Posting a day late, but I am sure you will enjoy these images of beautiful mornings ..
I am joining Natasha in her #WW blog hop.
More Morning Hues (Wordless Wednesday)
Offspring (ThursdayTreeLove)
A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees – Amelia Earhart
While roots of trees are underground in most cases , plants do grow aerial roots. The Ficus species is the easily recognisable example. When the hanging root touches ground, a new tree is born at that spot. Over time, the single tree has several offsprings and it becomes a forest!!
The Great Banyan at the Botanical Garden in Kolkata, the Banyan at Pemgiri and the Banyan at Auroville are famous for creating such forests.
Have you seen these or other similar ancient Ficus?
Your city would surely have mini versions of such new trees.
Here are two lovely roadside trees that provide a shelter from Sun or Rain to passerby’s. A wonderful spot for evening chats!
And a cool spot to park a vehicle 😉
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove bloghop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around thecworld.
Better still, join in!!
Happy Diwali folks!!!
May this festival of lights bring good Health and Happiness to everyone!
Autumn Colours (ThursdayTreeLove)
“Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower” – Albert Camus
Looking at Autumn or Fall colours is a right on top of my Tree Travel wish lists.. I have always just got a glimpse of the glorious foliage never really catching the plants in their full Fall Glory.
As the above quote says, each leaf dons a spectacular unique colour that truly makes it look like a flower.
Here are a few images from my travels.. I am looking forward to the day when I can see the Fall Colours with my own eyes.. sigh…. Till then, I look forward to the TTL posts from around the world in the next couple of month..
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!
Balloons (Wordless Wednesday)
Tigers Nest (Wordless Wednesday)
Last year we trekked up to the Tigers Nest, at Paro in Bhutan. It is an iconic monastry situated precariously at the very edge of a cliff at an altitude of around 10,200 feet. A visit to Bhutan is incomplete without trekking up to the Tigers Nest.
It is a demanding walk but the beautiful surroundings makes one forget time and effort. The walk is made richer as one can can spot amazing birds, butterflies enroute.
Here are a few glimpses … all images from my cell phone..
I hope you enjoyed this virtual trek with me! I would love to hear from you!
Dry (Wordless Wednesday)
Brush (ThursdayTreeLove)
A visit to the Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Botanical Garden in Kolkata was at the end of our trip to the Sunderbans. It was a botanically wondrous trip to say the least! The Garden itself is huge and home to unique trees like the famous Banyan.
Here is another tree that I met for the first and only time! A beautiful red brush like structure beckoned me from a distance and located as it was amid leaves had me immediately thinking of the Shaving Brush tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum) which does grow in Pune. However when I went closer, the tree looked different especially its leaves. It was end of January and the digitate glossy green leaves suggested a different ID.
Luckily for me, the placard saved me the trouble and I could freely admire the Pachira aquatica without any stress of identification. It belongs to the Bombacaceae family just like the Shaving Brush Tree which explained the similarity in the flowers. Also known as Malabar Chestnut tree it is an introduced species in India. I loved its flowers which are nothing like those used for table decorations or bouquets.
Have you seen this wonderful tree? When in Kolkata please do make time for the botanical garden!
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove Blog hop. Do head over to see some wonderful trees from around the world. Better still, join in!
Coffee Tales (ThursdayTreeLove)
This gnarled looking trunk is that of a Coffee tree! I am sure all those who have travelled to Coorg would have seen these.. It was wonderful to see the origin of something that was my saviour from drinking plain milk in childhood!
Hence for a long time, Coffee, to me, meant the instant variety in powder form that came out of a bottle.
Later, I was intrigued by the strong aroma outside a coffee bean shop and as the years passed, I made lifelong friends with the ‘filter kapi’! The logical next step was to see a coffee plantation but it was only recently that this materialised.
And the wait was worth it.
The brown seeds we use are from the fruit of the plant Coffea canephora or Coffea arabica (Robusta or Arabica varieties) which belong to the Rubiaceae family. It is shrub like or a small tree and blooms profusely in February and I was told they set off a heady fragrance in the entire neighbourhood. Soon green fruit called a Berry develop which turn to red and then black when dry. It has two seeds. The fruit has to be processed to get the seeds which can then be roasted and powdered to give us that out-of-this world, mood elevator, ice breaker, life saver beverage we call coffee!
Here are some more images..
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| Berries PC @puneribaker |
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| Berries ripening to red PC @puneribaker |
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| The trunk is used to make lamp stands which will hold a place of pride in any drawing room. Here it has been used to make a sign post. |
Baba Budan has been credited with bringing coffee to India and the rest is history as they say.
Coffee has the characteristic of creating strong fans who refuse to drink Tea. At least it has done so in my family!!
Have you noticed this?
Have you seen the coffee tree? Do you enjoy Coffee or Tea?
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. It is live on the second and fourth Thursday every month. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Better still, join in with your tree!
Witness (ThursdayTreeLove)
Can anyone guess where this image has been taken?
Ok, let’s not spend time on guessing games.. This gnarled tree is some species of Eucalyptus that I spotted at the Sanchi Stupa complex. It seemed really old and possibly has witnessed some the great events that occurred at this site. Or maybe it was planted later..
Heritage sites are usually home to old trees which are just as spectacular as the structures there. I have seen lovely trees at the Qutub Minar and at Hampi as well.
Have you noticed the trees when you visit a heritage or archaeological site?
If they could only tell us their version of the events they must have witnessed!!
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some fantastic images from around the world. Better still, join in!
Towering (ThursdayTreeLove)
What is it that strikes you first in the above image from Leh?
The snow clad peaks in the background, or the cloudy sky and or is it the trees?
Leh has a rugged terrain surrounded by the mighty Himalayas and the ground is covered with flora that can survive in the bitter cold. Apple, Apricot, Seabuckthorn are a common wondrous sight but these towering lean Poplars are equally eye catching.
These are most likely the Populus nigra trees belonging to the Salicaceae family. (The same family as Willows). Male and female flowers are borne on different trees but the flowering season was some time away when I visited.
Here are a couple more images of this wonderful tree.
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| Straight trunk bole |
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| Leaves |
Have you visited Leh? Did you notice these towering Poplars? Here is a list of some landmark trees of Leh.
I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop. Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world. Bette still, join in!