Daisy Chains and Picnics

 I found this article about Day of the Dead  here When is the Day of the Dead? Known in Spanish as ' El Día de los Muertos ', this unofficial but widely observed holiday is celebrated on November 2nd each year, primarily in the Central and Southern regions of Mexico. It is a holiday that focuses on remembering family members and friends who have passed away. Traditions of the Day of the Dead Every year, on November 1st (All Saints Day) and November 2nd (All Souls Day), something unique takes place in many areas of Mexico: Day of the Dead festivities. While it's strange for most of us to accept the fact that "death" and "festivities" can go hand-in-hand, for most Mexicans, the two are intricately entwined. This all stems from the ancient indigenous peoples of Mexico (Purepecha, Nahua, Totonac, and Otomí) who believed that the souls of the dead return each year to visit with their living relatives - to eat, drink and be merry. Just like they did when they ...

I recently made a batch of preserved lemons and have used them in many dishes, here are a few tasty ideas you may like.. . Toss finely chopped preserved lemon with steamed carrots, cumin seeds and butter. . Add to lemon butter. . Toss with broccoli and almonds. . Serve it on chargrilled or steamed fish or lamb chops. . Add to couscous or quinoa dishes and chargrilled vegetables. . Mix with softened butter and finely chopped herbs. . Add to a prawn or seafood risotto. . Stir into mayonnaise or aioli. . Add to salad dressings. . Use some of the lemon brine when making Bloody Mary cocktails. . Chop and combine with tuna for a tuna salad sandwich. . Use to make lemon relish. . Stir through hummus or cottage cheese. . Chop and add to stir-fry's, noodle or rice dishes . Use in pavlova's or cakes. There are many recipes on the web using preserved lemons, check them out.

I found this recipe and tips  here  (photo sourced from same website) Best Beer Batter Recipe: How to Make It & 6 Must Know Tip Learning how to make the best beer batter recipe is very rewarding, but getting it spot on requires more than just a great recipe. There are 6 critical things needed to make the best beer batter. Before I jump into these, rest assured there is an awesome beer batter recipe below. So what are the 6 most important things when making beer batter? They're simple, and once you know them you'll never forget them. Guaranteed to make you look like a master chef and impress friends and family! So here they are: 1. Only Use a Cold Beer Some beer batter recipes will say to add ice or place the beer batter in the fridge to 'rest' for 30 minutes. Forget it! Adding ice will water down your batter and refrigerating the beer batter just takes time. Simply start with a cold beer and you'll be one step ahead. Two more reasons...

  The age of envy: how to be happy when everyone else's life looks perfect Social media has created a world in which everyone seems ecstatic – apart from us. Is there any way for people to curb their resentment? I came across this article in  https://www.theguardian.com/  and found it very interesting and informative so I thought I would share it, you can read the original article  here One night about five years ago, just before bed, I saw a tweet from a friend announcing how delighted he was to have been shortlisted for a journalism award. I felt my stomach lurch and my head spin, my teeth clench and my chest tighten. I did not sleep until the morning. Another five years or so before that, when I was at university, I was scrolling through the Facebook photos of someone on my course whom I vaguely knew. As I clicked on the pictures of her out clubbing with friends, drunkenly laughing, I felt my mood sink so fast I had to sit back in my chair. I seemed to ...

I found this article  here  at zen health magazine and found it very interesting and useful, check it out. 1.  Gets rid of acne.... Due to the exfoliating agents found naturally in the juicy inner skin it can help clear up your skin of acne. Putting a dab of this stuff on a stubborn acne bump can help reduce inflammation and get rid of the germs that cause acne to grow. 2. Cures warts.... Using the juicy inner banana peel to treat warts has been a home remedy for many ages. The healing comes from the PH-balancing and anti-inflammatory agents that reduce the size of the warts and prevent future re-occurrences. Cut a square of the banana peel and tie it down, the inner skinn making contact with the wart, and leave overnight. 3.  Whitens teeth.... The potassium, manganese and magnesium found on the peel are what gives the peel the ability to make teeth shine. Rub a banana peel against your teeth and leave it for 60 seconds before rinsing it off. 4.  Tr...

I came across this article by Natural Living Ideas ... I used to have a herb garden until the dog decided it didn't belong in his yard!!, but I am planning to try a smaller one with the herbs I use most often, coriander, parsley and chives being my favourites, I still have some Rosemary which I use a lot. I found this article very interesting so I think these will be my go to herbs when I re-establish my herb garden. Original article copied from  Natural Living Ideas Top 12 Must-Have Herbs To Grow In Your Kitchen Garden October 2, 2014  by  Editorial Team This post may contain affiliate links. Read our  Affiliate Disclosure here. Want to have an herb garden that your friends and neighbors will “oooh” and “aaaah” at?  Peruse this list of the top 12 must-have herbs for your kitchen garden to learn how to plant, grow, and use the best and most popular herbs around! Also, in order to get the most out of your kitchen garden, be sure to check out...