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Striking (ThursdayTreeLove)



“Love the trees until their leaves fall off and then encourage them to try again next year” – Chadd Sugg


Like my previous TTL post, this is another solitary tree on a plateau! After the first rains, the sky was absolutely clear and blue and I simply could not walk past without capturing the striking beauty of this tree against the sky. 


 I think it is a Khair (Acasia genus but I havent got down to a specific ID) and belongs to the Mimosaceae family. It is deciduous and is just about breaking into new leaf right now. 

Here are its blossoms..

Dont they remind you of the Diwali Fuljhadi ??

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!

Continue reading “Striking (ThursdayTreeLove)”

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Solitary And Strong (ThursdayTreeLove)



“Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong”
Winston Churchill


This tree grows alone by the edge of a quarry… I have seen it for at least a decade and I am fascinated by the shape of its trunk. Its obviously endured some trauma – either natural (wind etc) or human but it stands strong as ever.


Let me leave you to enjoy the tree and hopefully my image will convey the beauty of the spot it grows at.


I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in! 

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Upside Down (ThursdayTreeLove)

Majority plants we see have their flowers or inflorescence growing upwards.. or facing the sky.
I am sure you all must have noticed it.


But there are some beautiful species where the flowers actually face downwards.. towards the ground.
Up side Down as it were.
Let me first share two of my favourites..
Moha .. A species indigenous to India and has huge economic importance especially for tribals. 


Here are its uniquely shaped flowers.



Moha is known all over  by its botanical name of Madhuca longifolia and belongs to the Sapotaceae family.Just like Fall Foliage of the West, this tree puts up a spectacular show in spring when it bursts into new leaf. The book Jungle Trees of Central India by Pradip Krishen has two full pages devoted just to the spring reds of the Moha.

Yet another lovely bloom is the Bakul or Maulsari . Its flowers have a divine fragrance and in fact the tree is blooming right now in Pune! Its flowers face downwards as for Moha. Bakul goes by the botanical name Mimusops elengii and belongs to the Sapotaceae family.

Here are some others..
Durangi Babool or Dichrostachys cinerea of the Mimosaceae family.



Wrightia species of the Apocyanceae family.



Flowers of the Custard Apple or Annoa squamosa also face downwards as do those of the Hirwa Chafa or Artabotrys hexapetalus. Both these belong to the Annonaceae family.


Update: Brugmansia , Fuschia and Adansonia digitata also deserve a mention in this post!
Alana  has told us that Lenten Rose, Columbine also have downward facing flowers! 


Have you noticed downward facing flowers on trees/shrubs/creepers?


I have always wondered why this is a feature of some plants? Does it have something to do with their pollination or seed dispersal?
Any ideas folks?


I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!

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Glorious Gulmohor (ThursdayTreeLove)

May is peak summer in Pune. 
Its also the time for the May Flower! 
Its blossoms have a soothing effect despite the brilliant red… a colour that is usually associated with heat.


This is a beautiful Gulmohor tree growing on my regular walk route. Here it is..


From a distance.. looks like the rising Sun on the horizon!



Walking closer to the tree

Overlooking its huge canopy

Brilliant 

Another view

Beautiful Flowers

Gulmohor belongs to the Caesalpiniaceae family and is known all over the world by its botanical name of Delonix regia. The tree is an exotic species in India but is very common in all over the country especially as an avenue tree. It has a shallow root system which means trees tend to fall after a spell of heavy rains.


Some objections to this species (as its not indigenous) is that our birds do not nest on it; birds, insects and animals do not eat its fruit or nectar as food. 
However I feel that its foliage gives us much needed oxygen and cooling shade. 


What do you think? 


Either way, May is the most glorious month for the Gulmohor! 

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in! 

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Thank You Trees (ThursdayTreeLove)



Thank You! 


Due to the Covid19 lockdown, stores were open only for a couple of hours in Pune. 10am to Noon. People had to stand in a queue in designated spots to buy their needs. 

Every shop had such circles marked out where customers had to queue up.. 


April is a pretty hot time of the year for us. Which means, this wait would have been really hot and trying if it were not for these wonderful trees by the roadside.


It did not matter if the trees were exotic, indigenous, flowering, fruiting, … they gave a welcome cooling shade for the folks below waiting patiently for their turn. 


Thanks to the folks who planted these trees maybe two or three decades ago and we can now reap the benefits! 

“One generation plants the trees, another gets the shade”- Chinese Proverb

I am sure all of you must have noticed and enjoyed the trees in your lane or your society in the lockdown period! 


I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in!

Stay home folks and stay safe! 

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Reflections on 2020 AprilAtoZ

Reflection #atozchallenge 2020

Hello! This is my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge and my was Experiences of a first time grandmother! 
Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! 
In case you have missed out, you can catch up here. 
Congratulations to all awesome bloggers who have completed this challenge. This year is unique as all of us around the world are facing the Covid19 pandemic. 


Luckily, the Internet Gods were kind enough to allow me to schedule, post and comment on many posts. The AtoZ master list listed 510 participants and 89 bloggers revealed their theme on the #BlogchatterAtoZ Theme reveal and I saw 144 awseome posts on the first of April!! Obviously I still have a lot of catching up to do, something that is top of my to-do list. 


I had delayed my decision to participate (its my seventh attempt) and once I did, I went into a frenzy of writing and managed to schedule all my posts much ahead of time. Y turned out to be most difficult and I was gasping for ideas till the last day! My posts were not image-intensive as it was more about my feelings and emotions and I did not make the effort of looking up memes to accompany the posts. Does it indicate a certain weariness? I cant say really! 


Visitors to my blog were generous with their comments and I Thank all of you! Even if you have not commented! 😉


Across all the challenge, I saw the popular themes related to writing, books, travel, cooking and best of all, I found 4 blogs about babies/kids and one by a grandmother one about future grandkids!! Yay! I was not alone!! 

Here they are..

This post is incomplete without mentioning Quilting Patch Applique by Frederique.. She posted outstanding quilting work and has even suggested an awesome knitting site that I plan to sign up for soon. Thanks Frederique!

A couple of wonderful Nature related blogs..



As in earlier AtoZ challenges, Keith’s Ramblings by Keith Hillman and Canvas with Rainbow by Anagha Yatin were outstanding with their fiction.  


The Lockdown has been extended in India as we try to accept an upcoming new normal in our lives.. that of always wearing a mask, carrying hand sanitisers. Greeting by way of Namaste and washing hands and feet have traditionally been a part of our lifestyle and I am glad the entire world is now adopting it. 


I pray that this calamity ends soon. 
I hope all you of are healthy and safe in your part of the world. 


Take care everyone!
It was nice meeting you all and reading your thoughts. 
Lets stay in touch! 


Stay Home! Stay Safe!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver

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Z is to Zone Out

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. My theme this year is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 

Zone Out
When I look back, the day when Daughter went into Labour and next 2 months are a blur. On the one hand time seems to have flown yet all days were almost identical. 


It was a period of intense happenings in our country.. major political decisions had been taken which naturally generated much discussion among friends and family. 


I had Zoned Out. 
Switched off from the world.


No reading newspapers or watching News on TV. No time for Facebook or Twitter. All my time and energy was spent on the newborn and first time Mom who we were hosting! 


These were precious moments that would occur only once in our lives..


And you know what, I realised I was not missed in the big world outside. Life went on – Trees blossomed, the Municipal Corporation functioned, the Stock Market fell and rose, roads got repaved … you get the drift..I did not miss them either.. 


In fact, I was so peaceful. So much so that I have decided to keep zoning out more often. Reduce the stress. Stay happy. Enjoy being a Grandma!!  

Have you tried zoning out? 
I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you especially someone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver
Disclaimer: My posts do mention some products or service providers but these are not sponsored and not meant to be an advertisement.  

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Y is for Young

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. My theme this year is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 

Young

Every stage in a woman’s life involves a huge change.. its difficult to say which is a bigger challenge … 
– Puberty which changes a carefree girl to young woman 
– Marriage that makes her simultaneously balance the hats of a ‘daughter in law’, wife and professional.
– Motherhood which entails carrying, giving birth to, nurturing and then moulding the mind of her young one.
– Mother in law – this is equally challenging as she has to ‘let go’ of her child (son or daughter) to set up his own nest .. IMHO it may be more difficult for the mother of a son. 
– Becoming a grandmother.. again not something to be done lightly.. and this AtoZ is all about becoming a grandma..


The best part of becoming a grandma is that I can play, sing, dance with Grandbaba without inhibitions.. Baby talk becomes a norm as does miming nursery rhymes and stories.


I can easily avoid household chores and spend time happily playing with the baby. 
😉


Hide and Seek, Catch Catch, Hopscotch (my daughter used to call it Stapu), making sand castles and card towers. Finding joy in a weirdly shaped stone or chase the butterflies in the garden. These are just a few of things I am looking forward to..


Its my time to a revive the child in me.. to become young again! 

I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you especially someone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver
Disclaimer: My posts do mention some products or service providers but these are not sponsored and not meant to be an advertisement.  All posts are from a maternal grandmother’s point of view!

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X is for eXcitement

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. My theme this year is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 

X has always been a challenging alphabet in the AtoZ Blogging Challenge..
So today again I will use X to outline my version of what I felt and did…

eXcited 
eXercised 
eXhausted (on a few days)
eXplained
eXalted
eXplored
eXamined
eXuberant
eXpressed
eXasperated
eXtrapolate
eXpedite
eXamine
eXhilerated
eXquisite
eXplosive
eXperiment
eXcuse

eXcellent for SAH Grandma!!

All eXtraordinary and eXceptional feelings!


I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you especially someone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver
Disclaimer: My posts do mention some products or service providers but these are not sponsored and not meant to be an advertisement.  

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W is for Wear

Hello! Welcome to my seventh attempt at the April AtoZ blogging challenge. My theme this year is Experiences of a first time grandmother! Some sweet, salty moments and learnings! My posts are totally based on what I felt (may even border on rants) and are not meant to be a guide. 

What has been your experience? 

Wear
Considering that I have showcased my new found tailoring skills (you can catch up here at my E and M posts), I am sure you expect me to talk about clothes that I made for new Mommie or the baby.


Well, not quite.
I am going to talk about Baby Wearing.
Rather my feelings about it.. because there is plenty and more about it on the Internet. 


Buying a Pram was on top of my list of purchases for the baby and Daughter was quite opposed to it. Storage space was among the last of her reasons for it. Baby wearing is her chosen method to walk outside.. 

I freely admit my reservations to this. When I saw the carrier, I was in a tizzy… it will be too hot… baby’s nose will be covered… there will be too much pressure on baby’s spine… 


I read up about advantages of baby wearing.. and continued to have reservations despite having accepted so many other innovative ideas…


Suddenly, I started noticing many mothers in Pune wearing their babies.. at the local temple, at the store, on the Walking Track and one who was riding as a pillion on a scooter.. Whoa.. and all those babies and Mommies looked so happy. Besides it allowed Mommie to be hands free .. It was at that point when I began to cave in.. maybe there was some substance after all.. 


And there is a huge range of Slings to choose from.. best of all, Pune actually has a Sling Library where Mothers can try out different types to help identify the ideal Sling for them. 


This Grandma is yet to ‘wear’ our baby but I will get around to it soon.. Promise! 
Till then, I am scouring e-commerce website for a suitable Pram for baby and me to go  for a walk!!


Have you been wearing your baby? What do you  think?


I am sure my thoughts may cause a deja vu to some of you especially someone who has hosted a new born. I would love to hear from you!

See you tomorrow folks!

Here are links to my previous AtoZ attempts. 
2013 Mixed Bag
2014 Exercising For Fitness
2015 Gardens of Pune
2016 Herbs
2018 Contemporary A to Z
2019 Caring for the Caregiver
Disclaimer: My posts do mention some products or service providers but these are not sponsored and not meant to be an advertisement.  All posts are from a maternal grandmother’s point of view!

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