Happy & Blessed New Year, 2014!

Wishing You A Happy & Very Blessed NEW YEAR, 2014!


I am my mother's daughter, VeerajaR
- from where Mona Lisa was from...

Be Well Y'all!

Copyright ©VeerajaR 2013

Blessed Christmas from Rome!

Blessed be the ROCK
Built upon which is... 
Basilica one!

BLESSED MERRY CHRISTMAS!

BLESSED MERRY CHRISTMAS!

i AM MY MOTHERS DAUGHTER,

vEERAJA R

Copyright ©VeerajaR 2013

From Padua: Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas...
Miracles come to pass
Belongings missed
But not the Blessings!

Antony the saint at Padua
Always render answers to prayers
Any lost will be found, strayed
Anxious thieves shall reform, I pray!

Counting my blessings
Countless they are... with
Family that counts and
Friends new and old blessed!


Miracle indeed...
Merry Christmas from Padua!

I am my mother's daughter,
Copyright ©VeerajaR 2013

Thanksgiving & Peace

Thanksgiving--
Lift the heart of others
And spark peace!
Copyright ©VeerajaR 2013











I am my mother's daughter,
VeerajaR

Auspicious Plants!

Gardening-
Gathering earth's potent
Gifts from sweat!
















No work gives the satisfaction and connection to the earth like gardening does. And nostalgia fulfilled - for plants from grandmother's house, priceless!
The mango & basil are such boosts to our spirits...

We'll sweat some more even in winter eating the cayenne we gathered from our backyard garden...
Yep! Try it. It's great for reducing Blood Pressure!

I am my mother's daughter,
Copyright ©VeerajaR 2013

Gratitude for JOY of BEING!

Ta...Da... Here it is... 
"JOY OF BEING"
Poetry for the Heart, Mind & Spirit
http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Being-Poetry-Heart-Spirit/dp/1484086260

For the Grace of GOD,
My mother's tough Love
and my husband's tolerance
that made this book possible...
http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=84783

And to all who cared 
With Endless Gratitude...
I shall share this JOY
with everyone!

LOVE YOU MUMMY! Miss you... miss you... miss you!!!
I am my Mother's daughter
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Chillipeper Harvest

Chulahu fulll of Chillipeper...
Happy harvester--Appa



I am my mother's daughter...
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Ureka! Uduvil Style -Hoppers!

Hoppers (Appam) have been and are the favorite breakfast/dinner of children growing up in Ceylon. It's healthy and easily digestible. It is also popular, tourists' pick as well.

Making hoppers is kind of like bread making... and involves fermentation, but  a much more intricate process with tropical ingredients such as coconut milk & coconut water. Requires lots of attention and patience. I consider it one of my greatest achievements to have mastered this process. Thanks to my mum-in-law for teaching the standard method and giving me my first Appam pan, a crucial and essential part of the equation for success, nearly eighteen years ago.

Thanks to my own mummy for choosing to live and be a teacher in the town which was famous for Hoppers. There were lanes/roadside boutiques side by side, making and selling the best hoppers ever... every evening!

Hoppers are so unique and unlike bread, pancakes or rotti, hoppers (Appam) have a thinner crusty winged edge and a soft center. It is best eating them fresh off the pan as they come out, made with eggs or coconut milk or plain centered with the crunchy winged outer edge.

Each child's choice and hopper pick often differ. As a child you get such a satisfaction when a hopper is made, even if at a boutique---specially for you, at your request perfectly as your requested; with an egg center (pepper/salted if you wanted) or coconut centered and jaggery or brown sugar added as you wish! The plain centered aren't lacking choices either... as they can be eaten dipped in the custard soft yolk of egg hoppers or with maldive fish vs coconut sambol for side. As a mother I felt such pride in making them to each of my kid's preference.  It's such a blissful family bonding nostalgic moment... every single time.

For the past fifteen years or so I had been improvising and my kitchen had become my experimental lab to making every food I loved, a little more healthier each time as it can be... The Red rice Hoppers had been a "Healthier Hopper" project I had been working on remembering my grandmother's Uduvil-style red-rice hoppers which were pinkish in color. As you can see in these pictures I have finally mastered the red-rice hoppers which are actually darker red because of higher bran content, but, yet... came out fermented just right with soft center and perfectly crunch winged outer edge! I do wish mummy is here to taste it and give her approval of excellence!!!

Ureka moment, indeed!

I am my Mother's proud daughter...!

Copyright©2013VeerajaR






 









Copyright©2013VeerajaR

A Mother's Babble!

I am my Mother's Daughter!
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Haiku: Basil Bloom'n Circada

I found this Circada (in progress) hanging on to my Basil, just after an overnight nonstop rain, a week ago!

That one beautiful basil bloom and this very ugly beast laboring side by side stirred up a haiku from me...

Life's beautiful moments come in very small packages and when you least expect it!

I am my mother's daughter,
VeerajaR
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Back Porch Vineyard!

Nothing's cooler than
Reading... 
Under the umbrella shade 
On a hot summer day!

Fenced in with grape vines...
Oh, Heavenly!











Miss you, Miss you.... and miss you, mummy!

I am my Mother's daughter,
VeerajaR
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Dad, the Real Man!

Blessed be the hands 
That feeds the whole family
Toiling day in & out
To have a broiled fish
On the plates and bread 
To fill the souls
To raise each one
Strengthened to follow
Their own path...
To be happy, and
To let go with a smile
Hiding the pain
Wrenching the heart
That's a real man, the dad!


I am my Mother's daughter,
VeerajaR
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Patriarch in Faith!

Quiet & Calm...
You were the source 
Of serene strength
Humble & Pious!

Blessed we are
To have had a
Patriarch  like you 
Solid in faith!


I am my Mother's daughter,
VeerajaR
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Blessed Be...

Miss you Mummy...
I am my Mother's daughter,
VeerajaR
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Gift of Love!

Beauty of Pure Nature 
&
All the Blessings of GOD... 
Be YOUR's Today and Forever
-my mother's little grand daughter!

I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Tumblr Birthday!

The Father and
The Son, both born
On the same day, yet
Generations apart
Linked through
Her Blessed self...

Mary the Mother
Blessed of all! And
Mother of mine
Blessed as well
For her father and
Son born the same day

Only generations apart, yet
Truly loved in her heart!


I am my mother's daughter,

Poetry: Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Happy Birthday!

Proud to be 
the children of 
an Icon 
of a mother!



And you my brother
Gave her wings
and not just JOY
When she held you
In her arms
For the first time! 



I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

A Path Least Traveled!

By the grace of God, I have touched a great milestone: A proof for the Joy of Being!






I am My-mother's-Daughter
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Mother's Day 2013: In My Sight!

I am A Blessed Daughter!

Love you forever...................................... mummy!

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Perfect Peach Tulips!

Perfect peach with a pinch of pink

the Tulip buds

Reaching skywards in prayer

Just as my thoughts, today

of YOU...

I miss you mummy!

I am my mother's daughter

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Where Ever Memories are Held!

I see you... clearly
While I have my eyes closed!


I miss you, mummy!


I am my mothers daughter,

Veerajar

Easter JOY 2013!

From Dust we arise to rejoice and sing...
the Glory of GOD and HIS Kindness and Gifts!!!

Thinking of you, Mummy & miss YOU!

I am my mothers daughter, 
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Healthy Poulli

Polli was my favorite breakfast, growing up. But, we had to travel 24 miles to get it at the famous restaurant "Subash."

I had to live with nostalgia of peeling the layers of polli (the way I used to eat it as a child) and imagine tasting the cardamom spiced sweet filling.

Realizing after all these years that no Polli restaurant is going to sprout in our neighborhood, I finally decided to take matters into my own hand. As I am now a reasonably good cook and having a knack for extracting a recipe just by tasting, I have succeeded in making a very tasty & healthy Polli.

Just have a look at the pics: the color & thinness of the Polli skin and layer, the thickness of the ample filling...  Yum!   My kids love the Soosium I make and I hope they'll like this healthy version of Polli. I wish I knew how to make Polli for mummy...
                                                                     I am my mother's daughter,

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

New Pope chose Francis!

This is a glorious day!

A new pope is chosen and he chose St. Francis's name for him. Pope Francis I!
So much promise in that choice of name. The new pope is thinking of the poor and of peace...

Of course I am doubly happy remembering our gentle and pious dada, GFR-- Francis! This pope hails far away from Europe, but is going to be a pious and gentle father for all the people of the world.

The other pious grandparents of D, J & N also are Francispillai and Francisca...

Glory be to God!

Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Happy Mother's Blessing!

May God Bless
Our blessing that is
His blessing for
Us both!

May God Bless you abundantly... my darling!

I am my mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Eucharistic Miracles!

Have you heard of the Eucharistic miracles? I realize Eucharist in itself is the holiest miracle. To receive GOD within us we should at the least try to be kind to each other and be genuinely caring!
But, is that possible only if you are a person of faith and unconditionally commit to GOD?

We live in an era where stepping on others toe and over another one's head to get ahead are shamefully a common practice. Once you have reached the top and succeeded by kicking away everyone along the way, who is going to be there happy to share your success? If we do not have compassion for others, life in fact would eventually become pointless and meaningless! No amount of material wealth can give the satisfaction of having truly caring people around you.

Life is about living a good decent life and as much as possible making a difference in others lives. My father-in-law was a very humble and pious person. He was holding a good government job and had a comfortable life. But to our generation it seemed as if he lacked the drive to move ahead professionally. I believe he understood what life is about very well and had his priorities set to please GOD and not anyone else.

Going through the old family albums my mummy-in-law gave me, I was amazed at the importance he had given to the celebration of Corpus Christi. There's photos literally marked, carefully, year after year of Corpus Christi celebration from Malacca to Ceylon. I am glad we have a son who is following in those pious footsteps and would cherish those valuable Corpus Christi celebration photos from his grand-dada GFR.

It so happened we had an annual dinner at the church and were treated to the video documentary of the Eucharistic miracles. Amazing! It is no coincidence that today is our gentle soul dada GFR's memorial... I can envision him smiling as if to say "All is well and will be well. Just have faith!"
May GOD Bless His Soul and grant him eternal peace!!!

Thanks to mummy for her deep faith and for, giving us the foundation and freedom to find our way in Faith. May GOD Bless Her Soul!

I am my mother's daughter,

VeerajaR

Joyous New Year!

Felt so proud having made two great Yule-log cakes this Holiday season: one for Christmas and one for the New Year!

Yes, they were yummy as you can guess... And i would have loved to share with you all!

Mummy would have been so proud and happy that I made the Yule-log cakes. I know my kids were...  

Let's have...
A 
Joyous & $$$$$$ 
New Year, 2013! 
Copyright©2013VeerajaR

Blessed New Year, 2013!

May GOD Bless us abundantly... and grant Peace, JOY & Love to All!

I am my mother's daughter, VeerajaR

Copyright©2013VeerajaR