16/12/2008

Just horsing around..........

One thing that really bothers me is the fact that I don't do more to help animals. Some would say that by not eating them I am already doing enough and whilst that is true, I still feel like I can do more and I would like to do more. My reasons are full of half arsed excuses, such as I don't have the transport, I couldn't bear to work in the pound (which is a killing pound) blah blah blah blah blah.... So when I saw a plea for help on my local ex-pat forum I just knew this was my chance and opportunity to help the animals I love so much. The cry for help was in the guise of creating a website for a local Horse Rescue Centre. Perfect for me. I replied and the next day went out to meet the guys who run the rescue centre, Rod and Sue. Let me tell you - the minute I walked on to their finca I instantly liked these two people. They currently have 10 horses that have all been rescued from lives of hell and neglect, with nothing to look forward to except the knackers yard.
A knacker is a person in the trade of rendering animals that are unfit for human consumption, such as horses that can no longer work. This leads to the slang expression "knackered" meaning very tired, or "ready for the knacker’s yard", where old horses are slaughtered and made into dog food and glue. A knacker's yard or knackery is where this takes place, as opposed to a slaughterhouse, where animals are slaughtered for human food.
As well as the horses though, they also have a gaggle of geese, a brood of chickens, a flock of ducks, a prattle of parrots, 3 dogs and a cat. Oh, and they're vegetarian to boot!! WooHoo! They are two of the nicest people ever - and they have a cool friend called Yvonne who helps out and volunteers her time and resources to helping the horses as well. I LOVED it there and could have stayed there forever. I'm delighted and thrilled at being given this opportunity to help out, and if y'all want to take a look at the finished result - here's the link.
Easy Horse Care Today's song is by the utterly FANTASTIC MGMT - Kids

12/12/2008

My Tribute to Oliver Postgate

Oliver Postgate, author and animation film-maker, born April 12 1925; died December 8 2008

10/12/2008

I heart Madhur Jaffrey ♥♥♥♥♥

And I heart my friend Anne who lent me her Madhur Jaffrey's Illustrated Indian Cookery cook book! YAY! If I told you we had Indian for dinner last night AND Indian for dinner tonight, what would you say? You'd say "Ooooh...let's see some photos of it all!!" wouldn't you? Ha dee ha ha ha.... I mentioned to Mr treehugger that I was dismayed I couldn't take a photo of all the wonderful grub and he simply shrugged and said that I will just jolly well have to make it again then! You can see why I love this man! Anyhooo onto the food, and whilst I am seriously lacking in pornz I will try my hardest to portray the wonderfullness of last nights and tonights food 'kay. Last Night Saag Aloo (Madhur Jaffrey doesn't use an ounce of ghee (hee hee hee) in her Saag recipe!!!) Mixed Vegetables in a Mustard and Cumin Sauce Black-eyed Beans with Mushrooms Uncle Ben's Boil in the bag Rice (yes yes I KNOW!!!) Tonight We still had leftovers of everything from last night except the Rice (doesn't Indian cuisine taste better the next day or what!!) So to accompany what was left I made: Chana Saag Spiced Basmati Rice (am I redeemed??) Cauliflower Pakoras Poppadoms Onion Relish Aubergine Pickle (this wasn't Madhur Jaffrey's) And a Partridge in a Pear Tree....LOL! I am so delighted to have been lent this book. I have to give it back on Sunday so I am frantically typing out lots of recipes and out of all the ones I have tried so far, the Spiced Basmati Rice, Cauliflower Pakoras and Mixed Vegetables in a Mustard and Cumin Sauce were just out of this world and are what I will make when I want to impress my omni friends from now on! I used Spices I'd never used before as well which is always exciting! (Kalonji and Black Mustard Seeds). I can post you the Aubergine Pickle recipe because it is one I have tweaked from numerous ones on the interwebs and it is so amazing and so easy you gotsta give it a try next time you make Indian food. Goes perfectly with Poppadoms! Aubergine Pickle Ingredients Red Wine Vinegar (about quarter of a cup plus a little more) 1 tablespoon bottled Water ½ teaspoon dried red Chilies ½ teaspoon ground Turmeric 1 inch piece of Ginger root, sliced 2 cloves Garlic, sliced 6 tablespoons Olive Oil 1 tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 small Aubergine, peeled and cut into cubes 1 tsp Sugar Salt Method Use a small saucepan to cook this in. This will serve two people quite happily, along with their Poppadoms of course. Grind the red Chilies, Turmeric, half the Ginger and half the Garlic with 1 tablespoon of the Red Wine Vinegar and about a tablespoon of Water (I’ve done this with a hand blender and it worked fine – I just added a bit more water, the lumps didn’t make any difference). Heat the Oil and fry the Cumin and Mustard Seeds with the remaining Garlic and Ginger until browned. Add the ground paste and fry until drier (it will still be quite liquidy – this is good). Add the Aubergines and pour in enough Wine Vinegar to just come half way up the Vegetables. Add the Sugar and Salt and simmer until the Aubergines are tender and the Oil floats to the top. Leave to cool. We still have plenty of leftovers but I think even I couldn't make Indian food three nights in a row......or could I????????? Todays song is by the FANTASTIC Razorlight - Wire to Wire

09/12/2008

Mysteries

There are many mysteries in and of the world: Atlantis Stonehenge The Bermuda Triangle Why my camera spent Saturday night down the toilet Yep - you read that correctly. We went to an alternative Music Festival on Saturday night and got home about 5 in the morning a little bit inebriated to say the least. When I got up a few hours later to go for a pee - there down the toilet bowl was my camera!!!! You should have seen the look on my face - would have made for a good photo........ I have absolutely no idea how or why my camera was down the toilet - I didn't even take it out with me and it was nowhere near the bathroom when I went to bed. It is a total mystery. The only thing I can think of is divine intervention. I am always moaning about my camera - it's so old it should have been in a museum somewhere so maybe I needed some cosmic intervening like this to kick my butt into getting a new one. BUT - even though I always moaned about the crappyness of my camera it was still my camera and I did love it in my own special way. AND there were a load of photos on there that I hadn't uploaded to my PC! BooHooHoo. And the worse thing is I'm going to be cameraless until I go back to the UK in two weeks time. BooHooHooHoo! So...was it divine intervention? Or was it my subconscious addled with alcohol that makes me sleep walk and do totally uncharacteristic things such as trying to flush my camera down the pan? Do I have a poltergeist and this was how they wanted to introduce themself to me? Who knows.....like UFO's and Crop Circles....it will remain a complete mystery for all eternity......
R.I.P

04/12/2008

Pay it Forward

My GOD! I can't believe it's a week into December already!! I am still alive and haven't fallen down a mine shaft or anything but I have been incredibly busy and hopefully I will be able to enlighten you all next week as to what has been taking up all my time these past two weeks. One thing I love more than anything is spreading some love and happiness across the world. I like nice things and I like everything to be lovely and nice, if it's sprinkled with glitter and sparkles then even better! So today folks - I have something lovely and nice and glittery and sparkly for you. A few days ago the lovely shellyfish participated in Paying it Forward and I was lucky enough to be chosen to Pay it Forward too. "But what's it all about?" I hear you cry Well, we all know there are some wonderful give aways and prizes to be had in blog land and that is what this is but with a difference. The beauty of Paying it Forward means that not only do I win a wonderful handmade goody but I also get to reciprocate the gesture by giving away hand made goodies to three equally lucky bloggers too. Cool huh! I'm not sure where it all started but it is a GENIUS idea if you ask me. I LOVE to craft but unfortunately I don't do as much as I'd like so this is a GREAT opportunity for me to get my crafty head on and pass on some freebie give away blogging love. The rules are simple:
  • You must have a blog
  • If you want to participate you must be willing to post a handmade gift to three different bloggers within the next 365 days (A WHOLE YEAR!!WoooHoooo!).
  • If you want to participate then include "Jeni is FAB" when you leave me a comment to this post.
Three lucky winners will be chosen at random and I am willing to post my gift anywhere in the universe and beyond. I have some wonderful ideas on what to make you all so don't let this opportunity pass you by - I promise I won't wait 365 days for you to receive your gift. Knowing me it'll be around February - which by then you will have forgotten all about it and so you'll get another surprise ! YAY! This is open until the morning of the 21st December CET as after then I'll be jet setting home to Bournemouth to spend crimbo with my family and to see how many tubs of Toffutti and squirty Soy Cream I can consume before passing out! I will announce before I pass out who the lucky people are. Todays song is Outta Time - the new Oasis song. I FREAKING LOVE IT!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx