Ginger flavor Pumpkin soup / Stay alive is the basic requirement to live happily ever after !!! 薑味南瓜

I can’t take the heat very well, therefore I love that pleasantly cool autumn. My heart will also dance with the wind. My steps will keep me slow, back and forth when I see all those shiny green trees are all changing its color to yellow, orange, red, and purple. People said, autumn in the season of missing. Missing is because we had someone to hard to say goodbye and let it go. This year the hot summer time were extremely long. When the autumn had arrived the temperature had changed dramatically. A few leaves seemed very longly and got picked up by the wind. It felt like, I just met the fall, but how come winter had arrived too. I hadn’t got ant chances to prepare this cold.

My daughter lost one of her best girlfriend last week. A 17 years old girl who is so bright, and always with sweetest smiles, love to read, passionate about the music. She even make her own songs, play music and do her solo. She seemed so ready to move on to the college life in two years. But she ended her own life, and left no chances to her love one who could give her some helps. The whole town was totally shocked and mounting her passing. I thought I would be brave enough to attend at her wake and funeral, because this was the third time I had attended to kids funerals. But, I had totally lost myself in tears. Each time the moms hug each other, we were just totally felt heart broken again and again. I couldn’t remember who mentioned that long time ago. In Chinese words, it said, who lost the parents. They will be called orphans. Someone who lost the wife or husband will be called widowt. But the parents who lost their kids, we couldn’t find any words for it, because watched the young left the old, it was too sad and unbearable. That’s why our ancestors couldn’t have a word for it!

I turned 47 years old this year. I wanted to tell her, I still feel life is never been easy till today. But don’t worry because that’s the way it is. When we wanted to live in the better life. We just have to go through lots of problems, face all different kinds of challenges. Then, we could be more wiser and live in the easier life. I wanted to tell her, we came to this world because of the fates. We stay together because of love. Whoever treat us nicely and love us. We need to be cherished and be thankful. When we grow older and get stronger one day, we could share and pass this love to more people in need. I wanted to tell her, life is a long series of drama. It could be splendid, it could be just ordinary too. How we feels are so true, but it will not stay long. All the happinesses and sorrows will be past and become yesterday. The way we feel about people’s words and things had happened will be changed, because of our life experience. We will expect more to be pleased. We will have better ability to cure our own sorrows too. I knew there were some bumpy roads ahead of us, or something really make us very struggle in our life. These confusing and painful feelings would totally occupy our minds. But, we could only solve the problems when we stay alive. I wanted to tell her. It’s a right thing to do when we take care a good care of ourself for our parents shakes. But when we’re in troubles. We need to give a chance to let someone who loves us and let them know. We need some helps. The person who really loves us, they would willing to share everything for better or worse with us. Please don’t feel that we’re bothering someone and keep everything inside. By sharing the happiness only, but not sadness with your love one. It’s not a healthy communication to build up a close relationship at all ! No matter how hard the troubles will be. It will be easier to be taking care with extra loves and helps.

Your father had choked down his voice to read some things you like from your notebook at your funeral. You said, you love autumn, love the voice when you step on the falling leaves. You said, you love the smell of cinnamon in the air. You said, you love to stay next to the fireplace and watch the sparks, and the best will be at the outdoor ..... Your father said, you are a life artist, and you will be his best daughter ever! I wanted to tell you, it’s kind of chilly at fall, but you had crumbling voice from falling leaves accompanied with your. You were never been alone. That cinnamon that you adored it was coming from your mom warming hands. The burning woods were sacrificed itself to light up your face and keep heart boiling hot. I haven’t got a chance to tell you, I love the autumn too. I love that fiery color of the woods, especially when I see it connected with the red or purple sunset. It’s unbelievably gorgeous!!! I have very sensitive skin and get allergy easy just like you. But, I could have lots of fun and dressed in layers and play around with that autumn colors in this season. I would make some ginger pumpkin soup, sweet with a little bit spicy. I would turn on my oven again and make some roasted beef sandwich since the last summer. Then, I will make some caramel apple pie, of courses it will include your favorite cinnamon spice. I also know your family loves Halloween. Your mom is very crafty. She always has great fun ideas to design something very cool for your guys Halloween custom. Do you know thing about to keep a beautiful life? It’s not things great or big about your works or names. It’s all these little things that we feel the joys for sure in our ordinary day.

No matter who you are, if you feel lonely and carry lots of deepest pain and burden. Please do remember. Life is sweet and bitter all together. You must be stay well and alive, be brave to take a big step to cross that line. Then you could enjoy the happiness again and again in your life. Silly girl, my daughter and I will always remember your beautiful life. Do watch after your family who loves you so much, while you’re in heaven with peace !

Ginger pumpkin soup

Ingredients:

1. 2 chestnut squashes skinned and cut it into big chunks. Or any pumpkins that you like. I just adore these chestnut squashes, Asian pumpkins are less water content, sweeter, more starch perfect for making this soup.

2. 1 small onion chop into 1-2 inches pieces.

3. 1 apple skinned and seeded. Sour apple is good for this recipe.

4. 2-3 thin slices of ginger.

5. Clam juice or any seafood broth bar.

6. Water or chicken broth.

7. 1 tablespoon of white wine.

8. 1 large red chili pepper this red chili peppers is not that spicy just for the aroma. If you couldn’t take the heat, just discard the seeds first before you use it!

9. Celery.

Have a pot, heat up with medium heat, place cold oil, onion, ginger, sprinkle some salt with it. Sauté the onion is till transparent but didn’t catch on any colors. Then, put in chestnut squashes, apple, red chili pepper, clam juice, chicken broth or water, white wine. The liquid just needs enough to soak all the ingredients, not much more. Bring it to the boil then cook the food through .

Use hand blender or food processor to blend well. Adjust any liquid to reach your favorite thickness, seasoning with salt too. Sprinkle with some celery diced or just meshed a big piece of celery then put it in the pot to wake up the flavors. This ginger chestnut squashes soup full of aroma from the mild sauté onion, soup is thickened but feels light. The natural acidity from apple totally addressed the sweet chestnut squashes. Having a bowl of this ginger chestnut squashes soup in the fall. It will not just warm up your body but you soul. Please ell all your family and friends, stay alive is the basic requirements to live happily ever after !!!

我很怕熱, 所以我喜歡秋天涼爽. 我的心情也會不經意的隨著那冷風起舞盪漾. 眼見那些綠油油的樹葉逐漸變為黃橙紅綻紫時, 我的腳步更會因此而留連忘返. 都說秋是想念的季節, 想念是因為有著過去捨不得的離別. 今年炎熱的盛夏特別的冗長, 秋天的到來是一場溫度的巨變. 少許的落葉剛落地孤零零的被風吹捲起. 好似秋方至卻又似冬以到來. 我的內心完全是沒有做好任何準備這樣的寒冷.

上星期來我女兒失去了她的其中一位好朋友. 一位永遠都是那麼陽光, 充滿著甜美笑容, 喜歡閲讀, 又熱愛音樂. 她還會作詞作曲自彈自唱的十七歲小女生. 她幾乎是做好了所有的凖備, 再兩年就要進入人生最美好的大學時期了. 而她卻選擇結束了自己的生命, 未曾留給愛她的人一絲絲幫忙的機會. 我們居住的整個小鎭上震憾著失去她的傷痛. 我一直以為我應該可以勇敢的面對, 因為這是我人生當中第三次參加孩子的喪禮. 但, 我卻哭到無法自主. 小鎮上媽媽們之間每一次安慰的擁抱更是另人再度心碎. 我不記得誰曾經說過, 在中文裡歿了父母的叫孤兒, 失去丈夫的叫寡婦, 沒了老婆的稱為鰥夫. 然而失去孩子的父母卻沒有了這般的稱謂. 是不是因為白髮人送黑髮人的心情太過於悲傷而難以承受, 所以古人無法給予任何的名稱.

我今年47歲了. 我很想告訴她, 生活原本就是不容易的, 那本是自然. 我們期待過著美好的生活. 我們就得經歷許多問題, 面對種種的考驗. 那麼我們才能長智慧而活的更加自在. 我想告訴她, 我們來這世上是因為緣份而相聚, 更是因為愛而停留. 對我們好, 愛我們的人, 我們要珍惜感謝. 有天等我們自己成長茁壯了, 再把這份愛傳承分享給更多需要的人. 我想告訴她, 人生是一部漫長的連續劇. 劇情可能是高潮迭起, 但也有可能是平淡無奇. 不過, 內心的感受永遠是真實的, 卻不永久. 所有的快樂和痛苦都會過去成為昨日. 我們的心情也會隨著經驗的累積而有所改變. 我們對於開心的要求也容易變得越來越高, 療癒傷痛的能力也會增強的. 我知道, 在這不長不短的人生中, 難免都會有一些打不開的結, 或是難以跨越的坎. 我們內心的困惑和傷痛淹沒了我們自己的思路. 但是唯有活著才能真正的解決問題. 我想告訴她, 愛是要好好照顧好自己別讓父母擔心沒錯. 但遇到麻煩時, 一定要給我們身邊的人, 有愛我們, 幫我們的機會. 真正愛我們的人會非常樂意和我們一起分享喜怒哀樂的! 請不要擔心我們是找別人麻煩, 而把一切不愉快悶在心裡. 報喜不報憂不是很健康的溝通管道, 也很難建立良好的親密關係. 再難的問題, 多一份愛與關懷才能更容易迎刃而解啊!

在喪禮上你父親硬咽唸著你的筆記. 你說, 你喜歡秋天, 喜歡腳踩在落葉上的聲音. 你説, 你喜歡空氣中肉桂的味道. 你說, 你喜歡在火爐旁, 看著火花, 而且最好的感覺是在戶外 ..... 你父親說, 你是生活藝術家, 也是他永遠的好女兒. 我想告訴你, 冷冷的秋雖然淒涼, 但有繽紛落葉作響的聲陪伴, 你並不寂寞. 空氣中瀰漫的肉桂香是來自母親手中那份溫暖的味道. 涼颼颼的戶外, 燃燒中的木頭正犧牲著自己. 用它那熱腾騰的火焰照亮你的臉龐給予你一顆炙熱的心. 我還沒有機會告訴你, 我也喜歡秋天. 我愛上那一片火紅的樹林, 特別是有機會看到它和日落連成一片天或紅或紫, 美得無法無天. 我和你一樣有著敏感的肌膚和易過敏的體質, 乾爽不會流汗的秋天, 我可以有多件式穿搭的自由, 玩弄秋季中那些溫暖色調. 我還會在秋天裡做上那道既甜又帶點微辣薑味南瓜濃湯. 再次啟動在夏天沈睡已久的烤箱, 做份烤牛肉三明治, 然後再烤一些酸酸甜甜的焦糖蘋果派. 當然也少不了你喜歡的肉桂香. 我知道你們家都喜歡萬聖節, 你媽媽更是有一雙巧手每年都有最突出的點子, 為你們設計製作出最炫的萬聖節打扮. 你知道嗎? 人要一輩子過得幸福快樂, 不是你擁有多少功成名就, 而是這些生活中的每一個小確幸.

不論你是誰, 若是你正孤獨的背負著沈重的傷痛. 請你牢牢的記得, 人生苦樂是永遠參半的. 你必須要好好的活著, 勇敢的跨越那一歩, 才能反覆參與人生中的喜樂呀! 傻孩子呀, 我女兒和我會永遠記得你美好的人生. 你在天堂安息也要好好看顧曾經那麼疼愛你的家人喔!

薑味南瓜濃湯

材料

1. 2顆小青南瓜去皮切塊. 各式南瓜皆可, 我偏愛小青南瓜或是亞洲綠皮南瓜.它們水份少, 澱粉值較高, 偏甜. 很適合做濃湯.

2. 1顆小洋蔥切塊.

3. 1顆蘋果, 去皮除籽,帶 酸味佳.

4. 2-3片薑.

5. 蛤蜊汁或是海鮮湯塊.

6. 水或雞高湯.

7. 1大匙白酒.

8. 大紅辣椒帶微辣的香氣. 依自己喜好加入. 怕辣的人可以去籽減量使用.

9. 芹菜.

取一湯鍋, 中火熱鍋, 入冷油下洋蔥, 薑片, 灑上少許鹽, 炒至洋蔥略為透明但不上色. 然後放入南瓜, 蘋果, 辣椒, 蛤蜊汁, 雞高湯或水, 白酒. *液體的量足以浸泡所以材料即可, 不能太多. 改大火煮滾後再將所有材料煮熟.

用攪拌器或是食物調理機打成泥. 適當的加入液體調整濃度並用塩調味. 上桌前可以灑些芹菜珠, 或是拍碎西芹放入濃湯中提味. 這一碗薑味南瓜濃湯, 洋蔥香且溫和, 湯濃卻清新. 那蘋果的天然酸氣帶出了南瓜的鮮甜. 入秋時節來一碗熱騰騰的薑味南瓜濃湯, 暖的不只是胃, 還有那一份孤苦的心靈. 請告訴你的親朋好友, 好好的活著才是快樂的基本條件喔!