Thursday 31 December 2015

I was updating our GPS and getting ready to drive a thousand kilometres ...

I was updating our GPS and getting ready to drive a thousand kilometres, 
when GOD tapped me on the shoulder, and said ... 

"you ain't going there just now, 
book a flight to a place thirteen thousand kilometres away instead!"


HIS plans have always been bigger, and better than mine.

Truth in life is - 

"We make our own plans, but the LORD decides where we will go" - Proverbs 16:9

Happy New Year to you all!

Tuesday 29 December 2015

Better than light and safer than a known way

When I don't know what will happen next year, and the future is uncertain, 
this is what I do to tread safely into the unknown 
☺ 


King George VI mentioned these words in his 1939 Christmas broadcast.


Not only have these words meant a lot to me whenever I took a leap of faith,
but my journey has been better than light, and safer than a known way!



"Go out into the darkness,
And put your hand into the hand of GOD.
That shall be to you better than light
And safer than a known way" 


- Minnie Louise Haskins 
(The Gate of The Year published in 1908)


Have a blessed New Year, friends!

Saturday 26 December 2015

"If you have a spice, use it! Don't sprinkle it. Spoon it in" - Papa

Produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, The Hundred-Foot Journey is a delightfully emotional film that blends #family, #food & #culture to bring people together.
Love it!





What an amazing performance by Helen Mirren, Om Puri and the entire cast!


One of my favourite quotes:


"If you have a spice, use it!
Don't sprinkle it.
Spoon it in"
- Papa


Squirrel jumping from one bird house to another in search of sunflower seeds




The calabashes are safe!

Wednesday 23 December 2015

Wandrin




"Mud can make you prisoner, and the plains can bake you dry
Snow can burn your eyes, but only people make you cry
Home is made for comin' from, for dreams of goin' to ..."

Lyrics - Alan J. Lerner

Sung by Lee Marvin


Get the movie Paint Your Wagon from Amazon

Officially it maybe winter, but there are still flowers in our garden!




December 21st was the official start date of winter 

Saturday 12 December 2015

"There is only one wish on my mind, When this day is through I hope that I will find" - Karen & Richard Carpenter




 "There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here ..." 

-  Karen & Richard Carpenter 


Tuesday 8 December 2015

Polar Bear at St. Anthony, Newfoundland


A few years ago, we did an amazing road trip on The Viking Trail
 to a little town called St. Anthony in Newfoundland





I'm painting this part with the canvas upside down




Using a palette knife for the snow and ice




16"x20" oil painting on canvas

Spirits

"There is no political solution
To our troubled evolution
Our so-called leaders speak
With words they try to jail you
They subjugate the meek
But it's the rhetoric of failure"
- Sting, 
The Police (1981)



Get Spirits in The Material World by The Police from iTunes

Saturday 5 December 2015

Listening to The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald while painting A Little Boy Jumping Rocks at Lake Superior


Many years ago, I celebrated a birthday hiking with my family on the North shores of  Lake Superior.





The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald was written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald 
on Lake Superior (also known as Gitche Gumee) 
on November 10th, 1975






A Little Boy Jumping Rocks at Lake Superior
7"x10" oil painting on rock

Thursday 3 December 2015

Shepherds

♫ "While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night,
All Seated on the Ground ..."


"Fear not, said he for mighty dread had seized their troubled mind,
Glad tidings of great joy I bring, to you and all mankind"

Saturday 28 November 2015

How not to chase the wind #hope #wisdom #life #satisfaction

No matter who we are, and what we do in life,
There is only one way to find what we are looking for, and be completely satisfied,
And who would know this better than King Solomon (I think the wisest man who ever lived)

Watch Bill Hybels on the subject of being satisfied

"All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see" - Kansas

This song reminds me of King Solomon when he says everything is meaningless
See Ecclesiastes 1-2 


"All we do crumbles to the ground though we refuse to see"


Get Dust in the Wind by Kansas, on iTunes


Friday 27 November 2015

Listening to some of my favourite hymns



Immortal, Invisible, GOD Only Wise

"To all life thou givest, to both great and small,
In all life thou livest, the true life of all,
We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
And wither and perish but naught changeth thee"



To GOD be the Glory

" ... To every believer the promise of GOD,
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives"




O GOD, Our Help in Ages Past

"Before the hills in order stood, or earth received its frame,
From everlasting thou art GOD, to endless years the same"


Monday 23 November 2015

Listening to Ian Anderson (Jethro Tull) while cooking drumsticks with potatoes and coconut


Peeling the outer skin of the drumsticks since they are bitter




Cutting potatoes and drumsticks to similar size (so that they cook in the same time)


In addition to the cumin seeds, red chilly and onions shown below, I also added turmeric powder, 
a little salt,
and grated coconut of course!


Cook the potatoes (with turmeric) for a few minutes before adding the drumsticks and coconut
Makes the potato look yellow, in addition to the health benefits of turmeric!


Meanwhile, Inside is a song from Jethro Tull's third album, Benefit released in 1970




Btw, Ian Anderson, Mark Knopfler, and Gordon Lightfoot, 
have played a vital role in my cooking, and painting for over thirty years! 

Sunday 22 November 2015

#Art #Painting Children at the Well, Fort William, Canada

Many years ago, we travelled to Fort William on the Kaministiquia River in Ontario


The children were thirsty and wanted water ...





Children at the Well, Fort William, Canada
24"x36" oil painting on canvas

Saturday 21 November 2015

Calabash

Harvesting bottle gourds in the backyard


And hanging them to dry outdoors through the winter


Hopefully they will be ready for some artwork in the spring of 2016!

Growing up in Africa, we used to refer to this as a calabash instead of 'gourd'

Did you know bottle gourds have been around for thousands of years?
Here is a little history behind the calabash (or bottle gourd if you prefer)

Thursday 19 November 2015

Help

I looked up to the sky thinking ...
And then these words came to me ...



"I lift up my eyes to the mountains 
    where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
 indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.


The Lord will keep you from all harm
    he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore." - Psalm 121

Monday 16 November 2015

Wisdom

What we are experiencing today, was predicted by Jesus more than 2000 years ago


Saturday 14 November 2015

Hawk in the backyard

Sorry, it's not a clear picture
(It was taken through two windows)


We saw this hawk dive and pick up a cardinal this morning.

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Contentment

A good friend of mine sent me this verse, and I just want to share it with you, 
especially if you are in need!



Friday 30 October 2015

"The King had a fleet of trading ships ..." - 1 Kings 10:22

Did you know that King Solomon had peacocks brought to him from as far away as India?



Read 1 Kings 10:22 or 
2 Chronicles 9:21 
(King James or NLT)

Thursday 29 October 2015

Fried Green Bananas

Some people call these bananas, others call them plantains. 
At home, we like to call them green bananas!
Buy really green ones, not the ripe ones.

Cut the tips off


Lightly peel the skin (which means part of the skin is still left on. This is high fibre!)


Cut in the shape of French fries


Should look like this 


Heat a large cast iron skillet, add a little oil (two or three tablespoonfuls) and heat well 
(this is to prevent sticking)
In the meantime crush two dried chillies onto the plantain
(and don't put your fingers anywhere ... till you wash your hands very well )



Add the plantain into the oil


Add turmeric, salt, ground black pepper, Kashmiri chilli powder and a little cumin powder
And keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks to the pan


Shut for a few seconds, open and stir, shut again 
(this is to bring out the moisture from the plantain to cook it)


Now continue stir frying uncovered on relatively high heat till the plantain is crisp on the outside


This is one way of cooking some really tasty fibre!

Sunday 25 October 2015

Wednesday 21 October 2015

Air Canada Airbus A320

From this picture can you tell if the plane is landing or taking off?




Air Canada 
Airbus A320 -200 (320)