The mole and the rabbits
On a splendid moonlit night several rabbits were having fun in a grassy area playing blind man's buff. The blindfolded rabbit stood in the center. The others jumped and danced around him; now they ran away, now they approached, now they pulled his ears and tail. The poor rabbit suddenly turns around, stretches out his paws at random, but his fast companions retreat and he only grasps air. A stupid mole, having heard all that racket from his underground lair, joined the company and, blind as he was, was immediately caught. “Gentlemen,” said the rabbit, “it would not be fair to blindfold this sister of ours. We have to let her go, she has no sight and she can't help herself." “Not at all,” retorted the mole, “I was taken according to the rules of the game; blindfold me!». «Gladly, here's the blindfold. I don't think it's necessary to tie it tightly." “Sorry,” replied the annoyed mole, “tie her up tight. I can see very well! Even narrower, I can still see!».Florian (1735-1794)
The French writer comments: many of us are aware of our defects, but confessing them is another thing; we prefer real ailments, so as not to recognize that we are afflicted by them.
Against moths
As an alternative to camphor, it is useful to have swabs soaked in lavender or lemongrass essence in the wardrobe. Instead of these substances it was once used to sprinkle ground pepper or carrot seeds. In the middle of the wool sweaters you can put small canvas bags containing cloves, horse chestnuts and bay leaves. Or you can prepare a mixture with dried mandarin or lemon peel, lemon verbena, mint and eucalyptus.
Ants in sight?
A good remedy is table salt, scented talcum powder, coffee grounds, ash and camphor, scattered near the anthill and along the path followed by the unwelcome guests. Or make bunches of chervil, a very common herbaceous plant, wash them with vinegar and then arrange them in strategic points, so that the unpleasant smell repels the invasion.
To prevent the wax from leaking, leave the candle to soak in salt water at least 8 hours before lighting it.
To remove burnt stains on the iron soleplate, use a cloth soaked in hot vinegar and fine salt.
Poppy friend
Bronchitis or insomnia? Place a spoonful of dried petals in half a liter of boiling water. After about twenty minutes, filter. Drink it throughout the day.
Advice FROM NATURE
The lime tree
It is a tall tree, very common in avenues and parks. Its flowers give off a very pleasant smell and are much appreciated in folk medicine. The infusion prepared by placing a teaspoon of dried flowers in a cup of boiling water is an excellent tonic for the nervous system, it will also help you resolve colds and bronchial catarrh, calm pain and vomiting, facilitate sleep and promote diuresis. The flower decoction, 50 gr. in a liter of water, boiled for 15 minutes, it is used in cosmetics in lotions designed to nourish and soften excessively dry skin.
Friendly lemon
To prevent and treat colds, squeeze a lemon and add the white of an egg to the juice obtained. Beat well with a spoon, adding a little sugar. Drink small doses several times during the day.
The usefulness of celery
Prepare a decoction using 10 gr. of leaves in 500 gr. of water to boil for 5 minutes. Mix it with milk and drink it on an empty stomach to clear the bronchi of phlegm and to treat throat inflammation. The same decoction is useful as a diuretic and in cases of rheumatism, gout and uric acids.
Summer risotto
With seasonal vegetables you can prepare this risotto at any time of the year
Ingredients for 4 people:
350 g rice, 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, a small onion, 2 shallots, a small turnip, 2 courgettes, half a pepper, a carrot, 2 stalks of celery, 3 tablespoons of shelled peas, a sprig of parsley, a sprig of basil, 8 dl of vegetable broth, salt and pepper to taste
1. Clean the vegetables, wash them and chop them coarsely. Let them dry gently in a pan, preferably terracotta, together with the oil.
2. When the vegetables are half cooked, add the rice, mix several times with a wooden spoon, season it with salt and freshly ground pepper and let it soak in the seasoning for about 5 minutes.
3. Then cover it with the boiling broth and, without stirring further, cook it covered at a very slow heat for about 15 minutes, then add the chopped parsley and basil, mix well and serve.
