Orange and Carrot Juice

Today, I am feeling much better without sore throat. Well, at least I can sing my voice out without feeling pain in my throat, but still I am not fully recovered from the cold. With little appetite and lunch dilemma (cannot decide what to eat), I continue to fuel up with fruit juice. I have carrots and oranges left in my kitchen, so I made this wonderful bright color juice. Lunch dilemma - resolved!

Delicious, colorful orange and carrot juice

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine... Oh~ I just feel so happy looking at the bright orange color!!

Look at the color of the juice itself, already so vibrant that it boosted my energy even before I take a sip. Here's what I used for orange and carrot juice:-

1 large carrot
2 oranges
150ml water

1. First, peel the skin of the oranges and carrot.
2. Cut the carrot into chunks and the oranges into pieces.
3. Put all into blender, add water and blend.
4. Strain the pulp with a strainer.
5. Pour the juice into a glass and enjoy!

No sugar is added because the juice is already sweet from carrot and oranges. This juice is definitely full of vitamin A and C, which should help me fight my cold! Yum yum and say bye-bye... to medicines!

Pineapple and Orange Juice

My power juice of the day - pineapple orange with ginger

One glass of juice a day keeps the cold away! - quote of the day from me :)

Down with cold and sore throat again today since I recovered from it last week. So, it is time to fuel up with juice which is made freshly on the spot with available ingredients in my kitchen. Today I have pineapple and oranges. I use a blender to make the juice because I do not have a juicer. Anyway, it is so easy to make using a blender.

My ingredients for pineapple orange juice with ginger:-

1/2 small pineapple

2 oranges

1/2" ginger

100ml water

1. Clean the fruits and remove the skin

2. Chop the fruits into chunks

3. Put everything in a blender, add water and blend.

4. Strain the juice using a strainer

5. Pour the juice into a glass and enjoy!

Yum yum! Sweet plus a little zingy taste from the ginger. What's better than pure fresh fruit juice? No sugar added because I prefer the natural sweetness from the fruits. This refreshing juice definitely give me a real shot of vitamin C to boost my immune system. Plus the additional goodness from pineapple and ginger. Ginger is renowned as an immunity booster, which helps to fight bugs with its high level of zinc. Meanwhile pineapple contains Bromelain, a kind of enzyme that aids digestion. I believe they contains plenty more vital vitamins and minerals which are good to our body. Also, I love the bright color of the juice which brightens my mood. Two thumbs-up :)

A Lucky Little Visitor

Yellow ladybug spotted on the spinach plant in my little balcony garden

Some days, joy shows up in the smallest, most unexpected ways 🌿✨This Wednesday, it arrived in the form of a tiny yellow ladybug resting on my spinach plant.

I couldn’t help but smile. Living on the 24th floor, I don’t expect nature to knock on my balcony door often - yet here it was, reminding me that surprises can find us anywhere. My first instinct was to capture the moment with a photo, but the real gift was the feeling it sparked: delight, nostalgia, and a quiet reminder to slow down and notice.

The last time I saw a ladybug was a year ago in Avignon, a classic red one. Back then, it felt like a sweet encounter. This time, it felt like a message. Ladybugs have always made me happy - maybe it’s their vibrant colors, maybe it’s the childhood memories they carry - but they remind me that joy doesn’t need to be grand. It can be as simple as a tiny insect landing on your balcony garden.

I like to think of these little visitors as nature’s way of saying: keep looking for the small wonders. They’re not just adorable, they’re also natural protectors - pest controllers in disguise. But more than that, they’re proof that even in the middle of our busy, high-rise lives, beauty finds a way to reach us.

So, here’s my encouragement for you today: notice the little things. Celebrate the unexpected. Let small joys remind you that happiness doesn’t always need a big stage - it often hides in the everyday. 🐞💛