Three Wise Men

Three Kings

The Wise Men

Seeing that star,

The Wise Men, swift

To bow to the Boy,

Gave Him their gits. 

Their gift was gold,

And the bent knee,

Hard metal and

Humanity.

 

Now He, the Son

Of Joseph’s wife,

Gives them His gift:

Immortal life. 

This is the hope

Of a world gone wild:

When proud men kneel

To a little Child.

 

Photo courtesy:  picture-book

Sashimi Squid

If you’re tired of the usual squid preparations—dried, deep-fried, canned, adobo, or smoked, – perhaps you’d lie to try something different for a change.  How about turning Japanese?  How about you try a Sashimi Squid, a fancy yet easy-to-fix viand.  You don’t even have to cook!  

Ingredients:   

¼ fresh squid

½ cup soy sauce

Lemon or calamnsi 

Procedure:

1.   Wash the squid thoroughly .  Remove excess water.

2.   Slice the squid’s body into two, lengthwise.  Remove the head, tentacles, quill and viscera.

3.   Carefully separate the skin from the squid’s flesh.  Slice the flesh into 10 mm wide strips crosswise.

4.   Serve with soy sauce and calamansi or lemon.  It is also best served when cooled in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Sources:  Agribusiness Opportunities: Quezon City: World Media Groove, Inc. 1987

 

Production of Fish Sauce and Fish Paste

Fish is a main food in the Philippines.

When there is an abundant supply of fish, they can be preserved in many ways.  One way is through the production of fish sauce (patis) and fish paste (bagoong).  Patis and bagoong are mainstays in every Filipino home.  Here is how to produce them.

MATERIALS:  Fish of assorted species, enzymes from microorganisms, salt

 

PROCEDURE:

1.   Wash assorted species of fish to remove the undesirable dirt.

2.   Grind fish to facilitate hydrolysis of the protein constituent.

3.   Place ground fish into clean bowls with stirrer.

4.   Add exact amount of salt and mix uniformly to prevent the growth of microorganisms during fermentation.

5.   Put enzymes obtained from microorganisms of plant and animals to enrich the natural endoenzymes present in the fish.  Stir the mixture.

6.   Adjust the requirement of the particular enzyme used.

7.   Ferment for 13 days.  Clean the digested mash by filtering.  Bottle the clear reddish brown liquid as patis and the residue containing some insoluble protein as bagoong.

Micro Chair Card Holder

Parties are frequent occasions, and may require a lot of paraphernalia such as balloons, tbales, candies, etc.  one part item that can add elegance and organize the event is the card holder.  Card holders may be used to indicate which group of guests will sit on which table.  They can also be used as tags and labels for drinks, main courses, and desserts.  Here you will be doing a chair-shaped card holder.

 

What you need

Craft wire

Sparkling aplle cider tops (or equivalent material for the cahir seat)

Wire cutters

Small pliers

Cards and other small pieces of paper material

 

What you’ll do

1.   Use the wire cutters to shape the craft wire and fashion the structure of a small chair.  Be creative, but ensure that you leave a sufficient length of wire at the bottom ends of the chair’s back.

2.   Secure the chair seat in its place.

3.   Twist the bottom ends of the chair back around the chair’s back legs.

4.   Form an upside down U shape with the wire.

5.   Place the U behind the chair’s back, and twist the back legs of the chair.

6.   Write the dish label or a guest’s name on a card and secure the card between the chair’s back and the U.

Source

► Wire Chair Card Holders.  www.diynetwork.com/diy/pa_decorative/article/0.2025,DIY_14153_2274216,00.html

Homemade Magnets

Ruler and Hammer

Instead of spending your precious saving on expensive magnets, whuy not make your own?  It’s pretty easy, too.  Then you can sell these yourself to friends and classmates.

You’ll need magnetic material, like a screwdriver or a metal ruler, for instance (use the rulet; it’s cheaper).  You’ll also need a hammer and a compass.  If you don’t hae a compass, just go outside and use the sun as a basis for direction (if you don’t have a compass, don’t do this at night or in cloudy weather, unless your already know where north is). 

Position the magnetic material in such a way that it faces a north-south direction.  To use the sun to determine this, just remember that it rises in the East and sets in the West.  So wherever the sun is in the morning, that’s East.  Wherever it is in the afternoon, that’s West.  Wherever your shadow is cast, that’s the opposite direction.  If you plan to do this before noon, make sure you stand where the sun is to your right and your shadow to your right.  In both cases, North should be directly in front of you. 

Now that the ruler is in place, strike it with the hammer about 30 times or more.  Careful not to hurt yourself.  Then check to see if it works.  Try using it on pins and paper clips.  Just keep hitting it till you get it right.  But before doing all this, do make sure no one is bothered by the noise. 

It’s a great way to unleash the physicist in you, and earn extra pocket money as well. 

Source

http://qldscienceteachers.tripod.com/junio/physics/magnet.html

Summer Skin All-year Round

Some of us probably favor light complexion.  Some pale-skinned people, on the other hand, wanto have darker skin.

If you’re among those who would rather have a slight tan, thre’s a natural way of getting it.  you can make your own tanning lotion.   Before you proceed, amake sure yhour skin is not sensitive to any of the ingredients.

 

What you need:

¾ cup pure water

2 black tea bags

¼ cup lanolin

¼ cup sesame oil

Blender kettle

 

What to do:

1.   Boil the water.  Be careful not to scald yourself.

2.   Brew the teabags in the boiled water.

3.   Pour one-fourth cup of tea, one-fourth cup of lanolin, and one-fourth cup of sesame oil in the blender.  Replace the lid and set the speed to low.

4.   Gradually add the remaining tea while the blender motor is still running.  (Exercise caution when using a blender that is on.  Don’t place your head too close as you could get the liquid in your eyes.  Never stick your gingers in the pitcher.)

5.   Apply the mixture on a hidden spot of your skin to check whether you like the shade.

 

Use sparingly.

The brew will add color to your skin and the minerals in it will make the skin soft and healthy.  Although the tan will not last forever, at least you had fun doing it.

Sources:

► Debra Lynn Dadd.  Debra’s Guide to Choosing Natural Sun Protection.  www.care2.com/channels/solutions/self/2859

► www.hormel.com/images/glossary/o/oil_sesame.jpg

► www.bentley.com.tw/gallery/images/blender.jpg www.teasofmemphis.com/catalog/images/Yellow-tea-kettle.jpg

DIY: Homemade Fertilizers

Unlike man, plants don’t need a set RDA (recommended dietary allowance).  This does not mean, however, that plants do not have nutritional needs.  While some gardeners prefer commercial organic fertilizers to keep their gardens in tip-top shape, healthier and cost-efficient alternatives are available and provide balanced nutrition for plants.  One is the homemade organic, fertilizer.

A variety of materials can be used for making organic fertilizer.  In here, you will see three fertilizer recipes you can easily make right in the comfort of your kitchen or backyard. 

Coffee Fertilizer

What you need:

●  Used coffee round

●  Metal tray

●  Used newspaper

What you will do:

1.   Line the metal tray with newspaper.

2.   Spread used coffee ground over the paper and air-dry.

3.   Sprinkle the air-dried coffee grounds on the soil surface.

4.   You may also water your plants with leftover coffee.  A solution of one part coffee to four parts water is deemed by gardening experts as ideal for watering plants.

Milk Fertilizer

What you need:

●  Milk

●  Water

What you need:

1.   Mix one part milk to four parts water.

2.   Use once a week for best result.

Vinegar Fertilizer

What you need:

●  Vinegar

●  Water

What you will do:

1.   Add 0.5 liter of white distilled vinegar to 8 L of water.

2.   Use every three months, especially during the growing season.

3.   You may also use 1 tablespoon of apple vinegar to 4 L of water.  This solution is ideal for houseplants as it lowers the pH and contains as many as 50 trace minerals.

Sources

► Homemade Fertilizers.  www.hgtv.ocm/hgtv/gl_soil_water_fertilizer/article/0,,HGTV_3633_1378204,00.html

► Homemade Fertilizers for Outdoor Plants.  www.associatedcontent.com/article/51810/homemade_fertilizer_for_outdoor_palnts.html

Dried Mango

Dried Mango

One of the methods of preserving fruits is by drying.  Through this method, we can now enjoy the goodness of mangoes even on seasons when they are scarce.

There are three ways of drying for food preservation:

a.   By sunlight—the material is sliced and spread on a surface exposed to sunlight.

b.   By artificial light—the materials are dried by exposure to hot air in an over or in a specially-constructed drier.

c.   By air blast—the food is dried by means of a fan powered by electricity, kerosene or alcohol.  This method requires about 24 hours of drying.

Procedure:

1.    Wash and clean the mangoes to remove dirt and other foreign substances.

2.   Cut into quarters or halves and remove the seeds.

3.   Dip the slices into a 2 percent salt solution to improve its flavor and color.

4.   Place on trays

5.   Dry under the sun.

6.   Turn the mangoes every two hours during the first phase of drying.  As the mangoes become drier, turn the mangoes more often say every 30 minutes, until completed dry.

Melon Rind Preserves

Many Filipinos refer to the muskmelon simply as “melon.”  Flesh and juice from the muskmelon fruit are popular ingredients for a variety of refreshments and desserts.  The rinds are usually discarded.  But we can make something out of it.  we can use it to make melon rind preserves.

Ingredients: 

6 cups melon rinds

Lime water

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

Lemon juice

Procedure:

1.   Soak small pieces of melon rinds in lime water for 3 hours.

2.   Dispose of lime water after soaking and rinse rinds with fresh water several times.

3.   Boil rinds in water for 30 minutes or until tender.

4.   Prepare syrup using 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water with a little amount of lemon juice.

5.   Boil rinds in syrup for an hour.

6.   Continue cooking until rinds are transparent and the syrup is thick.  Flavoring may be added.

Source:  Agriscope

Milky Way Night-light

Bedtime is time for quiet and rest, but that doesn’t mean that it has to be boring.  Put some fun and learning into bedtime by making customized and themed night-lights.

What you will need:

Lamp

Blue construction paper

Star punchers

Star chart or star map

Glitter glue

Needles of different sizes

Tape

Glue

What you will do:

1.  Pick your favorite constellation and look for its star chart.  Have your star chart or star map photocopied.

2.  Lay the copy of your star chart on top of the blue construction paper.  Tape the ends to make sure it doesn’t move around.

3.  With your needles, punch holes onto the construction paper.  You can use bigger needles for the bigger stars.  Poke some random homes onto the construction paper to represent other stars.

4.  You can accessorize the construction paper by punching out star shapes in some areas and decorating it with glitter glue.

5.  Wrap the construction paper around the lampshade.  Cut the extra flaps of construction paper.

6.  Secure the construction paper onto the lampshade with glue or tape.

7.  When you turn the lights on, you can see the pattern reflect on your bedroom walls.

REMEMBER!

Remember that light bulbs emit heat, so make sure that the lampshade is safely spaced away from the bulb.  Do not completely cover the lamp to make sure that there is sufficient ventilation.  Also, consider using cooler, neon bulbs to further increase safety.

Sources

► http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/cutpaste/feature/famf0303milkjug/famf0303milkjug3.html

►www.instructables.com/id/Star-and-constellation-night-lamp/

► http://home.howstuffworks.com/science-projects-for kids-the-incredible-universe1.htm

►www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5063.html