Catching up with My World

 Only the news that's fit to print!  An update here for Sunday Salon, and the world at large.  Sunday Salon, hosted by Deb Nance over at Readerbuzz, is where we get a chance to link up and share what we've been up to, visit other blogs and maybe join in with their conversations.

In my world, it's often something in the garden that gets me excited.  This week was memorable!  Here are the turmeric plants blooming.  Prettier close up.

And, really it's not too unexpected, after all most plants probably bloom at one time or another.  The comfrey decided to join in.  I couldn't resist and picked the stalk for my flower arrangement.

Then, noticing berries on a Curry tree, decided to see if they were edible.  Glory to God, they are and have a nice herby, slightly citrusy taste. Which, I read are sometimes incorporated into curries. But that would be troublesome as they have an inedible seed.  Apparently not all varieties have a seed, but the ones I tasted all did.

We will get to the books, I promise! 

Do you remember that variegated Hawaiian banana I discussed last time? With variegated fruit?  Here's the new baby!  So there's more of those bananas to come.

The Books Read

Yes, we do have some books to mention.  Two from Jacqueline Winspear.  I do seem to go through favorite authors for a time.

An excellent stand-alone from the author of our much-loved Maisie Dobbs series.  Set in Post War England.  

Here Maisie Dobbs investigates the death of an Indian woman in 1933 London.  Another moving and nuanced novel by this author.

And another by Peter Lovesey!  I enjoy his quirky hero, Peter Diamond.  As the Publishers summarize: "When an autistic Japanese child is mysteriously abducted in London, ex-police detective Peter Diamond begins a desperate search that takes him from the sumo-wrestling world of Japan to New York's high finance district."  A very unusual plot, wandering, but absorbing.

Currently Reading:

By the author of The Henna Artist.  So far, enjoying the story quite a bit.  Goes from Bombay to Europe in 1937.

Then, just a bit for the Food and Wine Section

Ongoing fermentation of my Pineapple Wine.  Three gallons coming up, just a matter of waiting!  And waiting, racking and waiting for the finished product a couple years down the road, possibly.  When I have an excessive amount of fruit of some kind, I either give it away or make wine!

Food and the Cookbooks Referenced:

Skillet Spanakopita with Phyllo.  This was a terrifically good and novel use for the Phyllo languishing in my freezer.  It's so finicky to work with, but this just put crumpled pieces on top of the delicious filling.  Thanks to Christopher Kimball, author of Milk Street Shorts.  I will probably make again!

Then there was Southwestern Quinoa Salad from Gourmet Today, courtesy of Ruth Reichl.  A very scrumptious combination of ingredients.  However, disclaimer here:  If you had never prepared quinoa before, you might be put off by the lengthy and unnecessary directions for preparing that portion of the recipe.  I stupidly decided to follow them just to see if I had been omitting something vital to my health.  No, and I melted down the plastic portions of my sieve in the process. Live and learn.  I hope.

We should be lots better here, now that hurricane Lala has come and gone.  Sadly some folks are still without power.  So many trees down!  And Gardens messed up!

That's it for now folks!  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and upcoming week.

Sunday Salon - Catching Up and a Cornucopia of Blessings

A Cornucopia of Blessings

Well, it's certainly been awhile.  I believe the last time I posted the volcano was in eruption mode and I scared some folks with my close up views!  That still goes on, and off.  Sunday Salon is where Deb Nance of Readerbuzz, our charming hostess, has set aside as "a place to link up and share what we have been doing during the week. (For me, it's been a bit longer than that!)  It's also a great opportunity to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there."  

Leading off with my favorite plant (of the week anyway)! The native Hawaiian Varigated Banana, aka Musa x paradisiaca 'Ae Ae', in its just planted stage, two years ago.  Then there's now, with a bunch of variegated bananas!

Harvested yesterday, oh joy!  They're similar to plantains and nice fried up in a bit of coconut oil or butter.

Another planting of interest in my garden is Dragon Fruit.  Here are some blooming in my friend's greenhouse.  And, what the fruit looks like, though comes in several colors.

 And, voila!  The installation of a Dragon Fruit stronghold in my garden.  They like to be in cinders, and on rock.  Plants,  like people are very particular and peculiar!  Thanks Brian for a wonderful addition to my space!

Gatherings

      Friends, family and neighbors are important and I enjoy hosting.

Before any Books of Interest I'm going to finish with this gratitude list, and some of the many blessings God has showered on us!

 Today's harvest of Winged Beans, dill & Pineapples from yesterday - it's the season for pineapples!

The recently heavily pruned lychee tree, with lots of good mulch for the garden!  Maybe now it will get back to bearing fruit, other than just 2 or 3!  There's a wake up call for you! :) 

 

A new Kale plant                                                      Flowering Galangal ginger

    Tropical Oregano                Lemongrass

with cranberry hibiscus in back

                                      Curry tree with berries    Water Lillies & Water hyacinths in the pond

And we do have some books to mention!

I almost don't know where to start.   I'd better limit myself to the more recently read, or of special merit or interest.

This book comes under the heading of special merit!  Who Ate Lunch with Abraham, by Asher Intrater is nonfiction, spiritually challenging, and a book which has most influenced me this year to date. 

There is a figure who appears throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. He is sometimes referred to as the Angel of the Lord, sometimes as God Himself, and sometimes as the Son of Man. The appearance of this figure demands a re-evaluation of classic Judeo-Christian world views, and that is exactly what Asher Intrater does very well.  Highly recommended!

The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey.  From the Publishers: "The irascible, corpulent, cynical Chief Superintendent Peter Diamond of the Avon and Somerset murder squad attributes Britain's decline as a world power to the abolition of capital punishment in 1964. Spurning computer gadgetry, he sticks to common sense, index cards and gumshoeing: `Knocking on doors. That's how we get results.' The belated identification of the victim as actress Geraldine Snoo, written out of a BBC soap opera two years before, leads to one surprise after another."

A good Detective novel in the time honored tradition, though new to me.  I will be reading more of his books.

The Comfort of Ghosts, by a favorite author of mine, and her last in the series featuring Maisie Dobbs, Investigator/Psychologist,  and an intriguing conclusion for a beloved heroine.  

Bleeding Heart Yard, by Elly Griffiths.  This is turning out to be something of a round-up of favorite authors!  A stand-alone by Griffiths, and on the chilling side, but good.

The Dying Day by Vaseem Khan is a wonderful novel featuring a newly installed female policewoman, Inspector Persis Wadia, in 1950 Bombay.  She has a lot to put up with, as you can imagine!  I look forward to reading many more of her adventures by this excellent author.

This is one, loved by many, but myself, not so much!  It was our Cook the Books pick for June/July, for which The Roundup of reviews and food inspired by the novel is now up on their site.  My review is a few posts back here at:https://honeyfromrock.blogspot.com/

Currently Reading:

About half way through, and enjoying the quirky character of Isadora, who's trying to be happy! She's pretty funny.  My first from Courtney Walsh.

Well folks, that's it for now.  I'll try to be a more frequent participant here, but enjoy a wonderful weekend full of good food, books and get togethers.