17 Jun 2021- Provoking Sentimental Feelings&Taste
Mon: Happy Dragon-Boat-Festival and a good week ahead to all – pix downloaded. Tkx to Alvin for his interesting video, check out the long line for BakChang/Zongzi 粽子@JooChiat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOpakQPRlbA
Up to 5ppl for social gatherings from today; dining-in resumes 21Jun, ie if situation remains under control. Rambutans (Nephelium lappaceum) 紅毛丹from local fruit-stall, unlike childhood days where I can pick my favourite tree to climb for them and when the teeth can open them, now using a knife is more sensible Not that I am unable to take the rambutan hat off with my teeth, but at this stage, do not want to take that risk – not like the taste of the skin and not knowing where they came from, unlike childhood days when they were from my own orchard!
Kedondong (Spondias dulcis) 沙梨 another tropical seasonal fruit that is not easy to find overseas, also known as ambarella or Spanish plum. Can be eaten raw, cooked or preserved – personally I like to juice them, tasting vaguely sweet, but with a hint of tart. Shared some with cousin from KCH who also appreciates this fruit.
Tue: nice to hear from AT-hiking-buddy LOON who is now somewhere in his serene Brimson/MN, USA cabin and tkx for informing me that,
today is my favourite Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg’s (1843-1907) Bday – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIz3klPET3o
In memory of 2gentlemen, my father LAM TinYue (1911-1996) B/Wpix SICC/SIN1950s, and to L&M paternal grandfather JohnK HALD/3 (1923-2008) pix Tromsø/Norway1976, who also have Bdays today and are both no longer in this world but fond memories of them will never fade. A lady is not synonymous to a female or woman and a gentleman is not the same as a man or male. Sadly&unfortunately there are very few ladies&gentlemen in today’s world!
Wed&Thu: going thru’ old pix – found pix of father from when I returned to SIN for a short visit after his stroke (1979), and of JohnHALD/3 doing dishes OSL/Norway (1980). Getting too nostalgic&sentimental to concentrate – need to focus on something else, like Garry’s OutBack road trip.
Sentimentality is the only sentiment that rubs you the wrong way – Somerset Maugham
From Garry15Jun: Trip around the block #17.. Durack country, and the Ord River Scheme. Kununurra is the town built for the Ord River Scheme. The magnificent financial irrigation folly that was to turn this corner of Australia into our own food bowl! 50 years and millions of $$ later, as well as many classic agricultural failures, esp rice and cotton, it produces a few fruits and pumpkins, but 60-70% of the irrigated land produces fairly low value sandalwood which is processed elsewhere into incense sticks and manage oils! However, the good news is that the two dams built for the project created Argyle Dam (81 times size of Sydney Harbour, or something!) And Lake Kununurra. Boat trips through each on successive days revealed outstandingly beautiful landforms, waterways and wildlife…..and sunset The attached pics give some idea.
