Sophies Choice-HRH. Countess of Wessex

The introduction of Sophie Rhys Jones into the rather claustrophobic world of the Royal family may be the fresh air they need.

Sophie seems to have the common sense lacking in the previous Duchess of York and is not consumed by the vulnerabilities of the late Princess of Wales.

She also seems to have struck just the right chord with her rather austere mother in Law, Her Majesty the Queen, and also won the admiration of her caustic Father in Law the Duke of Edinburgh, quite an achievement for the girl from Brenchley.

One also has to admire Sophie's courage in her longing for a family even if it puts her own health at risk, which was the case with two of her pregnancies. One pregnancy unfortunately for both Sophie and Edward was an ecoptic pregnancy and the other nearly cost Sophie her life! Though all ended well with the birth of their beloved daughter, Lady Louise Mountbatten Windsor.

It seems out of the three Windsor men, it is Edward's marriage that may succeed where both Charles and Andrew failed. This is due to Sophie’s common sense factor and her willingness to embrace the Royal lifestyle without needing to be the centre of attention.

The Countess of Wessex is also not overly concerned with her image, though she dresses well, she also will not allow herself to be a slave to fashion. Sophie also hasn’t fallen into the 'perfect figure syndrome' that helped make both the Duchess of York and the Princess of Wales, so unhappy and open to neurosis.

Sophie seems to have the confidence that her former sister in laws lacked and that is probably due to her husbands love and acceptance of her as a unique woman who is essential to his happiness. Prince Edward may have learned some valuable lessons from his brother’s disastrous marriages and that of his sister Anne, in that he supports Sophie in all she does and the same goes for Sophie who supports Edward in his enterprises.

They seem to be a couple who are happy in their domestic arrangements and their daughter is the centre of their lives as they live out the domestic bliss that Charles and Andrew missed out on.

Unlike the failed marriage of Charles, Andrew and Anne, it seems Sophie and Edward are traveling the same path, and in the right direction.

Let us hope that all continues to go well for the future life of Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex.

Touched by An Angel

We, unaccustomed to courage

exiles from delight

live coiled in shells of loneliness

until love leaves its high holy temple

and comes into our sight

to liberate us into life.

Love arrives

and in its train come ecstasies

old memories of pleasure

ancient histories of pain.

Yet if we are bold,

love strikes away the chains of fear

from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity

In the flush of love's light

we dare be brave

And suddenly we see

that love costs all we are

and will ever be.

Yet it is only love

which sets us free.

Maya Angelou

Art by Akiane

Found this video presentation of Akiane's artwork. Enjoy!

Akiane - Child Artist

Akiane Kramarik is a young prodigy from Sandpoint, Idaho, who has been drawing and painting lifelike artwork since she was 4.

Mother's Love

On My Knees

To see more of Akiane's paintings click here.

The Haunting Diary of Rutka Laskier

The diary of a 14-year-old Jewish girl dubbed the "Polish Anne Frank" was unveiled on Monday, chronicling the horrors she witnessed in a Jewish ghetto — at one point watching a Nazi soldier tear a Jewish baby away from his mother and kill him with his bare hands.

The diary, written by Rutka Laskier in 1943 shortly before she was deported to Auschwitz, was released by Israel's Holocaust museum more than 60 years after she recorded what is both a daily account of the horrors of the Holocaust in Bedzin, Poland and a memoir of the life of a teenager in extraordinary circumstances.

"The rope around us is getting tighter and tighter," the teenager wrote in 1943, shortly before she was deported to Auschwitz. "I'm turning into an animal waiting to die."

Within a few months Rutka was dead and, it seemed, her diary lost. But last year, a Polish friend who had saved the notebook finally came forth, exposing a riveting historical document.

Rutka's Notebook . The 60-page memoir includes innocent adolescent banter, concerns and first loves — combined with a cold analysis of the fate of European Jewry.

"I simply can't believe that one day I will be allowed to leave this house without the yellow star. Or even that this war will end one day. If this happens I will probably lose my mind from joy," she wrote on Feb. 5, 1943.

"The little faith I used to have has been completely shattered. If God existed, He would have certainly not permitted that human beings be thrown alive into furnaces, and the heads of little toddlers be smashed with gun butts or shoved into sacks and gassed to death."

Reports of the gassing of Jews, which were not common knowledge in the West by then, apparently had filtered into the Bedzin ghetto, which was near Auschwitz, Yad Vashem experts said.

The following day she opened her entry with a heated description of her hatred toward her Nazi tormentors. But then, in an effortless transition, she described her crush on a boy named Janek and the anticipation of a first kiss.

"I think my womanhood has awoken in me. That means, yesterday when I was taking a bath and the water stroked my body, I longed for someone's hands to stroke me," she wrote. "I didn't know what it was, I have never had such sensations until now."

Later that day, she shifted back to her harsh reality, describing how she watched as a Nazi soldier tore a Jewish baby away from his mother and killed him with his bare hands.

The diary chronicles Rutka's life from January to April 1943. She shared it with her friend Stanislawa Sapinska, who she met after Rutka's family moved into a home owned by Sapinska's family, which had been confiscated by the Nazis to be included in the Bedzin ghetto. Sapinska came to inspect the house and the girls — one Jewish, one Christian — formed a deep bond.

When Rutka feared she would not survive, she told her friend about the diary. Sapinska offered to hide it in the basement under the floorboards. After the war, she returned to reclaim it.

"She wanted me to save the diary," Sapinska, now in her 80s, recalled Monday. "She said 'I don't know if I will survive, but I want the diary to live on, so that everyone will know what happened to the Jews.'"

In 1943, Rutka was the same age as Anne Frank, the Dutch teenager whose Holocaust diary has become one of the most widely read books in the world. Yad Vashem said Rutka's newly discovered diary was authenticated by experts and Holocaust survivors.

Rutka's father, Yaakov, was the family's only survivor. He died in 1986. But unlike Anne Frank's father, he kept his painful past inside. After the war, he moved to Israel, where he started a new family. His Israeli daughter, Zahava Sherz, said her father never spoke of his other children, and the diary introduced her to the long-lost family she never knew.

"I was struck by this deep connection to Rutka," said Sherz, 57. "I was an only child, and now I suddenly have an older sister. This black hole was suddenly filled, and I immediately fell in love with her."

"I have a feeling that I am writing for the last time,There is an Aktion [a Nazi arrest operation] in town. I'm not allowed to go out and I'm going crazy, imprisoned in my own house. For a few days, something's in the air. The town is breathlessly waiting in anticipation, and this anticipation is the worst of all. I wish it would end already! This torment; this is hell." Rutka wrote on Feb. 20, 1943, as Nazi soldiers began gathering Jews outside her home for deportation.

"I wish it would end already! This torment; this is hell. I try to escape from these thoughts of the next day, but they keep haunting me like nagging flies. If only I could say, it's over, you only die once ... but I can't, because despite all these atrocities, I want to live, and wait for the following day.That means waiting for Auschwitz or labour camp. I must not think about this so now I'll start writing about private matters."However, Rutka would write again. Her last entry was dated April 24, 1943, and her last written words were: "I'm very bored. The entire day I'm walking around the room. I have nothing to do."

In August, she and her family were sent to Auschwitz, where she is believed to have been killed upon arrival.

As I Walked Out One Evening

As I walked out one evening,

Walking down Bristol Street,

The crowds upon the pavement

Were fields of harvest wheat.

And down by the brimming river

I heard a lover sing

Under an arch of the railway:

“Love has no ending.

“I’ll love you, dear, I’ll love you

Till China and Africa meet,

And the river jumps over the mountain

And the salmon sing in the street,

“I’ll love you till the ocean

Is folded and hung up to dry

And the seven stars go squawking

Like geese about the sky.

“The years shall run like rabbits,

For in my arms I hold

The Flower of the Ages,

And the first love of the world.”

But all the clocks in the city

Began to whirr and chime:

“O let not Time deceive you,

You cannot conquer Time.

“In the burrows of the Nightmare

Where Justice naked is,

Time watches from the shadow

And coughs when you would kiss.

“In headaches and in worry

Vaguely life leaks away,

And Time will have his fancy

To-morrow or to-day.

“Into many a green valley

Drifts the appalling snow;

Time breaks the threaded dances

And the diver’s brilliant bow.

“O plunge your hands in water,

Plunge them in up to the wrist;

Stare, stare in the basin

And wonder what you’ve missed.

“The glacier knocks in the cupboard,

The desert sighs in the bed,

And the crack in the tea-cup opens

A lane to the land of the dead.

“Where the beggars raffle the banknotes

And the Giant is enchanting to Jack,

And the Lily-white Boy is a Roarer,

And Jill goes down on her back.

“O look, look in the mirror?

O look in your distress:

Life remains a blessing

Although you cannot bless.

“O stand, stand at the window

As the tears scald and start;

You shall love your crooked neighbour

With your crooked heart.”

It was late, late in the evening,

The lovers they were gone;

The clocks had ceased their chiming,

and the deep river ran on.

W.H. Auden

Idols or God? 2 Women 2 Choices

Princess Diana was one of the most famous people of the twentieth century, and sadly one of the saddest. Her search to bring some meaning to her life in order for herself to feel validated was at times tragic, this is a case in point of choosing false idols in the vain hope of attaining happiness.

We all know that the princess had numerous affairs, should we judge her for this? No, she simply like most of us wanted to be loved for herself. She probably also felt an emptiness within her heart and soul, it is on record how many psychics and health gurus this poor lady relied upon. And I am sure she searched with sincerity to find the one thing that would make her happy and at peace, princess Diana simply chose the `false idols' of the world which so many magazines propagate, she chose the wrong path.

Even though Diana chose badly she still tried her best to spread happiness to all those she met, but the emptiness within herself never dissipated. Diana had the worlds adulation, she had beauty and spent many millions on maintaining that beauty, she also paid a fortune to self help gurus and psychics. All this money spent on `outside' superficialities and none invested where it mattered within her soul. God does not charge for His Love. This lovely Princess had all the things that the world says will bring great happiness, yet, she remained lost and lonely, I pray now that she has finally found the love and acceptance with our Lord in Heaven that she could not find here on earth.

Mother theresa was born in a small village in Yugoslavia, in allreasoning this lady should have lived in obscurity, she was not stunningly beautiful, she had no wealth, no power, no title.

Then she entered her religious order and was sent to Ireland where she still remained in relative obscurity, from there she was sent to India as a teaching Sister.

Then she heard the `call within the call' and after prayer, she consulted her superiors, then waited for their answer, she eventually gained permission to leave this order and start her own. Many thought her mad, some thought her prideful, but this sister maintained her focus on Jesus and Him Crucified, her order 'The Sisters of Charity' is now world famous.

Yes! This lady also had the love and respect of almost all people, but she did not choose to be of the world even though she remained very definitely in the world. Mother Theresa chose the right path and kept her focus on God, and trusted in Him, even If at times her very life was threatened.

Mother Theresa also recognised the false idols of this world, and tried to raise the awareness of those who suffered the most from the worlds obsession with itself. Mother Theresa spoke about the most dreaded disease prevalent, to be unloved, unneeded and unwanted. There is nothing in the world that will give what the heart yearns for, she understood, that only God can ease that longing, the thirst and the yearning to be truly Loved.

Two great and famous ladies of the twentieth century. God Loved both equally. One lady lived her life never recognising the `false idols'. The other lady lived her life, recognised it and chose God.

Faces of Modern Day Saints

So inspiring!

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

Lord Byron

Idols Or God?

I think I can say with a degree of accuracy that many of us long fora deeper relationship, even a yearning to love and grasp that which is beyond our `knowing', and that is God.

We fight and struggle so much too come close to the God whom we love, but I wonder if we are fighting the `wrong' fight and using the wrong tools, and more often than not we are left in deep frustration, and a sense of failure.

Perhaps things would be clearer if we could understand that which we battle, for the war was and always will be within ourselves. To seek to love God with all our heart, mind and soul, without recognising the need to let go of the `false idols' that distract us and draw us away from our ultimate goal. Do we recognise these idols?

There are many `idols' which seek to divert or even seduce us away from that which we seek with all our hearts. What are these idols? Only the individual can answer that, these idols can be so subtle that we may fail to even acknowledge let alone perceive them for what they are. So we settle for the lesser gods rather than continue on the arduous journey of discovering `self' and then letting ` the self' go.

We settle for the comfortable, the ordinary and to be asone with everyone. When we do this we fail to realise by becoming as everyone we lose ourselves and substitute a god for God. This will not only lead us away from God, but into dysfunction and disordered love, where we place our security on the opinions of others, and make the impossible demand to be loved exclusively, we then become a burden to ourselves and to others. By placing this 'god' above God, we easily become disappointed , discontented and enslaved, in a failure to identify the false `idol' of becoming as everyone.

There are also times in our journey where we face antagonism from others, and focus our attention on self, and allow our feelings to rule, instead of being in control of our feelings, they become a 'god', and we feed this god by embarking on a journey of `proving'ourselves to whom?

Another `idol' is to believe we have already arrived, and we `know' God and have received all we need, we then become seekers no more, but settle for ones limited intellect, the self has become 'god'.

These `idols' are in everything where we have placed THE greatest importance, within our own merit, albiet: knowledge, material comfort, popularity, achievements, self EGO, power, prestige, dominance and the most seductive the need to control.

Even our prayers can be a god, when the need to be 'seen' as `holy' substitutes for the reality of one's need of God's Grace which is needed so as to become Holy. In order to allow God to penetrate into our souls we must first recognise our own sins and acknowledge that we too have failed God. God cannot fill a vessel that is 'perceived' as full by the soul that relies on it's own distorted 'intuition'.

Religiosity can also become a 'god', when we rely on rituals and thelaw of the Church rather than seeking a relationship with God. All these false gods encourage a false self and a person becomes that which it loves.

In recognising these substitute gods, we then begin the journey of reorientation we are then liberated from these attatchments. It isnot the world that is the problem, but in how we relate to the world, it is a shift in perspectives.

Jesus did not sequester Himself away during His Mission, He was in the world but not of the world, our Lord kept His heart focussed on God the Father. So as in Jesus we are not being called to `cast' aside the world nor abandon the world, God created us to live in the world but not be of the world. In order to be fulfilled in our yearning of God who is Love, we need to identify what is motivating us? Do we seek a 'god', or do we seek God?

The God who transforms, heals, liberates and enlivens us. Or do we wish to remain `comfortable'? Are we seeking what we want or do we ask ourselves, what does God want?

The Rose

The lily has a smooth stalk,

Will never hurt your hand;

But the rose upon her brier

Is lady of the land.

There's sweetness in an apple tree,

And profit in the corn;

But lady of all beauty

Is a rose upon a thorn.

When with moss and honey

She tips her bending brier,

And half unfolds her glowing heart,

She sets the world on fire.

Christina Rossetti

Musical Magic- East Meets West

Sting a native of England and Algerian raï singer Cheb Mami
create musical magic when these two styles of music fuse.
Pure and timeless musical magic!!!

Mouth-watering Indian Sweets

Indian desserts are very tempting and mouth watering. Sweets are made for every occassion, weddings, births, festivals- no meal is complete without a sweet delight.


These balls are known as Gulab Jamun. Made from milk and flour, these balls are fried in ghee and served with a syrup flavoured with cardamon seeds and saffron.


There are many different kinds of Barfi . You can add just about anything to flavour them including vegetables! Chocolate and coconut being my personal favs.


This is coconut candy, all pretty in pink. These candies are usually made from evaporated milk, condensed milk and freshly grated coconut. You can add different colourings and flavourings when making your own at home. Usually they make pink, green, plain vanilla or chocolate ones.


These powdery light brown balls are known as Ghee Balls. It's usually made from finely grinded roasted cashewnuts, flour, ghee and sugar. Pop one ball into your mouth for that melt in the mouth sensation.

Paintings by Raja Ravi Varma

These are some absolutely beautiful paintings by Raja Ravi Varma.
Young Village Girl



Lady Carrying Fruits




There Comes Papa




Lady Playing Veena



Shakuntala

Glen Miller- In the mood

Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician and bandleader in the swing era. An all time favorite of mine!!!......Just smashing!!!

Paintings by David Ian Smith

These are a couple of my favourite David Ian Smith pieces. They are so realistic that it's like you have been given a front row seat to what is being painted, it's as if you are there.





Spanish Steps




R. Tay Kinclave




Chair and hat



Bahamas with two boats

Hope

Hope is like a harebell trembling from its birth,

Love is like a rose the joy of all the earth;

Faith is like a lily lifted high and white,

Love is like a lovely rose the world's delight;

Harebells and sweet lilies show a thornless growth,

But the rose with all its thorns excels them both.

Christina Rossetti