Monday, September 22, 2014

Isabel Allende, woman writer

Isabel Allende - 001.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VwSP92gvzI

Isabel Allende (Spanish: [isaˈβel aˈʝende] ( ); born 2 August 1942) is a Chilean writer.[1][2] Allende, whose works sometimes contain aspects of the "magic realist" tradition, is famous for novels such as The House of the Spirits (La casa de los espíritus, 1982) and City of the Beasts (La ciudad de las bestias, 2002), which have been commercially successful. Allende has been called "the world's most widely read Spanish-language author".[3] In 2004, Allende was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters,[4] and in 2010, she received Chile's National Literature Prize.[5]
Allende's novels are often based upon her personal experience and pay homage to the lives of women, while weaving together elements of myth and realism. She has lectured and toured many American colleges to teach literature. Fluent in English as a second language, Allende was granted American citizenship in 2003, having lived in California with her American husband since 1989.

Isabel's second book was written when her daughter died. She wrote about void, emptiness, darkness Just like Isabel, my first book brings someone to connect with me almost every day.  As a writer, the greatest accolade back from a neonatal nurse from the University hospital of Toronto. She said she read my book. The head of the NICU there gave her the book to read before she took up her position.

I would be a dream I won't ask if I can achieve a fraction of her success. I have already succeeded. Recently, a counselor/therapist read my 4th book, Cry of oppressed women told me she will use it as reference for her work.


My books as reference for professionals



Published May 2014



Women face many kinds of oppression.

A counselor/therapist  read my book and said she would use it as a reference for her work. This is the best accolade one can get from a professional. Cry is my second book where it is used.

Diary of a bereaved mother is used in a university hospital in Canada as a reference for professionals in neonatal intensive care.


                    

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Kigelia - sausage tree

Kigelia -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kigelia
Its name in Afrikaans Worsboom also means Sausage Tree, and its Arabic name means "the father ... The bark is grey and smooth at first, peeling on older trees.






At the car park of my brothers Charles and Joseph's law firm at Elliot Street on the Gold Coast, a tree attracted my eye. I am telling you the address in case you want to harvest the pods as you will read below that it can be very handy especially if the cost of beer goes up.

My sister in law Audrey said I was very observient when I notice the tree. I replied it was all due to the blogging and always looking for things interesting to blog about.

Joseph did not know the name of the tree but he said," I can tell you this. The pod is so tough that even when you run over it by your car, it will not break."

I tried looking at the images of Australian trees but to not avail. Eventually I systematically read the web and came to this website: http://www.treeworld.info which I duly signed up and sent off my photos. This is a great site, as the moment I did, the adminstrator came back with the answer.

http://www.treeworld.info/f47/tree-pods-cant-broken-car-wheels-12391.html#post81234

http://home.intekom.com/ecotravel/plant-kingdom/trees/kigelia-africana-sausage-tree.htm

I found some information you may like to know, and may be you might like to plant the tree.

Human uses - The fruit is poisonous and inedible when green, but is used to brew beer when ripe. The seeds are fried and eaten. The wood is used for making canoes.

Gardening - This is an attractive ornamental shade tree, suitable for larger gardens. It is very susceptible to frost, and is not drought-resistant. The tree can be grown from seed, and is fast-growing.

Flowers -Big, red to dark maroon flowers with heavy yellow veining on the outside, up to 150 mm across the mouth, unpleasant scent; growing in groups of 3, up to 12, appear before the leaves in early spring, from July to October.

Fruit - unique, huge, solid sausage-like fruit, giving the tree its common english name. Greyish-brown in colour, heavily lenticel-dotted, indehiscent, heavy, weighing up to 10 kg, containing a fibrous pulp in which many seed are embedded. Ripe fruits fall from May through to April the following year. (500 x 100 mm) (1 m x 180 mm???)

Interesting Facts:

The flowers and fruit of the Sausage Tree is always an eye-catcher and conversation piece. The fruit is toxic but is used in traditional medicine to treat skin disorders, ulcers and sores. The bark and roots are also used in traditional medicine. Some modern skin ointments are prepared from fruit extracts. Research has shown that the fruit has got antibacterial properties. In Africa, women smear this fruit on their skin to remove blemishes.

**Note** Did you read the part about brewing beer? LOL

Banana Blossom for cooking







In many parts of South East Asia, like Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Philipines, they use banana flowers in their cooking. I have not used them myself.

I used to grow bananas and I would give the flowers to my friends. There is a lot of work removing the sap. My Thai friend makes a salad, my Sri Lanka friends cooks in curry.

I watch my friend cut and clean fresh banana blossom. It is such a tedious and time consuming process. It took her 45 minutes to clean it. No wonder the next time, I had a banana blossom, she didn't want it anymore.  It reminded me of processing durian flowers when I was young.

Then my Burmese friend cooks the heart of the stem.

I grew them, but I don't eat them. Other friends ask why I bother, I just like to see the plants grow and make others happy.

These are actually in Auckland. I am surprised because the fruits actually mature to be edible.

http://youtu.be/tXHXwSLFnzE

http://rubytuesday2.blogspot.co.nz

Friday, September 19, 2014