IN 2021 THE PHOTO A DAY CHALLENGE HAS INTRODUCED A FREE CHOICE OPTION SO FOR THIS MONTH I AM GOING TO MIX AND MATCH CHOOSING FROM THE PROMPTS OR OPTING FOR FREE CHOICE IF THEY DON’T SUIT
THE PROMPTS
JANUARY 1st THIS IS ME: In my new to me, $2 charity shop cut work top I haven’t had an excuse to wear until now
JANUARY 2nd PAPER: This is our orange gratitude envelope. As the year progresses we write a simple account of the achievements, successes, highlights and red-letter days on a coloured piece of paper. The tradition is to read back all those reflections on New Year’s Day and feel grateful for good times. That is exactly what we did last night. This past year of all years, it was illuminating to realise that amongst the chaos, crisis and challenges there were still so many memorable moments. Gratitude is an attitude! I’ve adopted it
JANUARY 3rd FREE CHOICE: Since the prompt today wasn’t one that inspired me I thought I’d do a free choice post. Here’s our inaugural Sunday Brunch. Starting a monthly brunch tradition with a garden party and cranberry mimosas
(The prompt was car but I’m going to be completely honest about this. I sold my last car in 1989.)
JANUARY 4th SO COLOURFUL: A colourful collection of vegetables from the crisper. Most of these will go in the coconut, tamarind vegetable curry we are having for dinner. Eat a rainbow
JANUARY 5th FREE CHOICE: Our new favourite lunch is Ian’s twist on Korean Pa Jun- rice flour pancakes with garlic chives. This was packed to have as a picnic after the new swimming and knee strengthen exercise routine was completed. Perfect treat to celebrate a personal best in the pool today
(The prompt was pet but I’m going to be completely honest about this. I don't have a pet and I didn't see one all day.)
JANUARY 6th FLOWERS: Right now, the mango trees in the yard that are not already in fruit, are laden with flowers. It’s going to be a bumper harvest
JANUARY 7th THE SKY: There is a good expanse of sky visible in this shot taken this afternoon. Our mission for the day was a thoroughly enjoyable one; picking up 100 backpacks and pencil cases paid for by donors in Switzerland and made by IWA in Kep and delivering them and distributing some of them to village children at Kep Gardens Association. Thanks to Mr John our friend and Tuk Tuk drive for snapping the shot
JANUARY 8th I ATE HERE: We arrived at the beach with a picnic dinner and unexpectedly met several friends but we in fact I ate right here tonight and got to see the sunset too. Count your blessings
JANUARY 9th CLOSE UP: Given that I’ve had a couple of rather strenuous days recently and that today has been spent in totally lazy mode, I give you a close up of part of the design on the T-shirt I am wearing while not even venturing outdoors
JANUARY 10th SOMETHING NICE: I bought two handwoven, naturally dyed, Kapok shawls in the ‘Made in Cambodia’ market several months ago. Today I finally found my mojo and got around to hand stitching the two of them together to make a new bedspread. Now to find some matching sheets and pillowcases and it will be even nicer
JANUARY 11th SHOES: The sum total of all the shoes I own. Like me they have felt a bit like just walking away from all these knee issues recently but we’ve decided to stick it out together: maybe even help each other out. For the record I do own a couple of pairs of flip flops and sandals as well as a pair of boots but the pedant in me won’t let me call them shoes
JANUARY 12th TECHNOLOGY: This is it in our house; phones, and one tablet and one computer we share. I tend to have specific purposes for each. I mostly take photos and play on social media on my phone and almost never actually make phone calls on it. I almost always read on the tablet and occasionally use it in class with the monks for reading too. On the other hand, the computer is almost exclusively used for writing emails, blogs and worksheets to print out. Such a creature of habit. It actually scared me when I thought about this. The delineation into these specific purposes evolved over a decade ago and hasn’t changed much. Maybe it’s time to mix it up bit!
JANUARY 13th SOMETHING IN NATURE: This impressive, edible, seed pod is produced by the pandan tree, which grows prolifically in Kep. We often see people harvesting them in public places but have yet to taste them
JANUARY 14th HOLDING SOMETHING SMALL: The lovely silver and orange charm that I was given recently as a most unexpected gift and for no real reason except the buyers thought of me when they saw it. I also wore it today for the second time and I love it
JANUARY 15th I LOVE THIS SMELL: The spices, herbs, toasted seeds and nuts and citrus scent of my embellished version of Greek Pilaf, which is used as the filling for dolmades. The smell as it cooks is mouth-watering and intoxicating. As we can’t get vine leaves here I steamed Chinese Broccoli leaves and used them. Dinner is ready and now to go swimming before we are tempted to just sit down and eat them
JANUARY 16th I CAN DO THIS: Adapt a recipe to fit what I have on hand and my own preferences. This was my first ever attempt at oatmeal cookies today and I used different salt, flour, oats and oil than the recipe suggested, less and different sugar, a duck egg instead of a regular hen’s egg, raisins and sunflowers seeds instead of chocolate and only the baking soda and vanilla remained as stipulated! Delicious nonetheless. Definitely making this again and possibly with chocolate chips now that I know it works! Never waste good chocolate
JANUARY 17th IN MY CUP: Black coffee as a late afternoon pick me up after having friends over for lunch. Living the simple life
JANUARY 18th I LOVE THIS FOOD: This is a standard breakfast in our house and I love it. After over 25 years of almost always eating muesli for breakfast, then mixing it up for a while, now this is it: toasted baguettes with chilli jam or Vegemite, amaranth greens, cheese, tomatoes, basil and black pepper. Yep I absolutely love this food
JANUARY 19th MORE THAN ONE: Today our walk along the seafront and through the fishing village enabled us to see more than one of these horseshoe crabs but these two were the only ones close enough together to photograph. We flipped one over as they were on their backs and discovered they were still alive so we returned them to the ocean. I assume the local fishermen removed them from their nets and I’m not sure why they didn’t return them to the ocean but we felt compelled to. The name is actually a misnomer as they are not crabs at all but brackish water arthropods
WEDNESDAY 20th A FRIEND: My little, Cambodian friend, who I see every time we swim and who is finally relaxed enough in my presence to say a few words to me. He used to run away and hide
JANUARY 21st WATER: The faint glow of sunset on the waters of the Tonle Sap River in Phnom Penh, where we arrived today. Also, one on the first photos taken with my new iPhone. Wooo hoo there’s lots to learn now!
FRIDAY 22nd ON THE FLOOR: The spectacular original tiles in the newly renovated Hyatt Regency, where we went for drinks today. We have watched this renovation take place for over 3 years and now it’s complete.
The whole building just for fun
JANUARY 23rd SUNSET: Well as close as we got to any kind of sunset colours in one of our favourite spots to sit and watch it happen. It turned decidedly grey after this. Phnom Penh you’ve got the looks
SUNDAY 24th THUS IS FUN: Meeting new Bhutanese friends, Kezang and Dorji for the first time in Phnom Penh, for an Indian dinner and instantly making a connection and planning future connections. You get out of life what you put into it, I think. Feeling blessed. Thanks to the lovely young girls at the adjoining table for taking this quick snap
MONDAY 25th SWEET TREAT: Always the last task before we leave Phnom Penh is a visit to the Central Market for all the fresh produce we never see in Kep. This morning we also wandered the eatery section which was hopping with locals eating breakfast and sweet treats galore. Local honey still in the comb took my fancy but I resisted the urge. We have already had quite a spending splurge this trip
JANUARY 26th WHERE I STOOD: Right here at the edge of the pool on the wet tiles with wet feet. Might not seems like much but it was an act of bravery as I fractured my kneecap by slipping on wet tiles just over two months ago and they induce fear in me these days. Not about to give up the swimming routine though
JANUARY 27th A PATH: This is the path to the steps to the old pier in the fishing village. The path is lined with pylons that remain from when the pier actually reached the road. I wonder how much longer it will be able to service this community
JANUARY 28th THIS IS MINE: A sweet little purse with a whimsical character on it. It was handmade and purchased in La Paz, Bolivia about four years ago. I love it and have used it every day since then
JANUARY 29th LUCKY: We feel extremely lucky to live in Cambodia, to be able to go out and visit friends, hug each other, feel safe and relax in such a beautiful rural setting with traditional village life just outside the window of the open plan living area of a dear friend’s house. Live with gratitude
JANUARY 30th SUMMER: It’s always summer in Kep. Late afternoon and the fishing boats are returning home
JANUARY 31st THIS IS ALSO ME: playing around with a new dress hoping I can make it look formal enough to wear to our first Khmer wedding this time next Sunday. I was also playing around with the camera on my new phone and learned a few new tricks once again, thanks to PAD
*This month I challenged myself to take every picture on the actual day and not to use any archive shots so a couple of free choice shots snuck in, as the prompts on those days didn't suits my day.
