Saturday, July 31, 2010

HONEYBEES

OBSERVATION BEE HIVE
Have you ever had a friendly visit from Honeybees, in their Observation Bee Hive ? My interest was sparked after eating the delicious local Honey and Creamed Honey made and sold by
http://www.wolfriverhoney.com/ I learned about the pollination process and found out that without Honeybees there would be less production of fruit and vegetables, without a doubt, we need Honeybees.

Some of us may benefit from eating Local Honey, such as helping to fight off allergies. Honey can also be used in many recipes. Try honey in tea with lemon .It is also tasty drizzled on  warm pancakes .                                                                                

Beeswax comes from the glands of the bees and they build their honeycomb with it. There is much more involved for the beekeepers  to process  the honey and it is a lot of hard work just for one little bottle. This is really the only time I was faced with bees and did not flee. They were contained in their Observation Beehive, which is used as a teaching tool. The Beekeepers are just as busy as the bees doing what they do best and the process was explained to me step-by-step.

What a wonderful learning experience, for we take for granted how some things are done and what care and patience Beekeepers take to provide us with top quality products. The Honeybees are well taken care of, summer and winter. They are not kept in the observation beehive, they are all released back into their beehives where the Queen Bee and her workers make magic.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Matzo Ball Soup

This is a easy and delicious soup, what we call comfort food. We need all the comfort we can get from one source or another. If you you have never tried Matzo Ball Soup, try it, you will like it.

Ingredients:
Matzo ball Soup mix, Contains two bags
 a).matzo  ball mix # 1 bag
b).soup mix,bag #2  ( I do not use the soup mix)
1 cup of coarse cut celery
1 cup of chopped carrots
2 cloves of sliced garlic
1 small onion chopped
4 skinless chicken breast or 6 chicken wings, raw, or any pieces of your choice
1 tsp ground thyme or fresh
1 TB ground parsley
2 eggs
2 Tbs veg. oil
1 tsp sea salt
water to cover ingredients

1. Place carrots, celery, onions and garlic along with chicken and ground thyme into pot large enough
    to  hold all ingredients, plus water.
2. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until chicken and vegetables are done. Add soup mix (optional).

3. In a small bowl,mix
   2, eggs
   2 Tbs veg. oil
   # 1 package of matzo ball mix
4. place this mixture into refridge until chicken and vegetables are done
5. Take a tbs measuring spoon and scoop up matzo ball mixture and drop each spoonful into simmering,
    soup. Make sure each spoonful holds together by lightly shaping them.
   Add parsley, and cover with  lid
   Chicken can be pulled apart into bite size pieces.


  
   Time: cooking time for matzo balls is approximately 30 minutes.

  Enjoy

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Farm Fresh Produce

Fresh vegetarian pasta (2528005054)Image via Wikipedia
Fresh produce is in abundance, don't want until it is all gone. it is time to support your local farmers in their endeavors to provide us with all the fresh items that we might need to get us through the winter. Their time, pride and hard work is reflected in the bounty that they provide us with.

One might say that you don't have time , or don't know what to do to prepare the items for freezing.  With the way the economy is now it is well worth learning how to prepare your own. Canning is time consuming, but freezing is simple. It is also a way involve the whole family . You  and the children can
have  fun and is a learning experience.
Produce such as zucchini, yellow squash, green beans and greens can be washed, chopped and blanched in boiling water for 5 minutes and taken out in placed in a ice water bath just to cool and stop the cooking process and then placed into  plastic, freezer bags. Depending on how you want to prepare the item, they can be added to a dish or sauteed with herbs and olive oil. If you prefer you can also wash your fresh veggies, dry and brush with olive oil and place onto the grill,pears, peaches and plums make a delicious grilled desert especially when drizzled with some fresh made bottled honey.


Fresh tomatoes, green peppers, melons taste so good when they are right from the earth, no additives and the like. So why not give it a try and you will have a smile on your face when pulling your fresh from the freezer in dead winter.
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Arthritis "Mr Arthur"

"Mr Arthur" is tipping around all over, better try to stay out of his way. He is almost invisible you know, except for the swelling pain and aches. Arthritis seems to come from nowhere and you wonder, well what is this and you wait for it to go away. If you are lucky it might disappear, but not likely without treatment.

Joint inflammation, stiffness, pain  and swelling are some of the symptoms. All of these things can cause tissue damage and if prolonged will create more problems if untreated. There is cartilage which allows the bone to move without friction and pain. The fluid nourishes the joint reducing friction. Disease or injury can also have negative effects on joints.

Diet and vitamins help reduce the risk of more damage. Exercise, such as walking also helps.
Seek medical advice now so as to let "Mr Arthur" know to just tip on by.

The  goal is to keep "Mr Aurthur" away so that you will be able to enjoy a pain free life.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Pets

How do you  feel about pets and have you learned anything from your pet?  Pets bring something into your life that is unexpected and rewarding. A pet makes you relax and show feelings that you might think you don't have or might not know how to express. If trained properly, they really are the best friend a person can have. They don't talk back or tell you when you are acting ugly, they just look at you and you know they did not deserve that. They make you think about your behavior and responses to them which kind of makes you reflect on your responses at times.

Dogs, as pets are a rewarding adventure. They will chew and have an occasional accident, but will stop eventually with the proper training.Usually dogs will protest to being left alone and will make you say to yourself , that's it. As time goes on you will see that they are trying their best to please you. Who else can you tell all your secrets to and they will never, ever tell.

You might wonder sometimes, who's training who. As time goes on you both know what the other wants and needs. You need to do some research as to which kind of pet you want, finding out what temperament they have is important so you kind of match it up with yours be it a kitten or a puppy.Keep in mind they need Vet. care, food and a proper living area. They need to be walked or have a run. The one thing they need which is most important is love, and you are set to go. Children can also learn quite a bit from having to care for a pet of their own and they will always have a friend.