Somehow on my Babylon 5 rewatch I completely forgot to start with the pilot, The Gathering. The ambassadors arrive, the Station Commander is accused of attempted assassination of the Kosh ambassador, and we find everyone has secrets, or mysteries. Luckily it all pans out and B5 opens for business. B5️⃣

Whew, Babylon 5 rewatch, S01E01, “Midnight on the Firing Line”. There’s a huge amount happening in the universe and we’re dropped right into the middle of it. We have xenophobia, hostilities between cultures, tension between the Registered Telepaths and others, raiders, mysterious races. B5️⃣

Babylon 5 1994 logo.

Today’s lunch included a very rich yet delicious Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole via @mbkriegh.

I halved the cheese and sauce parts of the recipe as I didn’t think we had as much broccoli and cauliflower as required.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole part way through prep.
The finished Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole.

Good news today.

Oxford English Dictionary adds more Māori words:
The Oxford English Dictionary updates every three months … 47 new New Zealand words have been added to the dictionary, they include ‘hooning’ … Kupu like whenua, e hoa, koha and pōwhiri are included

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.

Book cover: Borrowed Time.

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.

Moonlight Pavilion tea package.

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. 🐦

Two water birds spraying droplets of water around them.

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

Packet: Amber Hojicha roasted green tea.
Morning is the youth of the day, when everything is bright, fresh, and easy of attainment; we feel strong … all our faculties are completely at our disposal. Do not … waste it in unworthy occupations or in talk; look upon it as the quintessence of life, as to a certain extent sacred.
Schopenhauer

It’s been that kind of day. Tripled Move Goal notification on Watch.

I was just getting nicely lined up on this Makipai | Australian Magpie at the beach — hoping it would sing — when it flew away! 🐦

Magpie on driftwood.
Rear view of Magpie as it flies off with wings down.
View from below the Magpie as it flies off with wings spread.

By 0650 the sun was rising.

Blue sky above, darker misty ground below, an orange arc above the hills.
The paddock below the sunrise, with cows lying quietly in the autumn mist.
The paddock below the sunrise, with cows lying quietly in the autumn mist.

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.

White Moonlight tea packet.
White Moonlight tea packet.

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.

Cook up the apple with spices and sugar.
Cook up apple with spices and sugar.
Blind bake pastry.
Blind bake pastry.
Pie ready to cook.
Pie ready to cook.
The finished pie.
The finished pie.

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.