Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Dragon Dressing Recipe


My bowl of Dragon Dressing

Dragon Dressing (Raw)
Grapefruit juice – ½ cup
Parsley – small bunch
Sundried tomatoes – 4 pieces
Rapadura sugar – 1Tablespoon
Honey – 1 teaspoon
Ginger - thumb
Onion - half
Parsnip - 1

Blend raw.
Serving suggestion: over avocado and snow peas/peas, on boiled quinoa, and sprinkled with
Gomazio (toasted sesame seeds ground a bit with seaweed sheets and Himalayan Salt…EASY!)
OK – so I went out to the deck for better light to photograph my Dragon Dressing – and while I was bending over trying to focus the camera I heard the pitter patter of George’s little feet. I looked up and there he was peeping up at me (see photo 2).  You can see it is George – see his crooked knee and the patch of brownish skin down his back that didn’t quite finish shedding before he went to sleep for the Winter.






Thursday, April 14, 2011

Genetically Modified animals for human Affection

On Wednesday, a neighbour gave me the little dead body his cat unfortunately killed and brought to him.  He felt bad but thought I'd like to see it.  Incredibly, its a Feather-tailed Glider - it was still struggling to survive in the narrow corridor of weed-infested bush behind our houses. 
Some people get angry about cats, and it is awful to see a cat not controlled. I suppose it is just about learning that we need to build cat enclosures. As a new culture in an Australian environment, we are slowly learning (she says optimistically...) that we need to protect our unique plants and animals. That's why I thought I'd tell the story. Most people I talk to have never even heard of a Feather-tailed Glider, let alone seen one in their backyard - but they and lots of other amazing creatures are still trying to survive our ways, and 'growth'. But time is running out.
I find the topic of our culture vs the environment interesting. For example, we actively breed (in a way, genetically modify) specific traits we feel a want or need for. 'Animal Assisted Therapy' (AAT) advocates put up a good argument that animals bred just for affection and obedience (such as our human-raised and trained puppies and kittens) can offer some amazing benefits to elderly, lonely, disabled, and sick humans (see attached photo of cat nuzzling up to an elderly man: 'Exploring the benefits from animal therapy' from De Pets).
I'm fascinated when I see advertisements for cat food - commonly with slogans such as: 'He'll love you more', and I wonder if we have a need in our culture to look at:
·         how we meet our needs for affection,
·         to learn to care for another,
·         to feel like we can 'make things happen' - or have some control over something,
·         and learn self-control.
Studies have shown that 'animals', '...could be catalytic agents in therapy and could aid in the orientation and connection to reality, particularly for those suffering schizophrenia or autism' (pioneering psychiatrist, Boris Levinson). Levinson also stated that 'pet animals in homes could restore healthy communication in the families of disturbed children'. He contended that companion (and residential) animals teach responsible, independent behaviours and non-gendered care-giving.

Our culture feels such a strong need for the affection of 'genetically modified' and artificially controlled animals, that if a person was to purposely kill or harm another's family 'pet', it is called 'inhumane', is a crime, and in additon, the offender could be fined $1000s for negligent infliction of emotional distress. Yet, here is a cute little Feather-tailed Glider almost wiped out as a whole species because of family pets, and attitudes of indiference to 'bush'.
Its also interesting that it is illegal to pick a wildlfower - yet when a Bull-dozer drives through bushland - as I've just seen twice in my area in the last 2 weeks - it is not just beautiful wildflowers that are destroyed forever, many little animals are also squashed - Feather-tailed Gliders, Sugar Gliders, Blue-tongued lizards, Water Dragons, Leaf-tailed Geckos, Owls, Blue-Wrens, Fungi galore... the list goes on. Its a total massacre! Who's paying compensation for the infliction of emotional distress on all the people who see this - such as you and me - and the future generations?
My question is: do we need to look at how we treat each other living in our natural environment so we can feel ok about ourselves, meet our affection needs, etc? Or do we continue to use genetically modified cats & dogs to do this for us?
DRAGON DIARIES
February …and the heat goes on…

The neighbours’ children like to help –
holding the grasshoppers temporarily in a bottle. 

Tried to find grasshoppers for Poor George who is now slowly beginning to fatten up. 
(Note to self:  Research plants that attract grasshoppers!  ...what am I thinking!)

They often get distracted by the Frog Pond though…


And isn’t the delicate little miniature Native Water Lily charming!

Poor George has found himself some, albeit, low-status real-estate in the front garden -
which is not really ideal - facing the road, even if it is a quiet cul-de-sac.
He’s even started to shed his skin although a narrow strip along his back is proving persistent! 
Here he is having a rest on the Rain Chain pot stand.
In this hot weather, the Compost bins are critical to the survival of the garden as the constant gradual seepage of liquid fertilizer coming from the bottom keeps nearby roots cool and well-fed. See the lush growth of the Dwarf Banana and Orange trees behind George!









Wednesday, April 6, 2011

DRAGON DIARY: JANUARY 2011

What is in our backyards does matter! If children never see butterflies or frogs, why would they, or should they, care about the conservation of these animals. Prof Chris Daniels.
January:  The Grafted Gum is out in flower, but faded quickly in the heatwave…like me!
 Even the Dragons are keeping out of the sun! Isn’t Lady cute resting her chin on the branch.  What a lovely view from my loungeroom window. When I planted the Banksia outside the window I was hoping to create a ‘Birdwatching Window’!
The Dragons have been so endearing, that even my Mum is now offering special plates of fruit for them in little crystal dishes around the garden.  Mind you, if they start to get ‘too friendly’ and come towards her, she ends up in unusual levitated yoga positions – the kind that ensures her feet are way above ground level.  She’s just published her first book, Strong, Sixty and Sexy’, and people marvel how energetic and healthy she is – and she’s now over 70, but I think I know the real reason she stays fit!