On Second thoughts

Time for Jellybeans

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:18:00 +0000

  I came across a blog, Just a Little Place to Write, where every Wednesday they post a photo or a word and anyone can write something with that prompt! It can be short or long or whatever ,as long as we just write! I thought that it was fun and impulsively I decided to write a short post on the prompt of the week ‘Jellybean’

Here’s what I wrote:

  Jellybeans! The multicolored assorted tiny bean shaped confectionery? How I eyed them greedily in the comic books as a child! I felt I was being denied the ultimate goodie as they were not available in our country then. The very word ‘jelly bean’ has a sweet musical lilt to it, is’nt it? I even wished my Tooth Fairy placed some jelly beans under my pillow in exchange for my tooth!

  However, time flew and jelly beans were shoved behind my mind .I have passed middle age and now all of a sudden I’m greedy again for Jelly Beans! Yes, you guessed it! Google’s latest Android OS Jelly Bean for smart phones and tablets! I’m finally going to have Jellybeans! :)

Worse to Impossible

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 21 May 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Have you ever been in a situation where you think that it just cannot get worse and it does? Have you ever been swept along in a series of events which are not rational or reasonable? Have you ever had problems for which there seem to be no solutions? Your painful trial is like a heavy load which bears you down with agonizing sadness.What do you experience during those impossible difficult times? Don’t you feel absolutely and totally frustrated, helpless, and vulnerable as you are powerless to make the situation better? Not believing, distressed, you look on like a zombie!

Well, what have I done when faced with such a situation?

First reaction - Question God, ‘Why?’
Second reaction –Self-pity
Third reaction – Give in to a bout of tears.

I feel like I have hit the bottom and cannot go down further!

I do wish fervently that I could adopt Garfield’s theory - ‘When life puts you in tough situations, don’t say why me? Just say try me!’ Great! But then, I’m not a cat! I’m just a mere human and a woman!

However, over the years I have slowly but surely cultivated a method which has helped me tremendously. So, here’s what I do now!

It goes as follows:

I close my eyes tightly, breathe in and out and concentrate on God my Savior, Jesus. I WILL God’s hands to touch my forehead, my temples till I FEEL His touch and experience peace and calm. The situation is still there happily hovering over my head, but then, I have peace and I am calm. I keep repeating, ‘With God all things are possible’ Now I have the courage and strength to carry on, move on , laugh out with the impossible situation still perched safely in the background! Only Hope and Faith can carry you through these difficult situations. Firmly believe that, ‘If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it’

Cynics may say that this is sort of self hypnotism. Whatever! This works wonders for me!

I love this awesome quote by Christian singer Wintley Phipps :

“It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private suffering that your noblest dreams are born and God’s greatest gifts are given, in compensation for what you have been through.”

How do you deal with an impossible situation? Any feedback is most welcome!

Valentine’s Day Excites the Moral Police

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:14:00 +0000

As Valentine’s Day approaches, there is excitement in the air
for the moral police brigade in India. Yes, it is that time of the
year when these unaccomplished members of the Moral Police can bask in media glory and hog all the limelight! It is their one chance to become famous overnight. Wow! Who are these moral police and what do they do? Well, they are a bunch of goons and thugs, backed by an extremist political party whose self appointed job is to enforce standards of moral behavior among the general public and guard the culture of the nation. Awesome! Their important job on Valentine’s day is to snoop around card shops ,parks coffee shops and beat up love couples and burn cards, because, according to their small minds Valentine’s day is a western culture and PDAs(Public Display of Affection) are against Indian culture. These pathetic muscle flexing goons assume that maybe only on Valentine ’s Day , lovers express their love, hold hands and give lovey dovey looks. The rest of the year there is no love in the air? Great thinking! Btw, usually there is never much PDAs here in India.

Anyway, for these moral police, issues like immodest clothing, visits to the pub and nightclubs, being seen in public with the opposite sex are issues of national importance whereas, dowry deaths, rape, female infanticide, child labor exploitation , corruption are all non issues. Why should they bother about non issues? This organization reportedly even conducted a marriage of dogs as a mark of protest against Valentine's Day celebration in Karnataka. Progressive 21^st century minds!

A couple of years back, this moral police brigade reached the height of absurdity when they threatened to marry off young couples found together on Valentine’s day and they had the audacity to assault girls who chose to go to pubs in Mangalore. Overnight they were in the limelight and their goal accomplished! The media glare was on them and their criminal minded organization could reap rich political dividends with absolutely very little work (or so they thought.) But then, there was a rude embarrassment awaiting them! In response, the shocked people and rights activists started a non violent movement called the ‘Pink Chaddi Campaign’ (Pink Panties Campaign).Chaddi means panties in Hindi. They collected truckloads of pink chaddis and sent them to the red faced president of this outrageous political party. Netizens also joined the movement by sending virtual pink chaddis. Way to go!

However, last year 2011,the moral police maintained a low profile and allowed valentine’s day celebrations to take place peacefully! Maybe the pink chaddi campaign was responsible for the change of heart? NO WAY! Elections were around the corner and they wanted to woo the young voters and not be seen as anti-youth. Anyway they lost the elections shamefully.

What about 2012? Well, early this month 3 ministers of the ruling party were caught red handed by the media, watching pornography during the Assembly in Karnataka. Absolutely shocking! What did our self righteous moral police brigade do? They never murmured a word of protest! After all, both the political parties have an alliance. Birds of a feather flock together!

In conclusion, what was all this big hue and cry about guarding our culture on Valentine’s Day? NOTHING but VOTES!

Oprah Winfrey - My Role Model

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Oprah Winfrey is in India! Awesome. I’ve always loved Oprah Winfrey’s talk shows as she manages to touch a chord in you at all times! How often I have thought of sending her a mail expressing my admiration for her and for the encouragement and confidence she instills in me through her shows! But then, I’ve felt intimidated and never got the courage to sending her that missive. Courage? How ironic that I did not have the very courage she advocates for women all over the world! I even harbored an impossible distant dream of being in the audience during her talk show. Well, I know, that Oprah does not believe in the word impossible. Maybe I should change the timid me!

Now, Oprah is here in India, closer to home! It’s wonderful to see her in our settings since she feels so real and lifelike to us rather than at a distant studio in Chicago. She wowed the audiences and the shutterbugs with her characteristic simplicity. Her magnetism is so very powerful that she had the masses mesmerized!

Seeing Oprah against our conditions and the manner in which she spoke about our way of life, made us to admire her many times over! She is so eloquently precise in her observations and non judgmental. She hit the nail on the head when she said, ‘India is paradox. People live here in chaos and calm both.” She was enamored by people having alters(Pooja rooms)in their homes, ‘People don't talk here religion but they live it". She could never understand the Indian joint family tradition, but seeing it in person, she was full of admiration, ‘But having spent some time, and having a dinner at a home with a family with 4 generations in one house, I now get it. I really get a sense of how really glorious it is, that this is a country that has no respect for nursing homes, because you take care of your family and you don't put your family in nursing homes. I think that's a, I'm most amazed by that.’ But sadly, this tradition is changing, with more children going overseas to work and parents are left in senior citizen homes.

It’s obvious that she adores interacting, talking and listening to people. She loves people. Hence, it is no wonder that though she admired the Taj Mahal , she was more fascinated about the people- King Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal. She said, ‘The Taj Mahal is beautiful, very nice, he really loved her, I would like to say, he really, really, really loved her, to build that monument, but it means nothing, as you know, without the people.’ When asked if she was going to ask for a Taj Mahal to be built for her, she replied, ‘I think it would be completely unnecessary. I think my life has been the Taj Mahal, I think.’ Indeed yes! Awesome.

There must be a million reasons why she is a media moghal, the Talk show’s queen and so on and so forth. But, as I sat glued to the TV, soaking in her interviews, her brushing shoulders with the Royalty and partying with the glitterati, she came across as a person enjoying and infusing the adulation and above all being enriched by a unique experience. She is powerful and influential yet totally humble and realistic.

What touched me the most was her visit to the slums or rather what she said about the slums. Unlike the regular media people who love to sensationalize news even at the cost of humiliating and mortifying the victims, here is a sensitive and discerning woman who says, “It was important for me to go to slums but not show the worst of the worst, but show that people can live in poverty and still have hope and meaning in their lives,” She sees the heart of the people! ‘I'm a connector with stories. I use stories to connect people and show our humanity, not our lack of humanity.’ That’s Oprah- full of empathy, sensitivity and a very humane heart. She is indeed an exceptional and lovable journalist!

That is the very essence of Oprah, my role model and idol!

Also..

Oprah Winfrey: World's most powerful celebrity by Laila Rajaratnam

The Essence of Not Forgetting Your Roots

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:26:00 +0000

On Dec 31^st 2011, I was in Bangalore at a shopping mall to pick up some fresh and lush salad leaves and fruits (not available in our town) before driving back home. I decided to visit a school friend who resides a little further away. Since my husband was not familiar with the roads and the location to my friends place, he suggested that I take an auto rickshaw. I hailed a passing auto rickshaw, gave him the address and asked him whether he could wait for 15 minutes and bring me back to the mall. He agreed very politely.

On the way, after some pleasantries, like where I was from etc, he told me about himself which amazed me. It seems, a few years earlier he had come to Bangalore and started his career as an auto rickshaw driver .Gradually, he branched out to other side businesses like Real estate, Rail ticketing and Car Rentals. He now owns cars and has 3 running businesses .But on Dec 31^st every year, he takes out his auto rickshaw himself and plies passengers around the city. He wants to devote one day of the year to the profession that made him what he is today! Here is a person who did not want to ‘forget his roots’. I was full of admiration!

How often we see people throwing their weight around when they gain power, position or money. They would love to forget their humble beginnings! Their inflated egos, makes them think that they are invincible and infallible. Success and fame can come to anyone, but the one who never forgets his roots will be able to sustain his success and fame. Pride and arrogance are the result of forgetting one’s roots and has been the cause of many a great men’s downfall!

There’s a saying…

‘Do not forget your roots,

And know,

Without roots there are no fruits’

The very essence of not forgetting your roots is that you know who you really are and what made you into whatever you are now! Your head is indeed firmly placed on your shoulders!

Above all, never forget to remember the people who raised you, reared you and gave you the sense of self! They gave you roots so that you can take wings!

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie take an auto rickshaw ride during their stay in India for the filming of 'A Mighty Heart'

Strawberry Preserve

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:54:00 +0000

I could not believe my eyes! An organic store down the road in this small ‘don’t get good stuff’ town I’m living! Anyway, I was all agog and made a visit straight away to the store. I was so very excited to see organic strawberries, passion fruit and fresh figs. I happily bought the fruits that caught my fancy. Did I stop to ponder what I would be making with all those stuff? No! At least not till I came back home ,washed the fruits and was done admiring all the farm fresh fruits! And then it hit me. What do I do with all this stuff? I had no choice but to preserve them .Surely I can put the preserves to good use as icecream and desert toppings when my kids come home!(That is, if they last till then.)You see, I just love toppings especially on ice creams.

Of course, you all know that the difference between a jam and a preserve! With jam the fruits are mashed up into a spreadable consistency, whereas with a preserve the fruits are cooked whole and set in their own jelly.
Here's the recipe for my homemade Strawberry preserve.

Strawberry Preserve

1 kg (1000gms) -Strawberries

3/4Kg (750 gms) -Sugar

1/2 - lemon

Wash and hull the strawberries. Wipe the strawberries dry with a kitchen towel. Don’t use bruised or overripe strawberries.
Put the strawberries into a wide based vessel.
Add sugar to strawberries
Add sugar to the strawberries.
Leave the strawberries to soak in the sugar overnight. The strawberries become hard when soaked in sugar and hence, will not disintegrate when it is boiled .
In the morning, when the crystals of sugar are completely dissolved, bring the fruit and sugar to boil in a heavy bottomed pan.
Squeeze in the lemon juice.
While boiling, remove scum with a spoon if there are any.

Cook on a medium heat for about 10-15 mins.
Test for the setting consistency to check if the preserve is done.

To test the setting consistence -Chill a plate in the freezer for 5 mins. Pour a tsp of the preserve in the chilled plate. After 30 seconds, tilt the plate. If it moves but does not run, it is done. If it runs, continue cooking for some more time.I prefer it a little runny , as it thickens in the refrigerator and it is much easier to use as toppings for ice creams and desserts.

Strawberry Preserve topping on Ice Cream

That's it!!Try it!More wholesome than the store bought preserves!

Cheers to 2012

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:01:00 +0000

The very word ‘New Year’ sends everyone in a tizzy, as it is that time of the year to make the regular annual New Year Resolutions! Yes, it is time to make life- altering goals! We get another chance to reflect on the changes we want or to rectify. Moreover, making New Year resolutions is honestly soul satisfying and it has a feel good effect on you! You feel like a brand new you!!

As a kid I used to write resolutions since everyone around me was writing them and did I feel so very good about it? Yes, but then, I don’t remember those resolutions lasting long- hardly a month or even less! When you slip up on your resolutions, the guilt feeling and the embarrassment of a failed attempt is indeed heavy. So I made a resolution never to bother with New Year resolutions I can never keep! And, let me hasten to add that I have stuck to this resolution. Neat, isn’t it?

I read somewhere that ‘A person who breaks a resolution is weak’. I’m totally crest-fallen! However, the next sentence lifts my spirit, ‘And the person who makes a resolution in the first place is a fool’. I’m elated! I’m not alone !

Well, usually taming the bulge and a strict fitness regime tops the list of New Year Resolutions. Though it is prudent to change your lifestyle for your wellbeing, I have personally experienced that some exciting event like a family wedding ,an interesting get-together or something like that is a huge motivation to trim down that unsightly fat and it is easier to maintain the new lifestyle atleast for a while. So use any appropriate time of the year to start your motivated lifestyle change, so that there is no chance of casting your reformation to the winds!

Warm friendly smile

Even though I do not write down New Year Resolutions, I do have a few simple mental list of attitudes, actions, and beliefs that I follow diligently all through the year. It’s actually quite easy and effortless. Try it and you will feel really good!!

Here it is..

Have a warm friendly smile for everyone-at the malls, on the road, wherever. A smile knows no geographical or religious barriers .It is a universal language. You’ll be surprised at the number of smiles returned back to you!

Have a kind word to the elderly and the workers toiling away.Stop and spare a few caring words to them. It will make their day. Be extra nice to the elderly. Never forget that we will be there soon!(Maybe, I am already there?)

Have a thankful heart always. Be thankful for your blessings, at all times.

Have a cheerful heart constantly. Never regret your past mistakes and weaknesses. Grow from it.

Have faith that God will answer your prayers according to His will in His time.

Always be yourself. Never put on an act or pretend to be someone you are not.

Surely this commitment is easy, isn't it? Give it a go!

I also love Benjamin Franklin’s quote...

“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man/woman."

3 Step Christmas Log Arrangement

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:09:00 +0000

Here is a simple 3-step rustic Christmas arrangement made with a wooden log , few artificial pine leaves , poinsettia and reindeer.

Step1: Take a wooden log.

Step2: Arrange a sprig of artificial pine leaves and poinsettia flower.(Add pine cones if you like!)

Step3: Perch a Reindeer or Santa on top.

That's it! Your 3 step arrangement is done! Isn't it tremendously simple?At the same time isn't it extremely elegant? Yes,it is!!:)

My Christmas Floral Arrangements

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:08:00 +0000

Christmas, decorations , floral and twig arrangements go hand in hand. Here are some of the arrangements I made for Christmas.Ofcourse,it would'nt be perfect but I enjoyed making them and I just love looking at them everyday of this yuletide season!

My favorite geese peeping down

A Silver themed centerpiece

An orange themed decor

A Silver themed dry arrangement

My dining table candlestand centerpeice

Candle stand arrangement

A twig cornucopia with poinsettia and holly leaves

Add caption

Bird House Floral Arrangement

One day I had this urge to make a bird house!There was no wood at hand nor a carpenter in sight!My eyes fell on a styrofoam sheet standing in the corner of my craft room.I decided to make a bird house with styrofoam! Of course,this bird house is not meant for the outdoors, but I have hung it in my sit-out where it is not exposed to rain!
For Christmas my bird house doubled as a cute table decoration after I perched a poinsettia on the roof to give it a christmasy look!

My Birdhouse Arrangement

For instructions to make this Styrofoam Birdhouse, follow this link...

Styrofoam BirdHouse

Well!!Nothing is more satisfying than creating your own Christmas decor and admiring them day in and day out!!:)

The Power of Counting Your Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:46:00 +0000

‘Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done’- A hymn that I love!

Here I am with my parents!

This is exactly what I decided to do this Thanksgiving 2011 and with a flourish I started penning down the countless blessings I have been showered upon!

First and foremost, I thanked God for my life, my parents and my childhood.

I thanked God for my five younger siblings who have been a huge moral support and a lifeline for me all along!

With my 4 younger siblings

My beautiful grand mom-the sweetest, gentlest, soft spoken and the kindest of all grand moms- I love you so with all my heart!

My husband of 40 years and my in laws, especially my brother in law, who we lost a year back. It was wonderful knowing him.

I thanked God for blessing me with 3 beautiful children. The happiest days of my life belonged to the time when they were at home and I was the center of their lives!

I’m grateful for my beautiful home and garden, my computer and the game Farmville (my companions in my empty nest)!

The youngest spoilt brat!:)

Above all, I thanked God for health. Health is wealth indeed. What is wealth without health?Nothing!

As I was half way through writing out my blessings, I realized that I could hardly remember my troubles (of course, there are many!) and it dawned on me that the power of counting blessings is unmistakably real ! I was absolutely soaked in positive energy, positive emotions, vitality, and optimism. Counting my blessings and reliving happy memories made me happier, grateful and above all put a smile on my face. It is indeed an effective mood booster! Maybe we should call ‘counting blessings’ a ‘gratitude exercise’? I am regretting for not doing this ‘gratitude exercise’ more often! It would have done me a world of good by annulling my negative thoughts when I've been in dumps.

This gratitude exercise also made me to reflect how I had always reacted when I had been under the spell of either positive or negative thoughts. When in a positive frame of mind, I’d be bubblier, laugh out louder and my eyes would shine brighter. But then, when in a negative mindset, I don’t think I had ever been pleasant- always grumbling, moody, stressed out and whatever! Yes, this is an eye opener for ME !

Our positive thoughts do reflect in our body language and we attract more people around us with our warmth, friendliness and exuberance. To have a positive thinking mindset we need to have positive thoughts constantly on our minds. It may not be easy but we can try and question ourselves frequently what we are thinking about? Is this thought positive or negative? Would it help us improve our lives or whether it is pointless? Over a period of time thinking positive will become a habit!

The following verses ‘season for everything’, from the Bible, Ecclesiastes,Chap3, have always been very powerful for me.

‘To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted….

A time to weep, and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance…..

A time to get, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to cast away..
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time of peace.’

These verses have always been a perfect antidote for my negative thoughts and depression.When things go wrong, I always think that it is a season and I feel the positive energy flowing back into me. Yes, there is an appropriate time for everything. Surely rainbow will follow each rain!

Finally, I thanked God for showing me the power of counting blessings and to have a positive attitude and a positive mind set in whatever situation.
Happy Thanksgiving 2011! :)

My 3 babies-a son and 2 daughters


My beautiful grandmother-I dedicate this Thanksgiving 2011 to my grand mom

Holiday Twitter Birds

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Here are a few Christmas Twitter Birds for your blogs and websites!Happy Tweetmas!!

Twitter Bird with Santa Hat Animated Twitter bird

Twitter Balls

Christmas Twitter Bird.

Click.. Read More..

Winter Twitter Icons

Add caption

Cute Twitter Animated Bird

Christmas Twitter Bird

Cool Birds

Christmas Social Media Icons

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:51:00 +0000

The countdown to Christmas has started ! Here are some awesome Social Media Icons for your blogs or websites .Yes,choose whatever fancies you - it's the season for decorating , spreading joy and cheer. Go ahead, your blog or website needs a holiday makeover! Happy downloading! :)

Blogger Xmas Icons

Cute Christmas Stocking Media Icons

Holiday social Media Icons

Christmas Social Icons

Click.. Read More ..to view more Icons.

Xmas Social Networking Icons

Social Networking Icons

Social Media Christmas Balls

Glossy Christmas Social Icons

Christmas Ball social Icon Set

Xmas Globe Icons

Christmas Social Icons

Christmas Icons for Social Media

Winter Social Icons

Christmas Social Bookmark Set

Christmas Icons

Green Icons

Snow cubes Social Media Icons

Hope you enjoyed snagging these free icons!

Cute Twitter Icons

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:33:00 +0000

A Little Birdie Told Me....

Here are some real cute compiled Twitter Icons for your blogs or websites.Go ahead and dress up your site with one of these cute birds.Download them from the Header link .Enjoy!

Pretty Twitter Birds

Friendly Twitter Bird Icons

Black Twitter Icons

Hand Drawn Twitter Birds
Read More...

Cute Twitter Birds

Adium Twitter

Twitter Icons

Cute Twitter Birds

One World Twitter Icons

Friendly Twitter Bird Icons

4 Hand Drawn Icons

Girly Twitter Icons

Twitter Icons

Blitter Twitter Bird Icons

Twitter Birdies

Twitter Icons

On the Beach

Lovely Twitter Icons

Twitter Reading Bird

Twitter birds

Singing Twitter Icons

Big eyed Twitter Bird

Big eyed Cream Twitter Bird

Splashnology Twitter Birds

Tweet Pillow Icon

Hope you enjoyed this cute collection of Twitter birds ! More to follow! Have fun!

The Allure of Teapots

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:56:00 +0000

My precious teapot-belonged to my grandmother

Teapots! The awesome pot with a spout and handle! Why do teapots fascinate us so? Maybe, we love tea? Or could it be that they are so pretty by themselves? No wonder teapots have become tremendously popular as collectables. Moreover, weren't we imbibed with teapot awareness right from childhood? Who does not remember the teapot nursery rhyme even after many summers and grey hair?

My Collectables

"I'm a little teapot,
Short and stout
Here is my handle
Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up,
Hear me shout
Just tip me over and pour me out!"

Of course we all know that it takes just a tea bag and an electric jug to make a cup of tea! But then, that won’t do for real tea lovers! Tea lovers love their cuppa brewed in the pot with a beautiful tea cosy thrown over it. Sounds so very quaint!

‘Strange, how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company.’ ~Author Unknown. So very true and spot on!

My corn teapot on my microwave

Teapots have become a collector’s delight and collecting teapots is not a storm in the teapot! Not only do teapots come in many styles but also in a range of textures like cast iron, stoneware, bone china, porcelain, glass and brightly colored ceramics. Above all, the imagination, ingenuity and humor in crafting teapots have made teapots a collector’s dream. Certain teapot designs mirror the taste and history of a particular era as well!

There are innumerable awesome collectible teapots for every season - Valentine’s Day teapots, Halloween teapots, Mother’s Day teapots ,Easter teapots, Thanksgiving teapots and Holiday teapots . Christmas teapots make the most beautiful Holiday décor. They look so decorative and festive anywhere, whether perched on your microwave ,fridge, kitchen cabinet or in the nooks and corners of your dining room or kitchen. There are even miniature Christmas teapot ornaments and teapot serial lights to add a touch of charm to the Christmas tree.

My fav white pot

Whatever the array of teapots , be it vintage or new, seasonal or functional, Victorian or modern, Asian or Chinese, they are all so appealing, fascinating and enthralling. Hence,it’s really quite hard for an avid tea drinker like me , to resist the allure of TEAPOTS!

MY sister's collection of teapots

Check out the fascinating collection of teapots at Our Store.

Bilberry Preserve

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:20:00 +0000

Bilberry! Never heard of it, till my daughter’s friend gifted me a jar of homemade Bilberry preserve from Kotagiri in Nilgris (a hill station in South India)for Christmas last year. It was the most awesome berry preserve I‘ve ever tasted!

Bilberries

Bilberries are related to Blueberries, but are smaller and darker in color and since the bilberry plant is difficult to grow, it is seldom cultivated and are collected from forests in hilly regions. Here in south India , Bilberries are found in Nilgris, they have tremendous antioxidant properties which are considered very effective in improving night vision, lowering blood pressure and for diabetics.

Armed with this information, I wanted to buy Bilberries when I went to Nilgris for our school reunion in the first week of September2011. To my disappointment, I was told that Bilberries are never available in shops and moreover the harvest season had just got over (between July and August). I was crestfallen. Anyway, the day we were to leave Nilgris, being Sunday, we went to a very cute Church in Coonoor and after service there was the church sale. Guess what I saw on a table? Bilberries! I could not believe my eyes and I nearly jumped for joy! I managed to get just one kg of bilberries and here is the Bilberry preserve I made and trust me, it is the yummiest of all preserves.

The difference between a preserve and a jam is that, with a preserve the fruits are preserved whole in their own jelly whereas with jam the fruits are mashed up into a spreadable consistency.

Bilberry Preserve

My home made Bilberry Preserve

1 kg Bilberries

¾ kg sugar (you can reduce the quantity of sugar )

¼ cup water

Nip the tiny stalks and wash and clean the berries thoroughly.

Put it in a vessel along with water and sugar. Simmer for about 45mins to 1 hour till setting consistency is reached. Be careful not to break up the berries while stirring . That’s it! Done! Your Bilberry Preserve is ready!

Bilberry Preserve on bread

Bilberry Jam

My Homemade Bilberry Jam

1 kg Bilberries

Bilberry Jam

¾ kg sugar

1 lime

Wash the Bilberries, put it in a pan and mash it well with a wooden spoon. Add lemon juice, sugar and simmer.Just before setting point, ladle out a cup of jam and run it in a food processor for just one whirl.Put it back in the pan and simmer till setting consistency .While warm bottle it.That’s it.

Absolutely delicious and scrumptious as toppings on Ice creams, yogurts, pancakes and desserts .

The Church in Coonoor

The cute church in Coonoor

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Ice cream

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:28:00 +0000

My Ice cream maker

Of course I’m an Ice cream maniac! My family knows that only too well! Hence, when my sister came down from USA she carried a huge parcel for me as a belated birthday gift. When I unwrapped it, guess what popped out? Cuisinart’s Ice cream and Frozen Yogurt Maker! Wow, was I thrilled? Yes and yes. (This ice cream maker is not available here in India.)From now on, no more store bought unhealthy ice creams - only nourishing and wholesome frozen yogurts with fresh fruits and frozen sorbets will do for me! I made Vanilla Frozen Yogurt and Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt the very next day I unpacked my Ice cream Maker.

Here is the simple refreshing tangy fresh frozen yoghurt I made :

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Recipe

Frozen yoghurt with Bilberry topping

2 cups strained Yogurt or Greek-style yogurt or Hung curd
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Churning away

Pinch of salt
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla essence and salt. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour it in your ice cream maker and run the machine. In 20 minutes your frozen yoghurt is ready!Yum!

Tip:
If you do not have an ice cream maker..no problem! You can freeze it in a tray in the fridge. For softer consistency, when partly frozen, take it out of the freezer, beat it well with a wooden spoon and freeze again. Done!

How to make 1 cup of strained yogurt :
You need-
2 cups - good quality plain whole milk yogurt.

Strained Yoghurt

Take a strainer with very fine mesh, and balance it on the rim of a bowl. Put the yoghurt in the strainer, cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, the liquid from the yoghurt would have drained on to the bowl and the curd in the strainer is thick and creamy. Your strained yogurt is ready for use in any recipe of your choice.

Vanilla Frozen Yoghurt

With Strawberry topping

Suggested toppings-

I love to have my frozen yoghurt with :

· Homemade Strawberry Preserve ,

· Homemade Bilberry Preserve

· Chopped fresh fruits particularly bananas.

Enjoy! :)

The Journey of Chocolates

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:18:00 +0000

‘Lead me not to temptation’, I pray as I walk past the sinful array of dark, milk, white, and liqueur chocolates. My spirit is indeed willing but the flesh is weak! I give in to my temptation and buy some of the sweet sensation and as it hits my taste buds and glides through my throat..hmmmmm...heaven on earth!

The cocoa pod and roasted beans

Have I ever thought how chocolates are made? No, not exactly! Maybe, chocolates just dropped from heaven? Well, I never did have the inclination to really think about it till I visited a chocolate factory during my trip to Malaysia with my husband, sister,brother in law and niece.

The tourist guide announced that we were to visit a Choc Factory.

Wow! Was I excited? My first ever trip to a choc factory ! He took us to a place called Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom. When I entered, I could just see shelves and shelves plus rooms and rooms of varieties of chocolates . It was more like a choc store! I guessed that maybe the guides were paid to take tourists to the store,after all, as tourists we do end up buying loads and loads of stuff- mostly unwanted!

Mixing machine

Anyway, they did have a few miniature models of choc making machines and a staff from the store explained how the chocolates are made from cocao beans in
such a hasty, brief and speedy manner that I hardly got the details. But I was sort of dumbstruck at the amount of work that goes into the making of chocolates .

Ofcourse, we do know that chocs are made from cocoa beans harvested from Theobroma cacao tree and it seems that climate and soil play an important role in the flavor of the coca beans. Whatever! The pods look like rugby balls and when they ripen, they turn from green , yellow to orange or red. The beans are left to ferment for several days till they become darker and wrinkled. Then they are sun-dried for a few days and sent to choc factories.

Here is the gist of the journey of chocolates from cocoa beans and this brief description is good enough for me as I'd rather concentrate on the finished products on the counter!

Conching Machine

First, the beans are roasted, to loosen the husk and dry up the nib. Roasting also influences the flavor and color of the final chocolate
Next, the roasted cacao beans are transferred to a 'winnower'. During this process the beans are cracked by into pieces and then winnowed (blown by air)to separate the husks from the nibs. The nibs contain the cocoa butter and cocoa solids.
The nibs are then milled or ground to a rich paste to create cocoa liquor.This liquor does not contain alcohol.
The liquor is then pressed to remove the cocoa butter and a powdery stuff known as 'cocoa presscake' is left behind. This, presscake, when ground, becomes the common cocoa powder.
Roller Machine
In the next process ,milk powder,sugar,cocoa butter and coco mass are mixed together.
And put in a Roller Machine for a refining process.The mixture passes through a series of rollers until a smooth paste is formed. Refining improves the texture of the chocolate
Then, comes Conching. The liquid chocolate is kept in a conching machine which is sort of a kneading machine and it chafes, heats and aerates the batter.
After this, comes the process of tempering, where the liquid choc is transferred to tempering kettles as it is essential to keep the chocolate in liquid form
Finally, the mixture is put into molds and cooled in a cooling chamber.

Liquid chocolates poured into moulds

Awesome! The work load that goes into making these wicked pleasures is truly mind-blowing !As I was pondering about the extra calories in chocolates, it dawned on me that chocolates are really really good for health. You may ask how. Well, everyone knows that vegetables are incredibly healthy for our body. Chocolates come from beans and the sugars in it come from sugarcane – both plants!! Voila, chocolates are veggies!! Don’t feel guilty, just enjoy chocolates! Did I read this somewhere ? ‘I am not over-weight. I am chocolate-enriched!’
Very true,indeed! :)

The rows of chocolates

The variety of chocolates

The strange paradox of Indian women

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:28:00 +0000

India is a land of many inequalities ! On one hand you have powerful women ruling the country and on the other hand the plight of women and girl child is appalling.

Click here...

Women Power in India

by

Laila Rajaratnam
...and read on for more.

My Ice Cream Mania

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:25:00 +0000

My yummy sugar caramel canape ice cream in Malaysia

'I scream, you scream

We all scream for Ice cream.'

As a kid, I considered that as the most perfect, ultimate rhyming poem. As a teenager, I reflected that Wordsworth, Shelly and Shakespeare's verses in all their glory, were not a patch on this Ice cream rhyme. The very word ‘Ice-cream’ sends a chilly tingling sensation through me! It was love at first taste for me, when the first dollop of ice cream hit my taste bud and did I experience a symphony of ecstasy? Most certainly yes and I was hopelessly hooked!

My ice cream bucket planter

I still remember vividly, standing impatiently in my mom’s kitchen as she churned ice cream in a manual wooden ice cream bucket .That wooden ice cream bucket, the source of a great deal of icy raptures and bliss, is still with me, but then, the wooden bucket coordinated perfectly with my living room decor , that the poor ice cream churner now serves as a container for my plant ! It really does look so very cute though!

Once, while sitting through a very boring sermon half asleep, I heard the word ‘ice cream’ My ears pricked up and I was all attention personified. The preacher was saying that our Maker is like an ice cream maker – he creates us in different flavors. Awesome! What a delightful thought! God, an Ice cream maker? Well, this concept impresses me. I think I would like to be the minty choc chip flavored ice cream, with maybe just a little hint of Kahlua liqueur for added flavor? Done, that’s decided.

A birthday sundae I had at Singapore

Back then, while growing up, Vanilla, Strawberry, Pista, Chocolate and Mango were the only flavors available here, while there were about a couple of exotic deserts like peach Melba and Banana split and a sundae containing two or three scoops of assorted ice creams with chocolate sauce and nuts topping. That’s it!That’s about all ! Surely the present generation will shake their heads in utter disbelief at this measly choice, but we were quite happy, after all, icecream is icecream. Then came along another slogan -‘Monday, Tuesday, we want Sundae.’ Sounds adorable! Now the market is flooded with unimaginable amazing flavors of ice creams and gelatos!

I don’t know if the following story is true or a myth. It seems, an ice cream vendor at a fair, did not have enough vessels to serve ice cream, so he took the help of a waffle maker and rolled up the ice cream in waffles and served . Thus, waffles and ice cream were invented. A real innovative genius, in the category of Edison and Newton!

Thro’ my life’s journey, I’ve learnt the following frosty icicles of wisdom-

“Ice-cream transcends all ages... Ice-cream never lets you outgrow it.’ How very true!

The internet is also cashing in on the icecream passion where e-cards sites call July 13^th as the Ice cream month! Ice cream cone day is supposed to be on July 23^rd , Soft Icecream Day on August 19^th, Banana Split day on Aug22nd , Icecream sundae Day on Aug 2^nd and so on and so forth. Well, well.. what can one say?

And finally, in conclusion I’d like to add, a teeny weeny twirl to the Bards famous words:

”Age cannot wither the fascination for ice creams nor custom stale its
infinite flavors”

My sister and I in Singapore.

Why am I eying my niece's ice cream ?

An Array of Twigs

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:59:00 +0000

(Do-it-yourself)

Coconut leaves

Look around your garden! You will find umpteen varieties of twigs. Why not make an arrangement out of those twigs? Nothing is as satisfying as making your own arrangement. This twig arrangement was made out of the stuff from my garden!

You need.

Some hard twigs

A cane bowl or any bowl,on which twigs can be stuck.

Few artificial flowers

Materials

Styrofoam or oasis

Soft twigs. (I had used dried coconut leaves cut into strips)

ethod

Step 1.

Apply white glue on the container. Gather the soft twigs and spread white glue on it as well. Smoothen the twigs and press it on the container. Press it well. Let it dry.

Step 2.

Glue twigs onto the container

Cut the styrofoam or oasis to fit the container and arrange the twigs and flowers according to your imagination.

Step 3.

If you want to paint the container to match your décor ,use a suitable matching paint. I had painted it dark brown, to go with my decor.

Step 4.
Place the dried arrangement inside the container.

Paint Twig and place the arrangement inside the twig container

Yes, that’s it! Your home made twig arrangement is ready!

The Seven Damsels

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:24:00 +0000

(Never mind if they are grand moms , moms in law and

in-waiting moms in law)

The Seven Damsels

Party time!

There are these seven damsels,

Tucked away in a remote corner
of South India,

But then, there burns a flame

Inside each one of them,

To make footprints in the sands
of time.

Munira, loaded with fun ideas to
create terrific get-togethers,

Bindiya, the fashion diva,

Uma, the dancer with delightful twinkle toes,

Sureka, the writer and journalist,

Lashmi, the resourceful, handling everything over her cell phone,

Shashi, the social worker and Tamil poet

And last but not least, Laila the dreamer!

Potluck Lunch

Like crayons of various hues,

This bunch of assorted damsels

Share a common love for

Laughter , fun and cooking .

Each damsel is an unique individual

Doing her own thing her way

But together times are beautiful times!

These damsels sowed seeds
of friendship,two and a half decades ago,
And now they reap bushels of amity and happiness!

Like fine wine their friendship has gotten sweeter,

Like antique it has become valuable,

Like river it just flows!

Whether they could make footprints in the sands of time one cannot tell,

But they have certainly made footprints in each others' hearts!

The Trekking Damsels

The Eco-Friendly damsels..

Planting trees at Lakshmi's estate.

The Symbolic Damsels on Women's Day!

Back to our World

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 05:35:00 +0000

I’m back! Back to our world! Back to our normal, regular good old chaotic world. Good. But then, where had I been? Maybe, kidnapped to an alien world? No, I was just sort of sucked into a virtual world, a world that had me in its clutches for a year and a half. I was dangerously close to being devoured by this virtual world’s quicksand.

My villa and crops

It all started in such a harmless manner. I bought a piece of land in this virtual idyllic world, where I built my own house, my sheep and pig pens, nursery barn, chicken coop, with the help of amazingly wonderful neighbors. I ploughed , sowed the lush virgin soil and harvested bushels of crops, raised chickens , watered the seedlings ever so lovingly and grew them to trees. I even bred polka dotted and star sheep and not to mention the checked and striped pigs. Awesome! I had a stable with a variety of such handsome stallion and mares, that they could put any Arabian horse to shame. I was so very engrossed tending to my farm from morning till midnight , that I shunned my real-time friends and outings. I abandoned my passions like dressing, cooking and writing. But the biggest casualty was my figure. Did I go out of shape? Of course not, I am still in shape! Round is a shape is’nt it?

The virtual world to where I was transported is, FARMVILLE- a farming game in Facebook. It ‘s a wonderful ,peaceful and beautiful world where neighbors lived in perfect harmony - ever ready to help you out, the animals and birds were so cute and colourful and to top it all, you could even harvest cupcakes, fruit bars and grow cotton candy trees, bubblegum trees , gem and crystal trees as well. Is’nt it just perfect! The ultimate Eden. Let me hasten to add that I am not giving up on Farmville totally but just spare it a limited time each day!

Returning back to reality, I decided to rehabilitate myself by doing the following:

Wrote this blog
Cleared my outdated cosmetics and expired dated cream and lotion jars.
Emptied my closet of those nightmarish clothes I used to hang around at home while working hard at my farm.
Enrolled myself at a gym
Planned a shopping spree over the weekend

My friends and loved ones rejoice that they have found their lost one. Am I a prodigal daughter?

A corner of my English Country side

My fruit-bar crops

Earn money from Video Blog

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:13:00 +0000

Yes, you can make money from video blogs as well. A video blog? Yes, a video blog is when you make a video, link it to your blog and publish it on the internet for the whole world to see. It is also known as vlog.

All that you need to start a vlog are:

* A camcorder or a mobile phone or even a web cam (A web cam is fine as well , but a digital video camera will produce better results )

* A computer with video editing software installed onto it.

* A blog.

* An RSS feed to "syndicate" your content.

Additional tip - Instead of the microphone built into your camcorder or web cam

use a separate microphone so that you will be able to produce a much better sound quality. Yes, that’s it! That’s about all you need to start a vlog!
What about the topic? You can make a video about anything that fancies you, but do pick a topic that you are passionate about ,so that you can continue to make episodes after episodes. Would you like to share your happiness, your talent, your craft ideas, a humorous episode, or maybe even a product that you would like to market? Just ANYTHING as long as it holds the attention of your audience!
You can use a variety of video file types like Windows Media, Quicktime, Real Media and MPEG to make your video. But then, FLV (Flash Video) or SWF (Shockwave Flash) file formats can be viewed by both Mac and PC users .
After you are done with the shooting of your video you can edit it in the Windows Movie Maker software that comes free with windows XP. You will be able to save it only as a Windows Media file (.wmv) but you can convert it with converters like Pazera Free Video to Flash Converter 1.1 to any format you want.
Now that you are done and ready with your video, upload it to your blog and create a RSS feed to syndicate your site. Yes, Done! Voila! You have started your very own video blog!Now you can make money from your vlog just like you would on a regular blog! In course of time you will develop your own style and there is no limit to creativity. Don’t hesitate, just do it! Your video doesn't have to be great, just enough to hold the attention of your viewers! Happy shooting and all the best in your endeavor to make money! :)

Copyright © 2009 laila. All Rights Reserved

Internet is like Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Internet has a got split personality like Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde! How so? Well, you see, the internet has become the very core of everyday modern life .It is an excellent source of information, unparalleled in history. The whole world is dependant on it right from instant communication, instant information, entertainment, services and E-commerce. This is the good and positive side or the Dr.Jekyll side of the internet!
On the other hand, as with all science and technology innovations there is a negative side to the internet as well. The negative side is mostly a replay of all that happens in the real world. This negative Hyde side of the internet is a dark sinister one, where people commit crimes, show negative and antisocial behaviour audaciously because of the anonymity the internet provides. The internet offers people a world wide platform to air their views and thoughts, which criminals use to their advantage. Many official looking websites and hate communities are created focusing on hatred, violence and racism that sound natural and normal influencing young minds in particular.
Another most disturbing negative trait of the internet is pornography which is located in just about every corner of cyberspace. These are available for easy viewing by children and teenagers .With the internet, child pornography has flourished and so has the ability of pedophiles to connect with unsuspecting kids has increased enormously. The chat rooms are another haven for stalkers, pedophiles, perverts, racists and cult members who can easily befriend anyone on the internet, especially a young child .Moreover the easy access to emails, messengers and web cameras are dangerous for vulnerable minds especially if they have struck friendship with objectionable characters.
The internet has also unleashed a new breed of criminals indulging in cyber crimes like phishing , identity theft, hacking computer, sending virus ,salami attack and many more. Cyber terrorism is a recent threat, where terrorists routinely communicate with their henchmen by steganography and encrypting messages into image files. Other disadvantages are that there is no quality control for certain publications since anyone can publish on line, whereas on the other hand a treasure trove of information and knowledge is available. Last, but not the least the predicament of getting addicted to the net. This addiction is looming so large that family and social life is being affected all over the world.
Despite the fact that internet can create chaos and devastation if misused, the positive side of the internet by far outweighs and compensates the negative side of the internet! So, with two sides to it, the internet is just like Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde!

Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved

A writer in the making

noreply@blogger.com (laila) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:14:00 +0000

I browse through the stationary shop, feeling the smooth touch of papers. My mind is racing.. shall I pick up the onion skin paper, plain white notepaper or the handmade paper ? No wait! I'll pick up the recycled paper. It makes me feel real good and smug about myself. I've done my bit for the world environment. Why do I need these papers? Because, I have to write! I know I can use the word processor, but then, having a few sheets of exotic paper around is a good idea. You see, I had always wanted to become a writer, right from my college days, never mind that was more than 30 years ago! I still feel like when I was in college, don't I? My mirror can go and crack itself. Its important how you feel and not how you look. Right ?

Next I eye the neat array of pens. A writer should have a good pen! All the brands look so shiny and classy. Parker, Sheffield, Waterman , Pelikan , which do I choose? Oh gosh! Shall I pick up the ball pen or fountain pen or just gel. The colors? Flashy red , black? Well, I'll settle for the dignified navy blue. It will suit my image of a serious writer! Then I decide on a dark tan leather file to keep my papers, that odious plastic file is an absolute no no!

I walk back home, already feeling like a writer and pass by an electronic shop. What's that shining like a pearl on the display window? Its a laptop, a white Apple laptop! Yes ,I definitely must have that one. It's so chic and I am to be a chiclit writer, honestly, I am! How can I write without a word processor? A laptop is a must. The laptop that I bought six months earlier, is already a tad ancient and slow with all the spy wares and adwares happily sitting inside the machine. I keep walking , calculating how to pay the bill if I do buy it and of course it hits me! I'll pay it all back from the earnings I make from writing! Good, that's settled!

I reach home and look at my tiny corner. That chair does look uncomfortable! Doesn't it? I'll have to spend hours sitting and writing. Maybe, I'll buy a white leathered cushioned one to match my laptop. With my mind full of calculations, I open my engagement book. Dear me, I do have a party tonight !Oh no, tomorrow there is a baby shower and the next day, my friends are coming over for a girlie weekend .Gosh,I have appointments for this whole month, just like last month and all the months before that. Never mind, relax,I'll start writing from next month. What's the big deal? I have waited 30 years to become a writer, so another month of waiting will do no harm!

Copyright © 2009 lyla. All Rights Reserved