Toilet training a new dog - Thoughts Feelings Ideas -

(Image sources > LINK LINK LINK)

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A recent experience with someone toilet training a puppy got me thinking about this subject. The reason it sparked something in my mind is because they were using the old 'rub their nose in it, & scold them' technique. I'm sure that at some stage we've all heard that that's what you're supposed to do, but I have a different line of thinking on the subject...
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Bare in mind that I have plenty of experience with dogs, & I have toilet trained a couple myself, so I'm not just pulling info out of my gluteus maximus here, this combo works beautifully, & in my opinion is far superior to rubbing your dogs nose in it's own filth.
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My thoughts, feelings, & ideas -
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The best way to train your dog to toilet outside it to take them out frequently, especially after they sleep, eat, & soon after they drink. Once you have them outside repeat an appropriate word to help them associate going to the toilet with that word, I've always simply used the word 'toilet'. As they go to the toilet repeat the word & praise them, & when they finish, give them a big pat & tell them how good & clever they are :)
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Of course it's pretty unlikely that you're going to completely avoid any little 'accidents' inside, so what do you do when it happens?
Quite simply, you need to catch your dog in the act, this way they will know what they are in trouble for.
Knowing what I know about dogs, I firmly believe that rubbing your dogs nose in their excrement & scolding them will not be effective because the dog lacks the understanding that going to the toilet inside is a bad thing, & they will only understand what they're being scolded for after they have learned that they are supposed to go outside. So by rubbing a dogs nose in it's 'accident' after it has happened is like saying 'your poo/urine bad', which is pretty confusing :/
Instead you need to catch the dog mid pee or poo, & quickly tell them 'no toilet' (or whatever word you chose) in a firm but calm voice, as you do, quickly grab them & rush them outside, place them down nicely, repeat your chosen toilet word, & praise them. This will build a positive association with going to the toilet outside :)
By scolding the dog as they are doing the incorrect behaviour they have an instant association with what they are doing wrong, then immediately showing them the correct thing to do helps them learn more effectively.
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Some dogs are harder to toilet train than others, but you must always do your best to remain calm & consistent, & repetition really is the only way to help a dog understand something, it's the old 'practice makes perfect' saying at work ;3 & of course positive reinforcement is always much more pleasant for you & your doggy bro :)
Toilet training can be a stressful (& smelly) experience, but stick with it, because once your dog has learned (however long it may take) it's always well worth the effort ;)
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(Image source > LINK)

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Oh! & always remember to clean up after your little (or big) friend when you go for walks, cause no one likes stepping in stinky doggy dookie! & with that I leave you with this image...
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These are all my own thoughts & opinions based on my personal experiences, feel free to try them & leave feedback with your own thoughts :) I hope that it's been helpful!
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Later everyone~ ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)/

Eventful day: amazing new chocolates & solar lanterns :D...

It was a good one for me today, I got heaps done out in the garden, purchased some fancy new chocolate, rescued a galah, & installed our new solar powered lanterns... awesome~ :V
Skipping past the details of the garden work (mostly just general maintenance) I took one of my usual trips to Nature's Harvest to pick up my fancy gluten free bread, & whatever else, & as I was approaching the counter to pay I spotted some incredible looking new chocolates. They are called Pana Chocolates, & as soon as I saw the packet I wanted to buy some ':) I was thrilled to discover that not only are they gluten free & vegan, but also organic, & raw @_@ holy crapola, this stuff just ticks all the boxes for me! Take a look > > >
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(frick yeaaaaah~)

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There are a few different varieties including, mint, cinnamon, & the two I got, coconut+goji, & nuts, but there's more on the pana chocolate website :) They're not cheap ($6.95 each >_>) but totally worth it in my opinion. They're made here in Australia, the details are gorgeous, from the packet, to the wrapping to the chocolate itself, & the taste is incredible, definitely my new addiction right here. Get out there, find yourself some & give it a go, I doubt you'll regret it, in fact you'll probably want to come to my house & shake my hand for having introduced you to this wondrous creation of amazingness. Check out their website here > > > panachocolate.com/. One last thing I need to mention is that thus far these chocolates are only available in Australia (sorry international peeps!) They are sold at a wide variety of places (see website for details) or you can buy them online ;)

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Moving right along :V... on my way home from the health food store I noticed a rather sad looking galah sitting right on the edge of the road, she didn't move at all as I drove by, so I pulled over to asses the situation. I waited for a safe chance & corralled her away from the road, I could see some blood on her cheek & neck, but she didn't look too bad, but she couldn't run or fly. I spoke to her calmly & slowly approached her holding my jacket open, I threw it onto her as gently as I could, & successfully caught her! :) I then quickly took her to the nearest vet, so I hope she will be ok, I'm going to call the vet tomorrow to get an update.

While I was there I learned that you can tell the gender of a galah by the colour of their eyes, how very cool [:D Girls have pink-red coloured eyes, & boys eyes are yellow :)

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I ended the day by hanging the set of solar-powered lanterns I bought on eBay :) It adds some lovely colour to the veranda area & once they've charged a bit I expect they'll be beautiful at night time, & add some extra light too c:

This is what they look like > > >

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Man I had an awesome day... I hope everyone else did too [: )

Critters & new plants out in the garden!

I'm pushing myself to really try to get out into the back garden every day, no matter what the weather is like, & so far I'm doing ok.
I've cleaned up more areas & made them into beds ready to receive seeds & saplings, dug paths that double as water catching swales, planted out under most of the fruit trees, filled the little greenhouse with trays full of seeds, etc etc etc, & things are looking good so far, much better than last season (when we had next to no hands-on experience gardening) I really feel like we've come a long way since then, & I'm happy to see all the extra knowledge & experience showing out in the garden \[:D/
I took a good bunch of photos this morning of some of the things going on out there, & some of the critters I met while looking around c: ...
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 The very first cherry leaves have opened on the newly planted tree :D

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 The mulberry tree is looking amazing, I'm so exited to try some fresh mulberries when they're ready, I can hardly wait @'_@...

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 I haven't noticed too much happening with the Apple or Nectarine trees, but hopefully as it warms up they'll both get a bit more active... In the mean time, this awesome little champion guards the apple tree for us :) I'm pretty sure she's been chilling on that branch ever since I put the tree in :V

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v Potato, Pohtahto. PO-TAY-TOE! All the taters~ v

 (I think this one is a purple variety...)

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 There I am hanging around in the more established potato plants, & I spotted a few interesting critters while I was there :)

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 A little green leaf hopper type bug,

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 stripy fly dude,

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 & a very cool looking spider :)

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 The often overlooked (& sometimes hated D:) dandelion. The flowers & leaves are edible & nutritious, so don't be hatin' on them! I frequently include both the flowers & leaves in my green smoothies, & they're delicious damnit X)

Eat the dandy & become as resilient as they are \o/<!!!

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 Slug chillin' on... STINGING NETTLE! I refuse to believe that it's comfortable there...

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 Our Vietnamese mint, Lemon balm, & Oregano all looking super <3

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 A peek into the greenhouse =v=... This is a golden zucchini seedling, it's going nuts in there, & soon it'll be ready to plant out :D

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I was so happy to see this, because that tiny spec of little green baby plant that you see in the middle (if it is what I expect) is my first ever tansy plant! WOOOOO!~ 'XO I have tried so many times to get those seeds to germinate, all without success, until now c: I hope more show up, & they grow to be strong & amazing tansy plants that will help ward off unwanted bugs around the yard. Go you glorious bastard, Go!

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So that's some of what's going on out there, I'd really love to get a nice little hand-help video camera so I can make a short video tour so people can get a better idea of how much  has changed, & get a better overall look at the layout, etc.
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I'll try to get around to posting my 'quinoa pizza' recipe later tonight.

Take care everyone! Ja ne :)

Vegan Nabe Recipe! (Healthy Japanese hot-pot)

Ok, because I opted to watch a movie, & now it's just about time to sleep I'll pick the easier recipe for tonight (*ﾉ▽ﾉ) 

Vegan (& gluten-free) Nabe Recipe! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Ingredients:
- 1 Leek
- 1 medium Carrot
- 1 cup of Frozen peas (Fresh peas are even better!)
- 4 medium Mushrooms
- 1/2 a block of Firm tofu &/or Tempeh
- 1 small Daikon radish, or another kind of radish (Optional)
- Approx 1/4 of a small Cabbage (Any kind will do)
- Oil, Tamari, Mirin & Pepper for frying tofu/tempeh
- Fresh steamed rice to serve <3  (A rice cooker makes this super easy)
(BROTH)
- 1 & 1/2 cups of Water
- 1/2 a cup of Tamari soy sauce (A Gluten free variety like Spiral)
- 1/4 cup of Cooking Sake
- 1/4 cup of Mirin
- 4 - 6 tbs of Brown sugar (Raw sugar is also fine. Add bit by bit to suit your taste)

NOTE: It's helpful to use a large skillet with a lid for this recipe, but just about any large pot or pan will do (as long as it has a lid :)

Method:
1. Preparation for the tofu & tempeh is the same. A quick rise, pat dry, slice into short strips & gently saute with a splash of oil, tamari, mirin & pepper until lightly coloured, then set aside for later.
*Use the skillet you are going to cook the nabe in to save dishes ;)
2. Prepare all the vegetables. You can pretty much cut them up however you like, I simply slice most of them into strips to keep it simple & uniform.
3. Add all the ingredients for the broth to the skillet & heat over a medium flame, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the carrots to the broth, & when it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, & simmer gently with lid on for 5 minutes.
4. Move the carrots aside & add all the remaining ingredients (including tofu/tempeh) except the peas. Keep ingredients in groups in the skillet, & simmer with the lid on until all vegetable are all cooked - (Approximately 15 minutes)
5. When all the vegetables are just tender (avoid over cooking them) make room for the peas & add them in, replace the lid, simmer for 2 minutes, & it's ready!

This is how the vegetables look in the skillet.

To serve, simply plop some fresh steamed rice into a bowl & form it into a dome shape (as seen in the photo) using the rice paddle. Then simply collect some of each ingredient & place it around the edges of the rice dome, & add some extra broth if desired :)

Nabe is quite a simple dish, & really doesn't take long to make. Mix & match different vegetables to make it the way you like :) I've started adding leafy greens to mine; silver beet & radish greens are both great, but I imagine any greens would be awesome ;) If you want to include leafy greens, add them to the broth at the very end with the peas to avoid over-cooking.

As always, please be sure to double check all your ingredients to make sure that they are Gluten-free & Vegan ;)

Enjoy everyone ｏ口(・∀・ )

Elder flower tree growing first flowers + Lovely natural building photos

I've been so busy in the garden for the past few weeks (pretty much since spring arrived) I probably could/should have started earlier, but I guess that's just another lesson learned :) Things are looking good, lots of lovely seedlings coming up, & the golden zucchini seedlings in particular & growing strong :D I've been paying extra special attention to our trees too, planting out around underneath them with support species, making sure they are well mulched, & have good sun exposure, especially the littlest ones :3 In particular I'm quite happy with our little elderflower sapling, which we grew from a cutting. It's really sending out some strong new growth this season, & I spotted the first little bunch of flower buds recently which is encouraging to see :)

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Elderflower sapling -

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(Flower buds are to the far right of the plant)

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In other news, I was also looking into building with round wood today, & found this lovely website, & also stumbled upon a gallery of natural building photos :)
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A couple of pics from the websites -
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New recipe coming later today too, I swear! :p

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Enjoy!

Natural building with cob :)

This is an amazing film, another one that falls into the category of 'something everyone should see'.
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Grab a cup of tea, settle in & check it out -
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I love you *s*p*r*i*n*g* !!! (´ ▽｀).。ｏ♡

Like many people, I suffer from a bit of hey fever, but nothing could stop me from loving spring! It's absolutely the season to get super busy out in the garden, & that's what I've been doing! Sowing seeds, planting (last minute) trees, prepping garden beds, spreading mulch, digging, pruning, all the good stuff c:

I've had the best time working outside, & I have an overwhelming feeling of joy when I see last seasons plants coming back & growing again :D The soil is gradually getting better, & I'm hoping for a bigger crop this year, although we're still going to be very exposed to the hot summer sun again :/ I have planted several fruit trees, but they're still teeny tiny, so they won't provide a whole lot of shade this year, but it's a start!

I'm beginning to regret not shooting a short video before I started, it would be great to compare the progress, but at least I have some photos :)

Speaking of photos, here are a few I took this afternoon...

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 This is a young Sunroot plant, more commonly known as a Jerusalem Artichoke. The tuber that grows underground is the edible part of this plant, & I hear it's delicious, so I can't wait to try some :D I also hear they give you powerful gas, so it'll be interesting to see how that pans out :p These plants can grow vigorously, & potentially take over the garden, so I planted mine over in an empty secluded spot. I also planted some cucumber seeds either side, as they are companion plants, so (hopefully) it won't be alone for long :p

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 This is my first little herb patch, with the ones who survived winter, they include; Vietnamese mint, Lemon balm & Oregano. There was a great deal of Basil, but it could handle the frost :o There's a small batch of lettuce to the right until the basil comes back...

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 Ruby chard, looking amazing in the lovely afternoon sun (´∀｀)♡... I love chard (aka Silverbeet), & happily our garden is full of it at the moment, so I've been adding it to my baked beans, green smoothies, pasta sauces, etc. The stems can vary in colour, depending on the variety, & I recently bought some rainbow chard seeds, & I can't wait to get it planted!

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 Broad bean flowers :) I hope we see some beans before I gets too hot! [:o

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 The first blossoms on the Mulberry tree I planted last week <3 I also got a Granny smith apple, Fuschia nectarine, Sunburst cherry, & Brown turkey fig. I hope they all do well 'X/

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 Some of the first flowers on the strawberry plants, which are spreading themselves around nicely :D I hope we get more fruit from them this year, & I hope we can get to them before the slugs :/ They ate them before they were even fully ripe last year! We don't stand a chance against such shenanigans! maybe some borage would help...

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& here is a beautiful young flower on my awesome borage plant :p Admittedly I haven't tried eating it yet, I'm still just too happy that I finally got a seed to germinateヽ(^。^)丿 I was even happier when it self seeded & came back all on it's own this year, & even stronger than last year c: The flowers & leaves are supposed to have a cucumber flavour to it, & they're well known for discouraging problematic insects, & encouraging beneficial ones :)

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No doubt I'll be back out there tomorrow, there are endless things to keep me busy, & happy (yay!) I'll definitely remember my hat tomorrow too, cause my face is feeling a little too warm at the moment >_>...
Hopefully we'll have more success this year, & I'll have some awesome pics to show later on :)

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Ja!

Mexi Bean Salad Recipe (*°∀°)=3

I love beans, I just wanted to start by saying that :p
So I have a Mexican-style bean salad recipe, which I got the basic idea for while looking through a few different bean salad recipes. This is a super easy, & really quick dish to make. Eat it as a complete meal or use it as a side dish to accompany something else, either is good :)
This is the lazy version, alternatively you could collect fresh ingredients, or even use dried beans, & make it from scratch, & I do plan on doing that one day, but this is what I got for now...

Mexi Bean Salad Recipe

All's you need is:
- 1 can of 4 Bean mix (regular 420g size)
- 1 can of Sweet corn (same size as beans)
- 1/4 of a medium Red Capsicum
- 1/2 a small purple(salad) Onion
- 1/4 - 1/2 a cove of Garlic (I use Russian garlic, but regular is fine ;)
- A small handful of fresh Coriander
- 2 tbs of Olive oil
- 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- A pinch of Pepper
- A pinch of Sugar

Method:

1. Pour the bean mix into a sieve & give them a quick rinse. Pour 3/4 of the can of sweet corn on top, & set aside to drain.
2. Finely dice the capsicum & onion, mince the garlic & add to a medium salad bowl.
3. Rinse, dry, & roughly chop the coriander, & add to the salad bowl.
* Alternatively you can use ground coriander seed, but fresh herbs are the best :) I use Vietnamese mint because it grows well in my garden, & it tastes like spicy coriander, win/win.
4. Add the beans & sweet corn to the salad bowl, add the remaining ingredients, mix well, & you're done!
*There should be no need to add any salt if using canned veg, they usually already have enough saltiness.

Enjoy!

Peaceable Kingdom DVD + Edible City...

This afternoon my copy of 'Peaceable Kingdom - the journey home' arrived in the mail :) - (& pretty much inspired this post)
I'm so happy to have a copy of this awesome documentary so I can share it around with a many people as possible!
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My little girl helped me get a good shot of it X)

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Here's the Peaceable Kingdom trailer -
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This is a film that absolutely everybody should see, especially if you eat meat on a regular basis.
We should be aware of where our food comes from, & accept the reality of an industry that we have helped to create, & continue to support.
This is a documentary is for anyone who cares about animals, the environment, or even if it's just for the well-being of yourself & your family. You may be surprised to learn the process of how the chicken/beef/pork, etc you eat ends up on your plate... & you should know.
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Peaceable Kingdom is not a bleak & hopeless film, it's truthful stories that show us how we can all alter our perceptions, start making some simple changes in our own lives, which can continue to spread & bring about positive change around us, hopefully one day even on a global scale :)
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You can get your hands on a copy of the DVD from a number of places, including the Peacable Kingdom website, or even from the Edgar's Mission online shop (especially handy if you live in Australia)
Check out the trailer, get your hands on a copy of the DVD, & start spreading it around!

The second documentary I want to mention today is 'Edible City'.
This film provides invaluable insight into how we can reform our current, fatally flawed agricultural industry to become stable, healthy & more productive using both new & traditional organic methods. Costs are reduced, yields increase, & the health of people & the environment begins to improve, so everyone wins :)
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*Watch Edible City on Youtube*
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I hope that gives you all some things to think about ;)
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We all need to improve the way we live every day, to be more conscious of each other & the countless other lifeforms we share this planet with.
We cannot continue to charge forward, thoughtlessly taking everything we want for ourselves, because this way of thinking can only lead to disaster.

Quick catch-up, & some new drawings : )

I've been keeping busy with fairly productive things, had a bit of paid work, I've been on a few bike rides, & I've finally got back into drawing after a dry spell.

Here are my most recent digital drawings -

 This one is my half of an art trade I did with a lovely girl on deviantArt. These are her Pokemon characters; a female Pikachu, & her partner Buizel. I used artRage, which is a magnificent program, & I highly recommend trying it out! 

 These are some new OC's of mine that I decided to draw after having a dream about them.

The girl on the left is Emily (or Em) & the girl in the back, to the right is Finn. There is a short backstory for them, which you can see here >>> link, if you're interested.

 Finn, really upset after a confrontation with Em's parents. Em's father in particular is strongly against their relationship.

 On Em's 18th birthday Finn finally lets her feelings out & glomps Em first thing in the morning ': ) (Drawn using Photoshop CS3)

A speed paint challenge. All I know is that I wanted to draw someone using old-school 3D glasses, & this is the result :p Very fun pic, again using artRage : )

I'm working on keeping my momentum going, & drawing more. I just have to defeat my brain, cause that's the only thing that stands in my way 0_0...

Enjoy!~

Photo dumpage...

 Tasty caramelised nuts cooking at the market. These are almonds, they're amazing, but there are also peanuts & macadamias 0_0 Everyone should absolutely go buy some on Saturday...

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 With winter comes moss! I have deep moss love :)

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 Truthfully I'm not a fan of most graffiti, but somehow in the winter light it looked ok.

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 Pretty dappled leaf.

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 The old boy, he's 13 this year (＊0＊;)

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 Addi, why you so beautiful?

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More awesome winter light, & my lovely Etiko shoe <3

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Hopefully I'll have a new recipe for you all soon. I have recipes I swear! I just, kinda... keep eating them before I can get photos (；￢_￢)

PSY - GANGNAM STYLE (강남스타일)

My new favourite Korean pop song~
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Yeeah

Awesome cup fungi! :D

Whilst planting out some seedlings & tidying up around the garden this morning, I noticed these cool looking fungi. Naturally I called Eli over, & he says 'ohhh, cup fungi'. I wish I knew more about fungi, I'd love to go out & forage for wild mushrooms, maybe one day... :I
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