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Saturday – smile

breakfast 2.1.18

Chinese turnip cake, Quebec pork & beans, Omega 3 egg.  steamed, ready to eat.

japanese meal June 7 14 Atsuko Tsuji

Meal taken in Japan, back in 2014 by a  friend.

Japaese noodles, atsuko tsuji 2014

Japanese noodles in a rich tasty broth

Anticipation, taste sensations, nurturing of the body,  Food, what is it with food, we can spend so much time deciding on what to eat, how to cook it, what will go with it, enhance it, and then for some of  us, how much to eat of it.

Yet, when it comes to the health of our “mind/spirit” our day-to-day emotions, we allow others to influence and affect the “inner balance” of our personal “self”

PL calendar 3 . Use the power of your smile

A smile has the power to help people feel at ease, cheer them up, and at times, give them courage.  Smile and spread your warm-hearted energy to the people around you.

Oyashikiri

 

 

 

I eat because

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This house has two doors.  Obviously at one time the upstairs door, either had a balcony, BUT maybe not.  We have come across a lot of places with a secondary door, that at one time was going to be another exit, or a door to a small balcony, when asked, the agent would say, it just never got done.

In newer buildings I have seen doors that open to let in a view, but there is a guard railing (decorative and for security reasons) that bars exit.

I eat because I am hungry.  I eat because I am diabetic and need to eat at regular intervals, I eat because as a diabetic, there are times, I need to adjust my sugar levels, that are perhaps giving or adding to my headache, or malaise

Notice, at no time above did I say I eat because I like to eat.  Sure I enjoy a nice meal from time to time .. especially at a restaurant with a friend while we catch up.  Neither hubby or I are foodies, I realized the other day, neither one of us wills say, let’s go out .. we will and have done it, but it is not on our wish list of things to do.

We each have our likes and preferences on what we like to eat, and how we like it cooked. But, truly it is more of a..” ok have to eat, so let me see what is here…”

Pl Precept # 7  Everything exists in Relativity

One of my important lessons – regarding food. portion control.  ..not what I eat, it is how much I eat.. I can do with a lot less.. and not having to eat out, helps a lot with maintaining smaller portions,

for me, the perfect breakfast. small portion steamed rice, poached egg, and  Japanese or Chinese pickles,   dessert (mid morning taste)  iced coffee, with of ice, black, no sugar, no cream, if anything extra water.

What a great way to start the day.. How about you, how is your day going?

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Oyashikiri

finally, a flashback

prince-edward-county-2011This is a gate that we drove by some 4, 5 years ago.  I’ve never forgotten it, and I have hunted through my files to find it.  Never could locate it.   Today, Facebook sent me a..do you remember this.. message, it wasn’t this gate, but a location close by, in that time and space.

prince-edward-county-4I had seen this rock and was smitten.  I was sure I’d never see it again, but here it is.  Good ole’ Facebook.  There is something about rocks that appeals to me.  Any size will do, if it speaks to me, that’s it, I have to stop and take a closer look.

prince-edward-county-2When putting together a Chinese garden, (and Japanese) rocks are very symbolic.  Just seeing these pictures again, take me back to that fall day.  I can hear the crispness of the leaves under foot, and smell that delicious scent of musky  foliage and the moist evergreens getting ready for the winter season, Even the sky is a different hue of blue.

prine-edward-2011The earth and moss blend together, leaving the faint scent of the cooling breeze, I can’t help it, I bend closer for another look.

prince-edward-county-fall-2011The center leaves are fluffy with a soft baby down, or fuzz on a peach. I can almost see the first velvet touch of frost that will soon come to tenderly lie in the opening at its core. I am energized with the beauty of it all.

The gate was so haunting, it has never been forgotten… and now.. seeing it again, the memories of that time are just like new.  A rerun of my very own special “movie”

Today at church we talked about putting “makoto” in all we do.. (sincerity) (being present, in the moment) that is so true, when we are really present, our memory  is etched in such a way, that we get to enjoy it again.

Thank you for sharing these moment with me. We were in the area of Prince Edward County, we had taken a wine tasting route, totally not something we would ordinarily do.. and look what we found.  No, not wine, deliciously delightful, slices of Mother Nature.

Oyashikiri

does anyone know exactly where this fence is?

baked egg roll/spring roll

 

 

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Baked egg rolls using spring roll skins.  Why because we couldn’t find egg roll skins

lean beef – 1  lb

napa greens cut into thin slices ( use cabbage if you prefer)

yellow or white onion also cut into thin slices

garlic to taste

I used two types, minced and the garlic leek stems

season with garlic and black bean sauce to taste

I used steamed broccoli because I had it, and I like the extra greens.

if you like spice, you can add  sriracha

simmer till cooked

drain well, set aside to cool

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roll and lay out on a lightly greased pan

bake @ 350, check it to ensure they don’t brown too quickly

a slow bake makes them crunchy ( approx. 20 min.)

I did turn them once, then put them back in for another 5 minutes

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not eaten with a sweet sauce

prefer ginger and soya

sriracha mayo is good too

keep it light and enjoy

PL Precept #1    Life is Art

=^_^=

Chop Suey day

 

 

“Chop Suey” is a catch-all,  means a little of everything.  today was a chop suey day.  I started this post with a couple of videos that had me watching them with great attention, although I can’t even tell you why.  They appeared on my screen and, hey… I watched.  since I never follow a recipe, I’m not sure, why I was so mesmerized.. however, you gotta know..I’ll be eating shrimp in the near future.

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Wow a tree with branches.  this was another of my “oh ” moments… the clear sky through the branches had me aiming up into the sky, there was a bird singing, and I was captivated by the song. You will note there is no bird in the tree.

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Here is another of my “OH” moments, I saw the shadows and had to capture them, I parked and walked towards them, like I was being called by a voice I couldn’t ignore.  They really caught my attention, the sun was over head in such a way, that the shadows reached out towards me.

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So absorbed was I, that I had no idea that I had my friends waiting for me in the church wondering where I had gone, and what was I doing.  So much so, that sweet Yumi (new to Canada from Japan, by way of Argentina) had come out in what had to be COLD for her, in only a sweater thrown over her shoulders.  Her main language being Japanese, she smiled politely when I explained that I was enthralled by the shadows. she is so precious, I just love her.  In a short time, she and her family have become such dear friends.  Temperature was just around freezing today.

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What is it that captivates, and captures our thoughts and imaginations, why is it that what is ordinary to some is so magical to someone else.  Today I was for sure, in a zone … tha was mine alone. Yes I interacted and enjoyed conversations with friends and acquaintances I met along the way.  But part of me was wanting to gather tools for my visual expressions.  At the second to last place I stopped at, before heading for the grocery store and the supper ingredients, I walked around a corner and came to face with this picture.

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Oyyyy hello….  I didn’t want to bring it home, but I did want to include it in my day.  This one was unframed,  Next to it, in a beautiful hardwood frame with a gallery light on it, was this picture, side by side they were.  Perfect.

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So different, yet part of the one.  I had a good day, it was what I call a chop suey day.  How was yours?  I hope you had a productive and happy day.  I am off to stir fry some shrimps… =^_^= did you guess already…

Namaste       –        Oyashikiri

I will stir fry them in garlic and black bean sauce..

shell them and eat them like popcorn at my leisure.

 

Taste, delight & savour

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Sauted black fungus and mixed vegetables…The veggies are done just right, with a  crispness to them, and the sauce is light not drowning in starch and sugars. Looks good, and it is.

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There is a whole array of salads too, some very nice ones, but I skip those,  in the background you see, just beyond the  customer is a whole delight of cooked dishes.  There is a plate of scallops that my friends delight in, they are plump lightly breaded with not a hint of “fried”  Next to that dish, you will find the  different noodle dishes and I believe that is where the fried rice is for the North American taste buds.  BUT to the right of that customer, is also two dishes that I find hard to resist, One is green beans stir fried and tossed with a few sesame seeds, I pile as much of that as I can over my other goodies.  In front of that dish is a mixed veggie dish that I supplement my other choices with.

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From this side of my plate, you can see the green beans, and the crisp broccoli, on the top to the left is salt and pepper fish, the dumpling on the right there is a pot sticker, and under the broccoli is a small piece  salt and pepper pork .. the stick you see, holds a wonderfully roasted piece of chicken, moist and succulent.

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This side of my plate shows you the  larger helping of black fungus and veggies.   Buried under all of that is freshly steamed Basa fish, a nice big slab of it. Note, no rice, no noodles. You can’t see it, but I likely have a couple of sushi there too.  They have a good sushi cook and serve some traditional sushi, not North American …

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All this side of that round server going around to the right there, where the customers are, is DESSERT.   The counter on the right is where the steamed or baked fish dishes are. You can not see that portion because of the back of the bench.  Sorry.. behind the bench is another serving area, of ice creams. Off to the left or other dishes, and the server behind the benches on the left, holds the soups, and more steamed dumplings and Chinese steamed spare ribs in a garlic and black bean sauce.

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You are witness …. I did have dessert.  that cake  or whatever it is on the left is to die for.. it melts in your mouth, it is like a whipped cream, only the colour of pistachio.. the square on the right is mouth drooling tasty, it looks innocent, but oh wow it is good, and so is that silly looking cup of  what you think is a little bit of pudding,  I’m not usually a dessert person, so I cannot tell you what they are, just that I will go back for more.  The little macaroon didn’t stand a chance next to the other goodies, it was good, but… hands down on the green whatever it was.( looked like a cake)

All this to say….. seize the moment………live each day making choices that you will enjoy….. choose wisely, but get out there,  try new challenges..  

In Pl, we have a Principle, PL Principle #13  – Concerning food, I will not have complaints, likes and dislikes, nor preferences; nor will I overeat, over drink,nor eat irregularly

Not easy peasy all the time to follow… in this case… I did my best to choose wisely, I didn’t waste, I ate what I picked, taking only a bit of this and that, meant that should something not please my palate, I could still eat it.. and I do try different dishes.  Some I do not have because I won’t like them, but because I know they will affect my sugar levels.  Eating moderately means that I can enjoy these buffets, and not suffer later.

Delight in what you eat.

Namaste      –      Oyashikiri

 

Eclipse,Ottawa,Canada

transformation

Wu Guanzhong, Chinese 1919 2010

Transformation of the world, comes about in the quiet of your mind.

serenity of the soul, and ONENESS with God/Tao

Jet Li  Wushu Master

Namaste     –     Oyashikiri

Chinese ink Wu Guanzhong, 1919-2010

Jet Li, Wushu Master

vintage – classic

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1955 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible 265 Cl. automatic*

How is that when vehicles age, rust and fall apart, we still love them.  This one has been kept in wonderful condition, or lovingly restored. I am enamored with the classic cars, trucks, especially prior to 1960’s.   Something happened to the designs after that, and I lost interest.  I viewed the car simply as the means of transportation.  Now many years later, it is a completely different story.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, even rusted and in decay I can be totally mesmerized. In fact the other day I purchased a paint enamel called “rust”.

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When was the last time you actually saw a hood ornament on a vehicle?  I can’t recall seeing one in a long time.  This one is from a 1936 Packard – (Steve Corey,Flickr)  Lately I find that when I need to take a break from being in “work mode” I search out old photos of  cars/trucks and related items for my Pinterest board,  I have asked myself what this interest is in cars that I only have a vague recollection of, and I don’t have an answer.

In PL, one of the lessons is about listening to others, and to not interrupt, to let what is being said  come to us in a manner that we are respectful of the speaker’s intentions. While I do my best to practice this, I’ve found over the years that I do not always allow my own thoughts and desires to be given the “respect” due them. I’m more apt to listen carefully to someone else, a friend for example will be speaking to me and I am interested and giving my full attention to the conversation.   While I act on my interests, I don’t think that I always understand why I’ve developed a passion for a new “interest”

It is said, that when you are being influenced by an invisible force,  (the Chinese mind -TAO) sees this inspiration as a “penetrating influence” it is important to still the mind, and allow the  gentle force to shape and give form to the answers to the unspoken questions.  Through a willing submission to the time and the situation, you will gain insight and perspective… I know I’m not alone in this love of the classic/vintage vehicle, any feedback or input out there?

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I admit to wearing a T shirt with a big Chev logo across the front…  LOL … There is no hope for me…  Happy motoring everyone!

Namaste  – Oyashikiri

*mecum.com posted janis Sweat

a tranquil & meditative attitude

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Life is never without changes

Some transitions are smoother than other.  When attempting to sort through the many potentials and possibilities, often more problems surface. There is a Chinese text (Tao) that speaks on how the benefits of a slow developing engagement usually produces a much more stable and satisfying union.  Same applies in Business relationships,  success comes if one holds firm to inner visions while adapting to established business policies.

Wise words spoken by a sage:  Refrain from hasty or passionate  action – lean instead towards the romantic cultivation of love.

Sometimes it is important to realize that we are in a slow, organic unfolding of events – there are no shortcut in the journey ahead.

Namaste  – Oyashikiri

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text-pictures -Q

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Intuition & Appreciation

Intuition & Appreciation

Over the many years of my existence I’ve learned to follow my intuition, if a thought pops up into my head, I do my best to act on it. Usually I discover, that there was a reason for my actions.
I had planned today to be out with a friend, however, it didn’t happen, so I found myself with “free” time. We have been away for several days, days that were busy, fun and full of activity. Ah HA! time to regroup and just chill.
Having decided that was what I was going to do and feeling very content with that decision, I was rather surprised to hear myself suggest to hubby that I go along with him to the extreme west end of the city.
Believe me when I offered to tag along, I had not idea why I wanted to get back in the car to drive and shop some more, There are two shops in that end of town that I have gift certificates for, but I was not pumped to shop.  My attitude was one of “I’ll just explore”
At the first shop, I found the perfect gift for friends that I will be seeing in a couple of weeks. Wow, I thought, this is great, must be why I wanted to be here.  The next shop just blew me out of the water. The bookshelves were full of books on one of my favourite topics. Philosophy and Theology. My head was spinning as I tried to select only a few of the books and not gather them all and dump them in my basket.  I found two wonderful dictionaries, Pocket Oxford Chinese dictionary, so new I could still smell the pages, it will go with my Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese dictionary, and the Oxford School French Dictionary, both mint.
ahhh heaven!
Oh, and a brand new copy of The Tao of Willie (A guide to Happiness in your heart, by Willie Nelson). There are many more, but I will share them with you over time, this is a blog after all and not a novel.
Since I’m recently back from Japan, I may start with Religion and Social Crisis in Japan (Understanding Japanese Society through the Aum Affair).. hmmm not light reading.  BUT, I allowed my intuition to guide me in my choices. When I look at the variety in my choices I’m happy happy happy..

When you pray on a regular basis,you become more and more comfortable with you “intuition”, in prayer we learn to realize that as humans we do not live solely by our own power, We “are” thanks to the “grace of God”

For this I give thanks, and have a true appreciation for things as they are. I accept what comes my way, with ‘age” I am learning that accepting isn’t always a walk in the park.. and if I don’t know at the time, I will eventually know, what the Universe has intended for me.

When you let go and listen to  your intuition -you will be blessed, treasure the fleeting “connection with a higher power”,  your inner smile deepens to and fills you with Joy.  multiple BLESSINGS are being sent your way filled with love and appreciation, 

photo-a virtual scene from SL -by Q

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