The Beach Camper

As we lazily strolled on the beach of Goa on a hot October afternoon, I realised for sure we are beach people, or else why would we be here! The beach is almost empty, except for one or two souls and the many friendly dogs that appeared now and then wagging their tails. The ocean appeared vaster than what it appears when it’s crowded. It was getting hotter and our hats or sunglasses were not helping, “a few more steps and we shall leave” said DH.

Do you believe in law of attraction?? Or manifestations?? Well this was my day!

Walking past, I saw this camper, I could see a bed inside, curtains on the windows, clothes line-drying outside and a man sitting outside doing something…..it took me a few minutes before the voice in my head yelled at me….”its a home”!! “ITS A HOME”!!!

Well, let me explain, I am a big fan of small space living movement or say sustainable living. I have seen all…..I mean literally ALL the videos on ‘living in camper or bus, tiny house movement and similar videos  available on the internet. I am completely thrilled by the idea of it, but for some reason I was convinced that it is not possible in India, given our social structure. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the ‘matter of space’ that bothers, infact, I know families of 5-8 members living in one bedroom space. It’s not about space, for me its about breaking free of the material trap, not giving in to the fears created by society to controll us….the idea of breaking free from all these bondages has always intrigued me. There are many I have come across in different stages of my life who have made these choices and it’s always inspiring to meet them. But this, I  was least expecting.

I saw a tall, sun burnt man standing in front of the camper van. At a distance, a little girl was balancing on the edge of a boat. I walked past in disbelief.

After a few wise words from DH, on our way back, I walked up to the camper, introduced myself and what a friendly family!! Gagan is a free spirited guy, he was warm and welcomed my questions. He has been living in the camper for over five years now, with his beautiful wife Gitanjali and ‘little mogli’ Rashika, their daughter.
Born and brought up in Himachal Pradesh, Gagan worked in Canada before quitting his job for his love for travel. He spent a major part of his savings in building this camper.

The nomadic life feels home, he said. He is not much of a social media person and one cannot even reach him on face book or whatsapp! He prefers to visit relatives and friends once in a while over text chatting. When asked, ” how does he manage his day to day finances and if he worries about the future?” He said, ” regarding money, I’ve savings from my previous job that keeps us going and if I worry about my future….he smiled and said, No”!

As we chatted, a fluffy dog came running towards us with blood strains around his neck, it’s their dog Ramcharan and the whole family gathered. Gitanjali rushed in all concerned, she brought some turmeric powder and applied it on Ramcharan’s wound. That was my first impression of Gitanjali, a loving person. As we slowly got into conversation, I realised this lifestyle was not something Gitanjali had dreamt of or aspired for, yet she has merged in as if it was always hers! She then gave me an insight of their day to day lifestyle. While I panic when there is no running water or when the pantry is empty, she has outgrown these fears over the years. ‘Hojata hai (things fall into place)’…she says. She shared how cooking dinner under the stars makes every dinner special!  She  enjoys their undivided family time. What I saw was, one proud woman and mother.

The simplest kitchen

Composting Toilet

All Smiles!!

Of all, I fell in love with Rashika! Children as such are the perfect reflection of their family and environment but when close to nature they are like encyclopedia, so was she!  She knows swimming, she knows how to fish, she loves star gazing, a natural storyteller and what not! She even invited us to join her for fishing, which we so much wanted to, but had to sadly decline, if only we haven’t had our plans booked. After listening to her many stories we realised it was time for us to say goodbye!

DH had been clicking pictures without my knowledge during our conversations, for which I can thank him now! As we walked DH asked, “so….??”, I replied, ” It is hot and am damn hungry….but I feel …..good!”  Their passion and positivity had left us with a feeling of contentment. I so much wished we had more time to spend, wish I could get glimpse of a day in their lives. So much is there to be heard and said….may be for another day!

I recollected a few take aways from this meeting:- 1. No matter how hard something appears, some one some where has done it! 2. Things, always fall into their places!  And most importan of all, “No matter what… if you ask a question, you shall receive an answer”. Law of attraction.

 

Spoiled Milk, ‘Desi Desert’

Morning hours are the craziest, preparing breakfast, lunch, packing lunch box, getting ready and hundred other things getting before heading to work. But I never miss my ‘cup of tea’. Today, as I boiled milk to add to my cup of tea, I released it’s spoiled. About two cups of milk and no time in hand….what would you do?

Here’s a simple recipe, I loved this recipe as a kid and still cherish it. By the look you can say, it’s a perfect ‘Desi Desert’!

So, Boil the milk for about 5 minutes, until water is separated from cheese, stain it and add little jaggery/ honey,  smash a banana into it and that’s it!

For people like me, who are not very  fond of sweets, it’s perfect! I add jaggery according to my liking and fruits for extra flavor. You can also add grated coconut or cashew nut, whatever is available. The texture and the smell of cheese will simply melt in your taste buds!

Orange & pomegranate peel Powder

While grocery shopping, I saw packets of orange peel face pack and scrub on the shelves. I have been working with fruit peels for some time now, but not been able to figure out a proper usage for it. While most of the green waste in my home goes into the compost, I always had to throw away citric ones. I did try a few different things, yet, a lot is wasted. So, I decided to give this a try.

I have read a lot about the amazing benefits of pomegranate peels and since we were full of both the fruits, so, why not powder them both I thought. Now reminding myself to not throw away the peels was another part of the story, now I was following DH every time he picked up an orange or pomegranate. Many were saved from verge of being dumped. It took extra effort from DH ofcourse. Once that was done, I cut the peels into small pieces, covered it with muslin cloth and dried them under the sun, after 3-4 days of direct sun light, shifted it to another place where it got indirect sun light for another week. I ensured there’s no moisture left, I powdered it in a mixture.

Let me share a few benefits of orange and pomegranate peel powder that lured me into this project:

Benefits:

1. Anti aging properties
2. Treat pimples and acne scars
3. Add natural glow to your face
4. Rich source of vitamin C
5. An effective natural scrub
6. Orange peel act as a natural bleach
7. Improves dental health

I use it as a face & body scrub and also add it to my face pack. As we know citrus do dry out the skin, I prefer using it with a moisturizing agent like honey or curd.

Simple Face Pack: 

Home made peel powder: 1 tbsp
Curd: 1 tbsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Mix it well and apply it on your face for 15-30 min. Once it is dry, slowly scrub it in circular motion and wash your face with normal water.

The first thing to notice about the pack is the smell…it smells wonderful! Secondly, it leaves the skin very smooth and soft, no stretchy feeling and no tightness. Though I notice acne scar feeding but it might take a few months to completely fade away the scars. I feel its a safer way for the long run, unlike those chemicals based products that goes into our skin and then into our blood stream causing damages. But the best part is, its so easy to make!

Recently DH munched on a big piece of watermelon and handed me the skin, I looked at him and asked, “Why are you giving this to me?” he replied, “How would I know…..you tell me, what would you do with this one!?”

 

A nest within my nest!

Have I not said this hundred times already! well, once again; I love birds!! I feel mesmerized when I see them sit quietly and attentively, I love listening to their chirping but I don’t like it when they fly away at the slightest of noise or movement. Every day, early in the morning while doing dishes I hear them chirping from my balcony. A bird feeder and water bowl waits for them.

Big world, little me!

All the houses I lived in my childhood have always been surrounded by huge trees; so, I am used to those morning calls and busy afternoons. Cows will hang out under those trees, strays almost took over our sitting areas and there were bugs, insects, butterflies, dragonflies and many more, so its natural to develop a liking towards them.

After moving to Hyderabad, I missed that all, so much so that I even dreaded to hear the crows cawing. Until recently different birds and crows have started flocking in, so I did my bit by hanging a bird feeder and placing a water bowl. A year back or so, a cute little couple  built their nest in my neighbor’s balcony who were out of station and I was overwhelmed, at the same time sad; overwhelmed because getting them to befriend me, was now a matter of balcony-to-balcony job and sad because, why not my balcony!?

Sorting out some misunderstanding!!

I could have just waited but waiting is difficult, isn’t it? So I decided to help them realize that they are welcome here, my home is a comfortable & cozy place, to convey this I built a nest! Yes…a man made nest!! I know, I know, birds sense human touch and have apprehension towards it, yet I did. I got different reactions, like, DH was speechless, some whatsapp friends were all aww….. and some were upfront, “Jolly, you are silly” they said.

Getting all creative….

The very first memory of birds in my life was the one that my sister shared with me. We are four siblings and the eldest, our sister raised us, as our mother suffered from schizophrenia when I was a toddler. When a sibling has to get into the shoes of parents, things are different…. and difficult. Its like four kids walking in the darkness, holding each others hand, one kid ahead of the other. In that circumstance, one learns fast & grows up fast. And the one in the front, takes the most strikes.

I have a picture of her in my mind, silently sitting alone on the varanda of our 1 bedroom house and looking at nothingness. May be that was her time of reflection. Once, after a stormy night she sat outside drowned in her thoughts; tree branches had fallen, the wind had carried with it dust, papers and wrappers: small stream of water was flowing along side the road, that’s when a little bird caught her attention, the tiny bird was busy picking up sticks, grasses, threads and whatever it could fit into its beak and fly away. The rain had possibly washed away her nest and there she was toiling hard to build back her nest. One stick in its beak and it would fly away, again it would come back to pick up a blade of grass and fly away just to return again. One thing at a time. She went on and on. Sis chocked while sharing this incidence with me. It was the manifestation of her own life, our life. Till date it is fresh in my mind …. as if it was yesterday, as if…..

Site inspection

That was a day and this is today, I find it easier to communicate with birds & strays more than humans. Today we are busy, we are so busy, that we don’t have time for anything. And the ones who are at most loss … are children. They don’t count stars anymore, they don’t climb trees, no more paper boats, they spend hours staring at TV and playing games on mobile phones. And this concerns me.

In the depth of my heart I know, that day, those little birds gave her (my sis) the strength to go on, and the many little birds and ants and lizards, insects that we grew up with, those trees that we climbed and the animals around us, give us the strength. That’s how my sister raised us into who we are today.

My self-made-nest stood their for the longest time, until one day I heard the sweetest noise I have been waiting to hear. They are here!!!

Home-Sweet-Home!!

Skin care and turmeric oil

This post got deleted in the final stage of editing…..

I am a homemaker, a teacher, an inquisitive  person, an experimenter and of course being a womdan, natural skin & hair expert!!

I used turmeric roots, homemade turmeric powder can also be used

I love turmeric and I can vouch on it, I have been using it since I was a child. During festivals or auspicious occasions my mother would make a paste of turmeric roots and apply on my whole body. The yellow tan did not matter much then, because many other neighborhood kids also roamed around looking like yellow zombies. It carried on to my teens and has continued till date, except that it has reduced from a bowl to a pinch, and from whole body to only face!

Grated the turmeric roots and cooked in coconut oil over low flame till all the moistures vapourises

Here I am sharing the very easy turmeric oil making process along with my recent experience, hoping it might be helpful. Around 2014 DH started getting small red patches over his forehead and cheeks, it was extremely dry and itchy, slightly swollen, it aggravated when exposed to sun. Every day he would return home with new the red patches which eventually turn into white dry patches. Soon my once carefree hubby was  under constant fear of getting out in the sun. And things looked  worse day by day. It looked dry so I guessed a good moisturizer would do the job but soon realized it was not so. Next we went for the sunscreen but that too did not do much good. Then an appointment with a skin specialist, who consoled us saying nothing serious and prescribed medicine.  Soon winter approached and with the medicine his skin healed.

Allow it to cool down

Up until the next summer, during which it all came back and this time doubled the size. We were at our home town, there we consulted another doctor and again medicines were brought. On returning back, I did my own little research  and found alovera gel to be magic cure, well no harm in trying I said, and DH was convinced. Patanjali Alovera gel was the brand I choose and even before any effect was visible DH kind of enjoyed the massage he was getting every night (which was in itself a proof of something good is happening). A few months into the regime, I added the second most referred ingredient to alovera gel and it was also my favorite! A few drops of turmeric oil (home made). Even after his medicines were over, we continued with our alternative therapy. It was nearly after four months, when we first saw its effectiveness. Soon, we were on our own, trekking, Goa tour, Pondicherry trip, Coorg trip and many more without any issue. Once a 30 minut to-and-fro ride from home to office left scars and itchy skin, we were more than glad with the results! First the itchiness was gone, then the reddenning due to sun and finally the white dry patches now slowly fading. With all that, we still continue the regime as its important to understand that any issue be it acne or eczema or anything, they are the reflection of some deeper issue, which might be pollution or immune system or age or anything else. We accepted that his skin has become sensitive and we will continue with this simple trick. We cannot say how long it will take to completely cure and we are not waiting for it. It’s just like applying any other moisturizer or sunscreen! We’re happy to know that if we can get rid of something in a natural and healthier way then why not!

Strain it and bottle it!

I have shared the turmeric oil making process, it’s simple and easy & I use it occasionally as skin moisturizer too. Other oils that I love and keep alternating with turmeric oil are coconut oil, almond oil, kumkumadi tailam. Other oils that sit beside my bed are castor oil for cracked heels, neem oil for acne, mustard oil for hair and feet massage ……and many more, will share about them in future.

 

Burning frankincense

Writing down the list of necessary items for the coming months I paused and sat back, looked at DH who was drunken busy in his work, seeing me looking at him, he got puzzled (the look in his eyes said, “what did I forget this time?!?”),  “Nothing”, I said, just wish we could get rid of this mosquito liquidators, being exposed to any chemical for such a long span of our lives must be having some impacts no matter how much those companies deny the fact, isn’t it? DH quietly nodded in agreement with eyes still fixed on the laptop screen.

Alas! gone are those good old days when in the late evening hours frankincense would be lit and soon the house will be filled with its soothing smell, mosquito nets would be pulled and after dinner we would carefully slip inside the net for the night.

Ahh…the smell of the burning frankincense, I immediately googled it to know what the world thinks & says, found it to be a very  common practise in so many parts of the world! I also found many videos and post about burning frankincense over charcoal but it is not how we do it in our homes. So I decided to share how its done our way!!

Coconut husk/coir and frankincense

Its called Jhuna dani in Odiya, Jhuna (frankincense) dani (holder/container)

The coconut husk is carefully placed inside the container and frankincense sprinkled over it. And lit it.

Some places they use coconut shell as well. Lighting it can be a little tricky initially. Don’t forget to keep adding jhuna/frankincense and coconut husk in between as long as you wish…..

We keep adding frankincense little at a time. This one burns for less than 10-15 min and the smoke can stays for around 1 hour with fans off and windows closed.

The other thing I like about it, is that its a kind of small family activity, as kids we took part in removing the coconut husk, dry them in the sun if it’s wet, placing it in the container and fighting over who is going to add frankincense, with four of us(siblings), we surely did add a lot more than necessary!

DIY Apron from Old Jeans

What do you do with your old stuffs?? Do you donate them or recycle them or give away…what’s your way of management?

Here, in our home we do all of it and then there are ones’s that get hijacked even before we know 😉 (siblings!). Being a craft person I tuck away some for different  project, like this one!  Let me take you through a pictorial tour!

DIY : Old Jeans Apron
As I started off, I had a pair of jeans to work with and some scrap clothes and i needed an apron,  one idea led to the other and things started merging up.

Cut one leg off the Jeans

Cut one side open

Mark the arms on both sides

This is how it looks after cutting!

Used another shade of denim for border & pockets.

Hand stitched all the borders.

Sewing the pockets

Final trimmings & stitches to be done but almost there!

Final look! So proud 😉

Herbal Tea

I’ve caught a cold and am resting for a while. I rarely get cold or fever, it was just the other day while massaging DH feet with warm mustard oil who was suffering from cold, I lovingly said, “I wish your cold catches me and let you free” and see here we are! As I am sipping my cup of herbal tea I thought, why not share it! Its a very simple & easy herbal tea recipe and brings great relief  in case of cold, cough & fevers.

Ingredients: Water : 1 Cup Ginger : 1 inch (appx) Bay leaves : 2 Black pepper : 4-6 Mishri (depending on sweet preference) Salt : Pinch (Optional) Time : 4-5 min Recipe: Add all the ingredients to 1 cup of boiling water. Wait till it reduces to half and stain it. Enjoy it warm. It can be consumed 2-3 times a day depending on the severity of cold and fever.

Handy notes

*In case of people who do not prefer sweet flavor, adding a pinch of salt brings about a balanced taste.
*Having one cup will not bring about immediate relief.
*Black pepper can be skipped in case of unavailability.
*The quantity of the ingredients vary depending on the number of people & severity of aliment.

No ShamPoo – 2

I’ve been experimenting with natural shampoo for some time now and the reason was simple, the constantly increasing number of hair care products and designed such that  one product would create a requirement for the other. Ofcourse having silky & shiny hair is a all girls dream but then, what are we compromising with. Recently, when my hairs started falling way more than they normally do and the home remedies that worked earlier were in-effective this time, I looked around for more. And that is how I landed up at no-poo method and eventually creation my own shampoo!

Shikae, Amla & Reetha

In my previous post I shared my first recipe on natural shampoo, though it was great (click here to check), I have been planning to make a all natural shampoo that can be stored without adding any preservatives for which I was in search of raw shikakae & amla. Finally my long wait come to an end, my sister who is here, has brought some for me. So here I am with the second alternative. It can be stored for a month!!!

Recipe: Soaked the 100 gm of reetha, Amla & Shikakie overnight in 2 ltr water. Next day remove the seeds and smash it in the water, then boil it for 5-8 minutes. Once cool, strain & bottle it. Thats it, your herbal shampoo is ready!

Soaked overnight

Follow your usual regime, wet your hair thoroughly and add a little at a time. Let it sit there for some time, before raising.

Natural, home made shampoo ready to be used!

A few things to be mentioned here, natural shampoo does not produce the kind of leather that a chemical based shampoo does. A chemical shampoo does nothing more that cleaning that too in a harmful way, leaving behind  its residue on our scalps which penetrate inside and show effects on long run. On the other hand a natural shampoo not only cleans but also nourishes the hair from within. Secondly, there is no way we can research on all the ingredients added to chemical shampoo and their effects on our health. Instead of hopping from one to the other, if we could give enough time to adjust & rely on to natural ways it will save us from a lot of health problems . I have been using it since last two weeks & I just love it. I’m still getting use to the no leather feeling but the benefits are keeping me motivated!  I like it as much as the first one but I think, I’ll stick to this one (it saves the pre preparation time :P). If you happen to try it, do share your experience!