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The year is 1826, The Walke Manor House has visitors that stay on the Plantation from time to time, mostly cousins. To set the scene, a huge brick Manor House, a race track, acres of fruit trees and a bounty of legendary oysters in the bay. The men indulged in gambling, drinking and card parties that ran into the early hours of morning. The women on the other hand enjoyed the beautiful countryside with games on the glorious green.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have a great day!

Lisa

Mediterranean Potatoes

Photo by I Believe I Can Fry

Ingredients:

• 2 medium red potatoes

• 2/3 cup fresh pearl onions

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 small tomato, seeded, chopped

• 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

• 2 tablespoons chopped black olives

Preparation:

• Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and then crosswise into pieces. Toss potato pieces and onions with oil in small bowl until thoroughly coated. Place potato pieces and onions in 11/2-quart soufflé dish. Add Italian seasoning and pepper. Mix well. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil.

Arts & Entertainment:

‘With this broom, I thee wed’: offbeat family inspires play ‘I now pronounce you wife and wife."

Canadian singer-songwriter David Hein, 36, heard those words about 18 years ago when his divorced mom married her lesbian partner. At the time, same-sex marriage wasn’t legal, but the pair have since made it official.

Hein’s mom came out as a lesbian when he was a teenager. Around the same time, she recommitted to her Jewish faith. Her bride, though, was a Wiccan – a modern-day pagan.

News:

US should return stolen land to Indian tribes, says United Nations A United Nations investigator probing discrimination against Native Americans has called on the US government to return some of the land stolen from Indian tribes as a step toward combatting continuing and systemic racial discrimination.

James Anaya, the UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said no member of the US Congress would meet him as he investigated the part played by the government in the considerable difficulties faced by Indian tribes.

Borage

Botanical Name: Borago Officinalis

Photo by madlyinlovewithlife

In the late Middle Ages, Physicians recommended Borage; they believed it supplied courage, confidence, cheerfulness and restoring life. Today, we know that it stimulates the production of adrenaline, which prepares the body to handle stress (the medieval beliefs were well founded). Other names for Borage: “good cheer”, “dear friend” and “sparkling eyes”. This reflects borage’s ability to brighten the mood. Rich in a polyunsaturated fatty acid, Borage seed oil is used to address metabolic problems from obesity to premenstrual complaints. It also promotes lactation, helps break a fever by inducing a sweat and breaks up phlegm while easing sore throats and coughs.

Help for viral infections:

• A Borage and Echinacea tea have a calming effect.
• Reduces fever and induces sweating.
• Helps combat measles, mumps, chicken pox, colds and flus.
• Mix equal amounts of fresh borage leaves and powdered Echinacea root. Brew in hot water, steep for 10 min. and sweeten with honey. Drink 1 cup 3 times per day.

Therapeutic Effect:

• Borage leaves are diuretic, it increase sweat and urine.
• It acts as an adrenal stimulant, useful for countering stress and lingering effects of steroid therapy.
• Tea made from Borage soothes sore throats and irritated coughs.

Components:

• The seed oil contains gamma linoleic acid. Found primarily in vegetable oils and used as a dietary supplement for treating problems with inflammation and auto-immune diseases.
• The acid is used to to treat metabolic disturbances, including obesity, premenstrual syndrome, eczema, high blood pressure and alcoholism.
• Recent evidence suggests Borage may be useful for treating heart disease and cancer.
• The leaves are a good source of vitamin C, organic calcium and potassium, essential oils, tannins and mucilages. It’s also has saponins that strengthen resistance and flavonoids that prevent infection.
• The silicic acid in Borage stimulates hormone production and balances mood swings.

For lactation:

• A Borage tea will help promote healthy milk flow while you’re nursing.
• Add a generous handful of fresh Borage leaves to ½ gal. of lemonade, or to the same amount of a mild hot tea, which ever flavor you enjoy - chamomile, fennel, nettle and violet blossoms are Excellent choices.
• Let steep for at least 20 minutes, then strain through a paper filter. Drink a cup 3-4 times a day for best results.

From your garden

• Borage is hard to find commercially. If you plan to make it a regular part of your diet, plant it in your garden. It attracts honeybees, ensuring pollination of other plants.
• Plant the herb in sandy soil in which water drains rapidly. Sow in mid-or late spring, in full sun or partial shade, and again in early and midsummer.
• Borage is an annual, it will die at the end of the season, but self sown seedlings germinate for replacement plants.
• For medicinal use, the leaves are best gathered before the flower buds appear. The plant is easily bruised, so handle gently and use right away. The young leaves have a prickly texture that are edible.

Kitchen Hints

• Preserve Borage in vinegar or in an alcohol tincture. It does not dry or freeze well.
• Capture the flavor of Borage over the long term by making a blue vinegar from the blossoms or an emerald green vinegar from the leaves. These vinegars make wonderful gifts in decorative bottles.
• “Cucumber herb” is another name for borage, and complement plain and pickled cucumbers. It adds flavor to salads, soups and summer stews. Try with eggs and fish.
• The pretty blue blossoms are also edible. Remove the green sepals on the undersides before using, then sprinkle the flowers over soups and salads.
• Freeze the flowers in ice for a garnish for punches and other summer drinks.
• For cooking, use young leaves that are no larger than a half dollar. For teas, the bigger leaves are fine.
• Borage is an essential ingredient to many Italian dishes. Borage risotto is very popular, as is ravioli stuffed with borage.
• To enhance the flavor of dishes, sprinkle Borage leaves or stir them in before serving. It loses much of it’s flavor and aroma, once cooked.

Tip: Cut borage leaves into thin strips and mix into strawberry punch. Strain the punch through a paper filter before serving.

References:

• The Complete Guide to Natural Healing

A Thanks to the Earth Mother By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide

Great earth mother!
We give you praise today
and ask for your blessing upon us.
As seeds spring forth
and grass grows green
and winds blow gently
and the rivers flow
and the sun shines down
upon our land,
we offer thanks to you for your blessings
and your gifts of life each spring.

Thanks for stopping by! Well wishes to you all, have wonderful Beltane!

Moroccan Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cubed
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, drained
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 (16 ounce) can garbanzo beans
• bay leaves 2
• butternut squash

Preparation:

• Prepare the couscous according to package directions.
• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook onion, (until tender)
• Mix in onion, bay leaves, cumin, paprika, cloves, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer about 10 minutes.
• Place chicken in the pot, and cook until well browned.
• Pour garbanzo beans, chickpeas, celery, tomatoes, and broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes.
• Mix carrots and zucchini into pot. Season with salt. Continue cooking 10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
• Serve stew over cooked couscous.

Enjoy! Have a great weekend!

Environment & Science:

Fossils foot bones hint at mystery walker Scientists have obtained a fascinating new insight into the evolution of humans and our ability to walk.

It comes from the fossilised bones of a foot that were discovered in Ethiopia and dated to be 3.4 million years old.

The researchers say they do not have enough remains to identify the species of hominin, or human ancestor, from which the right foot came.

Headlines:

UNITING PEOPLE TO PROTECT THE PLANET Earth Hour 2012: Saturday 31st March, 8:30PM

Earth Hour is a unique opportunity for you to become more sustainable and do something positive for the environment. It’s been the source of inspiration for millions of people taking steps towards a cleaner, safer future. It’s not just about saving energy for one hour, it’s about going Beyond the Hour with lasting, behaviour-changing actions for a sustainable planet.