Easter preparations

Easter this year was a really quiet affair here for me....it's usually a great big celebration with baking and cleaning and decorating the home just like Christmas, but somehow the celebratory mood was not quite there.
The house was cleaned, but then again I am in the middle of a huge spring cleaning job, so that was definite.
Didn't do any decorating at all.
However, I did bake and bake and bake.
There were a few items in the pantry that needed to be used up so I baked up a storm as we say here.

Ingredients for Rum Bread & Butter Pudding, Pineapple Upside Down Cake, and an Easter Egg Cake for our friends at the RSPCA.
Actually the Rum Bread & Butter pudding turned out to be a virgin Bread & Butter Pudding, since when I checked the liquor cupboard, there was no rum to be found, and I didn't feel like braving the crowds in the supermarket....thus the raisins were soaked in almond milk instead.

Icing and decorating the Easter Cake

The cake all trimmed and waiting on the Creamy Butter frosting.

Easter Egg Cake

A special treat for my RSPCA family.

 I also made a batch of coconut ice cream since I had a tin of coconut milk sitting in the pantry.

Coconut Ice Cream Ingredients:

1 tin coconut milk

1 tin condensed milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut

Blend everything together and freeze. When frozen, remove and blend again.  Freeze again. Lovely and creamy and tasty....oh soooo GOOD.

After the church service on Easter Sunday, there was a dessert sale, and we could not resist the Cherry Cheesecake and the Black Forest Cake, even though we had baked goodies at home.

Talk about temptation!!!

Spa Bath Day

I don't know the last day I went to the spa for a relaxing treatment...it's been a while.

On the other hand Mr. BrownBerts had a lovely rub-a-dub-dub bath on Saturday with warm water from the hose and a bar of Castile Cocoa Butter soap.
It was his Easter bath and it also washed away all traces of his recent illness.

Here he is rolling around on his new towel (Christmas present).....

.....as I try to dry under his tummy and along his back.

What is it about wet hair that dogs enjoy licking so much?

Under his neck is fully healed...it's just the hair to grow back and he's all good again.

Here he is licking his back paw that I just towel dried....maybe he does it better I don't know.

A small scratch under the neck

All clean and smelling so nice again...soft fluffy hair all ready for cuddling.

A Happy and Blessed Easter

A Happy and Blessed Easter to all!!

Easter Sunday 2016

The Altar at Christ the King Church Barbados

Update

It's been a while, actually just over two weeks that I have not been around.
Mr. Brownbie was still recuperating and when he's not 100% neither am I.
He had developed a large hotspot  (pyotraumatic or moist dermatitis) under his neck in the same area where he had one a few years ago, but this one was far bigger.
This one was an angry area of red moist oozing skin that was inflamed and infected.
It itched like crazy and was rather painful for Mr. Brownbie.
The vet placed him on Prednisone for a few days to help relieve the itching.
An oral antibiotic (Septra) was also prescribed for 5 days for the pain and inflammation.
I was also told not to mess around with the area, just keep it clean.
After the meds were finished, the spot was still a big concern but at least it had began to show signs of healing.
Then I remembered my good friend.
Did I tell you about my good friend Mr. Google?  We have been friends for many years and it seems that we are getting closer everyday....he shares secrets and unknown facts with me, and I tell him how great he is and give him a pat on his back every time he shares a nugget of knowledge that is truly fascinating.
I know you already know that I like to learn new things.
Well after the vet had told me to clear the hair from the hotspot area and leave it alone, I went on a knowledge quest with Mr.Google and discovered that there were quite a few home remedies for curing hotspots.
My other good friend Dr.Andrew Jones is invaluable with his holistic knowledge for treating pets at home.
Other bloggers with canine families also wrote about it here.
I decided to try the tea and aspirin method on the hotspot.

I steeped a black tea bag (tea has tannins for drying the area) and dissolved an aspirin in the tea. I used this concoction to clean the area four times a day.
I made a big batch of tea which I stored in the fridge and used it throughout the day.  I poured some on  to cotton rounds and wiped the area.
The spot started to look much better by the second day.
I continued to enlist Mr. Google's help and discovered that coconut oil (I used Organic Extra Virgin) was invaluable for healing.
I started using the coconut oil on the area after it was cleaned.  It soothed the spot and I was literally shocked at the increased healing.

Today, the area has a scab that will probably soon fall off revealing a nicely healed skin.  In the interim it is a bit itchy (healing cuts/sores always itch), but Brownie only gives it a brief scratch with his right back paw.
Now that my boy is on his way to a full recovery, I am happy as a bug in a rug.
Thanks to our wonderful vets Dr. Huey and Dr. Pollard, and Nurse Charmaine and the wonderful RSPCA staff...I don't know what I would have done without you during all the years I have had my dogs.
We are forever thankful for all of you wonderful caring professionals.
Here is another story about the wonderful RSPCA staff that warmed my heart.

https://www.facebook.com/BarbadosRSPCA/videos/1127346210649141/

Chinese Fish and Dragon Festival encore - Serious Play

The Chinese Fish and Dragon Festival which I attended a couple of weeks ago had many components and activities included which I did not get to attend.

However, last Saturday (February 27th) I found myself in the city running a few errands and made a hasty decision to visit the "Serious Play" art exhibition being hosted at the EXCHANGE Gallery across from The Central Bank of Barbados.

 EXCHANGE Gallery

 

The three artists on show were Joshua Lue Chee Kong (Trinbagonian from Trinidad and Tobago), Versia Harris (Barbadian) and Leandro Soto (Cuban/American).
The pleasant guard on duty was very helpful with my query whether it was okay to take photos. A quick phone call to the Curator proved that it was permissible to do so.
The lighting inside the gallery was perfect for the display but I'm afraid my camera did not do fair justice to the pieces.
This year being the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese lunar calendar some of the displayed works portrayed and highlighted the monkey.

Himself as Emperor

Himself as Warrior

Himself as Performer

The monkey paintings were done by Versia Harris.

The moulded clay figures were made by Joshua Lue Chee Kong.

The drawings and artwork were done by  Leandro Soto.

 

Video Demonstration

Messages in bottles

Moulded Memories by Josh Lu

Trinidad Chinese Flag...I liked this concept.

Artist Bio of  Joshua Lue Chee Kong

 Artist Bio of  Versia Harris

Artist Bio of Leandro Soto

I loved the fact that I had the gallery all to myself to explore and get close up and personal to each piece of artwork...(I arrived early not long after the gallery opening).

I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much if it were crowded with lots of people.

To the artists I say ....Fascinating and truly creative....keep up the good work.