Enjoying May Skies

There have been some lovely skies this month.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.

Click on the link and you will see more awesome skies from around the globe.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day in North America.

I want to take a moment to wish all of you mother's a very happy and special day.

If you are a child or grown child and still have a mother I hope you will make a time to let her know how much you appreciate what she has done for you. Not everyone has that opportunity and not every one has a good mom but many are very blessed to have had a good and loving mother. 

I was fortunate to be blessed with a very loving mother.  One who took her responsibilities of love, care, concern and guidance for her family and other people very seriously. I was never unsure about mother's care and protection and she did her very best for all her children and for the children of others. For these blessings, I am very grateful.

She is now in the twilight years of her life and unable to do much.  Even so she still tries to think of others and show them she cares. Mostly though I now take care of her with the help of my youngest brother.  My nephew (my departed sister's son) also cherishes his grandmother as she helped to raise him.  Even though he is very busy he tries to make time to lift her spirits and give her the motivation to keep on living.

Mother's Day seems to be an appropriate time to let you know about Baby Fidelis and her mother who live in Kenya.

Mothers who live and toil in developing countries have it so hard.  This family is of very humble means and the mother finds it difficult to find work to care for her child but she does the best she can.

In Kenya when you have a disabled child, people become very suspicious of you.
Not only do you have to worry about how to take care of your child with limited means and no government support system but you have to contend with whispers, ridicule and accusations for people still think that you have been cursed or involved in witchcraft somehow and that is why your child is born with a disability.

Parents often hide their children and lock them away out of sight due to the stigma but also sometimes to protect them from others.

Baby Fidelis was born with a defect called large frontal growth (Encephalocele). This is a rare disorder that occurs in about 1 in 5000 births worldwide. If the child has surgery soonest, she has a better chance of recovery and normal development.

As you can see from her photos below this growth is very large and she needs surgery urgently.

She is expected to undergo reconstruction surgery in Canada but first the family advocate in Kenya is trying to raise the funds needed for several of them to travel to Canada and remain and live in Canada while the child undergoes surgery and recovers.

Can you help?

Just think if this was your baby or your grandchild, what would you do to help her?

Her mother is very poor and believe me if she could fly to Canada now on her own means she would gladly do it. 

But she needs our help.

They are SO CLOSE to having the needed funds to undertake the travel.

Baby Fidelis with her mother & family advocate, Joseph Wanjau, Hope Foundation

Time is of the essence and we need to do what we can now, not next week or the week after.

As the growth gets bigger it creates more pressure in the head for this young child.

Thank you for reading and responding.

Baboons in the Park

Baboons are fascinating creatures. 

They are curious too. If you leave your car doors or windows open they will get inside and take things just as the monkeys do.

In fact, baboons are Old World Monkeys.

These photos were taken at Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya. I took many photos but at the moment I can only find a few to share.

  

I especially enjoy watching the baby baboons. Understandably the baby baboon likes to stick close by mama baboon.  Most often you will see the baby being carried around on the mama's back or belly.

 This particular baby seemed to be having lots of fun by himself on the picnic table with his mama close at hand.

I hope you enjoyed these photos.

I'm linking up with our host Eileen at Saturday's Critters.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers reading this.
You deserve a big hug. xx

Sunrise

Now and then I am blessed to catch a sunrise. This is one from a few days ago. 

We continue to have odd weather. It hailed again.This is the 2nd time in a week.

The hail looked like snow. I couldn't believe it but speaking to a cousin of mine just yesterday I learned it was snowing where she lives. It is rather late in the season for that. While we were talking on the phone I saw one reporter from her city (Edmonton) bringing the news of their recent provincial elections. The snow was falling and blowing wildly about him. Brrr.

The hail did a bit of damage to my garden plants.  I didn't realize that until I uploaded these (and other photos) and saw the damaged  leaves.

 I think they will be hardy enough to get beyond it.

I apologize to my readers if you haven't seen me much this week. I'm recovering from a nasty bout of food poisoning. I seem to be on the mend.

How was your week? 

Joining in with Skywatch Friday this week.

Have a look there for more awesome skies from all over the world.

After the Rain

I captured these images after a light rain today.

Linking up with Our World today.

For an update on BABY FIDELIS, please click here.

Thank you for stopping by!

Beautiful Pansies

Linking with i heart macro & 

Macro Monday 2 today.

For an update on BABY FIDELIS, please click here.

Thank you for stopping by!

No Knead Bread

I've made No Knead Bread only once before but it was the kind that sits overnight in the fridge. It was a different recipe that I seem to have lost and it was a lot stickier than the new recipe I've found. I see the photos that came with the recipe and they show a lot stickier dough than mine though I followed the recipe to the letter (not my usual style, lol).

Anyway, these are photos of the bread. I only let the dough sit for 2 hours, formed them into loaves and let them rise for another 30 minutes before baking. 

Click here for a link to the recipe and all the instructions. I didn't let mine get quite as brown on top for the smoke was starting just as I checked the bread at 30 minute mark. I deemed them done!

The bread is very hot so needs to be cooled off before biting into a slice or two.

They turned out very crusty and that is how I like it!

Have you tried making No Knead Bread before? 

Do you like it?

Saving Angel Baby Fidelis - Goat Eating Party Fundraiser

Joseph Wambau in Kenya has posted the following effort to raise funds for Baby Angel Fidelis Muthoni in Kenya.

~~~~~~

Saturday 9th May we shall be having a Goat eating party as we raise funds for Angel Fidelis who was born with Large frontal growth (Encephalocele) with bone defect and is expected to undergo reconstruction surgery in Canada.
Your presence or support will be highly Appreciated

Goat Eating & Fundraising for Fidelis Saturday, May 9 at 11:00 am  Golden Palm Hotel, Kenol

~~~~~~~

I am far from Kenya as are many of you but I can continue to post of the need and encourage people to donate to the cause.
~~~~~~~~
 

Joseph Wambau, is the young man in Kenya who is helping Fidelis and her mother raise funds to travel to Canada  for much needed surgery. They need our support because the surgery in Canada is free but they do need to raise travel funds to get from Kenya to Canada and to have living expense money while they are in the country.

Please do what you can to share this need with your contacts and friends.

The more people who know of the baby's situation, the more people who will be reached that might help baby Fidelis.

If you have limited time but want to make a donation, you can do so through Pay Pal.

Here is a link to the Pay Pal button  http://hopefoundationkenya.org/donate.html
Please mark any donations as "Purpose - Baby Fidelis" so the funds get to the right child.
The Hope Foundation which is based in Nairobi, tries to help many orphans and disabled children.
Identifying the funds for Fidelis makes sure that it is earmarked for her travel and not to the general needs.

Painted Sky & A Little Girl

Psalms 78:23

Yet He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven;
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Sky#sthash.cSKl3iRK.dpuf

Psalms 78:23

Yet He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven;
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Sky#sthash.cSKl3iRK.dpuf

 Yet he gave a command to the skies above
    and opened the doors of the heavens;

Psalm 78:23

Psalms 78:23

Yet He commanded the clouds above And opened the doors of heaven;
- See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Sky#sthash.cSKl3iRK.dpuf

 ~~~

 The changing sky never ceases to amaze me. 

Despite all the rain that fell and the gray days we had, I was  awestruck by
the beauty to be found in the sky this week. 

~~~~

On the other side of the world and under the same sky lives a little girl named Fidelis Muthoni.
Carrying her is Joseph Wambau, the young man that is trying to help Fidelis and her mother get to Canada this month for much needed surgery. They need our support because the surgery in Canada is free but they do need to raise travel funds to get from Kenya to Canada and to have living expense money while they are in the country.

I would be grateful if you could spare a few minutes to do what you can to share the information about Baby Fidelis more widely with your own circle of contacts and friends.
You can find all the necessary information at this link

 http://www.snapthatpenny.blogspot.ca/2015/04/saving-angel-fidelis-update.html

The more people who know of the baby's situation, the more people who will be reached that might help baby Fidelis.

If you have limited time but want to make a donation, you can do so through Pay Pal.

Here is a link to the Pay Pal button  http://hopefoundationkenya.org/donate.html
Please mark any donations as "Purpose - Baby Fidelis" so the funds get to the right child.
The Hope Foundation which is based in Nairobi, tries to help many orphans and disabled children.
Identifying the funds for Fidelis makes sure that it is earmarked for her travel and not to the general needs.

Thank you so much for your help!

~~~

Linking up with Skywatch Friday.
Check out the link for more awesome skies from around the world.

Chicken and Chickpea Masala

Hello everyone,

I hope this day finds you and your loved ones and friends doing well wherever you may be in the world.

It has been awhile since I shared a recipe so I'm posting a "new to me" recipe that I made in the pressure cooker. I didn't think to take photos until after almost everything was eaten! So this photos isn't the best presentation you will get.

I found this recipe on the website Serious Eats here. If you go there you will find a much nicer presentation of the dish and the full recipe. I am also copying the recipe here for your easy reference.

As always I made some modifications to the recipe. I didn't have coriander (even though I'm sure I purchased some earlier for such a time as this, I cannot find it). I also didn't have spinach so I substituted rainbow Swiss chard. Last ingredient I was missing was cilantro. It didn't harm my dish but if you like cilantro I think it adds a nice, fresh flavour.

Another modification is I used dried chickpeas. I cooked them for about 15 minutes in the pressure cooker as I didn't want them over done in the dish. That was a mistake for the dish had to be cooked for an extra 30 minutes or so just to get the chick peas soft enough.

Review:  This dish is quite good and very filling. It has healthy ingredients like chick peas, swiss chard and various spices. I try to eat chick peas whenever I can as a source of protein, fibre, vitamin B-6, iron and magnesium.

This dish is also a bit rich due to the whipping cream which is used as a thickening agent. I ate this chicken and chickpea masala over top of plain boiled potatoes.  It helped to cut the "richness".  You could also use rice, cous cous or yams.  I will definitely make this dish again but next time I will cook the chickpeas well done or used canned as called for in the recipe. On a final note, I noticed that the dish as pictured above looks like it is swimming in grease. That is probably the overhead lighting.  The dish wasn't greasy looking when I took the lid off the pot or when I spooned it into my dish.

Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Masala

About This Recipe

Yield:	Serves 4
Active time:	10 minutes
Total time:	40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound fresh spinach leaves, trimmed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh juice from 2 to 3 lemons
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs (4 to 6 of each)
• Kosher salt

Procedures

1. Heat butter in a pressure cooker over medium-high heat ("sear" setting on an electric pressure cooker) until foaming subsides. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until pale brown, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and spinach. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
   
   
2. Add drained chickpeas, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, half of cilantro, and chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Seal pressure cooker and heat to high pressure. Once high pressure is reached, cook for 15 minutes.
   
   
3. Allow to cool, release pressure, remove lid, add heavy cream and simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened. Stir in remaining lemon juice and season to taste with salt. Serve immediately, garnished with remaining cilantro leaves.
   
   

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One Baby's Life - Wordless Wednesday #3

Click
Baby Fidelis
for more words

Joining Wordless Wednesday