Indonesia Independence Day

>> Aug 18, 2014

Every 17^th August -like yesterday- we celebrate our independence day. The day usually filled with festive and celebrations. About a week before, the preparation is already seen. People hoist flags on their homes along with red-and-white decoration placed throughout the city.

Captured a few days before the independence day in my city. Long flag on the fence of Bogor Presidential Palace.

Many communities and neighborhoods arrange and held fun activities and contests. It’s a pity our neighborhood had no special celebration this year. So I just saw a flag hoisting ceremony at the Presidential Palace on television yesterday morning.


Flag hoisting ceremony. The blue team is the marching band team. Image:batam.tribunnews.com

Among many fun contests, panjat pinang is a very attractive to see game. Several men try to climb oily poles, to reach attached prizes above.

Image:blogs.voanews.com

I love my country; hope for the continuous freedom and peace as well as better prosperity for the whole residents.

Blue Monday

Recent Look

>> Aug 16, 2014

I’m not able to share the recent look of kittens that delivered last week. The mother, Juno, hid her babies under the cupboard in our dining room. We can hear their voices but they can’t be seen.

Hey, I want to take some pics of you!

Huh? Again?


Ok, it's my pose for you.

So, for Camera Critters and Saturday's Critters this week, I’ll share some shots of Mocca that I took last night. When Juno was in labor, Mocca looked curious and watched continuously from a distance. I had to use flash light; that's why Mocca's eyes glowing.

Bonding with Unborn Baby

>> Aug 15, 2014

There is no reason for a wannabe mom not to start a relationship with the baby in her womb from now. A lot of research suggests, the close relationship of mother and baby will greatly affect the emotional and physical survival of infants, prevent disease, increase endurance, and minimize the potential for anti-social behavior. Mother-infant relationships ensure infant survival in terms of protection, nutrition and affection.

image:natural-homeremedies.com

Bonding between baby and mother actually can be done since before the baby is born. The study, published in the journal Child Development, 2009, revealed that the fetus has a long-term memory. 30 weeks fetal age can remember the sound of 10 minutes, the fetal age of 34 weeks can remember the sound of up to four weeks.

Other studies show that music can cause an emotional response in the fetus. When pregnant women listened to Mozart, ultrasound showed the fetus in a relaxed position. But when she heard the sound of a siren, the fetus fisted. That is, the fetus reacts differently to stimuli outside the womb, and they develop emotional intelligence since before birth.

As the fetus has the emotional intelligence, the mother can establish a relationship with the baby since in the womb. Efforts to build bonding since before the baby is born, it also helps mothers feel greater closeness to their babies. Thus, mother will eat healthier, take prenatal vitamins, and avoid danger for the health and safety of the fetus.

Some ways to connect with the unborn baby:

-Seeing the ultrasound photos of the fetus. In one study, 70% of pregnant women who framed the 3D ultrasound photo felt that they instantly recognized when their babies were born, compared to 56% of mothers who chose regular 2D photo.
-Playing music will be responded positively by the fetus, as long as the music also makes you relaxed.

-Avoid noisy environment. Loud noise can raise the level of cortisol hormone stress in the fetus as the sound is transmitted into the uterus. Over time, cortisol can weaken the fetus immune system, and lowered the stress tolerance limit in the future.
-Having a chat with the fetus, because she/he could hear and be familiar with your voice. This makes the transition to the outside world becomes easier. Your voice makes the unborn baby more comfortable and close.

Four Fatty Foods that Good for Your Heart

>> Aug 12, 2014

Not all foods that contain fat are bad for health. There are a kind of fat we really need and good for the health of the heart. But of course, consuming these foods should consider the proper dose and suit the needs of each other's bodies. There are at least four types of foods contain good fats for your heart.

1. Egg

One large egg can have a fat content of 5 grams. Fat in the egg also includes healthy fat. In addition, egg is also an inexpensive source of protein. But it doesn’t mean that you may eat excessive eggs. To stay healthy, you only need to consume one egg per day. Most of the eggs even been enriched with omega 3 which is believed to be good for the health of our bodies.

Image:everydayhealth.com

2. Avocado

This tropical fruit has a lot of content that is good for heart health. Avocados can also help you to overcome the symptoms of osteoarthritis. If you combine this fruit with other foods, then your body can absorb the nutritional content much better. The half of an avocado may contain 115 to 169 calories.

3. Fish

The fish that have good fats include salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring and tuna. Besides having useful fat, the type of fish is also a good source of omega 3. So you can also well maintain brain health by eating it.

4. Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds also have good fats that can reduce cholesterol. In general, fats that derived from plants are healthier than those derived from animals. Bad fat is usually found in a number of instant foods and fatty meat.