We had a fun (but very windy) rummage through the rockpools at Bembridge Ledges yesterday with Ian Boyd from Island 2000 Trust providing his usual mix of expertise and excitement!
Rockpool Ramble
Walking day
Today I’ve been out before 7am (despite it being a bank Holiday) with my Nordic walking poles (picture to follow when I have one)
Then we did the Lizard walk at Ventnor with Island 2000 Trust as part of the IoW walking festival. No lizards as it was too cold 🙁
This evening I had ants in my pants and decided to do another walking pole walk. This time I was accompanied by Bex, who is normally too embarrassed to be seen with a parent with poles, as we were unlikely to be seen by anyone too important.
Making Butter
The other day i made butter at home (it’s easier than it sounds, really!!)
here is how i made it.
Step 1: get some double cream and whisk with electric whisk (you can use a jam jar but I’m to lazy to do that!)
until it starts to go yellow, and you get buttermilk!!
Step 2: drain off the buttermilk (you can keep it for other baking!) then put it back in and whisk some more.
Now you should have a scrambled egg like mixture!!!!
Step 3: you now have to add some water to the butter ad keep draining it off til you have completely (or relatively) clean, clear water!!!
now you add about half a teaspoon of salt (or not!) you can also use some Garlic and/or herbs.
Step 4: you can now shape it and wrap it, in either greaseproof paper or cling film.
It will be a bit soggy so put it in the fridge, and enjoy!!!!!
It’s very tasty and really not that hard to make, here is a link to the website where i found it!! http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/Making_Butter_at_Home.php
Tech Support
I provide tech support to various people both formally and informally, so when a friend emailed this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRBIVRwvUeE
I just had to post the link here.
Enjoy!
Who wants to live in a society where children are at risk? I do!
So often we here statements along the lines of “but if one less child dies…” or “if we can stop one child being abused…”. Indeed the government cliche of the moment is “Every Child Matters”. The trouble is, in a simplistic way I guess most of tend to agree with these sorts of statements. There is a problem in that statement though – the word “simplistic”. These are not simple matters, they are complex, and cannot be boiled down to “Every Child Matters – how could you possibly disagree?” The dangers of children being abused or endangered in some form of another need to be weighed against the risk of a meddling nanny state really screwing our kids up, or risk aversion that leaves our children soulless and with no sense of adventure or enquiry.
And please dear reader, do not forget, the state has a history of acting in loco parentis. It is utterly useless at it. So I’ll keep looking after my kids, and ask the government to stick to what it’s good at. As soon as I find out what that is.