Winter fare

Isn't it funny - you can have the best intentions in the world, but winter always gets the better of you.

I promised myself this winter I would be a good girl.  But, I haven't been.  1.0kg heavier already and still a couple of months of cold weather to go sigh

And, it's all the Rosie's fault.  And my new all the bells and whistle's fridge.  Now that I have freezer space to store "snacks", I'm taking full advantage of it.

RMan and I love nibbling - especially when it's cold.  But, the "ready made snacks' available in the supermarkets are revolting, and a complete rip-off.  More pastry than filling - if you can find any filling at all...

So, I decided that I would make my own.

I boiled up an entire chicken, and when it was cooked, and cold, used the chickeny / herby / garlicky water it had been boiled in to make a gravy.

I stripped the chicken away from the skin and bones and added it to the gravy.

Then I pulled out the phyllo pastry which was in the fridge.  Slathering each sheet with a good dose of olive oil I  cut the sheets into strips.  I used only one strip - you'll see why now...

Taking one of the strips, I added a spoonful of the chicken mixture - right at the end.

The corner of phyllo pastry got pulled over the chicken...

 ... and the corner got folded again...

 ... and again...

 ...and again...

... and again...

 ...and again...

 ... and again...

 ...and again...

That last little bit of phyllo pastry got folded up
against the samosa

 ...and then folded again for the last time.  I didn't worry about the uneven triangle I had created - as long as the filling is securely enclosed and doesn't leak out during the cooking process, to my mind all those bits of phyllo pastry edges which are visible in the pic above = extra crispy crunch in the mouth :)  .

A whole plateful of homemade chicken samosas :)

What was I left with?

A whole plateful of chicken samosas.

One strip of phyllo pastry got folded 10 times - equivalent to ten layers of phyllo pastry :)

3/4 of the plateful has gone into the freezer.  The other 1/4?  As soon as we light the Rosie later this afternoon, and it gets to temperature, I'm going to have a nibble :)

(I can't wait to posts this, so I'll add a pic of the cooked samosa's when they're ready :) )

1½ hours to cook / simmer the whole chicken (which also became chicken pie and chicken à la king), 15 - 20 minutes to boil and reduce the stock and make the chicken gravy, ten minutes to strip the cooled flesh from the carcass and 20 minutes to roll the chicken and gravy mixture spoonfuls in the phyllo pastry.  Effectively, it took 30 minutes of actual work to make enough chicken samosa's to last us a month (I hope...lol)

Who needs to buy ready made nibbles, when they are so easy to make yourself?

Update:

Baked at 200°C for 20 minutes and served with a
chopped side salad and some chilli sauce.
Dunno what happened to the sauce, but they
tasted full of moist chicken - goal accomplished :)

RMan wanted to know how many I made, and how many I had left in the freezer.  He says 24 is not enough... ;)

They were, even if I say so myself, absolutely, excellently yummy, crispy, and tasty!!

Makes me think...

...will it make you think?

Sunrise - 7.02a.m. 26th April 2014

 This...

Sunset - 6.15p.m. 27 April 2014

...and this?

The beginning and the end of a day.

Stunning, aren't they :)

When one sees scenes like this one cannot help but be reminded just how infinitely, exquisitely, beautiful this planet is.  How privilged we are to be living on it - to share of its' bounty and to experience its' wonder.

We don't get these spectacular sunsets or sunrises during the dryer summer months - there isn't sufficient cloud to assist in creating them.  They occur more so in winter.  And, to me, each and every sunset is breathtaking.  In our previous town house we lived in a valley bordered on three sides with mountains, and, on the southern side, by the bay.  That meant for 22 years I never saw a sunrise nor a sunset.  I am starved for sunrises and sunsets, and eagerly await that possibility each and every day.

It would be incredibly sad if, due to the dramatic climates changes we mere humans are directly contributing to, we could no longer have a start or end to a day that gives us this breathtaking beauty, don't you think?/

If, due to trapped carbon dioxide, the earth's atmosphere continues heating up, then the reality of rising sea levels, extreme storm events, dangerous heat waves and severe droughts will become the norm.

I was watching a programme the other night - Evacuate Earth.  It is a programme of hypothetical situations which could cause mankind to evacuate this planet - if they had anywhere else to go.  In the one episode they spoke of sea level rise.  And gave a specific example of New York.

Most of New York's buildings have deep support pylons drilled into the earth - these pylons are filled with steel re-inforcing.  What happens to steel when the sea level rises, the level of the ground water table increases and that steel gets wet?  It rusts.  With, or without, seawater compounding the problem.  And it gets weaker.  And, could - and probably will - eventually result in all those high rise buildings collapsing like dominoes. All that steel re-inforcing is merely a quick fix.  A man-made solution to wanting to build where the ground is not suitable for such a structure.

Mankind needs to be proactive not reactive.  What compels man to develop ruddy great cities near the moisture laden waters edge.  Yes, by all means have a harbour positioned there - but an entire mega-city of skyscrapers?  The concept is, to me, beyond comprehension.  And it's origins, like so many things involving man, is profit and greed based.

In the USA and Europe this past winter - the weather was extreme to say the least.  And, it was, from the blogs I follow, an extended winter.  Now California has been be declared a drought disaster area.

How much more information do we need before we are convinced that this planet is changing - and not for the better?

The choice is in our hands.

Change our ways now, or lose the opportunity.

Climate change is not going away because we decide to avert our eyes, or close our ears, or label someone as wacky because, single handedly, they are trying to make a difference. There is no way we can cover-up, have a quick fix, nor use a bandage  to make it better - other than what we humans can, and must, do to rectify what our greed, selfishness and shortsightedness has resulted in.  And that won't necessarily be a comfortable journey.

Like a witness in the courtroom, who is being cross examined by a probing, efficient prosecuting attorney, you can't take your time to consider your answers or reactions.  The evidence is clearly visible.

The responsibility lies with each and every one of us.

Instead of resisting the inevitable, how about becoming part of the groundswell of change.  There are recent examples of people revolting in order to effect change.  I am not advocating a revolt - not at all.  All I am asking of anyone who reads this blog posting is that you add your voice to the groundswell in whatever and whichever way you can.

Take some baby steps.

For example, recycling - and this study by students at a university in Utah will frighten you - to quote one excerpt from their publication:

"Of these recyclables, Americans throw away enough aluminum to rebuild the entire commercial air fleet every three months, enough steel to reconstruct Manhattan, and enough wood to heat 5 million homes for 200 years."

If you don't have a recycling facility near you, create or sign a petition addressed to your municipality to instigate one, or approach a local recycling firm and encourage them to, at least, do a feasibility study.

Sign a climate change petition addressed to you local Member of Parliament to make him aware that unless he takes the necessary steps to act on your behalf, his position may be in jeopardy in the next election.

Do whatever you can to effect change - no matter how big, or how small.

If only for your children's sake.

Do yourselves a favour - beg, borrow or steal a copy of a book I am currently reading : ""The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman.  I am 31% through this book on my Kindle.  As I write this I am gasping for air through a throat choked closed with overwhelming emotion.

I am not, generally, an emotional person.

Life has taught me that there are many lessons - both easy and hard - and I have taken them all on board.  I am a react-or who only allows myself the luxury of melting down once a crisis is passed.  But this is mind blowing.  I am simultaneously horrified, ashamed and heartbroken.

After reading it you will understand just how much damage man has been done to our only home, Earth.  I will definitely be begging, borrowing or buying a copy of Mr Weisman's latest work, "Countdown - Our Last Best Hope for a Future on Earth?"

And, as you munch through your dinner of chicken, beef, pork or lamb tonight, by way of gratitude for the privilege of your meal, go on-line and order a copy of "Farmageddon" by Philip Lymbery.  You can read a review of the book here or here.  Or you can see a trailer of the movie that has been made of the book here.  I'm not saying that you must go vegetarian.

All I am asking is that once you have read one, or two, or all three of these books, please - blog about the book.  Blog about what you discover.  Blog about your feelings.  Blog so that others may learn what you now know.

Even something simple like asking for one, or all, of these books to be the book of the month at your bookclub, if you belong to one.  Or donating the book, once you (and, hopefully, your family and friends) have finished with it, to the local municipal library or high school library so that the message may reach a broader audience.

It is the least you can do.

Be warned - each publication will probably make you assess and take responsibility for your part in the ongoing and increasing damage being perpetuated to this blue planet.

Are you brave enough to read one, two or all three?  Please - please - be brave enough.

Green spaces for growing vegetables

This is for all those who live in town, and think that they have no space to grow vegetables, be that because you are living in an apartment complex, in a township, or because you are homeless.

http://ttel.co.za/project/1915/

For more information on the above, please click on the link beneath the above pic or to watch the video, the link below this next photo:

http://vimeo.com/53501620

Then - here is one for those who have recently left their lands and have moved to town, and are yearning for that special something they left behind in their rural village:

http://ttel.co.za/project/township-roof-gardens/

To quote from the above link:

"We know that water comes from the clouds, not from a tap. We know that food comes from the ground, not from a shop in the City. And we know that nature offers us these gifts for free, every day. Yet we deny ourselves the simple opportunities of celebrating this every day.

Why is this so? Are we too busy working? Have we become enslaved to the notion of “buying” goodness? Have we forgotten the difference between theprice of something and the value of something?

We speak of change, we say that want change. But change is not easy. Change takes guts. Change is for the social revolutionaries who are prepared for the consequences of contradicting the status-quo and exposing the lie’s or our consumer-based economies.

We need “every-day” heroes, who are prepared to fight for change, to herald new and meaningful change.

Start with the homeless, the poor - ”in every neighborhood, a revolution”

Thank goodness we have individuals out there who cannot help but inspire us all.

Change - it really does just take one person at a time...

Welcoming unexpected visitors

Our family doctor, Dr A, who has become a family friend, paid us the honour of arriving on Friday, with his wife, to spend the weekend with us - our first farm guests.  Dr A does not like driving long distances, and 300-odd kilometers from town to us is a long distance as far as he's concerned.  How wonderful it has been to spend some time with them both after 4 long months away.

Yesterday, we decided to show them a little of the area, and took them to Wildebraam - the local berry farm.  Just as I thought, the wife couldn't resist the goodies on offer, and with a severely lightened purse we all returned home "all shopped out" LOL

Relaxing on our front patio, there was a sudden commotion at our neighbours plot.  Our dogs reacted by leaping up and barking, and, after a casual glance around the corner of our house, I dismissed the noise as a chicken having difficulty producing an egg - our neighbour, CGuy has these odd chickens which really screech when it comes time to produce their daily offering.

About 10 minutes later we were startled to hear RMan being urgently called.  Opening the back door we found Robert, a worker from CGuy's plot, standing outside with a bloody cloth wrapped round his arm.  He had apparently been carrying two 4ltr glass bottles of water when one slipped, slid down, and smashed into the lower bottle, and breaking it.  The broken glass had then severed the skin of his right wrist - deeply and extremely seriously.

Thank goodness our GP was here!  According to Dr A it appeared as though Robert had cut his radial and ulna artery in his right wrist.  And he fears that he may have severed one of his tendons which controls the up / down movement of his hand.  But, keeping calm, I assisted Dr A in applying a tourniquet whilst Dr A applied pressure to the wound to staunch the bleeding.  D A then applied a packed bandage to the wound and RMan and Dr A rushed Robert to the local hospital.  Dr A reckons that a vascular surgeon will have to repair the damage.

But - what  if Dr A had not been here?  I fear that ill-equipped as I was, Robert may have bled to death.

And, it highlighted the inadequacy of my medical supplies.  Being as remotely situated as we are, I have to be better equipped - and mentally prepared!  And, with Dr A guidance, the medical supply list is currently being compiled :)

But, we have also had other guests.

This large lizard decided to play building inspector when Phase 2 was being built.  We passed inspection apparently :)

A large lizard managed to
camouflage itself against the
brickwork

Our dam also had the rare honour of being visited by an African Spoonbill.  I have never seen one before!

An African Spoonbill

RMan and I were tickled pink :)

You can make out the spoonbill easier
in this photo

And finally, we spied either a Blue Crane, our National bird, or a Blackheaded Heron.  The fading light left the question, but either are welcome to make the dam their watering hole. 

Blue Crane or Blackheaded Heron?

This has certainly been an important weekend - and left me without a doubt that, although I was prepared for a medical emergency in a town situation, I was not adequately equipped for what happened here yesterday.  I will be tomorrow though - once I have visited our local pharmacy...

And Dr A has assured me that he will always be at the end of the telephone connection to give me whatever medical advice / assistance I require, should another incident of this ilk occur in the future.  I am fortunate that I remain calm during an emergency, and only allow myself to react (fall apart LOL) once the situation is under control.  RMan, on the other hand, goes white and shaky at the first sign of blood.  But - he can perform the other important functions such as phoning to alert those concerned of the incoming emergency.

I believe that Dr A's unexpected visit was guided by the Highest power, and that God sent him here to help preserve a life.  For Robert may not have been as lucky had he only had RMan and I to help him given yesterday's situation...  The grateful lesson I (in fact both RMan and I) learnt yesterday will remain with me for the rest of my life.  Anticipate the worst, be prepared for it, and you will have a better chance of having a win-win outcome.

Mellow yellow

We love in an area which grows a lot of canola - for it's oil, not for it's bio fuel properties.

The town closest to us, Swellendam, has a canola oil processing facility and, as a way of celebrating the revenue generated for the locals by this important crop, they hold an annual Canola Fair at the beginning of August.  Everyone who has a business in the town enters into the spirit of the occasion.

Trees, bare of leaves in the heart of town get a colourful face lift via empty coca cola bottles which have been recycled and filled with yellow paint, and shop fronts are draped with yellow ribbons.

Recycled coke bottles adorn a grove of trees in
the town centre

The views driving to and from the town are a sight to behold.  Yellow canola fields interspersed with both green wheat and uncultivated fields.

Canola fields along the N2 highway

I found the following sight a contradiction.  Water-wise aloes, normally found in the Karoo, or on remote hilltops, majestically standing guard over the canola crop.

Aloes and canola flowers - to magnificent to behold

The bright yellow colour of the canola flower is very uplifting - especially in the middle of winter :)

Between the locally produced persimmons, naartjies (mandarins), honey, wheat and the canola oil, not to mention the sheep and cows for those that eat meant - the local farmers amply provide for the grateful local inhabitants :)  Yay - low food mile produce just on our doorstep.