History in the Making

Uphold... A dream did missionary
Martin Luther King, that
Unfold in history this very... Day. A
Mighty story so...very real, breaking
Boundaries of race; missing no color
Bound in unison-the people
Roared on, cheering... O'bama!
Soared high... a Blessed nation-Be
Holding equality at its peak, for
Whole world to see...in
Our new president of
America-United States, the
Promised land... above the hill-as
Proclaimed by visionary King's will!

Copyright © 2009 by VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

Written in awe of today's events!
January 20th, 2009

Wishing EVERYONE A Very Blessed New Year, 2009!

I love this particular saying of Mother Teresa.
As I was reading the following verses- my garden..... butterflies and all GOD's wonders,
I share in Kaleidoscoopes ran through my mind like a movie...

We need to find GOD,
and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.
God is a friend of silence.
See how Nature-trees, flowers, grass-grows in silence;
see the stars, the moon and the sun,
how they move in silence…
We need silence to be able to touch souls!

Sayings of Mother Teresa
From "The Little Book of Mother Teresa"-by Sangeet Duchane

I read this book on New Year's Day; a treat for myself, that would not be a treat- if I do not share with others!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

Christmas Greetings!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

May PEACE, LOVE and JOY...

Reign in all our hearts and

Make the world... Heavenly!!!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

THANK GOD for EACH & EVERYONE in my LIFE,
for being the BLESSING(S)....... THEY ARE...!!!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN


Picture Depicts the Indo-Ceylon Thanksgiving; Harvest Festival
Courtyard Cooking Centerpiece!

Copyright © 2008 VeeraMahal

This decorative centerpiece is designed of White Rice (Center Square), Mung Beans (Green), Mysore Lentil (Orange) and indegenous Red Rice (outermost pink layer), and as usual in the courtyard (center of the extended family house with open roof). As you can see Beetle leaves or Mango leaves are used to intensify the symbolic beauty and prosperity. You may notice the red floor-the most popular floor color- especially in Ceylon, for courtyards and porticos. The shapes and design of the centerpiece can vary and limited only by the imagination or the availability of supplies.

A new earthenware is carefully chosen from the local market and used for harvest celebration. It is customary for the "man of the house"-the rice winner of the family- to put the first handfulls of red rice from the year's harvest into the pot of boiling milk. You should see the excitement when the milk boils & rises. The only thing I remember is... that it is believed to be very auspicious, if the milk boils over & over-flows eastward facing the rising sun. I am sure it is a way of recognizing the essential role the sun plays in reaping the year's harvest.

Once the boiled milk flows over, roasted mung beans-Raisins, Cashews, Nutmeg, Cardomom, Vanilla are added in slowly and while stirring jaggery (brown sugary extract from the Palmyrah palm inflorescence) is added. The preparation is first served for the family's ancestors who have passed on and then shared with everyone-relatives, neighbours and less fortunate ones. If you wonder, how is it possible to share what is prepared in this small pot with so many poeple-yes, they do say-even if it is a sesame seed divide into eight and share!

Ok... Ok! I'll let you in on the secret. As soon as the first handfull is put in the auspicious pot in the courtyard, a huge pot goes up inside the kitchen (usually in the backside of the house), to prepare large scale milkrice for sharing and feeding the poor. Even the crows and the ants are fed from the decorative layers of the centerpiece-once the festive rituals are over. No one goes to bed hungry that day; for it is a day of Thanksgiving!

VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

P.S.: This picture was taken two years back during my visit to Ceylon-a tropical paradise often referred to as 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean' and 'Island of Serendipity', world famous for high quality precious Gems and Tea.

What's in a name?

What is it about "O" and ChicagO?

LincOln
O'Hare
Oprah
and Obama!

If you have an "O" in your name,
Go to ChicagO and be FamOus!

Sears TOwer!

Even the streets-
DevOn
CecerO
COngress
COmmercial

Ofcourse even the state name had to have an"O"
IllinOis!!!!!

Any DOubts? NO MOre? GOOd!!



Copyright © 2008 VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

Literally Adorable

Literally Adorable-A



Literate Dog?




Did Maggie really get the message on her new friend's paw? Definitely, she is curious as to where the squeaky noise is coming from! She just loves her plush friend and carries it around inside the house and even outdoors. At times she rests her head on her teddy bear- just like all of us little girls.

Only difference is that she will not be satisfied until she traces the location of that noisy lump of a squeeky and removes it. But, her love does not deminish for that poor little torn up pal- with stuffings spilling out.

She just loves anything tropical and especially, coconut. She would work hard at the fibrous sheath and the shell to get to the soft white pit, which she is crazy about. Watching her do that always makes me wonder!
Isn't that what GOD does? Isn't he always trying hard to get through our complex vanity and pride mesh and toughest greedy possessive minds, to get to our pure souls trapped inside?
Maggie loves Ice. The way she tries to chew the cubes without letting them slip through her mouth... is lovely to watch. You can see- she got her prize-a big chunk of ice. She would keep at it for hours-taking short breaks. She is very good at using her HANDS effectively!



-by VeeraMahal Franklin
P.S.: Looks like she is a left hander;I just realized looking at these pictures.

VeeraMahal Franklin

Hawks in My Bird Bath

Remember the Hawk couple nesting in our neighborhood!


All of a sudden it struck me that the Hawk couple might be using our Bird Bath. I did not have to wait too long-once I started keeping my eyes open.
You should have seen it to believe;Hawks frolicking in my birdie bath! All I have are these mere pictures.

At noon on a hot July day, a Hawk sat still at the edge of the bath for at least ten minutes before turning its head 360 scanning the area. Finally, sliding into the bath graciously (or in Hawk's term CAUTIOUSLY), started dipping and splashing around. I wondered where did all this water come from; I never realized my bird bath held that much water.
Once the coast was clear the partner joined in. I am pretty sure he or she kept watch from a tree branch up above. I was on the porch hiding behind the butterfly bush and the Honeysuckles.


They are huge birds and I have sadly witnessed their ferocious appetite and the feeble calls of victimized birdie babies. But, it was a rare sight to witness these birds of prey frolicking in my birdie bath like any of the other backyard birds. Soon they forgot themselves and were like children in the swimming pool.


What an amazing sight! They spent nearly half-an-hour bathing. I wished then... I had a better camera-so I could zoom in from far away. May be Santa will bring me one for this Christmas!


But, as suddenly as they came to the neighborhood in March-the Hawks have left suddenly and quietly in early August. That story is for another time!

-by VeeraMahal Franklin