Bridges in Paintings

Two of my interests together! Could it get any better?! ♥
Check this site for bridges in impressionist paintings.

Source: http://www.linesandcolors.com/images/2013-04/impressionist_bridges_450.jpg

Best Healthy Snacks for a Roadtrip

Good evening *it's evening where I live, no idea about your place* Anyway, hope you all had a nice weekend!

Tonight, I feel like talking about roadtrips ♥ I doubt any one isn't an advocate of roadtrips! Being on a vacation, I am always planning trips to places in my country I have never been to or it has been a while since I visited.

I am obsessed about looking every detail; snacks for the car, sites to pass by, restaurants to visit, souvenirs shops... Since I am health fanatic, preparing snacks for the time spent in car seems challenging! Chips, chocolate, candy, juice all seem too "fatty" or "sugary". As a result, I decided to dwell upon recipes for fast-to-fix and boosting, yet, delicious and healthy snacks.

Source: http://www.123rf.com/photo_3755580_a-rustic-wooden-scoop-of-trail-mix-including-sunfkower-pumpkin-seeds-peanuts-walnuts-almonds-raisins.html

I'd like to start with a must-pack snacks which are essential not only for trips but also for a working or university day. Two words: Almonds and walnuts! Of course, peanuts and cashews follow as long as they are raw. At the eve of my trip or working day, I soak half a cup of walnuts and almonds combined. The next day, I dry them, put in a small Tupperware, throw in my handbag, and i am ready to go! I must say, however, not to excessively eat such snacks because they contain considerable amount of fats (healthy ones); 15 pieces would be alright :) Sometimes, I feel like adding raisins, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit.

Fruit and veggies! Yeah, apples and carrots as well as cabbage strips and cucumbers are weird but really adequate snack ideas for trips. You know, in my opinion, roadtrip food is anything that keeps the teeth crushing  What I'm very excited about finding, is a recipe which takes fruit snacks to another level! Apple slices soaked in lime and orange juice... They are YUMMY and so refreshing especially on a hot summer day. Here is the source of the recipe: 

http://www.letstalkfitness.com/raw-apple-snack

Crackers and cereal bars are trip-saving! Soja and rice crackers may substitute the classic ones for gluten-free seekers. Moreover, cereal, oat and granola bars are rich in energy and nutrients. Here is a homemade recipe for such bars:

Source: POPSUGAR http://www.yumsugar.com/Fruit-Oatmeal-Bars-White-House-Recipe-23288631

If the trip is long, many spreads may be packaged. For example, hummus, roasted eggplant, bean and oat spreads are some delicious spreads ideas. They can be prepared in the form of dessert or appetizers. What is exciting is that the mentioned ingredients are low in fats, gluten and even carbohydrates and packed with proteins and nutrients instead! Below are some recipe links I like to pack and inspire from:

- Hummus Variations:

Source: Serious Eats http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/01/hummus-recipes-toppings-snacks-dips-slideshow.html#show-301461

- Snickerdoodle Spread made of beans or hummus:

Source: Chocolate Covered Katie http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/25/snickerdoodle-dip/

- Spreads or Truffles variations:

Source: The Healthy Chef http://www.thehealthychef.com/2013/02/chocolate-truffles/

My last suggestion is the best of all! First, mix with your trip ingredients people you like to accompany *not grumpy ones*. Then, pack a spirit full of energy and enthusiasm. Finally, grab a camera to preserve all your smiles and laughs!

Have a wonderful roadtrip  

Donna Hay's Pavlova: A Lovely Recipe

Yum yum yum... Finally, a post about food ♥♥

This afternoon, I stumbled upon a food show and instantly fell for it! It was Donna Hay, and her recipes are so simple yet elegant! As I always do following mu inspiration by a chef, I attacked the net searching for Hay's recipes and I found a masterpiece. 

Its name, texture, presentation... All reflect royalty in the form of sweetness! PAVLOVA *I wonder why I haven't tasted, baked, or stared at a piece of this beauty*

Here is the recipe and snaphot of Pavlova from Donna Hay's website
https://www.donnahay.com.au/recipes/desserts-and-baking/pavlova

• - 4 eggwhites
• - 1 cup of caster sugar
• - 3 tsp cornflouror cornstarch
• - 1 tsp white vinegar
• -  Serve with whipped cream and fresh fruit

© Donna Hay Home Pty Ltd

What adds to my enthusiasm to try this recipe is that it doesn't contain fats in the cake dough; magic eh?! I added this to my to-do list, so I'll update you about the results

Me? Blogger?

Good morning, are we all up and energetic today? *I know we are a bit lazy on Mondays so never mind to answer*

I thought about talking about the blogging experience. It may not be  a strictly personal issue which is related  to my experience because nowadays everybody is always entangled by the vast online world. One of the main reasons is that I love writing ♥ I've been composing short stories and poems in Arabic and English since I was 12 years old or so. Writing is one of my hobbies, along with music and drawing, that has endured successfully my busy schedule.

Maybe because the writing activity just needs a pencil and a paper or a keyboard and word processor. On the other hand, drawing needs the medium you are using (acrylic, pastel etc...) and music needs an instrument and an adequate environment. The picture below justifies some of the mess I'm talking about...

Source: http://one-mans-mess.tumblr.com/post/35741120603/wednesday-14th-november-a-good-day-for-collaging

Actually, I wrote most of my works during late studying hours... You know whenever you are studying, you may be distracted by the silliest things like a fly which you accuse of conspiring to distract you, and a Facebook photo shared with a friend of another friend which you think you may know so you decide to pay his profile a "quick visit"... Consequently, you end up refreshing the News Feed, Gmail inbox, and even you may reach a point of browsing through old pics saved decades ago on your computer.. *Ok I know these stuff because I've done them all during university years*  So, writing is one of the ways I adopted to have an efficient distraction from studying! Luckily, this is one of my productive distractions. I do believe that stress and intense emotions like grief and happiness stir my soul and mind and force out writings which are reflections of my feelings... and I happen to feel a lot 

Back to the purpose of my post *I sure strayed a bit*, I have been influenced by the movie "Julie and Julia" which narrates the story of two women, one of the 1960's and the other of 2002, interested in cooking and writing and blogging respectively.

Source: http://oma.jhu.edu/resources/events/whm-dinner-with-julie-julia/

Therefore, I felt immediate connection to the characters and the movie! By the way, the movie is really entertaining and serves valuable themes as the necessity to break our routine and have faith in our interests and talents.

Without a question, the idea of possible being read by thousands of people of different cultures and backgrounds is really exciting! I am aware at this point I don't have those thousands of readers but I do know that sharing is caring, and at some point I hope to have tens and thousands of readers-friends.

To all of you out there who are kind of bored in your offices/cubicles, or exhausted after cooking lunch, or helping your kids in their Calculus assignment, or just aimlessly flipping the TV channels with no luck in any  movie which hasn't been repeated for the 100th time:
 
By the way, tulips are my favorite and they cheer me up; hope they work their magic on you too!

Is it that Late Already?!

Bonsoir! Well it's Sunday and tomorrow is the day "that-must-not-be-named" aka Monday ...

In relevance to active weekdays, I have a serious trouble in offering myself early active days... hmm what I mean I can't sleep early in order to wake up early the next day! I believe this has to do with the fact that I'm a fresh graduate so I am currently on a looong vacation! For example, I must have slept by now, but it is as if there's an inspiring and captivating power that boosts me after midnight.. weird eh? When its post 12 a.m I feel I can do millions of stuff: compose some poetry, blog, come up with mind-blowing philosophies about human's existence
Yet, eventually I just end up browsing through food recipes, and fashion blogs!

Anyway, I must solve this issue since I am aware that staying up late is harmful; I don't want to be a hypocrite advocating healthy lifestyle and organic food while blowing all that away with my bad sleeping habit!

However, I don't regret blogging at this hour ♥
Gotta go now, nighty  

Nature as an Engineer

Hello again 

Okay, please excuse my further fixation on my current reading "The Tower and the Bridge", but now whenever I come across construction projects which are in captivating harmony with nature I am touched  For some ideas about the book, you can have a look on my previous post http://pseudonymhorizondrift.blogspot.com/2013/04/interesting-perspective-tower-and-bridge.html.

Nowadays, communication is scarily fast, social media is updated every milli second, and Skype conferences disregard any notion of distance. With all of this "developing" industries overwhelming our sense of being, a contradicting picture is triggered; our free time is shrinking and our concentration span is narrowing down... For instance, when I sit for a while, just with myself *whom I often miss*, I can't think of any gadget which can solve my problems. No "thing" wipes away my grudge, or soothes up my disappointment... It is just me and the rest of the world whether in instances of happiness or misery. What I mean by the "world" is not Ipads, malls and tweetups.. I actually get more compassion from from the green pastures beneath my balcony. And even hanging out with my family and sharing my worries may significantly calm me down.

I don't think that checking half the globe's Facebook profiles and their relationships, exaggerated outings, made-up achievements and boastful parties will inspire my well-being in many ways. Don't regard my opinion as being an opponent to technology. What I merely strive to deliver is the importance of using technology as means for our intellectual, spiritual and, in many cases, health benefits. This might be so hard amid intensive media campaigns and political plans to turn a human being into an individual who cheers, wears himself working, buys stuff and sleeps day and night.

Anyway, I started this post with an intention of sharing with you an inspiring structural piece of art.

© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2013

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/picturesoftheday/8749433/Pictures-of-the-day-8-September-2011.html?image=6

As mentioned in the telegraph article, this captivating bridge is located in the "rainforests of the Indian state of Meghalaya". 
I guess no complicated softwares or infinite calculations were incorporated in constructing this bridge. The bridge spans are made of tree roots and veins which were allowed to grow freely and merge altogether across the river to eventually form a bridge ♥ Trust in nature and common sense are the disciplines governing this beautiful masterpiece!

What struck me after seeing this, is the absurd aspect of many of scientific and technological innovations. Most of these innovations are based on the intention of empowering humans over nature. We as humans work on proving that our intelligence is capable of controlling natural forces and effects. By adopting such a strategy, we neglect the fact that nature is way more successful in destroying man-made sophisticated skycrapers in a second. It may be a good idea to try to work with nature hand in hand instead of challenging it, since we won't always win

Interesting Perspective: "The Tower and the Bridge"

Hey! Hope your Saturday is as pleasant as mine :) I'd like to share my current inspiration source: "The Tower and the Bridge" by David B. Billingon. I must say it is oriented towards engineering in general and structural engineering in specific. So, I am totally enjoying it! 

What is appealing about the book is its captivating perspective of engineering. Billingon doesn't approach bridges, networks and towers as dull expression of steel and concrete calculations but as an art... 

Below is one of favorite bridges which demonstrates the inevitable need for paying back some respect for resources ♥

Source: http://thechive.com/2012/06/28/daily-morning-awesomeness-30-photos-72/

As an introduction to his discussion, Billingon conveys the historical and political circumstances which launched the relatively new field of structural engineering. According to the book, structural art is democratic because it possesses aesthetic freedom withing the brim of efficiency in materials (iron, steel, concrete...) and economy! It would be relevant to mention that the usage of iron in structural design emerged following the Industrial Revolution and its prices were high, and , hence, the need for its optimal usage.

Another noteworthy point is expressing the difference between Architecture and Civil/Structural Engineering as being similar to that between drawing and photography! What a deep analysis! In addition, Billingon says structures relevant to structural design are usually of large scale and of single use in comparison to those of Architecturally based design projects. Structural designers follow delicate procedures to control natural forces and offer the produced form safe and enduring resistance. Architecture designers, on the other hand, approach the designed forms as means of manipulating spaces.

This is briefly what I read till now. Yet, I totally recommend it for engineers or any person interested in technology and evolution. It is not your usual engineering manual readings; it sheds light on the spirit and mentality lying within humans' innovation...

Post Natural Disaster: Respect Nature

Source: http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/03/japan-erects-massive-sculpture-of-the-last-standing-tree-from-a-forest-destroyed-by-2011-tsunami/

"Japan Erects Massive Sculpture of the Last Standing Tree from a Forest Destroyed by the 2011 Tsunami"

Engineering Love!

Source: http://gingercoo.deviantart.com/art/Tower-197107002

Keiths Tower, near Peterculter, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

What a peice of art!

Source http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3APomnik_anonimowego_przechodnia.jpg
By Pomnik Anonimowego Przechodnia

A window... and much more

My type of window views, though mine lack the sea!

Thought to share...

"You Blew Me Away" by sculptor, Penny Hardy: Pure inspiration...