Spicy Miso Beef

 

Song:  Set Fire To The Rain

Artist:  Adele

Yesterday...

I ordered a clear protective lens glass...

an lcd panel protective glass...

a tethered lens protective cover...

and a wearable camera case which is weather proof and well padded...

as well as large enough to house my Nikon with the lens and sun hood attached.

------------

My wife made Spicy Miso Beef for me yesterday afternoon

(My first time eating it).

It was delicious...

as well as nutritious.

It is also fairly quick and easy to make.

My wife has really honed her cooking skills over the past ten years.

She had, at first, put a 50/50 mixture of sesame and sesame chili oil into a skillet...

and sautéed three fleshly minced cloves of garlic in the oil...

and then added a pound of ground beef and thoroughly browned the beef

before adding about the same amount of freshly minced ginger to the mix...

and after a short while...

she took put the ground beef into a bowl to await the final mixture of it and the veggies...

along with the sauces which add so much of the flavor.

For the veggies...

she added to the skillet...

chopped white onion and green onions...

orange and yellow bell peppers...

and carrots...

 on medium heat.

After lightly browning the veggies...

without cooking them too long so as to preserve their freshness...

she added the beef and mixed them together.

The two liquid mixtures she then added in the skillet were...

Gochujang to add sweetness and some heat...

and a mixture of miso, sake, and mirin

(My wife cooks through experience...

as well as by taste as she cooks).

She then added some cilantro to top it off once plated.

On the side was some pasta.

My wife had earlier made some wasabi beef...

and she added some for taste on the side.

Also included were some baked sweet potato wedges...

and my Rocky Red pickles.

As you add the sauces...

be sure to taste as you go...

for too much miso sauce will make it too salty...

and too much gochujang will make it too spicy.

This dish adds a whole new dimension to ground beef.

The great variety of spices and sauces my wife uses in her cooking

is always a delight to eat.

And...

for a man who loves to eat...

this is heaven.

A Kid At Christmas - Nikon Z 7 II Arrived

 

Song:  O Fortuna

Orchestra:  Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

The day has arrived.

A FedEx truck arrived at our home at about 10:30 AM this morning.

I signed for the two packages...

and immediately began opening them.

The Nikon Z 7 II...

the only camera I will ever need for all for the rest of my life

(except for rough use (triking)...

where I will use my Canon G3 X).

I will take off the protective back screen film once I receive a screen protector for it.

A premium camera and lens.

As this lens is exceptionally sharp...

and is a wide angle to zoom in one lens (24mm - 120mm)...

I will never need another lens...

even in cases where I would like a super zoom...

since the camera has enough resolution and light gathering capability...

I can crop in and magnify further images inside any photos taken...

if necessary...

 on the computer.

I certainly wouldn't want to carry around a larger lens anyway.

But...

the necessity of super zooming will be a rare event...

and I never process my images beyond that.

Both...

the camera and lens...

 are weather hardened.

The lens in its wide angle configuration (fully retracted).

The lens in its fully zoomed configuration (fully extended)...

and being a zoom lens...

it may be used anywhere in between...

to achieve just the right amount of zoom for the shot.

It came with a lens sun hood...

which I will keep on.

I had already ordered a chest harness to keep the camera attached to my body...

without the need to hold it...

while keeping it readily usable.

It came with a dust cloth as well.

My Canon G 3X on the left.

I had bought this years ago...

and had originally thought it would be the only camera I would need...

but as it is a bridge camera (the lens cannot be removed)...

and as it has a 1" sensor (one of the smallest)...

its inability to gather enough light in low light conditions...

and its inability to give crisp photos...

only became apparent later.

But...

it has a super zoom (24 to 600mm equivalent - with built in crop factor)...

besides also being weather hardened...

which makes it useful for when I trike.

Although the Nikon is also weather hardened...

it will be my everyday camera in all other cases

(although I will just use my iPhone to capture food shots at restaurants).

As the Nikon sensor is a full frame (35mm) 46 mega pixel...

with a dual processor and motion dampener...

it is an ultra resolution beast.

Also...

it has a high resolution viewfinder

(of which the Canon G3 X does not...

which makes it extremely to difficult to use in bright lighting conditions).

The lens has the range of zoom I will use almost exclusively...

and again...

since the images produced will be of such high resolution and clarity...

I could easily crop in post production...

thereby expanding the desired cropped image as if I had used a super zoom...

and the images produced will allow for spectacular enlargements as well.

With the Nikon...

I will be able to intuitively shoot on the fly...

with a very quick camera reset and auto focus...

so I can grab photo opportunities as they present themselves.

Also...

the Nikon color palette and image processing...

as well as the exquisite clarity of the lens...

is top tier.

No more will I miss out on once in a lifetime shots...

or have an inability to shoot low light shots...

 especially since my wife and I will soon be embarking upon journeys 

which will take us around the world...

with unique and fantastic views...

in a variety of light conditions...

and of which I wish to capture in the finest detail...even in low light...

and in the truest and richest colors that present themselves in real life...

and yet...

so many lower tier cameras are simply unable to match.

-----------

Yes...

it was just as you had imagined.

I was like a toddler opening his presents...

on Christmas morning.

-----------

So...

how did I swing getting such an expensive item for myself?

Why...

I just did what any self respecting man does.

I just stood in front of my wife...

looked her straight in the eyes and...

began jumping up and down like a toddler while repeating over and over...

"I want...I want...I want"  :)

No...

in truth...

my wife and I allot ourselves a certain amount of spending money each month.

We may use that amount saved...

or borrowed from the future...

to buy whatever we wish for ourselves...

no questions asked...

no permission needed.

This is how adults operate.

It is not that my wife and I don't have our arguments...

but about money...

and by design...

we don't.

(especially since both of us are Ants...

and we fully agree on our short and long term investment strategies).

---------

I was going to walk around the property and take photos with my new camera...

but...

not only is it drizzly today

(we are expecting three days of rain)...

but I still must order a protective clear glass filter to put on my lens...

and a screen protector...

before I take my camera out.

------

Oh well...

nothing can rain upon my soul on this day.

I am happy happy happy  :)

Besides...

there is much I need to learn about this camera...

especially in how to configure the presets.

In the meantime...

there are more camera accessories to order!

Orchestra

Movie Night On The Sofa

 

Song:  Blue Cafe

Group:  The Style Council

Last night was the first time I had tried out the sofa.

I was so surprised at the comfort level of this sofa...

as it is so firm in structure...

and yet...

so plush.

My body was fully supported without it feeling hard...

and yet...

the sofa allowed my body to feel as if I were floating on a cloud.

It will easily allow at least two people to fully stretch out...

as it is deceptively large.

And...

yes...

after having watched until after 6 AM...

I had found myself nodding off in the heavenly comfort of this sofa.

The super dense foam used is the reason for its premium feel...

and why it is so heavy.

This is like a large circular bed...

as two people can easily and fully stretch out and sleep upon it.

I am going to cover the sofa with a comforter before I eat anything during a movie.

I will also be ordering a food and drink caddy for extended movie viewing 

from a fully reclined position.

I had...

at first...

watched various travel YouTube Videos.

I was in a fully reclined position...

with my head lying upon the pillows.

Had I wanted to...

I could have pulled my body up and supported my upper back on the pillows 

for a more upright posture...

but I found that being fully reclined

 was the perfect position to enjoy movies and shows for many hours at a time.

A fantasy setting.

I then watched the movie...

Groundhog Day.

And for the rest of the night until early morning...

I just watched various YouTube videos.

However...

as I was so comfortable...

as soon as I started nodding off...

I went upstairs to my bedroom for some proper sleep...

for I knew if I didn't go immediately...

I would have just slept on the sofa.

-------------

I just ordered a two pack of this...in bed food and drink caddy.

They will arrive in a couple of days.

It will be perfect for my popcorn and drinks as I lazily watch movies...

while in a fully reclined position on the sofa.

These will fully contain any accidental spills...

and to ensure crumbs or pieces of popcorn will not fall onto the sofa.

I will also have a comforter on top of the sofa whenever I eat or drink anything.

With the addition of these caddies...

the home theater will then be complete.

------------

I am excited by the thought of my new camera and lens arriving tomorrow.

So long as they arrive early enough in the day...

I will be walking around our property and taking pictures with the camera set up...

and even if not...

then surely on the next day.

The Nikon Z 7 II with the premium Nikon S series  24-120 mm zoom lens

will finally allow me to take extraordinary pictures on our future trips around the world.

This will also allow me to have my favorite shots enlarged...

and with the crystal clarity worthy of being enlarged.

This particular camera and lens is considered to be a premium set up

for landscape photography in particular...

although, its features will allow for all types of high quality shots...

and for all types of scenarios...

including in very low light.

I must get myself familiarized with this set up before our travels...

as this will be the first time I have ever had such a high end camera.

And...

as this will also be the largest camera set up I have ever had...

I also ordered a chest strap for the camera...

along with extra battery compartments on the chest rig.

This way I can walk around with my hands free...

but with the camera secure...

while still being readily accessible.

---------

My wife is almost done scheduling our upcoming trip to Japan.

She has booked various hotels and tours for each of the various locations

to be visited.

We have a couple of night tours scheduled...

as well as many day tours...

some by train or bus...

and some by boat...

including a night boat dinner and skyline ride on Kobe Bay

(we will also be staying in a hotel on an island in Kobe Bay...

Rokko Island...for a couple of nights).

As we will be traveling to many places in Japan...

we will be traveling by air or train from location to location...

but without rushing anywhere.

My wife is scheduling our vacation with our comfort in mind...

so we will never have to feel rushed.

On some of our sightseeing...

we will just freestyle it...

such as for various temples in Kyoto...

and with one in particular...

we will visit during the day and night...

as it is famous for its Fall colors...

as well as for being beautifully lit at night.

---------

So...

I expect tomorrow I will take many shots of...

and with...

my new camera.

-------------

My wife had just made me a super delicious meal.

I don't remember ever having had Sea Bass before...

but it tastes just like trout!

My wife had made the sea bass in two different styles...

one was in the French way 

(lightly floured and pan fried with salt and pepper)...

and one in a Mediterranean way (pan fried with various herbs).

I loved both ways...

and I especially loved how she had heated up freshly sliced garlic cloves

in the olive oil to infuse the oil with a light garlic flavor...

and then she put the resulting crisp fried garlic slices on the fish

just before serving.

It had a light garlic and nutty flavor without being pungent...

and so...

had added so much flavor and texture to the meal.

She had also made me an avocado and green salad...

with some miso eggs on top.

I used the spicy Yuzu and Kosho salad dressing...

and it went perfectly with it.

I also had a couple of warmed up tortillas with hummus...

which I just love as an accompaniment with many of my meals.

After having eaten much of my first batch of fish...

my wife put the rest of the fish on my plate

(5 slices of fish in total).

I just love my wife's cooking.

I am eating things I have never had before...

but absolutely love eating...

besides it being the most healthful way of eating.

I am a caveman cook in comparison.

This was the bag of sea bass.

They come in one pound bags...

and so...

whether it be trout or sea bass...

a one pound bag is just right for one meal for me.

And...

this is one of my favorite dressings.

It is available online from Asian markets.

It is a must try...

as it has a unique and delicious flavor...

with a nice hot pepper kick to it.

--------

Do not live in fear or dread.

And...

especially don't try to assuage your fear or dread

through mind games or drugs of any type.

We are all going to die.

Allow this certainty to flavor life in a positive manner.

Eat delicious food...

do the things you have always wished you could...

get the things you always wished you could have...

live life fully...

for without doing so...

you will have wasted it.

Bandi's Autumnal Equinox Long Mountain Run

 

Songs:  Sylvan Song / Dream Of The Archer

Group:  Heart

This morning...

my wife just took Bandi a short ways into the forest in front of our home...

for her bathroom ritual

(the forest is thinned out around our property...

for fire mitigation...

and it serves as a way to see in the distance for large animals...

so taking Bandi to her bathroom is safe in the daytime...

but I will be armed as I take Bandi out at night). 

Today was the Autumnal Equinox...

as the sun rose and set at 6:53 AM and PM.

Bandi just in front of our home.

Bandi loves the loft...

and especially the third deck.

My wife was on the computer as Bandi just relaxed on the third deck.

This is one of her favorite places to relax...

as she will just sit outside on the deck for hours.

-------

I am eating my one meal per day earlier in the day...

as I want my food to be fully digested by the time I trike at sunset.

This early afternoon...

my wife made me beef udon...

a veggie and fungi side dish...

and she had made wasabi cucumber tsukemono...

and she had made miso eggs for inclusion into the udon...

and those were my Rocky Reds (turnip pickles).

----------

This evening...

I took Bandi on a long mountain top run.

I will be mounting my shotgun loaded with bear slugs...

onto my trike for future runs.

This is mating season for moose...

and the males can become extremely aggressive.

As a male moose can get to be almost a ton in weight...

I don't want to have to rely on a handgun 

in case of an emergency against a large male moose...

even with a .357 or 10mm.

I will just have the handguns for around the home...

as I can just fire as I retreat into the home.

But out on the road...

as I am surrounded by forests...

I could become trapped...

and so...

only a shotgun loaded with hardened bear slug loads

can have any real chance of an immediate takedown of such a large creature.

I will take some pics of my mounted trike shotgun holster next time.

Bandi loves her mountain runs.

We took a longer route to the mountain top this time.

We arrived at home.

-----------

As I usually only exercise every other day at most...

I am drinking coffee as I am typing this...

as I plan to stay awake all night after I shower...

and just watch movies or dramas all night...

as I test out the entertainment room's sofa

(I will then get solid sleep throughout the day in my room...

as I have blackout blinds).

---------

My camera, lens, and accessories will arrive on Monday.

I will be testing it out by taking loads of photos...

starting out by walking around the property...

and then by driving around.