Sunbird Spectacle Part Three

This has been a difficult shot to take without those 'paparazzi' lens cos any abrupt movement sends mommy sunbird flying away. So here it is - mommy sunbird nesting [caught with an iphone]

A new birth should happen anytime soon:)

A Blessed New Year Again - The Chinese Way

Butterless Scones - Another Keeper Recipe

Since returning from London, I have been thinking of those yummy scones at Harrods and Bea at Bloomsbury. But I knew those were not the best tea time desserts as they were filled with butter in the recipe and only taste nice with a gd dollop of clotted cream. It was another intense surfing till I found a recipe. This is a keeper - the simplest recipe without the hassle of much mess n healthy to boot. While family is resting and talking at dinner table, this is easily whipped up in less than 10 mins prep and into oven. Another 12 mins in the oven and we have a dozen scones. We now have a ready stash of these scones in our fridge most of the time:)

Butterless Scones [adapted from recipefinder.msn.co.nz]

2 cups organic self raising flour

1 cup low fat milk /skim milk 

1/4 cup low fat yoghurt [I get those with berries in them for the natural flavors]

1/4 grapeseed oil

3 tsp organic cane sugar

1/4 cup of dried fruits [cranberries, blueberries etc]

These taste especially good with rose petal jam and makes me feel better when I spread a layer of butter on it:) 

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (220°C fan–forced). Lightly grease and flour a baking tray. Sift flour and ¼ teaspoon salt into a medium bowl and make a well in centre. Lightly whisk milk, yogurt and oil together in a small jug. Add to flour, stirring quickly with a round-bladed knife.

2. Drop heaped tablespoons of dough onto prepared tray, 3cm apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until risen and golden. Serve warm with jam.

Sunbird Spectacle Part Two

The nest is completed. A very tight , compact and well built home. And we spotted an egg. It wasn't easy to see as the egg was quite deep in and the opening is small. There maybe more eggs unknown to us. We will only know when the eggs hatch. Fascinating. 

Notice feathers that lined the inside of the nest

The completed nest

Decked out for the Chinese New Year

I just love decorating the home. And the new festive season gave me a wonderful excuse. I was so wowed as I saw how stores were filled with 'honeysuckle' [Pantone color of 2011] colored accessories. Just couldn't resist buying back honeysuckle colored flowers and cushions to match my turquoise furniture. And I think I just maybe able to squeeze a bowl of tangerine [Pantone color of 2012]  to complete the picture.

The sight of these colors made the kids real excited as they know that they are going to be expecting family and friends again at their home. [Look out for this space for a complete oriental family portrait, if we do eventually get down to it]

Gong Xi Fai Cai!

Sunbird Spectacle

Who would have ever guess that a sunbird would survey our side garden and decide that a hammock ring was where it was going to build a home and start its family?

Initially, it looked as if a ball of dried grass and twigs was caught in our hammock due to the gusty winds. But over the days, the ball of dried grass was systematically and diligently transformed to a clearly visible shape and it was the home of two sunbirds and more sunbirds to come.

Jan, the nature lover was more excited at the sight than I was. Haha. The sunbird would faithfully pick at Jan's bamboo garden to build its nest in our garden. And I learnt for the first time, that it is spiderweb and caterpillar excreta that holds the dried grass together for its nest. Fascinating stuff for a city-bred frog like me.

My kids were momentarily fascinated but easily distracted with friends and other fun. But we decided to enforce silent observation to train and build their muscles of disciplined observation and enquiry. The sunbird nest serves as an excellent point of concentration.

To anyone who wants to marvel at God's creation, pop over to our place. Don't forget to bring tea and desserts.

Reflecting on year 2011 - Part Two: Daniel

Unknown to many in the beginning of the year, we (or more accurately Dan) were about to embark on our next brave move. I will dedicate this entry to my husband, whom I will say unabashedly is really a special and gifted man [in all areas] and a very intelligent one too.

Because of my illness in 2008, our family's plans to head to UK for two years were permanently diverted. The move to UK was primarily to obtain first hand experience of how Radiation Oncology is practiced in UK so that the examinations can be taken and passed before moving onto the next stage in his work.

At the end of year 2010 and the start of year 2011, Daniel decided to go for it. To take this examination, in spite of not having lived in UK for two years and not having been familiarized with the UK medical scene or their practices. This is a brave and unprecedented move [unknown to his colleagues] and one that I think I could only imagine but not fully comprehend. Going for the examinations meant that he now had to plan his days and leave, to appropriately allocate his time between our big move as well as his studies and his examinations. It was a stressful period of time as he was concerned that the kids and I would settle comfortably and safely into our new place before he buried himself in his studies and flew off to UK for his examinations alone.

During this period of time, I learnt more about my husband than I ever did and I learnt how to learn through his example. With time ticking furiously on his side, he never was once tempted to rush headlong into his books. He never let time pressure him into meaningless activity. That is one thing I am completely susceptible to and I am still learning how to resist unnecessary timelines or obligations.

He found time to step back to understand the British and how they work - for they were his examiners. Listening to him as he sounded out his thoughts about the British system is fascinating because I think Dan is an expert in human behavior. Or I figure, all it is, is that Dan is genuinely interested in knowing a person and how the person thinks instead of telling people what he thinks. That is another thing I need to learn from him.

In the midst of understanding the British system, he devoted a significant portion of his time looking for relevant materials to study rather than the actual studying itself. At Dan's stage of is practice, no longer is information found in a single comprehensible textbook for one to memorize and regurgitate as information of illnesses and its treatment is dynamic and still evolving. So he was searching and googling and downloading materials for a large part of the time. Only when that was completed, he dived into his materials. We are also thankful that good friends rendered help too.

All this time, he was negotiating his many responsibilities as a husband, a father and with his other commitments. And he was always so aware of God in his life. Before he left for UK, he told me that this is a close to impossible feat for any individual but he was going to try all the same. Both of us knew that while all the preparations have been made, passing the examinations remained a remote possibility. We were undoubtedly very daunted but very hopeful - in the Lord. 

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Till today, I still remember the scene when his results were revealed. As usual, Sarah and Sammy were oblivious to the happenings going on except for the fact that they were missing their daddy very much. They were swinging at an outdoor playground as the sun was setting and I was trying desperately to find out his results without an internet connection. When I finally got through to Daniel and knew that he passed, it was a moment to remember. With the kids playing in gay abandon in the background, a wave of emotions came over me - Of unbelief, of astonishment, of thankfulness and gratefulness. As we learnt a couple of months later with the examiner's report, it was truly a near impossible feat as only two non UK trained Asian doctors passed.

This brought me back to the time when we were trying to know for sure if we needed to go ahead with chemo before I delivered or do it after I have delivered. And when we felt like God was so silent and far away, he sent us a beautiful aerial display of sparrows right before our eyes one morning. Those birds swopping left and right and over and down in front of our eyes was just like God telling us through his nature, "I am here and I am with you".The news of Daniel's passing the examination was God's great comfort to us and it was as if he told us yet again, "I am here and I am with you." It was one of those moments again.

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In 2011, I learnt more about God's grace and more about the man whom I married. 

My Fave Christmas Family Shot

Reflecting on year 2011 - Part One

There have been so much thoughts and reflections for the past year - Reflections about my life, our lives and the children's lives, our pursuits, our challenges and I must say, the Europe trip has brought much reflections too. Interaction with people brought much thoughts too - as words are exchanged, so are individual's philosophies. And they are indeed food for thought . And amidst of it all, we have again been made so aware of God's hand in our lives. 

A timely check on 29 Dec - CA125    8.2 

We praise and thank God for granting life and health. 

The start of year 2011 was embraced with 'bravery'. In the months of Jan and Feb 2011, Dan and I knew that we would be taking bold steps - steps less trodden by our family and friends. [Sometimes I do secretly wish we had revolutionary, brave and trusted friends who went ahead of us so we could follow, but....] Few knew but it felt overwhelming at times as we carried the full risks of our decisions and the full weight of responsibility of it. But it was something we wanted to do and we knew we had to do.

The first was moving to our new place. Few were encouraging but largely most were skeptical. The latter group has since trained me focus my energies on building my life rather than appeasing obligations. That has been one of the greatest mental trainings for me in 2011 and it is truly liberating!

I was kept real busy in the beginning of year 2011 sorting out our furniture, old and new and trying to clear our impossibly filled house. Arranging for movers and trying to sort out renovation at the same time. I can't believe that it has almost been a year since we moved across the straits. Phew...amazing! It has been nothing short of challenging but it has been nothing short of fulfilling. I think it was one of the best moves we had done. For myself, I could no longer hide behind the artificially inflated safety net that Singapore provides but to realistically confront life and its challenges. Nothing to boast here as much of the challenges I faced were things that I should  have sorted out when I was much younger but didn't have the opportunity to, nor had the zest to do. For one, I have gone from being a non-cook to being one who is able to whip up a meal in double quick time [and not just any meal but healthy meals:)]. Moving across the straits has also sharpened my mind to know that we are responsible for our own safety and we provide the necessary safety net for our family - not the government.

Our home has since happily hosts many families and we are thankful for many opportunities for love and kindship. [Friends during Dec Hols]