Ruellia Southern Star Pink

 HAPPY EASTER! SOME BUNNY LOVES YOU!!!

Hello everyone and wishing you a season of love and renewed hope. We in Malaysia are currently experiencing horrendous heat daily... however, the beautiful result from the heatwave is a magnificent variety of flowers blooming everywhere we go.

It was quite a bewilderment to wake up to a full-bloomed garden one Saturday morning. Wow!

Where man sees but withered leaves, God sees sweet flowers growing. - Albert Laighton -

These pretty candy-pink wild flowers accented with magenta centers are flowers that totally do their best in crazy hot sun and even drought.

Fling off thy sadness...fair vernal flowers, laugh forth! Your ancient gladness. - Thomas Blackburn -

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. - Henry David Thoreau -

A brief history about Easter...

Easter falls in the spring, the yearly time of renewal, where the earth renews itself after a long, cold winter. The word Easter comes to us from the Norsemen's Eostur, Eastar, Ostara, and Ostar, and the pagan goddess Eostre, all of which involve the season of growing in the sun and new birth.

Easter spells out beauty, a rare beauty of new life. - S. D. Gordon -

My life is my message. - Mahatma Gandhi -

Growing in the sun... would literally mean, to me, facing the fieriness of life, and coming out smelling like a flower, just because we have a tiny seed of faith and we believe in the beauty of life that is bestowed upon us.

The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears. - John Vance Cheney -

Don't go through life, grow through life. - Eric Butterworth -

New birth do not only mean giving birth to a newborn. It could also mean a change for you. New beginnings. Awakenings. Stirring up of your soul.

Within you lies opportunity to grow in spirit. Keep your feet on the Earth, but lift your face towards the Heavens. Surrender with a tranquil mind and a heart full of the love of God. - White Eagle -

I have found that if you love life, life will love you back. - Arthur Rubinstein -

Wishing all of you happy moments of love, realizing dreams, and enjoying simple pleasures. May you live ALL the days of your life.

 It is the hour to rend thy chains, the blossom time of souls. - Katherine Lee Bates -

Butterfly Pea (Clitoria Ternatea)

The Butterfly Pea flower is what I call the "Beauty and Brains" flower!

Its scientific name sound rather mischievous... sexy maybe!!! Other than being seductive and stunning in color and shape, this is one of the most versatile flowers I know that God had created.

Are you a versatile person?

Are you someone who is capable of changing or adapting to different situations?  Are you willing?

Why is versatility so important?

The measure of intelligence is the ability to change (Albert Einsten)

Being versatile is a challenge to many. When we are used to doing things our way, it's a pain in the behind to have to learn new things in order to keep up with the race. The most difficult step is the first: You struggle, you make mistakes, you learn, and unconsciously things becomes easier. Then, when you look back, you begin to wonder..."How in the world did I do it?"

We first make our habits, then our habits make us. (John Dryden)

I totally love this quote from the legendary Bruce Lee. Simply put but contains a deep meaning.

You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend. (Bruce Lee)

THOUGHTS...

Common sense tells us that to mature and gain knowledge, we must be open, receptive, and positive to new and unknown experiences, and apply the lessons learnt to our lives in an honest and just manner. Strictly speaking, we must stand in another's shoes and see from another's eyes, and, more importantly, challenge not only another's beliefs, but our own. We should practice demonstrating versatility in our perspective and mindset.

With inspiring vision and versatility... we become better leaders to our own lives, and to others. 

You are what you love, not what loves you. (Charlie Kaufman)

Very nicely put Charlie Kaufman because I LOVE FOOD! This blog entry is a unique one because I incorporated food photos this time.  Perfect opportunity to share the magic of the Butterfly Pea flower with all of you. 

May I present to you a culinary flower named Butterfly Pea.

Dried butterfly pea flowers

How the blue rice is made

One of my favorite traditional Malaysian dishes: hailed from a state named Kelantan with its signature blue rice, and known as the Kelantan Herb Rice Salad or in the Malay language "Nasi Kerabu." The particular one (photo above) which I enjoy locally comes with salted egg, prawn crackers, a salad that consists of coconut, chopped long beans, bean sprouts, and spices, chicken kurma and beef rendang.

Below are some photos of Malaysian traditional desserts or "kuih" using the Butterfly Pea flower natural coloring, courtesy of my buddy Google! Most of the "kuih" are made with sticky rice or "pulut".

Rice dumpling

Kuih Talam

Kuih Serimuka

Kuih Salat

Pulut Inti

Kuih Lompang

Kuih Inti

Pulut Tai Tai

Rempah Udang: Savory "Dried Prawn Spices"

Pulut Tai Tai

Butterfly Pea tea

Blue Pea Mooncakes

Going Western now...

Blue Pea cheesecake top with raspberry syrup and garnished with strawberries and blueberries.

Blue Pea Chiffon Cake

Blue Pea Cake

Turk's Cap

A little history which is fascinating to me so I hope it is for you as well. This unique flower, scientifically known as Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii, was named after a Thomas Drummond in the 1700s. He was a Scottish botanist who travelled to Texas and Mexico to collect specimens of plants and birds.

The name Turk's Cap transpired from a fez, a red felt hat worn by Turkish men in the olden days.

However, I do not understand, yet, what's the connection between Thomas Drummond and turkish hats! To me, this flower looks more like an epee, a fencing sword... don't you think so?

So today... as this rare beautiful flower carries a name which symbolizes protection, let us journey on to the subject of Confidence: Today's most important virtue of life. 

Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection, and on unselfish performance. Without them, it cannot live. (Franklin D Roosevelt)

We all learn our virtues at home before we hit the schools and society.  Amongst the many important virtues of life, self-confidence is today's most important virtue. Confidence encompasses other virtues such as courage, discipline, and diligence... which directly shows society you are also someone who is kind, patient, and respectful.   

You were born with 100% confidence and as life goes on, our confidence bounces up and down because of good and bad experiences. Have you thought about your own level of confidence? Have you gone astray or backslid a bit? Or, have you advanced up the ladder?

Protect your confidence. 

The only person who can pull me down is myself (C. Joybell)

Defend what you believe in.

As long as you have life and breath, BELIEVE!  Believe for those who cannot. Believe even if you have stopped believing. Believe for love.  Believe to keep your heart beating. (Mark Helprin)

Safeguard your heart 

"May your heart keep fast hold of my words. Keep my commandments and continue living. Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding. Do not leave wisdom and it will keep you.  Love it and it will safeguard you." (Proverbs 4:4-6)

Own your confidence...

Live positively. 

Boost strengths. 

Steer clear from doubt. 

Ignore when necessary.

Integrity is first. 

Above all, know who you are, accept you, love yourself unconditionally!