M
U
S
E
an arduous drop
a flutter of hope
eternal riven
of promise?
©AvdL 2014
Archive for the Friends Category
HERE COMES THE SUN?
Posted in Belief, chains, cosmos, Daily Life, Dreams, Emotions, Fiction, Friends, Life, Memories, Musings, Pain, Passion, People, Personal, Poem, POETRY, Ramblings, Ramdom, Random, Reflections, Spirituality, Thought provoking, Thoughts, Truth, Uncategorized on July 26, 2014 by MandyMétamorphose – for Cin
Posted in Belief, Closure, Daily Life, Dreams, Dying love, Emotions, Friends, Hope, Life, Memories, Musings, Pain, People, Personal, Poem, POETRY, Random, Reflections, Spirituality, Tears, Thoughts, Truth, Words with tags cover, divorce, gasping, light, light fades, love, mask, metamorphosis, new beginnings, pain, Silence, solo, sound, Verse, voice on February 29, 2012 by Mandy
no mask
no cover
no voice
no sound
solo
in my verse
as light fades
***
for pain
has no shelter
nor has love
***
silence
Photo credit :- morgen-danach
For cindy
Silent Innuendos
Posted in Belief, Daily Life, Dreams, Emotions, Friends, Hope, Life, Memories, Musings, Passion, Personal, Poem, POETRY, Random, Reflections, Spirituality, Thoughts with tags come play., crimson, day, dripping, echo, fly, footsteps, innuendos, joie de vivre, muses, nectar, newborn, senses, silent, Verse, whisper on February 14, 2012 by Mandy
the crimson light
of a newborn day
joie de vivre in
every breath I take
treading footsteps
echo the sound
of silent innuendos
as thoughts fly away
like nectar dripping
invading my senses
where muses play
I’ll write you a verse
and softly whisper
“come play”
***
(Picture taken by yours truly at 5am on my daily 8km walk..phewww)
Maze – Haiku
Posted in Belief, Daily Life, Death, Dreams, Emotions, Friends, Hope, Life, Man, Memories, Musings, Nation, Pain, Passion, People, Personal, Poem, POETRY, Random, Reflections, souls, Spirituality, Tears, Thoughts, Truth, Words, World on January 18, 2011 by Mandy
convoluted maze
tears mixed with mud and blood
dwindled in the dust
©AvdL 2011
PRISMS OF FATE
Posted in Daily Life, Emotions, Family, Friends, Life, Musings, People, Personal, POETRY, Random, Reflections, Spirituality on January 12, 2011 by Mandy 
fading brightness
from mountains of glory
to canyons of fate
golden shades melting
turning into brown
the stars have dimmed
in the sky once bright
shine your rainbow prism
through the rift of clouds
where my feet will follow
and my heart will hold
visions of the dark night
this never-ending rain
full of sorrow and pain
where my hands bleed
against my aching heart
©AvdL 2011
réflexion
Posted in Dreams, Emotions, Friends, Musings, POETRY, Random, Reflections, Spirituality on December 20, 2010 by Mandy
before rise of sun
everything seems grey
in habitual ambience
as I recall your reflection
a desire for movement
where my secrets are safe
and in the dark
I ache
for your slow embrace
take me – all the way
to the bone
but
♥ silence ♥
about the one
who matters most
♦
walking the streets
of no direction
where I still seek
resonance….
and
YOU
©AvdL 2010
Crayfish Salad (entree)
Posted in Cooking, Family, Friends, Random, Recipe on October 26, 2010 by MandyA woman should never be seen eating or drinking, unless it be crayfish (lobster) salad and Champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands.
Lord Byron
Crayfish is a freshwater variant of the lobster.
INGREDIENTS
- Sea salt and pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1.5 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger root
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander
- 2 tablespoons olive oil + more to drizzle
- 1 pink grapefruit
- 150 g (5 ¼ oz) drained cooked crayfish meat
- 1/4 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced finely
- 1 Pink lady apple, cored and diced finely, drizzled with lime juice to prevent discoloration
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced finely, drizzled with lime juice to prevent discoloration
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion + 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds, to top
- Watercress leaves, to serve
Steps:
- Have six appetizer plates ready. In a small bowl, combine a pinch of sea salt, pepper, the cumin, the zest and juice of 1 lime, ginger, coriander and olive oil, and whisk to emulsify.
- With a sharp serrated knife, peel the skin and pith from the grapefruit. Cut the fruit into segments, discarding the membrane. Dice finely and set side. Dice the lobster meat finely.
- In a large bowl, gently toss the crayfish meat, cucumber, apple, grapefruit, avocado and 2 tablespoons of red onion. Drizzle with the dressing and toss again.
- Place the ring mold on top of one plate. Pack 1/6 of the fish preparation into the mold and remove the ring. Repeat with the other five plates. Top with chopped red onion and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and decorate with watercress leaves. Serve immediately.
“Things that excite me, be they pastry, or crayfish (lobster), or love…” Jimmy Buffett.
Downunder
Posted in Cooking, Dreams, Emotions, Family, Friends, Musings, People, Random, Reflections on October 24, 2010 by MandyMy friends, you might have noticed that I’ve not been around for a couple of days…apart from the fact that business has been very demanding this time of year, my current situation compels me to not post on a daily basis like I have been for the last 7 months….I’m not disappearing completely…… I will continue to respond to comments made on all entries ………talk to ALL OF YOU, read your blog daily and still post regularly…just not on a daily basis. It has taken me a while to work this out, I have been on a spiritual journey…a lot has been happening in my life over the last 2 years and I know that I have grown and moved forward a lot. This place, right here, with all of you, has given me so much …you have opened my eyes to so many things that I thought was not possible for a long time…..and I want to thank each and every single one of you for the part YOU have played on this journey.
All I know TODAY…is that I have a life to explore…one I want to embrace with everything inside of me….Wayne Dyer said….”Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed.”…this is how I want to live….one day at a time…but with all of my heart and all the passion I have inside of me…..I send all of you so much love…always 🙂
On a lighter note…I’ll share with you my Sunday morning….(many of you might know that I live on the water and not at all hard to catch fresh seafood)…Late last night I’ve put the crab pots out…..when I woke this morning…….
Now who can argue that there’s not many a thing that can beat a brunch like this….
Crab omelette with Veuve Clicquot (and YES..you can have this all by yourself:)
Pottering in my garden (my favourite thing)
Ending the day with a platter and good friends…..
Love from Downunder…have a happy weekend..see you for Monday Potluck my dearest friends oxoxoxox
PAELLA
Posted in Cooking, Family, Friends, Recipe on October 20, 2010 by MandyIn my opinion, the best comfort food is everything in one dish in the most unsophisticated way. No introduction is needed to paella.. I am sure! For those weekend late afternoon get together’s with special friends, good wine, jazz music in the background and the best rustic meal ever!! What more can you ask for?
INGREDIENTS
- 5 large chicken legs
- 1 lb pork
- 20 slices of chorizo
- 2 lb fresh mussels
- 1 lb fresh squids
- 20 large shrimps
- 1 lb + 2 oz round rice or paella rice
- 2 large onions
- 2 lb tomatoes
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 yellow pepper
- 10 artichokes hearts
- 4 garlic cloves
- 6 oz fresh peas cleaned (or frozen)
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups + 1/2 chicken stock
- 2 saffran capsules
- About 1 + 1/4 cups olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
METHOD
- Cut your chicken legs in halves.
- Chop the pork in cubes.
- Heat some olive oil in your paella dish (I use an All-Clad braise pan as I do not own a paella dish). When hot, brown all meats on all sides and set them aside.
- Wash and brush your mussels and place them in a large pot.
- Cook on high heat for a few minutes until they open. Remove them but keep the juice they give out.
- Heat some olive oil in a pan and cook the sliced squids for 5 mns. Set aside.
- Heat some olive oil in a pan and cook the shrimps for 2 or 3 mns and set aside.
- Blanch your tomatoes for 1 mn. Rinse them in cold water, peel them and remove the seeds. Chop them.
- Heat your chicken stock.
- Slice the peppers (remove all white parts and seeds).
- Slice the onions.
- Heat some olive oil in the paella dish and when hot, cook the onions and peppers until softer (on medium heat for at least 10 mns min.)
- Add the tomatoes, the saffron, the bay leave and the rice, and mix well.
- Cook for a few mns before starting to add the broth and mussel juice. Add a few ladlefuls and then add all the pieces of meat. Stir to make sure it does not gets sticky to the bottom, and continue with the rest of the broth. Do not cover your paella.
- Cook the chorizo in a frying pan for a few mns (no oil is needed). Place on a paper towel to absorb the excess of grease.
- 10 mns before the end, add the peas and the artichokes hearts.
- Chop the garlic and parsley and add them to the paella 5 mns before the end, along with all other ingredients set aside: the mussels, the squids, the shrimps and the chorizo.
- Serve without waiting! A good Sauvignon Blanc normally goes well with this dish.
Pink October
Posted in Emotions, Friends, Musings, Random, Reflections, Spirituality on October 16, 2010 by Mandy
I am not writing today…it is spend with very special friends to honor the month of October and all of those who have lost the battle…
Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway. ~Emory Austin
SEAT OF MY SOUL 