Friday Art - Steller's Sea Eagle Portraits

 

This a a portrait of a Steller's Sea Eagle ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in watercolour pencil.

And here is another one that I misplaced and found it after I redrew the one above!  It was hiding under my laptop.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.

Wild Caught Snapper Fillets

 

I made an error in this post initially putting 'salmon' in the title. I meant to say 'snapper'. Sorry for the confusion.

Husband M  bought some wild caught snapper fillets from Costco.  He made them for Grandson C, but we enjoyed them also.

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp thyme

4 snapper fillets

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 tbs canola oil

3 tbs lemon juice

Season the fillets with salt, pepper, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice.  Saute in  canola oil 4-6 minutes on one side, flipping for 2 to 4 minutes on the other, depending on the size of the fillet. They are done when the fish flakes easily.

Wednesday Memes

 

Zucchini Soup

 

I decided to make zucchini soup. I found a recipe here using coconut milk. I added potatoes as well.  It was delicious.

Here is my recipe:

4 zucchinis cut into chunks

2 medium potatoes cut into chunks

3 tbs canola oil

3 cloves garlic minced

3 green onions diced

1 small onion diced

1 green chili pepper cut up

3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbs grated ginger

3 tbs lemon juice

zest of half a lemon

fresh basil leaves chopped

1/2 tsp coriander (I didn't have fresh cilantro)

1 can coconut milk plus 2 c water

Heat oil in a large pot.  Saute onions, then add green onions, garlic.  Add chili pepper, coriander, ginger, zest, salt, sugar, basil leaves, sugar. Stir in zucchini and potatoes. When softened, add coconut milk, water, lemon juice. Simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes and zucchini are tender.  Blend if preferred.  

Kohlrabi

 

My friend S gave me this large kohlrabi from her sister's farm.  I have made this before.  I am thinking of roasting it with carrots and potatoes.  Apparently you can eat the leaves as well, either stir frying or cutting them up as a salad.  Stay tuned for updates!

Sunday Smiles and SITAR - Candy Cane Snail

 

Welcome to Sunday Smiles and SITAR!

I found this Candy Cane Snail to make you smile today.

Here is my ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in watercolour pencil.

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles and to Nicole's SITAR.

Potluck Party Idea

 

Husband M's sister had a fun summer family gathering  last weekend.  We offered to bring chicken wings.  Costco sells a pack of seasoned chicken wings which just requires baking at 425F for 15-20 minutes. We also broil them at the end for 2-3 minutes.  It is a win!

smoked sausages

Another family brought these delicious smoked sausages slow cooked for hours and hours. The cook said I didn't have to slow cook or smoke the sausages, the main thing was to marinate them in butter, brown,sugar, mustard, barbecue sauce and broil for 3 minutes.

Friday Art - Monarch Butterfly

 

Welcome to Friday Art!

This is a monarch butterfly feasting on a milkweed plant, ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in acrylic and watercolour pencil. It is based on a photo my sister took, she has a milkweed plant.  I tried to capture the monarch's proboscis. That is its straw-like tongue.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.

A Touching Story

 

There was a touching story in this past Sunday's Toronto Star.  Laura Murphy's fiance passed away from cardiac arrest a month before their planned wedding.  She was only 28.  It inspired her to write a book to help with her grief.  She also has a Tik Tok channel.

I thought you would find it interesting, maybe you would be interested in her book.

Wednesday Memes and Eye Surgery Update

 

Eye Surgery Update:

I saw the Eye Doctor on July 20th to check up on  my recent Vitrectomy Eye Surgery.  It was 3 1/2 weeks at that point.  It was a good appointment, she wants to see me again in 4 weeks.  My eye vision is still blurry in that eye but improved. I will need cataract surgery after this is healed as this surgery hastens cataracts but will make me see better.  She said no rigorous activity for me for now.

 

Garlic Stems with King Oyster Mushroom Stir Fry

 

My sister got some garlic stems from the Chinese grocery store along with some king oyster mushrooms.  She says her family loves them.  Here is her recipe.  The mushrooms give the dish a meaty taste, delicious!

2 bunches of garlic stems

1 pkg of king oyster mushrooms sliced on the diagonal (she told me after)

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 tbs shaoxing cooking wine

1 tbs oyster sauce

2-3 tbs canola oil

Stir fry the garlic stems for 2 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir fry for another 5 minutes until soft.  Add garlic for 1 minute, then add shaoxing wine and oyster sauce.  Enjoy.

Kale with red onions and balsamic vinegar

 

I sauteed some kale with red onions, balsamic vinegar and cranberries and was very happy with the outcome.

Kale leaves finely chopped

1 tsp sugar

a handful of dried cranberries

3 tbs olive oil

1 red onion sliced

2 cloves of garlic minced

1/2c water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 tbs balsamic vinegar.

saute onions, garlic in olive oil. Add cranberries, sugar, salt, pepper.  Mix kale leaves in.  Add balsamic vinegar and water.  When the leaves soften in about 4 minutes, it is done.

Sunday Smiles and SITAR - World Cup and on Costa Rica

HaHaHa

Enjoy the game!

Welcome to Sunday Smiles, I have an interesting fact on Costa Rica for you today.

For SITAR I drew a  Guanacaste Tree, the national tree of Costa Rica, an ACEO (2/1/2" x 3 1/2") in watercolour pencil).  It is a huge tree, This tree can grow to heights of 25–35 meters (82–115 feet) with a trunk diameter of up to 3.5 meters (11 feet). 

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles and to Nicole's SITAR.

Pandan Leaf Green Tea

 

Husband M got some takeout Vietnamese food from a restaurant new to us. We quite enjoyed the food. They offered him a cup of tea while he was waiting on his order. M commented how refreshing it was despite the hot day that it was. The man gave him a bag of this loose leaf tea as pictured above, we were surprised. Google Lens told me it was a Pandan Leaf Green Tea. It says the leaf has a vanilla taste with hints of toasted coconut.

Friday Art - Tripod Fish

 

Welcome to Friday Art!  Showing my tripod fish ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in acrylic and watercolour pencil.

Linking to Nicole's Friday Face Off and to Gillena's Art For Fun Friday.

A lovely visit

 

Some good friends dropped by to see how I was doing after my recent eye surgeries.  They brought me these beautiful orchids and some delicious butter tarts.  It was great to see them and have a nice chat as I have been housebound for so long.  

Wednesday Memes

 

Salmon Fried Rice

 

I made a delicious salmon fried rice recently.  

3 cups scented rice

1 salmon fillet baked

2 eggs 

oyster sauce

dark soy sauce

light soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

canola oil

2 c frozen edamame beans

2c frozen corn

3 green onions diced

2 cloves garlic minced

Cook the rice (I use a rice cooker).  Day old rice is even better.  Bake the salmon (I actually had leftover baked salmon).  I mixed oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce and sugar into the cooked rice.  Then I sauteed green onions and garlic in canola oil.  Next, I crumbled the baked salmon in and set aside.  I microwaved the frozen edamame beans and corn. Then I scrambled the eggs with a bit of salt and pepper and set it aside.  Adding some more oil to the pan, I heated the rice mixture.  Then I mixed in the salmon, eggs, beans and corn.  Done!

Scandinavian Potato Salad

 

I made a Scandinavian potato salad yesterday and loved it.  It is a lighter potato salad I think. It uses red onions, dill pickles, dill, Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. I got a recipe from Google AI:

6 medium potatoes

1/2 c Greek yogurt plus 2 tbs mayonnaise

1/2 red onion finely diced

1 stalk of celery diced

2 dill pickles diced

a handful of chopped dill

1 tbs dijon mustard

juice of 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

peel and boil potatoes in water with a tbs of salt for 15-20 mins until tender.

mix dressing ( Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt, pepper). Fold in potatoes, celery, dill, red onion and dill pickles. Enjoy!

Sunday Smiles and SITAR

 

bull riding

My sister-in-law was at the Calgary Stampede and it looks like a lot of fun.  

I did a cowboy hat for SITAR ACEO (2 1/2" x 3 1/2") in watercolour pencil.

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles and to Nicole's SITAR.

Tomatoes 2026

 

My friend S gave me a bunch of tomato plants this year and a couple of basil plants.  I already spotted a tomato growing on one of the plants.  The squirrels have been mousing around the tomatoes since they started blossoming.  They weren't a problem last year but they have found the spot this year!  S says they will get a few but hopefully not all of the tomatoes.

Garlic Scapes

My friend S dropped off some garlic scapes and I made a yummy stir fry with them. I had not made these before.  I trimmed the tops off and cut the rest into 4 cm lengths. I noticed the ends are like asparagus, being less tender. Daughter L and I loved them.  Husband M said they are not his thing.

6 Garlic Scapes trimmed and cut into 4 cm lengths

3 green onions diced

2 cloves garlic minced

4 tbs canola oil for stir frying

Stir fry sauce:

1 tbs dark soy

2 tbs light soy

3 tbs oyster sauce

1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tbs cornstarch dissolved in 1/2c tbs cold water

Heat oil in a saute pan. Add green onions and garlic.  When the garlic browns, add the garlic scapes.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Mix the sauce in and continue stirring for a few more minutes until the scapes are fork tender.

Update on my eye surgery

The Doctor said everything looks good at my checkup yesterday and she gave me a choice of seeing her in 2 weeks or 4 weeks, I chose 2 weeks. She said I can sleep on my left or right side, am allowed light activities like walking or cooking. She said sleeping on my back with the gas bubble still in my eye is known to cause or hasten cataracts. I can weed when the gas bubble is gone ( I had to ask her).  That would be in another month or so.  She said it would be ok if I attend a few family or friends functions planned in the upcoming weeks.  Fingers crossed things stay stable.Thanks for all your supportive comments, much appreciated.

Eye Surgery update and possible Blog break and Sunday Smiles - Sweet Bee Fact

 

Linking to Gillena's Sunday Smiles.

I may be taking a blog Break until further notice as I recover from eye surgery although hopefully the tough part is over and I won't have to.  I have been feeling a lot better the past few days, using my phone a bit more to catch up briefly online.

The eye doc noticed a problem a few weeks ago requiring a second surgery (the surgery is called a Pars Plana Vitrectomy) which was done June 25. The surgery itself was successful but it always depends on how recovery goes. Every checkup is important. I see the Dr tomorrow. I have had to sleep face forward on a massage table for the past 10 days. And keep my face down all day with a 10 min break every hour. The vision in my right eye is now very blurry because  a gas bubble was put in my eye which clears gradually in 6-8 weeks from surgery date. Oh, It was 50% cheaper to buy the table from Amazon than to rent it for that period. 

 I have been watching a lot of videos (permitted by the doctor) on an ipad from my massage table. Loving Netflix chef's table series including their street food segments. Voicemails from Isabelle is also a cute Netflix movie.

My family has been incredibly supportive. I am lucky in that way.