THE QUIRKY GAME WE PLAYED IN CHILDHOOD.

"We didn't realize we were making memories,we just knew we were having fun."

Q is for quirky game of childhood:

How about narrating a quirky game, we played in our childhood. My reflections on the subject took me back in time, when I’s in my primary school years. Then the evenings were wholly solely meant to be indulged in whatever thrilled us. There was  complete surrender to the idea of delight with ‘no care in the world attitude’.

How splendid childhood days were! Wish they could be replicated. Perhaps, they would, “if wishes were horses” and we could ride back in time. The utmost one can do is to wallow in nostalgia.  Well, to pen those moments’ means recreating the repertoire of emotions, excitement, passion and sheer joy, which I think is beyond words. Yet, try I must.

We were a gang of girls and our games were girly. The most popular one was Chupa Chupai (‘Hide and seek’). Though, there were many other games in our kitty, yet nothing could beat the pleasure, thrill and physical workout ‘Hide and seek’ entailed.

Our playgroup consisted of about half a dozen girls, more or less of the same age. We’d gather at a predetermined house of one of the participants at the stipulated time. To start with, one of us had to become the volunteer seeker. She was supposed to go near the boundary of the house, close her eyes and count up to a fixed number (mostly up to ten) slowly and loudly to  allow others to conceal themselves.  On our part, we’d run helter - skelter like maniacs to find the spookiest place to hide. In no time, we would squeeze our small bodies behind cobwebbed Amirah’s, under the low cots, in the farthest dirty corner somewhere, in the congested storeroom behind tin trunks and behind dark bathroom doors. The war like cry of the seeker, 'here I come' used to send chill down our spines. Our hearts would thump in our tender bodies in fear and ecstasy. When the seeker’s footsteps were heard close by, we would even stop breathing to prevent being caught. The suspense would keep us on edge. Finally, after gnawing tense moments, one of us would we found out to the accompaniment of shouts, screams and clapping. Everyone would emerge from her hideout.  The one found out first would assume the role of seeker and the game would start once again.

I wonder why we never had enough of it. Only our parents', admonitions could drag us home.

For a couple of years more, we kept this tempo of playing various games with complete abandon.  Soon life entered a more serious phase with its own problems and shocks and the girly games were played no more.

Friends,welcome here as always! Pl. share your own experiences of childhood games!

 Quote and images: courtesy Google

For :
ABC Wednesday

RELIVING MEMORIES: PAPER BOATS

"Sometimes memories sneak out of my eyes and roll down my cheeks."

P is for 'Paper Boats':

Google image

I’m talking about 1950s when making and floating paper boats was the most exciting activity, we as young children indulged in. Simple life and times generated simple pleasures full of fun and thrill. The joy of floating boats fashioned out of old newspapers far surpassed the enjoyment emanating from any other activity during monsoons. The puddles of water here and there invited us youngsters to plunge into water to do splish-splash. Laughter, would reach the skies when clothes were partly wet and clung to the body. Continuous blinking happened as the tiny droplets of now muddy water found a way to reach our eyes. In the free for all hullabaloo one of us uttered the word, ‘Kistian liayo’ (bring the boats) and everyone would run screaming and shouting to get the paper to make boats.  By then almost all of us knew how to turn paper into boats.

The way I learned the art needs mentioning. For a couple of years, I would cajole my older bro to make a paper boat for me. He would take his time simply to tease me. One fine day his generosity had the better of his whims and he taught me the, how to. Afterwards there was no stopping me. My friends of the neighborhood would also pester their parents to help them in making perfect boats. Very soon however, most of us mastered the art. We would sit in a circle and release our boats in the water.  Chuckling ecstatically, we eyed the wobbly movement of the boats and sometimes would step in to the puddle to straighten our boats. The adventure would continue until our mothers called us for dinner. For a week or so,we'd be at it with gusto and then slowly the enthusiasm would transfer to some other game.

How our brains register past memories and are able to recreate them is puzzling indeed. A psychologist calls it “mental time travel”. Memories cement our bonding with the past and shed light on the growth of our personalities.

Friends, welcome here as always!

For:

ABC Wednesday

NATURE AND ITS WONDERS

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson





The physical world around us comprises unique natural forces. Plants, animals, mountains, landscapes, sun, moon, stars, oceans, rivers et al. are  manifestations of the natural world surrounding us. It is mind blowing, awe-inspiring and mysterious. The scientists have come up with multiple explanations of the natural phenomena. Yet quintessentially I think it remains a mystery, which belies comprehension. We would love to keep it that way.  The human race is lucky enough to be related to a  vast cosmic kaleidoscope that sustains, motivates and heals.

'N' is for Nature

Flowers are one of the greatest miracles of nature. Even a tiny stem adorns a winsome bloom. The pattern of myriad hues, shapes and sizes is staggering. I still remember: the awesome rows of annuls, seasonal blooms, flowering trees, beds and pathways blazing with gorgeous blossoms in 'Buchart garden' in Victoria (Canada). The stunning beauty of the floral garden stole our heart away.

The enthralling magnificence of the rising sun over mountains is a rarefied  gift of nature.The mixture of scintillating colors around its emergence is too extraordinary for words.
 How subtly the sun spreads its golden sunshine  to be lapped up by all organisms down under. What can be more uplifting?!

A small plateau nurturing trees big and small amidst hills always  becomes a center of attraction for those who pass by.  It is a scene, which breaks the monotony.

Monsoon clouds wearing designer dresses laden with tons of water keep enchanting whenever you look heavenwards. How keenly we wait for those precious drops,when the earth is parched and dry. A blessing indescribable!

The mynas perched on a wire seem to be participating in their morning assembly. How the twittering, chirping birds make our mornings so special. Especially on breezy days their joy needs no bounds. They uplift our moods and  warm our souls.One instinctively exclaims, 'what a blessing this life is!'

 I'm a nature lover. Nature is my ally in all my pursuits. Its bewildering specimens keep the mystery of life and its complexities alive in the human heart.

Friends, welcome here as always!

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FOR INDIBLOGGER FRIENDS AND ALL WELL WISHERS!

Hi,

Friends, I must tell you at the outset that this write up is a request to you to support my nomination for the 60 plus category. Pl. click on the side bar badge or the poster below to reach my nomination page. Read on….

When I opted for this nomination (60 plus category), I didn't know that I would be doing marketing for my blog. Believe me this is alien to me. Yet here I am.

As compared to young people of today I stand nowhere in computer savviness. Of course, this has resulted in less traffic on my blog. Perhaps not many know about its existence. Still, it does not deter me from doing what I like.

I compose and post one blog post per week. This is all I can manage now.  Dabbling in avenues, which can help, attract more visits to my blog, is no longer an option.  Experimentation is tough for me.  I don't feel good about it, though.

I'm a self-learner. I started my blog after retirement in December 2009.  So far, I've presented 581 posts. This is my 582^nd one. Because of health constraints, number of postings has decreased considerably but the will to keep going is as strong as ever.

My blogging journey has been an exhilarating one. I derive immense pleasure from the intellectual activity, which I go through every week. It has given a purpose to my life, which in itself is a blessing.

Over the years, I've covered a variety of subjects in my posts. The range includes memoirs, offbeat topics, issues of social concern, and write-ups on my love of nature, poetry and some travel tales. Lately, I've been experimenting with photography and have joined memes, where I share my captures and info with scores of others. This is highly rewarding as a learning process and knowing so many gifted, kind and compassionate people around the world.

The fellow bloggers in the Indi Bloggers space have inspired me and influenced my thought process. The young, the middle-aged ones and the older lot like me post the best of their creative efforts. Most are extremely talented. Sometimes one feels bowled over by the depth of their understanding and analysis of the topics at hand. The enormity of subjects being taken up is mind blowing. The latest phenomenon of vloggers represents the newest trend on the block. Their videos cover current interests of the young people and are very smartly executed.

All those who contribute their art have strengthened the Indi Bloggers community. There are photographers who are adept in their craft and have very successful blogs. The literature lovers with their poetry and articles elevate and enlighten the reader. There are chefs who give recipes for finger licking dishes and much more. I’ve learnt a lot from them. A heartfelt thank you all!

 Friends welcome here as always!

LIGHT? MUSINGS!

L is for light/lamp:

The word light entwines a great concept of the multiple facets of this entity. Look at the moon. It gives light to the world at night. The moon-lit nights are the loveliest and  have myriad romantic connotations. The poets have explored the depths of their imagination to describe the beauty and magnificence of moon's mystery. It is photographers delight to click the many phases of its appearance. To take a walk in the moon-lit night is an experience indescribable! Watching 'THE TAJ' at AGRA in moon light feels eerie and out of this world. The moon figures  as CHANDA MAMA( uncle moon) in children's stories and lullabies.This nature's lamp is both awe inspiring and  elevating.

Scientifically, it is said that moon  has a stabilizing effect on earth's movement around its axis.

The word thunder and lightning epitomize Curiosity. The flashes of bright light in the sky to the lay man is one of the awesome mysteries of nature   and need no explanation.This zig zag strip of lightning sans thunder, I captured a few days back from the courtyard of our house.

 

Here are the white beauties which light up our  eyes, our mind and  our soul. They are stress busters.Their sight inspires us in our gloom and encourages us to move ahead. They sustain and strengthen us. They provide a visual feast.
 Flowers are unique. They smile, sometimes they wink at us to relieve  our tensions. They are great givers of happiness. That is why they prosper.

Can we lose sight of the electric light which has revolutionized our life in all spheres of our existence?


Friends,welcome here as always!


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KITCHEN TALES

 

Pinterest image from google images

In a lighter vein.

K is for Kitchen Tales.

It was a long time back. I was in my early-teens. One day out of the blue, mother decided that it was the right time for me, to learn some kitchen tasks. I hated the idea. It meant restricting my playing time and after school gossip sessions with friends. I ignored her calls.

google image

One day my nemeses caught me. Mom fell sick. She needed help in the kitchen as well as in managing the two demanding younger siblings. She asked me to knead the dough for making chapatis. I half-filled the flat-bottomed wide hipped sturdy brass platter (Parat) with wheat flour. Poured enough water in a pan and started the process, following mom’s instructions. However, things went awry very soon. In my haste to do it fast, I poured a lot of water and messed it up. The whole thing turned into watery lumps. When mother saw it, she was angry, of course. She had to mix enough dry flour to turn it into right consistency for rolling chapatis. The incident gave me relief for some time more. 

However, in due course of time I did learn to knead the dough perfectly.

The second culinary adventure was my foray into preparing a vegetable dish for the first time. We used to have zucchini type (green tory) vegetable growing in our kitchen garden (my father was very fond of growing vegetables). Mother was busy elsewhere and asked me to cook the dish. The initiative on my part was the result of nonstop lectures on the necessity of learning cooking. Of course, she left instructions. I started with roasting the minced onions in ladle full of cooking oil. After adding seasoning, the chunks of zucchini were put into the pan and were mixed properly. Very soon, I could see that the the whole thing started sticking to the bottom. In my anxiety, I totally forgot to add water.  The flame was high. What did I do then? I poured another two ladleful of cooking oil in a jiffy and kept stirring. The dish was prepared somehow but it was soaked with excess oil. Dear mother had to very carefully; drain the excess oil before serving.

After many such disasters and funny adventures, I did learn some of the basics of cooking.

During my University days, dear mother never asked me to cook. I just focused on my studies.

google image

The real test came after marriage. My darling half had no clue about anything concerning the kitchen. Not even preparing tea was his forte (which he occasionally does now). He had returned from abroad after doing his doctorate, a couple of months before our wedding.  He had joined a state university. I got myself transferred from Gov. College for Boys Chandigarh to a Patiala College to join him. Soon after, he invited a few of his colleagues for dinner. I prepared an elaborate meal, in spite of my yet limited skills.  

According to pre-plan, the last thing to be cooked was rice pulao. I screwed it up badly. It should have been al dente. Every grain of rice is supposed to stand singly. In my case, more water and high flame turned it into a sticky gruel. I cautiously called my hubby and explained to him the dilemma. A scientist as he is, he had an idea. We transferred the contents into the rice platter and placed it on the bed under fast whirling ceiling fan, in the hope that some water would evaporate. It’s a fiasco, no doubt.

During our next visit to mom’s place, she happily taught me all the intricacies of cooking perfect rice pulao.

Friends,welcome here as always!

Linking to:

ABC Wednesday