite runny but that's good - it makes the cupcakes nice and fudgy.  I used a hand beater to mix it together
6. Pour into cupcake papers and bake for 30 minutes
7. Let cool completely and then serve with berries and whipped cream

They are moist and fudgy and Adoring Husband can't get enough of them!

I also made a carrot cake today from Monica Topliss's cookbook.  I can show you the photo, but I can't give you any indication of what it tastes like, because it's my contribution to a barbecue this afternoon.  I'll let you know if it's well received in tomorrow's post.

Time to go.

Nite all.

Sicker than expected.

An old work mate of mine, who now lives in South Australia, went into hospital for an emergency appendectomy last week.

During surgery, they discovered a tumour on her adrenal gland and then immediately after surgery, she suffered a heart attack!

She is not yet 50.

She has asked me for some ideas on how to help heal herself naturally.  She is also following Doctor's orders and will undergo further surgery and whatever else they decide she needs, but she wants to do everything possible to get well.

So I spent the day doing lots of research to give her some ideas.

I certainly don't profess to be an expert, but the good thing about food and nutrition, is that it's safe!

She still has a young son living at home with her and she is concerned about what will happen to him, if the worst happens to her.

She also doesn't want to concern her family with her fears, so I am her sounding board.

Her mother, who is in her 70s, was one of my teachers at TAFE in the 90s when I did my Administration course.  So I feel like we have a bond.  We genuinely care about each other and I know that her family, especially her Mum, is worried sick.  They are a very close unit.

Aside from that, I also spent some time searching for text books for my course.

They are very expensive to buy brand new, but I was lucky enough to find one of the books, second hand, but never used, in Townsville, and had very friendly discussions with the lady selling it.  Half price is always good value!

Now I'm sitting up til stupid o'clock watching a replay of the academy awards!

Nite all.

Good Sleep Good Health

Sleep is very important to maintaining good health.

Your diet and lifestyle choices have a huge effect on your ability to sleep.

Just like food, your sleep pattern affects your cells' cycle, growth and repair process and it also affects your hormones.  

Some medications will actually suppress different phases of sleep, and certain conditions like sleep apnea will lead to fragmented sleep.

Shift workers have a four to five times higher risk of developing cancers and diabetes because of their erratic schedules which hinder restorative sleep. 

Eating food in the 3 hour period before going to bed can upset your master clock and stop your body from settling into the deep, restful and restorative sleep that you need.

It's useful to get at least 30 minutes outside in the sunshine during the day, because your body uses certain levels of light to align circadian rhythms, which in turn help you to fall into that deep sleep.

Lack of deep, restful sleep leads to impaired cognitive performance and slows your reaction times.

Basically, your body uses sleep time to heal and repair itself, and not just the physical body, but your mental state as well. 

That's another reason why you need to eat well, get plenty of sunshine and exercise regularly .. it all helps you to sleep well at night ... making up the complete health package.

I read this today and thought it definitely worth sharing ...

"Do not ask your children to strive for extraordinary lives.  Such striving may seem admirable, but it is a way of foolishness.  Help them instead, to find the wonder and marvel of an ordinary life.  Show them the joys of tasting tomatoes, apples and pears.  Show them how to cry when pets and people die.  Show them the infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand.  And make the ordinary come alive for them.  The extraordinary will take care of itself." - William Martin.

It gives me that thought .. if I could go back, knowing what I know now, I would do things differently.

Also, I just have to show you our new bedding!!

A friend described it this way - "I think a hippie just threw up on your bed"

... which is exactly the look I was going for :)

I slept very soundly last night.

Nite all.

Mammograms

I decided a few years ago that I would never undergo a mammogram.

I had heard and read negative stories, here and there, which activated my 'be wary' instincts.

When I mentioned it to my Dr, whom I haven't seen for a consultation for almost five years, he suggested that I have an ultrasound instead, which I agreed to consider - but I won't be having one of those either.

The results of a recent study were published in the British Medical Journal and also in the New York Times in mid February ...

"One of the largest and most meticulous studies of mammography ever done, involving 90,000 women and lasting a quarter of a century, has added powerful new doubts about the value of the screening test for women of any age.

It found that the death rates from breast cancer and from all causes were the same in women who got mammograms and those who did not. And the screening had harms: one in five cancers found with mammography and treated was not a threat to the woman's health and did not need treatment such as chemotherapy, surgery or radiation."

Unfortunately, breast cancer is big business, and mammography is one of its primary profit centers. This is why the industry is fighting tooth and nail to keep it, even if it means ignoring the truth.

Several studies over the past few years have concluded that mammograms do not save lives, and may actually harm more women than they help, courtesy of false positives, over treatment, and radiation-induced cancers.

Besides the harm caused by over treatment, the wisdom of radiating your breasts year after year, for decades, is questionable at best, considering the fact that ionising radiation can cause cancer.

I believe that cancer prevention begins with lifestyle choices.

• Avoid sugar and processed foods
• Optimise your Vitamin D levels - with sunshine, not supplements.
• Avoid unfermented soy products.
• Exercise - you don't have to be a gym junky, walking or rebounding is excellent.
• Maintain a healthy body weight - which is easy when you cut out sugar and processed foods.
• Drink vegetable smoothies/juices (organic)
• Avoid, or at least limit your alcohol intake.
• Avoid synthetic hormone replacement therapy.  Breast cancer is an estrogen related cancer, and according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer rates for women dropped in tandem with decreased use of hormone replacement therapy. (There are similar risks for younger women who use oral contraceptives. Birth control pills, which are also comprised of synthetic hormones, have been linked to cervical and breast cancers.)

Of course, if you want to be pedantic, there are many, many more things that you can do to reduce your risk of breast cancer, but this is a good start.

A couple of photos from today and yesterday.

I've had such a lazy day today .. and have enjoyed every slothful minute of it!

Nite all.

Announcement

As of next week, I'll be studying part time 15 hours per week.

I'll be studying the Advanced Diploma in Nutritional Medicine and I'm very excited about it!

It's Friday night - I had 3 glasses of wine at the club tonight, then came home and made pumpkin soup and honey garlic chicken wings and banana/walnut muffins.

Lastly I watched one of my favourite movies "PS I Love You"

Now I am exhausted .. it's time to sleeeeeeeeep.

Nite all.

Monty Morning

It was a quiet morning at the Seat of Knowledge today, but that was a good thing because there was a little first time visitor who was happy to pose for a few shots.  Here is one of them ...

This Carpet Python was less than two feet long, and hung around for about an hour.

I think he came from the rocks that line the banks of the river, because it was a very high tide this morning and after the tide turned and began to go out, he found his way back to the rocks.

It was a beautiful morning and you can see in the background of this shot, how blue the water was.

When it was time for everybody to go home and have some breakfast, I came home and put my chicken bone broth on to simmer.

I had a hair appointment at 11am and had three inches cut from the length of my hair!  It looks and feels a lot better .. it's been almost 3 months since I've had a trim and I was beginning to look a bit bedraggled.

I arrived home in time to put the lamb shanks into the slow cooker so that they would be cooked early enough that Adoring Husband could eat before his SES meeting.

The highlight of my day was after I had chased the dogs away from the back fence (they were barking at our new neighbourly dog, George) and I came back inside to discover Helen, the solo chicken, INSIDE the house and she had done a nice big fat birdie 'do-do' in the middle of the floor!

Lucky we have a tiled floor because it was the size of a saucer!!  UGH!!

That was not pleasant!

But this is ...

I took this photo on our road trip in January.  It was a very misty and sometimes rainy day, which helped create this lovely soft light.

And THIS is the end of my day.

Nite all.

Questions you should ask.

When you visit your doctor, do you sit and wait for him/her to ask you a barrage of questions?

Or do you do all the asking?

Do you write down questions before your visit, so that you don't forget anything?

Or do you have complete faith in the fact that your doctor knows exactly what he is doing and will indeed do the right thing by you?

Considering that your doctor sees approximately 40 patients each day, for a maximum of 15 minutes (I'm being generous) each, and considering that he has approximately 500 patients on his books (am I being conservative?) - do you really believe that he can know your body well enough to make an informed, educated decision about what you really need?
These are the sorts of questions that you should ask your doctor:

• "When was the last time that you refreshed your skills?"  Doctors who graduated more than 20 yrs ago are 48% less likely to stay up-to-date on developments and are equally unaware of current treatment guidelines.  They will continue to prescribe medication that has been proven ineffective or dangerous.
• "What is that?"  Poor handwriting is responsible for 61% of medication errors and more than a million patient injuries each year.  If you can't read the prescription, chances are the pharmacist can't either.
• "Do I really need this test?"  Doctors often adhere to the 'better safe than sorry' philosophy and order tests to protect themselves in case of law suits.  Harvard researchers found that 16% of all prostate cancer screenings are unnecessary.  80% of PSA are false positives and thousands of men undergo needless biopsies each year.  Also, British researchers say that the radiation from CT scans causes an estimated 5695 cases of cancer each year.
• "What is the name of this drug and how will this drug help me?" 
• "How long before I should expect to see results?"
• "What are the primary short term side effects?"
• "Does it have any long term side effects?"
• "Do you monitor this medication?  Are there any specific tests that you run to help monitor it?"
• "How will I know when to either stop taking this medication or change the dose?"
• "Why have you chosen this particular medication over others?"

They're just a few questions to ask.  You can bet your bottom dollar that the doctor won't know the answer to some of those questions and will have to check his computer screen a number of times.

Recently, a friend of mine discovered that he was given a dangerous medication for his condition, and was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night, because his Dr had forgotten that he was treating him for a specific cancer and gave him something that reacted badly with his cancer medication.

It's up to you to take control of your own health.  Ask the right questions and try to educate yourself about your condition.

There is so much information on line and if you're not sure if you can trust that information, then write it down and ask your doctor or a nutritionist or naturopathic practitioner.  Trust your instincts.

*If you type into google 'medicines safety update Australia' it gives you pages and pages of information about all the different drugs and their updates.*

For example - a common diabetic drug has been linked to heart failure, oedema and bladder cancer.  This information is not provided to you, but is provided to your doctor, who has been advised to 'administer with care'.

And this shows how much more dangerous paracetamol is and the warnings that had to be corrected on their labels.

Proton Pump Inhibitors, which are taken for GERD and stomach ulcers, are one of the most widely used classes of drugs in Australia.  130 million prescriptions have been issued since 1992, yet these drugs reduce bone density and patients are experiencing fractures in the spine, wrists, ankles and hips.  They also cause chronic magnesium deficiencies (which explains reduced bone density).  PPIs are only supposed to be taken for a period of weeks, yet Drs are not monitoring and most people are on them for 6 months to a year, before Drs take any action, if at all.

You know that I could go on and on, but I think you get the drift.

Something else that you should consider is that when a generic brand is available for your issued prescription, generics do not have to be tested for safety.  Once a drug has been passed by the Australian authority, any changes to that drug and any generic brands that are produced, flow straight to the consumer without the requirements of testing.  (I know right?  Who knew?)

Generic brands may also have different information about side effects on their information sheet.

You can read all about it here.  In particular, the last paragraph under the section 'prescription drug regulation'.

To finish on a lighter note, a photo from my favourite cactus plant which burst into flower after the recent rains ..

.. and something for a giggle ..

Nite all.

Gut Feeling.

Do you eat well and take good care of yourself, but you still struggle with weight gain, sluggishness and various unexplained health issues?

It all has to do with the types of bacteria in your gut.

Most people think of bacteria as dirty or dangerous to your health, and bad bugs can actually make us sick, however, it's vitally important that we carry good bacteria in our gut to maintain good health and to heal us from illness and disease.

There is strong research suggesting that the gut is the key curing most illnesses and diseases, including mental illnesses and autoimmune diseases.

Humans harbour over 100 trillion bacteria, in and on, our body.  We contain ten times more bacteria than we have human cells!

Most of this bacteria lives in our gut.  Your gut is one of the most complex eco systems on the planet and if you don't look after it, you risk harming the health of your entire body.

Our digestive tract houses both good and bad bacteria, and in a healthy gut, the bad bacteria are limited and well controlled by the good bacteria.  If the good bacteria are weakened, the bad bacteria take control and your health is compromised.

What kinds of things lead to bad bacteria taking control?

• Sugar: It promotes the growth of bad bacteria in the gut and therefore hampers the good bacteria. Diets high in sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods basically provide an all-you-can-eat buffet for the bad bacteria to thrive. 
• Antibiotics: They are prescribed to kill bacteria but unfortunately they kill the good AND the bad guys. When the good bacteria die off,  bad bacteria take off, and can outnumber the good in no time. While antibiotics can be lifesaving, we need to be much more prudent in our use of them, in both medicine and agriculture.
• Stress: Stress can also greatly impact our gut bacteria. 
• Obsession with cleanliness: Our overenthusiastic use of antibacterial soaps, lotions, wipes and sprays weakens our good bacteria.

The good news is that there are simple steps that you can take that can help create a healthier balance of bacteria in your gut and improve your overall health.

Some simple things to help correct your gut.  

• Cut out sugar, refined carbohydrates and processed foods: This should be your number one priority because the gut can't restore itself while you continue to eat these highly inflammatory foods.
• Introduce fermented foods to your diet. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi and kefir are rich in beneficial probiotic bacteria so they help inoculate the gut with more good bugs.  This is a great place to find information about making your own fermented food.
• Eat plenty of prebiotic foods (i.e. foods rich in soluble fibre): Prebiotic foods are like fertiliser for the good bacteria in your gut. Sweet potato, raw onions, garlic, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and avocado are some of the best prebiotic foods to add to your diet.  Raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (like Braggs) is also fantastic.

So that's my advice on the subject.  Take it or leave it.

While BGWLBH and I were on our road trip in January, we stopped at a lookout at Wollomombi, east of Armidale, which overlooked the Wollomombi Gorge.

It was a massive gorge - not as massive as the Grand Canyon of course - but while we were standing there, on the lookout, a Wedge Tailed Eagle loomed from below us!  It just appeared from nowhere and there I was with my camera, panicking and shaking and trying to aim and focus and fire in the ten seconds that the beautiful raptor was in my line of sight.

I missed my opportunity.  I could have kicked myself because I dream of the perfect Wedge Tailed Eagle shot.

You can see by this shot, that he was very very close and if I had been on the ball, the perfect shot was to be had. *sigh*

Ah well ... next time.

Nite all.

Dog of a NIght

Yesterday, while working in the kitchen, one of my dogs (Colli - a Shihtzu/Maltese), shrieked as she walked out of the kitchen.

I wondered if I had inadvertently stepped on her tail or something, so I gave her a pat and thought nothing more of it.

Later that evening before we went to bed, she gave another shriek, so I checked her feet and all over her body to see if she might have a thorn or prickle embedded somewhere, but I couldn't find anything.

I put her to bed (she sleeps in the laundry) at around midnight and went to bed myself.

I couldn't settle at all and even got out of bed at 2am to have a shower, hoping that would relax me into sleep.

At about 3.30am, just as I was dozing off for the first time, we woke to the sound of her shrieking.

At first I thought it was OB (the lorikeet) because she shrieks like that all the time!

But then I heard Adoring Husband's very distressed voice calling my name, so out of bed I climbed, and found Colli cowering on the floor with her back hunched and looking very unhappy indeed.

Once again, I felt all over her body and checked her feet.  Her tummy wasn't distended and she didn't flinch when I squeezed any part of her body.  I had no clue.

Meanwhile, AH was searching online, for 'all night' vets.

I decided to bring her into our bed for the rest of the night and then we would take her to the vets first thing in the morning.

She found a comfy spot snuggling into me and fell asleep for about 30 minutes before she squirmed and whined and then found a more comfortable position.  This went on all night, until I fell asleep just after 6am.

As I tried to move into a more comfortable position, a bit over an hour later, she woke with more shrieking.  Sigh.

So, much to AH's horror, I began to fill the laundry tub to give her a bath.  I thought that if I could wet her fur down, I could feel her skin much better and I might find the problem.

Then I went back into the bedroom to get her and found her frantically licking one of her feet.  I checked to discover that the dewclaw on her right front foot had grown into a complete circle and had pierced her leg!

So I took her into the laundry and performed some delicate surgery to cut and remove the offending claw, gave her a bath, clipped her claws and gave her a bit of a hair cut .. moments later she was running around the backyard having a wonderful time!

What an ordeal!  Poor Adoring Husband came close to having a nervous breakdown!  He's not good with situations that he can't control and is especially fragile when it comes to his canine babies.

Here she is catching up on some much needed sleep ...

So I'm issuing AH an invoice for services rendered, with a family discount of course!!  I think $240 should cover it + a bit extra for the fuel that I saved him!  Maybe I should add a bit more, for the fact that he didn't have to miss out on his morning at the SES shed!

All's well that ends well.

Nite all.

Kitchen Success!

I woke with much more energy and motivation this morning!

We had a Sunday morning sleep in until about 8.30am - which is very unusual for both of us.

I spent the entire day in the kitchen and made:

• Seedy Bread
• Tangy Mayonnaise
• Key Lime Pie
• Four Cheese Spinach Tart
• Moroccan Lamb and Rice
• Nut Seed Spheres
• Coconuted Cream

I did stop for lunch, which was a slice of spinach tart, with fresh prawns and some of my mayo with lime zest.

Delicious.

Tomorrow, if I have the same level of energy and motivation, I want to make some feta cheese and some Greek yoghurt.  I definitely need to make something chocolatey too.  Oh and some ice cream!

It's well after midnight.  I need sleep.

Nite all.