Australian Pumpkin Soup

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Pumpkin Soup

Each Sunday
at the Farmers' Markets
I buy at least a half
of a pumpkin

This is what we call
a Jap pumpkin
or a Kent Pumpkin
Jap being short for Japanese
where it is known as the Kabochi,
I ate it on the Nakasendo
simmered in a soy broth
with the skin on
yum...

During the week
I bake the pumpkin
or use it in curry
or a chicken stew

But my favourite dish
must be the very simple
and quick
Aussie Pumpkin Soup

possibly the easiest soup
to make
in the entire world

Most pumpkin soup recipes
call for Butternut pumpkin
but I love the nutty rich flavour
and vibrant orange
of the Jap pumpkin

we all love it...

All you need
is your pumpkin
and some garlic,
chicken stock
and a pot...

So first skin
then roughly chop your pumpkin,
almost cover with stock
and put on the gas to simmer

make a cup of green tea
while you wait

and if you like
you can add
one or more
of a number of different spices
along with salt and ground pepper

My current flavour theme is
old fashioned powdered curry

But it is equally as good
virgin style

Simmer the soup
for 20 minutes

drink your refreshing tea

then blend the mix
check the seasoning

and serve
Aussie Pumpkin Soup



What could be easier?




Delicious...




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Australian Pumpkin Soup

One half Jap pumpkin
stock to nearly cover ( the more stock the thinner the consistency)
2 cloves of garlic



Optional spices you might like to choose from:

1/2 teaspoon curry powder ( this will add warmth but not be hot. You don't want to drown out the rich pumpkin flavour)
Thai curry paste
cumin
nutmeg
paprika
coriander

Simmer 20 minutes
Blend

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B.O. Today

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It's B.O. day today...

I have B.O. today
no, not that kind of B.O.
well then again
maybe I have
you see it's been
a rather momentous day
in the simple, slow life
of this little blogger...

Thursday 30th of July,
exactly five weeks and two days
since that little innocuous tree root
conspired to put me in a Moonboot,
is the day the boot comes off

so promptly at 9am I arrive
at the surgeon's rooms
in the local Community hospital
set in the gum trees

and am directed
to follow the blue line
take two lefts
and get an X ray
follow the blue line back
to the Surgery and be told
that my ankle was looking
very good indeed...
Oh Happy Days


But the surgeon did tell me
to wear the boot
when I was out walking
or shopping
but I have other plans
with his approval of course

So I kept the boot on
for one last wander
back to my car
in the gum tree
encircled parking lot










and was enticed
by the floral perfume
of this tree,
the golden wattle
Australia's floral emblem,
to come
and pay it close attention...

Boot and I
together take one last
nature waddle
together

and while I was engrossed

in the weeping bracts
of tiny yellow

golden

and orange
tufts

of this beautiful
wattle tree

I became aware of
a gentle humming

of bees
coming to sip
on sweet nectar

I was hoping
that they were indeed bees
and not wasps
as I have an allergy
to wasps

back home
it is time to celebrate
with some earl grey tea
glace ginger
and a few walnuts

one of the most painful side effects
of my slow and sedentary life
of the past five weeks
has been chronic heartburn,
for which my much loved daily coffee
does little to alleviate
and does unfortunately exacerbate...

Now it is time
for my visit to the physio
to get the ankle back into action

I can thank the now somewhat
disheveled looking boot
for its faithful assistance
and willingly retire it

and while I may not
be quite ready
to skip with glee

I am so happy to be able
to walk back into nature


Oh Happy Days






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Another Tapper...

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When I came home from the physio's
I noticed the duck couple,
Maude and Harold,
on the deck
looking very cute and settled
so I rushed to get my camera,
as fast as you can rush in a moonboot,
and headed for the door...

and who do you think was there...

Cousin of Bluey
You may remember a post of mine
about Grandson of Bluey,
this cousin is another Blue Tongue lizard
with beautiful orange markings

He looked as if he too
would like to come inside

I had him cornered
and he didn't like it,
flattening out to appear bigger

and making a little psssttting noise
before he poked out his tongue at me

giving me the evil eye

from both watchful eyes

he tried another glass panel

nosed into the corner

then confronted me

moving down the verandah
checking for an exit

showing me his
beautiful scaly little legs
and toes

and menacing stare
I had the camera too close
for his liking here
he made a tentative strike
toward the lens

Later when my son came by
I dragged him into my study
to show him the photos
of cousin of Bluey,
as the whole family are fond of Bluey
his descendants and extended family,
and while he glanced at the images
I looked out onto the atrium deck
from my chair to exclaim,

look there he is
sunning himself right now...



Cousin Of Bluey




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Who Came Tapping...

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Who came tapping
at my window...

a beautiful vine
with a bright red flower

A Clerodendrum Splendens
or Flaming Beauty Bower,
a hardy vine from Africa

Who came tapping at my door...









a cheeky duck
with an inquisitive look



Is this the way in...

Unfortunately not,
but I have an idea
follow me Maude...









there are so many doors
let's try around here...

tap, tap tap,
Is there any body in there...

they aren't answering today Maude
we'll try again another day...




~



Come dance all around the world

was a catchy song in the 70s
sung by a New Zealand group called Blerta.

This clip has rather silly antics but the music is still good...




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