Edna's Pickles at One Of A Kind Show Christmas 2013

'TONBUILT' TRUCKS

WARMED UP & READY TO ROLL OUT

ON DELIVERIES

AT 

ONE OF A KIND

 CHRISTMAS SHOW & SALE

 28 Nov. to 8 DEC. 2008

DIRECT ENERGY CENTRE

DOWNTOWN TORONTO

CHRISTMAS AT EDNA'S PICKLES - Twelve Flavours for Twelve Days of Christmas

CHRISTMAS AT EDNA'S PICKLES

Twelve Flavours for Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

An Eggplant in a pear tree

-------

On the second day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree

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

On the third day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree

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

One the fourth day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Four Savoury Carrots

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

-----------

On the fifth day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Five Super Spicy

Four Savoury Carrots

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

...............

On the Sixth day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Savoury Carrots

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

......................

On the Seventh day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Seven Sweet Lime

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Savoury Carrots

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

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

On the Eight Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Eight Veggie Medleys

Seven Sweet Limes

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Pear Chutneys

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

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

On the Ninth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Nine Cabbage Delights

Eight Veggie Medleys

Seven Sweet Limes

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Pear Chutneys

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

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

On the Tenth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Ten Mango-Gherkins

Nine Cabbage Delights

Eight Veggie Medleys

Seven Sweet Limes

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Pear Chutneys

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

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

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Eleven Cranberry Delights

Ten Mango-Gherkins

Nine Cabbage Delights

Eight Veggie Medleys

Seven Sweet Limes

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Pear Chutneys

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

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

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me

Twelve Sweet Mango Mashes

Eleven Cranberry Delights

Ten Mango-Gherkins

Nine Cabbage Delights

Eight Veggie Medleys

Seven Sweet Limes

Six Triple Mixes

Five Super Spicy

Four Pear Chutneys

Three Tangy Limes

Two Green Apple Chutneys

And an Eggplant in a pear tree.

Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa Convention Centre on the Rideau Canal near the Parliament Buildings

Rideau Canal, Ottawa

Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Canada

View of the Rideau Canal

from Elgin Street.

On the left is the Government of Canada Conference Centre.

OTTAWA, Canada

Fairmont Chateau Laurier

Ottawa, Canada
View from the Government of Canada Conference Centre.

LEST WE FORGET - They shall not grow old...

They shall grow not old,

 as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them,

nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning,

We will remember them.

WAR MEMORIAL IN STEEL, Victoria Park, London, Ontario

THE BRAVE ONES

Edna's Pickles at the OOAK Show, Toronto

Benito the Handyman

      BENITO

The Strongman of Yesteryear

         Benito, the handyman, (Abdonio’s brother) was the tallest man in the village, standing at more than six feet (I think he must have been a least 6’4”). This amazing and admirable man had quite a remarkable stamina for his lean body frame that could very well have been made of steel! He could lift a ‘vanso’ or a ‘patti’ (a 15 ft long 4 in. x 4 in ceiling rafter) single-handed.

        Having a wry and subdued sense of humour, it seemed he never got tired of doing any work. He was an expert for precisely divining water patches in the fields for irrigation purposes, and helped to dig perfectly square wells and prepare the fields for cultivation very diligently, and estimate the exact quantity of tiles and other material one would need just by looking at an unfinished roof.

        He was a man for all night emergencies, including bringing the doctor to the homes of the villagers during sickness, come rain or shine, day or night – a walking ambulance of a bygone blissful era. Whenever he accompanied us on errands or to night ladainhas (famous sung litanies of Goa), to Tiatros (late night Konkani dramas) or to Christmas or Easter midnight masses, we were never afraid of the dark.

         Benit Titi, as the young lads of the village called him, was famous for his strong thick coir rope knots that he tied and held roof rafters, beams, huts and canopies that were bound together. Simply put, the knots were very difficult to untie. A master in the construction and decoration of a ‘matou’ (a very large canopy) for weddings in the village, at most times he did not require a ladder, obviously as he was very tall, perhaps the tallest man in the village of Guirim. He would accompany us to the nearby streams for a swim during the summer months and we felt happy and safe in his company as he would easily wade across the shallow streams helping us while we were learning to swim.

         He made quick and short work of most things. We could never have constructed the ‘matou’ without him (especially for the chapel village feast of Holy Name of Jesus) that was held annually on the 2nd of January. I remember that he was the only one who could retrieve the ‘petromax’ from the hook of any ceiling at the end of a litany, wedding or any other function, and call it a night.

Guirim, Cumbiem Morod. Preparing for the feast of Holy Name of Jesus - 2nd January 1966.

Decoration seems to be in progress. Perched atop the folding ladders is your sincerely in favourite checked blue shirt, helped by two other young guys. One of them is Sikander (a.k.a. Shiko). The picture was taken by my best buddy Gabriel Monteiro. The holes for the poles were dug by none other than Benit Titi. The white drapes were kept in a special steel trunk at Beatrice Mana's house in immaculate condition. The camera that I used was a Samoca M35, made in Japan. The slide film was 64 ASA 36exp. The transparencies could be projected on the wall. The slide film was processed by Bombay Film Colour Labs at Dadar 47 years ago.

WHEELS OF TIME - Goan Bullock Carriage

Atam kitem tankam aum sangoum (What will I tell them now?)

Atam kitem tankam aum sangoum?

Sounsar aum bonvlom,

Zaitea lokak meulom

Sobith and xanthikaiechem

Goa munnon mojem

Tuji vhodvikai sogleank sangli

Tednam maka tannim dili

Vhodd xebaski

Punn aiz mojea kalzak

Kitem Goeam goddlem tem aikun

Chodd dukh bogli.

Mando, durpod, zothi

Ani xamaincheo kanniencheo

Bhov ugddas korim,

Thambonastanam naum Goenchem

Ani Goencheam locachem

Vhoir uklun aum dorim

To tunch maka sang atam

Kitem aum tankam sangoum

Kosli voddvikai anink urli?

All Souls Day

A Reflection on our own mortality

The Journey

The sky opens

It waits for me

For my return journey

I look back and see

People behind me

They wave good-bye

I wave back

And quickly recall

When not so long ago

Their love

I did in fact ignore

Their friendship

I took for granted

They smile at me now

But for me it's too late

I cannot smile

I am lost

My time has come

To the great beyond

I have got to go.

Tony Fernandes

ALL SAINTS DAY

ALL SAINTS DAY

 - not only for all day today,

but forever. 

Saints offer us 

examples to imitate. 

My Father the Simple and Humble Man - Senior of Cumbiem Morod

My Father

~ the simple and humble man ~

(Seniors of Cumbiem Morod)

Guirim, Bardez, Goa

             The fourth in line of seniority was my father, Dionizio (Dennis) Fernandes. His first venture for employment in Bombay was in the 1920’s when he was in his early twenties. He worked hard and put aside savings to build a new home in the same spot where his grandfather’s house stood in our village. He then got married. We would have been 4 brothers had we not lost 2 due to sickness when young. My older brother and I were born in Bombay. After bringing me to Goa at the age of 6 for schooling, my father came home on leave every year to be with us, and also to repair the house and take care of other matters. Like what most sons would say, my father knew everything about everything, from history to politics, and science to geography. He acquired knowledge from reading newspapers and magazines endlessly, keeping himself abreast of international events and happenings. His World War 2 episodes were worth listening to, and one did not have to refer to an encyclopedia to write an essay in school.

              He spent his retired life in Goa. He persuaded labourers in the village to put aside savings and taught them how to open bank accounts, accompanying them to banks in Mapusa to have accounts opened for them in their name. People often came to ask him for advice when they were in difficult situations.

              My father was an active member in the Village Panchayat. He was also instrumental, along with other people of village community, to draft and send the very first application to the government for the urgent need of a road through our village and pursue its outcome with the authorities till he sadly passed away.