Hyacinth Orchid Duplo in Garigal NP : December 5 2022

Another slow start day. Struggling to get motivated to do stuff. Did get the week's investing post completed after doing the week's accounting. Spent a little time in the garden. By the time I was ready to move it was really hot - above 25C. Drove to walk a track not walked in a while looking for rose hyacinth orchids

Walked Cascades Track in Garigal NP - tongue orchid in a known spot

Cryptostylis subulata

Found a cluster of bonnet orchids standing nearly a metre tall

Half a dozen spikes - then back to the main track

Cluster of variegated hyacinth orchids budding on the way down

The mission was met with this sighting

Standing close to a metre tall against the rock backdrop.

Was one flowering - the ID markers are strongly marked lines on labellum, a tuft and recurved petals and sepals - stripes are not that dominant but colour leans me to dipodium roseum

Close up - not convinced about the stripes but there are tufts.

A few fringe lilies about

Walked onto Lower Canbourne Track to walk along the slope rather than bashing downhill - too steamy to walk back up the big hill

Bonnet orchids on the upside of the slope

A few Christmas Bells

Bonnet orchid flowering

Last time I walked this the creek was flowing 3 feet deep. Turned back hoping to find variegated hyacinth orchids

Well below the track was this cluster - I counted 23 budding and one open

Dipodium variegatum

Good to find more tongue orchids in good light for photos of the veins underside

Most times the underside is shaded for good photos

Spider web action is symmetrical

Good to get 4 orchids open on the walk. It was hot.

We have friend coming for dinner. Chef is making roast duck. Started preparation early - chop rosemary and thyme from the garden

All the ingredients prepped. Duck salted on the left. Rub is chopped rosemary and thyme, lemon and orange zest, shredded ginger and salt and pepper. Into cavity goes rosemary, 4 or 5 garlic cloves and half an orange and lemon quartered. Into the drip tray go rosemary sprigs, an onion quartered, a carrot and celery stick quartered and more garlic cloves and the neck and wing tips chopped.

Spread the paste materials over the duck. The art of cooking is to place the duck directly on a shelf in the oven with the drip tray full of goodies underneath

Cook for 15 minutes at 200C and then 45 minutes at 180C. While that is happening peel potatoes and boil for 15 minutes. Take off the boil and drain. Bang the potatoes with a shake against the top of the saucepan lid.

At the one hour mark, remove the drip tray - put another underneath the duck. Skim off all the fat and place the goodies into a small pot. Add in a splash of port of port or muscat (say 3 tablespoons) and half a cup of water/chicken stock. Boil that for 40 minutes.

Add 3 or 4 spoons of duck fat to the old drip tray. Drop in the potatoes and brush with fat. Pop that tray under the duck. I turn them over every 20 minutes to keep them fatted up.

Once the sauce pot has boiled for 40 minutes, separate out all the lumpy nits and reduce the jus for the next 20. That brings up the 2nd hour mark. Take the duck out and let it rest. The 10 minute rest time is perfect to cook any veges you want and to give potatoes 10 more maybe under the grill.

Best served on a platter and tear apart with tongs.

Serve with a nice Pinot Noir.

Our guest loved dinner - we had fun times

Trade action: Bought STU.V, ENGI.PA. adjusted DBK.DE options

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Daily Activity, Gardening, House Chores, Photowalking