Scenes, 'Diya Uyana', Waters edge, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Orchids for sale at the 'Diya Uyana', Water's edge, Colombo.

Color and shape of leaves, the variety, home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Food as Medicine for the heart, by Tissa Kappagoda.

email from Tissa Kappagoda

My book on heart healthy diet and recipes is out today and I am attaching a short flyer for your information.  I would be greatly obliged if you could  place the information on the blog.  The book has nearly 400 recipes but there are no Sri Lankan items in it.
  Food as Medicine for the Heart

Authored by Tissa Kappagoda MD, with Debbie Lucus RD, Jill Burns RD and Linda Paumer MA

8.5" x 11" (21.59 x 27.94 cm) 
Black & White on White paper
414 pages

MTK Publishers
ISBN-13: 978-0615944692 
ISBN-10: 0615944698 
BISAC: Cooking / Vegetarian & Vegan

Food is an integral part of any program of health care. The nature of the diet consumed is especially important in the maintenance of cardiovascular health. It is particularly relevant to those recovering from a major cardiac event such as a heart attack or coronary artery bypass surgery and also to those who are at risk of developing diseases such as atherosclerosis. While recognizing the benefits that accrue from procedures such as the placement of stents in the coronary arteries and the use of medications for the treatment of high blood pressure and elevated levels of cholesterol, the authors believe that these effects could be enhanced by instituting changes in lifestyle such as cessation of tobacco abuse, participation in a regular exercise program and the consumption of a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. For a period of more than 20 years, the authors of this book have promoted a low fat plant-based diet for patients who have evidence of coronary atherosclerosis. This book is a collection of approximately 350 recipes that were recommended to patients who came under their care. The individual items were contributed by patients who adapted their favorite recipes so that they fell within the low fat vegetarian guidelines that were provided for them. 

The book is divided into three parts:

Part One: Background information designed to guide readers through the basic concepts of nutrition. 
Part Two: Meals plans based on the low fat vegetarian concept.
Part Three: Recipes arranged in convenient group followed by an index.

Available at: createspace.com store from January 1^st, 2015 and from Amazon after January 10^th, 2015.  It will be also available on Kindle.

Flowers in the home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A Giant Squirrel, Karandana, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I spotted this high up on the branches of a tall tree at Karandana, a rural village. I have seen these squirrels kept in circular cages where they keep running and rotating the cage. The cage was mounted with the axis of the circle mounted horizontally.

Giant Squirrels

“The Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura) is called Dandu Lena in Sinhala and Periya Anil in Tamil. Giant Squirrels are also known as Rock Squirrels.

This species is found in southern India as well, where it is called the Grizzled Squirrel. The grizzled giant squirrel's common name comes from the gray to brown colouration highlighted with white at the top of the tail, giving it a grizzled appearance.

The rest of the body varies in colour geographically and may be brown, red, gray or black, but the fur on the underside is always lighter than the back.

This agile climber is adapted for life spent almost entirely in the trees, and has a very long tail for balance, broad hands for climbing and large claws for gripping branches. The ears are short and round. They have a tail that is about the same length of the body. They are very colorful mammals.

The colouration of the three sub species, found in Sri Lanka, varies. The Highland Giant Squirrel or Long-trailed Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura macroura) is called the Kalu Dandulena in Sinhala and Malai Anil in Tamil...”

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/wildlifesl/articles/dn_squirrels.htm

The dogs looking up a tree where a squirell has escaped, home garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

In Tamil there is a phrase 'ANIL ERAVITTA NAI POLA', meaning 'like a dog who has missed catching a squirrel which has scampered up a tree'. This epithet applies to a person who has just missed reaching his goal.

Flowers in the wild, Kosgama, Sri Lanka.

'Touch-me-not' - Mimosa pudica.

Ixora.

Yellow 'Temple flower.

A 'Dhana' awaiting the arrival of Buddhist Priests, Manikkawaththe Pansala, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

A kitchen and outside hearths, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A kitchen hearth. Clay 'Chatti' and an aluminium kettle, a coconut shell and steel ladles, a GI pipe to use as a blower and a coir rest for the pot. The hearth is made of brick and clay.

A hearth outside the kitchen.

Tending the meal cooking on the hearth.

Rice being cooked for a large crowd. Note the impromptu hearth on three cement bricks, the large aluminium container and the dried fire-wood.

Scenic Sri Lanka.

Flowers, Home garden, Avissawella.

Walk round the 'Diyawanna Oya', Colombo.

Red Lotus flowers in a pond, Kaluaggala.

White lotus flowers, Kaluaggala.

Scenes on the road from Kaduwela to Aissawella.

The Kelany Ganga near Ambulgama on the Low level road.

Scene near Kaduwela on the road to Avissawwella.

Message on a three-wheeler.

Orchids, Home Garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

Merry Christmas 2014.

A Merry Christmas 2014 to all of you.

'Peace be on earth and love to fellow-men'.