Queensland Nuts

In Queensland there are many beautiful trees, we love them. Someday we will do a post on some of the different trees because they are amazing. A few weeks ago we were invited for dinner at an Aussie couples home, they were telling us about Queensland nut trees. They said that when they were growing up every home had two trees; a Queensland nut tree and a mango tree. They said how popular the nuts are and how prevelant but how much work they are to get out of their shells. The next week they brought us a sack of nuts that they had picked up on a walk. They also brought us their nut cracker, we have had fun trying to use it. I'm told there is a whole cottage industry of people trying to make the best nut cracker to crack the dry hard shells. The nuts start out green, turn a brown black color. Then they start to split open. Inside the split open outer shell is another shell that is brown and hard. When you get that shell open there is a white nut. You might know these nuts by another name, macadamias! When you finally get to eat one it is really good, now we know why they are so expensive, you go through a lot before you can put one in your mouth. Right out of the shell they are a little softer than other macadamias we have eaten, but they still taste great!

There is a life lesson here. Some things are hard to achieve, but when you work hard the reward can be worth the effort. We are grateful for life lessons, for friends who give us nuts and for our friends and family (who are all a little nuts!)

Tim Tam Slams

On Mother's Day, two girls in our ward made me Mother's Day cards. I was worried about Mother's Day. Worried I would miss the children and grandchildren too much and be sad. Holidays can be difficult without family around. The handmade cards with a little candy bar attached made me cry but they also really helped me feel loved. Sydney who just turned eight and was baptised last week was one of the two sisters who made me a card. We went to her baptism and there we learned about Tim Tam Slams. They were served as refreshments because they are Sydney's favorite Australian treat. The Tim Tams are chocolate coated cookies, they come in multiple flavours like chocolate, caramel, white and dark chocolate. We were novices at this and had to be walked through it, but basically you bite the diagonal corners off the Tim Tam cookie and then use it like a straw to suck milk through the cookie!  It is doable, then you eat the cookie which has gone kind of soggy inside from the milk. A little like dipping Oreos in milk, but more fun and it tastes great.  Thanks to Sydney and her family for initiating us to this new Australian treat.  Elder R from Mexico and Elder R from Idaho, two great missionaries who live close by stopped by so we could give them some items from the office. We invited them in for our new found treat, Tim Tam Slams!