10 April 2014

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LATE EDITION THIS WEEK, BECAUSE …….

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THE CATS GOT DE-SEXED TODAY!

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Above is a photo of Vina’s husband holding the feed sacks that contained Betty and Turtle.   We got there when the wonderful Animals Fiji clinic in Nadi opened.   The staff told me another inexpensive (and better) way to transport cats.

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Here the cats are in laundry baskets with the lids zip-tied on.  Who’da thunk?   Betty and Turtle were much happier on the ride back (but also sleepy) – and they are doing fine now that they’re home.  The people at the Animal Clinic are great.   I’ll give them a plug at the end of this post.

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GUESS WHAT

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This is a tamarind flower.  I’d never noticed them before.  

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If they hadn’t been inside the tree, I might have though they were some kind of orchid.

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LAST WEEK – one person mentioned not having any idea of what a mangrove crab looked like from my photo – so here is a stock photo.  That’s what our mangrove crabs look like before they are put in a basket …. or cooked..

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THEY’RE BACK

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Little spider webs in the grass – got a photo this time.   I snapped this on Monday: actually the webs in the grass are gone again already.   I actually don’t understand this – I didn’t think spiders had seasons.  I need to start paying more attention.

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FROM BUSH TO CUP

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Akka showed up with a bunch of red berries – “Guess what, Mom.”   I had no clue.  It was coffee berries.   I asked him to take a shot of the coffee bush for me and he told me that was LAME, I had to come get the photos myself.   Above is a bush – so you’ll recognize one if you see it.

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And that’s how they grow.

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And then WOWSER – so many berries!

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And more!   YES!   By the way, the berries themselves are edible – or at least not toxic.  They are a little sweet, a little astringent.  But who’d eat berries when the goodies are in the seeds?

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So here are the production steps.   

I – pop the seed out of the berry if you have strong hands – or peel it off if you are a weakling.

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2- soak the seeds in water for a hour or two so the slimy stuff around the seed washes off.  Dry them.

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3 – pull the dried inner shell off the seed.

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4 – slow roast the seeds.   Akka did this in a frying pan on low heat with a tiny bit of coconut oil.  (Oh, I  wish cocoa were this easy!)

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5 – grind, brew, enjoy.   

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Truthfully, this was not the best coffee I ever had, but it was much better than some.  It’s definitely coffee – I’m glad we have it here on the farm.

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OLD MYSTERY – MAYBE SOLVED

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There is a line of holes in one or two bananas leaves at the bottom of Cardiac Hill again.  It’s been months since I saw that.

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I found this hitchhiker on my sleeve at the top of Cardiac Hill moments later, after my run up.   My first time to notice a fuzzy caterpillar like this.   There are lots of holes in lots of other leaves – but I like thinking that this is the banana leaf culprit. 

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PLEASE CHIP IN AND SPREAD THE WORD

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The guys at Animals Fiji are great.  When I arrived – actually 10 minutes before they were supposed to open – there were already at least six people on site, sweeping, cleaning cages, getting ready for the day.  They were warm and friendly.  The animals are obviously loved and very well taken care of.  Casey (the lady who seemed like the manager) said that all the money that is given is used for the animals, and I believe her.   I wish now I had taken a photograph of the cats and kittens in their cages with blankets and stuffed toys.  It was all so sweet – and so basic.   The staff are determined to soldier on and keep this place going.  I pray they get all the help they need and then some.  Here is their website:  http://www.animalsfiji.org/

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