Full Holi Moon + Lunar Eclipse - March 2025

Spring is on its way!

Holi! Celebrated at the end of winter, on the last full moon day of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month. 

Also Worm Moon.

An eclipse was taking place the night of the full moon, March 14.

I was sleeping soundly. Jet lag had kept me up previous nights but not on this one! On the east coast, the full moon’s several-hour journey toward totality — or a total lunar eclipse — began just after midnight and eclipsed by 2:26 a.m., lasting for about an hour. Photos will have to suffice.

Full Moon Down Under - February 2025

Hearing the loud banging of a drum we climbed the stairs of a restaurant in Sydney Australia's Chinatown and came upon the last day of celebrations for the Chineses Lunar New Year. 

What a joyful celebration! Drums! Lions dancing! People were feeding the them lettuce leaves. Lots of laughter, shouts, and smiles. I learned later that lettuce (or leafy greens) is associated with wealth and prosperity, and this "plucking of the greens" is called choy cheng (採青)... a special part of a lion dance where performers use the mouths of the lion to “eat” a head of lettuce (symbolizing good fortune) and spit it out to spread wealth to the audience. How lucky we were to have chanced upon it.

Later we explored the Chinese Garden of Friendship in the heart of downtown Sydney and, to seal our luck, walked through its Moon Gates. This garden is definitely one of the most beautiful I've ever visited. Such care and attention to detail. Wherever you looked a perfect frame.

Full moon fell in Australia on Feb 13, at :53.  

It was the Snow Moon in Toronto on Feb, 12 8:53.

Same moment different timezones.

Australia

Accommodations, transportation, and (some) day trips booked! 

Toronto > Australia

• air cab limo to Airport
• direct flight, with stopover in Vancouver
• 23 hours! movies, books, music... drink LOTS of WATER & move around
• arrive 2 days later due to time change

Sydney: Hotel Bondi  

• arrive, chill , recover from jet lag & lay on the beach
• train from Sydney to Melbourne, 11 hours to look out the window or read 

Melbourne:  Quincy Hotel

• Day trip: Puffing Billy Railway and Phillip Island Penguin Parade
• Day trip: Great Ocean Road, Shipwreck Coast, Loch And Gorge, 12 Apostles, Great Otway National Park
• things to see:  Botanical Gardens, Southern Cross, Museum of Moving Parts, Farmers Market at Flinders
  
• fly to "Tassy"

Hobart, Tazmania: Moss Hotel

• Saturday Salamanca Market
• Day trip: Port Arthur, Harbour Cruise & Tasman Park
• things to see: Botanical Gardens, Museum of Modern Art, Margate Marina, Victoria Dock, Mount Wellington
• fly to Sydney

Sydney: Boulevard Hotel

• Wedding!!  Welcome Drinks (Bondi Iceburgs) / Wedding (Centennial Park) / "Debrief" (Fields of East, Rugby House)

Bondi 38

• 
  Sydney Opera House performance in the Concert Hall
• more beach time

Australia > Toronto

• fly home & arrive back on the same day we left Australia

Full Wolf Moon / Cold Moon - January 2025

After a relatively mild winter we were hit with a cold snap and sub-zero temperatures, so it is a Cold Moon indeed

Chat Bot AI spits out this haiku

Chill moon in January,
Silver whispers through the night,
Winter's breath held tight.

I much prefer Basho (1687)

The moon glows the same:
  it is the drifting cloud forms
  make it seem to change.

Looking for an image, Google AI assists:

search:  cold moon in a suburban neighbourhood: results 

AI Overview

A moon in a suburban neighborhood can create a serene and enchanting atmosphere. The moon's light can cast long shadows and illuminate the neighborhood, making it feel magical.

Scenes of a moon in a suburban neighborhood

Moonlit street
A quiet suburban street is bathed in a soft, blue glow from the moon. The scene is peaceful and still, with neatly arranged houses on either side of the road.

Moonlit path
A quiet suburban path is illuminated by a bright moon. The path is lined with well-kept lawns and mature trees, and the leaves rustle in the night breeze.

You can find images of a moon in a suburban neighborhood on stock image websites like StockCake and Adobe Stock.

---

In the political climate, our embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned (Jan. 6), while south of the border Donald Trump's inauguration is scheduled (Jan 20). Uncertain times as Trump is blustering about Canada becoming the 51st state. How different the political climate feels versus the U.S. Democratic victories in the past decade.

ChatBotApp has an appropriate limerick

I

In the north where snowflakes cascade,

Maple syrup and kindness displayed.
If Canada’s next,
In states they’ll connect,
With a "Hey, y’all," as a warm accolade!

---

History is present. The future is now. 

Happy 2025.

Making Merry Meals

I hosted three family get togethers over the holiday season, ceebrating Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and ringing in the New Year.

Christmas Eve menu

Holiday Aperol Spritz

Devilled Christmas Eggs, Nuts, Cheese

Miso Soup

Frenched Lamb Rack chops, Roasted Cabbage, Minted Pea Mezze

Bliss Balls, Shortbread, Chocolate and liqueurs for dessert

For Christmas Eve dinner with Alex, Penny, Nora and Rob, I held the number of courses to four to avoid too much fuss. It was a delicious and unhurried meal. The Holiday Aperol Spritzes were made more festive with large fruited ice cubes. Party in a glass!

red miso

The soup course featured  hand crafted Miso Soup Ball from Ukiyo Life. Beautiful little works of art! I poured the individual servings at the table after placing them singly in each bowl. Alex and Penny received their own box among their Christmas presents. Delicious favour and striking presentation: dried daikon, spicy tofu, roasted sesame, red miso, white miso, wakame. I've since seen recipes online to make your own.

After tasting Mai Lis' easy roasted cabbage at the BPYC Book Club Christmas potluck, I added it to my own holiday table. Such carmelized flavour, and truly no fuss. A fabulous complement to roasted meat or veg, this is going into my regular meal rotation.

Dessert Bliss Balls were made with medjool dates, almond and tahini. No baking! Had I thought of it, I would have rolled them in rose powder, but desicated coconut helped them look like little snow balls. A virtuous alternative to the shortbreads.

Boxing Day 

Charcuterie

Prime Rib, Green Beans with Miso Butter Onions, Scalloped Potato, Homemade pickles (beets and yellow beans)

Persian Love Cake, Shortbread, Liqueurs

More guests on Boxing Day, with Dave, Therese, Leo, Emma, Amita, Twincy, Alex, Penny, Nora, Rob and I. We were rubbing elbows, for sure! Oops! Too bad, I forgot to take a photos. 

Most of the prep could be done before dinner so I could enjoy the company. Rob made the scalloped potatoes the day before so it was just a matter of reheating. We made Persian Love Cake the day before as well. 

Green Beans with Miso Butter Onions were a huge hit, such big umami flavour. 

I was happpy to learn my local butcher was open on Boxing Day, so went around the corner that morning to pick up a 3 lb roast. 

This method, Roasted and Reverse Seared Prime Rib from Serious Eats, will now be my 'go to' for cooking Prime Rib. Not only delicious but scrumptious.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature setting, 150°F (66°C) or higher if necessary. (Some ovens cannot hold a temperature below 250°F/121°C.) Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Place roast, with fat cap up, on a V-rack set in a large roasting pan, or on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and cook until center of roast registers 120-125°F (49-52°C) on an instant-read thermometer for rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, or 135°F (57°C) for medium to medium-well. In a 150°F oven, this will take around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours; in a 250°F oven, this will take 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
2. Remove roast from oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a warm spot in the kitchen and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to highest possible temperature setting, 500 to 550°F (260 to 288°C).
3. Ten minutes before guests are ready to be served, remove foil, place roast back in hot oven, and cook until well-browned and crisp on the exterior, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, carve, and serve immediately.

Full House! January New Year Celebration

Crudite & Charcuterie

Meat Lasagna, Vegetarian Quiche, Salad

Holiday Cookies

Wonderful to host a get together for those who could make it. Twenty! Dave & Therese & Leo & Emma; Mike & Karen & Sarah & Patrick; Al & Sue & Jessie & Jerod; Pat & Robin; Alex & Penny & Nora; Amita; Rob and me. It filled my heart with gladness to have so many I hold dear gathered for a happy occasion. I made a toast to Kathy and Mom in their absence.

Since we'd be crowded it had to be a meal easy enough to eat from your lap. Costco sure came in handy. I served in courses throughout the afternoon. 

Note the Christmas tree formation of the photos ;-)