The Glorious Heavens (Part 2)

'We can only appreciate the miracle of a sunrise if we have waited in the darkness.'  - Author Unknown


'Though outwardly a gloomy shroud,
The inner half of every cloud
Is bright and shining:
I therefore turn my clouds about
And always wear them inside out
To show the lining.'
- Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler

Surviving in a Chemical World (Part 2)

TOILETRIES

1. I do not use any make-up. I only use the Ego sunblock 50+ for sensitive skin during the day. To wash off the sunblock I use the AA Sensitive Skin cleansing gel-cream. This product is fragrance free, contains no allergens and has no colour additives. It also has minimum concentration of preservatives. Sad to say, the supplier has ceased importing them in. This will be a challenge for me as I have to start experimenting with new products! 
2. During the night, I use the Organic Aid Vitamin E as my moisturizer. This actually healed my skin of eczema! I swear by this product. 
3. I use the Living Nature lip-gloss and lip-stick. Living Nature is one product that has no preservative, colourings, chemicals and carcinogens. And they cost a bomb! But you can be sure that they are chemical-free. I am not too sure about salicylates though, as their main ingredient is the Manuka honey. And honey is on the high-end of the salicylate list. But I do not react to this product. The human body is a a peculiar thing. One man's meat is another man's poison indeed. 
4. I use the Simple brand for my shampoo and conditioner. They are fragrance-free. I use Sebamed cleanser for babies for my bath. I just started using the QV cleanser as they are fragrance-free too. 
5. For my teeth, I use Sensodyne. Yes, at times it burns my mouth. I will then brush will salt for a period of time, and then use Sensodyne again when I am able to tolerate it. At this point of time, I am still searching for a salicylate-free toothpaste. I use the non-waxed floss. It has no mint in it. Mint is very high in salicylates.
6. I use the QV Cream or the Organic Aid Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream to moisturize the arms and hands, neck and legs and feet during the night. 
7. I am still in the midst of researching and reading up on how to make my own home-made toiletries. When I am successful, I will blog about it! Have a great week everyone.

The Creatures in the Container Garden (Part 1)

If you have a garden, you WILL have creatures lurking around, making your garden their home. 'CREATURES?? WHAT CREATURES???' you ask. Well, creatures that are small and unique. Some are pests and are destructive. Some are squishy and chubby! Some add beauty to the garden. Creatures as in insects or bugs! It's a bug's world out there in the garden. And today, I would like to blog about some of the creatures that my son and I had seen or caught.

This is the male dragonfly

This is the female dragonfly

Oleander Hawk Caterpillars

The caterpillar changes from green to light brown (the middle)
and then into dark brown (the outer 2 caterpillars) before turning into pupa

The stage just before pupa

Pupa

The beautiful Oleander Hawk Moth

The moth was trying to fly

The moth with a face! Amazingly beautiful!

This Week's Vegetable Harvest From the Container Garden

The weather has not been good for the vegetables for the past two weeks. It has been raining over here quite frequently as the year is coming to an end. The monsoon season will be here soon. Here's a summary of what is happening in the container garden.

The okras have been doing really great. Just this week alone, I managed to fill up 2 plastic containers with just okras.

The leafy vegetables were doing ok too, I guess. When I harvested them, the soil was quite wet. And the fungus ngats were having a party!

One of the three trays of Siu Pak Choy veges that were harvested.

Vegetable harvest of Siu Pak Choy & Choy Sum.

My broccoli bolted as the weather for the past 4 months were too hot. And broccoli being a cool weather crop did not do well at all in this weather. I was really looking forward to home grown broccoli.

Broccoli sprout

Broccoli seedling

Young broccoli plant

The 2 Pots of Broccoli that never grew florets

The broccoli stems. I harvested the soft ones and threw the 2 bolted plants away. 

 I sliced them thinly

I added thinly sliced carrots and garlic

Lightly stir fried with sunflower oil and voila, a simple vegetable dish!

A short review on what's happening in the garden and what's new.

The chilli which is growing very well.

Chilli Padi!

Spring Onion

Radish sprout

Radishes in a pot!

Do-Re-Mi! Even more cherry tomatoes!

Another Siamese-Twin Tomato!