the little things.

it is true. an attitude of gratitude makes just-enough a feast! in the depth of the lowest of days, there always is a reason to be grateful for. and, more enough than not, I find these moments closely related to my family, my kids especially, and my friends! 

my friends are my guardian angels. and, my daughter and son are little cherubs that can make me forget my splitting headache with their soft kisses and chubby arms around me. they are always so warm and smell so snugly that I just want them to hug me forever!

the little miss holds her creation - snowflakes stickers on bands of green and the golden yellow star

chubby dimpled hands have always fascinated me. and, it's always Ashu, Ashvita, who comes to my mind when i talk of little hands that can be eaten. *cruella laugh* i can safely say i have seen her grow from a baby with a curly mop of hair to this poised and calm five year old, through her pictures.

thumbprint trees.   

her mother, also Shilpa, and i met on flickr and have been friends for over four years. we met once, last year when they had come down to India for diwali. it is, and will be one of my most happy memories for years to come. i can also safely say this, we are more than friends. and, the only part not making us sisters is the name. what parents will give the same name to both their daughters!

 with ribbons stuck and baubles drawn.

when i saw this little bundle of creativity in action, it was more than an inspiration. and, i am overwhelmed and grateful that her mother agreed and spent quite some time photographing, for 'the kitchen window.' all pictures in this post are by Shilpa, and all ideas were executed by five-year-old Ashu.

 minimal. whimsical. just lovely.

 no limits to her creativity.
moustache stickers!

here's presenting diy greeting cards that little children can make. can you imagine the happiness such a card would bring grandparents and uncles and aunts and/or parents who cannot make it to the big day. it would feel like the child sent a part of themselves in the mail.

 thumbprint reindeers!

what did i tell you about edible, sweet hands :)

 and, her personalised goodie bag to carry all the cards she made.

the colourful bands tree.

this is where Shilpa records her exotic travels and her colourful everyday life. thank you Ashu, you are a rockstar. thank you Shilpa, much love.

PS
aren't you guys glad that there is something on the blog, other than me :D

'tis the season to be jolly

i was in the first year of my pre-degree course when my mother's mother, ammachi, had her first cardiac arrest. all phone calls were dotted with the words "heart attack." despite being discharged in a week, she went about her daily routines, always fretting over her husband, his meals, his clothes, his coming, his going. in less than a month she had another near-fatal cardiac arrest.

the bypass surgery was serious, and hardly heard of in Kerala, more than 15 years ago. it was in a hospital not far from our home, but in the neighbouring state. i didn't see mom for weeks. we had a domestic help brought in immediately from a relative's house who managed the kitchen and housework. i learnt to operate the washing machine. 

ammachi stayed on with us for another couple of months. i learnt and met about most relatives on my mother's side in those two months. mom's cousin had started a business in hand loom saris. she came with five saris. mom could not will herself to buy it. but ammachi, she bought one with a border of deep maroon and golden stripes. this was my introduction to how women held onto hope in unravelling circumstances!

it is December. when the lagging year suddenly picks up tempo. a new year is not that far away and its like there is a new lease to life. hope surges. and, i bring you another little diy, a zesty and spicy pomander to match the upbeat mood.

once you perforate the sweet limes with toothpicks, to pierce the cloves into it is simply easy-peasy. even the kids can do it. place it in with chocolates in an antique chest to set the mood for long conversations with friends. or hang it on door knobs to add interest and let the holiday waft in every room!

happy holidays!

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!

this

Saturday morning, the first day of the last month of the year. my cousins  and friends abroad have put up their christmas trees and hung up their stockings! i have not begun to think of 2013, but, if there were three wishes i got as a gift, i would first ask for me to be a neat freak. if only!

and, the second wish would be for me to wake up (a tad smoothly) early in the mornings. i can jump out of bed on school days, but otherwise it is right next to impossible for me. 

i think, no, i feel, quite strongly, that if i could master the two habits of waking up earlier and putting things back in their place, properly, 40% of my problems would disappear. my mind would feel as open  as my clutter-free surroundings. and, the rest of my problems... oh well! nothing is in my hands is it?

PS

anyone know who can grant me these wishes?

the frieze story

mom hardly knew how to design the first years of her wedded life. she kept a clean home, utterly spick and span. after my brother and i had started school, she had lots of time on her hands, well, because of her efficient ways. as her Hindi improved, she made more friends and as our manners improved they called on a lot of people.

she told me, she realised that despite the more or less same furniture in all the Army accommodations in the various cantonments, the personalities of the owners shone through in little nuances. of course, in the end, there was not much difference, or money, but, there were still ways the sitting room differed.

i still remember the yak skin carpet and the Naga spears in one home, the colourful cushions in another and round paper hanging lamps in one dining room. my mother always, always turned furniture around. i seem to have inherited that trait.

but, for some months now, i have resorted to arranging and re-arranging the top of the chest of drawers. its like my mantel, if you may. the frieze are proof of the passing seasons, collection of memories and sometimes, a window to my mood. here, are some snapshots in chronological order!

the first time. the candle stands, planter, candles all were bought from our Muscat holiday.


a little diy to cosy things up a bit.


 the majestic leather case, also from Muscat.


a little bit of colour to offset the teakwood.


when the three bloomed together, they deserved pride of place.


for the son's fifth birthday.

when i started enjoying the permutation combinations, cliched that i am.

the daughter's version of our family under the pretty rainbow.


when a friend brought me flowers and i prolonged the goodness for almost another week.


how it looks these days :)

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!!

these days

Our family grew larger one Sunday. The husband went out to drop some cheques and came back with a fish tank and a complimentary packet of little fish - very intiriguing to the two year old, who kept saying "fih!"
It was the first time he was seeing "real" fish. The wise and worldly daughter exclaimed, "I thought you joking when you said you buy fish." Aaaha, so this is what was conspiring behind my back!



After the whole process of setting up the fish tank was finished, we lay down on the bed and admired our handiwork. There is a pump in there that makes a soft gurgling sound when all is quiet. Not a bad way to relax at all!
There really is something about gazing at fish - you realise you spent quite sometime (oh no!!!) standing and staring and oh well, since all that time is gone, you might as well stare at it for some more time.

A fungal infection and three mortalities later, the fish -and whatever it is they are doing confined in the glass walls - are as captivating and fascinating as ever. All that is needed is a lot more time.

"I love pets. I also love fish. But, I don't want crocodile or elephant as pets, " said the wisest one in our family. Whew! Now that really is a relief.

think Sunday

... and I think orange. It has to do with an article in The Sunday Times more than a year ago. All of us have an aura and for it to be balanced we must have a regular dose of colours everyday, said an expert.

So, it is white/light blue on Mondays, red on Tuesdays, green on Wednesdays, yellow on Thursdays, pink on Fridays, brown/black/grey/navy blue on Saturdays and (you guessed right) orange on Sundays.

At first, I started experimenting with the clothes I wear daily, rather than rotating the four sets of pyjamas I lounged in, after delivering my second child. In less than three weeks, I had my neighbour exclaiming how much "neater and groomed" (cringing at the memory) I looked.

Later, with more time on hand, I extended colours in little things around the house. Having a vase of vibrant yellow flowers on the dining table on a Thursday brings cheer and kickstarts the spirit of the weekend.

Arranging pink scented candles on a side board adds to the relaxed mood on a Friday, bringing out orange plates for the Sunday lunch energises the languid pace of the holiday and nothing beats the sensation of starting the work week looking composed in white or my favourite sky-blue fabindia kurti, which is my Monday uniform!

Just in case you feel unattached and too spiritual on the first day of the week (white has that effect, according to the author of the article), get passionate and energetic with red on a Tuesday and the calming green will sooth the fiery temper and ground you mid-week.

The next door neighbour swears it has been lucky for her and makes her children dress accordingly. No such good fortune for me, but, I like the creative spurts and the vibrance in my small house and little life.

Fill your week with colour and have a happy sunday!