Skywatch @ Friday!

Here are some interesting Sightings for Friday Sky watching! 

Even on a gloomy grey day, sighting a butterfly just.... MAKES YOUR DAY! 

Spotted this peahen perched on our roof for the first n last time...
a day after my great grand mother passed away @ July 2008

Another day, Another time....
These wild monkeys are a regular feature around the house....
n marauding the garden / plants, happens to be their favorite past time.

 Spotted a few LANGURs on a clear blue sky day, during one of  my trips to the countryside!
Others were non nonchalant, while one of them looked ready to pounce...any moment. Scary!

Have an Interesting Day ahead...n Happy Sky Watching!

Yipppppeeeee! Its Raining....

Today morning I woke up to this really awesome weather after the rain and the dust storm, last night.  The storm did leave its trail of leaves n branches strewn all over the yard, a basket full of Mangoes which must have fallen down during the storm, a displaced bamboo fencing,10 -12 broken pots wherein their plants had to be re-potted first thing in the morning n more....

YET, in-spite of all this damage, I am not complaining and merely enjoying the aftermath of the first rains of the season.... the wet grass, the distinctive scent of the soil after the rains, the pearly droplets on flowers, overcast skies n the refreshing site of the rain washed greens all around....

The Garden... after the Rain this morning

 Bougainvillea in all its glory. Wonder how these delicate paper-y flowers are still up there even after the storm????

Fountain Palm.... braving the changing seasons, 24 * 7... 365 days a year!

Bravo! This MANGO seems to have stuck it out....

........while most others, were 'Gone with the Wind'  

Crepe Myrtle.....in Pretty Pinks!

PINK..... Seems to be the colour of the season in our garden this summer

More Pinks @ Portulaca's, waiting in the wings to bloom n for the sun to come-up again.....

"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; 
there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather"
~John Ruskin

Hope you enjoy the 'good weather' times ahead.....

Sky Watch Friday: Come September

MySpace Picture Frame

Come September, and I intend to resume blogging more regularly n frequently, gradually catching up, with my long list of ‘blogs-to-read’.

Well, it’s a beautiful morning here, a perfect excuse to skip my physiotherapy session (for my fractured arm) in the hospital today and instead, stay at home to enjoy the rainy weather and blog.

Six wks on…after the injury….my right arm is definitely a lot better, as I try to hold an empty glass or a spoon with it. Bravo! It feels like a Major Achievement akin to a infant taking its first baby steps, while trying to walk. I am still working on regaining the strength of the arm, the grip of my hand and most importantly the ROM i.e. pronation n sipunation movts of the arm, which are directly associated with the neck of the radius fracture. My right wrist still hurts, even with the smallest n slightest of movts, but the best part is that I am able to use my right hand to type out this blog today. *Smiling* 

Whoa! It’s a great start, though, the sky is all grey; the clouds have been thundering n roaring; waiting to break loose and begin showering any moment; promising a much awaited heavy downpour.

                      

See what I mean……..

With an outcast sky like this, it is highly unlikely, that the weather will clear out any time soon for today. Though I love the rains, but not for long. * Sigh*

Give me some Sunshine….. Give me Some Rain …..
Then Give me some more Sunshine all over again.

MySpace Picture Frame
PS: This beautiful pink n purple allamanda flower is a new addition to our monsoon garden this year...Hope you liked the pictures. 

F~I~N~A~L~L~Y

They have arrived with a thunderous B~A~N~G!

i.e

" The M~O~N~S~O~O~N~S"

&

" The U~M~B~R~E~L~L~A~S"

"Umbrella can't stop the rain, but allows us to stand in rain...

Confidence mat not bring success, but it gives us the power to face any challenge...!!!"

PS: 

Top: The view from the office 

Bottom: My Brother (under the Umbrella) and his words of wisdom

Enjoy the R~A~I~N~S

&
Be C~O~O~L, Be C~O~N~F~I~D~E~N~T!

Another Wordless Wednesday

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PS: As an Afterthought... I just felt like including a few words to this Another Wordless Wednesday Post :) :)

Theme: Droplets
Rather, a Splash in a Single Drop of water amidst some Fresh n Flourishing Garden Colours!

Hmmm…..It’s been raining here these last couple of days. In between enjoying the rain; the horrible cough n sneeze seasonal viral flu; (that I have been suffering from lately) n lots of lazy holidays; .....I just couldn’t resist being outdoors with my digicam….Collecting n Capturing some Droplets and pictures of these rain lashed flowers n greenery, around our washed n wet Garden.

Wordless Wednesday

Rain Flowers

.

Zephyr Lily - Zephyranthes

Right Watering of Plants

Plants are calm and quiet living beings, responsive to love, care, watering n nurturing. However, when neglected, they are susceptible to fleeting infections; viral n bacterial diseases; stress due to climatic variations & changes in the seasons, watering et al. Being reticent, they merely exhibit their discomfiture by sudden shedding of their leaves or drooping leaves or even yellowing of leaves etc.

To elucidate the same with the help of an example:

Let’s take a look at this Bougainvillea, which is exhibiting its stressful state with its yellowing leaves, caused due to excessive wet soil conditions. Now these Bougain’s like sunny days and prefer dry soil conditions with only moderate watering. To say the least, this plant should be left sans watering, for its soil to dry out completely or else the roots are likely to decay n rot.

Watering - It is an essential prerequisite to regulate watering of plants keeping in mind a plant’s individual water needs, the soil’s moisture retention properties; the seasonal variations; whether it’s an indoor plant or outdoor plant, potted plant or is growing in garden beds et al

When to water @ Time of the Day:
Plants can be watered both in the Morning and / or Evening. During peak summer months, it might be necessary to water the outdoor plants twice during the day, while during winters, they might need watering only once every two or three days and infrequent watering during the intermittent monsoonal rainy season.

When watering the plant in the morning, the water gets evaporated almost instantaneously as the day progresses and such plants might require some additional watering all over again by the evening.

One should avoid watering them in the afternoon, when the sun is directly overhead as the water is likely to be warm to hot…and so might damage the roots. The water being used should ideally be at room temperature.

On the other hand, when watering the outdoor plants in the evenings, the soil remains wet, retaining its moisture for a considerably longer duration of time, through the night and then through the following day, thereby benefiting n nurturing the plant much more.

It usually depends on a caretaker’s personal preference and habitual itinerary. It is advisable to stick to the same routine and not alter the watering pattern abruptly.

Water logging:

It’s a commonly observed problem in potted plants, usually caused due to a blockage in the drainage hole, thereby leading to water logging especially during the rainy season.
Adequate care should be taken that the soil used is a good mix of manure plus loose mud, granular with some breathing room for the roots and free passage of water. It should not be too sticky, tight and compact thereby disrupting the flow of water through the hole. Prolonged damp and water logged conditions would eventually lead to rotting of the roots and the plant might eventually droop and wilt away.

Succulents, which retain n store water in their roots / leaves / stems, require well regulated watering from time to time. Excessive water (like during the rainy season) can lead to decaying n rotting of the roots.

The picture above shows a decomposing Adenium plant, which if healthy and alive would have borne some of the most beautiful n brightly coloured Flowers... as seen below.


Having lost this Adenium (one of my Fav flowering plants) very recently, I thought I will forewarn friends and fellow bloggers about the ill feted consequences of neglecting one's plant and sometimes even over watering them (more so during the Rainy Season).

A friend from our Bonsai Group, lost a beautifully styled plant @ A Jade recently ..again due to overwatering as she shared a similar tale of losing her plant.

.

However, on a Cheer-y note....our Mentor and Grp President, Mrs Arora always has some comforting and encouraging words to share, advising us to exercise caution n check the plants from time to time before its too late to save and recover a stressed out plant.

Field Planting Exercise

Field Planting exercise can be carried out through out the year.

However, the twin months of July and August are considered to be most suitable for any kinda of transplanting, re-plantating, repotting exercise & for growing n developing a hedge etc.

Because of the monsoonal cloud cover and rains the temperature is comparatively lower, while the humidity in the air and mositure in the soil is a notch higher, during these two months.

With the weather conditions being conducive, the probability of a plant surviving (after a transplant) is much higher than when the same exercise is carried out during any other calendar months.

Here’s a glimpse of one such Field Planting exercise :~

Material Required:
Plant (Crape Mrytle – which bears White / Pink / Lilac flowers)

A Watering Can
Trowel

Five Step Procedure:

1 Choose a plant which needs to be planted .

2. Dig out a Pit, keeping in mind the size of the plant.

3. Use the watering can to fill the pit with water.

4. Get the Plant and place it in the centre of the Pit.

5. Cover the Pit with some loose Mud.

Care:

Check on the plant from time to time for the next few days

& water it in case of a prolonged dry spell.

Happy Planting!

....and the Earth turns GREEN!

Isn't it?

Onset of Monsoon....and the Earth turns lush Green!

GREENER!

Onset of Monsoon….

Come July, and the sky transforms itself into a LIVE celestial playground, for the marching monsoon clouds n a shifting sun.

It’s a visual feast for the eyes to silently observe a sea of mist laden clouds, their changing formations… as they hover over head, even before they start to unburden their substantially heavy water-y load.

The sky itself, begins to radiate n reflect a LIFE of it own, akin to a panoramic 3D TV-Screen, conjuring fresh new images, every splitting second, in vivid shades, shapes n sizes.

A touch of Gold here, shades of Blue there…..Like a painter at work, dexterously, splashing color after colour, shade after shade, tone after tone on a vast, blank blue canvas, creating one of the most

Magically, Miraculously, Magnificently Marvelous Moment!

Thought of sharing one such MMMM moment as seen from our house yesterday evening, now captured n framed for all times to come….

Wishing everyone a Splashing n Showering Monsoon Season ahead….