Does it make it fine if we pluck it for our prayers ?Does it make it fine if we pluck it to adorn our hair ?
Does it make it fine if we pluck it to gift it to someone?Does it make it fine if we pluck it to deck our homes for festive ceremonies , weddings and so on?Nothing makes it fine. You know why ? Because the moment it feels ( yes you read that right – the flower feels ) the sharp tug that breaks it’s link with the tree or plant it is a part of, it loses its identity. It loses its sense of being. And copious amounts of water filled vases or sprays cannot make it shine again.
I never allow my kids to pluck flowers or break leaves. They pick up what’s already fallen.
A fallen flower is acceptable to God when you pray. Or when you gift. Or when you adorn. Or let it adorn you.
And so this is our treasured collection for the day – leaves and flowers , wilted and fallen.
On that note, let me share something that is associated with Autumn, the season of fallen leaves – The traditional Apple Sponge Pudding. This is an old-fashioned rustic English cake-pudding. My version of it is made with Wholewheat and Coconut Sugar, and a light sprinkle of herbal/spiced country sugar.
Recipe –
100 gms wholewheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
110 gms Coconut sugar
110 gms butter, soft
2 eggs
2 apples, peeled, sliced.
1 tbsp spiced or herbal raw sugar
Method –
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C. Sift the flour well with bp. Mix the flour, sugar, butter, eggs in a bowl and whisk it nicely until they are mixed to form a smooth batter. Add the sliced apples and fold them gently. Put the batter into the baking dish, place sliced apples and sprinkle the raw sugar on top.
Bake at the same temperature for 30 minutes or until the tooth pick comes out clean. It is best eaten while warm.
Ovenderful by Simran Oberoi 