Free Food - Blackberries

I can remember picking blackberries as a child during the summer, trying not to scratch my hands to pieces or to drop too many brambles in the process.

As an extension to my thoughts about blackcurrants, I think that brambling should be revived as an annual tradition, saving us all a few pennies on the way.

Blackberries grow wild, and can be found beside pathways and by roadsides. In the interests of safety avoid busy highways, and instead wander off the beaten track in search of untouched bushes. Don’t trespass on private property or farmland which may be gated or fenced off.

The berries are fairly easy to pick, but the bushes are covered in sharp spines, so be prepared to be pricked. Wear sturdy shoes and clothing, such as jeans, but don’t wear heavy gardening gloves as this will hamper your picking abilities. It takes a gentle hand to pluck perfectly ripe blackberries.  

The best and ripest berries will be dark, almost black in colour, and may be plucked easily from the bush using your thumb and forefinger. The berry should come away easily in your fingers, leaving the white coloured hull behind. If a berry does not come away easily with a gentle tug, then it is likely not yet ripe and should be left for a few more days.

Make blackberry picking more fun for the family by turning it into a competition. Each person has their own container, and then everyone competes to see who can pick the most berries in an hour, or in ten minutes if time is limited.

I find that blackberries keep quite well in fridge refrigerator for up to three days, but they also freeze well for use at a later date. After washing (the berries, not myself), I lay the berries out in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop the tray in the freezer. Once the berries are frozen, they can be placed into bags for easier storage in the freezer. I like to use blackberries in with smoothies, or with other summer fruits on top of meringue.

Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/didbygraham/

Learn How to Run

Most of us probably learned how to run when we were children. It probably came naturally. Somewhere along the line, most of us forgot. I did. I forgot how free running feels.

Now that I have learned how to run again, and have found that it actually makes me happy, I want to share my running journey.

I won't go over the usual pre-running advice, see your doctor-type stuff. You've probably read it somewhere else. The only piece of equipment I think you will need at this stage is a pair of comfortable trainers (and ladies - a proper sports bra).

If you find that you enjoy running, can stick with it and want to progress, at that point consider spending a few quid on some proper gear.

Week 1
Start with a warm up walk, about 5 mins, until the blood is flowing and the heart is pumping. Break into a very slow jog. By slow, I mean super-slow.

You're probably thinking "I can walk faster than this". Resist the urge to speed up. Trust me, your body isn't ready for it yet. Lots of people start out jogging too fast and then give up, feeling defeated, when they can't maintain it.

Continue your super-slow jog for about a minute. If you don't have a watch, try counting to 60.

After that minute, when your face is all red and your breathing is heavy, slow down to a walk. (Remember this feeling of sweaty breathlessness - it is the perfect bench-mark to see how far you have come in a few weeks time). Walk for two minutes, allowing your breathing to return to normal. These two minutes will speed by much faster than your first jogging minute, somehow defying the laws of time and space. Such is life.

Pick up the pace ever-so-slightly to jog mode, and jog for another minute - which may well feel like an hour. Return to walking for another two minutes.

Repeat the jog / walk cycle for nine or ten repeats, so around half an hour in total. Try to plan your route in a loop so that you're not an hour's walk away from home at the end of the session. When you get back home, reward yourself with a glass of water, not a bar of chocolate.

Try to make time for three sessions of the above during the first week.

Week 2
During the second week, after a warm up walk, follow the same jog / walk pattern, but reduce the walking sections from two minutes to one minute. Keep the jogging slow, since its about easing your body into something it's not used to. Speed comes later.

Repeat the cycle one one minute jogging, one minute walking for half an hour, with a cool down walk at the end. Again, repeat three sessions during the week.

Week 3
Now we start to pick things up. Jogging sections are two minutes each, and only one of walking. Repeat for half an hour, three sessions over the week.

Week 4
More improvement this week, with jogging sections of three minutes, and one minute walking. Repeat for half an hour, three sessions over the week.

Week 5
You're getting the idea now. Extend to jogging sections of four minutes, and one minute walking. Depending on how you're feeling, you may feel able to reduce the walking sections to 30 seconds. At this point I still needed to jog super-slow. For most, speed comes later (not so much me, I'm still a very slow jogger).

Week 6
Bit of a stretch this week - jogging sections of six minutes. Be confident that your body can do it, so long as you don't expect it to sprint. Remember when you struggled to complete one minute jogging? Think how far you've come in just a few weeks.

Week 7
Three repeats of eight minutes jogging and one minute walking.

Week 8
Three repeats of ten minutes jogging and one minute walking - that's half an hour of jogging in one session!

Week 9
Two repeats of 15 minutes jogging and one minute walking.

Week 10
String it all together and go for 30 minutes straight, keep it super-slow, and you've done it - you've learned how to run!

Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/43877063@N05/with/5362163321/

How to Make Fantastic Blackcurrant Jam

I had a Delia moment today - I made jam. Not only did I make jam, but I used fruit which I grew in my own garden. OK, so the fruit growing part didn't require much effort on my part, the blackcurrant bush deserves most of the credit there.

Whilst harvesting the weeds which had grown overnight from shoots into a jungle, I glanced over to the sunny corner where the blackcurrant bush resides. Since I was down at ground level I was able to see that almost all the fruit had turned from green to black and was ready for picking. Good thing I actually had the time to deal with this culinary emergency today.

So I set about picking the fruit, showing little regard for the other plants which share the same corner - none of them were edible and could be turned into jam anyway. Then I had to spend a fair amount of time picking each berry (do I call it a berry or a currant? - not sure) off the stems and taking off the little bit of flower head which is left on the other end of the currants. This done, I took my haul back to the kitchen to see how much I had harvested. I only have a fairly small bush (oo-er), so I weighed out about a pound and a half of blackcurrants.

Time for the serious bit - the jam making. As I imagine is the case with most women in the kitchen, we like to rely on family recipes handed down from mother to daughter, generation after generation. So I sent my mum an email - "how do I make jam?" and this is my family recipe for blackcurrant jam ...

1 pound fruit
3/4 pint water
1 1/2 pound preserving sugar

• wash fruit, remove stems, put into pan with water and simmer gently until fruit is soft, stirring often to prevent burning
• stir in sugar over low hear until dissolved
• boil hard to setting point
• pour into hot jars and cover

Now to find secret family recipe for perfect scones.

Image by storebukkebruse

Cats Eyes and Serious Problems

Further to my previous post, there are other, more serious problems which your cat may suffer from.

Progressive retinal atrophy or “PRA” is a condition where the retina deteriorates over time and eventually results in blindness. Unfortunately, PRA cannot be treated, and your cat will have to adapt as his sight begins to fail. Try to make his life a little easier by not moving furniture around the home, and keep his belongings, such as his bed and feeding bowl in the same place all the time.

As cats age, or if a cat suffers from diabetes, he may develop cataracts, which is a condition where the eye becomes opaque and cloudy. If left untreated, cataracts effectively result in blindness. However, if treated early enough with surgery, your cat may still enjoy the benefit of his sight for years to come.

Glaucoma occurs when there is an excessive amount of fluid in the eye resulting in pressure upon the retina. A cat with glaucoma will suffer a certain amount of pain due to this pressure, and like cataracts, if left untreated may result in blindness. Your vet may recommend medication in the form of eye drops and/or pills, or in some cases, surgery.  

Cats Eyes and Common Problems

Cats’ eyes are incredible. Their perfect design and function allow cats to see well in the dark and enjoy nocturnal life to the full, be it hunting and chasing prey or defending their territory. 

Cats need far less light to function than we humans do – only about one sixth of what we require. They have a third eyelid which helps to protect the eye, and can also change their range of vision very quickly, to adapt to their changing circumstances.

Unfortunately, some cats suffer with eye problems, impairing their natural abilities and independence. Watch for signs of the following conditions, and if you see any such symptoms, then take your cat to see your vet (whether he wants to go to the vet or not).

A half closed eye; the third eyelid being visible or coming across the eye, or redness of the inner eyelid; tear staining or discharges; cloudiness of the eyeball. As is the nature of cats, they will get into fights, and may be on the receiving end of painful injuries. If your cat suffers a scratch across his eye he will probably keep it half closed, and it may discharge fluid. Take your cat to the vet immediately, as potentially, your cat may suffer the loss of his eye. Scratches may also cause less immediate problems such as ulcers on the eye surface.

If you notice signs of inflammation or irritation of the pink tissue around the eye, this may be a sign of conjunctivitis, perhaps as a result of an infection or an allergy. Conjunctivitis can be treated with eye drops and antibiotics from your vet.

More serious cat eye problems include progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts and glaucoma.

Happy Cats are Healthy Cats

Image by http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicsuzor/

Something else which makes me happy is animals, in particular, cats. In the main, cats are tactile creatures and most enjoy being stroked and caressed. In turn, cat owners enjoy contentment from spending time with their cats.

As with many pet owners, we are concerned about the health and well being of our animals. I have set out below a list of common ailments and conditions to be aware of in your feline friend, so that you can give him the best care.

Sickness and Diarrhea

Whilst not diseases in their own right, these are two symptoms which often occur together and which may be indications of something more serious. Your cat may have some sort of digestive disorder, or may simply have eaten something which disagreed with him. If symptoms persist and certainly if there is any blood in your cat’s “productions”, then take him to see the vet straight away for a professional diagnosis.

Worms

At some point, most cats get worms. These may be hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms or heartworms. Symptoms to be aware of include significant weight loss, a swollen abdomen, loss of fur or vomiting. Contact your vet for a course of worming tablets, and attempt to get your cat to swallow said tablets. If you can manage to get the medication into your cat, usually by breaking it up into his food, then his symptoms should clear up within a short period of time.

Fleas

Just as many cats come into contact with worms, likewise fleas can be a common problem. Whilst not usually life-threatening, if your pet has fleas he will probably be quite uncomfortable and will spend time scratching himself in an effort to relieve the discomfort of fleas feeding on his blood. Some cats may also suffer an allergic reaction to flea saliva, and will quite likely scratch to the point of self-harm.

Kidney Disease

As cats age, they can become more susceptible to kidney disease. It is thought that feeding your cat predominantly dry cat food may contribute to kidney disease. As such, it may be worth examining the quality and kind of food you are feeding your feline. If your cat seems to drink more water than usual, this may also be an indication of kidney disease, and should prompt a visit to the vet.

Stress

Unfortunately, stress is also common in the animal kingdom, with some cats being more prone to the condition than others. Watch your cat for signs of unusual behaviour, such as hiding under the bed, pulling out his fur or trembling, loss of appetite, and some cats which are usually quiet may begin to meow. If your usually docile pet begins to exhibit this behaviour, he may be suffering from stress and you ought to seek professional assistance from your vet in order to treat him successfully, and restore him to the calm, adoring cat you know and love.