Owl always love you

I am obsessed with owls. I can’t quite pin point where this has come from but I have felt this way for a while and just can’t get enough of them. I’m always on the lookout for things with owls on them like clothes, jewellery, bags, or any knick knacks that I come across and like. I have a tiny collection of things with owls on them: 1 t shirt, 2 rings, 1 bracelet, 1 necklace, and 1 magnetic bookmark. I hope with all my mite that this collection blossoms and I am able to acquire more things with owls on them.

Owls are very controversial. Some people believe they bring bad luck and some people believe they bring good luck. I just think they are beautiful! I don’t know what it is about them that gets my attention, even when it comes to wildlife shows on TV, I always look for the ones that will show a snippet or two of owls or at school I always suggest that we do owl themed activities!

Bottom line is I love owls and I think I always will. Now when someone wants to buy me a gift they have an idea of what to get! 😉

Out to a wedding

We attended a wedding yesterday and I wore a sari. I love, love, love wearing saris! They are so elegant. I could wear one everyday! The wedding was an afternoon-evening event so I went with this shiny white, purple and black number:

Sorry for the to-the-point post, too tired to function normally!
Thanks for reading…x

Cheating on purple

My favourite colour is purple. There is no question there. If I could dye all of my belongings purple I would do it in a heart beat. And, to my utter delight, radiant orchid was declared colour of the year by Pantone. But, I find myself being attracted to Coral so far this year (don’t worry purple, you’re still my one and only). It is such a cool colour and makes me feel really relaxed when I have it on, you can dress it to be casual for the day and chic for the night, and also, it looks great on me so that’s an added bonus! 😉

Here is an outfit that I absolutely adore because of the coral and the maroon pairing. I know, I know, again with the maroon but how could I not after seeing how well they compliment each other? This outfit is what I wore to a casual work meeting:

Here are some cool images via Google that I found for coral and radiant orchid:

Thank you for reading! x

Food Post: Stir fry

Stir fry has got to be one of my favourite foods. You can literally just throw any veges that you have in the fridge together and they will always taste good. There are loads of different ways to make this meal, here is my way:

Ingredients:
Onions
Cauliflower
Carrots
Sugar snap peas
Corn
Shelled peas

Chicken breast cut up in strips

Noodles boiled and ready to go into the vege-chicken mix

Worcestershire sauce, Soy sauce, Balsamic vinegar, fresh red chilli flakes, crushed garlic, grated ginger, chilli powder, sugar, salt, pepper, zeal.

Method:
Prepare vegetables. By that I mean wash thoroughly, peel what needs to be peeled, chop (I prefer julienne style) and par boil the carrots, sugar snap peas, and cauliflower. (Please, please, please, add any other vegetables you may have or eliminate the ones you don’t have from the list above.)

Prepare the chicken. Marinate the strips in oil, chilli powder, salt, pepper, lemon juice and I had a chilli sauce which I threw in too. Fry and keep aside.

Heat some oil in a big enough pot that will then hold the veges, chicken and noodles. Add some crushed garlic to the oil and bring to the heat slightly. Garlic burns easily and leaves a horrible acrid taste so be sure not to let it brown too much. Add your onions and let them soften, after which start adding your other veges one at a time.
After all the veges have been added, add all the spices and sauces, mix, taste, adjust, and then add the chicken and the noodles.

Serve and enjoy!
Thank you for reading! x

The Golden Temple

The Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, is the holiest place of worship for Sikhs, and is the main attraction in Amritsar and I was lucky enough to go there 2 years ago. Prior to us going there, I didn’t really do any research on the place but had it set in my head that on our trip to India, going there was an absolute must.
It was a bitter cold day, but the thought of going to visit such a well known monument kept me warm. My heart skipped a beat as I entered the holy site. It is hard to describe the feeling that accompanies one’s first steps and gaping glances around this sacred space. I could see the Golden Temple glowing in the middle of the giant pool of water, Amrit Sarovar (nectar tank), which gave clear reflections of the temple. Not even the greyest skies can dim the glow which is emitted from the temple. Some people were praying and gently touching the holy water. The chanting taking place in the temple could be clearly heard and I listened to the soothing harmonium music accompanying it. There was no hustle and bustle anywhere. Just people offering their prayers quietly, walking around Amrit Sarovar, and admiring the Golden Temple’s beauty. Just being there made me feel so special. It is believed that the accumulated karma of lifetimes can be stripped away through a single dip. So, as you walk around the pakarma (white marble sidewalk which surrounds the perimeter) of the space you will see people in designated areas taking their sacred dip. I also quietly offered prayers and touched the holy water for blessings.

I took my time to walk around, until I reached the entrance of Harmandir Sahib. The place is so well organized; regal red carpets are laid, people are standing in an orderly fashion, and entrance and exits are neatly separated. As the queue moved forward the chanting and harmonium music got louder. A strange feeling started to take over me. I cannot describe it exactly but I do remember getting goose bumps all over my arms. The feeling was very powerful. Once inside the temple, I saw a number of devotees who had gathered around the holy Sikh book, the Guru Granth Sahib, and were being led by a priest in the chanting. I just observed and quietly walked around the shrine and said my own prayers. I was probably there for a maximum of 10 minutes, but these minutes left such a lasting impression on me. It was one of the best experiences in my life.

The Harmandir Sahib runs one of the largest free kitchens in the world, serving 100,000 people on average daily. We walked over to the large dining area where rows and rows of steel plates were set out on the floor. I took my spot and was immediately served piping hot food which was a welcome sight on such a cold day. I have to say that the volunteers who were all lending a helping hand were so delightful and doing all their duties with a huge smile on their face and a hymn on their lips, I have never come across such orderliness and cleanliness at any temple.

Leaving the Golden Temple was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. The peace and happiness that you feel whilst there is too difficult to say goodbye to, but we had to. I look forward to going back again, for even 100 visits would be too little.

Perfecting my photography skills: Part 1

I have been blessed to own a Nikon D3200 DSLR camera. I recently took to reading the manual for it (about time really!) and have discovered I do not know a lot of the things that can be done with it. So, I have decided to start a photography series with me taking photos of different things using different settings and the like.

My first series is consisting of a walk in the garden taking pictures of all the flowers we have growing.
Here they are, tell me what you think:

Hope you enjoyed this flower overload!
Thanks for reading…x

Mustard and Maroon

I didn’t ever think much of the colour mustard, it never crossed my mind that having a mustard coloured item of clothing is what is considered a must-have. When I went to Johannesburg last December my sister picked up a mustard top and my initial thought was, “hmmm this is not me” but I went ahead and tried it on and fell in love with the style and comfort level that I experienced in it. My sister was so excited (she was looking for a mustard piece too but alas they didn’t have her size) but she was just excited for me. I wore this top this passed weekend to a low key family dinner at a restaurant which is our most favourite place to eat. I paired it with maroon coloured leggings. When I got the top I was worried I wouldn’t have a lot to mix and match with it. But then I realised it’s so neutral just like black that it goes with anything! I think I am going to have fun with this top styling it in different ways!

Happy Women’s Day!

Blast from the past

I came across this note that I had posted on Facebook back when I was still a teenager and things like ‘notes on Facebook’ interested me. It’s a note where by you put your phones music on shuffle and then answer the questions provided using the song title that appears every time you press the ‘next’ button. I’m posting the results of the questionnaire from then and I also took it again to see what bizarre answers came around the second time!

Back in the day answers:
1. IF SOMEONE ASKS ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Broken Strings – James Morisson feat Nelly Furtado
2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Let it rock – Kevin Rudolf feat Lil Wayne
3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
I wish I was your lover – Enrique Iglesias
4.HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Energy – Keri Hilson
5. WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?
Break your heart – Taio Cruz
6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Dreaming – Onerepublic
7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson
8. WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOU?
I’m like a bird – Nelly Furtado
9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?
Fireflies – Owl City
10. WHAT IS 2+2?
Missing Persons 1&2 – Onerepublic
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BFF?
Zombie – 2008 beats
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BF/GF?
Whatya want from me – Adam Lambert
13. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Stuck in the middle of you – J Sean
14. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
I feel like dying – Lil Wayne
15. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
I know you want me – Pitbull
16. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY OR INTEREST?
Stop and stare – Onerepublic
17. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
My life would suck without you – Glee Cast
18. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Kiss and tell – Justin Bieber
19. WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Bumpy ride – Mohombi
20. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Boom boom pow – Black Eyed Peas
21. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LOVE?
Hotel room service – Pitbull
22. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS?
Bedrock – Young Money feat Lloyd
23. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MARRIAGE?
Dead and gone – T.I feat Justin Timberlake
24. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR EX?
Blah blah – Kesha feat 30H!3
25. WHAT DESCRIBES YOU BEST?
Already gone – Kelly Clarkson
26. FIRST IMPRESSIONS?
Good girl gone bad – Rihanna
27. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUR HATERS IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?
Can you hear me – Enrique Iglesias
28. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
War – J Sean
29. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
No promises – Shane Ward
30. WHAT WILL YOU REPOST THIS AS?
Dirty picture – Taio Cruz feat Kesha

Answers from the present:

1. IF SOMEONE ASKS ARE YOU OKAY? WHAT DO YOU SAY?
Stop and stare – One Republic
2. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Show goes on – Lupe Fiasco
3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Sexy and I know it – LMFAO
4.HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Love you like a song – Selena Gomez
5. WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?
Hold your love – Gyptian
6. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Cheers (drink to that) – Rihanna
7. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Real Love – Massari
8. WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK OF YOU?
Relax, take it easy – Mika
9. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT OFTEN?
Give me everything – Pitbull
10. WHAT IS 2+2?
In your bed – Mohombi
11. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BFF?
Impossible – Shontelle
12. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BF/GF?
I wish it would rain down – Phil Collins
13. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Paradise – Cold Play
14. WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Say (All I need) – One Republic
15. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Please don’t go – Mike Posner
16. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY OR INTEREST?
Titanium – David Guetta feat Sia
17. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
My name – McLean
18. WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Bumpy ride – Mohombi
19. WHAT DO YOU WANT RIGHT NOW?
Apologize – One Republic
20. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Let’s go to the mall – Robin Sparkles
21. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LOVE?
The bad touch – Bloodhound Gang
22. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS?
Come fly away – Benny Benassi feat Channing
23. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT MARRIAGE?
Club can’t handle me right now – Florida feat David Guetta
24. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR EX?
Letting Go –Lupe Fiasco
25. WHAT DESCRIBES YOU BEST?
Gyal Wuk – Machel Montano
26. FIRST IMPRESSIONS?
Say Aah – Trey Songz
27. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO YOUR HATERS IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?
Echo – Gorilla Zoe
28. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
High – Lighthouse Family
29. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Set fire to the rain – Adele
30. WHAT WILL YOU REPOST THIS AS?
Somewhere only we know – Keane

The outfit that I wore below is what I wore to a family braai(barbeque for the posh lot) this past Sunday. I am sporting my most prized possession in my closet right now: a Daniel Hechter top! Also I was dying to debut my gorgeous owl necklace from my sister which was a gift for my birthday. It goes really well with the top for a casual day look.

Thank you for reading! x

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