Joy of baking

I am by no means a cook although I find cooking as one of the creative outlets and like to do something new everytime. and Baking ? I have always been skeptical of baking ...

...never understood the pleasure of baking. I always saw it as a messy, mammoth and difficult task. Recently, like many other beliefs - this belief is slowly changing too. 

I guess there is a certain beauty in procedures involved in baing ~ mixing, turning and estimating ......and then 'being patient' to experience the delight of the sweet in the oven.

Beauty in the wait, anticipation, eagerness to taste. Beauty in perfecting the art. 

I spent today baking cookies and cake - not the most perfect in shape but spectacular in taste and ....eggless . Yup ~ eggless chocolate and oats cookies and eggless chocolate cake. 

 I found a great idea for a gift too. 

Simple recipes made with lots of love. 

Multi-cultural Multi-coloured society

The beauty of living in a multicultural society is that you learn so much from different cultures and it helps you to become a better person. I learned the importance of knowing the art of living life, love for water and wine from Australians, poise in daily life from Japanese, inseparable family bonds from Greeks and Italians, their love for food is inspiring too.

Several of my interests have unsurfaced due to exposure to the different people from different walks of life and I think it's extremely enriching.

I learned things like how one gets inspired from music and create some extraordinary versions of food dishes, how one can lose a limb to shark and still go in water again to pursue their true passion, I learned how people can spend their whole life perfecting that boat or plane that they started building from scratch, how people finally make it after several knock-backs, how love is shared with people from all walks of life and how to embrace differences, and truly how to live everyday and realizing what's really important in life.

With the gorgeous sunlight trying to peek in my lounge room, I enjoy my banana cake in this moment....and ponder over how lucky I am to be surrounded with these lovely people who I share my precious life with.

A little window to my life...

I never liked reading blogs where people discuss their uninspiring mundane tasks during the day - whether they took their dog out today for a walk or not, whether they have had 'that' dress yet or not. 
You got my point ! 

But I recently realised that sometimes when people write those seemingly mundane things a little bit more in depth, from their heart, giving a real window to their real lives - it makes reading them so much more meaningful and exciting. As a reader then I have an opportunity to learn and to get inspired from their lives. 

So I have decided to open a little window ( actually a small door !) to my life too...my life as an artist, to my life as an immigrant, my life as an Indian, my life as an Australian, to my beliefs, to my journey as an amateur photographer, to my home, to my recent love for cooking,  to myself....

Why ? So that I can learn from you and can make my journey a bit more meaningful by offering something more to your life. 

It's risky, but I am an open book already - so what's more to fear ? I will give it a try for somone out there who might be reading this....

Some moments from Diwali...

Happy Diwali

 Eat sweets, pray, hug, burn some crackers, decorate, light up diyas, donate and remember loved ones.

Wishing you all an amazing and a safe Diwali.

For my friends who don't know about Diwali ~

Diwali is popularly known as the "festival of lights", the most significant spiritual meaning transalating into "the awareness of the inner light". 
It is celebrated with great zest all over India and all the houses and streets come alive with all the lights, decorations and crackers on this day. 

Shubh Diwali

There must be a great sense of excitement in the air in India today and the houses will be chaotic but very excitedly preparing for tomorrow. 

Gifts and hugs will be all around. These are the only days when I really miss India but nevertheless I believe in making home where I am. 

I must admit that I have never been a very homely person, but this year I did experience a shift and I decided to make all the sweets for Diwali myself. I have made it with love - I hope it will be enjoyed with the same spirit and will bring more of it to our home and lives. 

What a great day today is (that was...)

Such a beautiful day

Leaves are drenched

Flowers had their royal bath

Roads are paved with diamond drops

Sun is forced to tuck in for a while

Time for a hot coffee ( chocolate for some ! ;) )

Some people watching

Take a mini break

Yes go out of your office

Take your pen and paper with you

Watch outside

Be at peace

Rest a little

Work and dream what a great day today is.