CDP THEME DAY: UPSIDE DOWN

This month's challenge is 'UPSIDE DOWN'

  Winding up for travel, courtesy vacations.

 
 Linking to:   Theme day


Friends, welcome here as always. Hope you like the idea.

OUR WORLD

Road side pillow store!

 Now you can ask me what is this mini craft fair doing in the hills. I too was surprised, when I saw a man sitting beside this pile on the road side. It's around 5 o'clock in the evening when we're out for a walk. I went up to him to see the two types of pillows, he was selling. He told me that he belonged to Uttar Pradesh (it is the largest state both population and area wise in India) and that they have formed a group which gets this cotton material from the bazaar. After stitching they fill  the pillow covers with cotton and go to different parts of the country to sell on road sides. He seemed satisfied with the profit he's making.

Today, it is cloudy and dark. I went up to the lawn  and clicked these two pictures to share with you. Many plants of this variety of flowers are growing in the lawn of our complex.

I

Friends, welcome here as always!

Linking to:  Our World,  image-in-ing,  Today's Flowers,  Nature Notes, I Heart Macro


Outdoor Wednesday

BLACK BUTTERFLY

 My catch of the week:

The butterfly had a small, white and purple design underneath, on one side of each wing.

Yesterday, I's leaning against the railing of the balcony, when all of a sudden, I caught sight of this black beauty hovering  around bushes about twenty feet down on the slopes. What amazed me was its extraordinary  nimble speed.  It kept flapping its wings and hardly settled on any flower for a second. So i didn't even think of capturing it. Soon it flew away out of sight.

Since the day was sunny yet cool, I felt like going up to the lawn  with the camera in hand. 'Lo and behold,' I saw it there with the same elusive mesmerizing acts. This time I's not to miss the chance. I chased her and took many clicks with  only the above three worth presenting.

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linked to:Saturday Critters,   Camera Critters,   id-rather-b-birding

   

SKY WATCH

Linked to:

Good Fences,       Sky Watch 

 A gate in our neighborhood, in my home town at Patiala, which i like for its simplicity and grace.

Thin clouds unsuccessful effort to thwart the might of the rising sun at Kumarhatti, a few days back. Clicked from our balcony.

Today is an interesting day weather wise. In the  morning it's raining ,in the forenoon when i took this picture, it's drizzling. At the moment (2o'clock) mild sunshine is adorning the sky.


Friends,welcome here as always.

FLOWERS KEEP SMILING

 Part of my hill series

Blessed are we  being in the midst of   nature's magnificence!

One of the cottages above us has these beautiful blooms in their front yard.

Roses in the lawn of our complex.

This hazy close up. My shaky click. But i love the pair.


 
More roses in the lawn.


 
This white one i planted last year in the small bed near our flat.



Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to: Today's Flowers,Nature Notes,I heart macro

OUR FASCINATING WORLD

'YOGA GOES GLOBAL'

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY was celebrated in India at Rajpath, New Delhi on 21st June 2015. Our Prime Minister Shri Narindra Modi led more than thirty five thousand people in mass celebration of the momentous event. In a thirty five minute session, he along with other participants performed 21’asanas.' Special Yoga sessions were organized in most parts of India to mark the important event. Yoga goes global with United Nations declaring 21 June as  INTERNATIONAL YOGA  DAY. Global community showed extraordinary interest by organizing functions and yoga sessions in their countries.

So much has been written about the benefits of practicing yoga, which originated in India about five thousand years ago.With the passage of time, it almost got relegated to an insignificant position. Our war torn and stress ridden world direly needs a holistic system which brings peace and harmony in the world and restores our affinity with nature. Yoga promotes fusion of mind, body and soul. It’s scientifically proven 'asanas' lead to a voyage of self-discovery and consciousness of healthy living with the world community. It enhances physical and mental well being by mind body balance. It is like practicing meditation where the focus is on oneself.

I watched and enjoyed the live programme on TV and am sharing some of the images which I clicked from the TV screen. Hope you like them.

The large view of the participation.

 A section of the participants in one of the asanas.

Another group of participants.

The session in progress.

Our Prime Minister(above and below) part of the yoga session, practicing the asanas with other participants.

Friends, welcome here as always.


Linking to: Our World,   image-in-ing

CUCKOO'S DESSERT

A part of my hill series.


 In the hills clicking birds is tricky. They hop and fly away so fast that you fail to match their speed. Last week, I couldn't  manage to find any chance to take a picture of some bird and missed the weekly post.
However, a couple of days back, this cuckoo, with an earthworm in its beak was excitedly flying about in our complex, perhaps to find the safest place to enjoy the delicacy .  Luckily, I'd frame it.

The pigeon perched on the edge of gutter in one of the flats in our complex. Its pensive mood helped me to click it easily.

Friends,welcome here and thanks for the support!

 Linking to:  Camera Critters ,Saturday Critters  ,id-rather-b-birding

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

Linking to:Sky Watch
Good Fences

 A part of my hill series.

A thick patch of cottony clouds above the mountains beautifying the skyline. Early afternoon shot from the 4th floor balcony of a relative's flat at Basal, Solan, during the week.

The menacing mood of the soon to thunder clouds on a dark grey background tells its own tale. Sky watch at Kumarhatti last summer.

A pattern of the sky in isolation.

The growing economy of this hill state has resulted in mushroom growth of building activity.Here(above) the builder after leveling a side of the mountain has constructed this block of flats for down right selling.The ground floor has shops. The mountain side is covered with stone and the other side has the iron railing.

Friends, welcome here as always!

SOME QUOTABLE QUOTES WORTH PONDERING ABOUT

'W' IS FOR WISDOM

Friends, this time i thought of presenting my contribution for the letter 'W' in a style which so far I've not attempted. This is a collection of thoughts of three great men, which are not only deeply inspiring  but would be instrumental in influencing the thinking process of generations to come. 

Rabindranath Tagore, Nobel laureate; his seminal work "Gitanjali"  a work of poetry, originally written in Bengali was translated into English by Tagore himself. His  poem titled,"Mind without fear"is an example of  profundity ,lyricism and sweet simplicity. It is one of my favorite poems.

Nelson Mandela,who sacrificed so much for a  just cause and ultimately succeeded in his mission of ending the scourge of apartheid in Africa.

What better way to learn how to stop expending our energies on non issues than through the wisdom which lies in the few precious words of William James.

Friends, hope you like this  new approach for a change.

Linked to:ABC Wednesday

OUR WORLD

 A new experience :

The picture gives a panoramic view of a village named 'Basal' district Solan in Himachal Pradesh, which is surrounded by mountains. Dwelling units are at the foothills and agriculture activity is in the valley.  Majority of the population here own land holdings. Above. The fields actually the size of large beds of land are either already planted with tomato and capsicum seedlings or are just ready for the same. they  present a very neat and prepared look. The farmers are eagerly awaiting  the summer rains. There are no alternative means of irrigation here.

I happened to visit this place today to meet relatives, who too own an apartment for summer stays.Their balcony provided the interesting opportunity to click a world which is entirely different from ours in the plains.

 

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to: Our World Tuesday,    Image-in-ing

SKYWATCH AND MORE

 Linking to:

Good Fences

Sky Watch

This one is the gate at the entrance of one of the cottages in our community at Kumarhatti at the foothills of Shivalik hills.

A few days back, while strolling on the Nahan- Kumarhatti road after sunset I looked up and saw these tiny patches of clouds still dimly lighted by the remnants of sun light which had long reached its lodge.

 
Evening shot from the same location at a different angle. The sky scape is enticing.



Friends, welcome here as always!

THURSDAY CHALLENGE

Today's theme is:

"BEAUTIFUL" (Picturesque, Scenic, Pretty, Pleasant,...)

Gulmohar in its resplendent glory  of orange clusters, close by our house at Patiala in May.

Flowers are nature's way of helping us smile our worries away!

Friends, welcome and thanks so much for support!
Linked to:
Thursday Challenge

MIND OVER MATTER

   

‘V’ is for 'vagabond.'

My mind is a vagabond.

It soars high,                                                                         

It tumbles down,

Put out its fires.

Its smoldering never ceases.

How false the notion,

That it is free.

It is always ambushed.

It is forever manacled.

An innocuous slip may seal its fate.

Squeezed, drained and pulped

Yet proclaims, ‘we’re born to run.’

Wakes up  to life’s wondrous charms.

Enigma unsolvable,

Yet, sucks and seduces.

Charmingly naughty,

A satanic beguiler.

Victor it is, even

In its wild goose chases.

Matter is a decoy,

Mind is what  matters. 

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to:
ABC Wednesdayl   
Two shoes Tuesday,   
Wordless Wednesday

 

OUR WORLD

Many shades of our world.

The image pertains to 'HIMALAYAN EXPRESS HIGHWAY' which bypasses the congested' Pinjore and Kalka lanes and provides scenic views of hills and charming skyline. The picture has been taken from the passenger seat of the car ,while on our way back to' Kumarhatti' after a whirlwind visit to our home town 'Patiala.'

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to:  OUR WORLD,  image-in-ing,OUTDOOR WEDNESDAY

  

CRITTERS FOR THE WEEK

 
SOME SUNDRY SHOTS at Kumarhatti,Solan.

Cuckoo seems to be planning a calculated move!

On a grey evening the pigeon  perched smugly on the gutter of the balcony's corrugated roof at our apt.

The cuckoo unsure but all flushed up.

The pair of  mynas on daily errands at Patiala.



Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to: Camera Critters,  Saturday Critters,   id-rather-b-birding

SKY WATCH

Linking to:SKY WATCH FRIDAY, Good Fences

Sky watch  over Shivalik hills covered with pine trees at Kumarhatti. The greenery is coming to life after a few rain spells.

The simple fence saves these flowers from naughty kids and bothersome stray cattle. This is outside the boundary wall of our house at Patiala. It is customary for house owners to maintain this space.

I'm sorting out my health issues,so either i miss participating or am late in posting my offerings! Pl. bear with me.

Friends,welcome here as always!

C D P THEME DAY

 THEME OF THE MONTH: STYLISH

Our eight year old  darling granddaughter, while holidaying with her parents in Mexico last year!


Linking to: CDP THEME DAY


Friends,welcome here and thanks for  the support!