spur.

there is a change in the air. 

a nip in the mornings and fog clouding the tall trees. 

the leaves are falling. 

the birdcalls in the early morning sound different.

even in the little tropical haven in Kerala, i now live in, there is an unmistakable change in the air. 

enough to shake me out of hibernation.

its has been a long monsoons this time. 

one that drenched Onam, Kerala's harvest festival,

which is meant to be bright and sun-shiny

 and cheered with flowers.

the rains have continued with almost no break

into the thunderstorms characteristic of the Malayali month of thulaam.

my camera sank in the depths of the damp, 

as did one of my most prized lenses.

they are both resting in the sick shelf of my room,

along with my Macbook - my window to the world.

but, the bursts of sunshine 

has inspired us enough to put our sparkle on. 

and, shimmer in the sunlight.

literally.

the rains continue,

sometimes not stopping for hours.

despite the cloudy gloom

and the sodden grounds,

the feeling that better things are yet to come 

manages to reign strong.

Christmas is not far away.

things will look up.

ps

i do love leaves!

do you know

...what she did last summer? The darling accompanied her mother on walks and discovered with awe the 'touch-me-nots,' chameleons and dragonflies, and lots of flowers!


She enjoyed her afternoon jelly sessions as much as she loved helping her grandmother pickle some mangoes in brine. I have to add, this girl loves her pani puri, raw mangoes and imli... does that make me a bad momma?


excuse the poor quality of picture, please :)


Some one insisted on picking flowers everyday so that she could float them in her (grandmother) ammamma's large crystal bowl and other steel utensils. She loved this!


I am sure she hoped her brother who tagged along everywhere would do more than lend moral support :D


Sigh! so much time to to indulge in games by herself!


Some days, we went on an embellishing binge, first sticking sequins on the bird cage...


... and, then on the terracotta chimes...


...and, a play dough bead necklace for me!


And, this is how we left things on the morning we left. I wish I had remembered to click the fridge door, the "painting wall of fame," that was just overflowing with painted papers and crafts.

summer, pleasures... and quotes

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock



Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it. ~Russel Baker



I question not if thrushes sing,
If roses load the air;
Beyond my heart I need not reach
When all is summer there.
~John Vance Cheney



There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart. ~Celia Thaxter



Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James



In summer, the song sings itself. ~William Carlos Williams



I have always loved summer, maybe because I was born in this season :)

its summer when...

... you wake up to this!



... you swear you can't drink another cup of hot tea ever again!



... so, you drink glass after glass of iced tea and refreshing ginger-lime!



... breakfast is leftovers of a light sago-pineapple payasam straight out of the fridge. Originally made as a cool dessert for a summer night :)



... strong, dark shadows by 7.00 am.



... the kitchen window (reflected below) brings in orange-yellow light, which is so different from the creamish glow of winterlight.



... and schools will shut for holidays and our annual trip to Kerala. Can't wait :)

the blues

Oh! but I have a serious case of the Monday blues. It sets in sometime after Sunday lunch and am unable to shake it off until Monday breakfast, which usually is butter soaked toast!!



Sometimes I cock a snoot at Monday. Do not acknowledge it at all, make an (very)easy to-do list, shrug and get on with (life) whatever needs to be done.

Sadly, not one of those Mondays today. Blah!!