- Thread starter malko
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Feel Good Story of the Day
dv8 and 'Frica
come'on over --- I just bought chicken backs and necks for the dogs
they'll be happy to share !!! hahaha
dv8.... cow tongue is excellent.... many a good Scot will attest to that
those cuts of meat were cheap... considered throw away... in many countries
if you have a slow cooker..... stuff that tongue in ...... eat with Dijon mustard
come'on over --- I just bought chicken backs and necks for the dogs
they'll be happy to share !!! hahaha
dv8.... cow tongue is excellent.... many a good Scot will attest to that
those cuts of meat were cheap... considered throw away... in many countries
if you have a slow cooker..... stuff that tongue in ...... eat with Dijon mustard
Cow tongue the French way (with tomato sauce or mustard sauce), never even thought of it as undesirable.
See, now, that s why I don't have dogs
Alterego can you say pressure cooker, mom used to fix chicken an noodles. used the older hens and rooster once in a while,
Cow tongue the French way (with tomato sauce or mustard sauce), never even thought of it as undesirable.
See, now, that s why I don't have dogs
I prepare tongue Filipino style in a mushroom, sherry and parmesan sauce. Served it sliced at a party and someone asked for the recipe for the "delicious roast beef."
As a follow up on chickens and hens..........
Around my conuco is fields and woods of a finca, so lots of wildlife. Butterflies, birds and so on........lots of hummimg birds by the way this past week.
Anyway, when the eggs hatch I leave the hen and her chicks seperated for a couple of weeks, so the mother hen can teach them to eat and stuff.
Then I let them out with all the other chickens.
Generally the mother hen is very protective of her chicks, so no harm comes to them.
One hen ( who had chicks for the first time ), wasnt very intrested in her chicks. I managed to take 4 away from her and get them accepted by another mother hen, who had chicks at the same time. ( not an easy process.....).
So that left her with 3 chicks.
Last week I let that hen and her 3 chicks out with all the rest of the birds. A couple of days later, 2 chicks disapeared !!! I thought of rats or snakes bit locals told me no. They said they would go for the eggs first. And there is a lot of eggs.
I was told of a fox that was hanging around, but I do not think so. They are bold and even enter people's houses from time to time, but they have always giving a wide berth to my conuco ( because of the dogs ).
Today the last chick of that specific hen disappeared in between 0700 ( when we fed them ) and 1200. Mystery !!! A finca worker said there was a big bird of prey around ( well thats what I gathered, he spoke as if he had hot potatoes in his mouth, the word started with a B ).
I have seen from time to time something like a sparrow hawk ( ?pervier in french ), circling high in the sky.
But the guy described it with is arms spread open ( I thought he was describing a vampire at first.......).
Anyone know if there are birds of prey in the dominican countryside ??? And what kind ??
Any ideas to ward them off ??
Around my conuco is fields and woods of a finca, so lots of wildlife. Butterflies, birds and so on........lots of hummimg birds by the way this past week.
Anyway, when the eggs hatch I leave the hen and her chicks seperated for a couple of weeks, so the mother hen can teach them to eat and stuff.
Then I let them out with all the other chickens.
Generally the mother hen is very protective of her chicks, so no harm comes to them.
One hen ( who had chicks for the first time ), wasnt very intrested in her chicks. I managed to take 4 away from her and get them accepted by another mother hen, who had chicks at the same time. ( not an easy process.....).
So that left her with 3 chicks.
Last week I let that hen and her 3 chicks out with all the rest of the birds. A couple of days later, 2 chicks disapeared !!! I thought of rats or snakes bit locals told me no. They said they would go for the eggs first. And there is a lot of eggs.
I was told of a fox that was hanging around, but I do not think so. They are bold and even enter people's houses from time to time, but they have always giving a wide berth to my conuco ( because of the dogs ).
Today the last chick of that specific hen disappeared in between 0700 ( when we fed them ) and 1200. Mystery !!! A finca worker said there was a big bird of prey around ( well thats what I gathered, he spoke as if he had hot potatoes in his mouth, the word started with a B ).
I have seen from time to time something like a sparrow hawk ( ?pervier in french ), circling high in the sky.
But the guy described it with is arms spread open ( I thought he was describing a vampire at first.......).
Anyone know if there are birds of prey in the dominican countryside ??? And what kind ??
Any ideas to ward them off ??
Mr. AE says it's probably a guaraguao. If it's during the day though, he says look for a snake.
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/guaraguao
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/guaraguao
So as we near navidad everybody is speaking of the "xmas hampers" that are gifted to the pueblo by syndico/state/churches/soon to be syndicos/wannabe deputados.........
I gathered, over the years that the goverment through the syndicos gifted xmas hampers to the "needy". A typical hamper in our campo would be : habichuelas, brown sugar, oil, a couple of sweets, that funny red wine, milk punch ( something de oro ), a cheap small bottle of rum, rice, carnation milk...........
All in all a great idea if u ask me. Helps put nice food on the table for xmas, the essentials. So it lets familys concentrate on richer foods and presents for kids.
Then, last year, some familys, instead of the hampers, get a 2000 peso gvt bond/cheque, that u can use at diffrent shops. Good idea, but not as good as the hampers as the bond can be sold for a fraction of its value, so as to get cash ( ie booze and cuervos....... less xmassie spirit....).
Anyway, the syndico, for some unkown reason deposits all the hampers of our small village ( he is the syndico of a nearby small town, that we are dependent of ) with an old guy, who happens to be an evangelico. He then redistributes the hampers as he wishes ( or so it seems ).
So of course, as all church guys/ preachers/ wailing doomsayers he is completly honest and takes this very demanding responsability with the uttermost charity spirit........ or not.
Last year, the people who were not part of his flock, got hampers minus the rum and oil !!!!! Normal, one cannot only trust such spiritaly demanding earthly products with the godless common people ( even roman catholics are looked down on by our local breed of evangelisto hermanos and hermanas......). They are much better off in his large family's hands ( and stomachs ).
Even better, the hampers were not distribuated to the most needy ( as I can imagine the intention was, in the first place ). Quite the contary, actually. I was even offered one !!!!!!!!! I mean, how can u believe that hampers with the most basic food products can be gifited to the richer folk !!!!! ( not that I am rich, but by our campo standards I am filthy rich ).
And then the best part. A haitian lady, friend of ours and occasional worker in our home, says that in the 10+years she has lived here, she has NEVET got a hamper !!!!!!! She is a really kind person and also really poor. Lives in a shack with her 4 kids. According to the locals it is b3cause she cant vote.......even though she does attend "open air" evangelico church....... Heartbreaking.
Last year in janaury, we had already slipped the fact into a conversation with the syndico ( who is actualy a good guy...... for a politico.....), who expressed his outrage, stating that of course the hampers were meant for people like her, even haitians. But I can imagine nothing was said ( or long forgotten ) or done. I hope I am wrong, of course, we shall see in the next few days.
So this year my wife is preparing her a xmas hamper to put the state ones to shame ( her words ), which is not really a feat really.
Sorry for the rant, just that the xmas spirit seems slightly peverted in our campo, used for religious and /or political gains......
Pathetic really.
Lets make it a reminder that the xmas spirit, even if originaly religious, has become over the centuries, in our judeo-christian tainted societies, a season of goodwill, peace and love. For everyone, independant of nationality and religion. It should be a time to set aside diffrences not cultivate them.
I gathered, over the years that the goverment through the syndicos gifted xmas hampers to the "needy". A typical hamper in our campo would be : habichuelas, brown sugar, oil, a couple of sweets, that funny red wine, milk punch ( something de oro ), a cheap small bottle of rum, rice, carnation milk...........
All in all a great idea if u ask me. Helps put nice food on the table for xmas, the essentials. So it lets familys concentrate on richer foods and presents for kids.
Then, last year, some familys, instead of the hampers, get a 2000 peso gvt bond/cheque, that u can use at diffrent shops. Good idea, but not as good as the hampers as the bond can be sold for a fraction of its value, so as to get cash ( ie booze and cuervos....... less xmassie spirit....).
Anyway, the syndico, for some unkown reason deposits all the hampers of our small village ( he is the syndico of a nearby small town, that we are dependent of ) with an old guy, who happens to be an evangelico. He then redistributes the hampers as he wishes ( or so it seems ).
So of course, as all church guys/ preachers/ wailing doomsayers he is completly honest and takes this very demanding responsability with the uttermost charity spirit........ or not.
Last year, the people who were not part of his flock, got hampers minus the rum and oil !!!!! Normal, one cannot only trust such spiritaly demanding earthly products with the godless common people ( even roman catholics are looked down on by our local breed of evangelisto hermanos and hermanas......). They are much better off in his large family's hands ( and stomachs ).
Even better, the hampers were not distribuated to the most needy ( as I can imagine the intention was, in the first place ). Quite the contary, actually. I was even offered one !!!!!!!!! I mean, how can u believe that hampers with the most basic food products can be gifited to the richer folk !!!!! ( not that I am rich, but by our campo standards I am filthy rich ).
And then the best part. A haitian lady, friend of ours and occasional worker in our home, says that in the 10+years she has lived here, she has NEVET got a hamper !!!!!!! She is a really kind person and also really poor. Lives in a shack with her 4 kids. According to the locals it is b3cause she cant vote.......even though she does attend "open air" evangelico church....... Heartbreaking.
Last year in janaury, we had already slipped the fact into a conversation with the syndico ( who is actualy a good guy...... for a politico.....), who expressed his outrage, stating that of course the hampers were meant for people like her, even haitians. But I can imagine nothing was said ( or long forgotten ) or done. I hope I am wrong, of course, we shall see in the next few days.
So this year my wife is preparing her a xmas hamper to put the state ones to shame ( her words ), which is not really a feat really.
Sorry for the rant, just that the xmas spirit seems slightly peverted in our campo, used for religious and /or political gains......
Pathetic really.
Lets make it a reminder that the xmas spirit, even if originaly religious, has become over the centuries, in our judeo-christian tainted societies, a season of goodwill, peace and love. For everyone, independant of nationality and religion. It should be a time to set aside diffrences not cultivate them.
BTW, all the blame dor the last post lies on Cdn gringo, who in diffrent posts spoke about baileys and coffee.......
Baileys mmmmhhhhh.
Was in a store and they had bottles of baileys at 750 pesos ( or maybe 800 ), so of course I cracked and got a couple.
Baileys and coffee, coffee and baileys, coffee with a shot of baileys in it, baileys and bannana smoothies, baileys/lechosa/coconut milk...........
Thanks for the reminder Cdn gringo !!!! Hic hic. Cheers.
Baileys mmmmhhhhh.
Was in a store and they had bottles of baileys at 750 pesos ( or maybe 800 ), so of course I cracked and got a couple.
Baileys and coffee, coffee and baileys, coffee with a shot of baileys in it, baileys and bannana smoothies, baileys/lechosa/coconut milk...........
Thanks for the reminder Cdn gringo !!!! Hic hic. Cheers.
My sister-in-law novio's dogs were poisoned in their house under construction, right next door to me ( they live across the road in the family house......).
The novio breeds and sells roosters for fighting....... he didnt want to leave all the roosters without security ( and they didnt ask but were waiting for me to propose the use of one of my dogs for a couple of nights.......which is a big no-no ).
So the day after, they asked me if I could drive them to a finca, lost in the mountain, to pick up a dog someone offered him ( the novio is a "campo vet assistant ", ie helps give birth to cows and stuff-----so he meets lots of people who live far from civilisation ).
I had never been further than ranchito, a small village far, far of our main road. Its hilly and very very steep ( if it rains, u cant get in or out ).
Anyway we finally arrive at this finca, up on top of a hill, lovely scenery, peaceful and quiet........ I was weary of getting out of the SUV as there was like 7 dogs...... the owner came out and said no problem. Turned out he has a sister of my rottweiler.
So they went about trying to catch the most horrendous pitbull to walk this earth. The dog was absolutly terriefied of his owner......... well other story about how he treated his dogs..
While the novio went about catching the pitbull with the young daughters of the owners (!!!!!!) and a worker, I spoke with the owner, mainly about some plants he had that I had never seen. So I came away with 3 more specimens for my ever growing garden ( included a distant relative of sabila, which is said to purify kidneys when infused. ).
We got to talk about chicken, he had loads of pellona ( or japanese ), running about. They were presents for the voters last election and he ended up with 50 or so. I later learned he was a politician.........
He was surprised to learn I had loads of hens, had had ducks ( to much ducks, not enough meat....), guinea ( too much noise ), turkeys ( genocided for the last 3 xmasas ), peacoks ( that didnt turn out well, RIP )........ never met a gringo who liked to get his hands dirty, said he.
And he asked why I never tried to raise --------- ( spanish word that went in and out of my head ). After explanation it meant geese.
I said I never had the opportunity. He asked if I had any hens echada, ie sitting on eggs. I said yes, always 2 or 3 at any given time. He said he would bring me a goose egg round and to supplant it for the hens egg. Of course I agreed but didnt really count on it.
The novio finally had the pitbull chained up. Got in the SUV ( which involved the owner chucking it in by the tail...... ), and home we went.
Today I was painting a wall at home, door rang, went to gate. The finca owner/politician, back from work ( at another finca ). Didnt have time to stop, handed me 4 HUGE geese eggs that are due in a week or so. Still all hot from mother goose sitting on them.
So under one of my hens they went, subsitued for the 10 eggs she was sitting ( dont worry I spread the eggs out between 2 other hens, who are also due this week....... so no chick sacrifices :nervous:, I hope ).
So I hope to post, in a week or so, on my freshly hatched geese eggs. Fingers crossed.
The novio breeds and sells roosters for fighting....... he didnt want to leave all the roosters without security ( and they didnt ask but were waiting for me to propose the use of one of my dogs for a couple of nights.......which is a big no-no ).
So the day after, they asked me if I could drive them to a finca, lost in the mountain, to pick up a dog someone offered him ( the novio is a "campo vet assistant ", ie helps give birth to cows and stuff-----so he meets lots of people who live far from civilisation ).
I had never been further than ranchito, a small village far, far of our main road. Its hilly and very very steep ( if it rains, u cant get in or out ).
Anyway we finally arrive at this finca, up on top of a hill, lovely scenery, peaceful and quiet........ I was weary of getting out of the SUV as there was like 7 dogs...... the owner came out and said no problem. Turned out he has a sister of my rottweiler.
So they went about trying to catch the most horrendous pitbull to walk this earth. The dog was absolutly terriefied of his owner......... well other story about how he treated his dogs..
While the novio went about catching the pitbull with the young daughters of the owners (!!!!!!) and a worker, I spoke with the owner, mainly about some plants he had that I had never seen. So I came away with 3 more specimens for my ever growing garden ( included a distant relative of sabila, which is said to purify kidneys when infused. ).
We got to talk about chicken, he had loads of pellona ( or japanese ), running about. They were presents for the voters last election and he ended up with 50 or so. I later learned he was a politician.........
He was surprised to learn I had loads of hens, had had ducks ( to much ducks, not enough meat....), guinea ( too much noise ), turkeys ( genocided for the last 3 xmasas ), peacoks ( that didnt turn out well, RIP )........ never met a gringo who liked to get his hands dirty, said he.
And he asked why I never tried to raise --------- ( spanish word that went in and out of my head ). After explanation it meant geese.
I said I never had the opportunity. He asked if I had any hens echada, ie sitting on eggs. I said yes, always 2 or 3 at any given time. He said he would bring me a goose egg round and to supplant it for the hens egg. Of course I agreed but didnt really count on it.
The novio finally had the pitbull chained up. Got in the SUV ( which involved the owner chucking it in by the tail......
), and home we went.Today I was painting a wall at home, door rang, went to gate. The finca owner/politician, back from work ( at another finca ). Didnt have time to stop, handed me 4 HUGE geese eggs that are due in a week or so. Still all hot from mother goose sitting on them.
So under one of my hens they went, subsitued for the 10 eggs she was sitting ( dont worry I spread the eggs out between 2 other hens, who are also due this week....... so no chick sacrifices :nervous:, I hope ).
So I hope to post, in a week or so, on my freshly hatched geese eggs. Fingers crossed.
i like going into these little colmados...they know all the area residents....introduce me....i get #'s..ha ha ha
and of course i spend a few peysos i like to go in in the late afternoon when ladies are getting home and need things to cook with...working ladies and i dont mean "working ladies" lots of single ladies in d.r. that are intelligent educated and available..willing and come with a family unit... just takeover...move in...
and of course i spend a few peysos i like to go in in the late afternoon when ladies are getting home and need things to cook with...working ladies and i dont mean "working ladies" lots of single ladies in d.r. that are intelligent educated and available..willing and come with a family unit... just takeover...move in...
During the past few months EDenorte has been installing real ciment electricity posts ( as opposed to the old wooden ones ) and very high.
The good news is there are "normal " lines and the high/medium power ones high up on these posts, with brand new wiring.
Because, before hand, if it was windy and/or raining hard, the lines would short out, branches would hit them creating our own fireworks and earthquakes.........
So mid-december the lines finally arrived to our small campo. Then.......... nothing till yesterday. Edenortecame roumd to change the luz counters over to the new system.
So, for 2 years I have been asking Edenorte to install my meter on the wall in front of my house ( as opposed to on the pole 50/70 m away.), more control over the thing. I filled in forms, went to POP offdice, nothing never happened. I even had my electrician install thewhole fing and all we needed edenorte to do was hook up the4 meter cables........
So yesterday, they placed the meter where I wanted it. But didnt hook it up, saying if everything blew, I would blame them....
After assuring them I wouldnt blame the corporation, they did hook it up. Of course, before hand, I cut off the mains AND unplugged all appliances ( I am not mad.....).
Surprisingly all went well and smoothly.
Three cheers for edenorte !!!!!
The edenorte technician even told me he had cut the old cables at the pole and at my installation box on my wall. He said they were great quality and heavy duty ( one reason to build......CDNgringo ), and to dig them up before some tiguere got hold of them.
So we had burried the lines (so one cant easily steal ure luz ), in a flexible good quality tube ( keep the water out ).
I thought "great, I will just pull the cables out through the tube "
Yeah, right.
Tired of puffing and panting and getting nowhere, I had brainstorm. Got the pickup out, tied the 4 cables to the tow thingy ( 2 positive cables and 2 others ), got back in the car, put4 wheel drive in and steadily accelerated.
Guess what happened ???
The cables broke after a bit and whiplashed, cutting off 2 arms and a leg in the process ( well they didnt but only because I asked people to stand back,then told them twice to stand back, then got back out of theSUV and SCREAMED at them to stand back ).
So left everything for the night.
Today took my shovel and pickaxe and started digging. And dug, and dug and dug. The damn thing was 40 cm under earth at its worst, 25 cm at its best. Thats a lot of earth to dig through (and ants, loads of fire spitting ants ).
Of course I forgot that it is la patronale of the nearby village. More on that in the next post.
So no one was working and every man and his dog stopped to look at me dig.
Every single soul asked " why are you digging ???"
"Clearly, as you can see, to take out the cables".
" No why are YOU digging ??".
"Do I look old ?? Handicapped??"
"No,no, but gringos dont do stuff like that".
" ok , thanks, I'll make a note to myself for next time".
After a couple of hours of hard work, hot and sweaty, feet bitten to pieces by the ants, I got the cables and the flexible tube out.
Victory !!!!!! ( small things can take on great importance, here in the dr ).
The good news is there are "normal " lines and the high/medium power ones high up on these posts, with brand new wiring.
Because, before hand, if it was windy and/or raining hard, the lines would short out, branches would hit them creating our own fireworks and earthquakes.........
So mid-december the lines finally arrived to our small campo. Then.......... nothing till yesterday. Edenortecame roumd to change the luz counters over to the new system.
So, for 2 years I have been asking Edenorte to install my meter on the wall in front of my house ( as opposed to on the pole 50/70 m away.), more control over the thing. I filled in forms, went to POP offdice, nothing never happened. I even had my electrician install thewhole fing and all we needed edenorte to do was hook up the4 meter cables........
So yesterday, they placed the meter where I wanted it. But didnt hook it up, saying if everything blew, I would blame them....
After assuring them I wouldnt blame the corporation, they did hook it up. Of course, before hand, I cut off the mains AND unplugged all appliances ( I am not mad.....).
Surprisingly all went well and smoothly.
Three cheers for edenorte !!!!!
The edenorte technician even told me he had cut the old cables at the pole and at my installation box on my wall. He said they were great quality and heavy duty ( one reason to build......CDNgringo
), and to dig them up before some tiguere got hold of them.So we had burried the lines (so one cant easily steal ure luz ), in a flexible good quality tube ( keep the water out ).
I thought "great, I will just pull the cables out through the tube "
Yeah, right.
Tired of puffing and panting and getting nowhere, I had brainstorm. Got the pickup out, tied the 4 cables to the tow thingy ( 2 positive cables and 2 others ), got back in the car, put4 wheel drive in and steadily accelerated.
Guess what happened ???
The cables broke after a bit and whiplashed, cutting off 2 arms and a leg in the process ( well they didnt but only because I asked people to stand back,then told them twice to stand back, then got back out of theSUV and SCREAMED at them to stand back ).
So left everything for the night.
Today took my shovel and pickaxe and started digging. And dug, and dug and dug. The damn thing was 40 cm under earth at its worst, 25 cm at its best. Thats a lot of earth to dig through (and ants, loads of fire spitting ants ).
Of course I forgot that it is la patronale of the nearby village. More on that in the next post.
So no one was working and every man and his dog stopped to look at me dig.
Every single soul asked " why are you digging ???"
"Clearly, as you can see, to take out the cables".
" No why are YOU digging ??".
"Do I look old ?? Handicapped??"
"No,no, but gringos dont do stuff like that".
" ok , thanks, I'll make a note to myself for next time".
After a couple of hours of hard work, hot and sweaty, feet bitten to pieces by the ants, I got the cables and the flexible tube out.
Victory !!!!!! ( small things can take on great importance, here in the dr ).
Malko,
I am Cdn Gringo's literary agent.....
I take on few clients but am willing to take you under my wing to promote your writing career...
His 'nom de plume' is Buster Blowhard....... we'll work on one for you too
So be careful with that Manual Labor..... watch your fingers, the keys to your new career
Call Manuel Labore next time you feel the urge to improve your property.
Harking back to your popularity with the local females (remember AE's request for your photo?)
perhaps the 'nom de plume' should be in the direction of that other great novel estrella...Fabio
there we have it... ! ! !
Fantastic Fabio...... voila !
see why I am an agent ? ?? huh??
I am Cdn Gringo's literary agent.....
I take on few clients but am willing to take you under my wing to promote your writing career...
His 'nom de plume' is Buster Blowhard....... we'll work on one for you too
So be careful with that Manual Labor..... watch your fingers, the keys to your new career
Call Manuel Labore next time you feel the urge to improve your property.
Harking back to your popularity with the local females (remember AE's request for your photo?)
perhaps the 'nom de plume' should be in the direction of that other great novel estrella...Fabio
there we have it... ! ! !
Fantastic Fabio...... voila !
see why I am an agent ? ?? huh??