>> Jul 21, 2014

I just got back home this Monday morning after spending weekend at a friend’s home. I helped her making different cookies for following Feast Day. It’s a pity I forgot taking any picture of finished cookies.

Anyway, tomorrow, July 22th, Indonesian people will know the real count result of Presidential Election. The competition is very tight. I would be happy if my president choice can be our new leader but I’ll accept if the fact shows differently.

It needed three men to handle the umbrella.

Preparation

Ready to takeoff. She had a nice wind; she didn't need to run at all.

Up, up, and away

For Blue Monday this week, I share here a paragliding spot at Mount Banyak (Malang, East Java, Indonesia) where we visited during our last trip. It’s my first time to see paragliding sport from a near distance. My friend tried paragliding tandem for the first time; she’s a very brave woman. The cost of tandem was Rp 350.000,- (about $35). I'll share the landing spot next week. She's flying for about fifteen minutes. She enjoyed it so much.Would you like to try your first paragliding experience?

>> Jul 19, 2014

I spend weekend at a friend’s home. We’re busy making cookies since yesterday so I have no enough time to sit in front of my net book.

Anyway, I won't miss Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters, so I share again other shots of mountain horses at Bromo horse terminal(East Java, Indonesia).


Horses with the background the top of Mount Bromo. Can you see the fence?


My husband rode a wonderful horse. The background is the temple at the foot of Mount Bromo. It's not me who photographed as I was too afraid to make many moves while on the back of the horse. The photographer was the horse owner, he made some nice shots for us :)

Well, happy weekend to all.

>> Jul 17, 2014

Mom’s fat belly makes your toddler wondering. Your information about the coming sister or brother may make your child very happy. The bigger mom’s belly, the larger the question mark in the mind of your kid. She also compared her fat tummy with mom’s fat belly.

image:sheknows.com

Unable to answer her own question, she begins to wonder about the pregnancy. If a child asks, it’s a sign that she is ready to receive an answer. Don’t panic and don’t need to deflect questions of children. The question is simple; the answer is no need to be complicated. Come on mom, you can try answering your kid’s questions about pregnancy. Here are some examples of toddler's questions about pregnancy for your reference:

1.How baby goes into stomach?
Answer: "When your dad and mom were married, it’s the sign that we’re ready to have children. God put the baby in a place in mom’s body."

Don’t call uterus as stomach. Let's just say there is a place to grow a baby that is only owned by women. The stomach word refers to the digestive so that it may confuse a child because she would think, the baby in mom’s stomach crammed with rice, vegetables, and grilled chicken :)

2.If my tummy is fat, is there a baby in it?
Answer: "No. Baby can’t grow in child’s body because the baby will grow up bigger. Children's bodies are not strong carrying a baby, and a special place in children's bodies could not hold the baby."

Most children understand by looking. Compare your big tummy with your kid's body. Ask her, is it possible for the baby to be in her body?

3.How long baby stays in mom’s body?
Answer: "Long enough since the baby has to grow bigger. The baby will have strong head, arms, and legs."

Children are difficult to comprehend the length of time until the baby is born. Giving answer the period length of 9 months 10 days will be worthless as she did not understand. Just confident in your instincts and you will get the right answer.

4.How the baby goes out?
You can just show the way for the release of the baby -depends on the age of your child and how your child acknowledges her organs. Be careful as every answer could lead to further questions.

Answer: "God provides the aisle at mom's body to be passed through when the baby is born. The doctor will help the baby out of mom’s body."
If you previously gave birth with a cesarean method, you can show the baby-birth way when she was born. Don’t tell the pain that you were experiencing after the surgery.

5.Why mother frequently visits the doctor?
Answer: "Mom and dad have to make sure the baby in mom’s body is healthy. Doctor has the equipment to see the baby in mom's body, as you’ve ever seen. It’s the doctor who later will help mom delivering the baby. So the doctor has to know the condition of the baby in mom's body."

6.If I speak loudly near mom’s belly, can the baby hear my voice?
You can give a real answer, depending on the age of your unborn baby.
Answer: "The baby’s ears have grown. The baby could hear the sound of your voice and dad. Later when the baby is born, she already knows us all.”

7. Can the baby in mom’s belly cry?
Answer: "If mom happy, the baby in mom's body is also happy."

Emotion of fetus is highly dependent on mom’s emotion. There’s still no research about the crying fetus in the womb. But the fetus is able to feel mom’s emotions.

8.What is the baby doing?
Answer: "Playing, sleeping, staying awake, listening to music and listening to stories that mom reads for you."
The fetus in the womb also plays. Occasionally, the baby’s legs is kicking or stretching.

9.Does the baby breathe?
Answer: "The baby breathes. When mom inhales, the baby is also inhaling. "
Fetus gets oxygen from mother's body. Baby’s lungs will function alone at birth.

10.Was I also once in mom’s tummy?
Answer: "Yes. You are mom’s child, just like the baby in mom's body now. You also used to be a baby in mom’s body. "

Thus moms, when your toddlers ask, “What is in your stomach, mom?”, you will know how to answer their questions.

Data source:Ayahbunda magazine

Dill – Light, Aromatic & Flavoursome Recipes from Across India

>> Jul 15, 2014

Indian cuisine is renowned the world over for using a huge array of spices, herbs, condiments and sides in order to create decadent meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While countries all over the world try to emulate this, it is, and always will be, Indian cuisine which truly makes the most of using a wide variety of ingredients in single dishes.

One such herb is dill – a light, fragrant herb which can be used to impart a delicate flavour to a wide range of foods. Traditionally used in the west when served with fish, for example, this herb is used in a number of different dishes in India and eastern Asia. The herb itself is made up of thin fern-like leaves which look very similar to fennel. Like with a number of herbs, dill is best used fresh as it tends to lose its flavour and can go limp fairly rapidly once picked.

In India, dill goes by a number of different names – it is known as shepu in Konkani, savaa in Hindi and soa in Punjabi. Across all these states and cultures, dill is not only used in cooking but also as an after-dinner digestive. It also contains high levels of calcium, manganese, magnesium and iron.

AalooShepu Chi Bhaaji

This is a vegetarian dish from Maharashtra which is incredibly simple but really packs a punch when it comes to flavour. It also only takes 10-15 minutes to prepare and cook, so is very popular. For this dish, potatoes are chopped into cubes and cooked alongside garlic, red chillies, mustard seeds, turmeric powder and – most importantly – two large bunches of fresh dill.

ShepuKakdiRaita

This is actually a side dish enjoyed across India and it uses dill to make a cooling accompaniment to a delicious pilaf, for example. Fresh yoghurt, cucumber, sugar, chaat masala and red chilli powder are all combined along with a large bunch of fresh dill to create a light, cooling dish. It is similar to the Greek side tzatziki, which is also made with yoghurt, cucumber but often uses mint rather than dill.

Dill Dal

This dish originates from north Karnataka and really uses a lot of dill to make a pungent dish. Onions and tomatoes are combined with mustard seeds, chilli powder, turmeric, a green chilli, garlic, coriander and toor dal – as well as a substantial amount of dill – to be served with some rice and a freshly baked chapati.

Chicken & Dill Masala

This is a fabulous non-vegetarian dish which combines succulent pieces of chicken with fresh dill and a thick tomato gravy. Dill is partnered with coriander to create a strong, herby taste. The chicken is marinated in salt, chilli powder and turmeric,meanwhile cumin seeds, garlic paste, onions, ginger, tomatoes and dill are cooked in butter so the flavours can intermingle. Once the tomatoes have been well-cooked, the marinated chicken is added along with garam masala and pepper until the chicken is cooked through.

There are a huge variety of dill inspired recipes from across India. If you want to try some of these delicious dishes, then visit one of London’s top fine-dining Indian restaurants to experience and savour this exotic, light and refreshing herb cooked to perfection with the best accompaniments.