A Miss-Steak :)

Song:  It Keeps You Runnin'

Group:  The Doobie Brothers

This morning...

I took this picture near 5 AM...

of the Lunar Eclipse.

I had handheld the camera...

so it is a little blurry.

For our weekly after piano practice supper...

we went to our OLD favorite Prime Rib place.

This time we wanted to try the Rib Eye steak.

We started out with a calamari appetizer...

and we both had the tomato and mozzarella salad.

Our Rib Eye steaks arrived.

The cook had over done the Rib Eyes.  :(

Although they were still good...

we will go back to the Texas Roadhouse for our steaks and prime ribs from now on.

Their steaks are always juicy.

However...

when I took my mother home...

Hana had no complaints about the Rib Eye  :)

She had an extra large doggie bag of Rib Eye trimmings...

and some of the over done portions.

Hana had grabbed at one morsel so vigorously...

I had to move my fingers out of the way for the rest of the feeding.

I love spoiling Hana...

and she loves being spoiled  :)

As I have to get up a little early on the morrow...

I left my mother's house early.

She started practicing her piano once again before I left for the night.

Dim Sum For Dinner

Song:  Clocks

Group:  Coldplay

On my way to my mother's last night.

I had gotten there much later than usual because of some things I had to do.

On my way there...

I had seen this sunset...

and I had to turn around and stop for a few minutes to take these photos.

For today's dinner...

I wanted to make (warm up)...

Dim Sum.

I took my mother to an Asian market...

and we bought these.

I didn't warm up these onion pancakes.

We will use them on another day...

probably with somen.

All of the items were frozen.

All you have to do is to steam them for 8 minutes 

(or microwave them for a couple of minutes).

I had placed these in the first basket.

I then placed these in the second basket.

I had my mother try this brand of rice drink.

My mother thought it was delicious.

I had set up the sauce and I made the hot mustard from powder.

In a short period of time...

the food was fully warmed.

My mother loved everything...

but she especially loved the shrimp dumplings...

and the burdock buns.

I had initially forgotten the salad.

So...

I quickly bowled some diakon sprouts...

and I put on this Sweet Asian Citrus dressing.

My mother and I had seconds on everything...

and we ended up just finishing everything.

As today was a long day...

and as we had practiced music as the rice was cooking...

after we cleaned up...

I went home early.

(My mother is progressing steadily on the piano...

and she loves going to her piano lessons.

The day of her piano lessons (right afterwards) is our once a week time to eat out).

With the addition of Dim Sum...

we now have another delicious meal to eat...

whenever we feel like it.

I had bought extra of everything...

and placed them in the freezer for a future Dim Sum meal.

My mother loves the variety of food we eat.

Each time we eat a delicious meal...

it sets the mood for the rest of the night.

A delicious meal to look forwards to...

and to remember afterwards...

leads to a light heart...

and a brighter evening.

Transposing Our First Duet

Song:  The Last Of The Mohicans Theme

Cover:  CalikokatPiano

First of all...

I am self learning musical composition / transposition by ear.

The first song I picked to debut our first duet...

I had heard on YouTube...

and there is no written music available for it.

The original composition, and the person performing it...

right on his YouTube page, stated it would be alright if others write out his musical score

(Luke Pickman).

He had performed the song using a Harp and an Alto Flute.

So...

I am transposing it, by ear, for the Piano and the Bass Flute...

so my mother and I may make this our first duet to play.

I had chosen it because the Piano portion has a very easy repeating three partial scale 

right hand piano portion...and some simple chords for the left hand.

The flute portion has a very magical melodic score.

It is one of my favorite songs.

I shouldn't have that much trouble transposing the flute portion...

as the Alto Flute is only four notes up from the Bass Flute...

 so...I should be able to play it as it sounds

(as his notes don't go above the octave range of the Bass Flute)...

and so...writing out the score for this should be relatively easy by ear

(although, I have only been playing the bass flute for a little over one week :)

I started out today's music practice by printing out some Master Clef sheets 

for the piano portion (left hand sheets with the treble and bass clefs).

The right hand sheets are treble clef sheets for the flute music.

I am transposing the Harp music into piano music so my mother 

will have more time to practice her portion of the duet.

I have never taken piano before...

so, again, I am learning as I go.

However, the notes are pretty simple.

It is my musical ear I am worried about.

I may hear different notes than what they actually are...

and so, that which I am transposing...

may be off.

I sat at the piano with the iPod as I listened to the song...

and I then wrote the notes I had heard as I attempted to replicate the notes on the piano.

I will first write out all of the right hand notes for the piano so my mother 

may learn the right hand portion of the song while I finish transposing the rest

of the song by filling in the piano chords (which I will have to try to discern by ear).

Once this is completed...

I will then work on transposing the music for my bass flute.

In the meantime...

my mother was completing her musical notation practice from her first piano lesson.

Once I complete the transposition of our first duet...

every day, until we are ready to perform the duet...

we will practice for the first hour from our lesson books...

and we will then practice our duet for the remainder of the time

(my mother is taking piano lessons once a week...

and I am teaching myself the bass flute).

This song has a repeating set of partial harp melody scales...

a set of three in total

(I have yet to transpose the chords for the left hand piano portion).

What I had done was to break up teaching my mother the three partial scales...

and noting the scale number on the left margin of the musical stanzas.

I am only halfway through the song for the right hand portion of the piano

(again...I am self taught.  My musical ear may be off...and I am teaching myself 

how to transpose music...so, my musical notations might also be off).

I have never studied musical theory...

so, while I may be committing some cardinal sin with my transposition...

I can only write what I think I am hearing.

Remember...

I am a guy.

I love to figure things out for myself  :) 

I also printed out the piano keyboard, and I filled in the keys to hit in an up and down

scale for each partial scale.

I did this so my mother can remember which keys to hit for each partial scale...

so she may teach herself the partial scales while I am gone

(my mother cannot yet read music...

as she just completed her first music lesson a couple of days ago).

As she matches the notes to the musical score I am transposing...

she may also teach herself how to read music.

So long as my mother practices diligently...everyday...

even when I have gone home...

we should make rapid progress on our duet.

I will first have to finish with the complete transposition...

and we will have to, not only know our portions of the music...

we will have to play in time with one another.

But...

this first attempt will prove to be a great learning experience for the both of us.

This is what makes music so exciting...

it is a problem which makes solving it...

pure magic  :)

Panko Salmon And Music Practice

Song:  Into The West

Cover:  KalikokatPiano

Yesterday...

I made Panko Salmon for supper.

I first defrosted the salmon.

I then started mixing flour and water.

I simply added water until it was the consistency of thick paint.

I then 'painted' the salmon with the flour and water mixture.

Panko is widely available at almost all stores.

If not...almost any Asian market will have some.

I then covered the salmon fillets with the panko.

I used olive oil.

I rarely fry any food...

so, this was just a special treat for my mother.

Two considerations when cooking with oil:

1)  Always place the handle to the cooking container to the inside of the stove.

This will prevent an accidental spillage.

2)  Always have a chemical fire extinguisher nearby

(all kitchens should have one...nearby...but away from the possible fire...

as you may not be able to reach it if it is stored under the stove during a fire).

My mother snacked on cherry tomatoes until supper was ready.

Medium high heat until golden brown on each side.

My mother really liked this supper.

It was the first time I had made it...

as I very seldom fry any food.

The salmon should be light and flakey.

 We then settled in for a couple hours of music practice.

We both practiced our own instruments for the first hour...

and then my mother just listened to me play various songs for the last hour.

I had to cut our music session short as I had to awaken early the next day.