Welcome to Saturday Snippets where anything goes…whatever catches my eye or my imagination could be on this post…something for everyone…this week has once again seen some balmy days and some spectacular electric lightening shows followed by real downpours happening early morning at 4 am my fingers are firmly crossed that the ceilings stay intact…

Right next to my house I have an expanse of land which has banana and mango trees, a pond and now they are clearing the land a little around the trees and the water some Asian open billed Storks have suddenly appeared firstly there was a big flock which stayed some time to feed and then took off but the last week has seen 2 lone ones who come and stay for the best part of the day and then disappear I am guessing to the wetlands some 10k from here.

I do hope they stay as we have a few varieties of smaller birds there and I would love to see the bird population grow and expand…I love watching them from my balcony…

This month as you know is National Pumpkin month and Halloween…I am already seeing posts of scary movies and houses…lots of soups and Halloween goodies…Today the rain has carried on from the downpour last night and it is a dull and drizzly day now and a tad colder…

I am bread making again today this covid has everyone baking more bread it seems which is good that home cooking is getting a revival, I have experimented with a few different types of bread lately, pretzel bread, butter rolls, cream cheese rolls, soda bread and our favourite the dutch oven or crockpot bread..it has such a lovely crust and soft inside due to the steam..the dutch oven mimics the commercial ovens who often use steam which how they get that crust…obviously on a smaller scale the dutch oven replicates that by heating the dutch oven and then popping in your dough and replacing the lid…hey presto just like the shops make but with no nasties…

Because of the rain and downturn in temperature, I have been getting repeated requests to make more pies and chocolate brownies…Lemon Chicken has been on the menu this week as well as an Indian curry…more soup and of course fish…A teriyaki style fish and the sea perch.

Did you know?

In Shakespeare’s time, mattresses were secured to the bedframe by ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress tightened making the bed firmer to sleep on…Hence the phrase…Goodnight, Sleep tight!

Good News:

Zero emissions have to be good…Right?

Time for some music…

The 2020 Billboard Music Awards took place on Wednesday (Oct. 14)… now while much of it is not for me I was pleased to see that the passing of the great Van Halen was honoured…

Jack White paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen during his SNL performance

Jack White, who was the Saturday Night Live musical guest on Oct. 10, remembered the guitar legend by playing a blue Halen-designed guitar.

White noted on Instagram that “Eddie was very kind to me and saw to it that this guitar was made to my specs.” Halen, who died on Oct. 6, was also remembered at the end of the episode by host Bill Burr, who wore a Van Halen T-shirt as the cast and guests gathered on stage to close the show.

What really made me happy was that Fleetwood Mac returned to the top 25 of the Billboard Hot 100…something to do with what I thought a clock did…Tik Tok whatever next however sparked by that viral skateboarding TikTok video featuring the song, Fleetwood Mac’s former No. 1 single “Dreams” re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Oct. 17) at No. 21, landing on the chart for the first time since its original 1977 run.

I think I prefer the original but it has caused a revival for Fleetwood Mac….It even inspired Stevie Nicks to Join Tik Tok…The power of Social Media…I think  I have now sussed out why Aston has taken up skateboarding…again…

Call me old-fashioned or behind the times but I prefer this version…Enjoy!

Even though I have stopped writing my regular posts on the environment etc...I still read and take notice…I read this post earlier and it resonated with me the writer Cynthia Kaufman articulated it far better than I ever could she put into words much that I believe in…I hope you pop over and have a read…

Thank you Cynthia I thoroughly enjoyed the read it made a lot of sense to me…

Solidarity Forever: Essential Workers, Public Goods, and How We Are in This Together

Bread and Butter...Bread fresh from the oven…are you drooling yet and fantasising about that crusty bread and butter…

I came across this lovely video the other day…about a man who loves to produce butter he doesn’t wish to go into huge production he is just happy with his craft…

I am now on the hunt for artisanal butter…

That’s all for me this week...I hope you have found something to enjoy…I am now going to make my green tea…contemplate making brownies at the request of my grandson and of course it is time to start the bread making…To all of you who are facing tighter lockdown restrictions please stay safe. I am praying that those who do not conform decide that it is now time to think of their neighbors and fellow man and just do it or this Virus which they think is false will carry on into 2021…Surely no one wants to see that?

Please let me know in the comments what you enjoyed …I love hearing from you it makes my day…

That’s all for this week and Saturday Snippet …xxx

Thank you for reading….enjoy your weekend, stay safe not only from Covid-19 but the wildfires around the world…xx

About Carol Taylor:

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetable ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use contain to improve our health and wellbeing.

The environment is also something I am passionate about and there will be more on this on my blog this year

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!