Picturesque Goa

Picturesque Goa
NOSTALGIA - Articles,Poems & Photos

TONFERNS CREATIONS

TONFERNS CREATIONS
TONFERNS CREATIONS - Tony's Art & Hobbies

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

A Page from my book 'A Line in Time'

 





















My book "A LINE IN TIME" ISBN 978-0-9735515-1-8 is a collection of line drawings that are reflections of all things Goan, scenes of the U.A.E., as well as landscapes of Canada. The booklet contains 136 pages of illustrations and descriptions of drawings that were sketched over my lifetime. This book can be ordered on-line through www.ednaspickles.com


Monday, April 08, 2024

Solar Eclipse












Meanwhile, in Mississauga, we witnessed a partial solar eclipse. Despite being quite cloudy prior to and during the grand event I wasn’t sure whether I would see anything at all, but was lucky to have at least something as a memento.

Solar Eclipse

 Google Doodle - Day of the Solar Eclipse


Sunday, April 07, 2024

Champagne Birthday

 














A Champagne birthday is a birthday When you turn the same age as the day you were born on is called a Champagne Birthday. For instance, when one turns 7 on the 7th of any month. However, there is a limitaton on this occurence. One can have a Champagne birthday only up to the age 31 - which is obvious as the maximum number days in a month in any year is 31.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Worm Full Moon

 




































A worm moon is in fact the traditional name for the March full moon, dating back to the medieval Europeans and Native American tribes who gave each month’s moon a different name, often reflecting the changes in nature. The Worm Moon gets its name from the earthworm which emerges in March. This is a sign of the end of winter and beginning of spring. The Worm Moon is  the last full moon of  winter. Also called as the Lenten Moon, refers to the Christian Lent period and Crow Moon, as the birds become more active after the winter, and the Sap or Sugar moon. Photos by Tony Fernandes.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

In Memoriam - Month's Mind Tribute to Dorothy Elvira Soares

In Memoriam

Dorothy Elvira Soares

(06.09.1958 - 23.02.2024)

A life well lived.

Your legacy of love & kindness will live forever.

 A Month's Mind Tribute

 by Tony Fernandes.

Song - "Beyond the Rainbow's End"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oONAfW2BBY

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Navruz

 







Nowruz is the Iranian or Persian New Year celebrated by various ethnic groups worldwide. It is a festival based on the spring equinox— which marks the first day of the new year in the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar..

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

The Goan Sala - A Line in Time

 






















The Goan Sala  - The Goan Grand Room - 1950's

An example of one of the beautiful living rooms in our village of Cumbiem Morod in Guirim, Bardez, Goa. This elegant house was full of love, life, laughter and light, with windows on 3 sides

complimented by a large clock with Roman numerals and hourly chimes, furnished with a round center table with a flower vase, the chimney lamp that hung suspended from the ceiling, a rocking chair, ‘volter’, easy chairs and an array of cane upright wooden chairs all around.

This is where all the action happened when I was a young lad - from parties, get-togethers, litanies, singing sessions, board games like ludo, draughts and carrom, card games of all sorts to wedding preparations, celebrations, sit-down dinners. and much more. But the beauty does not end there. There was a play ground next to the house where we played everything from soccer and 'fouio' to hopscotch and 'lobio'.

The house itself was flanked by gardens on both sides of the ‘balcão’, and with the benevolent blessings of the typical white-washed Cross, the house has stood the test of time up to this very day.

Some highlights of the village included having showers near the wells during the summer months and jumping into the well nearby on the day of the feast of São João.


Sunday, March 10, 2024

Daylight Wasting Time

Besides Daylight Wasted Time, changes in body clock.

Also time wasted in changing several wall clocks in the house.

Five family members = five hours of lost time.

When is this silly ritual going to end.


Tuesday, March 05, 2024

The Global Goan Vol5 Issue02 Mar24

The latest issue of The Global Goan is just released!!

Packed with powerful stories, it makes a lovely read.

Please share the link to all your contacts, thanks!!

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kdhdu/unit/#p=1

My article 'The Aaddamo' appears on Page 23.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kdhdu/unit/?fbclid=IwAR2v1YMlAhaCeKAABq8TdNW3c-ClkrN7txiV460C_n4vgfiDUhuJadF1FsE#p=23













The Global Goan Vol5 Issue02 Mar24

ONLINE.FLIPHTML5.COM

The Global Goan Vol5 Issue02 Mar24

The hottest Goan magazine for all ages. Featuring interesting articles which are mainly centered around Goa or by Goan writers!


Sunday, February 25, 2024

Snow Full Moon

 















Moonwhile, last night, in Mississauga, the Snow Full Moon showed up through a hazy sky. Named by Native American tribes as the 'Snow Moon' or the 'Hunger Moon', this lunar event carries a history woven with the challenges of midwinter. NASA has explained that heavy snowfall, making hunting difficult, led to it being called the 'Snow Moon'. Photo by Tony Fernandes.

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Celebrating the Life of Dorothy Elvira Soares

    Celebrating the Life of 
















I am extremely saddened by the passing away of a fine sister-in-law Dorothy Soares. My earliest memories of first meeting her go way back to the year 1975 in Bombay. 
My thoughts and prayers are with all members of the Soares family. Please accept my heartfelt sympathies. May the Almighty God give us all the strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss at this difficult time of sorrow. May fond memories and thoughts of happier times bring to us some comfort. May her soul rest in eternal peace. She lived her life to the fullest and surely touched the hearts of many people in her life. Dorothy has my greatest admiration as a very loving, considerate, generous, kind and caring person. These are my few words in a small and humble tribute to express my admiration for her. Gone but not forgotten. We have indeed lost a gem - truly kindhearted, gentle and loving person, devoted to her family, and a great woman and mother of our time. May her soul rest in eternal peace. 
As we grieve and celebrate the passing of Dorothy Soares, after fighting a courageous battle with cancer for 6 years, we have so many countless and wonderful memories of her. She was a fun-loving person. I always remember her as the life of any party, organizing dances, picnics, games and singing sessions galore. She was a very sympathetic and kind-hearted person ever willing to help those in need. She was an amazing woman. She passed away in Mississauga at 65 years of age, with her husband Francis, her son Nicholas and daughter Amanda by her side.

She was the first one to immigrate to Canada with her family. We are here today in Canada because of her. Dorothy and her husband Francis warmly welcomed me, my wife and 3 children into their home in 1998. And we are ever so grateful for that.

Tony Fernandes

https://turnerporter.permavita.com/site/DorothySoares.html?s=100

Dorothy Elvira Soares

 


Monday, February 19, 2024

Prayer to St. Francis of Assisi




May the Lord bless and keep you.
May the Lord show His face to you
and be merciful to you.
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you
and give you peace.
Brother, May the Lord bless you.


Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Valentine' s Day/Ash Wednesday


                                 W

                                  E

V A L E N T I N E 'S   D A Y  

   S                             N

   H                             E

                                  S

                                  D

                                  A

                                  Y

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Monday, February 12, 2024

The ‘Aarddamo’ - Guardian of the Night
















The ‘Aarddamo’ - Guardian of the Night

(Night latch system of another era)

Most of the old mud houses of the middle class folks in thevillages in Goa were installed with the time-proven giant wooden latch - a locking system for doors and windows, known colloquially in the Konkani language as the 'aarddamo'.

This rather unique and strong system provided a great sense ofsecurity and reliability when people retired for the night. This device was the sentry - the sentinel of the night - like a tenacious, silent and immovable guard holding the fort.

Basically, the 'aarddamo' consists of a square wooden beamprovided with a knob for pulling as it is drawn across a pair of folding (double-hinged) or two single leaf wooden doors orwindows by sliding it from a boxed frame pre-installed andconcealed into the wall in its own dedicated casing at the time of construction of a house. This type of installation was carried out at the time of construction of any house and as the walls went up. Metal latches were also added to this type of security.  

It is said that thieves could not break through this type of a locking system. 


Thursday, February 08, 2024

How to determine Easter Sunday and Ash Wednesday.




















How to determine Easter Sunday and Ash Wednesday. 

Mark a Sunday after the Paschal Moon and this will be “Easter Sunday”. The Paschal Full Moon in 2024 is on 25th March - which is the first full Moon after the Spring Equinox. Now count 40 days backwards excluding Sundays and STOP. This will be “Ash Wednesday” 1st Day of Lent.

Conversely, if the date of Ash Wednesday is already known, and Easter Date is yet to be determined, then count 40 days forward excluding Sundays and STOP. The following day will be Easter Sunday - a moveable feast in the Christian liturgical calendar which occurs on different dates in different years.

Tuesday, February 06, 2024

The Global Goan E- Magazine Jan-Feb 2024 Vol 5 Issue 1






















Please click on the link below which will take you to the magazine.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kdhdu/vtjz/index.html#p=1

The link below will take you straight to the article.

https://online.fliphtml5.com/kdhdu/vtjz/index.html?fbclid=IwAR15OmKiFkYGP4XVwLUDCCwC6xJta-701SspQZ-MTsmTAINJkbU3q4eFn7I#p=48

The Global Goan Vol.5 Issue01 Jan-Feb 2024

The latest edition of your favourite magazine, The Global Goan is just released.  Packed as usual with exciting stories, you will be pleased for sure!!

Do continue supporting the magazine, simply by sharing this message to all your contacts, with a request for them to do the same.  With your support, we are confident of getting the magazine to every corner of the world, as you have been doing in the past.

Friday, February 02, 2024

Groundhog Day - No Shadow, Early Spring!

 









Ontario's Wiarton Willie, Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam and Quebec's Fred la Marmotte all reportedly did not see their shadows on Friday morning. According to centuries-old folklore, that's good news for Canadians tired of wintry weather.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Wiarton Willie, Ontario's famed groundhog, was carried out onto the stage at Wiarton Arena, to decide the fate of winter for Canadians. After speaking with Willie, the mayor told the gathered crowd, “no shadow. Which means early spring!”


Monday, January 22, 2024

Church of Saint Cajetan - Assagao - Goa

 




















From Line Art Drawing to Water Colour Rendering

on woven strips of parchment paper by Tony Fernandes.

Church of St. Cajetan - Assagao, Goa.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

Lunar Surprise















Moonwhile, after snowstorms and windchills all around us, in my window tonight in Mississauga, Canada, the moon appears as a Waxing Crescent, with an illumination of 16.93%. which represents percentage of the moon illuminated by the sun. It is currently 3.99 days old on Sunday, January 14, 2024. The moon is currently located in the constellation of ♓ Pisces. Photograph by Tony Fernandes