oNe PhOtO a DaY sEpTeMbEr 2021:

 

SEPTEMBER 1st WHAT I’M READING: “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath. I actually can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never read it before, especially as I distinctly remember buying it many, many years ago

SEPTEMBER 2nd TASTY: One of my favourite dinners is a build your own Buddha Bowl with a base of cold soba noodles and a coconut peanut sauce

 

SEPTEMBER 3rd I USE THIS DAILY: Insect repellent incense sticks are an absolute must where we live

 

SEPTEMBER 4th FAVE JEWELLERY: These handwoven rattan bangles are currently my favourite piece of jewellery and my most recent jewellery purchase created by rural women in Cambodia

 

SEPTEMBER 5th FREE CHOICE: The sunset vista taken last night in Kep

 

SEPTEMBER 6th BEST PART OF MY DAY: was definitely taking a late afternoon stroll along the strip of coast we frequently ride

 

SEPTEMBER 7th MAILBOX: One of the only two mailboxes I have ever seen in Kep. Since there is absolutely no delivery of mail and in many cases no actual mail coming in or going out, it seems the postal service is about to become extinct. There has been no service to or from Australia for over eighteen months now! It’s high cost international parcel delivery companies or go without

 

SEPTEMBER 8th 4 O’CLOCK: on the cuckoo clock in the entrance to the home we are currently house sitting on our staycation in Kep

SEPTEMBER 9th BEGINS WITH M: Monsoon me- dripping wet after our bike ride to the market this morning

 

SEPTEMPER 10th WHAT I’M WATCHING: Having never owned a television in my life and only signing up to Netflix a couple of months ago, (thanks pandemic) there are a lot of choices available but this is the current viewing

SEPTEMBER 11th HOW I FEEL TODAY: Productive and useful! We are preparing a dinner to deliver to friends who are participating in a working bee. This is our contribution to the cause. Dinner for 10-12 is shaping up and the house smells so I enticingly delicious

SEPTEMBER 12th THIS IS USEFUL: a collapsible coffee banet- for all your coffee needs while travelling. Before discovering this the awkward plastic cone, I used to carry always found a way to dig into me from my backpack

 

SEPTEMBER 13th ON MY WALL: We are actually house sitting at the moment so it’s not my wall but it is my favourite zone in this magnificent house, even though the frames are not straight and I have resisted the urge to straighten them

 

SEPTEMBER 14th HAPPY: to be home again and we got there under our own steam too!! Intrepid cyclists return

 

SEPTEMBER 15th A PET: We don’t have a pet so this is an archive shot from when we first started teaching the little monks of Kep back in 2017. Gam is one of only two of our original class who is still with us and he befriends every cat and dog in the pagoda treating each with love and care and often feeding them with his own food

 

SEPTEMBER 16th BEGINS WITH E: This cute, little, made in Cambodia elephant, I bought as a baby gift, begins with E

SEPTEMBER 17th PLANT: A couple of cuttings from the garden that I am trying to strike to re-pot

*Amazed to say that this shot was selected by admin for the ‘Fab Four’ on the day it was posted! 

SEPTEMBER 18th MESS: I’m a great one for decluttering the house but that unfortunately means there is a mess lurking somewhere out of sight! This is the “lost souls’ drawer” where all homeless items go but where you don’t dare go searching for anything for fear you will be lost forever in the “I wondered where that went” discoveries

 

SEPTEMBER 19th CHAIR: or is it a bench? A stopping point on our bike ride yesterday. Just wondering, why it doesn’t actually face the view though

 

SEPTEMBER 20th I BELIEVE: 

“Like a lotus flower we too have the ability to rise from the mud, bloom out of the darkness and radiate into the world” 

And this quote and prompt were the inspiration I needed to buy the lotus flowers I spotted at the market this morning

SEPTEMBER 21 A PILE: of homemade potato chips served with mayonnaise of course. What could be more tempting than that

SEPTEMBER 22nd HOBBY: My two longest standing hobbies are cycling and photography but the last time I attempted to take a photo of myself while riding my bike I fell and almost broke my wrist! So, I’m not trying that again. Instead this is an archive shot taken by Ian almost ten years ago in Myanmar. One of those times when I was so distracted by what I was seeing, I didn’t use the camera despite it being in my hands. Only my passion for teaching exceeds my passion for photography and I’m watching a class taught by monks in a village temple school

 

SEPTEMBER 23rd MIRROR: playing around with a compact mirror and a black and white filter - this month’s selfie done!

 

SEPTEMBER 24th SAD: This is an archive shot that I went searching for as it is what came immediately to mind. Meet Sophie daughter of one of the workers at the school we volunteered at in Tanzania. She was always such a happy child, despite spending all day in a high school with her working mother but something happened on this particular day and she was screaming and sobbing, until she saw my white face and that stunned and silenced her

SEPTEMBER 25th ROWS: of golden devotee statues line the entrance to the pagoda where we teach the little monks of Kep

SEPTEMBER 26th BEHIND ME: Living in Cambodia means it’s hard to go past this selfie with the iconic Angkor Wat behind me for this prompt

 

SEPTEMBER 27th PORTRAIT: We visited the pagoda today and the last remaining boy from our original class was the first to see us, speak to us and proudly show us he is vaccinated. Hooray! We can now commence classes in mid-October with some completely new novices, several who have had a smattering of classes over the past five months and one consistent attendee for almost four years. Red letter day for us and the little monks of Kep

*Delighted to say that this shot was selected by admin for the ‘Fab Four’ on the day it was posted – woohoo second selection for this month!

SEPTEMBER 28th LANDSCAPE: The view from the giant Buddha platform at the pagoda yesterday. Does anyone else think the cloud formation looks like a Buddha head??

 

SEPTEMBER 29th MY DESK: Long story warning … I’ve never had a desk except in schools, so this is an archive shot of my last desk in the last school in which I taught in 2016. It is also the youngest grade level I ever taught - class VI! They were all waiting for their mid-term exam and overall term results and crowded around my desk. I have never been a fan of the exam system but I do love the joy in this photo. Of course, they are the few that stood a chance of being highly successfully. They are poring over my marks book with a keen eye for detail and hoping for mathematical errors in their favour - not unlikely in my case. The girl in the centre has just discovered she won that coveted first position by only a few percentage points over the girl pointing at her nose!! The boys are losing interest fast now the race is won

 

SEPTEMBER 30th ACHIEVEMENT: Today’s achievements have all been decidedly domestic- roasted whole cauliflower with parmesan, honey and balsamic roasted veggies, oatmeal, raisins, seeds, fresh coconut, banana and chocolate chip cookies and a makeover for some coasters

THE PROMPTS

 

A few records set this month with:

*2 shots selected for the Fab Four

*5 pictures of me in one month 

* 5 archive shots I do try to take them on the day so I blame the pandemic 

* the same monk and our favourite appearing twice in one blog

 

oNe PhOtO a DaY aUgUsT 2021:

 

AUGUST 1st A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for locally sourced and roasted coffee and lazy Sundays at home

 

AUGUST 2nd A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I will always be grateful for being able to swim here in this gorgeous garden pool two or three times a week for the last four years. Even during the monsoon, we manage to dodge the showers and keep up our swimming routine; sometimes actually swimming in the rain, which I love

 

AUGUST 3rd A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the Buddhist culture, in which we live. These are the youngest monks I’ve spotted in Kep captured on their alms walk this morning as we walked back from the market. In these times more and more boys are turning up at the pagodas and any who are in robes and carrying their bowls, like these two, will always receive something from local traders and those passing by. No matter how little they have something will always be offered in exchange for a prayer. When we first saw these two a woman had stopped on her bicycle to offer money

 

AUGUST 4th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the health professionals who are putting themselves at risk to keep us safe and administering vaccines. We are both full vaccinated as of this morning

 

AUGUST 5th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m extremely grateful for my little, big sister, who holds our whole family together. Although I haven’t seen her in over 3 years, - we all know why- this photo was taken today by her adorable granddaughter Elle, who is just five years old. She was at gran’s house and obviously knows how much I miss her even though we message or chat almost every day, so photo credit goes to Elle and I have her permission to post this

AUGUST 6th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful that mountain vistas and newly planted rice paddies are just a bike ride away and that I can now ride to appreciate them. This morning’s 27-kilometer ride even gave us some blue skies and sunshine and we made it home before the rain

 

AUGUST 7th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the fresh mostly local produce available in Kep Market

 

AUGUST 8th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the fragrant flowers that bloom in our garden and sometimes even get cut for display indoors. This purchase was inspired by the owner of the local nursery giving me a cut flower. Great marketing strategy as I smelt it for several days on the table and course went back to buy not one but three. Two were gifts. It’s a Cuban Ginger, that has now been divided so many times there are four huge pots of it

 

AUGUST 9th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m extremely grateful for the long-term visa that enables us to live the kind of retired life we always wanted to here in Cambodia

 

AUGUST 10th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the presence of the little monks of Kep in our lives. Although it is not possible to teach them at the moment, this was taken in one of their last lessons last month and they are by far the blessing of our lives here

 

AUGUST 11th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for this little Khmer mate who loves to get in the pool with us and made me laugh and play with him, now that there are no other children around. Thanks to Ian for snapping this shot

 

AUGUST 12th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m ever grateful for the ocean- my go to place for calm and peace of mind. After years of living in the mountains, (I guess it’s OK to refer to the Himalayas as the mountains) the draw of Kep for me as an Aussie, was the ocean but with a backdrop of mountains we have the best of both worlds, so I guess it’s actually Kep that I’m grateful for

 

AUGUST 13th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: One of my pet peeves in Cambodia is the garbage that is strewn everywhere, so I’m grateful to have received a copy of this children’s book about the environmental impact of rubbish and effective strategies for taking personal responsibility for our own garbage. We will definitely be donating it to the Abbot so that a literate older monk can read it to the little monks of Kep and reinforce the behaviour we have been attempting to initiate at the pagoda.

 

The illustrations are just gorgeous too so I had to include this one

AUGUST 14th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the many memories of travelling and hopeful that it will become possible again soon

AUGUST 15th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful we both love to cook and almost everything we eat is prepared from scratch by us. Tonight’s dinner …..

 

AUGUST 16th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for books- the escape, entertainment, information, insights and inspiration they provide. Currently mostly reading digitally but this binge on Jackie French was initiated by a purchase of a second-hand copy of a paperback of the first in a series. I’m now in book 8 and dreading that there is only one more left after this

 

AUGUST 17th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for the years I spent studying Chinese independently and the fact that I periodically return to it and still enjoy it. Currently using an online app but as always, I love the writing and a real dictionary to supplement the material

 

AUGUST 18th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for EMS services. After more than a year and a half with no postal service between Australia and Cambodia I finally bit the bullet and sent this gift to my sister just over a week ago. Despite being told it might take a month to get there, she received it yesterday, which was only eight days later. There were this angel wing ring and matching earrings in the small package with a beautiful quote……

“Angel wings are a powerful symbol of protection, courage and harmony. They can give us strength to rise above any negativity and failures in life and come out stronger than before”

 

AUGUST 19th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today is world photography day and as I’m grateful for photography, I have selected a favourite shot from my archives. I’m thankful for the memories held in photos, the inspiration of the PAD challenge and the imagery, inspiration, significance and creativity of the images we are so easily able to view and share in this era of social media

 

AUGUST 20th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m more grateful than ever for the mangroves, which are growing and expanding along sections of the coastline here, in Kep. I have just recently discovered that they are better than tropical forests for their positive impacts. “Mangroves serve as an ecological bulwark with the ability - greater than tropical forests, to capture carbon dioxide, stop coastal erosion, give shelter and sustainable sustenance to animal species, provide food for local communities and filter the ocean waters, protecting the adjacent crops.”

 

AUGUST 21st A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for afternoon treats at home after swimming

*This shot was selected for the fabulous four on the day it was taken and posted

 

AUGUST 22nd A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for the skills of Koi, who took this coffee table with a cracked glass top and fashioned a bamboo replacement surface. More than ever I’m grateful for repairs, repurposing and revitalizing of household items rather than replacing them. I think it’s better than the original and more durable too

 

AUGUST 23rd A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful that yesterday a new bud appeared on the lotus, which had been dormant for about two months

 

AUGUST 24th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for my trusty old second-hand bicycle and that I can ride it again after my accident. It’s my main means of transport and great for the environment, my health and my budget. Win, win, win

 

AUGUST 25th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for Hugo’s massage, Physio treatments, advice and exercises for the last seven months and the amount of progress that has occurred

AUGUST 26th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for a new haircut and a hairdresser who is bilingual and listens. I might be feeling decidedly second-hand but a fresh new image helps. August selfie sorted

AUGUST 27th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for our friend and regular tuk tuk driver, who always arrives on time, always waits patiently for us and always smiles

AUGUST 27th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I’m grateful for little reminders of our time in Bhutan scattered all over our house

 

AUGUST 29th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: Today I’m grateful for the place we have called home for almost four years and the simple quiet life we get to lead here, given the turmoil of the last year and a half

 

AUGUST 30th A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: I will be forever grateful for the many friends I have scattered all over the world

AUGUST 31st A MONTH OF GRATITUDE: In the tradition of saving the best ‘til last, for the last 38 years I have been exceedingly grateful that Ian has been my soul mate, my lover, my fellow adventurer, my sounding board, my co-teacher, my travelling companion, my co-conspirator, my shoulder to
cry on, my biggest fan, my support, my partner in crime and so much more. I simply can’t imagine life without him

 

THE PROMPTS