This is the first of my Christmas posts…Sorry but some things have to be made sooner rather than later if we are going to have the greenest most recyclable Christmas ever…
After all, there are only… 1,193 hours to #Christmas! 71,526 minutes to #Christmas! 4,291,535 seconds to #Christmas! at this moment in time… or quite simply put 50 sleeps.
This year I am going to make crackers and an advent calendar…My crackers could be a problem as no one ships here they are classed as explosives by customs…I have found a tutorial which means stripping down those champagne poppers which could work…I think I will enlist the help of my grandson and let you know or if you don’t hear from me he has blown us up…haha…
For those of you who can purchase cracker snaps through Amazon or Etsy here is a tutorial…
Fir cones…we used to collect lots as a child and then they were made into pretty table decorations, wreaths for the front door or decorations for the tree they look so pretty spray painted or sprayed with artificial snow, unfortunately, I cannot get them here but for those of you who can then…Have fun creating and please share your pictures…
Homemade advent calendars…again something which I cannot get here or get easily…One year I can last year I couldn’t so this year I am going to make my own…
This video has some great ideas and even for your pets…
I hope you find some good ideas here…If we all started to make our own recyclable decorations, it would save us money and so much unwanted plastic and paper ending up in landfill…The figures are horrendous…It also makes them so much more personal …Just think how much pleasure they will bring and how much fun you will have finding that special little gift…
Lastly, just in case you missed it and haven’t made your sweet mincemeat yet here is the recipe again…
Don’t forget… on the 21st of November…Stir–up Sunday‘, so put on your apron and gather family or friends to make a Christmas pudding. It’s the day when wishes are said to come true, so get stirring! Christmas is approaching, and to us, that means one thing: Stir–up Sunday.
That’s all for today I hope you enjoyed it and if you have any ideas please share ..Tomorrow it is Saturday Snippets…please join me for a touch of nostalgia…xx
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a lovely weekend xx
Welcome to Saturday Snippets where I indulge my whimsy and my passions… maybe a tune or two…something which has caught my eye this last week…just anything out of the ordinary or extraordinary…my Thai Long Pepper seems to like its new home… the little fruits are ripening well…I can’t wait to see it grow and produce more peppers and then I can try them…exciting…
I have discovered some more rare fruits a Purple Melon which isn’t a melon but belongs to the nightshade family… I am awaiting a delivery from the garden centre…I have on order a beautiful purple mango so pretty and some awesome looking Rainbow Treasure Chillies…see pictured below…
In my world this week … Aston’s new bike has already had some changes made to it boys will be boys…sigh…it is now sitting in the drive as he has been quite sick this week with a very nasty throat infection… I have never in all his years seen him laid up like this…
In my kitchen I have been busy roasting pumpkin for puree… it is our pumpkin season and they are big boys…One pureed and one still to use…My neighbours gifted us with some beautiful fresh baby sweet potatoes plus a lovely orange cake which was yummy…
My kitchen disaster this week…a classic…I forgot to add the yeast to the mix and only realised when I had done 2 ten minute proves and nought happened and the light bulb went on…
There was me determined not to waste the flour, fat, milk etc kneading the rapid yeast into the dough it was a good arm workout…Did it work…not my best loaf of bread but great for toast…sigh
It is really very warm now we are noting the heat has turned up a few notches the showers are no longer freezing but coming out warm no need for heaters here the sun heats the pipes…
This is crazy but…a Waverunner…I could do with that now as it’s topping 43 degrees and tipped to be hotter next month…
Did you know?
#1…More than 1/5 of all the calories consumed by humans worldwide is provided by rice alone.
#2…A duel between three people is actually called a truel.
#3…Bullfrogs do not sleep…The bullfrog was chosen as an animal that doesn’t sleep because when tested for responsiveness by being shocked, it had the same reaction whether awake or resting…dolphins are also an animal which doesn’t sleep…
Animals that don’t need rebound sleep after using up all their energy (bees)
Animals that show harmful side effects of sleep deprivation (humans)…
Conservation Corner:
Important to me and I try hard to do my bit as I truly want a safer, healthier world for my grandchildren to bring their children into…I don’t want them to be living in a world where respiratory illnesses are a common everyday occurrence or they are forced to spend most of their lives indoors as the open air is not safe…maybe this sounds extreme and I do hope it doesn’t happen but…in some places the air is toxic and waste is slowly taking over…
Thursday was Global Recycling Day...created in 2018 to help recognize, and celebrate, the importance recycling plays in preserving our precious primary resources and securing the future of our planet. It is a day for the world to come together and put the planet first.
We need to think about what we are throwing away…here Thais are great at recycling goods and clothes but when they really don’t want it…they fly-tip and I know that goes on worldwide… when I lived in the UK it was a problem…there is a minority who don’t give a toss…
Now yesterday and this a minor incident…I was next in line to pay for my goods…the guy in front of me put his goods on the belt…paid and left his trolley there…the trolley park was literally 2 steps away but no he blocked my path to the till and I am assuming he hoped I would move it and put it back for him…I wonder if that is his attitude what he does with his rubbish???
Silly rant I know but it just shows a lack of care…I also believe that for every one of us who is responsible there is a friend or neighbour who isn’t…
Let’s lighten the mood and have a tune…
March has been a good month for music over the decades…March 1985: “We Are The World” is heard on the radio for the first time…if you lived through the 80’s you will no doubt remember that a dream team of pop stars recorded the song to highlight famine in Africa…
Written by Lionel Ritchie and the late Michael Jackson the charity single dominated the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 successive weeks after its release and an All-Star group of Artists for Haiti remade the single in 2010 which was also a hit.
There have been so many remakes but this is one of my favourites…my question is though has much changed since 1985?
I think we all know the answer to that…
I am not an ardent royalist but I do think we have a wonderful Queen…this video shows her through the years where she has never put a foot wrong always smiling and gracious…
My purple Melon plant turned up while I was at the hair salon having my 1st proper haircut for at least a year…so I am soaking its roots before I plant it in its new home and also I want to do it later when the sun has gone down some as it is afternoon and steaming hot…Phew…
Let’s end with some good news it seems that as humans have been confined to home it has given the wildlife chance to flourish…
More and more green spaces (both private and public) are becoming overgrown with wildflowers, giving bees their very own playground to pollinate in. Plantlife, a wild plant conservation charity, has said: “There’s hope that reduced cutting frequencies might be a silver lining for verge wildflowers, giving once-familiar flowers, such as white campion, betony, greater knapweed and harebell, the chance to grow, flower and set seed.”
The cutting of verges less and later will save plants, money and reduce emissions. We need to rewild ourselves and accept nature’s wonderful ‘messiness’.
That’s all for today thank you for dropping in I hope you enjoyed my whimsy… I would love to hear from you in comments as you know how I love to chat…Love Carol xx
Sally has kindly invited me back with my new series…Welcome to Carol Taylor’s Green Kitchen…I hope you all enjoy please let us know as we both love to chat…Hugs xxx
I am delighted to be back with a brand- new column at Smorgasbord Magazine. Thank you, Sally for inviting me back x
Those of you who know me well know how passionate I am about cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients, the environment and ensuring that the food I make for my family is clean and as chemical free as it can possible be.
I am also of an age where I need to keep myself as healthy as I can by eating a varied diet which will also keep me at a healthy weight as long as I continue to exercise which in my case is walking daily…
This monthly post will cover sustainability, news on food production…changes for the better and maybe a villain or three…haha, a recipe or two including some plant- based recipes, hints and tips on making my household a little greener…aka recycling and composting.
I do think that the tide is turning…I also think that we should nurture our young and encourage their ideas as there are so many young people who have discovered ways to help the environment and I am not talking about those who skip school and carry placards but still carry the latest phones and wear the latest fashions without a thought about how those actions hurt the environment, how much of that cannot be recycled and how much of that is produced using child labour instead they are intent on telling us to turn vegan/vegetarian and ditch the transport… Except of course when we are joining the other traffic as we drop them at school or college having picked their friends up on the way…
I live in the real world I know some transport is essential, I know some local transport isn’t as good and cheap as what it is where I live…I also don’t have to get children to school, to their activities and then go to work, come home and cook dinner…Oh, there is also shopping and cleaning…
I could go on but I won’t I will spare you that and rely on the fact that you also have active imaginations and can fill in any gaps.
Change needs to happen in our homes…our shopping habits…
Eating produce in season …Why? Because produce which is eaten at the height of its season, and close to where it was grown, usually tastes better — juicier, more flavourful, fresher.
Research also shows seasonal food can be more nutritious than food consumed out of season, and purchasing from local farms supports the local economy and requires less storage time and travel, which is better for the environment.
Of course, all you lucky people who live in Northern Climes have a glut of beautiful local fruits and vegetables which are typical Thanksgiving and Christmas fare…Luckily Brussels sprouts are grown in the colder North of Thailand but vegetables like parsnips and swede are imported and horrendous prices and that is without taking into account their carbon footprint…
Yes, I can get beautiful young strawberries around Christmas sweet and lovely …so it is swings and roundabouts …Most Christmases I get root vegetables but this year because of this blessed virus there will be no visitors to bring me parsnips, celeriac and swede…BUT I would much rather everyone stayed safe and well so will have to live with what I can get locally…
Advent Calendars there are lovely reusable wooden ones or you could make your own…or make a book I think this one is lovely and so personal…
Thinking about gifts you’re going to buy for Christmas, consider what kind of presents may be more long-lasting than others, and thus reduce the risk of simply being discarded after a short while.
This year due to all the lockdowns and restrictions we all have more time and I think this is beautiful for any age and a keeper…
Thoughtful, long-lasting presents may include a photo album, a plant or something the recipient has specifically said they want and is likely to use time and time again….Homemade cakes, puddings or sweets are always something a loved one would be happy to receive…
Alternatively, you could buy an experience rather than a material thing for Christmas, such as a trip to the theatre. A fun memory is a present that can last a lifetime, after all…it will also help the theatres once this Covid is over as many of them are struggling and it helps us in quarantine a thoughtful gift and knowing that we have something to look forward to …
This video which Tori who has supported me unfailingly throughout the year sent me the link to is worth a look as it suggests ways we can have a greener Christmas…Thank you Tori xxx Tori has also written some great kiddies books..If you still need stocking fillers then please visit her Amazon link
All the items we have in our homes and would be likely to throw away… some really cool ideas… I love the seed idea and snowflakes…
It is also no secret that I love music...It warmed my heart that Coldplay has taken a stand and won’t tour again until they can ensure that their concerts are “actively beneficial” for the environment.
Frontman Chris Martin told BBC News that the band would be “disappointed” if their next tour is not carbon neutral.
Of course, they have made their millions and don’t need to tour again and that puts them in a fortunate position that they are able to call the shots…So fair play to them as it will pave the way forward …I think it is a great move…
It will make the concert promoters more aware and they think in $ and £’s so it is in their best interest to look at plastic and solar power…
Chris Martin said “All of us have to work out the best way of doing our job,” telling the BBC that the group wants future tours to “have a positive impact.”
It is true as we know we all have to play a part however small it is just like a jigsaw …Lots of small pieces make a bigger picture…
Be wary of your Christmas tree’s carbon footprint…
While some may assume that purchasing a plastic tree would be a more environmentally friendly alternative to buying a real one, this isn’t necessarily the case.
The Carbon Trust outlines that a real Christmas tree has a “significantly lower” carbon footprint than an artificial tree, especially if it is thrown away in a responsible way.
According to the organisation, a natural 2m Christmas tree that does not have roots and is disposed of in a landfill produces a carbon footprint of approximately 16kg of CO2.
I just think a lovely fresh tree or when you are on one of your walks look for any broken branches or a nice piece of wood and just simply dressed with a few lights or some holly or mistletoe it can beautiful…I just think however nice an artificial tree is they are not so cosy and warming as a real one…I have explained that very well just to me it just feels better…if that makes sense…A pressie wrapped in brown paper and tied with string just seems right and proper a real Christmas……
A 2m tree that has roots and is responsibly thrown away after being used at Christmas – by burning it on a bonfire, planting it or having it chipped – has a carbon footprint of around 3.5kg of CO2.
Meanwhile, a 2m plastic Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of around 40kg of CO2, more than 10 times greater than a properly disposed-of real tree.
To read more about the environmental impact of real and artificial Christmas trees, click here.
Did you know?
Turkey…It is estimated that 10 million turkeys were consumed last Christmas. This also means over 3,000 tonnes of turkey packaging was being used.
Taking this into account, 125,000 tonnes of plastic wrapping used for food will also be discarded over the festive period.
Christmas puddings… the majority of which will be packaged in some form of plastic and cardboard packaging…Last year the UK alone ate 25 million.
Mince pies…Brits eat 175 million…
Putting this in perspective, 1 million mince pie cases equates to 1 tonne of aluminium material.
Just these three festive food items…Conjure up in my mind a staggering amount of waste…
The Solution…
Well…The Christmas pudding and mince pies are easily solvable...Cook from scratch and make your own…No packaging required…If you know someone who can’t or doesn’t cook…Make them some and put them in a pretty container…That is their Christmas present sorted…They will love it!
Turkey… If you buy fresh and local… packaging should be at a minimum just some butchers paper…I know not everyone can do that…However, if you are making your own mince pies and puddings/cake…Be pleased with that reduction in waste and it gives you a whole year to think about next year’s turkey…xx
Turn your recyclables into decorations
Rather than buying decorations, get creative with your recyclables. Vodka bottles, wine bottles and even beer bottles can easily be repurposed as table decorations and candle-holders. You can make origami using old Christmas Cards.
Please share your stories on how you plan to reduce your home’s waste at Christmas we would love to hear them…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 are now regular columns on my blog this year. It is important that we are mindful of the world we live in…We all need to be aware of our own home’s carbon footprints…where does our food come from? How far does it travel…Simple to do but if we all did it…Not only would we support local businesses but reduce our carbon footprint…
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!
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a creative week ahead xx
Asia particularly is drowning in plastic…Trash becomes trash after it has been used…once it has served its purpose…Most solutions are consumer not manufacturer led.
I think this beautiful image drawn and painted by Rishika perfectly depicts my drowning in plastic comment…she really is a skilful artist…Thank you Rishika for letting me use this image…
Cleanups although admirable are not the solution they don’t make the problem go away…
Having taken the western world’s plastic for decades … Countries like China and Thailand have now stopped this practice and handed it back to western countries …But what are countries like India doing to solve their mountains of plastic now that they are still taking in some waste from abroad? Their waste mountains seem to be almost legendary around the world
The Alliance to stop plastic waste is a non-profit organisation that has partnered with companies from around the world to eliminateunmanaged plastic wastein the environment so far it is made up of thirty global companies from plastics and consumer goods …
Sadly where will it end and when…Exxon Mobil and Saudi Arabia’s SABIC have joined together to open the worlds largest plastic manufacturing facility of its kind having received billions in US tax breaks and other subsidies. The latest estimate is that 194 billion will be invested in the US into 355 new or expanded facilities for petrochemicals primarily for plastics from now to 2025.
The facilities will convert hydrocarbons such as ethane and propane to ethylene a chemical used to make everything from polythene to antifreeze.
Ethylene, with worldwide consumption of 133 million tonnes/year, is the chemical industry’s primary building block
Can Polythene be recycled?
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) can…
HDPE plastic is the stiff plastic used to make milk jugs, detergent and oil bottles, toys and some plastic bags. HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic and is considered one of the safest forms of plastic.
My concerns are around the manufacturing process and not the end product…For example, Propane is a relatively clean-burning fuel which is attributed to its lower carbon content.
However, its combustion produces waste…such as particle matter, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, greenhouse gas, methane and non-methane organic carbon.
These huge plants springing up are they going to be using steam fracking or green fracking? Scientists favour green fracking however due to demand will cost override environmental and human health concerns?
Because, without rigorous safety regulations, it can poison groundwater, pollute surface water, impair wild landscapes, and threaten wildlife.
Lastly, just in case the letters confuse you they sure confuse me at times although I am getting better…This older posts on the plastic symbols explains all…
That’s all for today…Be well and stay safe don’t forego those precautions too quickly as many areas are seeing an increase in Covid-19 cases…It ain’t over yet folks…Better to be safe than sorry…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.
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!
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all have a fabulous week and stay safe these are troubling times xx
Welcome to this week’s edition of my weekly roundup of posts…I hope you are all staying safe and well…and social distancing…I know many of you are on lockdown once again as cases are on the rise again a second phase…It really is not going away just yet, stay safe and strong peeps and observe all the do’s and don’ts…Here’s something to take your mind of what’s going on…Let’s take a pew and have a read… I hope you enjoy it!
Monday always starts with Climate change as there is always something new to discover…This week was no different…Recycling and Climate Change… 20th July 2020…
As you know I watched “The Story of Plastic” last week and attended the virtual Q & A a few days afterwards…All very thought-provoking and interesting…I will be sharing my thoughts and findings over the next few weeks…lots of research…Geek Alert!
I also had a very interesting conversation with one of my grandsons about what I learnt and thought and he listened and added his thoughts..such a good conversation we had…Happy Nannie… Josh told his mum I had some very modern ideas…How cool is that….? Go, nan!
The beautiful pomelo…can be eaten as it is with a chilli dip…frozen and put vodka instead of ice cubes or made into a lovely refreshing salad with or without the prawns…
God bless you all in these turbulent times…be safe and stay well…
My hopes…for the future…
When this is all over my hope for the future is a cleaner world… I do want to see communities, and caring for your neighbour becoming the new norm…WORKING TOGETHER INSTEAD OF WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER…Being kind to each other…Loving someone whatever their religion or skin colour…Can we make this happen? We have to but in the right way…Are we willing to make a stand? Personally, I would love to see lessons learnt ..realistically I have my doubts…
Thank you for reading be well and stay safe xxx
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 well being.
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!
Thank you once again for reading this post I hope you all stay safe and healthy xx
Retired? No one told me! 