Holy Week

            The Holy week is the last week of Lent. It begins with the observance of Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter Sunday. The name, Palm Sunday originated from Jesus's entry in Jerusalem. The crowd laid carpets of palms on the street for Him. The Last Supper is commemorated on Holy Thursday of special week (often called Maundy Thursday) and Friday is the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. The Lenten season and Holy week end with Easter Sunday.

Holy Lent

            

Lent is the forty days special season prior to Easter Sunday. Sundays are not counted because it is the Lord's Day and should be celebrated and therefore no fasting. Lent is a period of fasting or doing without certain foods, praying and repentance. This is to serve as a reminder of the forty days Jesus fasted in the wilderness.

       

Gasoline price climb to $3.93 in US

                    The average price of gasoline in the US rose to $3.93 per gallon, an increase of 11.49 cents in the last two weeks, according to the Lundberg Survey conducted across the nation.Tulsa, Okla., has the nation's lowest average gas price at $3.58, while Chicago has the highest at $4.56.

                            Oil prices have climbed this year following attempts by the US and Europe to push for sanctions against Iran. The US and other western nations have alleged that Iran is in the process of building a nuclear weapon, a claim denied by Tehran. In response, Iran has threatened to withhold oil deliveries and block the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil flows.

                           With the upcoming presidential election, the rising gasoline price is of serious concern to President Barack Obama.Republican candidates blame the Obama administration for high fuel prices. Mitt Romney’s address to a crowd earlier in March in Vernon Hills was a clear indication of this. “With the economy looking like it's getting a little better on the employment front, gasoline's getting a lot worse,” Romney said. The focus of the attack has certainly moved towards gasoline prices.

     The bicycle is the most efficient machine ever created:  Converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon.  ~Bill Strickland


 

My Own Kerala :)

This is a beautiful land . Indeed God''s land. Such beautiful nature, forests, waterfalls.

Best time of day to snack

    A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that dieters who snacked in the a.m. lost 7 percent of their total body weight during the course of a year,while those who grabbed a bite post-lunch instead lost 11 percent.

      So rethink those morning munchies,and you might shed a few pounds:)

Oru pattam poochi...

One of my favorite song !

How to remove a callus

A bowl with warm water and let your hands soak for a few minutes until your calluses are whiter than the surrounding skin.Dry your hands,dabbing your palms lightly with towel.

A beautiful view on the way to PA

I don't have words to explain this beauty !

Choose your Attitude

Life can be unpredictable at times.However,one thing you can always do something about is your attitude.Make up your mind each day to stay positive and upbeat,no matter what happens.Mistakes are excellent teachers,so never be hard on yourself if you make one -be proud of your newfound wisdom!

Find healthy and new favorites recipes

 One aspect of eating right is consuming a variety of healthy nutrients.Mix up your menu by trying different fruits,vegetables,whole grains,nuts,beans,and low fat dairy.Look for nutritious recipes online.

Spring Begins..

Ahhhh..Spring ! Today ,the first day of Spring,day and night are each approximately 12 hours long .As astronomical spring began 1:14 a.m  today with the vernal equinox which marks the moment the direct rays of the sun hit the Equator.

   Spring is the time when worms begin to emerge from the earth, ladybugs land on screen doors, green buds appear, birds chirp, and flowers begin to bloom. Nature's renewal..It signifies the emergence of new life.Spring enriches natural beauty and it seems as if nature is dressed in a beautiful green gown. In Springs nature appears in her best from. It provides us with all kinds of pleasure. 

   Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"  ~Robin Williams





Note : Information & Image from Google

Baltimore Murugan Temple

                  The Murugan Temple of North America is the first temple dedicated to Lord Murugan in the United States.

Conceived in the 1980's and opened in 1999, It celebrates all Hindu and Tamil festivals, holidays, and special occasions. In addition the temple provides bhajans, Tamil, and religious classes.

I have a Microsoft waiter

Patron: Waiter!
Waiter: Hi, my name is Bill, and I'll be your Support Waiter. What seems to be the problem?
Patron: There's a fly in my soup!
Waiter: Try again, maybe the fly won't be there this time.
Patron: No, it's still there.
Waiter: Maybe it's the way you're using the soup; try eating it with a fork instead.
Patron: Even when I use the fork, the fly is still there.
Waiter: Maybe the soup is incompatible with the bowl; what kind of bowl are you using?
Patron: A SOUP bowl!
Waiter: Hmmm, that should work. Maybe it's a configuration problem; how was the bowl set up?
Patron: You brought it to me on a saucer; what has that to do with the fly in my soup?!
Waiter: Can you remember everything you did before you noticed the fly in your soup?
Patron: I sat down and ordered the Soup of the Day!
Waiter: Have you considered upgrading to the latest Soup of the Day?
Patron: You have more than one Soup of the Day each day?
Waiter: Yes, the Soup of the Day is changed every hour.
Patron: Well, what is the Soup of the Day now?
Waiter: The current Soup of the Day is tomato.
Patron: Fine. Bring me the tomato soup, and the check. I'm running late now.
[Waiter leaves and returns with another bowl of soup and the check]
Waiter: Here you are, Sir. The soup and your check.
Patron: This is potato soup.
Waiter: Yes, the tomato soup wasn't ready yet.
Patron: Well, I'm so hungry now, I'll eat anything.
[The waiter leaves.]
Patron: Waiter! There's a gnat in my soup!

The check:

Soup of the Day . . . . . . . . . . $5.00

Upgrade to newer Soup of the Day. . $2.50

Access to support . . . . . . . . . $1.00

My Imaginary Friend

I will tell you one story.Please do not judge me.I have no idea why i picked a Doll as my imaginary friend.Ah yes, Transformers!

                  When I was very young-so young that I don't remember creating her.I came up with an imaginary friend of my own.But she truly was my best friend for a while.I was in pre-school.I told my friend that I have a doll which is like a robot..She would play games with me . I said it is too real and that we're like sisters and we tell each other secrets. It help me and always eats my food for me , will do my homework and will do the house hold work so I don't have to.Every day she watch over me and protect me....Blah blah blah. Daily I told her about my doll. Still I don't know whether she believed these stories or not.If i met her anytime in my life,I definitely will ask her.        

                    Eventually my imaginary doll left me but of course I remember her...still I try and figure out where such a young kid would think up something like that :)

Quinoa

Recently we purchased Trader Joe's organic Quinoa.It is Simple to cook, like rice. Cooked quinoa looks a bit like couscous, but is more substantial and slightly crunchy.The quinoa harvest starts in late March. 

              Quinoa,pronounced keen-wah,was a staple of the ancient Incas,who called it "the mother grain".It remains an important staple in South American cuisine,as it contains more protein than most other grains.Its delicate flavor makes it a great alternative to rice or couscous as a side dish,and can also be added to vegetables and meat as a main dish.It cooks to a light fluffy texture,with a bit of crunch from the grain's external germ,making this a wonderfully unique grain.Truly versatile,it can be used in soups,salads,breads,puddings or as a breakfast cereal.
Quinoa is very easy to cook. It’s important to rinse the seeds well, because they are naturally coated with a bitter substance that protects them against birds and other predators. Most packaged quinoa has already been cleaned, but it doesn’t hurt to soak and rinse it just in case.
I made pulao with Quinoa. You can also try ..Here is the recipe Quinoa pulao 
 

Health Benefits

• Quinoa is a more nutritious option for gluten free diets.It is actually a popular choice for health buffs, those who want to lose weight .
• Quinoa is useful for reducing the risk for diabetes.
• Quinoa helps you feel fuller longer.
• It contains all the nine necessary amino acid supplements. Included here is lysine which is necessary for the tissues of your muscles to grow and repair themselves
• It essentially helps your body fight and get rid of free radicals that are considered to be harmful.
• preventing risky diseases like hypertension.
• It is an excellent alternative to wheat and bread for those suffering from celiac disease.
• It is very much effective in the prevention of gall stones.
• It is low in bad cholesterol and calories .

The Kite Runner

 Let me introduce you the book i read recently.One of my friend suggested me to read this.

The Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003.It is Hosseini's first novel.This novel was adapted into a film of the same name in 2007.Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist and physician.He is a citizen of the United States where he has lived since he was fifteen years old.Years after fleeing the Taliban and immigrating to the United States, a privileged Afghan man (Khalid Abdalla) returns to his war-ravaged homeland to try to repay his debt to a loyal childhood friend whose trust he once betrayed. This is a  touchingly honest story of family, friendship and bravery.

Ideal Wife

She will never leave you alone when you ‘re sad.

She will see to it that you do your works on time.
she will make sure you don't skip meals to play matches and do work.
She will ask you to leave your bad habits everyday.
She will fight with you on small things but won't keep the anger for longtime.
She will make you money-wise.
She will say-don't worry, even if there's lot to worry.
She will make you punctual.
She will help you restrain your anger.
She will talk to you 15times a day to know what you're doing.

Realize their worth and take care of them :) Dedicated to all wives .

Happy Women's Day

You can reach for the stars if you want  to..

You can face the storm with a smile on your face

You can climb highest mountain...

Or swim the deepest sea...

You can be what you want..

You can get everything you desire
If you say!yes I will !

Happy women's day

Teddy Bear

We all love teddy bear.A teddy bear brings a smile to everyone’s face :). Teddy bears come in various styles and people can dress them up in many different types of clothing. Teddy bears are also among the most popular gifts for children and  others on Valentine's Day, birthdays, Christmas and other holidays.

Do you know where the name“Teddy Bear”come from?

The name Teddy Bear comes from former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was "Teddy".

History of the Teddy Bear

           On November 14, 1902, Theodore (Teddy),the 26^th president of United states was helping settle a border dispute between Mississippi and Louisiana. During his spare time he attended a bear hunt in Mississippi. But after 3 days of walking and climbing and riding, no bears were found.The next day the hunt guide and his hunting dogs finally found an old bear. The guides tied the bear to a tree and called for the President to shoot the bear.But president was so kind on the poor bear and ordered the mercy killing of the animal.

         A political cartoonist by the name of Clifford Berryman heard this story. He drew a cartoon showing how President Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear while hunting in Mississippi.After this famous cartoon appeared in the papers, a shopkeeper, Morris Michtom took two stuffed toy bears which his wife had made and put them in his shop window. Mr. Michtom asked for permission from President Theodore Roosevelt to call these toy bears "Teddy's bears". This store eventually became the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company. The cartoon and the story it told became popular and within a year, the cartoon bear became a toy for children called the teddy bear.

My Teddy Bear Collections

Mom Teddy with baby :)

Cute pink valentine teddy :)

small cutie teddy :)

Happy Sunday !

Sunday is the golden clasp that binds together the volume of the week

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Enjoy your Sunday :)

Awesome.....Cloudy Day

  It's a foggy morning and cloudy day !It’s common for people to feel a bit less energetic on cloudy and rainy days.The cloudy weather make me sleepy.Some climate makes you lazy and some makes you active.But for me the weather does not affect my mood.Rain,cloudy or shine I personally try to feel something positive in any and everything I do.
I feel so good in this cloudy Saturday..

 
The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, / Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! / For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.”
-Bible

Hellen Keller Quotes

• The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

• We can do anything we want to if we stick to it long enough. Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.

• As selfishness and complaint pervert the mind, so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision.

• Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold.

• Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content.

• I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.

• I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.

• All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming.

• Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.

• Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged. 

• It is a terrible thing to see and have no vision.

• It is hard to interest those who have everything in those who have nothing.

• Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.

• Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.

• Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.

• No one has a right to consume happiness without producing it.

• Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

• The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse.

• Unless we form the habit of going to the Bible in bright moments as well as in trouble, we cannot fully respond to its consolations because we lack equilibrium between light and darkness.

• What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.

• Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.