I Have a Dream

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another mile
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream
I’ll cross the stream - I have a dream

The above song - I Have a Dream (ABBA) - was playing on radio while I drove to the train station this morning. It somehow uplifted my spirit .... I thought I will share it with you my dear friends. Here's the song! Enjoy!

10,000

Ten thousand flowers in spring,
the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer,
snow in winter.

If your mind isn't clouded
by unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life.

(Wu Meng)

NOTE:

Waiting for autumn

to

take me

closer

to

the love of my life

- Larra -

I shall love

 

To love at all is to be vulnerable.

Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken.

If you want to make sure of keeping it intact,

you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.

Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements;

lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.

But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change.

It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.

-- C.S. Lewis (British Scholar and Novelist)

My blue garden

 

 

I have not seen many blue flowers here in my country. Hmmm .... I wonder why. But I still wish to have my own blue garden ..... someday, some where  One more thing, when I said blue, I mean real blue NOT purple! I noticed that some of the so-called blue flowers are purple! That reminded me of the "Blue for you' rose that Herb and I bought which is actually purple/mauve color!

Anyway, here are the blue flowers that I managed to find on the web. Some are without names. Please feel free to share if you happen to know any of those flowers. Or if you know some of the flowers by other name. Or, if you know any other blue flowers, please do not hesitate to share, I will be happy to add.

So, enjoy my blue garden!

 

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Even a blade of grass ....

The moment one gives close attention to anything,

even a blade of grass,

it becomes a mysterious,

awesome,

indescribably magnificent world in itself.

 

-- Henry Miller --

 

(note: picture taken at Genting Highland, Malaysia)

 

 

 

Wanna bite?

Roasted Squash and Pepper Tart

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes
Cool: 5 minutes
Stand: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups cut up squash, such as pattypan, yellow summer squash, or zucchini
• 2 red and/or yellow sweet peppers, cut into wide strips
• 1 large sweet onion and/or fennel bulb, cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• Salt or salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oz. Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 of a 17.3-oz. pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
• 1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh thyme
• 1 cup purchased refrigerated creamy Parmesan dressing
• 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat sides and bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Spread squash, sweet peppers, and onion wedges in pan. Toss with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until tender, stirring once.

2. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, cut Parmesan cheese in thin strips. Set aside. On lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry to 13x9-inch rectangle. Remove baking pan from oven. Add tomatoes to pan. Toss vegetables with balsamic vinegar and half the Parmesan cheese. Spread vegetables evenly in pan. Lay pastry over vegetables, tucking in edges. Return pan to oven; bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

3. Remove pan from oven; cool 5 minutes. Invert a 15x10x1-inch baking pan over pan with pastry. Carefully invert pans together; remove 13x9 pan. Transfer any vegetables that stick to finished tart. Sprinkle tart evenly with remaining cheese and 2 teaspoons of the thyme. In small bowl stir together dressing, chopped onion, and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme. Cut in squares. Serve tart warm or at room temperature with dressing. Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving:

• Calories 277
• Total Fat (g) 23
• Saturated Fat (g) 3
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 2
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 0
• Cholesterol (mg) 7
• Sodium (mg) 256
• Carbohydrate (g) 15
• Total Sugar (g) 4
• Fiber (g) 2
• Protein (g) 4
• Vitamin C (DV%) 101
• Calcium (DV%) 8
• Iron (DV%) 3

*Percent Daily Values are base on a 2,000 calorie diet

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The above recipe is in my thing-to-do list over the weekend!

 

Pink heart

Pink Impatiens

The cracked jar

An Indian legend tells of a man who carried water to his village every day, in two large jars tied to the ends of a wooden pole, which he balanced on his back.

One of the jars was older than the other, and had some small cracks; every time the man covered the distance to his house, half of the water was lost.

For two years, the man made the same journey. The younger jar was always very proud of its performance, safe in the knowledge that it was up to the mission it had been made for, while the other jar was mortified with shame at only fulfilling half of its allotted task, even though it knew that those cracks were the result of many years hard work.

It was so ashamed that one day, while the man got ready to fetch water from the well, it decided to speak to him:

- I want to apologize, but because of the many years of service, you are only able to deliver half of my load, and quench half of the thirst which awaits you at your home.

The man smiled, and said:

- When we return, observe carefully the path.

And so it did. And the jar noticed that, on its side, many flowers and plants grew.

- See how nature is more lovely on your side? - commented the man. - I always knew you were cracked, and decided to make use of this fact. I planted flowers and vegetables, and you have always watered them. I have picked many roses to decorate my house with, I have fed my children with lettuce, cabbage and onions. If you were not as you are, how could I have done that?

“All of us, at some point, grow old and start to acquire other qualities. We can always make the most of each one of these new qualities and obtain a good result.”

(By Paulo Coelho)

Lady in Red

Lady in red

Impatiens flower

Shhhhh ..... let me introduce ... Lady in Red

.... what a perfect night .... Impatiens seem so patient

that fruity feeling ....

Having that fruity feeling today? I do!

a. Jack fruit ('Nangka')

b. Dragon fruit

c. Errrr, have you seen dragon fruit before? Here how it looks like

c. Manggo ... served with steamed glutinous rice and coconut milk

Yup, that's me after eating the fruits!

 

Morning Glory

small things

 

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.  

— Mother Teresa