OUR WORLD: NATURE'S LABOR OF LOVE

The spectacular display of nature's treasures, which fill our surroundings and are taken for granted by us are 'labor of love' bestowed upon humanity by some gracious,benevolent super power.

Sunrise and its shimmering glow amidst trees and bushes on the roads leading to our community.

The larger view crafting the boulevard  like impressive look.

The deciduous trees  are already shedding leaves, stepping into autumn mood.

The above bush,  laden with peculiar type of soft and airy looking flowers,i found in the park of our community.

The white blooms in  our compound!

Friends, welcome here as always!

Sharing with: Our World,  image-in-ing, ABC Wednesday (L is for Labor of Love)   Outdoor Wednesday
Nature Notes,  Wordless Wednesday

NOTHING TO EAT HERE!

This was my last ditch effort to click some critters for this week's participation and that resulted in these two captures!

Today morning I stepped out for a walk with the express purpose of finding some birds to click and captured this loner and the group trying their luck in the rough and uncut grass of the vacant plot of land!

 Friends welcome here as always!

Sharing with: Camera Critters,Saturday Critters
id-rather-b-birding 

SKY WATCH AND GOOD FENCES

The gate represents one of the two entries to a well established religious sect (Radha Saomi) with branches all over the state of Punjab. It leads to a sprawling open space grown with healthy, well maintained trees, bushes and sundry plants. All are looked after by the devotees. They hold congregation on a fixed day of the week, which is always attended by the followers in strength. Its main center is based at 'Beas', another town in Punjab. One thing which is impressive about this sect is that its followers abstain from eating non vegetarian food and consuming alcohol. I think this to be social service worth appreciating.

Sharing with: Good Fences

After dry, humid and perspiring fortnight, we were blessed by rain Gods for two consecutive days that brought down the temperature and a chance to venture out for a comfortable walk.  The images of the cloudy sky above and below were captured during  a cool lull.

Sharing with: Sky Watch Friday


Friends,welcome here as always!

OUR WORLD: DOVES

Dove is a small, sweet and peace loving bird. In mythology, it is associated with all the virtues, which we prize as the most elevating possessions of humans. It is said to symbolize love, kindness, grace, self sacrifice and perfect motherhood. It is believed to have its own milk which she feeds her young ones. Near about the time of their hatching, it stays away from solid food to  purify its milk for the delicate digestion of its progeny. 
Its coo cooing   always resonates a honeyed melodic effect!

The duo, tries to enter the back of the AC unit(above). The other is curiously waiting for the final decision to be made (below).

Today at 7 o'clock in the morning, I took my cup of tea in one hand and newspaper tucked under the other arm, to sit in the backyard to scan the headlines. What prompted me to do this was the cool breeze of the morning. I had hardly settled myself in the chair, when i heard flapping of  wings behind me.There was a pleasant surprise waiting for me, given that i love birds and am always inspired by them. I saw this dove couple surveying the outside unit of our split AC.
Obviously to build the nest, as i spied some twigs lying on the ground. The sad part was, they failed to execute it, as every twig came down right away. They gave it up soon after, but not before i had captured them in their efforts,

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to: Our World, image-in-ing, Wordless wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday


ABC Wednesday   ( 'K' is for Kindness)

BIRDS: CAN WE IGNORE THEM?

I didn't had a freshly taken image of birds/critters for this week. So I thought, why not say something in a few verses as a simple tribute to their  gorgeous individuality and priceless entitlements, which nature has bestowed upon them!

Here is my offering, hope you like it.

BIRDS

You angels of the skies,

Fluttering and chirping you gracefully fly.

Innocent and guileless bereft of lies,

Spread joy and beauty, being great guys.

Purity of your intentions reflect in your eyes,

Repositories of kindness you hate fake ties.

Melodies you sing, the first thing when you rise,

Shunning falsehood is the credo you prize.

Soften the jolts of our sobs and cries,

Freedom chaperons your endless drives.

Human greed you abhor in every guise, 

Vouch for bonds that never tend to die

We long for your freedom of choice,

Unbridled chance for our opinions to voice.

 .............

Friends,welcome here as always!

This post is part of:
Saturday Critters, Camera Critters, id-rather-b-birding,Nature Notes

SKY WATCH AND GOOD FENCES

Good Fences

The iron railing in the neighborhood protects the well maintained grass from  rowdy children and strays of all kinds.

 The front gate of our house. Picture taken from the road.


Sky Watch Friday

 Here are two shots of my sky watch forays:

Sky studded with cottony clouds in May 2015. This one i foraged from my archives. I captured the sky view in the urban milieu, from the roof of our house.

Friends,welcome here as always!

OUR WORLD OF FAITH

'J' is for 'joyous'

 The state of mind, when faith in  some mysterious supreme power transports us to another world of piety, merging our identities and enabling us to exist in a wonderful, joyful spiritual state. The place of worship of your choice is one of the mediums to help you attain the state of profound well being and equanimity. The only condition is genuine surrender in absolute mindfulness. A recent visit to a gurdwara, had a deep and positive effect on me, reinforcing confidence and hope!

GURUDWARA Shri Dukh Nivaran Sahib, Patiala: Where i often go for prayers.

 The picture was taken on Sunday (13th September 2015) in the afternoon. In the foreground is the sacred Sarover! The visit always fills one with bliss and  invokes the unseen presence of our Maker, though for a short time!

This gurdwara is  one of the historical monuments of the princely city of Patiala. Its inception is associated with ninth Guru of Sikhs- Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib ji. It is believed by the faithful that a visit with a pure heart and a dip in the sacred waters of the sarover (pond) will rid them of their sufferings. The literal meaning of DUKH NIVARAN  is something, which eradicates Dukh (sufferings). People from far off villages, towns, cities and also from  all the nooks and corners of the world, where Sikhs reside,  throng the place on religious festivals, on full moon days and other important days. The locals are seen paying obeisance every day.

A brief history of the gurdwara:

Source:Wikipedia

"The building complex sprawls over several acres. The two storey gateway has a collapsible iron gate and black and white marble floor. On the left of the pathway leading to the principal building is a small marble shrine marking the site where Guru Tegh Bahadur had sat under the banyan tree. The central two storey building, with a domed pavilion on top, is on a raised base having an octagonal domed chamber at each corner. The pinnacled lotus dome on top has a round sun-window on each side with a curved coping, projected horizontally at the ends. There are decorative domed pavilions at the corners and lotus blossoms in leaf in the middle on top of the walls.

The interior is paved with marble slabs in white and grey against black and white of the outer platform. The walls and pillars are also panelled with white marble slabs. The ceiling is decorated with stucco work in floral design. The Guru Granth Sahib is seated under a square canopy at the far end. The 75metre square sarovar, since considerably extended, is on the right and Guru ka Langar on the left as one enters. The Gurdwara is administered by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Co"

 Friends,welcome here as always!

This post is part of:Our World Tuesday, image-in-ing, Wordless Wednesday
ABC Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesdayl

CRITTERS OF THE WEEK- PIGEONS

We are at the top:

In front of our house,  perched on the electric pole!

At Kumarhatti, silhouetted  on the roof gutter on a grey evening.

At Patiala, perched on the electric wire and seriously surveying the world down under!

Friends,welcome here as always!

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

SKY WATCH AND GOOD FENCES

This post is part of:
Sky Watch,Good Fences

In the 'Urban Estate' where we live, people having corner houses are allowed to have two gates. One in the front of the house and a smaller one on the side road which opens on the back of the house. Here is the side gate of the corner house in our neighborhood.

 

Watched the clear blue sky over the Neem trees lining the divider of the double road entry to our community.

Friends, welcome here as always!

AN IDEA: TWO EDGED SWORD

 'I' IS FOR IDEA

 

 An Idea is likened to a seed,

That gets planted in the mind.

Grit nurtures it into a great feat.

 

An evil one can knock from behind,

Snuffing out lives in chilling deeds.

Whose progeny are they?

Who follow such deadly creeds.

Are their brains made of hay?

Which bear  such snaky breeds,

That prey on humans in every way.

Let's wish.......

Sooner or later some divine voice may ordain,

Sweeping the hate mongers off cosmos’ domain!

For IndiSpire's Two minute poem! 

Though mind mapping the idea took little time, honing it into a poem needed more time.

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to:
ABC Wednesday

OUR WORLD- RANDOM SHOTS

Nature is supreme!

 At 5.30 in the morning today (8th September),the  moon is in a waning crescent phase. It looked  very beautiful and prominent in the clear sky that i clicked it right away.

The blooming flowers on the road side of a hotel on Kumarhatti - Nahan road. The picture taken during an afternoon outing.

These blossoms i spotted on a hill slope  during our visit to Solan in late August!

The post is part of:

Our World, image-in-ing,
Today's Flowers,
Nature Notes,
Outdoor Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday

PARROT PARTY

Parrot power captured in an early morning shot at Patiala. It is a surprise to me that this group is in a musing mood. In  fact I always see them flying in a  mad rush.

Early morning grey sky backdrop for this interesting chance to imprison the ensemble through my camera lens.

The picture brings together many facets of urban living: the tube light, electric wires, dried twigs and  tower. In fact, the radio tower is quite far away. But the angle of the click embedded it in the image.

 Friends, welcome here as always!

 

This post is part of : Saturday Crittersl,Camera Critters, id-rather-b-birding

MINI SNAPSHOTS- GOOD FENCES AND SKYWATCH

This post is part of: Good Fences, Sky Watch

This picture is taken at a cottage in Dagshai, which is owned by one of our friends. Here is my friend and her niece posing for me.

A small space is ensconced as a balcony with a swing and a small  improvised fountain, where water is circulated all the time. The terrace overlooks splendid scenic mountainside.

The view of the cemetery. Google image.

Dagshai has military cantonment originally established by the British rulers, because of its cool climes and picturesque beauty. It is situated at an altitude of 6000 feet. A Roman Catholic Church was built by the British here, which is still there.There is an old cemetery overlooking the lovely valley. It is said that many British soldiers are buried here. It is a tourist place because of its history and natural beauty, which has been saved from the real estate Sharks by enacting strategic regulations.

It is about 5 km uphill from Kumarhatti. It is famous for its level walks and magnificent valley views.

It has a considerable population of monkeys though.

Sky watch from Kumarhatti- Nahan Road at a late afternoon in mild sunshine in August,2015.

Friends, welcome here as always!