Molasses Muffins

Decided to experiment with a new ingredient yesterday.

Had been informed by various sources (mainly alternative health, naturopaths and so on) that molasses is great to eat, an excellent source of this-that-and the-other. So bought some. Thought, is like sugar, is it not? It is not.

Mother was horrified when told and tried convincing me that molasses is stuff that cows eat. And horses, sometimes. Not people!

Decided to ignore mother, and googled some "healthy" recipes for molasses-muffins. Got to work.
Put everything together, slightly concerned about horrid smell and awful oily appearance of molasses. Nevermind, hubby and I said, it will be better once it's cooked.

Once cooked, muffins looked great! Fluffy, beautiful colour - what one might expect from a muffin.

The first bite was bad. The second bite was terrible. After the third bite I was crying.
Hubby, knowing it is not safe to criticize my cooking - made choking noises and claimed muffins to be worst thing he had ever eaten in entire life, all categories. Assuming this includes revolting oyster-shots he used to drink - this is very bad judgement.

Healthy molasses-muffins now sitting on bench ridiculing me. Accusing me of wasting food if I do not eat all of them. All TEN of them...

Temporarily I forget my greater goal (becoming a hippy) and curse silently to self; Bloody hippies and their bloody health... triple choc vanilla muffins - here I come!

Don't be fooled!

OMG

WHAT are we dealing with here?

Definitely not a George... some sort of super-mouse that can eat hard plastic?

Stage Two & a Weather Report

The enemy has launched stage two of its attack:

His strategy is to strike at night, under the cover of darkness - when everyone is asleep...

But we have launched a counter-attack. Seeing that it is now winter, as opposed to summer, we have... moved the compost bin back inside!!! Had to move it outside because of an entirely different sort of enemy (ants) over summer. Ants have probably gone into hibernation now. We do see the occasional, confused, ant in the evenings when we light the fire-place; ants come out thinking it's summer again. So stupid.

It is so beautiful here in Byron right now. Sunny, clear skies, clear turquoise water and 20-ish degrees. Until approximately 5 pm every day. Then the sun retires promptly and temperatures drop by about 10 degrees. Will never get used to it happening so quickly - can never get fire going fast enough even though might have been thinking all day that we won't be needing the fire that night.

Lesson 1 if living in a house in Australia built by Australians: You will always need the fire.

The Thing About Lemons

Have always wanted a lemon tree. Who wouldn't.

So was very pleased to find one in Garden (also known as "the Jungle"):

The thing about it, however, is that for 51 weeks out of the year - have got no lemons.

Then, for 1 week out of the year - have got 100 lemons.

Topic of today's meditation: What does one do with 100 lemons?

George is Back

Picture of compost bin on stairs, back of house.

Look closely.

Close-up of area underneath stairs.

Uh-huh. Food scraps from the now empty compost bin! The plot thickens...

The main suspect.

GEORGE IS BACK!


(George = the Bush Turkey, keep up)

So George has found and new and creative way to wreak havoc in our world.

Hubby and I are currently engaged in silent battle over who will clean up food scraps.

Not to mention what to do next, about George. Can under NO circumstances allow situation to escalate - like last year. You know - the nesting in garden debacle and the long wars which followed.

One thing is for certain ladies and gentlemen. We are facing a tough enemy. Its stupidity is of no disadvantage to it - almost the contrary. A one track mind never stops.

Brisbane

Safely home from Brisbane.

Went to City and Colour last night, which was great. In many ways. Mainly nobody spewed on me. Long story.

Anyway... Some Brissie snaps.

New Farm park, along the river - and lastly home of diluted individual with too much money and too little taste, perhaps..? River-front littered with these.

Stayed in New Farm / Fortitude Valley area this time - in heritage house bit like cross between flash-packers and B&B. Very nice. Hate flashy hotels without personality. Because used to work at one, wonder?

Brisbane cityscape from Mount Coot-tha.

Botanical Garden at base of mountain.

Banana Bread

Superior housewife-skills, once again, I tell ya... Hubby is lucky to have me.

Banana-bread.

Made once with auntie Mia in Bellingen. Instructions on piece of paper left a few details out, for instance note said "Approx 175 degrees, until it smells done."

Gnu Ardet

Efter inägget med 11 frågor kommenterade en gammal vän och påminde mig om hur ofantligt rolig jag var (enligt mig själv) under gymnasiet.

Via följande kommentar:

"får mig osökt att tänka på den bild av en brinnande gnu du ritade till Elna under en latinlektion där du undertill skrivit "gnu ardet"."

Hysteriskt roligt. Eller hur? Själv hade jag givetvis inget minne av denna teckning, som är fallet med det mesta som inträffat innan 28.

Så är i bilen. Försöker berätta historien för maken.

Anna: You know how I studied Latin in school? Anyway, a friend just reminded me of what I did once in class, hahaha, sooo funny... anyway, so I studied Latin...

Maken: Okaaay... (tvekande)

Anna: So this one time, hahaha, in class, hahahahahaha, I... hahaha

Maken: Hrmmmm.... (ytterst skeptisk)

Anna: (vid det här laget strömmar tårarna nedför ansiktet och jag flämtar desperat efter luft, kan endast andas in, ej ut, eftersom jag kreverar av skratt) So, you know, ardet means to be on fire, right - and, hahahahaha

Maken: All right (skrattar av någon konstig anledning inte)...

Anna: And our teacher was really boring and probably carrying on for hours about its many grammatical variations, hahaha, and... aaaahahahaha - then... I...

Maken: You're a fucking weirdo.

Anna: (torkar tårar och flämtar) Anyway, I had drawn this picture of a GNU, aaaaaahahahaha, on... hahaha... hahaha... on... fire! hahahaha

Maken: Yeah..? (fortfarande inte road av den otroligt roliga historien, konstigt)

Anna: And under the gnu... it... hahaha... hahaha, said... (tar sats, flämtar) "GNU ARDET"! hahaha, because, you know... that means the gnu is on fire - hahaha!

Maken: ...

Anna: I had totally forgotten what a funny word "gnu" is... I must start to use it again. Had you any idea how FUNNY I was back in school? hahahaha

Maken: No (ser en aning sur ut).

Anna: It's a miracle I passed.

Maken: Yes.

Milk-Run

A final pic from Bangalow "Young Dog Napping" I call it.

Following are some snaps from the place I buy milk, which reluctantly drink based on advise provided by professional health-care-individual (who may or may not know what they are talking about) but plan on going back to being vegan just as soon as possible (mean, of course - "eating a vegan diet" as could never BE vegan, much in same way could never BE feminist - just do not have the passion).

Anyway. The milk.

The wee ones...

And... on the way to the veal farm..?

How could you eat these..?

11 Frågor

Frågor från Swedish Army Wife att svara på!

1. När grät du senast?
Jag gråter hela tiden. Eller egentlig hjärtskärande "gråt" är det kanske inte när man får tårar i ögonen av ett gammalt avsnitt av Desperate Housewives..?


2. Om du var en känd karaktär i en TV-serie eller film, vem skull du varit?
Enligt maken skulle jag vara Gabrielle i Desperate Housewives. Och nej, inte för att jag är lik henne till utseendet... måste vara nåt annat?


3. Vad skulle du vilja vara känd för när du dör?
Har aldrig velat vara känd... men om jag skulle lämna nåt minne efter mig så har jag länge haft för mig att jag skulle vilja göra nåt för barn, typ barnhem, skolor, i Sydamerika kanske - den sortens grej.


4. Har du någon udda talang eller partytrick?
Jag har en mycket flexibel tunga... Jag kan tala med nästan vilken accent som helst, till exempel Irlänsk, aussie, svensk. Så brukade jag kunna spanska när jag var full. OCH latin, ibland. Men då snackar vi ordentligt packad. As-kalas.


5. Vad är du rädd för?
Flygande insekter och, till viss mån, fåglar.


6. Vilken personlig egenskap hade du velat förändra?
Jag kan ha väldigt kort stubin. Och att jag gråter så lätt.


7. I vilken situation kände du dig senast som lyckligast?
Är alltid lycklig när solen skiner och jag går en promenad på stranden till exempel.


8. Mygg-, knott-, mus- eller spindelinvasion - vad är värst?
Måste väl vara mus?


9. Dina tre favoritsaker på julbordet?
Jag har ett lite okonventionellt julbord, men - rödbetsallad, potatis-gratäng och julost.


10. Ditt bästa husmorstips?
Gör rent handfatet med en tandborste (ej makens, utan en inköpt speciellt för ändamålet). Naturliga rengöringsprodukter fungerar inget vidare i badrummet, köp nåt hardcore med bleach.


11. Och så en "av två onda ting, vad hade du valt" à la 30 Rock:

Varje dag i ett år, hade du hellre jobbat som clown i en cirkusbur där chimpanser kastat avföring på dig, eller som levande modell i skyltfönstret till en S/M-butik?
EASY! Helt klart modell i en S&M butik! Du vet inte vad jag brukade ha på mig när vi gick ut, i mitt förra liv, när vi var unga och coola istället för gammla och tradiga och utflyttade till landet... ;-)


Sen skulle jag hitta på 11 frågor... guuuuud vad jobbigt... :-)

1. Favorit husdjur?
2. Tror du på reinkarnation?
3. Har du någonsin sett, eller trott dig se, ett spöke..? Berätta.
4. Vilken var din senaste goda gärning?
5. Vilket råd dina föräldrar gav dig som yngre önskar du att du följt? Inte följt?
6. Om du var osynlig för en dag, vad skulle du göra?
7. När var du riktigt rädd senast?
8. Var det bättre förr, varför i så fall?
9. Om du kunde läsa en persons tankar för resten av livet, vem skulle du välja?
10. Finns Gud?
11. Välj: Aldrig mera en chokladbit ELLER aldrig mera vin..?

Svara om ni känner er manade... har ej varit så aktiv med bloggandet på sista tiden så har inte koll på vem som läser. Vet att någon gör det, sånt ser man på statistiken. Men vem? Ja. Kan man fråga sig.

Uki

Adventure to little town Uki, inland from Murwillumbah - at the base of Mount Warning. Very small town, but very alternative. Like! Recommend going here anyday over going to Nimbin for sure.

And in this pristine mountain environment, we came across sure signs that the human sub-species "the bogan" had been active overnight: (...)