About 3 weeks ago, on the 30th of August I bought a pet rabbit in a pet store called Het Natuurhuis (The Nature House). I called her Kima because it suits her. She is funny, looks wild with all that hair and spots.

Kima is a Lionhead Dwarf Rabbit crossbreed with a Polish Rabbit. The Lionhead Rabbit is first bred in 1996 in Belgium. Then it was imported into the UK were it was crossbred with other small rabbit breeds to develop what we call today the European Lionhead Rabbit. There is a lot of speculating about what’s the origin of the Lionhead Rabbit. Some think it’s crossbred with a Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf, while others think with the Dwarf Angora.

The Lionhead Rabbit is a small rabbit with a mane it’s unique to other new breeds of rabbits. It has a mutation that’s the first in rabbits since Satin Fur first appeared in the early 1900’s. Different to other mutations that are recessive genes, the Lionhead Rabbit has a dominant mutation that causes the mane. So you need only one parent that’s a Lionhead Rabbit to produce more Lionhead Rabbits. The mane and other Lionhead Rabbit features cannot be recreated using other breeds. The Lionhead Rabbit come in all colors and patterns varieties. Sixty colors are approved for showing in the UK.

The Polish Rabbit is crossbred in the UK from the common white Hutch Rabbit. In 1884 they were first exhibited in the UK. Some think it was developed from the Himalayan and Dutch Rabbits in the 1860’s. The Polish Rabbit was developed for it’s meat and were larger than the Polish Rabbit we know today. In the 1900’s they came to the US and were crossbred with Rabbits that carry the dwarf gene.

The Polish Rabbit are small rabbits with short ears that touch all the way to the tips of the ears. The Polish Rabbit is often confused with the Dutch Dwarf rabbit because of its size. But the Dutch Dwarf has a rounded head and the Polish Rabbit hasn’t. The Polish Rabbit is between 2 and 3,5 pounds. The ideal weight is 2.5 ponds. Until the 1950’s most Polish Rabbits were white with ruby-red eyes or blue eyes. The blue eyed white has the Vienna white gene and its no true Albino. Since the 50’s, colored Polish breeds have been recognized by rabbit clubs. In 1957, the American Rabbit Breeder’s Association approved the black and chocolate Polish. In 1982, the blue variety was approved and in 1998 the broken variety was allowed. In the UK, the National Polish Rabbit Club accepts any color of Polish rabbit as long as it is accepted by another breed in it’s standard.

Rabbits make great pets because they’re so gentle and friendly. They don’t need a lot of space so they’re great as an apartment pet. Before you buy a rabbit it’s best you all ready have a hutch and a traveling container. If building a cage or rabbit hutch avoid wire bottoms. Rabbit feet are delicate and wire bottom cages can be painful. Consider using a solid bottom cage (like a litter box). This style cage will be more comfortable for the rabbit and it’s easy to clean. Bigger is better for rabbits but the cage should be a minimum 4 times bigger then the rabbit. Also, avoid forcing your rabbit into or out of the cage. Instead let the rabbit hop out on its own and hop back in on its own. If it is time for bunny to go back in its cage then try to herd the rabbit in the direction of its cage and finally into the cage where treats and a clean litter box await, this way the cage is not a punishment and you are not invading the space doing clean up while the rabbit is in the cage. Clean the cage while the rabbit is out exploring the house and having exercise time. The traveling container comes in handy when you need to move the rabbit or when you need to take it to the vet.

Rabbits eat great varieties of food hay, vegetables and solid commercial food. Kima is to young for vegetables, so up to 3 months she only gets hay and commercial food. I use Hope Farms Rabbit Balance because that’s what the pet store advised me. Everything is in it what she needs, to grow into an adult. Rabbits love to chew, you can buy lots of treats for your rabbit. But you can you use a apple tree brench so the rabbit can chew on it, easy and cheap. Here are the 4 basics of a rabbits diet.

- Unlimited grass hay
- Minimum of 1 cup of fresh leafy greens
- Other vegetables and fruits in limited amounts
- Fresh water daily

We give our older rabbit Snoebie a popular titbit called Vitakraft Drops. They contain yogurt, natural whey protein and essential lecithin. I give him 1-3 a day. He loves it so it’s a great treat.

I bought Kima a few toys to keep her busy. A ball with a hole in it, were you can put treats. Every time the ball rolls a treat falls out. This keeps her stimulated. I also bought a ball with a bell she loves to trough it around her hutch. Rabbits love things that make some kind of sound. Rabbits need a lot of exercising 1 hour of running every day best is to let them run free to explore in a palisaded piece of your garden or living room. It should be at least 2 square meters by 1 square meter in size. Put it on a solid underground like stone or wood. Rabbits dig holes and do this very fast, so they can dig themselves under the palisade in less then 5 minutes.

See also:
- Lionhead Rabbit
- Polish Rabbit

Stroopwafels in English translated to Syrup Waffels are a famous old Dutch treat. Stroopwafels were invented in Gouda in the year 1784. The story goes that a baker in the city of Gouda made a biscuit from all the left over crumbs and spices then filled them with caramel syrup. The Stroopwafel started out as a sweet for the poorest people and eventually became the most popular tea or coffee cookie in Holland. They may seem exceptionally sweet to some people.

Traditionally, the Dutch eat them with a cup of coffee, tea, or Hot Chocolate Milk. The stroopwafel is the single best selling food item at Amsterdams Schiphol airport, and in all of the Dutch supermarkets. There are a lot of flavors of stroopwafels sold in Holland style containers, bags and boxes.

The Ingredients for the Biscuit
4 cups of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 package yeast
1/2 cup of warm water

The Ingredients for The Syrup Filling
1 1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 table spoons dark corn syrup

Preparation
Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Mix 1 cup butter into flour. Then add the sugar, eggs, and yeast mixture. Stir well. Set aside to rise 30-60 minutes. Roll dough into balls and bake in pizelle iron. Make syrup. Boil all ingredients till at softball stage. Split waffles in two and spread cut sides with warm syrup. Then put the halves back together.

1 - I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse. (The Godfather 1972)
2 - My Mama always said, Life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. (Forrest Gump 1994)
3 - Bond, James Bond. (Doctor No 1962)
4 - It’s alive! It’s alive! (Frankenstein 1931)
5 - Houston, we have a problem. (Apollo 13 1995)
6 - Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. (The Godfather Part II 1974)
7 - Hasta la vista, baby. (Terminator 2 Judgment Day 1991)
8 - Nobody puts Baby in a corner. (Dirty Dancing 1987)
9 - I see dead people. (The Sixth Sense 1999)
10 - You can’t handle the truth. (A Few Good Men 1992)
11 - You talking to me? (Taxi Driver 1976)
12 - Show Me the Money!! (Jerry Maguire 1996)
13 - I’m the king of the world. (Titanic 1997)
14 - They’re here. (Poltergeist 1982)
15 - Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. (Death Poets Society 1989)
16 - I’ll be back. (The Terminator 1984)
17 - Go ahead, make my day. (Sudden Impact 1983)
18 - Say ‘hello’ to my little friend! (Scarface 1983)
19 - There’s no place like home. (The Wizard of Oz 1939)
20 - That’s cool baby, you know how it is, rockin’ and rollin’ and what not. (Grease 1978)

I found this old recipe for a face-wash lotion. It’s made of Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) that relaxes the skin and gives it a face wash too. It’s easy in use and simply made.

Ingredients
- Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
- Lavender
- 20 ml Alcohol 60%
- 100 ml Boiling water

Put 3 tea spoons of Lemon Balm leaves and 1 tea spoon of Lavender in a pot or jar. Add the 100 ml of Boiling water to the mix. Leave it alone for 10 minutes. Use a coffee filter as a funnel to pour the mix into a bottle. Let it cool down, then add the Alcohol. Shake the bottle gently. It’s ready to use; store it on a dark cold spot and you can preserve this lotion 6 months.

I love shoes, especially designer shoes. They give footwear a whole other meaning. For me they’re like haute couture, while wearing them You feel like a star. Your outfit is not finished without designer shoes. These are 10 of my favorite designers:

1. Jimmy Choo shoes are elegant, feminine, and sexy. So they have it all and thats why they are on place 1 of my top 10;
2. Gucci, No woman’s wardrobe is complete without a pair of Gucci;
3. Manolo Blahniks, great heels with an unique look with a lot of flair;
4. Prada are so divine and make You feel so elegant every self respecting woman deserves a pair of Prada;
5. Christian Louboutin, These shoes are wildly imaginative, flirty, and totally distinctive;
6. Casadei, shoes that are more like pieces of art;
7. Dolce and Gabbana shoes, famous for their flawless flowing lines that surround a woman’s foot in the most beautifully sensuous way;
8. Giuseppe Zanotti, sensible shoes with an international taste and a spirit that makes his style unique;
9. Yves Saint Laurent, always sexy cutting edge designs;
10. Marc Jacobs a sophisticated and mature designer, who invented grunge.

Suggestions are welcome.. What are your favorites?

I wanted to write a post about Beyoncé Knowles because I admire her. With her energy and great personality she’s one of my favorite stars. She’s hip on so many ways. Her clothing music and perfume are always the latest fashion. So here is all the info I found on Beyoncé.

She is a famous R and B singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and fashion designer. Beyoncé gathered stardom as one of the original members of R and B group Destiny’s Child. She’s famous rap artist Jay-Z girlfriend for 5 years. Hollywood, the fans and media are guising when they’ll tie the knot.

After a series of very successful albums with the group, she released her first solo album in 2003, Dangerously in Love. Dangerously in Love with the the extreme successful song “Crazy in Love” topped both the R and B and Billboard 200 charts in the United States. And all the album charts in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Beyoncé has won 9 Grammy Awards six for her solo career. And the other three as a member of Destiny’s Child. She also has a successful film career and was starring in Austin Powers in Goldmember, one of the highest scoring films of the year 2002.

Beyoncé released her 2nd solo album B’Day, on September 4th 2006 around the world. And in the United States on September 5th 2006. This to combine with the celebration of her 25th birthday party.

Beyoncé’s Clothing line House of Deréon.

House of Deréon is named after Beyoncé’s grandmother, Agnes Dereon She was a Creole seamstress. The media describes the clothing line as Haute Couture. Kick and Soul, Agnes being the soul. Beyoncé is the kick. And Tina Knowles (Beyoncé’s Mother) is the Haute Couture.

In all the advertisement there is a picture of her grandmother. The clothing line was announced to be first released on the Destiny’s Child world tour of the year 2005. (Destiny Fulfilled And Lovin’ It tour) and the members worn the clothing through out the whole tour.

Although Beyoncé had talked about how She had a few ideas of releasing a clothing line for women and Young girls. The announcement came publicly until 2 years after the idea came out to the people.

House of Deréon premiered on The Oprah Winfrey Show in November of the year 2005. Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams were also models in the runway show.

Beyoncé also worked together with Tommy Hilfiger to create Her own 2 fragrances. True Star in the year 2004, and True Star Gold in the year 2005.

Albums:
- Dangerously in love 2003
- Live at Wembley 2004
- B’day 2006

Third studio album coming 2008

Films:
- Carmen a Hip Hopera 2001
- Austin Powers in Goldmember 2002
- The Fighting Temptations 2003
- Fade to Black 2004
- The Pink panther 2006
- Dream Girls 2006
- B’Day Anthology Video Album 2007
- The Beyoncé Experience Live 2007

Related:
- Beyoncé

Ingredients
- 1 ounce of carrots
- 1 ounce of potatoes
- 1 ounce of cucumber
- 1 ounce of tomatoes

This mask is very good for the skin because it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. The carrots contain a lot of carotene and thats a very good way to treat dry skin. Cucumber is suppose to clean and calm the skin, it also disinfects and bleaches the skin. The potatoes contain a lot of Vitamin B1 that gives the skin energy. The tomatoes contain a lot of different minerals that feed the skin.

Preparation
Wash and peel the carrot then cut it in tin slices. Peel the potatoes and cut them in cubes. Steam the carrot and potato for 8 - 10 minutes in a steam basket above a pan with boiling water. Then let them cool down for 20 min. Peel the cucumber and cut the tomato in 4 pieces and remove the pulp and seeds.

Puree the vegetables with a mixer or other kitchen device until You have a creamy Puree. When it is not creamy enough add some hot water

Instructions for use
Before use of the vegetable mask You need to clean Your face with Milk and lotion and rinse with lukewarm water. Dry Your face and bring on a thin layer of the vegetable mask. Leave it on for 10 - 14 minutes. Remove the mask with lukewarm water and rinse with cold water to close the pores.

Oliebollen literally translated oily balls. Oliebollen are a traditional Dutch food. Traditionally They are eaten on New Year’s Eve and at funfairs. They are made by using two spoons to scoop dough and dropping it into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. So a sphere shaped “oliebol” emerges.

Recipe for +- 35 Oliebollen

1 kg wheat flour
1 liter water
25 grams / 1 ounce salt
50 grams / 2 ounces sugar
80 grams / 3 ounces packaged yeast
1 tabel spoon cinnamon
lemon juice
200 grams / 7 ounces raisins
100 grams / 4 ounces chopped apple

Dissolve the yeast in the water and mix for at least 10 seconds. Add the flour and mix for well for about 20 seconds with an electric mixer. Then add the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and a few drops of lemon juice. Last ingredients to add are the raisins and the diced apple. It needs to rise for +- 45 minutes. Make balls using two spoons or an ice scoop. And then start deep frying the oliebollen. I usually deep fry a few at a time, for about 6 minutes each. I also turn them halfway through. Drain the Oliebollen on absorbant paper and then comes the fun part, sprinkeling them with icing sugar. The Oliebollen are ready… Let the New Year begin.

Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and start heating it slowly on the stove. Don’ t let the massage oil get to the boiling point. When the massage oil is combined, let it cool down in the fridge. Put the massage oil in a bottle or jar and leave it in the fridge for about a week or so. Then You need to strain the massage oil to get all the grapefruit out. Then pour the massage oil in a neat bottle or jar and it is ready to be used.

Pepernoten (Gingernuts) are a traditional candy here in the Netherlands. From the time that Sinterklaas (St Nicholas) enters the country children receive Pepernoten from Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas is an annual event which has been uniquely Dutch and Flemish for centuries. Sinterklaas, St Nicholas’ Eve (December 5th) is celebrated nationwide by young and old. It’s in the Netherlands bigger then Christmas or Easter. It’s our number 1 holiday.

Down below is the recipe for Pepernoten. Try them and let me know what you think, enjoy.

Ingredients:
- 125g flour
- 1 tbs milk
- Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp treacle
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbs speculaas spices
- 50g brown sugar
- 25g butter

Preheat your oven to 180 - 220 c. Put all the ingredients in a the same bowl. Make your hands wet and then mix all the ingredients until it becomes a dough that doesn’t stick on your hands. Then the fun part starts make 3 cm by 3 cm balls of the dough. Make sure you all ready greased the baking tray. Put the balls on the tray and push gently so one side of the ball is flat. Now you have a Pepernoot. When finished put the Pepernoten in the oven for 20 min. After there done in the oven let them cool down for about 10 min.