Sunny-Side Up

Hello 2011

2011-01-04T18:30:00.000+08:00

We ended a year and began a new one with a staycation that involved much happiness, laughter, adventure, good friends and dear family. Now things are settling down and we are slowly easing into our old routine that I have almost forgotten. Here wishing a year filled with discovery, learning, growth, peace and good things.

simple, light-hearted reading

2010-12-20T08:24:00.000+08:00

I hardly read these days and what little reading I manage includes things like three bears and a girl, a chick called saturday and a rabbit that goes bump bump bump. I want to change that and this is a start.

Diwali, November 2010

2010-11-16T14:35:00.001+08:00

It feels like I have lost a few days. That is the only way I can explain the lagging -behind feeling. I’m always strapped for time and rushing to finish chores that should have been dealt with two days back. It's no fun!

Anyway, so in a catch up post, here are some pictures of our quiet Diwali celebration. We are not big into festivals, but this time we lit some lamps around the house and did a massive clean up. My Ma-in-law even made and strung a thoran on the front door. We enjoyed a lovely long walk in a nature reserve and had that full and happy feeling by the end of the day. And it was not just from the yummy Thai food we ate for dinner.

new resolve

2010-11-08T21:53:00.001+08:00

After letting another bag of fresh veggies rot in the bottom of my refrigerator, I've given myself this simple rule, "buy what you'll use and use what you buy." I've decided this is my mantra and will try to abide by it.

(Phew, I needed to write that down!)

weekend was

2010-11-02T15:30:00.000+08:00

rainy and cloudy
long walk
cleaning and vacuuming
getting ready for a guest
cheesecake brownies
grocery shopping
lots of painting, drawing and jigsaw puzzles
afternoon naps
sitcoms on TV
simple but nutritious meals
Diwal decor in Little India
butterfly photography
picnic by the fish pond

happy and busy.

So confused!

2010-11-01T13:35:00.001+08:00

This has been plaguing me for a while. I have a few hobbies, so should I create a different blog for each hobby or just post everything in one blog under different categories?

One blog and many topics, or many blogs with one topic? That’s the question. I’m So confused!

Our Art Wall

2010-10-06T10:22:00.000+08:00

Old is Silver

2010-08-06T19:17:00.002+08:00

I got an email from a dear friend this morning informing me about the Tabletop August Party at Colors Dekor. I thought it would be nice to send a picture from my new home. This is part of a silver collection that belonged to my husband's grandmother. The bits of yellow in there are gold, I'm told. It has been passed on from generations. It is now ours to cherish until it's time to pass it on to the next generation. I love this tradition!

Linking to Table Top August.

not salad

2010-07-10T19:09:00.001+08:00

I thought I’d make a pretty orange salad just like in the cookbook, but soon lost patience with the tedious slicing. Taking photos was much more fun and satisfying. The oranges? We ate them as dessert; they were perfect and simple.

2010-06-24T15:02:00.000+08:00

A parting gift so perfect for me. I love the little silver bowl my friends gave me when I left Chennai. It's the right size to float little treasures I bring back from my morning walk. I think of all of them when I see this and feel blessed to have found great friends like them.

Unpacking

2010-06-15T17:17:00.001+08:00

Overwhelmed by the number of boxes and things scattered around the house, I sat down for a coffee. I pride myself on living a clutter free life, but still this seems like an awful lot. We still don't have a TV, bed, sofa, TV table, coffee table and a bunch of other furniture, yet the house seems full. Maybe it is something to do with how small the house is. Once I find a home for everything maybe it will feel roomy and open. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I finished organizing the tiny kitchen and was pleased to note a few empty shelves. I intend to keep it that way. I hate shelves crammed with things. I arranged everything within easy reach, keeping in mind my height. I don't want to be spending more time than absolutely necessary in the kitchen. I also arranged our crockery in our 50 or 60-year-old cupboard and that for some reason made me very happy. Our eclectic collection of ceramics cups and dishes apparently makes me smile.

The thought of going back to the boxes makes me weep. The baby seems a bit cranky today, maybe it is a sign that we both should take a nap and let the boxes remain for a while!

June 12

2010-06-12T21:35:00.000+08:00

It is late. I'm tired and almost dropping off to sleep. I had a full and happy day celebrating with the two most special people in my life. Did a lot of mundane stuff for the apartment. I didn't mind because I knew there would be ice cream for dinner.

home

2010-06-11T20:26:00.001+08:00

They delivered our stuff to our new apartment today. I cannot describe the joy on her face when she saw her toys and books. It felt good to be surrounded by familiar things. Yes, it's going to be fun turning this house into our home.

Lazy mornings

2010-06-10T13:46:00.016+08:00

It's a lazy morning. The gentle rain outside adds to the mood. Breakfast is eggs, raisins, an apple and bits of cheese. Milk for her, coffee for me. We are still in our pyjamas relaxing. I feel guilty about the laziness. It stays only for a moment because I remind myself to enjoy this while it lasts. In a month or two, I know, moments like this will be hard to come by and I'll be left longing for lazy mornings just like this.

Later::

The rain stops, the sun hides behind a blanket of clouds urging us to step outside and enjoy the glorious weather. We climb the steep steps behind the bus stop and find ourselves in a lush field glistening with raindrops. Then just like that, we find butterflies. Lots of them. I'm happy. She is too, content for a while running around the place, showing me flowers, plants, and bugs. She lets me know when it is time to go and so we walk back hand in hand.

A little girl missing her dad

2010-06-09T15:46:00.008+08:00

Her evening routine is to stand on a table below the big wide window and look for her baba returning home from work. She can see a little patch of road through the trees nine storeys below and gets excited when she sees someone walk by or when she spots a red bus. I enjoy the routine as much as she does.

Her dad's away on a short work related trip and while she didn't show any signs yesterday (first day of his being away) of missing him, the first thing she did this morning after she was up was to climb up on that bench and look for baba. I quickly distracted her with her breakfast and told her baba is in office. "Oh baba office" she repeated and nodded as if she understood.

I wanted to capture this moment for him and torture him a little, hence this post. I know he’s missing her too.

She's back on her perch looking for baba as I type this and simultaneously is on a pretend phone call with Kushi, her friend, in India.

Sigh, I have a long day ahead.

Kapi

2010-06-08T17:52:00.002+08:00

Trying to ward off a case of homesickness with a hot cup of filter coffee.

Mall Rats

2010-06-07T21:03:00.001+08:00

Rainy Morning

2010-06-05T21:01:00.000+08:00

Traditional Cake Moulds

2010-06-04T20:58:00.000+08:00

Mangoes

2010-06-02T20:58:00.000+08:00

Before I left Chennai, I wanted to enjoy more than my share of mangoes because I didn’t know when my next summer in India would be. I was disappointed at not finding good ones. Every shopkeeper just said the crop has not been very good this year. Is this true? Are they available now at least? What about other cities?
Fast forward to Singapore. They are all here! Boxes and boxes of alphonso, kesar, himapasand, sindhri (a new-to-me mango, not to be confused with sindhura) and beganapalli just to name a few. I can’t make up my mind to be happy or sad, so I’ll just stick to eating them. I will be thrilled though when mallika and langda makes an entrance here.

Pizza Story

2010-06-01T20:57:00.000+08:00

This is leftover pizza, which has been languishing in our fridge for the past two days. Why is this big deal? Because pizzas are never leftover in our house. We fight for the crumbs even.

We ordered them from Pizza Hut and it tasted all wrong to us. There was no weird taste or smell, but still the overall experience was different. We ordered two different kinds, one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian, and we didn't care for both. I'm sure their menu is tweaked to cater to the local tastes, just like how it is in India, but still it was a big disappointment.

Why did I not throw it out the same day? I don’t know. While I don’t like to throw food in the garbage, it somehow feels easier to throw stale food from the fridge into the trash than throwing something fresh. That way for some strange reason, I feel less guilty!

Thieves' Market

2010-05-31T20:55:00.000+08:00

One of the fun things we did this weekend was to explore the Thieves’ Market here. It is the oldest flea market in Singapore. The place was full of roadside stalls selling all kinds of junk. Apart from items like old clothes, shoes, belts, electronic things, some shops had some interesting stuff like cattle horns, horseshoes, traditional cake moulds, cool looking teakettles (always a favourite with me) and statues of Buddha in all sizes and materials. I was interested in buying a couple of things, but the guys would take one look at me and quote ridiculous prices. The perils of looking too much like a tourist, complete with a camera, I guess.

The shopkeepers were rude and meant business. They were interesting to look at too in terms of their clothing and facial expressions. So different from the fake put on polite faces of the salespeople in the malls. I always ask people before I take their picture, especially close-up shots of the face (one of my self-imposed photography rules) but here I was scared to even ask because I was certain I'd be scolded. So when one of them saw me with my camera and asked me take his picture I was more than willing.

Some pictures from there.

the sunny outdoor market

kettles, coins and other interesting stuff

A certain little person thought the place was a yawn!

Watches of all brands. Couldn't tell if real or fake

chargers

clothes

Don't miss the picture of Tamil film actor in the corner

Now you know where to find your stuffed Alligator when you lose him!

cameras!

Amruthanjan!

I had a fun time browsing the market, but had to get out before I threw up from the heat. It was hot! I had a massive headache from too much sun and I took a long time to recover from it. Next time I plan to visit, I will ensure I take an umbrella with me.

Aboard an LRT

2010-05-28T20:54:00.000+08:00

A great way to travel in Singapore is to use the public transport. It is convenient, efficient and fast. We've been using the MRT and the bus system (the cool red buses) to go places from the time we have arrived here. Yesterday we tried out the LRT (Light Rail Transit) just for fun. LRT was developed to provide better connectivity with the newer housing areas of Singapore. LRT cars are smaller, slower and less crowded than the MRT. These are some pictures I took yesterday from the window.

Merly

2010-05-26T20:52:00.000+08:00

Say hello to Merly. She's one of the mascots for the Youth Olympics Games to be held in August.
Some facts about Merly:
She is a vegetarian
Is deeply concerned about the environment and wants to become an environmental scientist
Likes to collect seashells so she can return them to the sea
Her paw is shaped like a heart
She likes to explore the seas surrounding Singapore, swim and sing.
She is a great listener and a lovely friend.

I think I'm in love with her!

Source:The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee

Teh Halia

2010-05-26T20:51:00.000+08:00

Tea made with black tea, condensed milk and ginger. It is poured from a height between two vessels to give that frothy top. For this reason it is sometimes called "pulled tea"

to market, to market

2010-05-25T21:07:00.001+08:00

I've always loved open vegetable markets. My earliest memory associated with them is walking with a red wire basket with my mom or dad to do the weekly shopping. The market we went to was large and crowded. I remember the open stalls, with makeshift roofs of gunnysacks or large pieces of tarp, displaying mounds of fresh seasonal vegetables. The people haggling for the best deal, the cows munching on discarded cauliflower heads or cabbage leaves, the lazy dog asleep under a cart occasionally flipping his tail to rid it of the pesky fly (Seriously, these are the images that come to mind when I think of the HAL market in Bangalore.) The smell of rotting produce, overripe fruit and the strong odor of spices was always a constant. It was pure sensory overload.

Years later when I set up a home of my own, I still went shopping in such markets. My favorite was the Madiwala market. The stuff in the supermarket shelves just did not match up to the mind-boggling variety available there. Not to mention the quality and price. I always enjoyed bringing home a new- to- me vegetable armed with the suggestion of the vendor on how to go about cooking it.

When we moved to Hyderabad, I was overjoyed to find Raithu Bazars. I took time from my busy work schedule to stop and get my week's supply of fruits and veggies. Similarly, the farmers' market in Charlotte. I made the trip even if it meant going out of my way. I delighted when I spied a stall set up outside a farm selling freshly picked peaches or strawberries. I always insisted we stop to sample their wares. Then the move to Chennai happened and I still made the weekly trip to the Tiruvanmiyur open market.

Well, why this sudden walk down market lane? I was at a supermarket here in Singapore yesterday and was looking to get something to turn it into a quick subjee for dinner, when the thought hit me. Is there a farmers' market in Singapore? Or am I stuck with the boredom and predictability of buying from the supermarket shelves?

Clarke Quay

2010-05-22T20:50:00.000+08:00

Clarke Quay is a row of restaurants and pubs along the Singapore River, a cool place to hang out. Some shots I took of the place when we went there yesterday. The restaurant we chose had a good view of the crowds and the river. The food? The less said the better!

No!

2010-05-18T20:49:00.000+08:00

From the "fine" city Singapore. This fine system I guess is one of the reasons the city is so clean, green safe and orderly.

One Week In Singapore

2010-05-17T23:38:00.011+08:00

I'm about a week old in Singapore and enjoying the experience of exploring a new city as a resident. The last time I was here I took some typical touristy pictures, so that does not count :-)

Yesterday was hot and humid, but that did not stop us from enjoying a small hike in Bukit Timah, the highest point in Singapore. I thoroughly enjoyed being sorrounded by tall thick trees and the well laid out tracks.

My First Butterfly In Singapore

2010-05-17T21:33:00.004+08:00

Chinatown

2010-05-16T20:47:00.000+08:00

Yesterday we explored Chinatown. I took so many pictures that I had a tough time choosing what to post today.

East Coast Park

2010-05-15T20:46:00.000+08:00

We have been eating almost all our meals outside. We usually go to one of the food courts of the many malls surrounding our serviced apartment. Today we decided to go somewhere nice for dinner. We decided to go to East Coast Park, walk around a bit and get something to eat from one of the outdoor places.

We arrived just in time for the Sunset. Unfortunately, the sun decided to hide behind the trees and buildings and I only managed this after scouting for a good location.

It became dark by the time I finished. We were hungry and a walk in the dark didn’t appeal too much, so we decided to get dinner. ECP restaurants seem like popular places to eat seafood and each one had a long line in the front. We headed for one that seemed less crowded and immediately got a table outside. The food was good. I especially remember the Prawn Tom Yum Soup. So delicious!

playing with my camera during dinner

ECP seems like a nice place to enjoy a walk and do some cycling. We will definitely be going back.

red roofs

2010-05-14T20:45:00.000+08:00

Temple

2010-05-09T20:43:00.000+08:00

Shrine

2010-05-09T20:42:00.000+08:00

Storm Approaching

2010-05-09T20:41:00.000+08:00

New Beginnings

2010-05-08T20:39:00.000+08:00

My new home. The first picture I took after I landed here. This was the view of dawn breaking from the windows of our serviced apartment.

Gulmohar

2009-09-25T19:38:00.011+08:00

Gulmohar (Delonix regia)

I'm very lucky to live in a house surrounded by trees, and luckier that majority of them happen to be Gulmohar, my favorite flowering tree. In the flowering season, we get awesome views from almost every window in the house, including the bathroom windows. My favorite is the kitchen window where I have spent many moments enjoying cups of chai admiring the flowers with the squirrels and parrots to keep me company.

the flowers make for gorgeous bokeh too

the view from our balcony looking at our street

the squirrels like snacking on the silky petals

my baby likes it too

The cheery flowers never fail to put a smile on my face. My hard disk is groaning with the number of photos I have taken of these flowers last summer. The photos here are all taken from inside my house.

the individual flowers are stunning too

Gulmohar is from the Fabaceae family and flowers from April to July. It is grown as a street tree mainly for its ornamental properties. An Indian summer is incomplete without the flamboyant flowers.

This is my entry for orange at flower fest.

Purplicious

2009-08-24T09:49:00.009+08:00

I'm so excited now that flower fest is back. Apart from inspiring me to go look for wildflowers, this blog gets a new lease on life.

In this round of FF, like the last time, I'm going to try as much as possible to send in entries of wildflowers. First up is purple and here are my two entries.

The first one is Wild Brinjal or Purple Fruited Pea Eggplant

Brinjal is a plant from the family Solanaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. The wild plant has large prickly leaves and star shaped flowers that are white or purple. The Wild Brinjal has berry like fruit with tiny numerous seeds. This particular plant did not have any, else I would have scavenged some, as we like to eat it cooked with onion, tomato, tamarind and other Indian spices. I think the berries are used in Thai cooking well.

My second entry is the Crown Flower or Giant Milkweed from the family Asclepiadaceae.

Commonly found growing in fields and ditches, the plant has flowers growing in clusters with each flower containing five petals with a crown in the center.

The plant attracts small birds, a number of insects and butterflies. The flowers bloom throughout the year, but are abundant in the summer months. This type of Milkweed is native to India. I took these pictures on my morning walk.

I'm sending these to this month's FF.

PS I'm going to pretend like I've never been away!

Raddhiwalla with a business card!

2007-10-26T23:46:00.001+08:00

A funny thing happened to me this morning. Well, not funny in the ha ha sense, just something which made me see how technology has reached everyone in India. I opened the door to accept a letter from the courier boy, when I noticed a raddhi walla taking the month's recycling from the opposite house.

I wanted to get rid of the growing pile of old newspapers from my house, but had to step out to do some errands, so asked him when he would be coming next. Immediately he whipped out his business card with the address and four different mobile numbers neatly printed on it. He told me all I had to do was to give him a call and he would come with a scale to weigh the junk and clear it all away. Now that's something I don't see everyday - a radhiwalla with a business card!

Charlotte to Chennai

2007-08-25T12:11:00.002+08:00

Chennai is what I will call home now.

We arrived late, after midnight, in this new city and tired went straight to sleep. I was woken early morning by the loud song of the kukooo. I got up, grabbed my camera and took a few pictures. It had rained in the night and everthing looked fresh and clean. Soon I saw the bright colors of dawn and then the constant parade of birds began. I was surprised. I expected to see only crows in this teeming metro but boy! was I happy that I was proved wrong.

Flower Fest - W for Wisteria

2007-08-10T19:54:00.000+08:00

In May this year, I got to spend a delightful afternoon in the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Despite the bustling tourist activity, I had a good time. While walking around the well maintained garden, with its manicured bushes, trees and stone sculptures, I spied these beautiful hanging Wisteria.

Wisteria is a climbing vine with purple-blue flowers that hangs down like a bunch of grapes. It flowers in the beginning of spring. We had plenty growing in our neighbourhood too, but it did not occur to me to take pictures. I was busy looking for spring wildflowers then!

Google tells me that this plant is not very popular as it is invasive and suffocates other native plants, which in turn affects wildlife who depend on these native plants for food.

This is my entry for the letter W at Flower Fest

Flower Fest - V for Vicia sativa (Common Vetch)

2007-07-26T21:00:00.000+08:00

Another flower that I found growing, un-welcomed, on the sidewalk outside my house, is my entry for V. Common vetch, as Vicia sativa is commonly called, is a weed that grows on roadsides and fields. It is a small plant with attractive purple-pink flowers from the pea family.

I find the delicate plant beautiful to look at and love the tiny flowers. The leaves are a lovely shade of green growing on stems that taper off into tendrils. The flowers bloom from April to August and are very attractive to bees and butterflies.

This is my entry for the letter V at Flower Fest

Somethings Blue

2007-07-21T02:10:00.001+08:00

Pacific Ocean near Big Sur

A Western Scrub Jay, in California

Pal Payasam -followed the step by step guide from Manisha!

Sunset on Lake Calhoun

2007-07-14T11:34:00.000+08:00

I recently had the opportunity to go sailing in an old sailboat on Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. I got a brief sailing lesson and did pretty well i.e. the sailboat stayed afloat and went in the general direction of land. That's enough achievement for a day, for me!

It was magical to watch the sun. It painted the sky in vivid colours as it slowly disappeared out of sight. My pictures don't do justice at all to the wonderful sunset I witnessed.
It was a glorious end to a beautiful day. Sigh!

Rhyming Road Signs in Sikkim

2007-07-13T11:15:00.000+08:00

As it has happened with me before, my previous post triggered memories of a different set of pictures. I was reminded of a motor-bike trip I went on a couple of years ago. So, I went trawling through my folders and found some pictures taken from the back of a motorcycle while riding to Gangtok from Kalimpong. This was with a simple point and shoot camera before I owned a digital camera and a tripod. A few of them give a sneak peak of me in the bike's rear view mirror!

These pictures of road signs bring back a flood of memories. The wet roads, parts of it washed into the roaring Teesta River; the two of us on a motorcycle in the pouring rain; the vibrant green of the hills. I remember I was both anxious and excited. I was terrified that we would be caught in a landslide, fall into the roaring river and nobody would know what happened to us. Excited at the same time about the grand adventure I was having in the beautiful hills. I was thankful and amazed at how hard BRO (Border Roads Organisation) was working to maintain these roads.

This was a common sight with warning signs posted everywhere. The side of the road sliding into the river is know as sinking road. (part of Teesta River visible in the photo)

The road signs we came across kept us entertained on that treacherous ride.

Oh we tested the roads alright!

Sign(s) of the Times

2007-07-12T07:19:00.002+08:00

Some random pictures of signboards taken while travelling around in the US.

On top of Chimney Rock. The parking lot was directly below.

In Las Vegas

Chicago.
Hmnn, I wonder how the food is.

Downtown Chicago

In New York City

Audubon Swamp Garden

2007-07-11T10:13:00.001+08:00

Audubon Swamp Garden in Charleston, South Carolina, is a unique nature and wildlife preserve. It boasts of a variety of plant life, birds and water-loving creatures. The beautiful area can be explored from the many boardwalks, bridges and dikes. I had a grand time exploring the place and could easily have spent the whole day there.

A Great Egret greets us as we enter the swamp

A paddling of ducks in the swamp

An Anole gives us a baleful look

Ah! Now that's a comforting sign!

Anhinga and Yellow-bellied Sliders enjoying the sunny day

This was a common sight in the swamp. An American Alligator and Sliders enjoying a nap

South Carolina Peaches

2007-06-30T23:20:00.001+08:00

fresh from the orchards of "tastier peach state."

Second Longest Escalator in the World

2007-06-29T22:32:00.000+08:00

This is the longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere located at Wheaton Station, Washington DC. It took us two minutes and 45 seconds to reach the top from the bottom! We saw some people sit on the steps and ride up, while others walked to reach the top faster.

Stellar's Jay

2007-06-28T21:28:00.000+08:00

See, here's the thing about birds. They simply love me. I have to just look at them and they join me for lunch!

Pismo Beach / Napa Valley (California Master Trip)

2007-06-21T12:11:00.001+08:00

May 18th
Reached Pismo from Yosemite Campsite
Swam in the pool like I had temporarily taken leave of my senses
Enjoyed a relaxing two mile walk to Thai Thalay
After a thai dinner, walked back to hotel

May 19th
Next day started with a 3 mile jog on the Pismo roads
Then we hit the outlet mall hard!
Jogged again in the hotel gym for 40 minutes
Walked to pier and enjoyed dinner in Italian Pastabella

May 20th
Long but beautiful 9 hour drive from Pismo to Napa on Highway No-1
Stunning views of the pacific ocean from vista point
Lunch at spirit garden
Ended journey at KOA campsite in Petaluma
Small walk around the campground enjoying the flowers and mulberry trees
Built a campfire and had dinner

May 21th
Started the day with a swim in the big KOA pool.
Visited two farms of Napa/Sonoma - bought peaches in the first, strawberries in the second.
Ate too many strawberries (one month's supply of vitamin c in one sitting!)
Vineyard visit
Lunch at Market Cafe
Visited Old Faithful Geyser
Petrified Forest
Drove back to Oakland
Spent time picking pennys from the parking lot
Cleaned the RV so that it was ready to return the next day on the way to the airport
All American food at Denny's Diner for dinner
Packed up and called it a day and a great holiday!

Sulphur Spring

2007-06-20T10:47:00.000+08:00

My previous post reminded me of a different hot spring. This is an old picture of a sulphur spring near Joshimath in India. The soft bubbling mud, the blue steam and the gushing hot water was an astonishing sight. It also smelt horrible like rotten eggs!

According to the locals, one can boil an egg here in under a minute. The water cools down a bit as it comes down the hillside and is channeled into two pools, one for men and the other for women, to bathe in. The water is said to have medicinal properties. The place was deserted and we had the pools to ourselves. The warm water felt good in the cold weather and did not smell so strongly. I'm glad I got over my initial reservation, as it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Old Faithful Geyser

2007-06-19T10:02:00.000+08:00

Old Faithful Geyser of California, located in the scenic Napa Valley, is said to be one of the only three old faithfuls in the world. The geysers get such a name because they erupt at regular intervals and have a predictable pattern. Scalding water (around 350 degrees F) shoots high in the sky, in this natural occurrence. This one put out a spectacular show every 15-20 minutes while we were there.
The mountain in the background is Mt. St. Helena.

A Squirrel...

2007-06-15T09:37:00.000+08:00

...who thinks he is a Lion!
Photographed somewhere on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Flower Fest - T for Trifolium repens and Trifolium pratense

2007-06-14T01:59:00.000+08:00

My entry for this round of FF is from the clover family. I have white and purple/pink clovers.
Clovers are native to Europe and introduced in the US as a pasture crop. They can be found throughout the US in warm weather. Clovers have three oval leaflets with V shaped markings on them. The ball-shaped flower head is made up with many small flowers, and is very attractive to bees. Some flowers are edible and used in salads and to make tea.

I found both these on the pavement outside my house.

The white clovers are called Trifolium repens. The flowers look like a little white ball and once a bee or other pollinating insect has visited it, the petals droop and reveal the red center indicating that it does not have to be visited again.

The pink or the purple clover is Trifolium pratense and is considered nutritious food for livestock. The flowers and leaves are slightly bigger than the white clover.

This is my entry for the letter T at Flower Fest

Yosemite Wildflower Photo Journal

2007-06-09T11:03:00.000+08:00

Although Yosemite does not really get carpeted with flowers, I got to see plenty scattered around, which accentuated the beauty of the meadows and riverbanks. I came back with a collection of flowers that I had never seen before. I took these pictures for my records and learning, so I'm parking them here even if some are not post worthy!

California Indian Pink (Silene laciniata)

Wild Blue Flag

Snow Plant

Mountain Misery

Blue Dicks

Indian Paintbrush

Spring Beauty

Storksbill

Yellow Violet

Woodland Star

Yellow Salsify

Pride of the Mountain

Mountain Pretty Face

Fiddlesticks

Fairy Lantern

Lupine

California Poppy

Birdsfoot Trefoil

Bird's Eye

Wild Bleeding Heart

Blue Larkspur

Tuolumne Meadows and a hike in the snow.

2007-06-09T10:48:00.000+08:00

Tuolumne Meadows is the largest sub-alpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Tuolumne River meanders here, rugged mountain peaks and domes surround it. To reach the meadow from the Yosemite Valley, one has to drive on the Tioga Road. The road is a scenic drive with fabulous views of meadows, lakes and granite cliffs. It is open for vehicular traffic in early spring, and closes sometime in fall when snowfall gets heavy. In May, there were still huge piles of snow on roadsides and on the mountains.

This picture neither looks like the photo in my travel book nor how I imagined the meadow to be. The book showed a green meadow with beautiful sub-alpine flowers and I was excited to see it in person. This view is what I got. But then again, this is not the season for the flowers to start blooming.

Beautiful Tenaya Lake, located at an altitude of 8141 ft.

Hiking in the snow:

We had come to see the meadow and to do a hike around the area. We decided to hike to the Cathedral Lake and set off enthusiastically. What we were not prepared for was the amount of snow on the way, in places knee deep. After 4 hours of ploughing through the snow with wet shoes and cold feet, one could tell our enthusiasm was beginning to wane. After a brief meeting, we all decided to turn back. Though we did not get to see the lake, the distance we hiked in the snow was an enjoyable experience. We even came sliding down a few slopes, when our legs needed a rest, which was pure fun! One of the most enjoyable hikes I have done in the US.

The snow was not too much when we started

Views along the way

Then the snow got too much to walk on. It was great fun to figure out where to put the next step and see how deep it would sink in. In some places the snow came up to our knees!

After we abandoned the trek, we spent some time enjoying a steaming bowl of maggi and thawing out our poor toes in the warm comfort of our RV. Parked here it looks like an ad for an RV company!

Mariposa Grove

2007-06-05T20:32:00.002+08:00

The beautiful grove with the Giant Sequoia Redwoods deserves a post of its own. We spent over 5 hours walking 14 miles, exploring the thousands of years old trees. A walk among them is truly an awesome experience. Some snapshots of the grove:

Mariposa Grove of the Giant Sequoias

I found this interesting sign near the entrance to the grove

The Grizzly Giant, the biggest tree in the grove, and a major crowd puller

A Chipmunk
Tannin rich bark of a Sequoia
Giant tree= giant cone. The tree grows from seeds.
A Mule Deer peeks out at us as we pass him

The Fallen Tunnel Tree
The Bachelor and Three Graces

A Woodpecker, pecking away, unmindful of the people trying to photograph him

The Faithful Couple Tree

Bird's eye view of Wawona from Wawona Vista Point

Yosemite Valley

2007-06-05T12:21:00.001+08:00

After we got the RV, we spent a few days in the unbelievably beautiful Yosemite National Park. We got to see the beautiful lakes, waterfalls and the huge granite rocks that the park is famous for. Most of the hikes we did we had the trails to ourselves, as the park is not very crowded at this time of the year. Apart from hiking in the Yosemite Valley, we also did some spectacular hikes in Mariposa Grove and Tuolumne Meadows.

Merced River flowing through the Yosemite Valley

The campground we stayed in for the nights was right out of a dream! Our allotted parking spot was within a few yards from the Merced River. Imagine going to sleep every night surrounded by tall trees, a dazzling starry sky and the sound of the gurgling river, and to be woken up by the chirping of the birds and being greeted by the many pretty flowers blooming on the riverbank. Ah, bliss!

Horsetail falls, tumbling down the face of El Capitan

Half Dome on a cloudy day

Bridalveil Falls

The beautiful Mirror Lake with Mount Watson reflected in the water

Elephant Rock

Emerald waters of Mirror Lake

Building a Trail

2007-06-03T11:13:00.000+08:00

The first Saturday of June is celebrated as National Trails Day in the US. When we heard about an event for building a new trail in a local state park, organized by REI, we volunteered. Since we have spent so many weekends in that park enjoying the well-laid hiking trails, we figured that this was a good opportunity to 'give back'. What better way to do that than volunteer to build a trail?

We set off early this morning and met up with the other people who had volunteered. The distance to the new trail location was a short drive away and we rode there in the back of a pick-up truck, which was a lot of fun. We spent the morning getting dirty digging the earth, raking the leaves and uprooting roots and stones.

We were rewarded with a simple but nutritious lunch and a cool t-shirt from REI for all that work. The event was a lot of fun! I came back with another new experience, and some pictures I managed to take along the way.

The booth distributing T-shirts

Working on the trail

After the trail was cleaned up

Ah, lunch!

Flower Fest - S for Sanguinaria canadensis

2007-06-01T05:34:00.000+08:00

The only species in the genus Sanguinaria, Sanguinaria canadensis or Bloodroot, as it is commonly called, is a plant indigenous to United States. Blood red juice can be extracted from its root, so the name Bloodroot. Native Americans used this juice as body paint, dye and as an herbal remedy to treat various diseases of the skin.

The flowers are white with oblong petals with a yellow center. The plant prefers shaded spots and produces flowers in March and April. An interesting fact about this plant is that the seeds are spread by ants in a process called Myrmecochory. (Phew, who knew! Thanks FF for improving my GK like this with every round!)

This is my entry for the letter S currently on at Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

My Big RV Trip!

2007-05-31T20:33:00.000+08:00

I'm back from an activity-packed, yet relaxed holiday in California. We hired an RV and stayed in it for the entire trip, except for a two-day stay in a beach resort in Pismo. The entire trip was an amazing experience, which will stay with me for a long time to come.

The RV we had was a comfortable vehicle with a bedroom, a shower stall, a toilet and a nice little kitchenette complete with a tiny refrigerator! Yes, we cooked some basic meals in the RV.

It had plenty of storage area that was just right for all the baggage including heavy suitcases of our family visiting from India. We were six people (4 adults and 2 children) and it was perfect for us. The seats, which converted to beds at night, were very comfortable and gave us a good night’s sleep and prepared us for the next day packed with swimming, hiking, walking, jogging and any other outdoor activity we fancied doing.

This was our campsite during our stay in Yosemite; behind the RV is the gently flowing Merced River. We spent our evenings building a bonfire, toasting marshmallows and recalling our day's adventures.

We went to many beautiful places with our faithful RV and had a blast on our vacation, the details of which will follow, post by post!

Yosemite (California Master Trip)

2007-05-29T12:20:00.001+08:00

Monday:

Reached Oakland from SFO and met up with the C'kars at the RV office.
We loaded our stuff on the RV, stocked up on food from the local Wal-Mart and set off. It was around one in the afternoon. The rest of the day was spent in driving to our campground in Wawona. It was dark by the time we reached our campground and we just had time to finish dinner and call it a day!

Tuesday:

Campsite to Bridal Veil falls
Horse Tail falls
5 mile hike around Mirror Lake
Pizza lunch
Enjoyed a nice dinner by the riverside

Wednesday:

Set off after breakfast
Bus to Mariposa grove
Long walk to the end look out point and walked back to wawona village where our RV was parked. 13 miles! Lunch was canned tuna salad, boiled egg, bread and cheese.
Bonfire in our campsite, played a round of bluff to please the kids and enjoyed nice Indian dinner!

Thursday:

Set off after breakfast and drove to the start point of Cathedral Lake near the Tuolomne meadows.
Found lot of snow on the walking trail and in places knee deep. Lost our way for a brief period.
Had to abandon the hike after completing 3/4th of the distance because of cold feet and general tiredness of the young hikers in the group.
5.5 miles in the snow and great views made it our favorite hike in Yosemite!
Drove back and parked in a place next to beautiful pool and enjoyed maggie for lunch.
Once back in the campground for the night we enjoyed another bonfire and a nice Indian dinner.

It was our last day at the unbelievably beautiful Yosemite and we were looking forward to the next leg of our journey, a beach holiday!

San Francisco ( California Master Trip)

2007-05-29T12:17:00.000+08:00

Two days (12-13 May 2007)
Day 1

Twin Peaks
Japanese tea garden in Golden Gate park
Ocean beach/ North sea
Land's end and Holocaust memorial
Lombard street
Pacific heights
Union street
Vedanta temple
Chinatown

Day 2

Golden Gate Bridge
Presidio National Park
Pier 39
Ferry Market
Lunch with Deepti at Osha Thai restaurant
Alcatraz

Details to follow!

Flower Fest - R for Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana)

2007-05-11T09:11:00.000+08:00

Round-lobed Hepatica, from the Buttercup family, is a small plant with small white, pink or lavender flowers. The leaves are three lobed and are shaped like the liver, hence the common names Liverwort and Liverleaf. The flowers bloom in early spring and are supported by hairy stems.

Hepatica was once used to treat liver diseases based on the doctrine of signatures.
No points for guessing how I came across these beauties!

This is my entry for R at Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

I'm going to live in an RV (Motorhome, Camper, Caravan) for a few days. See you when I come back!

Goldfinches

2007-05-10T08:52:00.000+08:00

I found these two American Goldfinches in the tree outside the house. They were there for a long time preening and taking a break.

Nature Walk

2007-05-08T09:29:00.002+08:00

It rained most of the weekend and took away any chance of us enjoying our usual Saturday morning hike. Instead of being cooped up in the house, we decided to throw on our raincoats and head out for an easy urban walk. We decided to walk in a nearby trail, which runs alongside a creek, not very far from our house. By the time we reached the place, the rain had reduced to a slight drizzle, the sun had decided to peek out and check on things.

The rain had given the trees and plants a fresh washed look and everything was such a vibrant green. We soon realized that the area around the trail was teeming with life. Birds chirped in the trees, squirrels were bustling around looking for food, turtles were out on the logs, colorful bugs were everywhere and there were plenty of wildflowers.

Needless to say, my husband and I went crazy with the camera! The pictures here are all taken by me with my camera.

A bug on a buttercup

Mallard in the swamp looking for fish? worms?

Another bug on grass

A Honeysuckle bloom and bud

Carolina Cranesbill

Ladybug

Dandelion with insects

Wild Strawberry
Fleabane

Wild Roses

Not sure about the name of this bird

Update: after checking my field guide, I've come to the conclusion that this is a Wren. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Methi Saplings

2007-05-06T04:24:00.000+08:00

Enjoying the light drizzle.

Hiking in the Smoky Mountains

2007-05-05T12:19:00.000+08:00

I love the mountains and like going for long walks. I like to look at the trees, flowers, grass, worms, birds and various other things when I'm hiking. In other words, I like to hike with an eye on nature! I find it rejuvenating and extremely satisfying.

I spent last weekend in the Smoky Mountains and enjoyed an eight mile hike on the Appalachian Trail. Though we had checked the forecast for weather conditions, the cold air of the mountains took me by surprise. Luckily, we were carrying jackets for protection against the rain and it came in handy.

It was a cloudy day and the promise of rain hung heavily in the air. Just as the name suggests, the trails and the mountain ridges looked like they were covered in smoke.

Although the weather was not ideal, we saw many other hikers on the trails. We also met many thru-hikers who were doing the entire Appalachian Trail, which extends from Georgia in the south to Maine in the north, covering a total distance of over 2000 miles! One group had started in Georgia a month back and was hoping to complete the AT sometime in October. I now wish I had thought of taking a picture of their backpacks. Just looking at their monstrous size scared me, let alone the thought of carrying such a thing.

We were rewarded with gorgeous views (even when covered in fog) of the mountain ridges at every turn. Here is a picture taken when the sun came up just for a short spell

The area is home to many wildflowers, and this being early spring I got to see some of the famous Smoky Mountain wildflowers.

There were colonies of Trout Lilies (Erythronium americanum) blooming everywhere and they made such a pretty sight. The graceful flowers droop toward the ground, and the petals at the corners turn up slightly revealing the center.

The Carolina Spring Beauty (Claytonia caroliniana) was in bloom, carpeting the mountainside. The delicate flowers come in shades of white or pink with pink stripes and flowers from March to May.

I also found these Fringed Phacelia (Phacelia fimbriata). A close look at the flowers and you know why they get the name. They were blooming profusely and looked liked snow on the ground.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I found plenty of Bluets (Houstonia caerulea) Here is another picture,

Finally, just as we were completing the hike, I came across this rain-washed Star Chickweed (stellaria pubera)

I'm barely back and I'm already planning to go there again and explore a different trail, maybe see some picturesque waterfalls of the Smokies and of course see more wildflowers!

Flower Fest - Q for Quaker Ladies

2007-05-03T12:46:00.000+08:00

Quaker Ladies are wildflowers better known by their other common name, Bluets. Houstonia caerulea is the scientific name. The tiny plant appears in clusters and usually grows in woodlands, fields and on roadsides. The flowers are tiny, less than half an inch wide, four-petaled with a yellow center, and are pale blue. They are easily noticeable because they bloom profusely close to each other, making an attractive carpet on the ground. I found these blooming everywhere in the Smoky Mountains last weekend.

This is my entry for the letter Q currently on at Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Charlie's Bunion in the Smokies

2007-05-02T12:28:00.001+08:00

We made a trip to the GSMNP last weekend, almost a year after our first ever trip there. This time too we stayed in a pretty little cabin, in rural TN, run by the same family from whom we rented last year. The cabin was set in the middle of tall trees with a tiny brook running on the side of the house and some pretty wildflowers growing in the yard.

We reached there late on Friday and spent the night in the cabin. We set off for the trek on Saturday with S who had driven down from Atlanta. The hike was of moderate intensity and was part of the Appalachian trail. We saw many through hikers carrying heavy packs and I was kicked to see they looked just like how Bill Bryson describes them in his book! We also got to see a shelter for the hikers and it was not very different from the one we spent the night in Rudranath!

We were not fully prepared for the cold of the mountains and it hit us as a surprise especially after the really hot days we had been experiencing in C'lotte. We had carried rain jackets in preparation for the rainy forecast, which thankfully gave us some protection from the cold. It did rain but then again we got lucky as it was very light rain and was not something that bothered us much. On the other hand, because of the cloudy and rainy weather conditions, we missed out on the great views of the mountains for which Charlie's Bunion is famous for. A thick fog had descended everywhere, visibility was poor, and true to their name the mountains looked like they were covered in smoke!

As it was early spring, we got to see some of the famous Smokey Mountain Wildflowers on the sides of the trail and the tiny raindrops which had settled on the flowers gave us some good photo opportunities.

We covered the distance of 8 miles in four hours and twenty minutes. After that we returned to the cabin and spent a relaxed evening slowly digesting our heavy southern dinner!

Azaleas

2007-04-26T06:01:00.000+08:00

Blooming outside my gym.

Washington DC , 5-8 April

2007-04-24T12:25:00.000+08:00

We started our drive from C'lotte to DC around seven at night and it was past midnight by the time we settled into our hotel. We managed to do a lot of things the next day which was a Friday, despite the really cold weather! It even snowed the next day! We used the wonderful public transport system of DC (Metro) to travel.

List of things we did on Friday: Day 1

White House
Washington Monument
WWII Memorial
Vietnam war memorial
Lincoln memorial
Korean War memorial
Walk around the Tidal Basin enjoying the last of the Cherry Blossoms
Roosevelt memorial
Thomas Jefferson memorial
Chinatown - Chinese food (don't forget the lemon chicken!)
Capitol Hill
Arlington national cemetery
Iwo Jima Memorial

List of things we did on Saturday: Day 2

National Zoo (most animals had taken a cold day off!)
FBI Building
Navy Memorial
Supreme Court
Ethiopian lunch
Union Station
Longest escalator in the western hemisphere (Wheaton station)

Day 3

Checked out of the hotel and went to meet my friend K in her home.
We were meeting after four years and it felt wonderful to spend time with her family!

More Phlox

2007-04-21T01:10:00.000+08:00

While I'm on the subject of Phlox, thought I'd post two more pictures taken last year. I know these flowers belong to the genus Phlox, but I don't know what kind they are. I found both in the woods of NC in fall.

Flower Fest - P for Phlox subulata

2007-04-18T10:01:00.000+08:00

swallowtail butterfly feasts on the nectar

Phlox subulata is a low growing plant with tiny needle like leaves that stay green throughout the year. In spring, during the bloom period, the flowers take over and form a spectacular colorful carpet.

creeping all over the slope

It spreads wild if allowed space, thus earning the name creeping phlox. The plant comes in a few different colors and when planted next to each other it makes an attractive sight. They are native to the eastern United States.
I found it planted on a slope near a State Park on one of my Saturday morning hikes.

This is my entry for P at Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Backyard Birds

2007-04-16T07:00:00.000+08:00

Some pictures of birds that visit my feeder regularly. All photos taken through the glass of the window in the living room, after a round of window cleaning!

Female Cardinal

Mourning Dove

Baby House Finch

Male House Finch

Female House Finch

There are many other birds that come, but I have not been very successful in capturing them on camera. Plus the windows are usually dusty from the outside, which results in unclear pictures!

Eastern Towhee

2007-04-14T12:04:00.000+08:00

Tulips from the Tulip Library

2007-04-13T10:06:00.000+08:00

Tulips of all shapes, sizes and colors - all found in one location. Photographed in the Tulip Library in Washington, DC maintained by the National Park Service.

A Rattling Experience

2007-04-12T10:14:00.000+08:00

Hiking in the deep woods has its share of dangers. I had a royal scare while hiking in the woods of NC last fall. It is still a surprise to me as to how I could have missed it. By inches. It was not just me; two other friends missed it too. We became aware of it only when the fourth person in the group managed to whisper in fear.

It was a huge long snake spread out on the side of the narrow hiking path. I was closest to it, maybe just a step or even half a step away from stepping on its rattler. I have had many encounters with these creepy crawlies before but this one really sends chills down my spine.

I don't want to scare myself silly ever time I open my blog, so I’m posting the link to the picture taken by my husband here. I wanted to write a brief note just to remember the incident.

I think the poor creature was more frightened than we were. I know that snakes are the most misunderstood creatures and I would never intentionally harm them in anyway. It's just that there is something about the way they look and slither about that terrifies me.

In the end, I'm glad that we both (the snake and the hikers) parted ways without anything unpleasant happening.

Flower Fest - O for Oxalis stricta

2007-04-04T23:07:00.000+08:00

I did not have to look very far for my entry to Flower Fest this time. I found this plant growing on the grass right outside my front door! This flower is called Oxalis stricta. The tiny yellow flowers occur in spring and are commonly described as an invasive yard weed.

The leaves of the plant are divided into three heart shaped leaflets which close at night and reopen in the morning. The leaves are edible and taste sour as they contain oxalic acid. It is fine when eaten in small quantities but can be harmful when ingested in large quantities. It has a number of common names of which the popular names are Yellow Wood Sorrel and Sour Grass. They belong to the family Oxalidaceae.

One look at this flower and it brought fond memories of my childhood and summer vacations. As a child, I remember picking the leaves of this plant and enjoying their tart taste. The seed pods of the plant looks like tiny bhindi (okra) and when bloated and ripe they explode scattering the seeds everywhere. I remember picking plump ones and bursting them for fun.

Oxalis stricta are hardy plants. They spring up in the strangest of places, even in cracks on the sidewalks. Serious gardeners have a tough time keeping them out of their lawns and potted plants.

This is my entry for O at Flower Fest.
Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Crowders Mountain State Park - March 31

2007-04-04T13:56:00.000+08:00

This is one park that we have hiked often in. The first time we went on a hike here was on our first weekend in this country, when we were still in the hotel.
This state park is close to us, convenient to reach, the hike itself is great - short but a decent climb in a green setting. Works when we want to do a hike but don't want to go too far.

We made a trip here last Saturday, March 31. This time too, as always, we took the pinnacle trail and reached the top in 45 minutes. We spent some time enjoying the view of Gaston county before starting on the decent. With this hike done now we have seen this park in every season. This being the beginning of spring, we saw some really pretty flowering trees. Dogwoods, Yellow Jessamine, Wild Azaleas were all in bloom and begging to be photographed.

A even took a small video of the little steam flowing, the sound is a delight to hear now. Have to figure out about uploading it on Youtube.

'Tis the season for Butterflies!

2007-04-04T09:03:00.000+08:00

Monarch Butterfly on a Butterfly Bush

Flowering Trees

2007-03-31T08:49:00.000+08:00

The spectacular spring show continues. More flowering trees from my neighbourhood.

Flowering Dogwood

Cherry Blossoms

I took this picture a few days back. Now the flowers have turned a pretty shade of pink.

I think this is a peach tree. I’m not very sure. Whatever it is, the flowers are very pretty.

The Eastern Redbud Tree

Saturday Walk - 24th March

2007-03-28T13:51:00.000+08:00

This Saturday's walk was in a green little paradise in the middle of
the city called McMullen & Lower McAlpine Creek Greenway.

The greenway walking track in parts is next to a swamp and there are boardwalks to walk on. We started at a moderate pace, watching birds, deer, squirrels and plenty of spring wildflowers. Since we left home late evening and did not have enough daylight to walk the entire four miles and back, we did two miles and turned back to reach the lot.

Eastern White-tailed deer

A Mallard looks for lunch

We have plans to go there again and enjoy an evening of jogging in the midst of the pleasant greenery.

Update: I went here again on the following Wednesday with T. We did the entire trail (till the end and back) which is a total of 8 miles in two hours. This time I saw two Tortoises along with everything I saw the previous time. This time my only complaint was that it was too hot even though the walking path was shaded with trees. The migraine I got after I got home is another story.

March Sunrise

2007-03-28T12:02:00.000+08:00

Colours of day dawn bright and say goodbye to the night. (Hey, that rhymes!)
My house faces east and everyday I get to see a beautiful sunrise through the windows. I think this it is my favorite time of the day.

Going Green

2007-03-26T09:00:00.000+08:00

It feels like we have bypassed spring and landed smack-dab in the middle of summer. Just a few days of pleasant weather after winter and the temperatures have begun to soar. This weekend has been hot, hot, hot. The perfect time to prepare my containers for sowing seeds for my tiny herb and vegetable garden.
I spent a productive afternoon today pottering about getting dirt under my fingernails (literally!). This activity reminded me of the fruits of last year’s labour and I thought I would post some pictures taken then.

This parsley plant has been with me from last April and has survived with minimum care.

I grew tomatoes last year and was rewarded with a few juicy fruits, even though they did not get all the sunlight they needed. Absolutely loved biting into garden fresh tomatoes with the juice dripping down my hand and chin!

I grew many herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil, dill, mint, and methi. The rosemary is still around like a silent companion to the parsley.

This year in addition to this, I plan to grow some chillies. Watching the seeds sprout and put forth their tiny green faces fills me with inexplicable happiness!

Simple Pleasures

2007-03-24T06:54:00.000+08:00

A cup of homemade yogurt!
I enjoy the sight of well-set yogurt; enjoy tilting the container to see how firm it is. Most of all, I derive great pleasure in eating at least two servings a day!

Flower Fest - N for Narrow-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)

2007-03-22T09:47:00.000+08:00

Narrow-leaved Sunflowers are wildflowers native to the United States and belong to the family Asteraceae. The small plant has many stems branching out, the leaves narrow and dark green. They are often found growing wild in swamps, ditches and moist areas. Because of these reasons, they get the common names Narrow-leaved Sunflower and Swamp Sunflower.
The flowers are yellow, bright and appear in fall and early summer.

I found these flowers while hiking (am I beginning to sound like a broken record, yet?) last October.

This is my entry for N at Flower Fest.
Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Rare plants in Forty Acre Rock Preserve

2007-03-20T11:43:00.000+08:00

My husband and I both like to hike a lot. Many Saturday mornings are spent hiking in various state parks and forests close to our home.

Last Saturday’s hike was in a place called Forty Acre Rock, a National Natural Landmark in the Piedmont region of South Carolina. The forty Acre Rock is a huge granite rock and reaching it involves hiking through thick woods, past a small waterfall and a cave. The big rock has indentations on its surface, which collect water in late winter and early spring. The pools thus formed are a haven for some rare specialized plant species, many of which are endangered.

Some pictures of the rare plant species:

The pool of water formed on the rock surface, with plants growing in it.

Diamorpha Smallii (Elf Orpine) a succulent plant from the family crassulaceae

The green plant with the tiny white flowers is called Amphianthus pusillus, which is listed as a threatened plant.
Found only in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, they are also called Snorklewort, Pool Sprite and Little Amphianthus.
It has a small life cycle, usually around a month.

Another picture of the Elf Orpine and Pool Sprite

These pools dry up in summer and the seeds spring up again the following year when water collects in the depressions.

Reference: USDA Plant Database

Sights of Spring

2007-03-18T10:21:00.000+08:00

A few sights of spring from today's wanderings:

McDowell Nature Preserve - March 12, 2007

2007-03-17T15:41:00.000+08:00

We picked McDowell Nature Preserve as our Saturday morning hiking destination this time, only that it was afternoon by the time we set off on the trek.

This preserve is the oldest in Mecklenburg County and is not very far from our place. It was a short drive and we set off on the Shady Hallow Trail. The days are beginning to get warmer and spring is in the air. As a result, we got to see some early spring wildflowers that are just coming up. I saw Bloodroot, Round-lobed hepatica, Bluets, Muscari and Starchikweed on the side of the trails. Very soon, I'm sure their numbers will increase and I'm looking forward to making another trip to photograph the flowers.

The trek itself was an easy one; the trail went up and down and in places bordered around Lake Wiley. The water of the lake was a muddy brown and was dotted with people in boats and canoes. The park seemed like a popular family picnic area too as we saw many people enjoying their barbecue lunches.

It was a pretty day and we enjoyed wandering on the trails shaded with the tall trees of the preserve. Will definitely make a trip there again when we are in a mood to do some quick hiking without spending too much time driving to get to our destination.

Mammoth Cave National Park - Part 2

2007-03-14T12:41:00.000+08:00

As we were returning from ‘caving’ at MCNP, it started snowing. At first, it was very light and the tiny flakes were being blown in all directions by the strong wind. It took us some time to realize that it was snow. We decided to have lunch at the café inside the park (bad food but the only place for food) As we ate, we watched the snow dance around from the windows.

We decided to go for a small walk/hike and chose a trail from the maps provided. We bundled up really well and set off. By now, the snow had increased slightly and was hitting us in the face but not in an unpleasant way. It was fun watching V who was experiencing her first snowfall. We took the trail leading to the River Styx and saw it emerging from below the cave into the open. After a small photo session, we set off further into the Kentucky forest and saw the Echo Springs River.

River Styx emerging from the cave

Soon it was time now to head back. After a quick snack of apples, we started climbing uphill. As we were nearing our destination, we were rewarded with the view of two Eastern White-tailed deer grazing. They just gave us sufficient time to take a hurried photo before bounding off into the forest.

Eastern White-tailed deer

Overall, the walk was a relaxed one, and we enjoyed the atmosphere the small snowfall had created.

Flower Fest - M for Muscari Armeniacum

2007-03-12T21:28:00.000+08:00

I went on a hike yesterday and found these growing wild on the hillside. The tiny plant looked familiar to me; I remembered seeing it in my field guide but did not know the name. I came home, looked it up and it turned out to be Muscari Armeniacum commonly called Grape Hyacinth. Just in time to make it to M at Flower Fest!

Muscari Armeniacum is one of the early spring flowers from the Hyacinthcea family. The green spikes shoot up from the ground and produce clusters of bright blue flowers which look like bells. The pretty flowers have a lovely fragrance and I know they attract bees because I saw some buzzing around the flowers.

I also just learnt that the Keukenhof Garden in Holland has long winding paths planted with these flowers, which is known as the Blue River. Every year, this is one of the most photographed scenes in this park.

This is my second entry for the letter M at
Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Mammoth Cave National Park - Part 1

2007-03-12T12:38:00.000+08:00

My idea of Mammoth Caves, before I saw the actual thing, was of huge, well-lit giant sized caves that you could just walk in and explore on your own. It turned out to be so different, when I finally got to see it, that I mentally laughed at the image I had created in my head.

The drive from Alpharetta, GA to the Mammoth Caves, KY took us five and half hours and we arrived tired but eager to see the caves. I expected this national park to be like the Grand Canyon where the actual attraction is just a small stroll away from the parking lot and you can just walk around and see the sights. But this was not to be. We soon learned from the visitor center that we had to ride a bus to reach the caves and take a tour, with a park official, to see them. We bought tickets for the New Entrance Tour leaving at 11.45 the next morning.

We walked around a bit in the park, saw the Historic Entrance to the caves, had dinner, went to our small neat little hotel rooms, and called it a day!

Entrance to the caves

The next day dawned cloudy and cold and we set off with a busload of kids to see the caves. The entrance to the cave looked like a tiny room with a heavy metal door. Say, if I had just dropped out of the sky near the door, I would never have guessed that it led to a completely new world below. The interior of the cave was damp, gloomy and dimly lit by artificial lights. The steep, narrow steps took us deep down into the bowels of the cave. At places, the stairway was so narrow that both sides of your body and head could touch the walls of the cave. And a peep over the railing in some places showed deep wells. Needless to say, I have never seen, heard of, or experienced anything like this.

Narrow passageways in the caves

In the middle of the trip, the officials, after due warning, turned off the lights inside the cave. The kind of darkness that enveloped us was awe-inspiring. Now I know what they mean by complete darkness. The eyes don’t adjust to the darkness no matter how long you stay there. It is for this reason that the cave bats and fish in the underground river are eye-less. The group tried to stay quiet to experience what complete silence felt like, but it was a lost cause with so many young restless kids with us.

It was fascinating to see the cave decorations or speleothems (stalactites and stalagmites, as they are popularly known), in the Frozen Niagara section of the caves. These wet formations come in various shapes and sizes and take millions of years to form!

Wet formations inside the caves

It was only after the tour I realized that a whole new world existed beneath the ridges and mounds and tall trees on which we were walking and that thought kept me captivated for a long time.

Flower Fest - M for Morning Glory

2007-03-10T05:16:00.000+08:00

bud and flower growing in the woods of South Carolina

Morning Glory flowers, bloom in the morning, allow pollinating insects to enjoy them and by afternoon call it a day! If wildflowers had jobs to do, this one would be an easy one I think.

Morning Glory is a fast growing trailing plant with heart shaped leaves and trumpet shaped flowers. They are native to tropical America and belong to the genus Ipomoea. They are popular in gardens and are grown to cover fences and compound walls. The twining vines can be troublesome if left unchecked, but the flowers are always a delight when in bloom.

This is my entry for
Flower Fest - The A - Z of Flowers

Tags: Flower Fest

Bee buried in a pretty pink Camellia.

2007-03-09T11:51:00.000+08:00

Native to Asia, this evergreen plant is prized for its flowers!

Eastern Bluebird

2007-03-06T23:22:00.000+08:00

Bluebird under a blue sky!

Walk Among The Giants - Congaree National Park, Feb 3, 2007

2007-03-01T12:00:00.001+08:00

On the road leading up to the National Park, we saw many birds on the side of the road and I knew this hike was going to be an exciting one for me. I was certain about finding some birds in this thick forest and maybe see a few new species of birds (for me). Although we picked CNP as our Saturday morning hiking destination, I will remember it as my bird-walking trip!

CNP is a designated forest area and is recognized as a sanctuary for birds, animals and insects. The Congaree River and its tributaries periodically flood the forest, so some parts of the trail have boardwalks to walk on. The trees found here are among the tallest in eastern US and are nicknamed the redwoods of the east!

We did the Weston Lake loop trail there, which took us about 3 hours to complete at a moderate walking pace. We saw plenty of Woodpeckers, some Ruby Crowned Kinglets and an assortment of other tiny birds. None gave us a good opportunity to photograph them well though!

Although it was a forest, it had a different feel to it. The boardwalks, little benches on them and the murky waters of the swamp and the extremely tall trees gave us a totally different but enjoyable forest experience.

Jones Gap State Park

2007-02-27T11:50:00.001+08:00

Saturday morning hike in Jones Gap State Park, South Carolina.

Hiking in the deep woods with dense foliage, narrow trails, sound of the little stream gurgling and myriad other sights and sounds of the jungle is, for me, deeply rewarding. A and I went on one such soul satisfying and sole hurting hike on Saturday, 24 Feb.

We were enthralled with the nature surrounding us in this state park. The little wooden bridge, the tall-tall trees and the clear water of the brook were all so inviting. After registering at the trailhead, we set off. At first, we were ambling along stopping frequently to take pictures of things, which we thought made interesting subjects to post on flickr! But we quickly got over the hangover and increased our pace a bit, frequently checking the HR monitor to make sure we were within the fat-burning range (whole 'nother story!)

After about two hours of serious hiking punctured with a few photo sessions we stopped for a quick lunch of tuna salad and crackers and a snicker bar.
We set off again after this short break aiming to finish off the rest of the trek quickly. With a bit of irritated snapping at each other (read on his part) for no specific reason, A and I landed at the parking lot to head back home.

Invigorated by this walk in the lap of nature, we soon made up on the two and half hour ride home and were friends again. Another mini highlight of the trip was that we did not stop on the way to refuel our system with junk food; we came home and like good children ate palak dal and aloo subjee instead. Yippee!

Total trek time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
Distance: 5.5 miles (8.8 kms!)