I decided to sign up for Netflix’s 2 weeks free trial offer recently. Especially since summer is a good time to catch up on movies. What I didn’t realize was that 2 weeks can go by fast!
It has been years since I’ve been a subscriber. In case anyone is not familiar with Netflix, they are an online movie rental business. You can chose the movies you want to watch and they will deliver the DVD’s to your house. They also offer the ability to stream movies to your computer too.
Ever since Netflix came to the market, our local video rental stores have been closing their shop one by one. Of course I am not complaining. As I’ve never been a fan of video rental stores (with their high rental fees).
The Netflix plan I chose was 1 DVD out at time and unlimited streaming for $8.99 per month. Doesn’t the “unlimited” streaming part sound interesting? That’s really what pulled me in. But unfortunately the selections available for streaming is was very limited.
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Ice cream may be popular in the U.S., but around the world shaved ice is what they prefer to stay cool.
Asian shaved ice is not the same as American snow cones. Besides sweet syrup it also has other toppings including fresh fruits and some are even flavored with tea.
This is a jar of halo-halo which is made of tropical fruits and syrup. I found it to be too sweet. But I guess it’s meant as topping to shaved ice and other ingredients too.
You can find this jar at most Asian grocery stores for $1.50. Product of the Philippines.
Here’s a partial list of shaved ice around the globe:
Hawaiian shave ice
Japan Kakigori
Filipino halo halo
Mexican raspados
Korean bingsu
Taiwanese bao bing
Indian golas and chuskis
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This is an update on one of my flowering succulents.
I had mistaken them as vygies, when they are really a part of the ice plant family. The correct names are Baby Sun Rose or aptenia. Scientific name: Aptenia cordifolia.
This year I had to cut them back because it was growing too fast.
This variety with red flowers has become widely used as an ornamental plants. They are used as popular ground cover in really hot places such as Arizona. I sometimes see aptenia used as ground covers or grown around city sidewalks.
This photo was taken last year. Aptenia is a trailing perennial that requires very little water. Aptenia are native to southern Africa.
It’s a hardy plant that can stand temperatures as low as 23°F (-5°C). We had temperatures as low as 32 °F last winter and I forgot to cover them up. And they didn’t seem to be effected by the freeze at all. Unlike the Moss Rose, those did not survive the California winter.
Aptenias are so easy to grow. I just took a few cuttings and stick them to some good potting soil. Within a few months they start to grow new stems and leaves. They seem to want to thrive in any type of conditions.
One plant I like to introduce from my succulent collection is the rat tail cactus. I love it when they bloom, as the flowers come in an orange red color.
When I first got a small cutting of this succulent (a few years ago) it was just one prickly stem. And now it’s just spilling out all over the pot.
Rat tail cactus originate in the highland plateaus of Mexico, but are cultivated throughout Latin America. In my case, they are growing very well in our northern California climate.
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I finally got my hands on a dragonfruit plant. The best part is I didn’t have to travel to any dragonfruit convention to find them.
I’m hoping mine will survive the northern California winter. We do have nights where temperatures get to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. At least I’ve had good luck with my other succulents such as Aloe Vera and Queen of the Nights.
It was really easy to plant the cuttings. All I did was stick them in good soil and topped it off with lawn clippings (my version of mulch). Some people mentioned growing dragonfruit from the seeds. I think that would take too long to grow, if at all. But next time around I’ll try to save the seeds and grow them. And they sure have lots of seeds!
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Superfruits may get lots of attention. But we shouldn’t forget the everyday food that’s also good for you. Here’s my partial list:
1. Potatoes
2. Corns
3. Peas
4. Button mushrooms
These are the organic Russet potatoes. Potatoes are also packed with vitamins B6 and C, potassium and fiber. My favorite kind is theYukon variety.
I like adding chunks of it to curry. Potatoes are really simple and easy to prepare.
An alternative way to enjoy French fries is to simply slice the potatoes into strips, then marinate with olive oil, sprinkle some black pepper, and add a pinch of Himalayan salt. Instead of frying, just bake them until it’s golden and ready to eat.
On the same note as root vegetables, I am happy to find out that sweet potatoes are unlikely to be contaminated with pesticides. They are packed with Vitamin A and beta carotene. I like to prepare them the same way as my potatoes. But they are also good as tempura. That version you just can’t eat too often as they are very fattening!
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Happy 4th of July! Hope everyone is staying cool out there on this summer holiday.
Here’s a little treat I like to enjoy on any hot summer day - cooling cup of Vanilla coffee. Or should I say “coffee float” just like “root beer float”. I think it taste better than coffee ice cream!
It’s very easy to make. Just a few scoops of vanilla ice cream mixed to a cup of fresh brewed coffee.
The coffee of choice is Melitta 100% Arabic medium roast coffee. And for ice cream, it’s California’s local creamery, Crystal’s triple vanilla.
A little info about Melitta Coffee:
* Made with 100% high altitude grown Arabica beans
* Melitta accepts only 2% of all coffee beans sampled
* These higher quality beans are primarily sourced from smaller family farms
* Kosher certified
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It is 75 days since the BP oil spill on April 20, 2010 off the coast of Mexico. The clean up process has been slow. People are pouring out ideas to Washington, D.C. in the hope of finding a solution. Current estimates of the spewing oil are 35,000 to 60,000 barrels a day.
BP and the US Coast Guard have agreed to allow wildlife rescuers to pluck sea turtles out of corralled oil patches to keep them from being incinerated alive (by hundreds of controlled oil burns far out at sea). - Source: CS Monitor.
The oils and tar balls are being seen as far away as Key West and South Carolina. I haven’t been back to Florida, especially Key West for some time now. I was hoping to see it again soon.
Who would have thought this could happen when all this technology is available? It was reported that the oil drilling industry was self-regulated. That just sounds like trouble was waiting to happen.
It’s also not just the people (local business, families, and children) that is being affected, it’s also the wildlife, the coastline, and much more. When I see the images of the damages on the news, it’s just heart breaking. Families that used to vacation here every summer can no longer do so. Places where kids would swim are now filled with oil and tar balls.
The animals are also helpless, especially when they are covered in oil slicks and can’t fly. It was also reported recently that dolphins and sea turtles are being found dead within the spill area.
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Here is a little update from my sidewalk garden since June. Things are looking lush and green (especially the bamboo).
The catnip started to produce purple flowers. The cats love to the leaves. They get so happy nibbling away they end up falling down on the catnip. Thank goodness it’s still standing.
On the far right, notice how nasturtiums have a tendency to mix with the climbing ivy. I am surprised at how easy they are to grow. The flowers come in neat orange, red and yellow colors. It would be a great little flower kids would enjoy planting.
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In this 2009 film, 180° SOUTH, Jeff Johnson makes a road trip to Patagonian Chile. Johnson retraces the steps of Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins’ 1968 trip to Patagonia. But instead of taking the Pan American highway, Johnson hitches a ride in a sailing vessel from Ventura, California and heads south.
“You learn that what’s important is how you got there, not what you’ve accomplished.“ - Yvon Chouinard.
Johnson’s real trip begins after they are shipwrecked off the coast of Easter Island. After the sailboat gets patched up, they continue on towards Patagonia. Jeff’s goal is to climb the peak Corcovado. In many trips that are worth remembering, things usually don’t go according to plan. But of course that is what makes it an adventure.
It’s a narrative film following Jeff and his crew. The soundtrack is a nice addition too. What I found funny is how Jeff mentioned growing up in Danville, California as being very far from the ocean. I drive pass Danville sometimes, it is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the San Francisco Bay Area. Danville is only 31 miles form San Francisco and there are great surf spots out in SF’s Ocean Beach. And he thinks that is far from the nearest ocean!
Anyway, the film does have beautiful scenes of the land, mountain, ocean, and some wildlife too. I especially enjoy seeing the dolphins swimming along the sailboat.
In this film, Jeff also has the chance to meet up with Chouinard and Tompkins. They have discussions on the the state of progress and it’s impact on the environment. At the moment, Chile continues to plan on building more hydro-electric dams (where much of the power is used for heavy industry and mining). Many environmental organizations oppose the dams.
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