Friday, 17 May 2013

 
 
Kids had a field day during our field trip to farms at Toopran near Medchal. We stopped at mango orchards, cabbage patch and corn fields interplanted with tomatoes. Our pit stop at Gosala (cow shelter to refill our water bottles) was soothing.





The gosala was surrounded by lemon trees, bay leaf and curry leaf trees along with a chikoo garden. Dad (he hails from an agricultural family and owns few acres of land in his native village) Sudha (Horticulture graduate with a PG and in Agri-Business Mgt from MANAGE) and Venky (masters in Seed Tech besides Rural Mgt from IIRMA) felt nostalgic. I am equally passionate though I don’t hold relevant degrees like them. Abhee and Rashmi enjoyed despite the scorching heat. Harshil got a little bored after sometime and he preferred to play games on mobile. The farm workers gifted us cabbage, tomatoes, corn and raw mangoes. When I was eating corn cobs at home, when our neighbour Anish came with fresh cherries from their Shimla trip, it was like an icing on the cake. It turned out to be a memorable Sunny Sunday!!!!!!
See More

Thursday, 16 May 2013

Early morning farm trip to Medchal....

May9th 2013 FB

Waiting in the wings for the wings of.........

Though I love birds fluttering and chirping in my balcony, when it comes to pigeons it is a loud NO. Of late I realised that these birds are also eating away parts of the rose buds besides littering our balconies and entrance door. Pigeons are highly disturbing, often make nests and rapidly reproduce. Their acidic droppings are unhygienic.
Pigeons are a big menace in our apartment complex and their numbers are swelling. Even after repeated notices some residents continue to feed the pigeons. May be all the residents can agree on a common place in the green patch of the play area to feed the birds, particularly in summer.
A pigeon laid two eggs in the cosy corner near our washing machine in the utility area. I am frantically waiting for the two young birds to develop their wings and tails. If they turn into fledglings and fly away soon, I can get the place cleaned and subsequently get my utility netted. Sorry young ones, I have no other go.
 

It is intensely hot out here! Proof? The water in the small terracotta well in my balcony is evapourating in a couple of days.

However, today’s scene is a lot different-----An overcast sky is triggering hopes of light rain. I am embracing this refreshingly cool air.....

Monday, 1 April 2013

Matka ka pani

Gearing up for summer---

With summer beating down mercilessly and outages in excess --- all of us are guzzling water like thirsty women in a desert. Fret not, cool yourself with matka ka pani, water melons and buttermilk laced with salt and spices.

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Ink Pen Woes

Ink Pen woes...

Ever since Harshil graduated to an ink pen, the messiness is not confined to his study table. He ruthlessly spills ink all over the apartment. Venky keeps telling him, Buddy! You need to understand that “Expensive pens cannot improve your handwriting”. With the stationery I spent on kids, I would have got a good piece of gold jewellery (this is no piece of exaggeration). He broke my Dad’s old Hero fountain pen that he treasured from years. Though I personally love fountain pens, I consider gel pens as a boon (less messy -no flooding and blotting) and lighter on the wallet) but after trying Trimax, Trimax Gold, Classmate, Racer Gel, he got back to fountain pen. His class teacher recommends Link Ocean Gel (6Rs pen) but it turned to be a pen these guys heavily look down on. Every morning there is this ritual of filling ink, I yell at him to revise his lessons instead of wasting time but he pays no heed (I am not a pushy mother and he studies at his own pace). I really wonder how he can be so cool—like any other day during the exam time. Of late, he settled for a grippy Reynolds fountain pen. How long he sticks to this brand is a question mark? After all he is in class V, going to class VI. A long way to go........