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