OCTOBER 1st A SHADOW IN NATURE: well as much nature as inner city residence allows. The orchids on our terrace in the morning light
OCTOBER 2nd YOUR HANDS: in reading mode as is often the case mid afternoon
OCTBER 3rd SOMETHING STRIPED: a khramer in the making at the weaving community based near the Cambodian Homestay where we stayed over night at Tram Kak near Ang Ta Som, Takeo Province
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OCTOBER 4th MADE ME SMILE: Twilight in the paddies at Cambodian Homestay - cool breezes, reflections on water and the tranquillity of the surrounding rice paddies
OCTOBER 5th THE GOLDEN HOUR: has stunning sunsets like these which often accompany the beginning of the end of the monsoon
OCTOBER 6th IN MOTION: This is from our bike ride through the rice paddies a couple of days ago. We have been in motion ourselves for a large part of the day but it’s a bit tricky taking photos of yourself playing table tennis or swimming
OCTOBER 7th SOMETHING PAINTED: by someone with a sense of humour in our community
OCTOBER 8th A COLLECTION: of coasters. We use many daily as they are indispensable when the ice in drinks melts so quickly
OCTOBER 9th A DOORWAY: When the retail outlets close for extended public holidays, the charm of the old structure shines through. A traditional doorway in Kampot, usually concealed with counters and customers for the bakery products it sells
OCTOBER 10th FROM THE GROUND UP: In the streets and indeed the actual building where we live. X marks the spot
OCTOBER 11th SOMETHING MATCHING: The recently fully restored Central Post Office in Phnom Penh has these magnificent matching stuttered double arched windows. Many of the others have been replaced with less attractive options in the refurbishment
OCTOBER 12th PEACEFUL: Fisher folk in the downtown zone on a Sunday morning. Even in the inner city, it creates a peaceful diversion
OCTOBER 13th A SNACK: It’s hard to choose only one but which oatmeal cookie, chocolate shortbread or fresh coconut and banana brownie? Homemade by me
OCTOBER 14th A PILE OF SOMETHING: Street food can be as simple as tiny fresh pineapples peeled and prepared to eat as a snack
OCTOBER 15th BALANCE: At the physio’s suggestion, I have been doing these balance and strength exercises for almost five years now and I can vouch for how effective they are - monthly selfie accomplished too
OCTOBER 16th MY OUTFIT TODAY: was pieced together from second hand items recently purchased and I love it. The black asymmetrical culottes and silk kimono jacket in the perfect shade of orange are loose and comfortable and yet it’s still got a touch of formal about it. Yep it does also needed to be pressed and I’ll get to that before I actually put it on
OCTOBER 17th SOMETHING COLOURFUL: This triptych by Ponleu Prom entitled Apsara’s Hands of Life depicting the exquisite hand gestures of apsara dancers
OCTOBER 18th A GOOD HABIT: is honouring traditions and appreciating culturally significant places. We visited Banteay Srei today and it’s my favourite of all the temples in the Angkor Wat complex
OCTOBER 19th A CIRCLE: carved in the 11th century in sandstone and depicting an open lotus bloom. We visited the Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap today
OCTOBER 20th A TRADITION: In addition to following the traditions of Cambodia we create our own. One of which is to always visit the circus when we are in Siem Reap or Battambang and we did just a couple of days ago. Phare Ponleu Selpak ….. it just never grows old
OCTOBER 21st WILD OR WILDLIFE: In this my one wild life I choose Wild time and time again
OCTOBER 22nd WHAT I SEE: now and almost every day, as darkness falls the evening traders emerging to resume their street side activities
OCTOBER 23rd LETTERS OR WORDS: ? - this has always puzzled me about Sanskrit and Dzongka as they have individual symbols for each consonant, and those above are the word for “OM” part of the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum” and the wooden stamps I use to print. A little Google search taught me they are not an alphabetic language, but instead abugidas. A traditional writing system also called syllabic alphabets. In an abugida, each consonant has an inherent vowel sound, and other vowels are indicated by adding diacritical marks; like the little dots and circle at the top of these words.
This is different from a true alphabet, where vowels and consonants are separate letters. So maybe not a letter and not a word either!
OCTOBER 24th SHAPES: Back in the day teaching the little monks of Kep their shapes and them delighting in drawing them on the blackboard
OCTOBER 25th FAVOURITE DRINK: well one of mine - a G&T in a favourite rooftop bar on this stormy looking night at golden hour
OCTOBER 26th SOMETHING JOYFUL: on this quiet Sunday at home the new blooms on the orchid are definitely something joyful
OCTOBER 27th STILLNESS IN NATURE: The quintessential Cambodian rural scene of ripening rice paddies bordered with sugar palms and coconut palms with cotton wool clouds floating by
OCTOBER 28th A REFLECTION: of one of the magnificent Chihuly glass sculptures in the water at the Botanic Gardens in Adelaide. We saw it earlier this year as a birthday treat for me
OCTOBER 29th SUNSET: over the city we love to live in
OCTOBER 30th LOVE: because “all of me loves all of you - all your perfect imperfections”Yep That’s normal
OCTOBER 31st GOODBYE, OCTOBER: Please close the door on the way out and take the monsoon with you, thanks
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