Insatiable is my hunger for .... Books!

When we first moved into our new house in the early 80's, it was something akin to 'Little House on the Prairie'. It was not the house itself but the surrounding flat-lands. With no telephone and few neighbors, we were literally cut-off from the rest of the world. There weren't too many children to spend time with and I grew with up with books being a constant companion. My parents, who were avid readers themselves, would surprise me with a book every birthday, Christmas and Easter. And I was on 'pins-and-needles' till i could dive in to my new read. I had some 'read-along' ones that I absolutely adored and my trusted Sony Walkman soon transported me to a land of giants, witches, ogres, leprechauns, dwarfs, princesses and fairies of the fantasy world.

My newly crowned King of thrillers

The magic has not faded. I am a voracious reader  and, if possible,  I am even more in love with books today than I was then. I look forward to a trip to the bookstore and for the umpteen time I wish I could buy them all and give them a home.
When I was asked why I loved reading - I had an answer to that. Books don't judge, I said, and they are always waiting to be held, the words leaping out to wrap around me, just like a warm blanket on a cold day.  A temporary escape from reality. Can anything beat the smell of a book - the feel of brand new pages waiting to be opened and the mysteries within its folds explored or even one from the library or a second hand bookstore for that matter, waiting for a new home ..... I don't think so!

Live it up, a little!

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight

Jim Reeves - I Love You Because

In Oslo, Norway, 1964 and lucky are the ones who could hear it, as was and is ...

And Chorizo it was ~ Bon appetito!

It's still mildly cool - a tad - bit chilly in the morning but getting warmer as the day progresses. So I thought, before the onslaught of the summer heat, and the need to stay away from too much spice, why not make chorizo today! And that is exactly what I did. My little twist to the dish were a few raisins and a dash of fish sauce (I know, I know! You're probably thinking - "what are you thinking?").

Sangria time!

But it turned out pretty good, if I may say so myself. Spicy, as chorizo goes, and sweet and tangy with loads of fresh tomatoes! And lovely warm whole wheat bread to go with it. Delicioso!!
🌸
I was lucky growing up cosmopolitan and living the confluence of different cultures. However, I go back to my roots with this dish.

Fisherman in Kerela, Clicked in Dec. 2012

Kerela fish (Indian salmon) curry, on a bed of fluffy white rice and some coconut spinach

🌺

 

Steaming hot puttu, flavored with freshly grated coconut, a smattering of sugar and ghee ... Just the way I like it.

Not to forget my morning cuppa! ↗

Enjoy Ellen and Puttu!

🌼                           

Lovely hung curd whisked with palm sugar, topped with cinnamon powder and demerara sugar and baked to perfection!

🌷

The perfect start to a hot summers day - flattened rice prepared with ground nuts,

garnished with freshly grated coconut, chopped cilantro and juice of a freshly squeezed 🍋 a.k.a. poha

My BlindSpot

So, I had a little incident with my eyes. Over a span of few weeks I began to gradually lose vision, leaving me blinded in one and with minuscule vision in the other. Horrendous! I felt like a horse with its blinders on, with no peripheral vision whatsoever - None! This also meant no 3D movies for me! A visit to the ophthalmologist and a succession of tests later, I was told that I had a Vitamin Deficiencies - Vitamin D and B12. Injections, medication and eye-drops soon followed and after a few months I was almost back ... Almost!

Darkness was my friend and a haven for me. It was an eye-opener of sorts. After getting my vision back, and at the risk of sounding too clichéd, I must share that never has the sky looked so blue, the grass so green, the sun so bright and the sound of the birds chirping music to my ears. These were things I've always taken for granted and during this Lenten period I have a lot to reflect on.

With a spring in my step and a camera in my hand I managed to capture natures beauty not only on film but in my mind's eye as well, hopefully not for any future references. ( An added bonus, my dose of free Vitamin D). ~ Voila!

And you can feel the stress ebb!

Morning world!

It's 5:30 am and there goes the darn alarm. The fact that it's Sunday (a day of rest and all) - and not to mention it's cold out, the warm blanket inviting me to stay in and my cr^^ea^^king bones is temptation enough to stay in ... Good reasons to skip the early morning workout.



But the nip in the air, clear and unpolluted, and most importantly the lure of keeping the fat off - is all it takes to get me out and about. So I wear my trusted Reeboks, my ancient Adidas, that has kept me warm on countless occasions, and off I go, to conquer and fight all - stiff bones, groggy mind and all; in search of new ideas.

Picture taken by Arun Kumar Sinha

And there is nature's gift to greet me and a moment that I have to myself before the day commences - I watch the sun rise, kissing away the darkness spreading it's warm rays welcoming a new dawn, a new day. 

And for all my efforts, a little treat is definitely in store - vanilla French toast, a smattering of cinnamon powder and a dusting of icing sugar, accompanied by hot coffee, not to forget James Patterson keeping me company ...

And now it's worth it ~

The Notebook (2004)

Even though the eyes that see, don't recognize ... Alas, life can be cruel. Can Noah stop loving what he has come to love for most of his life? That is one question Noah ( Ryan Gosling/James Garner) must ask of himself every time he looks at his one true love, Allie (Rachel McAdams/Gena Rowlands).
So enamored were Noah and Allie with each other, and  like most young love, they vowed to cherish one another and together surmount every challenge that life may throw their way. Having been born in the opposite stratum of society their love is tested on more than one level. Noah's notebook will help to recite this tale of true, passionate love and help to bring two people together - separated not by time or space but by the cruel hand that fate has chosen to play. Will their love stand to win against life's test?

This only proves, I am but a die-hard romantic. Adapted from a novel by the same name and authored by Nicholas Sparks I would like to 👑 him the king of romance. Enjoy!  

Word for the day : -
ennui - a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom