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3085. Macnas - 5/23/2005 8:27:56 AM I was having a smoke in the porch at the weekend, in my mothers house, or the homeplace as we call it.
Our 14yr old nephew wandered in and said that there was a small bird flopping around outside. Out we went, where we say a near to fledgling mistle thrush, looking very feeble and exhausted.
The brother, being a bit of a dab hand with wild creatures after all his time surveying the lower Rhine for flora & fauna recovery, picked it up carefully (from the back, with his palm against the birds back and his thumb and fingers holding the wings against the body, middle and index at either side of the neck) and knew where it had come from.
Since he came back from Holland he has done all the gardening, and knew where the nest was (indeed, knows where every nest is), in a climb of thick ivy against the wall of one of the out buildings. We got a set of steps and he placed it back in the nest. He said he didn't know if the parents would forsake it or not.
He reckoned that this was the second hatch that the thrush’s had, the first being lost to magpies. It's harder to control these most prolific egg thieves now, as my sisters property makes it awkward to use a gun.
3086. alistairconnor - 5/23/2005 8:38:25 AM How about an air bazooka? that'd blow the magpies away... momentarily 3087. Macnas - 5/23/2005 8:40:46 AM You and your new fangled new-age gadgets. 3088. thoughtful - 5/24/2005 6:03:07 PM Skirt steaks are on sale at the grocery store this week so i had hubby stock up for the freezer. If you've not had skirt steaks, you don't know what you're missing. I sprinkle them with montreal seasoning before grilling and they serve up tender and juicy. Like having dessert for a meal! 3089. thoughtful - 5/24/2005 6:11:47 PM Re whole grain breads and fiber, the nutrition action letter had a good article about it recently where I learned a lot. Like "wheat bread" means nothing. It needs to say "whole wheat flour" in the ingredients, and the closer to the beginning of the ingredient list, the better. Ingredients listing things like 'stone ground wheat flour' or 'wheat flour' or "100% wheat flour" is meaningless...that is not whole wheat with the germ and fiber included.
Also check the fiber content. Bread with 1g of fiber is almost nothing. Trader joe's carries a whole wheat english muffin that is tasty and packs 5g of fiber. Also check out Ezekiel bread which is made from sprouted grains (biblical combo of course)...very high in nutrition and tasty. After a slice of that bread, you KNOW you ate something.
I also learned that, unlike I thought, most rye and pumpernickle breads are not whole grain. I've found a whole grain rye at trader joe's though too...though it doesn't taste like the rye bread I'm used to...I find I need the caraway seeds to give it that extra punch of flavor. 3090. Magoseph - 5/24/2005 10:33:34 PM What's the Skirt Steak? Is it like the London Broil, I mean the same kind of cut? 3091. thoughtful - 5/24/2005 11:10:13 PM Here's a description, though I've never found it tough, but I'm careful to grill it quickly and never overdo which would be easy seeing it's such a thin cut of meat. We have had leftovers which, if over microwaved, will get very tough. In fact, for leftovers, I often eat it cold or room temp to retain tenderness and flavor.
The skirt steak is the diaphragm muscle. It is a long, flat piece of meat, with a tendency toward toughness. But it has good flavor. It can be grilled or pan fried quickly with good results. Another traditional method is to stuff it, roll it, and braise it. In many areas of the country (Texas, for example) skirt steak is the only cut to be used when making "real" fajitas.
 3092. judithathome - 5/24/2005 11:17:47 PM I was just going to say that...about the fajitas.
Well, our ministering to the little bird paid off; today he hopped on the rim of the box and praciticed flapping his wings with the parents looking and encouraging him. And in about 45 minutes, after the mother had fed him a snack, off he flew! 3093. thoughtful - 5/24/2005 11:22:47 PM glad to hear the fledgling fledged.
speaking of the birds, there were more turkeys about...couldn't remember the term so I looked it up again (i hate getting old!)...it's a rafter of turkeys! 3094. Magoseph - 5/24/2005 11:51:36 PM Thanks, thoughtful.
We don't use the front door anymore because there's a nest right on top of the nightlight. Each time we used the door, the bird flew out--we feel we disturb its nesting. If people come over, one of us goes out by the back door to meet them. 3095. wabbit - 5/25/2005 6:22:42 PM Good news about the little bird, JaH, thanks for the update! 3096. PelleNilsson - 5/26/2005 4:29:38 PM 
I see an animal of some kind. A swordfish?
3097. judithathome - 5/26/2005 5:43:32 PM Looks like an alligator to me...or a dragon. 3098. Magoseph - 5/26/2005 5:46:47 PM Yes, me too, I see a dragon spitting fire. 3099. thoughtful - 5/27/2005 6:43:36 PM Any suggestions for a non-mayo based salad that I can bring to a picnic on monday? I usually make a cabbage crunch salad...like a cole slaw with oil and vinegar dressing...toasted almonds and broken up ramon noodles for crunch.
But I'm kinda tired of making it...open to suggestions. 3100. judithathome - 5/27/2005 7:44:10 PM Three or six or nine bean salad...mix 'em all up and add Italian dressing or an olive oil/ balsamic vinegar dressing. 3101. PelleNilsson - 5/27/2005 8:24:50 PM Here is a quiz which I suspect is really, really easy.
What plants are these?
 3102. Marc-Albert - 5/27/2005 10:27:52 PM The one on top is one of those gawdy South African bulbs. I don't like those. The one at the bottom I like. It's a hoya. I've had one as a hanging plant for many years but it wouldn't flower because my apartment was not sunny enough.
It was a variegated hoya with splashes of cream on the thick leathery leaves and now and then young leaves in brigh red. 3103. Marc-Albert - 5/27/2005 11:01:56 PM I was looking for a picture of my deceased hoya but couldn't find any. Here's MaBelle on the balcony instead.
3104. judithathome - 5/27/2005 11:26:37 PM Cool..a variegated cat instead!
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