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staying connected

calendar 26you have heard the expression ‘pretty as a picture’  this sure appealed to me, when I saw it on our Japanese calendar I took a photo and used it for one of my blogs

That was a while ago, and today if you ask me what it says…. I have no idea… I would have at the time because someone would have translated it for me.

Yesterday, during service, while everyone was taking in the moment, I felt a  ~current of change~ while I still was aware of all that was going on and being said, a part of me-disassociated.  I don’t know how else to describe it.  It was much like revisiting the above picture, knowing it, knowing I liked the sentiment, but what it was escaping saying me.

Usually I would have shared this with members, but for some unknown reason (to me) then, and still now, I fell silent.  That silence stayed with me for over an hour.  I interacted yes, but that niggling feeling remained, disappearing only after I got home.

It  like being connected and being disconnected at the same time.

PL Precept #18  Each moment is a turning point

PL Precept #7  Everything exists in relativity

Another day is before me, bom dia, uma maravilhosa quinta feira to everyone!

Oyashikiri

the picture was day 26 but of what year?

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

maintain a positive attitude

taken by Atsuko Tsuji in Japan Jan.26.16

Feel the positive and energizing energy coming from this photo, the composition, the colours, the presentation.  I can inhale and imagine the fragrance of the fresh flowers.

Be positive today. # 26  Maintain a Positive Attitude and wisdom will come to you.

” Worrying will prevent you from having good ideas.  Stay positive and you will find a solution.”  PL Calendar

O sentiment positive gera sabedoria

Del sentimiento positive nace la sabiduria

Oyashikiri

 

today’s photo was taken by PL member Atsuko Tsuji a talented artist/photographer (Japan)

 

 

 

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?

ask no questions

I will tell you no lies…

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instead of being weed free

this year, this garden patch was left to be

 what a surprise to walk by and find

that the fall colour

and nature’s design

presented such a pretty sight

for my eyes

truth be told

I got bold

and asked that I be given a sign

on what to have for supper

what I was given

was a package of frozen clams

sigh, not really what I had in mind

but I did ask

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so here it is

clam, fresh okra on a bed

of fresh Japanese noodles

enough said

I’m off to partake

of the bounty on my plate

see what happens

when left on my own

no questions asked

you get

the mix and match

that rolls around

in my cluttered head

have a delightful day ahead

till then

smiles will bring my day to an end.

Oyashikiri

 frozen clams small package

spaghetti squash cubed 1 cup

fresh okra 8 med, size

thin slices of yellow potato (small)

tablespoon water

noodle sauce to taste

salt, pepper, red peppers mixed

Japanese fresh noodles

steam ingredients together (wok) the okra creates a nice sauce texture

Enjoy

breakfast – steamed rice, poached egg

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Still revisiting pictures of Sharon Springs. NY while I have my breakfast.  Wondering what I’ll find this year when we head out on another road trip.  I’m drawn to landscapes with a “story”, at least one that speaks to me.  When I take the picture, I’m trying to capture the thoughts, or story line that came to mind when I came across the “scene”   Some are just my artistic expression, of a time and space, and others are like visual bookmarks for my “gray matter”

sharon-springs-abandoned

We are all different in how we catalogue information, for me .. I know… I’m visual… my desk always looks like gremlins came in the night and tossed everything looking for  hidden treasures. Of course, it is the work of my lazy mind and my easily distracted attention.  Smiles sweetly, and looks up with innocent eyes.  Of course I know it’s a mess… but it is my mess, and I like it.  that is what having one’s own space is all about. =^_^=

Now breakfast – small bowl of steamed rice, small helping of pickled cucumber (Japanese) and one lightly poached egg (omega) on my rice.

bowl-of-rice pickled-cucumber poached-egg

 

PL Precept #2

To Live is to Express One’s Self

We will each do this in our own unique way.  Life will continually present you with new moments of wonder, awe, and surprises. Some you will delight in and other’s may not charm you as much, but each and every one of the moments, are moments we are living.. and part of.  It is your choice, to live happy, when challenged, find a new creative way to overcome, to surpass, and go beyond.

PL Precept #15

All is a mirror

PL Precept #17

Grasp what is most Essential

Have a great day everyone!!

Oyashikiri

left overs

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noodles and rice

I know 8-(

very small portions

with the miso soup

it was very nice

small pieces of fish

a piece of lobster

and some greens

I’m giving it my best

my willpower is being tested

I shall persevere

PL Precept #20  Live maintaining equilibrium

between mind and matter..

Oyashikiri

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

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