Come cook with me; Strawberry Shortbread

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baking, Shortbread, Strawberry

I enjoy baking and cooking, which is detailed here within my blog. Today I made strawberry shortbread with a strawberry and raspberry coulis. Delicious really did not describe how wonderful it was.

Let there be….

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Apple Snails, Baby Snails, Hatchlings, Water Snails

….Life

Finally we have hatchlings, however, not one of them GALS, these were from the Apple snails.  Yesterday afternoon they started hatching, and for about 3 hours, like a plague, they continued to come, over 100 of them.  They are in a “hospital tank” at the moment as they would not survive in the normal tank as the fish and terrapins would scoff them in an instant.

Being animal and critter lovers, we are now considering another tank just for the water snails, but as with anything, we have to be a little logical about it as this could get out of hand if they keep breeding.  Once they become slightly larger and I am able to take photos of them I will, however, I would need a microscope to photograph them currently as they are the size of a pin head.

Caracolus Marginella

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Achatina fulica, Caracolus Marginella, GALS

Otherwise known as Pleurodonte Isabella are another breed of snails that I got today.  I received 4 in total in the post.

This is one of the bigger ones the smallest is about 5mm in size (Shell)
In the tank with the GALS (Achatina fulica c/b)

Having a ride with their other tank friends

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

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Lioness, Photograph, Sleeping, Wildlife

One of my photographs that I have taken of Lions over the years, this one was taken in the summer of 2010.  She looked so peaceful whilst she slept.

Ocean Encroaches

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Formby, Ocean, Photograph

Open Wide…

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Lioness, Photograph, Yawn, Yawning

This is one of about 60 photographs I shot of the lioness whilst she was yawning etc., however, this was the one that made me smile.  Taken in the summer of 2010.

Frozen

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Frozen Web, Photograph, Winter

Apple Snail Eggs

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Ampullariidae, Apple Snails, Eggs, Gastropod, Pomacea haustrum

It would seems that everything in our house is breeding. This time its the turn of the apple snails.  This cluster of eggs has been laid on the side of the terrapin tank a the top of a picture of a strand of seaweed which amused me.  This clutch should take 2-5 weeks to hatch.  I have a nursery tank waiting for them, and may use a breeding net to keep them in so they are in the same tank, however, not decided as yet.  I should know in a few days or so if there is life within.  If in 5 weeks nothing has hatched, then I will be removing the cocoon off the side and opening it. This is for two reasons, first, if it is not fertile then a smelly mess will be inside, and second, if it does contain life, they will need the help to get them hatched, and this will do it.  So as always, watch this space to see if there was life.

Come Cook With Me; French Strawberry Tarts

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baking, Chantilly Cream, cooking, French, Passion Fruit, Pate Sucree, Strawberries

I love to cook and bake, and one of the delights of my cooking was this, which is a French pastry case called Pate Sucree, filled with strawberries Chantilly cream, and then adorned with more strawberries, passion fruit and a sprig of mint.  All hand made by me, the strawberries and mint from the garden, the cream made by me too, but the passion fruit was shop bought.

GALS; Redux

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20, Breeding, Eggs, GALS, Giant African Land Snails

Yet more eggs, but I have not disposed of these as the first batch don’t seem to have come to anything apart from a crumbling mess, so I kept these ones. Only 20, so I don’t hold much hope for them to be honest, and doubt that this is the best time of year for breeding them.  It is cold, although the tank is a nice temperature I think the night time lul in extra heat is killing any life within the eggs.

On Saturday we went to a few pet shops in Liverpool and found GALS on sale in both, one was selling them for £1, and the other for £9.  I would not mind, but the ones for £9 really did look like they needed a little moisture as the shells where old looking and sort of dull and ragged.  The ones for £1 were only little ones, and looked in good health, however, neither had the ones I wanted, as I want a different breed of GALS than the ones I have currently. So the search goes on.