Summer evening walk

Earlier this afternoon it felt like 40 degrees C

After experiencing 50+ degrees C in the Middle East, 

I prefer the cold of the Great White North, to the sweltering heat ☺

And where do Cherry Tomatoes come from?

From my wife's garden!

Sunshine on a Spider on a Web on a Gladiolus

The plural for Gladiolus is Gladioli, also known as the Sword Lily ☺

Last year I watched a spider eat it's own web!

Dahlia ❁

All three flowers are on the same plant ❁

The yellow and peach coloured Dahlia below had just bloomed when the storm came, 

And blew the beautiful ceramic pot over. 

Mother nature and father time don't have to cooperate with anyone or anything.

It is now being cared for along with the Dahlias above ☺

Mother Nature and Father Time don't have to cooperate with us ☺

They were here before we came, and will be here after we are gone

They own the planet!

☺

Quick Cardamom Tea

Open a green cardamom ...

Crush the seeds ...

... And add the powder into your tea along with cream and sugar

Good afternoon!

I don't need anything, HIS Grace is sufficient for me

Hiking with the family on the Bruce Trail

Recently planted this butterfly weed for the sake of butterflies!

Aren't these some sort of wild grapes on the trail?

I still love the old Nokia cellphones for the free GPS 

Local trails are getting so crowded these days. (Good to know more people are going outdoors).

When we last came here several winters ago, there wasn't a soul on the trail, 

thanks to the -30 ° C temperature, ice and deep snow! 

     About five years ago I did this painting below of a view from below Webster's Falls in the autumn

Happy hiking!

"My philosophy is that when I go out of my room, I'm prepared to love everybody I meet, unless they're bad" - Omar Sharif

There are three movies that I will never forget, thanks to the brilliant acting of Omar Sharif.

Lawrence of Arabia

Doctor Zhivago

and


The Tamarind Seed 

The Tamarind Seed is a 1974 romantic spy thriller starring Julie Andrews & Anthony Quayle. (Haven't been able to get this movie on Blu-ray or DVD but it is available on iTunes, thankfully!

☺

Cooking a Spicy Duck Curry

Cooking actually starts with grocery shopping. 

Got some fresh duck this evening and decided to cook a spicy curry.

Here are the ingredients.

Clockwise from the top - an onion, cloves, fennel seeds, green cardamom, one black cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic, ginger, 8 green chillies and a tomato

A fresh 4.28 lb duck (about 2 kilograms)

After removing the insides of the green and black cardamom, powder all the dry spices and set aside

Chop up the onion and stir fry till light brown

Grind the garlic, ginger and green chillies into a paste, and add to the onions

When the mixture is light brown, add the ground spices

Stir frequently and add a few teaspoons of water to prevent the mixture from overheating and sticking to the pot.

This is the stage when the oils from the dry spices are released, but they shouldn't be allowed to burn

Slice the tomato

And add it in

I cut the duck into small pieces to allow the spices to flavour the meat very well. Larger pieces will take longer to cook and they won't taste as good, though they might look better in the plate. 

(I always focus on function and taste, instead of looks and presentation) ☺

As the oils get released from the spices add the duck ...

... And mix very well. 

Cook without the lid for about five minutes, constantly mixing. Add a little salt, and a tablespoon of vinegar, and cook with the lid on ...

If you have nothing else to do while the duck is cooking, try a few of these awesome cherries!!! Cherry season is in full swing

About 7 minutes later ...

☺

You can replace the cherries with a sip of Gewürztraminer if you like!

Bon Appétit

Canoe on the Kaministiquia

The Kaministiquia river is in Thunder Bay. 

Kaministiquia is an Ojibwe word meaning "River with Two Islands"

This is a painting I did in 2010 after visiting North Western Ontario

Canoe on the Kaministiquia

12"x 16" oil painting on canvas