Dinner for Friends

I've been wanting to make dinner for some friends of mine for a while now, and since it's easier for them with their young daughter, I hauled myself over to their house and cooked up a storm. It was really nice spending time with them, although I think my arriving with a home deep fryer and an immersion blender was a bit of a surprise hah.



I made some deep fried panko breaded sole with a roasted red pepper sauce, a mushroom and green pepper rice pilaf, and steamed aspargus with a beurre blanc sauce. We indulged and had some apple fritters with ice cream for dessert! The only thing I didn't do was make the ice cream, everything else was from scratch!

 

I used wine in both my sauces as well as the fritter batter so it only made sense to enjoy a glass or two with the food! My friend's husband was fit to burst with it all after the meal, but it was just so good. There's nothing like a good meal cooked with love surrounded by the people for which you care. Cheers!

Those Legs

It's rather ironic that yesterday was the first day I went out with bare legs, because this morning I woke up to 2cm of snow outside. Mother Nature, what are you doing?! Bring back the Spring!

I got a nice clear shot of my tarantula Nyx, a mature male Nhandu coloratovillosus next to my hand through its tank glass. You can really see how big and gorgeous he is. With legs like that, what's not to like? ;)


Now I've got the tanks of my three mature male tarantulas in the living room, so I can keep an eye on them. My one old man below, Pumpkin the Pamphobeteus sp. platyomma, is a year past his ultimate molt stage and hasn't got long to go so I want to make certain I know when he finally passes.

It may seem silly to so fixate on something like tarantulas but I've been raising these guys from tiny spiderlings. They've been in my care for five years. You invest that time and energy and care into something and you can't help but become attached to them. They're truly fascinating and I feel privileged to have such amazing creatures in my home. Cheers!

No Frame

From India

My Indian classmate saw me wearing this today and immediately asked if it was from India, which it is. I doubt its makers ever thought it would wind up on someone like me. I've had this tunic since 2011 and I'll have it as long as it holds together.

Today is odd, because I'm looking at my face and thinking I'm beautiful, but I can't say the same for my personality. Ah well... Cheers...

In and Out

Growing

One of my Grammostola rosea tarantulas molted yesterday and I was lucky enough to witness it. The last few times my tarantulas molted, I had to leave for class or work and missed the most interesting aspect of it. This time around I got some great photos.



Tarantulas and all other invertebrates who molt to grow don't gain their regular colouration until after their new exoskeleton expands and hardens. That's why this spider appears to be so different in colour from the exoskeleton from which it pulls itself.


Even its fangs are soft and white, and it's extremely vulnerable at this stage until its exoskeleton does harden again. In the last photo, its completely free from the exuvia, and stretching its legs. Ah the wonders of nature! Cheers!

Rise and Fall

I'm up extra early a few days a week for some classes, and if I'm lucky the sky is clear enough for me to see the sun rise. Friday's sunrise was particularly gorgeous, moving from pinks and violets to flaming oranges and golden yellows.



I'm looking forward to plenty of gorgeous sun rises this summer. I've been lucky enough to land a job as Head Cook at a youth island wilderness canoe camp on Lake Temagami this summer. It doesn't start until June - because the kids don't get out of school until then - so it won't be an all-summer job but I'm not about to complain about a few months off. The job itself is going to be amazing for me, I'm going to learn so much and I just know I'm going to enjoy it. Not to mention being able to work in a wilderness paradise, being able to just go jump in the lake between services, do yoga by the water, and hear no traffic.

I'll still have internet and cell phone access so I won't be so totally cut off from the world. But I'm really looking forward to the experience. I think it'll do me a lot of good to slow down the pace like that. We'll be a small group of staff on island and I'm really hoping I'll gain a friend or two through this too. I hope you're having a good weekend. Cheers...