Did I tell you that I LOVE Canna Lilies?? Perhaps these were my first flowers ever to see as a youth in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) - they grew in Colombo and they grew in the Hill Country too. I missed them very much. So - Nando and Laxmi planted some 50 Canna Lily bulbs for Mother's Day outside my window. Up in the Northeast these are VERY tricky to grow. Nando started with 10 bulbs and they have to be dug up in Fall or they WILL freeze and die. He puts them in the basement, then divides them and plants again in Spring - now he has 50 bulbs. It's a lot of work!!!
Let me add a photo from last year:
But there's MORE - they also ordered (and were disappointed it hadn't yet arrived) some Flowering Yucca plants. In Mexico we EAT the flowers and they make a delicious meat-like meal. Luckily, this plant (although a succulent) does survive our harsh winters. Meanwhile, here is a photo of how they should look:
I cannot tell you how MUCH I still miss my Plantain Tree (which we had in Florida) and my Guava Tree, my ginger plant, and even though it never bloomed in Florida - I miss my Plumeria "tree" (we called these temple trees in Sri Lanka). In Florida in our garden I also planted various mango pits that grew well and were beautiful foliage but never bore fruit, pineapple plants (ditto). I planted curry leaf plant and that was my favourtite - I could just go outside to pluck the leaves when wanting to make a curry. The year before we left Florida, we bought a Lychee tree in Key West. We knew it would never survive up here in the north, so we gave it to our dear Chinese friends.
We also planted VARIOUS avocado trees there in Florida - and I suppose we did not stay long enough to see them bear fruit. When I think of all beautiful tropical plants I had in Sri Lanka and miss so dearly - passion fruit, rambutan, jak fruit, durian, woodapple, pawpaw (papaya). We even had a few TEA bushes in our yard in Colombo (although they prefer the cooler climate of the Hill Country) - we could pick the "two leaves and a bud" and make our own tea. I miss getting back to nature so much - everything we wanted was just there in the garden. My Uncle Tiger had a saying that Sri Lanka was so fertile that if you PLANT a broom - by morning SURELY there would be 10 little whisk-brooms sprouting up.
There is one plant that grows wild up here called "ramp" - it is in the onion & garlic family - you can cut it and slice up to add flavour to stews and salads.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
HAPPY AUNTY'S DAY.....
Sometimes, being an Aunty or Uncle is even more fun than being a Mum or Dad. We had a neighbour's girl (I'll call her Lisa) who used to spend more time at our house than her own. Her parents were hard workers who worked 7 days a week from 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. (they owned a gas station). I didn't have to be Lisa's Mum - she already has one, but I could be her "Aunty". She and her cousin and my daughter used to argue over who got to do my hairdo. "I want to fix Aunty's hair!" "She's MY MUM....I want to do her hair!" But I think Lisa WON hands down when she presented me with a hairdressing book she's made by herself. Lisa was about 7 years old then. "Look, Aunty - I made this book for you. You can pick ANY style in the book and I can do that style for you!" I am sharing her book with you because it's SWEET and from the heart
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!
To all the Mums in the world, and to all who have been "like a Mum" to someone - I wish you a VERY HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
There is a sweet Russian song "May There Always Be Sunshine" that is very appropriate for Mother's Day:
May there always be sun
May there always be sky,
May there always be mama,
May there always be me!
_______________________________________________________________________
One thing I will convey about being a Mum. You will not remember that your son or daughter accidentally broke your favourite teacup. You will not remember when your son or daughter said something mean to you. You WILL remember always when your son or daughter cried themselves to sleep in your arms. You WILL remember that your son or daughter called "bumble-bee" a "mumble-bee", and you WILL remember the green-coloured deer with pink feathers and sparkles drawing your child made especially for you on Mother's Day.
There will be another blog following this called "Happy Aunty's Day".....for all those who have been like a Mum to a child.
There is a sweet Russian song "May There Always Be Sunshine" that is very appropriate for Mother's Day:
- Припев:
- — Пусть всегда будет солнце,
- Пусть всегда будет небо,
- Пусть всегда будет мама,
- Пусть всегда буду я!
May there always be sun
May there always be sky,
May there always be mama,
May there always be me!
_______________________________________________________________________
One thing I will convey about being a Mum. You will not remember that your son or daughter accidentally broke your favourite teacup. You will not remember when your son or daughter said something mean to you. You WILL remember always when your son or daughter cried themselves to sleep in your arms. You WILL remember that your son or daughter called "bumble-bee" a "mumble-bee", and you WILL remember the green-coloured deer with pink feathers and sparkles drawing your child made especially for you on Mother's Day.
There will be another blog following this called "Happy Aunty's Day".....for all those who have been like a Mum to a child.
Fennel Tea
Fennel Tea has so many benefits - it soothes the stomach as well as colon; it acts as a natural diuretic; it's soothing for colds and flus; it is a good source of both Vitamins B & C; it can help lower cholesterol levels, tastes great and can keep your breath fresh throughout the day. It also should be drunk in "moderation" - TOO many cups of fennel tea can cause gas, bloating. So I recommend no more than 2 cups a day. Also - pregnant women should not drink it since can act as a uterine stimulant.
Recipe is only USD $1.59.....step by step easy to follow instructions. 49 years experience as a gourmet cook. Pay at: Paypal: farrshimla@gmail.com and please mention WHICH recipe you want.
Recipe is only USD $1.59.....step by step easy to follow instructions. 49 years experience as a gourmet cook. Pay at: Paypal: farrshimla@gmail.com and please mention WHICH recipe you want.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Mango Lassi (Mango Yogurt Drink)
Recipe is only USD $1.59.....step by step easy to follow instructions. 49 years experience as a gourmet cook. Pay at: Paypal: farrshimla@gmail.com and please mention WHICH recipe you want.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Mexican Chicken Enchiladas......
Recipe is only USD $1.59.....step by step easy to follow instructions. 49 years experience as a gourmet cook. Pay at: Paypal: farrshimla@gmail.com and please mention WHICH recipe you want.
Thoughts on Osama Bin Laden....
Actually, I have NO THOUGHTS on this topic. I am not in the habit of celebrating a death of anyone. Moreover, this "operation" was nothing I had control over. Basically, I am numbed by so much news coverage of it all.
The only thing I can be grateful for is that our President decided NOT to show any photos of the deceased. I would not have looked at them anyway, had he decided otherwise. Other than that, I honestly don't know what to say; the whole thing NUMBS me.
The only thing I can be grateful for is that our President decided NOT to show any photos of the deceased. I would not have looked at them anyway, had he decided otherwise. Other than that, I honestly don't know what to say; the whole thing NUMBS me.
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