Bite sized pieces

This morning I was up early gardening as it's going to be a hot one. While cutting back the flax so that I can mow without getting it all caught up in the lawnmower blade it occurred to me (not for the first time) how wonderful it is living in New Zealand where there are no snakes to frighten me in the undergrowth - and indeed no nasty bitey things at all - well none that will kill. We do have white tail spiders which bite (thanks again Australia), and our native weta can nip, but it more just gives the recipient a fright. Personally I find them too creepy to get up close to. Oh, and like everywhere there is the odd shark - but attacks are a rarity here.

New Zealand weta

So I laughed at the expression on the face of our weekend visitor from England as she was about to get into a kayak on our river when she saw Derek nailing up this sign he got from Australia...."You don't have those here do you????" 

No we don't have any - it's just for fun.

Autodidact
I am one of these. N. A person who has learnt a subject without the  benefit of a teacher. A self-learner.
I always have my nose in a book looking for new ideas.

10 Ways to Boost Flavour and Nutrition in Fresh Food is an article that I came across in Mother Earth News - and bless them, they have reproduced the whole article online. 

Who would have thought that tearing lettuce into bite sized pieces and storing it like that would improve it's nutritional value? And that it pays to chop/ crush your garlic 10 minutes before you cook it to get optimum food value. For the reasoning behind these and more ideas go and check out that article.
And just when I needed it - an article in the latest NZ Gardener magazine (thanks Kaylee for the loan) with recipes for natural treatment for the likes of powdery mildew. I just did this yesterday with baking soda spray as my tomatoes have got it already, but their recipe is:-

Powdery mildew spray recipe
1 tablespoon of baking soda
500 mls of hot water (not boiling)
small squirt of detergent
250ml full cream milk (I'm going to use milk powder)

Mix the baking soda to a paste with a little hot water and detergent. Mix in the milk and remaining water. Thoroughly coat all leaves - undersides too. Apply several times a week as heat and humidity increase.
It won't cure it but should stop it spreading.