vinegar mother anyone?

Crazy amazing things, but beautiful too! Have you ever touched one of these living organisms? Probably not. Well....it feels slimy and gummy...and jelly-like...but firm...and?....look, it's just BIZARRE! Come on over and pat one anytime you like!

My collection of vinegar "mothers" is getting a little out of hand. I have so much ACV in my pantry right now that I've put these babies into cheap white vinegar for a holiday. I buy the dodgy inferior stuff (the kind I pour into my washing machine, NOT my stomach) to keep them in a dormant but blissed-out state, a hibernation period I suppose, until they are called for again.

I love my AVC and use it in numerous ways, but mostly I drink a small amount in water every day. The father of medicine himself, Hippocrates, thought vinegar was pretty amazing stuff. He believed it to be a powerful elixir that could fight common germs. I reckon he knew a thing or two!

If you need a 'mother' of vinegar, give me a bell and I'll hook you up. I'd even think about posting one (that's how I got mine in the first place!!!).

PS I'm dabbling in milk kefir these days too. Currently experimenting with goats milk! I'll keep you posted.

encore, bravo!

It never ceases to amaze me how much skill, talent and creativity exists on this little island. We have a tiny population with very limited resources, and yet, somehow I sense that my children have experienced many opportunities here that perhaps would not have come their way otherwise: involvement with theatre being one of them. 

After many months of rehearsals, NATS (Norfolk Island Amateur Theatrical Society) presented - over two nights, a musical production titled The Pied Piper. Loosely based on the traditional story, the play had all the typical "pantomime" characters including a lazy fat cat, a boy with a magical violin, an incompetent mayor and his bossy but unproductive wife, a bumbling rat catcher and his witless, blundering assistant. Plus, as with all good muscial theatre, there was energetic dancing and rousing singing! With tunes set to the familiar melodies of Sullivan and Rogers, the lyrics and script were all original and cleverly created by two of Norfolk's most respected theatre enthusiasts - Ian and Monica Anderson.

I should mention that the play was rather short so in order to give folks value for money, some of Norfolk's talented musicians and singers gave performances prior to the show. Hence the photos of Harry on stage with his guitar. He played a classical piece called Evening in Venice. He wasn't even nervous - what a champ!

I can't wait for the next show!

PS Is that not the cutest little rat you've ever seen?