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Najma Heptulla – The face of the Minority

Najma Heptulla – The face of the Minority   Najma Heptulla: BJP's Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh, Najma Heptulla is the new Minister of Minority Affairs in Narendra Modi's cabinet.  Conisdered the eldest in the Cabinet Mrs Najma Heptulla was born in Bhopal in 1940 and is the grand niece of Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad. Highly qualified she holds  a Masters' of Science Degree in Zoology, and a Ph.D. in Cardiac Anatomy from the University of Denver.   Married to Akbarali A Heptulla in 1966 they have  three daughters. Her husband, Akbarali A Heptulla, a manpower consultant, was instrumental the establishment of the Patriot newspaper in the 1960s. passed away in 2007. As a Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha she has travelled extensively to various parts of the world representing India at international conferences including those related to the Commonwealth and the international parliamentary union.Known to be one of the few candidates in the minority category to have secured a cabinet berth Mr Heptullah is the only Muslim leader in the Narendra Modi cabinet. A prominent Muslim face of the BJP over the years, articulating its viewpoint inside and outside parliament she was once a prominent Congress member in the Upper House but due to ideological differences she moved to the BJP in 2004 and despite being called a Congress traitor she has proved herself  that its not the party but the work that you do carries your name forward.  

Sushma Swaraj –The Firebrand politician

Sushma Swaraj –The Firebrand politician   This firebrand politician who has many credits to her list was born in 1952 and has BA LLB qualifications. A former Supreme Court  lawyer herself she is married to a Supreme Court advocate Swaraj Khaushal who also has the distinction of being the youngest Senior advocate at the age of 34 in the Supreme Court and also one of the youngest Governors of a state( Mizoram) at the age of 37.They have a daughter Bansuri Swaraj who is a  graduate from Oxford University and a Barrister at law from Inner Temple. She is a Criminal lawyer practicing before the Delhi High Court and Supreme Court of India.   Despite her hectic political career she has managed to take care of her family and attend to her domestic life like any other normal housewife. She has been an epitomy of the ideal Indian woman who has balanced both her career, politics and personal life.   Sushma Swaraj is also the youngest Cabinet Minister who at the young age of 25 served in the in the Haryana Government. She was the first Woman Chief Minister of Delhi in 1998 for a brief period. She is the second Indian Woman External Affairs Minister (after Indira Gandhi) and Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs in the present Modi Cabinet. This 7 time MP and  3 time MLA has been the first woman Spokesperson for a political party and is a seasoned politician .A an excellent orator she has been given the Best orator award while in the Harayana Assembly . Sushma Swaraj, has been of one of the most powerful and influential leaders this country has ever seen and with her handling a powerful role as India’s External Affairs Minister we can see wonders happening with regard to India’s International relations with other countries.

Make Dolls with Tissue paper & Ice Cream sticks

Make Dolls with Tissue paper & Ice Cream sticks     Creative Corner || How to Make Tissue paper Dolls with Ice Cream Sticks: Watch our Craft experts Naveen show how to make cute dolls with tissue paper and ice cream sticks in our Creative Corner segement. You can make your own different dolls using these basic material which are easily available at home and the your local craft stores.

Tips to take care of your Washing Machine

Tips to take care of your Washing Machine     The washing machine which was once a status symbol has now become a normal necessity in every household.It now finds a place in a nook or corner of the house and depending on where you live whether it’s a house with a laundry room or an apartment with a utility corner or just tucked away in  a corner of a bathroom or nook. The combination of water plumbing and electrical plugging can also lead to potential damage if certain care and caution is not taken care by us while handling the washing machine and the place where its kept. Presenting a few tips to keep your laundry room and washing machine & dryer safe from any hazards. 1. Read the manual, care tags, and cleaning product labels. One of the biggest dangers in a laundry room is an uninformed consumer. Read your machine’s user manual, pay attention when mixing chemicals, and always note if a fabric shouldn’t be washed or dried. 2. Prevent lint buildup. When home dryer fires occur, lint is often the culprit. Clean out lint screens after every load, and inspect vent pipes, the space behind the dryer, and ducts outside your home to ensure that lint isn’t choking the venting system. 3. Replace water hoses and dryer ducts. Replacing rubber hoses with reinforced braided ones to prevent a hose from cracking, bursting, and potential flooding. If your dryer vents with a foil accordion duct, you should replace it with a rigid metal duct that won’t collect as much lint. 4 Keep detergent containers away from children’s reach. Children tend to end up fiddling with detergent powders and liquids as they tend to fancy the smell and soapy nature of the detergent. This could lead to you cleaning the entire room once they have raided the room and gone. There have been incidences where little children have eaten the detergent. So keep the detergents away from the kids reach. 5. Keep machine doors locked, even when the cycle is off. To small children, the washer and dryer might seem like ideal hiding spots. If your models don’t have built-in safety locking, you can buy a child-safe lock to prevent little ones from climbing inside and getting stuck. 6. Check the  signs of a faulty machine. If your clothing comes out of the washing machine soapy or won’t get dry in the dryer, there may be something wrong with your machine. Often, coins left in pockets can get stuck and cause mechanical problems. 7. Maintain machines regularly . An annual checkup or service  for laundry appliances is a must to make sure that all parts are in working order. Post a note by your machines to remind you what the service man fixed on his last visit, and when to schedule your next appointment. 8. Keep the area dry. The laundry room should be kept dry and free from any moisture. The same thing applies near the electrical points and ensure that there is no moisture there too. Due to the moisture there could be tendency for cockroaches to hide in the machine. Periodically check for these rodents and spray with repellents. 9.Clean the covers. With the plastic covers used for covering the washing machine , where the covers are not removed for a long time , you could end up with dust and mold accumulating around the washing machine. Periodically wash these covers to avoid dust.  

నమ్మకం.. మానవ సంబంధాల మంత్రం

నమ్మకం.. మానవ సంబంధాల మంత్రం     కొత్తగా పెళ్ళయి అత్తవారింట్లో అడుగుపెట్టిన కొత్తకోడలికి అదో కొత్త ప్రపంచం. ఇంతకుముందు తను పెరిగిన వాతావరణం, అలవాటయిన వ్యక్తులను వదిలి, తనకి ఏమాత్రం తెలియని ప్రపంచంలోకి అడుగుపెట్టినపుడు కొంత బెరుకు, భయం సహజంగా వుంటుంది. అయితే కొన్ని చిన్న చిన్న విషయాలలో జాగ్రత్త వహిస్తే అక్కడి కుటుంబ సభ్యులతో కలసిపోవడం, తను వారిలో ఒకరిగా మారడం కష్టం కాదు. ఇందుకు నిపుణులు కొన్ని సూచనలు చేస్తున్నారు. అయితే ఇవి కేవలం కొత్తగా పెళ్ళికూతుర్లకే కాదు.. ప్రతి ఒక్కరికీ ఎంతో అవసరమైన సూచనలు సంబంధ బాంధవ్యాలలో ‘పారదర్శకత’ ఎంతో మంచిది అంటారు ఫ్యామిలీ కౌన్సిలర్లు. ఒకరిపై ఒకరికి నమ్మకం వుండాలి. అలా నమ్మకం వుండాలి అంటే నమ్మకం కలిగించేలా వుండాలి ఎవరి ప్రవర్తనైనా. చాలాసార్లు ఎలాంటి ఇబ్బంది ఎదురైనా తప్పు ఎదుటివారిదే అంటుంటారు చాలామంది. అయితే ఒకరి మీద మరొకరికి నమ్మకం వుంటే ఎదుటివారి పొరపాట్లు తప్పులుగా కనిపించవు. క్షమించలేని నేరాలుగా తోచవు. మన ప్రవర్తన మనకెంత కరెక్టు అనిపిస్తుందో, ఎదుటి వ్యక్తులకి కూడ వాళ్ళ కారణాలు వాళ్ళకుండొచ్చు. అందుకే ఎప్పుడూ పరిస్థితులను రెండువైపుల నుంచి చూడాలి. ఏదైనా సమస్య వచ్చినప్పుడు ముందుగా మనమే ఆ సమస్యని ముగించడానికి ప్రయత్నించాలి. సర్దుకుపోవడం చేతగానితనమనుకుంటారు చాలామంది. కాని అది సంబంధ బాంధవ్యాలని నిలిపి వుంచే ఓ రక్షణ వలయం. అది లేనిరోజున ఏ బంధం రెండు రోజులు కూడా నిలవలేదు. ఓ పెద్ద లక్ష్యం సాధించాలని వచ్చినప్పుడు దారిలో ఎదురయ్యే చిన్న చిన్న ఇబ్బందులని చూసీ చూడనట్టు వదిలేయాలి. అలాగే ఓ చక్కటి కుటుంబంగా కలసి వుండాలంటే భిన్న మనస్తత్వాలలతో వుండే వ్యక్తుల మధ్య ఏర్పడే చిన్నచిన్నపొరపొచ్చాలనీ పట్టించుకోకూడదు. ఏమంటారు? - రమ ఇరగవరపు

జీవితాన్ని కొత్తగా ఆవిష్కరించుకుందాం

జీవితాన్ని కొత్తగా ఆవిష్కరించుకుందాం   ‘‘లైఫ్ బోర్‌గా వుంది’’ అని ఎప్పుడైనా అనిపించిందా?  అయితే చాలా మంచి అవకాశం. రేపు భవిష్యత్తులో మీరు ఏదో సాధించబోతున్నారు అన్న దానికి సంకేతం అది. ఇవి మన మనసులను చదివే నిపుణుల మాటలు. అంతా బావుంది అనిపించినంతసేపూ మనం కొత్తగా ఏమీ ఆలోచించమట. కాబట్టి లైఫ్‌లో కొత్తగా ఏ మార్పూ రాదు. కానీ ఉన్నదాన్ని ఉన్నట్టు అంతా ఇష్టపడటం ఎంతోకాలం చేయలేం. ఏదో ఓ రోజున ‘బోర్’ అనిపిస్తుంది. ఇంకేదో కావాలనిపిస్తుంది. ఓ బ్రేక్, ఓ మార్పు కావాలని అనిపిస్తుంది. అదిగో అలా అనిపించింది అంటే అది లైఫ్‌లో సరికొత్త మార్పుకి శ్రీకారమే కదా అంటున్నారు నిపుణులు. మరి అలా బ్రేక్ కావాలి, మార్పు కావాలి అనిపిస్తే అందుకు ఏం చేయాలి? మనం గడిపే జీవితంలో కొత్తగా ఇంకేమన్నా మార్పులు జరిగితే బావుండును అనిపించగానే చాలామంది ఏముంది- ఇంతే, ఈ లైఫ్ ఇలా గడవాల్సిందే వంటి నైరాశ్యంలో పడిపోతారు ముందు. ఆ తర్వాత నెమ్మదిగా ఏం చేయొచ్చు అన్న విషయం కోసం ఆలోచిస్తారు. నిజానికి అందులో కొద్దిమంది మాత్రమే అనుకున్న దిశగా అడుగులు వేస్తారు. తాము కోరుకున్న మార్పుని తమ జీవితాల్లోకి ఆహ్వానిస్తారు. దానినుంచి లభించే ఆనందాన్ని రుచి చూస్తారు. ఆ కొద్దిమందిలో మీరూ వున్నారా.. లేరా? అయితే ఆ లిస్ట్ లో చేరాలంటే మనమేం చేయాలనేది నిపుణులు చెబుతున్నారు. లైఫ్‌లో మార్పు కావాలని అనిపిస్తే ఆ మార్పు బయట ఎక్కడినుంచో రాదు. అది మనలో రావాలి అంటున్నారు నిపుణులు. ముందుగా మన పరిధులు, పరిమితులు, పరిస్థితులు, వయస్సు వంటి వాటి గురించి ఆలోచించడం, భయపడటం, సందేహపడటం మానేయాలి. వీటన్నిటినీ పక్కన పెట్టి ఏ మార్పు అయితో మీకు ఆనందాన్నిస్తుందని మీరు ప్రగాఢంగా నమ్ముతున్నారో ఆ మార్పు గురించి ఆలోచించండి. ఆ తరువాత దానిని అమలు చేయడమెలాగో చూడండి. ప్రయత్నించండి. గట్టి  సంకల్పం వుంటే ఏదీ అసాధ్యం కాదని గుర్తుంచుకోండి. మీకు నచ్చిన ఓ కోర్స్ చేయడం, సగంలో ఆపేసిన హాబీని తిరిగి నేర్చుకోవడం, కొత్తగా ఓ హాబీని అలవర్చుకోవడం, ఈవినింగ్ కాలేజీలో చేరడం లేదా ఓ కొత్త భాషను నేర్చుకోవడం, సమాజసేవ, ఓ వ్యాపారం.. ఇలా ఏదైనా కావచ్చు. తప్పకుండా ఓ మంచి ప్రయత్నే అవుతుంది.. జీవితాన్ని ఇప్పటికంటే అందంగా మారుస్తుంది. నచ్చడం లేదంటూ పరిస్థితులను, జీవితాన్ని తిట్టుకుంటూ గడపటం, ఆ అసంతృప్తిని ఇంట్లోవారిపై చూపించడం, మనల్ని మనం బాధపెట్టుకోవడం కంటే జీవితాన్ని నచ్చినట్టు మార్చుకోవడం ఎంతో సులువు. అనుకుంటాంగానీ, మన గట్టి సంకల్పం ముందు కొండలైనా తలవంచాల్సిందే. అందుకు ఉదాహరణగా నిత్యం మనకు ఎంతోమంది స్త్రీలు విజయబావుటా ఎగరేస్తూ కనిపిస్తూ వుంటారు. వారిని చూసి ఆనందపడి, అచ్చెరువొందే మనం రేపటి రోజున మరొకరికి స్ఫూర్తిగా నిలవగలం. చిన్న ప్రయత్నం, గట్టి సంకల్పం, మరింత  తపన చాలు జీవితాన్ని కొత్తగా ఆవిష్కరించుకోవడానికి. ఏమంటారు? -రమ ఇరగవరపు

ముచ్చటైన సంసారాల్లో మూడు ఆరోపణలు

ముచ్చటైన సంసారాల్లో మూడు ఆరోపణలు     భార్యలందరి ఆరోపణలలో కామన్‌గా వినిపించే ఓ ఆరోపణ ఏంటి?  ఓ యూనివర్సిటీలో భార్యాభర్తల సంబంధాలపై అధ్యయనం చేస్తు్న్న బ‌ృందానికి ఈ డౌట్ వచ్చంది. సందేహం వచ్చిందే తడవుగా ఆ బృందం సభ్యులు భార్యాభర్తలని ప్రశ్నించడం మొదలుపెట్టారు. ఒకటి అని మొదలుపెట్టిన వీరికి ఒకటి కాదు, రెండు కాదు, పదుల్లో కామన్‌గా చెప్పుకోదగ్గ ఆరోపణలు కనిపించాయిట. దాంతో అందరి ఆడవారి ఆలోచనా విధానం ఒక్కలా వుందా? లేక మగవారి అందరి ప్రవర్తన ఒక్కలా వుందా? అన్న మరో సందేహం కలిగిందిట వారికి. సరే, ఇలా ఒక సందేహం నుంచి మరో సందేహం రావటంతో దానిపై కూడా పనిలోపనిగా అధ్యయనం చేయడం మొదలుపెట్టారు. ఈ ఆరోపణలలో మొదటి స్థానంలో నిలిచిన ఆరోపణ ఏంటో తెలుసా? ‘మెచ్చుకోవటం’. భార్యలందరూ మా భర్తలు మమ్మల్ని ఎంతమాత్రం మెచ్చుకోరు అంటూ చెబితే, భర్తలు మాత్రం మా భార్యలని ఎలా మెచ్చుకోవాలో తెలియడం లేదంటూ వాపోయారట. కప్పు కాఫీ నుంచి మెచ్చుకోవాలంటే ఎలా? అని అడిగే భర్తలకి సమాధానంగా భార్యలు ‘‘కమ్మగా తాగిన కాఫీ బావుంది అని చెప్పడం కష్టమా?’’ అంటూ నిలదీసారుట. ఇలా ‘‘మెచ్చుకోవటం’’ అన్న విషయంపై వాదోపవాదాలు తీవ్రంగా జరిగాయట. ఎవరు గెలిచారు? అన్న అనుమానం రావటం అనవసరం. పరిష్కారం వున్నా అమలుకాని సమస్యలా మిగిలిపోతోంది అంటూ అధ్యయనం చేస్తున్నవారు సైతం చేతులెత్తేశారంటే ‘‘మెచ్చుకోలు’’ పవరేంటో అర్థంచేసుకోవాల్సిందే. భార్యలు భర్తల మీద వినిపించే ఆరోపణలో రెండో స్థానం దక్కించుకున్న ఆరోపణ ఏంటో తెలుసా? ‘సారీ’. ‘మెచ్చుకోవటం’ ఎలాగూ రాదు.. కనీసం సారీ అన్నా చెప్పొచ్చు కదా అన్నది ఆడవారి మరో ఆరోపణ అయితే, అసలు ఏ విషయానికి ‘సారీ’ చెప్పాలన్నది మాకెలా తెలుస్తుందన్నది మగవారి సమాధానం. అదేంటి.. ఇది, అది అని ఏముంది.. ఎన్ని సారీలు చెప్పినా పోయేదేముంది అంటూ భార్యలు అన్నదానికి ‘‘అదేమరి.. ఇగోని దాటి ‘సారీ’ బయటకి రావడం అంత సులువా? అన్నది భర్తల సమాధానం. చూశారా నాణానికి రెండు వైపుల్లా, కత్తికి రెండు వైపులా పదునులా ఎవరి బలమైన వాదనలు వారికి వున్నాయి. ఇక మూడో స్థానంలో నిలిచిన ఆరోపణ.. ‘బహుమతులు ఇవ్వకపోవడం’. తీసుకోవడంలో మహా ఉత్సాహం చూపించే శ్రీవార్లు ఇవ్వటంలో ఎందుకంత వెనుకబడి వుంటారు? అంటూ శ్రీమతులు ఆరోపిస్తే, మొత్తం పర్సు చేతిలో పెడతాం. కావల్సింది కొనుక్కోక ఈ ఇవ్వలేదన్న గోలేంటి? అన్నది శ్రీవార్ల సమాధానం. బావుంది. బహుమతి ఇవ్వడం, తీసుకోవటంలోని సరదా ఎందుకు అర్థంకాదు? కావల్సింది కొనుక్కోలేక బహుమతులు అడుగుతామా? అంటూ కోపంగా భార్యలు ప్రశ్నిస్తే, వారిచ్చిన సమాధానం విని ప్రశ్నలు అడిగినవారు సైతం తెల్లబోయారుట. ఆ సమాధానం ఏమిటంటే, మీకు నచ్చిన బహుమతి ఏంటో తెలుసుకోవటం మా వల్లకాదుకానీ, అదేదో మీరు కొని తెచ్చుకుంటే సర్ ప్రైజ్‌గా మీకు ఇస్తాం కదా అన్నది భర్తల సమాధానం. మొత్తానికి యూనివర్సల్‌గా శ్రీవార్లపై శ్రీమతుల చిర్రుబుర్రులకి కారణమయ్యే ఆరోపణలు ఇంచుమించు ఒక్కటే అని తేలిందిట. కారణాలే ఏమైతేనేం తాము మారం అని భీష్మించుకు కూర్చునే శ్రీవార్లతో ఎందుకులెమ్మని ఎవరికివారు మని తాము మెచ్చుకోవడం, సారీ చెప్పకపోయినా చెప్పినట్టే అనుకోవడం, బహుమతులు ఇవ్వకపోతేనేం తీసుకోవడం తెల్సింది కదా చాల్లే అని సర్దుకుపోవడం. ఇలా ప్రతీ విషయానికి నచ్చచెప్పుకుని ముందుకు సాగిపోతున్న మహిళకి ‘జై’ అన్నారు ఆ అధ్యయనకర్తలు.   -రమ ఇరగవరపు

Beat boredom at Home

Beat boredom at Home   The notion that Housewives have nothing to do the whole day is partially right and I am sure most of you would agree, especially those who are yet to be moms and those whose children are old enough to be on their own. OK ! So you have time and you are bored and you have no intention of staying bored forever. Try these few ideas to keep yourself constructively occupied and get into a routine for yourself. Take up Book Reading: Most of us are into reading - either the paper or magazines. Take this reading to another level and start reading books which interest you like fiction, literature, science, cuisine etc. Make up for the lost time where you wanted to read books of your choice but couldn’t because of lack of time and family constraints. Gardening Gardening is a very therapeutic hobby and you can do wonders to your house garden by growing beautiful flowers, herbs and plants. For those who live in high-rises you could look at creative ways to make a simple garden in your balcony or window sills. Writing A wonderful way to express yourself .Write about topics you like- it could anything from science to baking or just your feelings or a cause that you think is important. Get into blogging, use the Social Media and promote your work. You never know you could end up getting requests for writing jobs and get paid for it just sitting at home. De-Clutter Your Home Even if you have children and you think that everything is important in the house there will be a phase when your house ends up looking like a storage compound. Try and periodically organize your home and remove the clutter. Keep only what you need, donate and recycle what you don’t need. You will be so much happier when the house is spring cleaned .A clutter free house also leads to a clutter free mind and you will be at peace. Exercise Now we know it’s difficult to exercise in the mid afternoon but whatever the time of the day, exercising your body will keep you active and alert and most importantly you will feel good about yourself. Food for thought Polishing your cooking and baking skills for those who have a penchant for new cuisines can be a good way to keep yourself busy. Try new signature dishes, share them with friends, have a cooking kitty session, you never know if someone comes to like what your are cooking and asks for it to be made on order, this hobby could end up becoming a part time profession. There have been many instances where housewives who took up baking as a hobby now bake on order- and have even started their own full- fledged bakeries.

Flowers with Net & Sparkles

Flowers with Net & Sparkles      Creative Corner | How to Make Flowers with Net, Sparkle & Pipe Cleaner: Watch our craft expert show us how to  make flowers with sparkle threads and net covers which come with the fruits in the super market. A creative way to reuse and recycle the covers and make it into something beautiful.        

Hand Puppets with Paper Bags

Hand Puppets with Paper Bags Creative Corner || Hand Puppets with Paper Bags: Watch our Craft expert Naveen, show us how to make  Hand Puppets with paper bags. You could also make puppets based on a story line and have the kids enact the story with the puppets they make. Try this for another fun-filled afternoon with your kids.

Colourful Pencil Holder for Kids

  Colourful Pencil Holder for Kids       Creative Corner | How to make a colourful Pencil Holder for Kids:  Its a warm sunny afternoon and you or your kids are bored at home watching TV.Here is something by our craft expert Naveen, who will show you how to make an interesting & colourful pencil holder where you can keep your pens and pencils. All you need are some containers, colours and paper plates with some glue to make this creative and useful item. Watch , make it and enjoy!  

How to Make Paper Rose Flowers

How to Make Paper Rose Flowers   Creative Corner || How to Make Paper Rose Flowers Watch our Craft expert Naveen show us how to make Rose flowers with coloured paper. All you need is coloured paper and glue and watch how to make colourful roses easily. He also shows how to make leaves with green colored paper and make a beautiful wall hanging presentation with them.

How to paint Jute bags

How to paint Jute bags   Watch our Craft expert Naveen show how to paint beautiful motifs on jute bags. Using fabric colours, 3D outliners and flat brushes you can creative various designs and make colourful designs and decorate your bags.  If there are any old bags which have faded you could restore them and make them look new and reuse them by using the tips mentioned in this video. An excellent return gift and Tamboolam bag concept where you could paint these bags and gift them.

How to make a hanging Parrot

How to make a hanging Parrot   Watch our Creative expert Naveen show us how to make a parrot with colorful strips of paper.Its very simple and easy to make and you can also hang this parrot.

Heena Sindhu- World’s Number One Shooter

 Heena Sindhu- World’s Number One Shooter   Heena Sindhu, the Indian shooter clinched the World’s Number One spot in 10 meters air pistol event on 7 April 2014. This has put her in the slot of  the first Indian pistol shooter to be ranked at the top position in the list.  Sindhu clinched the first spot in the rankings list by replacing the world champion Zorana Arunovic of Serbia with total of 1699 rating points. The rankings was released by International Shooting Sport Federation claimed that Sindhu was successful in achieving the World Number 1 spot through her performances in the recent events. Born in Ludhiana, her tryst with shooting began at a very young age when she was in Class 12t and subsequently participating in different competitions from 2007.Her Uncle who is a professional Gun-Smith and a Guns customizer and her Father, Mr.Rajbir Sidhu who was a National shooter himself, supported her in pursuing her dream of making her country proud and taking up shooting as a profession. Her brother Karanbir Sidhu and husband are also professional shooters and it all runs in the family. She is truly an inspiration where this kind of a sport which is dominated by men, but has received all the support and encouragement at home from her father and uncle. A proud moment for India.

Preserving Peppers

Preserving Peppers   You might have bought so many chillies or peppers for some purpose or the store has only bigger packs of these and you are a small family. Preserving these items might be easy for a few but not for everyone, it definitely saves some money if preserved well, than throwing them away if rotten. Always remove the tip of the chilli to store it  longer.  Dry chillies in open air, its the easiest but for many who live in colder or humid climates, the story is different. They can dry chillies in an oven. Slice chillies in half to speed drying in ovens and dehydrators. If your oven is electric, preheat to the lowest setting. The pilot light on a gas oven is sometimes enough, use an oven thermometer to check the temperature; it should be around 150 - 200 degrees.   Prepare the chili peppers the same way as if you were drying outside or if you prefer you can cut them into thin rings. Spread the chili peppers evenly over baking pans or cookie sheets.     Allow the chili peppers to dry all day or overnight in the warm oven. You may wish to turn them once during the drying time, but this is not necessary. Dehydrators ( may not be available in India)can be purchased with or without a fan, and while the ones with a fan are a bit more expensive, they do their magic faster than those without.   Prepare your peppers as you would for the oven method. You can leave the seeds in or remove them if you wish. Lay the prepared peppers evenly on the trays of your dehydrator and turn the machine on. Peppers generally take 8 - 10 hours to dry in a dehydrator with a fan or 10 - 12 in one without.

Interesting Potting Ideas

Interesting Potting Ideas   Not every home comes with ample gardening space, but most of the home owners come with dreams to relax in a garden and sip a cup of coffee every morning or see their kids play in the lawn...well!! Buying a house with a lawn space to play is in your hands, suggesting how well to decorate your small garden spaces innovatively, and in the most affordable way is in my mind!! Before thinking of buying new plant holders, just look around, you might find something strong enough and interesting for a project....even a used light bulb or a plastic water bottle can be used. In that way you will reuse, with the tiniest feeling of pride that you didn't let it add to the dumping grounds.  You don't have to go to the garden center always looking for planting pots, some hardware stores can be of help too. Wall mount few steel or  aluminium bins  and then done!!   Your old unused wooden table or shelf can create a potting space, just repaint it with a water proof paint and make the base sturdy or fix it  against the wall with some nuts and bolts. Those old boots or car tires can be used too. All you need is just a good quality potting soil, plants with colorful leaves or flowers to dominate the old look of these items..and your space will look modern yet eco-friendly. Even if you are not so interested in this eco-helping stuff, it will definitely be creative and also save you few bucks.       

Using Small-spaces for Gardening

Using Small-spaces for Gardening     Small spaces can also be extended to gardens, apartment balconies can be changed into a green retreat.If there is not  much ground space, you can even think of the walls. Here's how one can do it, effectively. Start with a good fertile soil: These days good quality soil is not available everywhere, and in countries like USA, one can only buy it. In India, quality soil is sold at Farmer's markets and Nursery exhibitions. Improve the native soil by mixing in a rich moisture control soil that does not allow decays to happen and that which locks water in during summer days.    Allow more Sun light: Before you start planting the seeds or setting up fixed planters, observe where the sun hits more in your space, morning and afternoon, and then plant your saplings there. the ones that need more sun in the afternoon-sun zone and the ones which need just enough sun light, in the morning-sun zone.   Grow them together: You can mix and match the vegetable and flowering plants, mixing the different colored ones too. Together they make even the smallest gardening space, very lush.  Water and fertilize regularly: Especially during summer months, watering plants every morning or  after sun-down is good. Watering can be reduced a little in the colder months, accordingly. Ample fertilizing and making sure there are no pests and mosquito breeding allows a healthy garden and surrounding for your family too. 

Power struggle between parents

Power struggle between parents   New Mom or Old Mom...you like to have control of the situation as you know your child better than Dad. Sometimes, we don't need Dad's help atall and it feels so irritating when he tries to force his help or expertise in Childcare.  This power struggle happens more between new parents, both Mom and Dad are new to the Child. Dad feels Mom doesnot know much about childcare as she is a first time Mom and he tries to give inputs and forces to help her. Though its her first time, she is a Mom by instinct, it comes naturally to her. She had practiced baby care right from the first months of inception, she had read multiple articles, spoken to experts like her Grandma and Mom, friends and others, asked numerous questions to the Doc...atleast she knows more than Dad. Its good to have a helping hand but only when she asks for it, definitely not when she doesnot need it.  The triggering moments are-- He jumps in when you are putting the baby to sleep and he or she doesnot sleep easily. The baby's mood  changes and starts indicating to Dad to come and play. That is 100% a wrong time, now Mom's effort is totally wasted.  When the baby cries in sleep, he/she falls and gets hurt, when the nurse give the baby an injection...these are the times when the baby wants to see Mom's face, but Dad jumps in, and the baby cries more. He feels bad when Mom tries to show up....i have personally seen these situations...and believe me, things will ease as days go by. The child's actions will slowly express to Dad that he/she likes seeing Mom when sad or in pain, and why not, he still seeks His Mom's advice.  To ease the issue: Don't take it too emotionally, unless the child comes to you, let Dad comfort the child sometimes, when its not a badly hurt situation.  You take a back seat. Let him also cherish those moments of cuddling with the baby. Don't jump in if he has already picked the baby up and the child is getting some relief. Sometimes the child forces his or her way out of Dad's arms to come to you, in that case, pacify the child  and explain to the child that going to Dad is not  wrong and that Dad is trying to help the baby. Atleast Dad will know that you are not power playing.     

Host the party well!

Host the party well! Every season is a party season, and with Birthdays around, its always a busy time. For the invitees, its busy time shopping for gifts and for the hosts, it is a big time from the beginning. Do it well! Specially if you have been dreaming big about this party, you need a good plan, good scheduling, better ideas, and a nice process to keep up with your social contacts. Hosting party is not a one time story, its a ripple effect, if you host well, people will talk good about you, if you mess up, they might be silent but it speaks alot.  Start with the dream: if a party is coming close, start dreaming about how you want to do it. Begin 3-4 months ahead of time. Even those 3-4 months might not be enof...make a list of the thoughts that strike your mind when you think of this party. Let them be the wierdest, dont worry, chalk them out. You can delete and modify those ideas later. Write whom you want to invite, how you want to decorate, if you want to do it on your won or hire someone, where and when you want to host.  Think of handy prep help: The best of the decorations sometimes come from a cousin or a friend, the most delicious cake can be from an Aunt, your Uncle may be able to help you host a musical night. Think of all the handy help from among the friends and relatives. If not, think of helping the most needy talents and motivate them.  Compare positively: Talk to your friends about the parties they attended, and the themes they came across, you may not repeat it but modify it. Bring new themes that are combinations of traditional and modern themes.  Get some help: Take help of a reliable person who has similar ideas, someone who can decorate the same way as you dreamt and planned incase you are busy at the last moment. You may be nervous or tired, and so you need someone to fill in your shoes with the decision making and delegating. Discuss all your ideas and plans, share the contact details of all the people who are involved in your party preparation with your friend or cousin who is assisting you closely.  Things will be easy this way,,,,have fun in your own party.