A Father's Day is all about making your dad smile!

Guess I was worrying for nothing when I was bothered with 'what should I do for dad on Father's Day'. He had everything planned already! That man can really surprise us, especially when we least expect it! He had bought tickets to the Thorpe Park and after an amazing day at one of our favourite places around London, we were brought back home to a mouth watering barbecue! It seemed more like children's day to us with dad taking all the efforts to make it special and when I said that out loud, he just laughed and said "It's about making me feel special and happy right? The surprised looks and smiles on your faces make me content and happy; it reminds me that I am special, for I have been blessed with two lovely children!" Well yeah dad can get a bit emotional at times, but that was indeed the loveliest thing I had ever heard!

The day wasn't over yet, my brother grabbed our part of the surprise from the cupboard and rushed down. I blindfolded dad and made him sit on the couch while my brother played the DVD and mum brought the cake that we had baked the previous night. We had created a video documentary for dad, tracing back all the years, ever since he first held me in his arm! The pearls of joy that crept out of his eyes, were the cherries on the cake that completed a wonderful day!

Father's day ideas?

Almost every time there is an occasion, my friends and relatives turn to me for celebration ideas and I also manage to come up with something sweet (Patting the shoulder ;)). But alas! This time around, I am actually clueless as to what could make my dad feel like the best father in the world. While I know he is already aware, I really want to show him how important he is in my life. I want him to know that he is my favourite hero, my first love, my guide in life, my best friend, my worst critic and my biggest fan! 

Phew! There is so much I want to convey, but I don’t know how. It seems like I have actually exhausted almost every little idea in the previous years. I made him breakfast, well with burnt edges, but hey; he loved it! We had a day out together at the golf course, did Scuba Diving, I made him a collage poster of our pictures that still hangs in room, and also went out hiking in Dartmoor!

While I agree that you never need a day to express your love, Father’s day is just an occasion when you get to thank the man whom you owe for all that you are and all that you ever hope to be. I really hope I am able to come up with something special this year which brings about the widest of smiles on my father’s face! Any ideas friends??? Please help!

Rose Festival!

When rose oil is thrice the price of real gold, wouldn’t harvesting of roses call for a celebration? It does in Bulgaria! It is one of the largest producers of rose oil in the world and every year in the first weekend of June before the harvest takes place, they celebrate the Rose Festival! Old rose growers used to organise parades, wherein people dressed in rose flowers would march the streets of the Karlovo town. While that is still practised, today one of the main highlights of the festival is the crowning of the Rose Queen!

Don’t these images enchant you with the splendour of the magical Rose Valley? It is truly a festival of fragrance, music and dance; it is a tribute to beauty!

Royal Oak Apple Day

Yesterday night when I spoke to a friend, I happened to talk about Royal Oak Apple Day. After I told her about it, she said “Wow! In my area, we celebrate Nettle Day tomorrow!” I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh as they are both the same with just different names! The Royal Oak Apple Day is known by several names in different areas, like The Nettles Day, The Pinch-bum Day, The Shick Shack Day etc.

On May 29^th, 1660, King Charles II returned to London after a narrow escape from the capture of Cromwell's soldiers by hiding in an oak tree. Ever since, people celebrated the restoration of the monarchy by wearing Oak apples or Oak leaves. You would be surprised to know that until the twentieth century, anyone caught not wearing an oak leaf or oak apple on this day was pinched, kicked, or otherwise abused. Whipping with nettles was also one of the favourite punishments and hence the several names. While most people still wear something oak-ey, I am really glad that the abuse part has been omitted!

Wish you all a very Happy Royal Oak Apple Day!

Ascension Day!

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

Despite the difference in opinions, something that links all the sects of Christianity is the belief that Jesus sacrificed himself for their sins and later conquered death! The Ascension Day reinforces the belief, as after the 40^th day of Easter, his resurrected body ascended into Heaven in the presence of 11 of his Apostles!

Don’t I just love celebrations? Especially when I get a chance to enjoy twice this week? I’m not just being a food crazy person and appreciating the lovely feast (I'm waiting for *Slurrrppp*), but also the fact that I saw more of my parents this week and most importantly this day simply reinforces our belief in Lord! Hope his second coming isn’t too far away!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Ascension Day!!

International Family Day it is!!

Do you know how it feels to be driven into a beautifully decorated room by the most enticing smell of Chocolate ganache cupcakes with roasted walnuts in the middle of the day and that too without it being anyone's birthday? Ask me! It was International Family Day yesterday, and my parents had really gone a long way to make my brother and I feel special! Apart from leaving their respective workplaces before either of us returned, my parents had actually taken the efforts of cooking some of our favourite dishes and brought us presents! It felt like Christmas had decided to climb up the calendar months and arrived 7 months in advance!

I had happened to mention  it to my mum a few days ago that 15th of May was International Family Day and UN had decided that 'work-family balance' was to be the theme for 2012. I hadn't known then that she, along with dad would take it so seriously and make it one of the most memorable days for all of us!

I love it when small surprises and celebrations like these brighten up our otherwise mundane lives! Thank you UN for coming up with such a lovely day and a fantastic theme! Did you'll celebrate too? Don't forget to let me know how...

Mother's Day

Mother...

She can never be thanked for her unconditional love that erases distances and crosses miles. Even the artificial borders cannot stop her, for her love remains unchanged. She is the one who plants the seeds of love, she is the Mother.

I was reading on Mother’s Day and I observed that my British, Irish and Nigerian friends celebrate Mothering Day on the fourth Sunday in Lent, while my Asian and American friends celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May. My Russian friends and their neighbours celebrate Mother’s Day on March of 8^th.

Different countries, different traditions, different people and different culture, yet Mother’s love remains the same. Do we need different days to celebrate Mother’s Day and if yes then why? Shouldn’t we question ourselves sometime?

What are your thoughts on this…  

Kissing Day!

I had always known that the 6^th of July was the Kissing day (Wikipedia also agrees with me) and don’t ask me how, there are some high school secrets *blush*. But I suddenly hear and read everywhere that they are celebrating the Kissing day today. Well who cares about the date? As such nobody needs a day to kiss, but since we have days for everything else, why not this? So assuming it is the Kissing Day today, I was wondering about something, it is Friday the 13^th and yet people are in a celebration mood! Really shows that people have indeed come a long way to leave behind the superstitions and omens of the old times. Isn’t that a great achievement in itself? I am proud of my generation!

Happy Kissing Day everyone! Oh and hope this Friday the 13th proves lucky for you'll! :)

Maundy Thursday

"Washed by your hands our feet restored
Wholeness and balance now assured
May they be used to serve you Lord
Your satisfaction is our reward" ♥ 

The Easter celebrations begin with commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, where he washed the feet of his disciples. Truly a humble soul, who washed away the dust of sin, pain and dread and also sacrificed himself for the love of others! Least we can do is be good to others and spread love like he did!

Wishing everyone a very blessed Maundy Thursday and I hope we live up to the last few words of advice that came out of his mouth…

 'And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.' John 13:34

 

Easter brings in luck?

 

When a little bud blooms,
The sun stays up longer,
And the tan grows deeper,
They say it is spring
They do, but it ain't spring yet,
Not until we hear the first call of a cuckoo!

It felt magical when one of the most melodious sounds of nature rung into my ears today! Immediately I darted out, not wanting to miss the opportunity of watching a cuckoo, with nothing other than my phone in hand (now you know whom to blame if you feel that the picture isn't very clear).

Cuckoos are ideally not seen until mid April, but I guess I was lucky this year. More than anything, watching the bird personally was like an assurance that spring has indeed arrived and gone are the cold, dark days of the Winter!

A hint of luck before Easter, do you think?

There are no problems, they are just Challenges!

“If you think, you can!” This is one of those quotes which prove the law of exception wrong. Every individual who truly aspires to achieve something and works towards the goal with their mind, heart and soul, accomplishes it, no matter what! For such people, hindrances are nothing but small fragments of a chipped stone that don’t deserve any more attention than being kicked out of the way; even when the obstacle is something as big as a genetic disability. I have personally seen one of my friend’s brothers grow with Down syndrome and he has now taken the decision to continue his education and take up a post secondary degree. That young boy has the determination of a mountain giant!

Today, the 21^st of March, 2012 celebrates the 7^th anniversary of World Down Syndrome day, and the United Nations has finally recognised it as an International Day this year! What makes it more special for my friend and his family is that his brother has applied to the Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania today!

I am sure that all his dreams would definitely come true, and I hope that he proves to be an inspiration for several others like him. I wish everyone a very Happy Down Syndrome Day, and request you’ll to do your bit in helping them and spreading awareness.

Let Your Heart Rule The Mind!

If you got up one day to find that everything you did was right, wouldn’t that be the best feeling? Oh! but I don’t mean that you are right even if you punch your brother in the face in order to win the rest-room race in the morning, or if you yell at your boss because that is something you had always secretly wished for. Don’t blame me if those things backfire; its not like God has granted you a day to do all you want, without adding it to your ‘Karma’ list. Today, the 16^th of March is a day when you must encourage yourself and everyone around you to feel good and feel right about everything you do.

Its called Everything You Do is Right Day! Well ideally, each day should be started with the thought, ‘you would not fall pray to any guilt, dilemma or stress’, but on this day especially, you are supposed to promise yourself to trust the judgement of the heart, believe in yourself and have faith in God.

I don’t know where days like these originate from, but I am sure it was some life-lover to think of days to remind the mankind that irrespective of our technological advancements, it is the human heart and the belief in God that can show us the right path to success! So here’s wishing all the lovely people I know, a very happy Everything You Do is Right Day!

A man called 'Genius'

A young boy was waiting at the signal to cross the street along with a few others; he decided to try out his favourite joke on them and asked, “why did the chicken cross the road?" One of them immediately replied, "My young burgeoning mind, ze question does not have a definite anzer. Vether ze chicken crossed ze road or ze road crossed ze chicken depends on your frame of reference." Almost everyone was taken aback at the reply and they turned to look at one of the greatest Physicists, the father of ‘Relativity’ – Albert Einstein!

I had read this joke around five years ago, but every time I think of Einstein, I remember it. Even though it is a made up tale, it is very believable, as I am sure the man is completely capable of coming up with such a retort. He was always known for his slapstick humour. He was not only a great comedian, but also a celebrated musician! Yes I am talking about the same Albert Einstein, who most of us only know as the Nobel Prize Winner. 

It’s his birthday today, and I thought of paying a tribute to the man, synonymous to the word ‘Genius’! This is one of my favourite videos, where Einstein gives an amazing reply to "God is Evil as he created Evil"! The young scientific brain proves that God does exist, and is definitely NOT evil. ♥ Hope you’ll like it!

Heal The World!

 

Cultural unity is not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people and beliefs, hopes and dreams, but one unifying bond – HUMANITY! I Love the theme of the Commonwealth Day this year – Connecting Cultures!

Whenever I think of cultural unity or fusion, I am reminded of coffee. When you've got some coffee that is too black, or too strong, what would you do? Add a little more cream of course? Oh but what would happen if you end up pouring too much cream? It wouldn’t remain ‘coffee’ any more. Something that was strong becomes mild. It loses its identity, its flavour, just like the cultures would, if blended in excess; don’t you think so? Isn’t it the best for everyone if ‘Each forms a whole and yet it stands out on its own’? Just a little food for though… What do you’ll think?

 

Beat and say Happy Holi!

 

Would you believe me if I said beating men with a stick is a traditional way of celebration in India? I didn’t, when my friend told me about it. In Barsana, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, people celebrate the festival of colours – Holi, wherein women beat men with (Lathi) sticks. If you just said ‘what nonsense’, you need to read further.

My friend said that this practice had its roots in Hindu mythology. Lord Krishna used to visit Barsana to playfully tease Radha and her friends by throwing coloured water on them and in turn, they would beat him with sticks and chase him out of town. Thus till date, men from Lord Krishna’s town (Nandgaon) visit Barsana and the women beat them with sticks; not literally beat them blue of course!

The little town of Barsana welcomes thousands of tourists and visitors every year around this time as several people wish to witness the ‘Lathmar Holi’. And guess what? While the rest of the country celebrates only two days of rituals and colours, Barsana begins its celebrations at least fifteen days prior to the actual day.

Today and tomorrow are the main days of Holi and not only Barsana, but the entire country would be painted in the colours of VIBGYOR! Wouldn’t it be magnificent? I’d love to be a part of it someday! :)

 

A Tribute to Michelangelo Buonarroti

I was a little disappointed when I opened Google today. I had expected a 'masterpiece' doodle to celebrate the birthday of none other than the Master himself - Michelangelo Buonarroti. Do I need to say any more? His introduction can never be bound to words, his paintings and sculptures talk on his behalf. 

So what if Google didn't feel it important to pay him a tribute, I will! Take a look at this beautiful video that compiles some of his greatest works! I bow to the man who gave us the magnificent Sistine Chapel, David and much more; the man who gave art a new dimension!

Plant a tree, plant hope!

Almost all occasions commemorate the past, but do you know of any that is celebrated for the future? Yes, there is one such occasion that people celebrate around the world to ensure a wonderful and healthy future – the Arbor Day! Around spring, several countries celebrate this day by planting trees and take measures to conserve nature, ensuring a Green future. Arbor means a tree, and the day was originated in Nebraska on April 10, 1872 by J. Sterling Morton. It is rightly said, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children” and hence this day is an effort to make people sow some seeds of gratitude for letting us borrow the Earth from our future generations. Especially, after witnessing the wrath of Mother Nature that we have called upon ourselves, it is not only our duty, but an obligation to conserve it and leave back something for the coming generations to live upon.

Many countries were inspired by the idea and chose a date best suited to plant trees according to their climatic conditions. Iran is one of them, and it celebrates its National Tree Planting Day today! So I wish all my Iranian friends a very Happy Tree Planting Day and would suggest that irrespective of the days, all of us must plant as many trees as possible and refrain from separating the Mother from her children.

Around the World in 94 hours!

Our newly married neighbours happened stop by last night for a cup of coffee and they told us that they were planning for a world trip. WORLD TRIP! Yes, that was my exact reaction. In my defence, it has always been a top priority on my bucket list and I am desperately waiting for the day I can plan one too. Travelling across the vast, wide globe and unfolding innumerable secrets that lie below the layers of time, is not just my wish, but a passionate dream that I want to achieve some day!

If I am left to it, I can go on all day, but I don’t think anyone would really want to read all about my travelling fascination, besides, there’s something I wanted to share with you’ll! Something, that happened 63 years ago - the first NON-STOP around-the-world flight! ‘Lucky Lady II’ was the first flight to circle the globe in 94 hours and 1 minute, without stopping. From 26^th February to 2^nd March, 1949, the 43^rd Bomb Group flew continuously covering 23,452 miles, using the in-flight refuelling technique developed by the British.

 

Now isn’t that amazing?

St David's Day

It’s the first of March, 

A day celebrated at large

By the Welsh around the globe

With Leeks and Daffodils

On shoulders or sleeves,

They adorn their national dress

On this day of St David’s

All adults and kids

Rejoice, chant and dance alike!

Happy St David’s Day to all!

Here are some interesting facts that I would like to share:

• It is believed that two pilgrimages to the city of St David’s equals one to Rome, and three pilgrimages, to Jerusalem

• Dewi miraculously raised the ground underneath him while preaching at Brevi, in order to be seen and heard by all. On his success, a white dove settled upon his shoulder, and thus, he is usually represented standing on a hill with a dove on his shoulder

• Saint David abstained from drinking and advised others to do the same, but for St David’s day celebrations, a number of Welsh breweries make special St. David’s Day ales

Now That's What Women Want!

For all those men who went down on their knees yesterday, and dreamt of a lovely future together, here's a little heads up on what women really want. We ladies, are satisfied souls and don't ask for more than the BASIC necessities, so you don't really have to worry much; just take a quick peek.

A Decent Looking Husband

A Not-So-Expensive Wedding Ring

A Simple Wedding

A Sweet Honeymoon

A Nice Car (for shopping)

A Small House

A Hardworking Husband

Lovely Children

Some Make-up

A Few Bags

Some Shoes

Some Dresses

A Few Gifts Once In A While

A Small Trip (not more than 4 times a year)

And Finally, Some Basic Securities...

See what I meant? ;) Okay on a serious note, none of this is true... what women truly want is a loving and caring partner who is honest, listens (not just hear) to her, makes her feel special (not always by tangible things) and accepts & respects her family and friends along with her! So the guys can now release the breath they have been holding all along, and go tell their girls how special they are! 

Hope you'll had a lovely Valentine's Day!