{Poinsettia as Tree in Indonesia}

THANK you all for the many Birthday wishes; here and on FB!



Most of my readers do know that we have worked and lived on the island of Java, Indonesia. In that tropical setting you find many exotic plants, shrubs and trees. Also you find there the Poinsettia Tree!

They really do become as tall as a tree and bloom year round of course. Our Poinsettia plant is only rewarding us with some blooms around Christmas. Many of you for sure have tried to keep such a plant alive but it is hard to do so... On January 18, ours looked still great and even today, it still is alive but has lost some leaves already because it is not happy in the dry conditions of winter inside our home.

Of course, those are the cultivated species and they look beautiful!

Did you know they were like trees in tropical areas?

Do you still have yours from Christmas...?

Related links:
{December 12th is Poinsettia Day} | previous post by me
{Today I turned 17!} previous post by me showing you white and red Poinsettia
{Our Pinckneya Pubens - Poinsettia Tree} previous post by me about our Poinsettia Tree in our garden.
{History of the Poinsettia} previous post by me
America's First Poinsettia: The Introduction at Bartram’s Garden  published on Poinsettia Day, 2011!
Joell Roberts Poinsett 1759 - 1851 Info
Joell Roberts Poinsett Info History

{Angels Birthdates & Fortunes}

All of us know that there are often ANGELS among us, they can be two- or four-legged.

They know when we need them MOST...

This gorgeous 'Fashionista' bouquet got delivered while I was in the hospital for major surgery on October 7. Dear friend Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista proved to be one of those Angels among us. Thanks again dear! Flowers do always pick us up in a special way...

This photo is made by Pieter at 3:50 AM when I just was one day out of the hospital and look...

Cat Nurse Barty is nursing me back to health... Barty is almost 10, on March 17 we celebrate his would be birthday; guessing from the Humane Society's adoption papers.

What a difference a down duvet bed makes compared to a hospital bed!

Love my Yves Delorme US cotton duvet cover with roses woven into it...

Drinking lots of water and using on and off my Spirometer (to the left of Barty).

This is the 2nd time Barty did care for me in a very special and soft way. When I got home from the hospital in January of 2010, after being almost completely paralyzed, Barty was there with me as a Cat Nurse...

When husband Pieter delivered a kidney stone some 13 years ago, our than feline girl Spooky sat next to him, keeping him comfort while pressing herself against him. They sense that their human is in great pain.

Guess that animals have a very special 6th sense and they can read our body language far better than humans can.

Barty knew that I had not been taking pain medication the entire time; due to my chronic kidney disease.

Sure it does help for getting human love and pet love. Such flowers do send a very strong message.

Like these gorgeous sunflowers that came from our Church Women.

Very sweet and they sure do help you mend...

Time heals and time also is passing very fast. Birthdays hit us at a much faster pace than it used to be!

Does any of you have the same problem?

But there is so much to be grateful for; for being healthy, for having a loving husband and loving pets.

For having numerous friends that lovingly bridge the gap between the ocean for being far away from family.

It is said about my Birthday that I have this Fortune:

Feb.6 ----You have a keen sense of humor, are witty, fond of fun, economical and prudent. You are inclined toward sensitivity which worries and annoys you. You should practice poise. You are demonstrative and loving, and should have a very happy marriage.

Husband Pieter's:

April.29 ----You live within yourself. Rather than make any of those you love unhappy, you keep your troubles and worries to yourself. You have determination of purpose and always do what you plan.

Pieter sure does what he plans!

Related links:

{Our Felines - Sweet Barty...} | previous post by me
{Our Felines - Sweet Spooky I...} | previous post by me

{CHIA for Iron Boost and Good for Blood Sugar Level}

Are you already aware of the great benefits of using CHIA seeds in your daily diet? Use CHIA for Iron Boost and it is also Good for Blood Sugar Level. That are two big reasons for me to embrace these powerful seeds! Being Diabetes type 2 and also having had on and off bouts of anemia, sure made CHIA a permanent item in our kitchen! Are you using it too?

CHIA seeds can be used in a number of ways. Here I added it to some cole slaw, together with dried cranberries and a dressing of Trader Joe's reduced fat mayonaise with some brown rice vinegar and CHIA Seeds. You can find below post a link from previous post with photos of this mayonaise.

Daily we both add CHIA Seeds to our Trader Joe's 0% Greek Yogurt with some fresh fruits. Chia seeds work gelatinous so keep that in mind when adding to certain dishes. Best is to do it right before being served.

So again, I did reveal another Secret for my size and weight...

For USA, Canada and Mexico citizens you can find CHIA SEEDS from Carrington Farms  at Costco Wholesale 

More you can read about Carrington Farms below my post.

Healthy Foods for a Healthy Soul

This sure belongs in the group of Antioxidant Super Foods!

CHIA SEEDS The Costco Connection, July 2013 (click link for Pdf format)

Combat Diabetes

Get More Fibre

Stock Up On Omega-3

Stronger Teeth And Bones

Don't Forget Manganese

Plenty Of Phosphorus

Pack In The Protein

Fight Belly Fat

Get Full. Faster.

Improve Heart Health

Chia Seed Benefits: 10 Reasons To Add Chia To Your Diet (link from above 10)

So are you using CHIA already?

Related links:
{Healthy & Quick Vegetarian Supper} | previous post by me showing Trader Joe's Reduced Fat Mayonaise

Carrington Farms Healthy Foods for a Healthy Soul | FB Fan Page
11 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds - Eco Watch info about Chia Seeds

{World Leprosy Day}

French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau, initiated World Leprosy Day in 1954. It is being observed around the world on the last Sunday of January, or the nearest Sunday. This year that results in Sunday, February 2 for 2014 as it is the nearest Sunday. On December 20, I did write a post about both of us visiting the very same Leprosy Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia where Princess Diana visited in 1989. You find that link below this post for those that missed it.

At the Amsterdam taxfree airport shop, Pieter bought me this long necklace of Majorica crema rosa pearls and in Singapore the matching Christian Dior pearl earrings.

Wearing the necklace here double.

This is me, back in 1997 in the Jakarta, Indonesia Leprosy hospital with a male patient.

Look at his disfigured hands... and skinny arms!

We both have been passionately involved in this Leprosy Project.

Indonesia belongs to the 3 billion people on this earth that have people that make less than US $ 2.00 per day. How would a leprosy patient who is also an outcast, make enough money to afford any surgery?

Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs - Updated 2010 BEST video to show you this reality!

As if two affected hands would not be enough... look at his foot!

Showing you that due to this infection, the entire leg becomes swollen.

This man's feet are also affected... They are not able to wear shoes with such severely disfigured feet and thus they are even more prone to infection and open wounds.

November 20, 1999, I am holding here the hand of a poor man who lost already one hand and half of the other one... Seen is only his thumb and his palm; fingers are gone! Just imagine having to live like that!

People in the Western world complain about poverty but that is a far cry from those 3 billion, making LESS than US $ 2.00 a day. They cannot afford anything. 

Because Leprosy still has this Stigma about it, people that have the initial signs of this dreaded disease from biblical times, hide...

This young woman is lucky for having come to the hospital with her skin rash that is the beginning of Leprosy. Usually those untreated, loose their nose and part of their face and turn blind as well.

above text is from the Dutch Leprastichting. 

Sure, from the comments I received, there might be the need for providing some figures about annual new cases of leprosy world wide. In 1997 that was 600,000 annual and in 2010 less than 250,000 but keep in mind the millions that became disfigured because of leprosy!

The Dutch Leprastichting (Leprosy foundation) link also tells us about the human rights issues for ex leprosy and leprosy sufferers.

Did you know that the Leprosy foundation in The Netherlands receives money from De Nationale Postcode Loterij (The National Zipcode Lottery) and since 1996 they received 19.5 million Euro for the Leprastichting.

Wikipedia about Leprosy for above info, just scroll down.

The worldwide ILEP Federation is another help program.

Let us not turn away from those pour souls and educate others to tackle the harsh Leprosy Stigma and Ostracism!

Related links:
{Like Princess Diana, I also Tried to Tackle the Leprosy Stigma} | previous post by me
Why is it hard to eradicate leprosy? | article in The Economist November 11th, 2013
{My 6 Min Presentation The Truth About Leprosy for GPDLI, AtAmerica U.S. EMBASSY JAKARTA} | post by me with video + Pdf transcript link
{My 8th Blog Award - Sunshine from Japan} | previous post by me mentioning our fight for the underdog 
{We saw FOUR Armadillos at Lunch Time!} | Humans can acquire a leprosy infection from armadillos by handling them or consuming armadillo meat, and are a presumed vector and natural reservoir for the disease in Texas and Louisiana - previous post by me

{RARE Icicles in Our Garden}

For Central Georgia it is quite rare to see Icicles but today, January 29, we did have lots of them. Our trees were hanging down under the heavy weight. So please come with me on a tour to see the Icicles in Our Garden...

This photo is showing our iced gazebo roof through the icicles that hang from our Drake Elm - Ulmus parvifolia.

To the left you see the Rose Stepping Stones...

Two new Rose Stepping Stones in weathered bronze are still waiting to be placed. 

The table and chairs in front of our Rose Suite, on the little patio, are covered with ice as well...

The fronds of our Palm Tree are full of ice too.

Icicles hanging down from our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold'

Our Fragrant Magnolia Grandiflora 'Namnetensis Flore Pleno' with iced leaves...

Icicles on our Castanopsis cuspidata--Japanese Chinquapin

Our Cedrus Deodara or Cedar Rose Tree with big frozen teardrops hanging down on it.

Buds of our Our Japanese Somei Yoshino Cherry with icicles hanging down...

Our Sky Pencils - Ilex crenata Japanese holly with ice on the red polished beach pebbles...

Closeup of the red polished beach pebbles on ice on top of an Eco Friendly Tree Ring from recycled rubber.

So much for the 2014 Ice Storm in the South...

Stay warm and safe wherever you are!

Related link:

{Our Garden White & Icy Today as Snowstorm Slams South} | previous post by me from 2011

Related links where this stunning Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold, can be seen:
Wow...I think this deserves a thread! Golden live oak! | GardenWeb discussion...
{Lush Green Garden} |previous post by me
{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me
{Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' in Sunshine at its BEST} | previous post by me
{Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' with Catkins} | Previous post by me
{Our Mrs. G. G. GERBING Azaleas} | previous post by me
{Our Patio Tiles in the Front} | previous post by me
{Energy Efficient GREEN Roofing Arrived} | previous post by me
{My Powder Blue Escada Jeans Suit} | previous post by me showing me in front of Grand View Gold
{Our Lovely Lilac Clematis 'Silver Moon'} | previous post by me showing young Grand View Gold

{Cloudy Day versus Sunny Day}| Previous post by me
{Blooms on our Windmill Palm - Trachycarpus fortunei} | previoius post by me 

{Our Golden Live Oak has LOTS of Acorns!} | previous post by me

{Our Different Oaks} | previous post by me

{My Silk Quilted Vest Creation and YOUR Opinion Requested...} | previous post by me showing golden oak

{Our Live Oak got a Haircut}| previous post by me

{Retainer Wall Extension for Water Control}

Before, I already did show you that we did cut our 65 Year Old Pine Tree so Pieter could dig a trench for putting concrete blocks to divert the water from our neighborhood. Below this post you find the link to the New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket  Fence as well as Pipe under Brick Walkway & Trench for Water Control. We do live in Holly Hills, and water runs down hill but that can cause major problems at times. So here I show you another part of our Water Control by building a Retainer Wall Extension. 

While scanning our old slides I did come across this lovely Spring picture from April 2, 2000.

You can see the retainer wall here and the Post Lantern is placed on the corner.

The Magnolia tree is still a baby and so is the blooming Indian Hawthorn; both are to the right of the lantern.

Of course, we never can stop heavy rains or tropical thunderstorms but we can do as much as we possibly can for diverting the water + mud stream. 

Like here seen at the end of the retainer wall where it always came across our driveway in a muddy stream...

So husband Pieter opted for building a Retainer Wall Extension for Water (and mud) Control...

Those tiles in front of the retainer wall are to be used in the final Water Control Project. You will see that soon in another post!

Would you believe that to the left you see the very same Indian Hawthorn from the 1st picture?

Meanwhile it is huge.

So here is the newly built concrete block retainer wall extension. 

That will keep the water from running down again, together with the final plan that will work.

This is January 12 and the extension is up. What do you think?

Here it is January 20 and the extension has been painted.

Did you notice that we had to replace that Post Lantern (see 1st picture) to the end of the retainer wall because the baby Magnolia and Hawtorn grew into big ones.

Here you get the idea about the different heights and water runs down, towards the creek which is further to the left. But I guess this will prevent the water + mud from soiling our driveway again.

You see the wooden plank here?

That will be the Final Stage of our Water Control Project and you will see it soon. 

So much about the battle against water...

Do you, or did you have to fight water too?

Related links:
{Pipe under Brick Walkway & Trench for Water Control} | previous post by me
{Our New Retainer Wall & Vinyl Picket Fence} | previous post showing you part I of Water Control
{65 Year Old Pine Tree Cut Down} | previouis post showing you preparation of Water Control

{SOULFUL RELATIONSHIPS - Celia M. High Heeled Life's Contribution}

What a joy to receive this excellent short stories book: ADVENTURES IN MANIFESTING about SOULFUL RELATIONSHIPS! Even more so since dear blogger friend Celia M. High Heeled Life & Resilientista wrote her story in it as well. She sure is and remains a Blogger I Admire! So glad I took advantage of the pre-ordering in September before it got published...

Indeed; Featuring Celia M.

You can read about her fatal accident and her story in my post: {"A Blogger I Admire" - Celia from High Heeled Life}

Celia knows a thing or two about wrapping things in a very special and meaningful way.

Peace and Joy it did bring to our home!

Thank you again dear Friend!

Here it is on page 137...

Had to put a rose birdie paperweight on top for making the page lay 'still'...

Love her enclosure card too! 

Very stylish, the way she is; a true Fashionista.

For anyone wanting to obtain this lovely book, you can still order it!

Just go to the link: Resilientista