Nina Surya

Looks like you're onto something very interesting! Made out of really tough grass, those ropes would last longer and be super ecological!

Here are my experiences:

The best cat toy ever is a walnut. It makes a funny sound when footballed with and it skids and bounces in an unexpected manner.

The favourite toy of my dog was a bone ring. Imagine a short-ish piece of beef bone with the marrow chewed/licked out. My dog would take it in his mouth, then shake his head to rattle it within his mouth (he is BIG. Like really big). Toss it in the air and catch it. He found it the most awesome thing ever. And then he buried it, somewhere, never to be found again.

It's interesting to also discuss where the different varieties of mint might fit in terms of taste. I was always wondering where the woolly mint might be good for, thank you for pointing in the direction of middle-east cuisine, Tereza!

Today I started a country wine with woolly mint, elderflowers, rose petals, strawberries, some peach leaves, lemon juice and raw honey. Hoping it will become a tasty wine.

I've used Plectranthus leaves with duck meat: cut a slit in the filet, insert a few small leaves ( a little goes a long way ), close the slit with toothpicks and fry. Yummy.
I think it would go well with any fat, wild-ish meat. It's also a good medicine for a sore throat, either as an infusion (tea) or infused in honey and used as a syrup.

I thought I'd do an update post on this thread: Thank you all for your helpful advice, we're enjoying delicious sourdoughbread here!

The things I've learned and am doing "right", that help in transitioning from turtleshell stone bread to sourdoughbread heaven are:

- the starter needed to be runnier (= like pancake batter indeed) than mine initially was, and I need to use more of it per baking session. No worries, I'm topping it up in the daily feeding sessions too, now more generously than in the tentative beginnings.

- I was first using baking paper over baking tin and putting the loaves there to 'rise'. Well, they flooded and formed a sad glob. I'm now plopping my dough balls into a pregreased forms. Both forms are glazed earthenware, given a light brushing with some olive oil.

- then a cling film goes on top to keep the moisture in. Initially I was using a wet tea towel, but on the winter-dough-rising-spot aka on the mass of the rocket stove, the teatowel dried during the...

- rising time: depending on temperatures, but 'through the night' seems to be a good average.

- the oven is at 225 degrees Celcius. Before the loaves go in, in their baking forms, I spritz them lightly with water.

- still cooling them under a tea towel.

The sourdough starter has become better - more vigorous and more delicious bread - over time. Et voilá, the result!

Catie, you're right - mine seems to be spearmint. It came with the house, in abundance, and I'm happy it's here.

Another mint variety here is what I call "woolly mint" because its appearance is woolly. With a quick search on the internet I find out it's also called apple mint .

I've noticed that working with my hands quiets my mind and helps heaps with tying loose ends within my system.
It's a reorganising of sorts, as if a crew of diligent little elves were working away in my subconscious as my hands create.

In my previous life I was a bookbinder, creating unique books by hand.
I had a pen and paper next to me, because when I really got into the flow, and if there was something repetetive to do, poetry would flow through me and on to paper.

These days the handwork is mainly done in the garden, and I'm just enjoying the spring time fullness of it all - birdsong, growth, soil, grit, water, sweat and yes, even the weeds.

John Weiland wrote:
Ha!....Yes, perhaps similar bloodlines to our Tomas (Sarplaninac from Balkan region).  He is quite the jumper and is the first to jump onto the hay wagon, into the back of trucks and onto the main table on the outside deck.  Here, he's asking for the keys so he and Tasha (Great Pyr/Anatolian) can get on with the shopping.... :-)

They could be brothers! Agile jumpers, eternal puppies, ready to participate in any and all activities :)

Timothy Norton wrote:I had another hen go broody. This hen, an australorp, is absolutely refusing taking no for an answer.

I love my little life.

And I thought australorps never get broody
Congratulations with your new chickenfamily!

I just said this to myself this morning! "I love my little life" with such weight it felt very, very solid and permanent Maybe it's something in the air, the deep, sweet content <3

Dear Martin (and Alex),
Loss and a sense of abandonment are events, energies, emotions that seem to stop the time and energy.

Is there any way to transmute the energy that surrounds you, by constructing something - by using the pieces you have; the memories, the hopes, the dreams, the sorrow to create a place or spot that you can visit when you choose to.
I don't know if it's too early, but maybe consider that if you can use this energy within you now and transform it by working through it... that you could then continue living with regained spaceousness within you, without loosing that what you'd rather not miss, but you have given it a place, both within you and in the physical.

Sending a lot of warmth and strength.

Beautiful bowl!
I'd guess it's from the 1960's to 1970's, leaning heavier on the '70's.
Folklore was going strong as a mondial design style. The flower looks like an adaptation from Japanese cherry blossom to East European folklore stylised roses and poppies.
It's beautifully painted, I'm especially enjoying the finesse and dynamics of the "twigs", the black lines binding it all together