Common Household Things of Goa

Cooking with firewood, Goa

Cooking by using firewood was the norm in the old days. Firewood in the form of logs and dried branches from trees were used for preparing food. People made their own configurations of the common 3-stone arrangement. Wood was gathered from local forests or bought as cut pieces from suppliers and stored in huts for the monsoons. 

The idea that the distinct and unique taste of food cooked over fire, added with the element of porous clay pots in which the food has been cooked in, has been wafting in the air for centuries. Some folks erected special standard table height platforms while others had a similar arrangement on the floor.  

The Tonferns Daily

https://paper.li/tonferns/1324430376#/

Triangle of a Celestial Trio

CELESTIAL TRIO FORMING N AN INVERTED TRIANGLE

The celestial trio of Earth's closest neighbour - the Moon, along with planet Jupiter (left) and the dying star Antares (below) in the constellation Scorpio, formed an inverted triangle over the South/South Eastern sky over Mississauga last night. Photos by Tony Fernandes. Date:12 July 2019. Time: 22.56 to 23.07 hrs. Ontario. Canada.

Village Parishes of Goa

TONFERNS CREATIONS

Framed wood-burning on 1/8' thick recycled plywood,

set on cork collage created in wooden tray.

Overall size 14" x 12"

Canadian Countryside

TONFERNS CREATIONS

Framed wood-burning on 1/8' thick recycled plywood,

set on cork collage created in wooden tray.

Overall size 14" x 12"

Mississauga Moon

Raul Malo - The Mavericks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypJ3dP7qCpE

Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada

Homeward Bound - Long way home after Artfest at Kingston

HOMEWARD BOUND - Enjoying the drive, taking the long way home, from Kingston to Mississauga via Adolphustown (Greater Napanee) to Glenora (Bay of Quinte) Ferry Crossing East of Picton, Prince Edward County, Ontario - Canada.. It was worth the wait. Something that I finally did after all these years. Scenic Route 33 (Pioneer Colonial Loyalist Parkway). Onward route via Wellington, Hillier, Consecon, Twelve O'Clock Point, Swingbridge on the Murray Canal at Carrying Place and RR #40 to HW401 West. Thanks to my friend Ross Stuart for his advice and encouragement. Thanks to my wife Edna for excellent navigation.

Kingston City - Adolphustown Ferry Point: 54 km
Adolphustown Ferry - Glenora: 1km
Glenora - HW401: 74 km at Wooler Road
HW401 at Wooler Road to Home: 213 Km
Total Return trip: 341 Km approx.

Kingston, Ontario

Alcatraz - San Francisco - California

Alcatraz Island, California, USA   #alcatraz
Alcatraz Island is located in San Francisco Bay, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) offshore from San Francisco, California, United States. The small island was developed with facilities for a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison (1868), and a federal prison from 1934 until 1963. Today, the island's facilities are managed by the National Park Service as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area; it is open to tours.

São João - Goa India

São João

Incessantly the rains fell

Had all the wells so swell

Grandma said it was a miracle

Her prayers were answered

God had at last cast His spell!

"The lads would be happy now"

She uttered under her breath

After they had their jumps in the well

And as tradition would have it

She made a vow

To give the boys

A basketful of mangos and jack-fruit

On the day of the feast of San João.

Google Doodle - Indian Actor Amrish Puri

Google Doodle honours Indian Actor Amrish Puri.

https://www.news18.com/news/india/amrish-puri-google-doodle-actors-87th-birthday-mr-india-mogambo-bollywood-2198779.html

Walking in Mother's Footsteps

WALKING IN MOTHER’S FOOTSTEPS.

‘The child is the father of the man’

During my days in school we were given a problem. This was done after reading English text or Poetry in class. Certain lines had to be underlined as we read them. These would later be studied to find the meaning of subject phrases or idioms. 

One question that invariably appeared in all tests and examinations went typically like this:

Explain with reference to the context: ‘The child is the father of the man’.

This line from William Wordsworth’s poem ‘My heart leaps up when I behold’ had always intrigued and perplexed me as a child. It has been interpreted in so many ways by so many. But as I see it today this phrase means a lot to me. It applies a lot to my own life and my children, albeit in a slightly different way from my wife’s point of view as well. In this case, for convenience, we could re-phrase the line: ‘The child is the mother of the woman’.

My eldest daughter has worked her way up in her career, walking in her mother’s footsteps in the accounting department. And to sum it all up, it is with extreme pride that for some time my wife worked in the same firm as my daughter’s. The pinnacle of a mother’s joy is to see her daughter grow and become what she had always prayed and envisaged her to be, but the height of the crowning glory would be to watch her daughter command and conduct a seminar in the same company. 

Considering the fact that my wife’s major was accounting, then there must definitely be truth in the meaning of the above phrase, that what we are when young, in many ways, eventually gives shape to what we become when we grow up.

I am no accountant, but in all confidence and pride, I can surely say that my daughter has picked up many of my artistic traits. Hence there is so much truth in the phrase that we can safely surmise: ‘The child is the father of the man’. 

Tony Fernandes

Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine - Tonferns

Happy Father's Day.

As I now reminisce, it was during the summer months of May back in the early 1960's in Goa. My father had taken me everywhere, visiting new places to see and explore, to the beach, to the market place every day to buy fresh fish and groceries, to my favourite restaurant in town for ice-cream, to the hills for walks, to pluck 'canttam' and 'cashew apples', to the lakes and springs for picnics, and to nearby streams for a swim. All these things just before the raging monsoons would set in. He had made several things for me, one of them being my very own first mini 'robond' - a catapult. He had also taken me fishing to the salt-water river near our village, for football games in the nearby town, and to distant places visiting friends and relatives, by bus, taxi and ferry, all of which I had enjoyed immensely. If I could only set back and change the pages of time. Here's a dedication to the great father that he really was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTchaCDlnds&t=70s

St. Anthony & Child Jesus

There are many more legends that prevail about St. Anthony

in our beautiful land, Goa.

The most well known is one of Saint Anthony and Child Jesus playing on his prayer book, as portrayed both in statues and in holy pictures. The account of this legend is that Saint Anthony was once passing through the region of Limoges in France, and as night fell, a rich businessman in that area had offered hospitality, rest and silence to Saint Anthony in his country estate. He was given a separate room to meditate and pray in peace. But it is believed that during the night his host passed by his lighted window. There in a brilliant light he saw a little infant of great beauty playing on a prayer book that the Saint was reading. The witness trembled at the sight, and in the morning Saint Anthony, to whom it had been disclosed that his host had seen the visitation, called him and requested him not to disclose it to anyone as long as he lived. That little infant was Child Jesus. Appropriately so, there is a very touching hymn in our very own Konkani language that is sung and dedicated to him. Here is it below.

Sant Antoni ochoreanchea Santa,

Portugal tuzo onod vortouta,

Tujea livrar ballok khelta,

Menin Jezu Razancho Raza. 

(Miraculous St. Anthony,

Portugal is proud of your glory,

On your prayer book plays

Child Jesus King of Kings)

Music notation by Auggie Pereira, Founder & President, Ex-students Association of St. Anthony's High School, Monte de Guirim, Toronto Chapter, Ontario, Canada. 1994.

St. Anthony and the legend of the Lilies in his right hand.

In religious imagery, Saint Anthony of Padua is especially beloved; apart from the Holy Family, he is the probably the only saint depicted with the Christ Child and in a particularly tender way: he is often shown holding a book (presumably the Bible) in one hand and the Child Jesus in his other hand while stalks of white lilies (representing purity, innocence, integrity and his lifelong struggle against the devil) are present in the foreground. But what is noticeable in these depictions is the fact the Child Jesus tenderly puts his hand on the saint’s face, as if to simultaneously embrace him and bless him. It is a picture that evokes a child’s love toward his parent and the parent's love toward his child. As a matter of fact, statues have depicted this scene ever since the 17th century. But it is no mere pious representation: it really happened in the saint’s lifetime. One night the Divine Child visited Anthony, kissed him and told him that He loved him. Anthony, in that visitation, was entrusted with the Child Jesus and the lilies that are always depicted in religious art represents that trust and divine favor. It is no wonder that such a representation is so loved; it expresses the want of the human heart.

I was here first - Crab Mentality.

Jude & Juliana 25th Weddding Anniversary June 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LamPS3QatY

BACK IN TIME - STORM IN THE PARK

BACK IN TIME - STORM IN THE PARK - JUNE 2010.
(Please click on the picture below to read the 2010 episode).

In sharp similarity, on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the Art in the Park Arts & Crafts Show in Windsor, Ontario, it was almost a repetition of that storm of June 2010. Suddenly, the skies started to darken frighteningly around mid-day. The park was under a canopy of dark grey clouds, and what seemed to be a sure sign of an approaching storm. And then soon it started raining. The organizing staff went about warning vendors about a possible storm. Then came the warning on cellphones about a tornado watch. And soon the booths were shut, and the vendors left the exhibition grounds only to return the next day to see bright and sunny skies, although there were some water-logged booths due to inevitable ground conditions. But none of the vendors gave up. They went about doing their tasks, and shortly the park was full of visitors. The show went on - true to the organizer's motto 'come rain or shine', and with the addition of 'mulch or no mulch' that did help a lot. The show continued wonderfully with quite a turn-out until closing with glorious sunshine. Thanks to the organizers and their staff with electric carts, helping out the vendors.

http://tonferns.blogspot.com/2010/06/blog-post_06.html

Nossa Senhora de Graca - Our Lady of Grace - Margao, Goa, India

The Majestic Old Church of Nossa Senhora de Graça

(Our Lady of Grace) popularly known today as ‘Grace Church’
Margao, Salcete, Goa – India.

Water Colours 20 in x 16 in by Tony Fernandes 1990

From an old photograph taken during a visit to see a friend in Margao while on an annual vacation to Goa in the year 1973. (35mm Kodachrome Slide Film). A new church now stands in the same spot. However, the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is in the same location.

History: Originally a chapel, called the Capela de Batalhão (Port. Chapel of the Battalion). Its construction began on 6.1.1812 and the first Mass was offered there on 3.5.1812. It was detached from the Holy Spirit Parish, Margao, and erected into a full-fledged Parish in 1959. The beautiful old church was demolished and the present church was built in its place. Inaugurated on 1.1.1977. Feast: 5th February

Adeus Kortso Vellu Pauta

Ruth Lobo
Published on 16 Feb 2015

ADEUS KORCHO VELLU PAULO (It's Time To Say Goodbye)

Three Violins and a Cello. All women.String Quartet. Please give a listen to this timeless beautiful classic by clicking on the following link. An instrumental version of a popular Goan Konkani Mando, bidding farewell to a loved one, rendered in classical style. Music by Torquato de Figueiredo (1876-1948) Arranged for Strings by Victor Rangel-Ribeiro. Musicians Eshvita Nazareth, Judy Fernandes, Goretti Pinheiro, Teresa Figueiredo, Filmed by Ruth Lobo & Douglas Garcias

GLOBAL WARMING IS FOR REAL

Viva Goa

Vacation India 2016 Goa1

Crab Mentality

Cycling Route

Cycling Route on the Trail

 - Mississauga - 

2.5 km round trip.

Tonferns Clock

Que Sera Sera - Doris Day - Idol of our childhood and teens.

Growing up as a kid in the late 1950's, and as a teenager in the early 1960's, we frequently heard Doris Day's 'Que Sera Sera' played on the 'Emisora de Goa' (Radio Station during the Portuguese time in Goa) and on 'Radio Ceylon' (now Sri Lanka). This song was on everyone's lips. It was my Mom's favourite too. I heard her hum the tune as she went about doing her house-hold chores everyday, some of which included an ongoing project like a sweater that she would knit, a lost button on my school uniform or a shoe-lace that she would replace, or the lengthening of my shorts as I grew up almost by the week. The lyrics were even translated into Konkani which went like this:

Aslom tednam aum laan burgo,

Maink moje avem ho vichar kelo,

Zaith aum sobit, guirest vhodlo,

Osso zabab dilo.

Zaunchem zatelem,

Goddchem poi tem goddtelem,

Noxibantlem meutelem,

Zaunchem zatelem.

Rest in Peace

Doris Day

Born : April 3, 1922

Died: May 13, 2019 

Gondolas of Venice 1996

"The Tour, My Harmonica and Me" 

My family and I were on a bus tour of Europe in the year 1996. Halfway riding across Europe, our family of five came to be known as 'the music family" to the rest of the bus-load of tourists because we sang sometimes without boring them. So, while we were in Venice in Italy, our tour guide hired a bunch of gondolas for a tour through the canals under the arched bridges. Thinking that it was appropriate, and rightly so, he let us board on the gondola that had a duo of  musicians on board - a tenor and an accordionist. Halfway on the gondola ride,  I showed my harmonica to the musicians. Immediately, they asked to me play something. And I obliged playing 'Santa Lucia' in the key of C Major, probably to their great surprise. I guessed it sounded quite delightful to everyone's ears, with a subtle back-up on the accordion, finally letting the accordionist lead into the finale, while tourists on the accompanying gondolas and tourists over the arched bridges cheered on, much to my delight, thus making it my day.

COMPAY SEGUNDO-Guantanamera.WMV

Harmonica Episode 3. Thought you'd find this amusing. I was one in a group of 8 people (family and friends) standing in line among other passengers at an airport bound for Cuba awaiting security clearance. My harmonica, which I usually carry, showed in the X-Ray screening of my carry-on luggage. The lady officer asked me to open my bag. Looking at the harmonica, the officer goes: "What's this?" "My harmonica" I replied. "Do you know how to play it?" she asked. "Yes, of course, I do" I said. "Really?" the officer queried, "then can you play something?" "Certainly", I stated. "Go ahead", she said. "Is it okay to play it here?" I asked. "Yes, it's alright" she says. Then without hesitation, like 'un hombre sincero', I rendered a version of my favourite, none other than 'Guantanamera', which came to me spontaneously. The officers were convinced that there was nothing else inside the harmonica other than 2 brass plates with reeds while other passengers were held in an utter gasp, amused, amazed and puzzled perhaps all at the same time. I was happy, relieved and thankful that my 40-year old harmonica was not confiscated. I was glad that I got a rare audience and a unusual chance to play at an airport of all places. I often reminisce and tell my friends about this odd one of a kind incident in my life. Playing an original Cuban song before boarding an airplane bound for Cuba that delighted everyone - like a prelude, a precursor to music that the tourists would definitely hear in the days ahead in the restaurants and nightclubs during their stay in Cuba - was simply exhilarating. Please give a listen to a classic rendition by Compay Segundo (a.k.a. Máximo Francisco Repilado Muñoz Telles) #Stories #HarmonicaEspisode
  

Moonriver in Porto - Ponte Luis I Bridge, Porto, Portugal

By the way, I have an interesting anecdote regarding this song. Two years ago my wife, my two daughters, one son-in-law and myself went on a vacation to Portugal. While we were strolling along the famous Dom Luis I Bridge between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia over the Douro River, I took out my tiny Hohner Harmonica (which I always carry on my travels) from my jacket pocket and started playing 'Moonriver' by placing my hat on the ground, on sudden impulse - just for kicks. My daughter Dahlia filmed this, and by the end of the song, tourists started throwing coins into my hat! The hat could have possibly seen enough Euros for a dinner for five had I covered few more tunes, but there wasn't enough time. Our group had to move on.

Moonriver in Porto - Ponte Luis I Bridge, Porto, Portugal

A Tribute to Mrs. Joyce Muffty

My wife Edna and I are extremely sorry to hear about the passing away of a fine lady - Mrs. Joyce Muffty. My earliest memories of first meeting her go way back to the year 1967 in Abu Dhabi at St. Joseph's Club, where I met her son Dennis also for the first time. Dennis and I became friends instantly. I had just started work, was 21 years old, new to the place and did not know many people. My parents lived in Goa. From then on, Mr. & Mrs. Muffty treated me like their own son and never failed to invite me for dinner or lunch for Christmas and Easter. At the Christmas get-together at St. Joseph's, Mrs. Muffty made me sit at their family table. I still cherish these memories.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all members of the Muffty family. Please accept our heartfelt sympathies. May the Almighty God give you the strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss at this difficult time of sorrow. May thoughts and fond memories bring you comfort. May her soul rest in eternal peace. She lived her life to the full and surely touched the hearts of many people in her life. 

Mrs. Joyce Muffty has my greatest admiration as a very loving, considerate, generous, kind and caring lady. She made me sit among her children at the dining table - Dennis, Ozzie, Jerry. Lenny, Rolly and Diana.

These are my few words in a small and humble tribute to honour the exemplary life of Mrs. Joyce Muffty, and to express our love and admiration for her.

May the memories and thoughts of happier times bring comfort to her family members, loved ones and friends who will miss her dearly.


Gone but not forgotten. We have indeed lost a 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.

With our most heartfelt condolences.

Tony & Edna
.

A Garland of Songs of Sir Cliff Richard

An Ode with a Garland of Song Titles

'NOW NOT ON TALKING TERMS'

by Tony Fernandes

When I was a 'Bachelor Boy'

I was living among 'The Young Ones'

And often went on a 'Summer Holiday'

by 'Travelling Light'
While my friends said,
"Congratulations".

I imagined it would be
"A Wonderful Life",
I thought 'Constantly' that

 she was like a 'Living Doll'

with 'Lucky Lips',

a perfect 'Theme For a Dream'

and a wonderful creation,

'A Human Work of Art'.

"Love is Forever", l assumed,
When she sang

she sounded like

'A Voice in the Wilderness'

and I was convinced

She sure was

'Wired for Sound'

When we met,

We were like 'Silhouettes'

in 'Spanish Harlem'

But then one day when I asked her

'Do You Wanna Dance'

She replied: 'Move it'

See you 'The Next Time'.

'I'm your Puppet' I said

'My Heart is an Open Book' I pleaded

but I will still 'Miss You Nights'
with love as much as "Ocean Deep"

I confessed.

And after all was said and done

it was like 'The Twelfth of Never';

It seemed 'It was all in the Game',
as when 'When Two Hearts Drift Apart',

and now 'Nine times out of Ten'

'We Don't Talk Anymore'!

By Tony Fernandes