Deb picked up Thai Takeaway on her way home last night from Thai Tara in Johnsonville. I had Ginger and Vegetable Stir Fry with chicken, mild and it was good. Would buy from there again.
A good read: Borrowed Time (A Cass Raines Mystery Book 2) by Tracy Clark. 🐦
It could be murder. But why would anyone kill a dying man? Cass’s persistence attracts unwanted attention, putting her life in danger and uncovering sinister secrets she may end up taking to her grave.
Usually I eat my breakfast while listening to the latest episode of Sasha’s “My life as a dog” podcast. Amazingly, it autoplays, triggered by my sitting down to eat. Today though some glitch occurred and it didn’t play. 🐶 Here’s a brief extract of a recent episode, for flavour.
Today’s tea Moonlight Pavilion:
You’ll notice the aromas undulate between floral, buttery and vegetal, with a pleasant astringency at each temperature.
Yes, it is a pleasant astringency.
A fascinating 1 hour podcast episode — After an initial discussion between the hosts about whale vocalisations, Megan and Carrie talk with Rachel E. Gross about her book, Vagina Obscura, and the language we use to describe pregnancy, vaginas, cervixes, etc. Don’t be an *, be a 🐈 from The Vocal Fries
Had this Soft Scrambled Japanese Tamago today. It’s quick, easy, delicious:
whisk together eggs, mirin, sugar, and soy. Add … along with butter to a cold pan … stir occasionally over medium-high heat … about 2–3 minutes.
This is an extreme crop of a photo at nearby Lake Puna o te Ora: two birds shaking, with water droplets spraying around them. The birds are likely Rakiraki | Mallard, with a Kuruwhengi | Australasian shoveler enjoying a quiet moment in the background. 🐦
Today’s tea is golden yellow and delicious. Amber Hojicha roasted green tea:
This special Hojicha tea is made with sencha leaves which are roasted; a process that transforms the leaves into a warm brown colour and changes their flavour. Amber Hojicha infuses into a deep amber-coloured tea
It’s been that kind of day.
I was just getting nicely lined up on this Makipai | Australian Magpie at the beach — hoping it would sing — when it flew away! 🐦
By 0650 the sun was rising.
It’s just before 6am and a chilly 7C as I take Sasha for her walk. Everything’s dark. There are stars in the clear sky, washed out by a very bright half moon. I can make out a little of the Milky Way below the Southern Cross.
There’s no wind. It’s silent — too early for the birds. As I round the corner though I can hear the sea nearby.
A beautiful way to start the day.
Today’s tea — White Moonlight:
This is a fun, fragrant, light-bodied white tea with an intricate cascade of notes…
I like this one. It is fragrant and light-bodied. Refreshing. I make it with 1 teaspoon of leaves.
Yesterday I made Deep dish apple pie. I bought the pastry. Everyone said it was delicious. Prepping 2 Kg apples took forever as they came off the tree full of bad spots to cut out.
Aargh. I’ve been making Traditional deep dish apple pie, with ready made pastry. It’s taken all afternoon! I didn’t realise it’d be so time consuming.
This odd looking thing is a Red Kiwifruit:
This fruit has a deliciously sweet berry-tinged flavour and vibrant red flesh … the distinctive red flesh stems from Anthocyanin - a unique and naturally occurring pigment within the fruit that is linked to cardiovascular and cognitive health.
Courtesy of Anne Shillolo’s newsletter I downloaded her Murder At Aspen Creek prequel novella for free. It was a quick and enjoyable read — I’m already a fan of her Port Alma Murder Mysteries. I’ll be reading the new series too. 📚
I’m going to stop reading A Space Girl from Earth (The Kyroibi Trilogy Book 1) by Christina McMullen. I’m not the target audience and I’m more annoyed by it than interested. 📚
not only is Ellie an alien, but … the forbidden knowledge of a lost civilization is hidden deep within her genetic code.
Another fascinating interview: Ann-Helén Laestadiu: Sami, the reindeer people:
Stolen is the story of a young Sámi girl’s coming of age. It is informed by painful real-life events: the killing … of reindeer, and the hatred Laestadius has seen as a journalist directed towards her people.