oNe PhOtO a DaY dEcEmBeR 2021:

DECEMBER 1st STARTS WITH T: Toiletries for the little monks purchased on our shopping trip today

 

DECEMBER 2nd STAR: a small set of origami stars I bought yesterday inspired by this prompt and that their sale funds the educational needs of the group of students, who make them, through a project by Epic Arts in Kampot

 

- details of the project

DECEMBER 3rd I LOVE THIS: lotus pot pond in our front yard

DECEMBER 4th THIS IS JOY: Two of our little monks discovering how to play Jenga at the end of class time. It is an archive shot taken about a month ago when they were still learning colours

DECEMBER 5th LIGHTS: An archive shot of the lights on Thimphu Dzong

 

DECEMBER 6th SOMETHING RED: In this house that just has to be chillies

DECEMBER 7th THE WEATHER OUTSIDE: Just sunshine, perfect blue skies and a light breeze - a perfect day in the tropics especially when you spot vivid pink water lilies in a natural pond from the tuk tuk

DECEMBER 8th MAIL: It’s a bit tricky here with no service to many countries for almost two years. The last mail we received containing very sad news from Germany took almost three months to arrive and I just discovered it was actually posted on this day last year and the last postcard I wrote over a year ago which still can’t be mailed and the recipient has now sold that house anyway!! Snail mail is almost extinct in these parts!

 

DECEMBER 9th I BOUGHT THIS: bracelet: it has two capsules, one of which has sand from Kenya, where the Reteti Elephant Sancatury is located and the other is empty. I hope to fill it with sand from Mondulkiri where there are several organisations, which support local elephants. I love elephants and have visited several sanctuaries. It also happens to be orange. Yep I bought this for me and several others supporting and different environments and wildlife to gift to friends

These are the details of the project

DECEMBER 10th SOMETHING SILVER: I spotted at a friend’s house yesterday

 

DECEMBER 11th TREE: A huge tree on the shoreline at Kep Beach framing Rabbit Island in the background. We took my first long stroll since surgery there, just before sunset yesterday afternoon

 

DECEMBER 12th DECORATION: Since there isn’t much of a Xmas vibe here in Cambodia, I’m going with the gorgeous interior decorations, which I noticed yesterday. Locally made baskets, bamboo poles and wooden birds adorn the light fittings at Java Bleue in Kampot

 

DECEMBER 13th US: Standing at Kep Beach and feeling grateful for the life we have here

 

DECEMBER 14th A TREAT: This morning I made Dukkah as a treat for us and to add to a homemade Xmas hamper I’m creating

DECEMBER 15th SOMETHING GREEN: It actually looks like an impersonation of a Xmas tree but it is a piece of recycled silk sari and I use it as a wrapping cloth- aka furushiki. Today we did the final shopping run and got all the remaining ingredients to assemble a Xmas hamper so I was testing how to deliver the gift and stay true to my zero-plastic philosophy

 

DECEMBER 16th SMALL: Last time I went to wear this bracelet I discovered it is now a few small beads and several individual Carnelian crystals! I’m hoping to find some leather to rethread it or repurpose the stones and beads

DECEMBER 17th PEACE: on earth and good will to all mankind and womankind too! We begin distributing Xmas hampers, cakes, shortbread and treats today, so I made some gift tags

 

DECEMBER 18th SPARKLE: A Xmas treat about to be chilled and I’m looking forward to this sparkle in my glass on the big day

 

DECEMBER 19th I MADE THIS: Xmas cake with mostly local, tropical, dried fruit and another thirteen just like it in various sizes. Now that almost half have been distributed as gifts, we decided we should have a taste test with coffee while manning a stall in the Festive Eco Market. Verdict ….. very delicious. I think we will stick with this two-decade old tradition

 

DECEMBER 20th A GIFT: The Xmas Hamper we assembled as a gift for a couple of great friends. There is one of our Xmas cakes hidden in the eco-wrap

DECEMBER 21st CANDY CANE: Literally the only candy canes I have ever seen in Cambodia were these. I spotted them last week in a cafe when the purchaser opened the box to see what was in the gingerbread house kit she had ordered locally.  I had to go up and ask her if I could snap a pic. The things we do for PAD!

 

DECEMBER 22nd SANTA: Plenty of Santa costumes on the rack and even a beard to go but no Santa sightings here

 

DECEMBER 23rd THIS MAKES ME MERRY: in more ways than one! Nothing quite like being given a bottle of real, French champagne while sharing cocktails on spectacular sky bar with palace views! It might be deliriously joyful rather than just merry in fact

 

DECEMBER 24th PARTY FOOD: A Xmas dessert platter I made a couple of years ago! I have made exactly the same three items for a hotel in Kep this year too but I’m not there to present it so I’m not sure what it will look like on the table

 DECEMBER 25th A MOMENT: of quiet contemplation in the hotel garden courtyard revealed this tranquil scene early this morning

*This one was unexpectedly selected in the Fab Four for Facebook. In a month that was Xmas themed I certainly didn’t expect that

 

DECEMBER 26th FREE CHOICE: I love this café and shop with a mission of empowerment and inclusion. The ambience is lovely and the space restored and renovated beautifully. Today I climbed up and down these stairs for the second time since we arrived in Battambang. It is also an accomplishment for me to overcome the fear and to feel that it’s achievable after my knee surgery

 

DECEMBER 27th I DID THIS TODAY: Before the heat set in we visited Wat Samrong Knong this morning. I was particularly taken with the ancient ruins within the temple grounds and the juxtaposition of old and new temples

 

DECEMBER 28th FAVE BIT OF 2021: for me was discovering this delightful young novice, who we had taught for over three years along with three others, was going to continue his education and spiritual training in Phnom Penh. Although, we seriously miss them, it’s incredible to think that when we first met none of them had ever been to school and many had never even held a pencil. It does my soul good to know their futures are brighter

 

DECEMBER 29 A BOOK: I was gifted before Xmas and have just finished reading. I’m so glad I tossed in my bag for this trip as I accidentally forgot my iPad which was loaded up with books I also wanted to read. This is the holiday vibe and I’ve always loved reading books about places I’m travelling in at the time

 

DECEMBER 30th SOMETHING COLOURFUL: This enormous salad served to us at Ristorante Italiano in Battambang a few days ago, wins the prize for being the most colourful (eat a rainbow) salad I’ve ever eaten, that I didn’t make myself. Although I’ve taken several colourful shots today nothing compared with this

DECEMBER 31st ONE WORD FOR 2022: HOPE 

“If you only carry one thing throughout your entire life, let it be hope. Let it be hope that better things are always ahead. Let it be hope that you can get through even the toughest of times. Let it be hope that you are stronger than any challenge that comes your way. Let it be hope that you are exactly where you are meant to be right now, and that you are on the path to where you are meant to be……. Because during these times, Hope will be the very thing that carries you through.”

Nikki Banas

 

I have lost count of the number of times I have begun messages and emails and conversations with ‘I hope…’ so my one word for 2022 is hope. I made this in our hotel room today with essentials, gifts and treats- all items we have purchased on this trip. Happy New Year!

THE PROMPTS

oNe PhOtO a DaY nOvEmBeR 2021:

NOVEMBER 1st WHITE: The last flower on the Cuban Ginger in our garden

NOVEMBER 2nd BLACK: a natural, charcoal-dyed, aromatic candle in the guest bedroom

 

NOVEMBER 3rd GREEN: The small, green, lotus pod which remains in our pot pond now the petals of the flower have all been scattered in the wind

 

NOVEMBER 4th RED: the detail of the carving in the back of a beautiful, antique, Chinese, red, wooden chair

*This one was selected for the fab Four on Instagram

NOVEMBER 5th ORANGE: I prepared this little orange pumpkin for a frittata to take on our picnic tomorrow

 

NOVEMBER 6th BLUE: the recycled blue bag that we use to buy bread when we go to Kampot, which we did today enroute to our picnic spot at Toek Chhu. Say no to plastic. Be the change you wish to see in the world

 

NOVEMBER 7th YELLOW: I just spotted this yellow school sign near our house and think that it is perhaps new as schools have only just reopened here

 

NOVEMBER 8th PURPLE: Geisha Girl flower in the garden

 

NOVEMBER 9th AQUA: as the monsoon season draws to an end and the heat intensifies, nothing is more appealing than swimming in this aqua blue water

 

NOVEMBER 10th PINK: Delicious pink drinks made from dragon fruit and green coconut water were our after-swim refreshment today

NOVEMBER 11th GREY: In Tibet it’s a stupa, in Thailand it’s a chedi and in Bhutan it’s a chorten but I’m not sure what it’s called in Cambodia but it’s definitely grey

 

NOVEMBER 12th BROWN: Oatmeal, banana, raisins, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and coconut cookies straight out of the oven ….. maybe it will inspire another picnic this weekend

 

NOVEMBER 13th POP OF COLOUR: A small prayer wheel from Bhutan that I spin everyday

 

NOVEMBER 14th STRIPES: These are the horizontal and vertical stripes on flags that say Buddhism all across South East Asia. These two were given to me by our little monks when we had just started teaching them. They hang in our house on the altar

 

NOVEMBER 15th FLORAL: The beautiful, floral pattern on this fine, bone China mug takes having tea in the garden to a whole new level

 

NOVEMBER 16th ONE COLOUR: The green view of trees, mangroves, rice and palms from the pagoda this morning before our class began

NOVEMBER 17th TWO COLOURS: Aqua and orange is my favourite two colour combination and these are my flippers or fins which I use in the pool to strengthen my knee, even though I don’t actually do my laps with them on

 

 

NOVEMBER 18th PATTERN: I liked this filigree leaf pattern so much I pasted it on the lid of this box which was also repurposed from the original soap packaging. Now what treasure will I store in it?

 

NOVEMBER 19th BLACK AND WHITE: A Buddha from the street of stone masons in Phnom Penh taken when we were there a month ago

 

NOVEMBER 20th RAINBOW: The little monks have now learnt the names of colours. This week we will do some rainbow colouring to reinforce their recognition and have some fun

 

NOVEMBER 21st ON MY HEAD: is a Panama hat we bought in Peru - not sure why that doesn’t make it a Peruvian hat but … that’s the monthly selfie and although I haven’t felt much like smiling lately at least this prompt made me try

 

NOVEMBER 22nd ON MY FEET: I always admire these original tiles, which remain in many of the restored buildings here and often photograph my feet on them but mostly my cheap, well-worn and comfy sandals are on my feet ……  There is one notable exception in this collage and they would be my only half way presentable closed toed shoes on my feet on what I think are the most stunning of all these tile designs

 

NOVEMBER 23rd MY FAVE COLOUR: is no secret! My fave colour and my fave sunset shot ever! Taken on Xmas Day in Oz many, many years ago. I’m just a lot distracted at the moment

 

NOVEMBER 24th MATCHING: Hopefully the removal of the hardware in my left knee will mean that soon I will have matching knees again, but right now the scenario is matching this time a year ago when all this started. Yay for the beginning of the final stage of healing

 

NOVEMBER 25th NATURAL: palm shadows and feet on the front porch

NOVEMBER 26th DARK: See you on the dark side of the moon….

NOVEMBER 27th LIGHT: That magical low tide, early morning light over the bay

 

NOVEMBER 28th PASTEL: One pastel pink lotus bud in the pot pond 

 NOVEMBER 29 BRIGHT: This newly- painted, bright relief is on a wall at the entrance to an incomplete stupa compound near the pagoda

NOVEMBER 30th GOLD: a line-up of gold Buddhas from the pagoda 

This one was selected for the fabbers grid on Facebook 

 

THE PROMPTS

 

 I think this is the first month in over four years that the little monks didn't appear in any of the images! 

Quite a few archive shots this month but given I had a procedure and haven't left the house for a week, I think that's OK. Actually I anticipated this turn of events and tried to take as many of the later prompts as I could earlier in the month so I could use them when it wasn't possible to get out and about.