Thursday, January 14, 2021

IN THE PALM OF MY HAND...

 




 


 

Acrylic painting by me of Ghost Gums

Family trees – often they make it difficult to see the forest.

 Some folk go to extraordinary lengths, out on a limb, to dig up trunk loads of information; multitude limbs to root out their ancestry.  With the intention of learning about who went before them they branch out in every direction, pouring over clusters of data. Nothing is left swinging.  Persistent in their searches, their interest is perennial.  Their assiduous, dogged determination to discover everything they can about their lineage - from where it stemmed – is unyielding. 

Tirelessly the seekers stalk sites in search of answers, barking out questions.

 In the wee small hours off they lumber to slumber, only to wake a few hours later to begin digging again, feeling renewed like an evergreen.  Their curiosity remains perennially fresh. 

At times the deadwood is tossed aside or ignored, usually for good reason.  Most families, whether they like to admit it or not, have a skeleton or two hidden away in their silky oak, pine, mahogany or cedar cupboards.  There’s no point selling the cupboards on Gumtree.  Skeletons are adept at finding somewhere else to hide.  It’s a haunting thought, but they will remain to haunt...if you allow them to do so.   Perhaps there’s a spray available that eradicates skeletons.  Termites may be the answer. They could be coerced into embracing a liking for bones instead of wood.

My family tree is non-existent these days. Deforestation occurred years ago.  I’d better tread carefully, or I’ll be blamed for global warming!  

There’re no trees or branches blocking forest views in my insignificant corner of the field.  I’m the sole tree left standing. I’m probably more like a shrub these days, than a tall, straight, strong tree.   So far I’ve dodged the chainsaws. 

Branches of my family tree have been lopped back so far there’s no chance of regrowth. I don’t pine about the situation. Content I am being a gnarly, old, sole soul.

 I’m not unlike the Wollemi Pine – I’ve outlived dinosaurs.  There is a saying - “No man is an island”.   I’m a woman, so the saying doesn’t refer to me.  I enjoy being an island, and in no way do I feel deserted.  

“Deserted” is from where the term “desert island” originated.  As they do, people got lazy along the way and dropped off the “ed” at the end of the word.  It’s no secret I love tropical islands having lived on two back in the 80s and early 90s.

Actually, by having no family - no branches – I suppose, instead of being a shrub, I’m a palm, which, in fact, makes me a herb.  I’m herbaceous because palms are herbaceous – a non-woody plant.

There’s nothing wooden about me.  Pinch me, and you’d discover this to be so.  I am fleshy as opposed to woody!  Wouldn’t you know it! 

 My affinity to palms has been long-standing.  Growing in our yard when I was a kid were three palm trees.  We called them “monkey nut trees”.  The truth could be I descended from the Planet of the Apes! Now, that’s a thought upon which to ponder.  

As well as the she-oaks that grew on the foreshores of both Hinchinbrook and Newry Islands, which were my hang-outs for a while, were palm trees.  I never learned how to scale them, but I was proficient at scaling fish – and eating coconuts.

My mind works in mysterious ways.  Don’t question why or how. I don’t have the answers.... 

 

Salmon with Crispy Coconut Kale: Rinse 1c jasmine rice in cold water; drain. Place in saucepan with 1c coconut milk, 1c water and ½tsp salt. Bring to boil; stir. Reduce to lowest heat, cover; cook 15mins. Remove from heat. While rice is cooking, heat oven to 200C.  Combine in sealed jar, 1/3c melted coconut oil, 1tsp sesame oil, 2tbs coconut aminos or tamari, and 1tbs Sriracha. Shake until emulsified. Place 3 cubed kumara on baking sheet. Drizzle with 1tbs melted coconut oil; sprinkle with paprika. Toss to coat; bake 30mins, or until tender. Place 1 bunch trimmed kale, sliced into strips and 1c coconut flakes on baking sheet. Drizzle with 2/3rd of dressing. Toss until well coated. Drizzle 4 salmon fillets with 1- 2tbs of remaining dressing. Bake salmon and coconut kale mixture during last 15mins of sweet potato's baking time. Don’t let kale burn. Serve over fluffed rice with an extra drizzle of dressing.  

Coconut Fish: In bowl, beat together 1 egg and 2tbs pineapple juice. Spread 2/3c flour and 1-1/2c shredded coconut on separate plates, suitable for dredging. Add 2/3tbs oil to pan set over med-heat. Dry 5 snapper fillets. Dredge in flour; dip in egg; then coat in coconut. Working with 2-3 fillets at a time, add fish to pan. When coconut starts to brown, carefully turn over. When fish is cooked, remove from pan. Add more oil to pan if necessary; repeat with remaining fish.  

Lemon Salmon & Herbs:  Lightly oil a baking sheet. In bowl, whisk 2tbs  brown sugar, 2tbs lemon juice, 1tbs Dijon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2tsp dried dill, 1/2tsp oregano, 1/4tsp thyme and 1/4tsp rosemary; season. Place 4 chopped zucchinis in a single layer onto baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season to taste. Add 4 salmon fillets in a single layer; brush each with herb mixture. Place into 200C oven; cook until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 16-18mins, dependent on fillet thickness. Serve with lemon wedges.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

29 comments:

  1. Your wanderings are quite amusing.

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    Replies
    1. That is my intention, messymimi! :)

      Thanks for coming by...take good care. :)

      Delete
  2. Your post is very interesting to read. I do some research on my family tree but nothing to the degree that you spoke about. It is something to consider, a person not having a family tree at all. Do you have any distant cousins possibly? Of course you do have a couple of adopted family members in your two very special cats! I know our cats are absolutely part of our family no matter what anyone else might say! Take care Lee and give your furry mates some love and pats from me.

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    1. Hi Bonnie...I do have cousins on my paternal side, but my late brother's and my father played no role in our lives, so I've had very little contact with them. We could pass in the street and not recognise each other.

      There would be distant relatives scattered around the place, but I know not where. I'm content in being a sole traveller...with my two furry best mates beside me. They are both major parts of my life...they are my family. And, if some think that is weird of me to say...that is their concern, not mine. :)

      Take good care...and thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  3. Well thought out Lee, you had me laughing.
    Family tree is not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve researched mine and my husband with help from family but certainly not to the degree you have mentioned, however, I’m sure many people go to the extreme.
    Love your painting :)

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    1. G'day, Margaret...Our Nana, our mother's mother kept my now late brother and me entertained over the years, throughout our childhood, and beyond, with myriad stories about our forefathers...our ancestors. I really have never felt the need to search further afield. Nana had volumes of stories, of information, which she willingly passed on to us.

      Thanks for coming by...take good care. :)

      Delete
  4. Fish and coconuts, what a great diet!
    I searched a little way back to find ancestors, hoping someone from y dad's side might have done the same, but there is nothing. On my mother's side I have names back to my 5x great grandparents and there is a very long list (over 300) of possible DNA matches, distant cousins? or maybe just from the same gene pool? I don't want to contact all of them to find out.

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    1. Hey River...fish and coconut...a healthy diet, that is for sure!

      I've no desire to go searching beyond the forest of which I am already aware. It would serve little purpose now at my age. I'm quite content being Robinson Crusoe with my two furry mates to keep me company. (Perhaps I might find I am related to Cat Woman, if I did go digging! :)

      Take good care...thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  5. I like the humor in your post, Lee; it's great!
    I love trees, but family trees is another matter. Curiosity and the journey lead sometimes to unexpected results. Anyway, it's not a smooth journey. I've done research only on part of my family(my father's), and it was not easy.

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    1. G'day DUTA....a bit of humour...lots of it...is required these days. There's so much gloom and doom around...we can't let either win.

      I hope all is well with you up your way...take good care, and thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  6. I love your acrylic painting of the Ghost Gums. You have so many talents. Ron was my family tree hunter.

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    1. Hi Annie...I'm glad you like my painting. I've not done any for a few years now...There are still some paints, brushes and a couple of canvases laying around.

      My family tree has been well-pruned! :)

      Thanks for coming by...take good care. :)

      Delete
  7. Love your painting. If we have something in our family tree that is positive and helps us, remember it and celebrate it. Something negetative, acknowledge it but don't dwell on it. Deserted island, not desert island...of course, that makes such sense.

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    1. G'day, Kay...it's nice to see you. I've only relied on the many stories our grandmother (on our maternal side) used to regularly tell us...stories of past branches of the tree...and they were always interesting and entertaining.

      Take good care...thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  8. You are so clever with your word usage.

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    Replies
    1. All for a bit of fun, Sandra. :)

      Thanks for coming by...take good care. :)

      Delete
  9. I like your painting ... and your recipe choices here look and sound great, especially the Lemon Salmon and Herbs :)

    All the best Jan

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    1. Hi Jan...I'm having salmon for lunch today...my taste buds are already screaming at me to hurry up!!

      Take good care...thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  10. You have seemed to me as someone who has enjoyed her life and has done what she wants. You stood in the sun and had little use for shade. Good for you, Lee.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Arleen....my life has not been all wine and roses...but I try my best to concentrate on the positive, on the good moments, and not give the bad too much coverage.

      Take good care...stay safe. Thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  11. Lee, this post was a fun take-off on those who really go into researching their family history in depth. Before the pandemic shut down the local library, I was doing a bit of my own family history search using the free programs available on the computers there. That came to a halt and I have't resumed, but may one day. Unlike some families there are no remaining "elders" to seek information from, so my searches were more difficult. But kudos to those who have so many branches on their trees. Salmon is one of my favorite dinner choices too.

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    Replies
    1. G'day, Beatrice. Being stuck at home, perhaps could try some online ancestry sites...done in the comforts of home.

      I keep my two furry roomies up-to-date with stories of my family tree! :)

      Take good care...thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  12. Thanks for a good read, Lee. Love your Ghost Gums, reminds me of the ghosts of my family's past. Well, the skeletons of the ghosts, maybe. I'm one of those people who became a bit obsessive about their family tree search. Even had my DNA done looking for the Chinese ancestry my grandmother talked about but it seems her wonderful, colourful stories were based on imagination rather than fact. Did discover a couple of missing links, so it was all worth while. And it gave me something to do during the Covid lockdown. Stay safe.

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    1. You're welcome, Pauline.

      We've all got a few ghosts and skeletons in our past, I'm sure. I've never formally climbed my family tree, but have always been solely reliant on the myriad stories about our forefathers our Nana used to tell us throughout our childhood and beyond.

      I hope all is well over your way...take good care, and thanks for coming by. :)

      Delete
  13. Ghost Gums is a beautiful painting.

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  14. Well that coconut fish looks really nice, very unusual too with the pineapple juice. I guess you have loads of pineapple over where you are and probably have any number of cool recipes for it.

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