I didn’t have much luck with the quality of video uploads earlier to convey that the rain is really coming down now, and so sharing a few photos. 🌧🌧
Photographs
Nature is an amazing thing. I’m seeing more of these fungi growing out of the mulch in our garden. Some searching online revealed that they are Aseroe rubra, more commonly known as Anemone Stinkhorn or Starfish Fungus.
They omit a foul smell that attracts flies through the black, sticky, spore bearing substance that can be seen at the base of each arm. The flies injest and trample the spores which they subsequently distribute further afield, thus spreading and helping to propagate the fungi.
I step outside this morning to drink my coffee, a US Citizen. More later...
This was not a large puzzle, both in physical size and in terms of number of pieces - one hundred - and subsequently did not take long to finish. The puzzle was not a big challenge. No, what drew me to it was the striking depiction of a Japanese Macaque. 🧩
Deja vu of Britain on the back streets of Porto.
Another beautiful sunset over Porto this evening.
The Sahara’s presence was still felt here in Porto today at the Cemitério do Prado do Repouo.
The Carmelite Church in Vitória, Porto.
And a side wall of that same church.
This evening a fierce red sunset over the Atlantic ocean courtesy of a dance between the sun, Sahara and the atmosphere!
The still orange sky. The bell towers are from the Igreja Matriz de Massarelos. Construction on this church began in 1776.
And finally, night by the Douro River on a walk to dinner.
This morning’s view, the Ponte Dom Luís bridge from over the rooftops in Porto, Portugal.
A friend sent this video taken from her house in a remote part of West Maui. The house is on a cliff that surrounds a bay and at this time of year whales come into the bay with their young. The sound like a fog horn that can be heard in the video, is from the whales. You can also make out where some of the whales are by the white water in the middle of the beautifully blue ocean.
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 →
This morning’s new arrival, an iPhone 13 Mini (PRODUCT)RED. This will be my first new phone for 5½ years. I’ll be saying goodbye to my trusted iPhone 7 Plus. The battery on the 7 is not holding its charge as well, and the charging cable is not connecting reliably to the phone. In getting a new phone, I decided that I wanted to go with a physically smaller device, and so the Mini.
Earthy smells of mushroom dashi and Japanese curry roux fill the kitchen.
I wrote this on Monday evening but was then distracted and did not have time to finish my writing. I was cooking dinner for Valentines Day, a Japanese curry ramen. According to the cookery book Vegan Japaneasy this is not a traditional Japanese dish. I have enjoyed cooking recipes from this book, and while I don’t normally reach for cookery books, this one repeatedly calls me back and, even if I say so myself, I have had good amount of success in what I have created.
I enjoy making the bases that make up many of the dishes. In this case the mushroom dashi and the curry roux. Monday evening’s dish meant mixing the two bases and the result was richer than I expected. I was also not successful in getting all of the roux to dissolve into the dashi, (note to self, less roux next time). However, overall I found the resulting curry taste was just right. An exciting mixture of textures and tastes.
Here’s a photo of the finished dish.
I love the smell of freshly picked lemons, and am grateful that I have them growing in my back yard.
A Sunday adventure to the South East side of Maui
Monday, February 7, 2022
The south east side of Maui is a place of the elements. Wind, sun and ocean meet in strong presence at that place where the vast flanks of Haleakala descend from its 10,000 feet summit to meet the Pacific Ocean at the ʻAlenuihāhā Channel, meaning aptly “great billows smashing.” A 30 mile channel of ocean lying between the Islands of Hawai’i and Maui, wind and water are funneled between the two land masses.Morning rainbow 🌈
Cattle trough on the cliffs.
Now this 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle was a challenge. Satisfying to finish, to put in that last piece, but a challenge. 🧩
Here’s a modern day paradox that has just arrived. A Christmas card from a Tibetan monastery.
With the sky last night being clear and there being no wind, we BBQ’d and sat round a fire.
The rain and resultant humid weather that we have had over the last few days appears to have resulted in some interesting flowers growing amongst the mulch.
I just completed this jigsaw puzzle of Sea Anemones. My first for a long time. It was difficult because the puzzle was not made up of regular shapes. Even some of the edges were not clear. But it was fun to do. 🧩
Taking a post Christmas dinner snooze.
Completed. I haven’t put Lego together for a long time. This was satisfying. It was a little too much for my grandson.
Wednesday, December 22, 2021 →
I spent about three hours preparing our Anniversary dinner last night. It was a Japanese vegan dinner from the cookery book, Vegan Japaneasy: Over 80 Delicious Plant-Based Japanese Recipes.
In the photograph below, on the left is a
- Shiitake, Onion and Potato Stew, and on the right is a
- Portobello Mushroom and Onion ‘Sukiyaki’Bowl.
Both have a Mushroom Dashi, and the Sukiyaki Bowl also has a rich Sweet Soy Sauce, recipes for both were also taken from the book.
Outside it was wet and wintery, and so I enjoyed being in a warm kitchen, creating. These were only the second and third dishes that I had taken from Vegan Japaneasy, and I was very pleased with how they turned out.
Married on the Winter Solstice 14 years ago today.
Wet weather fun in Maui.
A double rainbow crossed the sky this morning while I was on the phone to my mother. 🌈
Colours at dusk.
Thanksgiving 2021. 😄…there was much good company, food and chatter in between.
Before
After
The Spanish Dagger Yucca (those leaves are pointed and sharp) is flowering.
Wednesday, November 10, 2021 →
Not the clearest of photographs, but from left to right - Jupiter, Moon, Saturn, Venus.
