Thoughts and Tales…A Lifestyle Blog with a Zing.
“Beauty is not in the face. Beauty is a light in the heart.” Khalil Gibran
![Beautiful_1[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/beautiful_11.jpg)
The beautiful lady in the picture made a shopping experience wonderful. She was polite, engaging and very helpful despite all the questions I had to ask, she beamed with smiles all through.
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
“Beautiful Poetry of Life and Love.” Amanda
![Door[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/door1.jpg)
The words Jen read startled her. The spidery handwriting indicated that the writer had struggled while writing.
“If you are reading this letter, thank you for finding me. It means that my time here is over and I am sorry that you are unfortunately saddled with the responsibility of laying me to rest. The money inside the envelope is some money set aside for my cremation. I don’t want to be buried in a box for I have lived buried for far too long inside one and would like my ashes to be scattered across the Seas so that it can float free. I loved the sea as a young girl.”
She wasn’t sure if she should simply put the letter back as she found it – back in the envelope marked ‘URGENT PLEASE READ’ and propped on the empty vase on the dust covered table. She could go away with the pie she had brought along and no one would know that she had visited, but her curious interest had been thoroughly aroused.
Everything about the little house down the cul-de-sac was intriguing. A pair of nondescript eyes in glasses always stared out of the window when she took her brisk jog in the evenings, until a week ago when she stopped seeing or feeling the eyes; the bold numbers on the intricately designed door were unusual since no other house in the area had such numbers and none of the neighbours she interacted with since her move to the neighbourhood knew anything about the person living behind the door.
Decision and justification made, she baked and went visiting. She reasoned that it was the neighbourly thing to do. To fraternize with those living close to you a little bit, especially if you are going to be living there permanently.
Her gentle rap on the door found it slightly ajar and she stepped in cautiously, repeatedly saying hello, to no response.
Jen’s eyes quickly took in the sparse furnishing, an implacable, unpleasant odour hitting her nostrils and sending alarm bells to her senses that something wasn’t right and to get away fast, but her piqued mind sent her walking down the short passage which led to the rooms.
The design of the bungalow was familiar since it’s shaped like hers but both houses were sharply different. Where her’s wore a cheerful, homey and inviting look, the atmosphere of this one was forlorn and tired. The drapes were worn with age, the wallpaper lifting at the corners, the dirty rug gave off a musty smell that mingled with the other smell that only grew stronger with each step.
A body laid on the bed in the second room as though in deep, peaceful sleep but the pungent smell of death belied it’s appearance. Rushing out of the house into the street for fresh air, Jen dialed the police.
Providing all the information that she could muster when they arrived, she watched with saddened interest as the men from EMS respectfully wrapped the frail body of an old lady in a body bag. Spying the numbers that was crudely branded on the inner part of her left arm which was so thin that her skin was almost translucent, Jen recognized that the numbers on the arm matched the numbers on the door.
What did it they represent? Who is the lady? What was her story? These questions raced through her thoughts and she wished she had followed her prying mind to seek the eye’s in the window earlier.
© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha
The story behind the door. Discover challenge
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff
![Jollof_Rice[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/jollof_rice1.jpg)
Jollof rice is a staple dish eaten in most West African homes and though I am not living in my home country, Nigeria, a lot of our native dishes feature big time on my menu each week.
As a busy mum, I try to cook a large pot that will serve my family at least twice. This is time saving and grants me some respite on some evenings when I can just kick back a little and not sweat over the cooking pot.
So, from my cooking pot, I bring you my own modified version of jollof rice. Modified in the sense that I added some vegetables. I always seek ways of sneaking in extra veggies for my children in as much as my younger son finds time to pick the peas, he still gets to eat a good portion.
Recipe:
Preparation:
I prepared the tomato stew by boiling the tomatoes first to lose to lose excess water, then fry the dried blend in the vegetable oil and spice.
Most times I make the stew before hand and keep in the freezer so that whenever I want to cook jollof rice it’s a question of using the prepared stew and it can also be used to eat other meals like boiled yam, beans…
Cook your meat with curry, garlic, thyme, salt, ground pepper, Knorr cubes and chopped onions. The cooking time depends on the type of meat and how soft you want it. You can also fry or grill the meat depending on your taste.
Parboil the rice by boiling it. Rinse the parboiled rice and leave it in a colander to drain.
Cooking Steps:
When it’s cooked, you can serve with fried plantains and salad.
It usually serves us twice even with generous helpings 🙂
Enjoy your day today.
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff
Today’s guest post is brought to us by Joan and indeed she raises pertinent thoughts for those of us who are raising children outside our home countries.
How do we maintain our heritage while living in the diaspora? How do we pass on our culture to these younger generations even as they also embrace those of the places where they are being raised?
Please feel free to contribute to the discussion with your constructive feedback.
If you are interested in guest posting, you can check out this link.
For many parents, raising children in the Diaspora especially the US is such a daunting task. The reasons are many; however, cultural difference is a leading factor.
The African culture is far different from that in the Western world. This presents a serious dilemma for parents. Those that can afford or have got a proper structure back home usually send their children back home so that they learn the African values and mingle with the people. However, what can the rest do in order to keep their children more of Africans?
One thing to consider is that children learn by observing, so what are you showing them? What are you saying to them? That matters a lot from the word go. You can’t be perfect as the cultures around will obviously rub off on you in one way or another, but they will not completely change you.
As you raise your children, this is the best time to relish the African in you, hence pass it on to your babies. Besides that, children are resilient, they will know when a mistake is made, and that is if you care to acknowledge your mistakes before them.
They will also know when you are living a hypocritical life. That is when they will go out there to look for what is real. There is no harm in acknowledging your mistakes, for, through them, we learn. It also teaches them a lot such as the beauty of humility.
Another thing to note is that children are affected by nature (biologically and spiritually acquired traits) and nurture (traits acquired from surroundings).
Therefore, it would be great to surround your children with people that will positively impact their lives. In addition to that, take them to African churches, and then make it a point to make friends of families that cherish the same values as you do. That will in a long way help with raising a child that will give you joy.
While at church, encourage your children to join the various church groups, more so those that help them have a deeper understanding of their heritage. Besides that, when your little ones are deeply absorbed in Christianity from the get-go, their roots are more firmly established than when they start doing it at an earlier stage.
You could also enforce a policy where only the local language is spoken within the house. This is not as easy as it sounds more so when the children enrol into school.
However, even if they just have a basic comprehension, it is better than nothing at all. If it is possible, you could also try and live in communities that resonate with your specific African background.
You may not be able to send your children back home for extended stays for one reason or another. However, you could organise a trip for them back home once in their youth life. This will help them have a deeper understanding and appreciation of their culture, society and country on a whole. They will also get a chance to meet their extended family and better their local language prowess.
In as much as it is not easy to raise your child in the Diaspora, not all hope is lost.
Happy Parenting!
P.S. 
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
I absolutely love this book of poems. My favorites are “Love Rations” (for those who love to give the silent treatment) and “Beggars Supper” (which definitely pulls at the heart strings). Two thumbs up!!
Drinking my coffee yesterday morning while listening to CNN on referendum matters of BREXIT, I literally swallowed wrongly and almost choked on it when I learnt that UK voted out.
OUT! I squeaked to my Dear Himself, who was equally not amused that he left his drink and it grew cold. They have broken my romantic European values and hurt my feelings 😞
I felt compelled at that point to put the kettle back on and fix a cup of Earl Grey or some English breakfast tea to drink – what that would accomplish, I couldn’t ascertain, but I was certainly upset even though I am not British.
Well, I guess a lot of British folks are keeping a stiff upper lip and drinking lots of cups of tea at the moment, since the belief that a good cuppa tea can soothe frayed nerves. Let’s hope so.
Have a great weekend folks. Fix yourself something warm or cold to drink and no more exits please.
P.S. Linda always seems to know where my thoughts are and gives just the right prompt like today’s word ‘drink‘ to get me brewing and spewing.
Jacqueline
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
I absolutely love this book of poems. My favorites are “Love Rations” (for those who love to give the silent treatment) and “Beggars Supper” (which definitely pulls at the heart strings). Two thumbs up!!
The Daily post photo prompt partners tells us to pair them up “Whether two of a kind or ten, give us subjects that are in sync with one another — show us partnerships.”
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
I absolutely love this book of poems. My favorites are “Love Rations” (for those who love to give the silent treatment) and “Beggars Supper” (which definitely pulls at the heart strings). Two thumbs up!!
Bookmark your calendars for our awesome online get-together.
![Tea_party[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/tea_party11.jpg)
Our monthly blog party of meeting and mingling comes up next weekend.
Let’s kick off the dust of last month and the first half of this year, stepping into the second half with hope, joy and fun.
There’ll be scones or cakes, cookies or biccies, fizzy pops or soft drinks, chocolate nibbles, food, music and much more 😉
Just bring your blog along and drop in to meet and mingle with others.
It’s always a successful fun time and you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Date: link goes live Friday night of 1st July to Sunday 3rd July.
Venue: happening live on this site.
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff
![Tea_party[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/tea_party1.jpg)
Our monthly blog party of meeting and mingling comes up next weekend.
Let’s kick off the dust of last month and the first half of this year, stepping into the second half with hope, joy and fun.
There’ll be scones or cakes, cookies or biccies, fizzy pops or soft drinks, chocolate nibbles, food, music and much more 😉
Just bring your blog along and drop in to meet and mingle with others.
It’s always a successful fun time and you’ll enjoy it 🙂
Date: link goes live Friday night of 1st July to Sunday 3rd July.
Venue: happening live on this site.
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
‘A Richly Layered and Passionate Read.’ Jan Cliff
![1456149614808[1]](https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1456149614808121111.jpg?w=652&h=652)
‘PLEASE KEEP SENDING IN THE LINKS.’
Today’s featured blogs posts are:
Do step in and show some love.
Omctips, inspiration, relationship and style blog: a young blog that shares uplifting posts on life, parenting, relationships and style.
Serenade: a fast-paced short fiction that might thrill and intrigue seekers of quick literal write.
Get lost: sometimes getting lost is actually the best way to find where you are going or to find yourself. A thought-provoking and inspiring read.
‘Do you want more eyes on your words?’
Well then, add your LINK INTO THIS LOOP.
P.S. Comments are disabled here to keep the loop tidy. Any comments or link you want to send can be added through the link in the post.
Thank you for your understanding and regards.
‘We create a cohesive community when we come together.’
Below is my first just published Poetry Book “Out of the silent breath” which is available on Amazon and Smashwords.
When you buy my book, you support me in an invaluable manner.
“Beautiful Poetry of Life and Love.” Amanda
a cooking pot and twisted tales 