Thank you Microsoft for leaving all my files and folders exactly where they were

Finally gave in to Microsoft's persistent pop-ups and upgraded to Windows 10

Thank you Microsoft for leaving all my files and folders exactly where they were!

I'm finicky, and get very irritated when someone moves my stuff around without asking me ☺ 



 

But I don't like virtual assistants of any kind, especially because in the process of helping me, they want to know everything about me, and you want to store that information with you, at your office.

So for privacy reasons, I have disabled you my dear Cortana 
(why do you need to know the colour of my underwear?)

Now even though I have disabled you, I know you are still running in the background. I can see you!

You know I could have fired you, and removed you completely, but I chose to keep you, because of our long relationship. Also so you can help me find a few documents when I need them ☺

Thank you Microsoft, for helping me around all these years.
You and I have come a long way together. Let's keep it going ☺ 

I miss you MS-DOS 



♫ "I see the crystal raindrops fall, and the beauty of it all, is when the sun comes shining through" - Bill Withers

"We look for love no time for tears,

Wasted water's all that is

And it don't make no flowers grow

Good things might come to those who wait

Not for those who wait too late

We gotta go for all we know"

-

Lyrics written and sung by Bill Withers (lyrics in the version below), and saxophone played by Grover Washington Jr. 

Love this live version below with Zack Sanders singing

"What is running your life at any given moment is your soul" - Dallas Willard

What is the soul?

"The soul is that aspect of your whole being that correlates, integrates, and enlivens everything going on in the various dimensions of the self. It is the life center of the human being"

- Dallas Willard

Watch this explanation of the soul, and its relationship between the mind and body by John Ortberg

Bud

See what the squirrels did to a Tulip that just bloomed ...

Thankfully there are more buds, and the chicken manure will keep the squirrels away!



Beauty

Beauty in itself is vain

"Be beautiful inside, in your hearts,

with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit

that is so precious to God"

- 1 Peter 3:4

The Purple Finch and the Goldfinch are friends at the feeder!

The fact that these pictures aren't clear means that I must clean the windows!

Better still, only take photographs like these outdoors

Goldfinch: "To bathe or not to bathe, that is the question"

Here are better pictures of the Purple Finch taken from outdoors

And more here

Stars surrounded it's edges, as the Saturday morning sun glistened upon a fallen maple leaf

 Below, this is what the leaf looks like without the sun reflecting into the camera

And the Daffodil reassured, "It's going to be a good morning!"

The first flowers of spring!

In GOD's backyard

☺

These purple flowers below must be wild. We didn't even plant them!

Does anyone know the name?



Hymn of the Cherubim by The USSR Ministry Of Culture Chamber Choir

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings:

With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 

And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

- Isaiah 6:1-3

This hymn (Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom) with choral composition by Tchaikovsky is heavenly!

Get the Hymn of the Cherubim by The USSR Ministry Of Culture Chamber Choir on iTunes

Cardinal Bathing

All bright and beautiful, the American Goldfinches have arrived, singing their songs of Spring!

Learn about American Goldfinches

 

Have a great sunshine weekend

Starting the day with 10 cups of green tea 🍵

 

Because you consume the whole leaf in matcha tea, one cup of matcha is equal to ten cups of regular green tea

Whisking to get the bubbles ...

Ah! Love that strong, creamy flavour of the froth ...

Now I need to find out where I can get matcha tea for less (pun intended)☺




Have you tried Iranian Saffron tea?

Cooking Pork Shish Taouk with Gewürztraminer, Green Chillies, Ginger and Onions

I don't usually use marinades that you buy at the grocery store.

Prefer to make it at home with fresh ingredients, but we had this Shish Taouk in the fridge.

So used it to marinate pork chops for over 24 hours.

Then fried the pork.

The pork was quite tasteless ... so ...

Fried an onion, along with two green chillies, a tomato, ginger, a little clove, and cinnamon powder. Added the meat, cooked for a few minutes,

Added some chilled Gewürztraminer (pronounced as guh-Verts-trah-Meen-er)

And now we have some tasty, creamy Pork chops!

"Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" - Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five

Get "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" by Louis Jordan & his Tympany Five on iTunes

Affectionate Doves

Affectionate Doves

Pedestrian sign

"The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting" - Sun Tzu

Provision

"And how are you managing?"

HE has always provided me, on or before the due date ☺

How about you, how are you managing?

Loopholes

If you are in the bottom 99%, I hope you will enjoy my latest cartoon!
☺

Aston Martin One-77

The Aston Martin One-77 features a full carbon fibre chassis with aluminium body, and is powered  by a 7.3 litre V12 engine that delivers 750 horsepower!

 

 

I took these photographs in 2012

 

 

See full specifications of the One-77 on the Aston Martin website

 

 

Only 77 cars were produced.
And this is one of the seventy seven ☺ 

 

Feels like -10 ºC but it's a lovely sunny afternoon for a brisk 4 kilometre walk 🚶

 

♬ Listening to Genesis 32:10 & Psalm 86:13 in Hebrew

"I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant ..."

- Genesis 32:10

 

"Hatzileni na,

Hatzileni na,

Hatzileni na"

 

 

"For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead" - Psalm 86:13

 

Sung in Hebrew by the amazing Ofir Ben Shitrit

(See lyrics and translation here)


The same song by the unforgettable Yonatan Razel

Get Katonti on iTunes or from Yonatan Razel's official website

Is dinner ready?

Children: Is dinner ready? (with a hungry look)

Me: Yes, in fifteen minutes!

 

 

Rib eye steak

The crocus is confused. Is it spring or winter?

 

 

Frying Rosemary Chicken Strips for the Children