December 21: Christmas, Hanukkah, or Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice
A day to remember
Its almost the end of the year
The days lengthening gradually
The nights get shortening every day
Newhopes to look forward to, new dreams to dream
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This is a beautiful message by Margaret Atwood;
“This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, it’s cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past let’s go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath”
We celebrate two Eids in one Islamic year. And like any other faith, our festivals also have a strong connection to food, family gathering together for a meal, and cooking traditional recipes with love.
Our traditional dishes on Eid-Uk-Fitr are sweet vermicelli cooked in milk with almonds, pistachios, and cardamoms added to it. It is usually served as breakfast.
Festive season is a wonderful opportunity to connect with people from other countries and cultures. Food is a great unifying element. Invite friends and acquaintances belonging to all kinds of cultures for a meal. It will be a learning experience for everyone.
What is the best part of a festival?
Everyone gathered around a table
Food prepared with love, served generously
Camaraderie and laughter will brighten it
Making the meal a source of beautiful memories
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Do you bake or cook Christmas gifts for friends and family? Do you fix a special recipe for the holiday meal? Do you have a favorite treat you enjoy during the holidays?
I would like to introduce you all to such a historic landmark building of my home city, The Lahore fort. This holds that special charm, that beauty, and magic about it! It is not an abandoned building persé but a historical landmark, which indeed is a work of art!
The main entrance of Lahore fort( Shahi Mahal)
This magnificent fort was built in 1556 by the Mughal emperor Akbar. It is a wonderful example of Mughal architecture and there are beautiful examples of both Muslim and Hindu styles of motifs.
Bara Dari-( 12 doors) an open courtyard where the Mughal emperor used to meet people.
Even though this is not very well maintained, it has stood the test of time quite well. It boasts of beautiful and well-laid gardens and multiple decorative halls.
Gardens outside the Sheesh ( mirror) palace
Anyone who visits Lahore has to visit this historical treasure
Hope you enjoyed this mini trip to one of my favorite places in Lahore. A place of secrets, and of timeless beauty where the imagination can take you back centuries.
I am sharing my trip of Washington State and Pacific Coast that I took in 2019 with my daughter and grandson.
It was with much anticipation that I looked forward to my visit to the Pacific coast in the north of Washington state. The plan was to driveand stay a couple of night along the way.
In two and half days we did a loop of the Olympic peninsula, traveling around 600 miles. It was a great trip and we drove through most of the towns and ports in the area.
I hope you enjoy!
Day-1
Cape Flattery, Pacific Ocean, Clallam county
View from Cape Flattery
Cape resort, Neah Bay
Neah Bay
Lake Quinault, Olympic National Forest
These are the pictures from the first leg of the trip, going to Neah bay, Makkah reservation. The weather was fantastic and the viewsabsolutelywonderful.
The beauty of nature is such that words become unnecessary.
Day -2
Port Angeles was a super amazing experience.
Feiro Marine life center, Port Angeles
Beautiful painting on the outer walls depicting life in the past.
Writer’s Quotes Wednesdays (a Photo or Writing Challenge)
“Honor to the soldier and sailor everywhere who bravely bears his country’s cause, honor also to the citizen who cares for his brother in the field and serves as best can, the same cause”
Abraham Lincoln
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War is never a welcome option
Armies built by conscription
Soldiers fighting on beachhead,
Fronts, and in deep trenches
Lives sacrificed by millions
So that citizens live a free life
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“The soldier is the army, no army is better than its soldiers. The soldier is also a citizen. In fact the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of bearing arms for one’s country”
George S Patton
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I hope that we don’t have to go to war ever again
A war, justified or imposed upon the people is always tragic
Loss of lives, families torn apart and futures destroyed
But if we are asked to defend our homeland, we all will rise
With pride we will bear arms and stand united against the enemy
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“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor never the tormented”
Elie Wiesel
The silence of people who can do something is much more damaging than the verbosity of those who can’t.
“The best sense of touch; Having mother’s hand touch on forehead”
Mother!
I long for your warm hugs
For your loving hand touching my face
It’s been too long since I felt your love
Through your loving embrace, your gentle touch
“Touch is the most fundamental sense. A baby experiences it all over before he’s born and long he learns to use sight, hearing or taste. And no human ever ceases to need it. Keep your children short on pocket money but long on hugs”
This is such a beautiful truth. We need to be touched with care and love by those who are close to us. A hug can say what many kind words cannot. A child cocooned in a mother’s womb learns of the love expressed through touch.
“We take our sense of touch for granted, but it is as important as sight, hearing or any of the other human senses”
As October draws to an end, winter is knocking at our doors. Some people love winter weather while others dread it. Since I, personally love change, I celebrate when weather changes.
The cold of winter
Teaches us about
Keeping our faith
About strengthening relationships
And about sticking together
To celebrate this season
With love and hope
Do not let the misery of cold weather
Invade the warmth of the love in your heart
Instead, let it teach you the value of summer
For it is in contrast that we learn to appreciate
What we are missing in one season and have
The abundance of in the next one!
Imagine how boring it would be for us if the weather stayed the same year around. The changing seasons make us appreciate the beauty of all the different types of climates that have been created for us.
Keep it alive 
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