Shadow’s under the weather …

 

 
Shadow isn’t feeling very well today. Bit of a runny nose and lethargy. Not much, but he is such an active pup it shows even when he is a tad lazier than usual. And of course Mummy is worried sick.
Mummy always worries her head off at the slightest hint of anything unusual in any of us pups. Seriously, sometimes she makes me think she suffers from paranoid delusions and anxiety disorder!
I mean we are happy, healthy and in relatively good shape. A little cold here and a slight tummy upset there can happen to anypuppy. Does she have to get all strung up and lose fur worrying incessantly?
Anyway, Shadow is just a little off and that’s it. He wasn’t very excited about his breakfast but with a little coaxing he ate it all. Our usual Chicken and rice. And then the usual rawhide treat.
Normally he would insist on playing afterwards but today he just curled up and went to sleep even before Mummy left for work. And that definitely means he isn’t himself.
 
It must be the weather. Rain, sun, rain and then some more sun. Plays havoc with the humidity content.
Oh! Please don’t get me wrong. I am not complaining about the weather. We are all quite enjoying the Monsoon.

 

 

 

 

 

Last evening we even got to get wet in the rain and play in some muddy puddles, though not to our heart’s content. We were only just beginning to enjoy the rain when Mummy bundled us all up and rushed us back home before it poured cats and dogs.
Terrified one of us might catch a cold, I’m sure!
 
By the way, I’m always confused about why you say it rains ‘cats and dogs’. How many of you have actually seen dogs and cats littering the streets after a heavy downpour?
Yesterday we found just one pup named Nicky in the park and I’m quite sure she didn’t come down with the rain.
For one, she had her human on the other end of the leash and two, she told us she lived just across the street and would like to come and play with us sometimes.
I hope to Dog that doesn’t happen!
She is such a silly little pup she’s sure to spoil all our games. Yesterday she went all crazy running into us and the trees and bushes and over herself, jumping all over us three and Mummy and Daddy, tripping and falling flat on the ground.
In my opinion she made a real fool of herself!

Shadow explicitly told her to keep off but she didn’t seem to get a hint till he growled his displeasure. Even then she kept jumping all over me. I firmly ignored her, resolutely turned my back on her and in all possible ways tried to drive home the point that her antics were most unladylike and I wasn’t quite amused. But to no avail!

Buddy on the other paw went all gaga over her! It was a relief in a way when she left me alone to race him across the park.
For some inexplicable reason Mummy thinks she is terribly cute. And that I was almost as silly and bouncy as Nicky as a pup.
 
I Ginger, Diva-dog, epitome of grace, elegance and impeccable manners was a silly little pup? Why, the idea is disdainful!
But Mummy says she has evidence. Photographs, videos.
Well, we shall see. These things can be morphed as far as I’m aware.
 

Contemptuous,

Ginger

Technorati Tags: Shadow,Ginger,Buddy,Delhi,Monsoon,Photography,Life,Puppy

Green Shadows!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a couple of typical wet, wet monsoon days it is lovely weather outside since yesterday.

Our apartment complex looks fresh and clean and a happy green. I like the way everyone gets playful and active in this weather and I am not just talking about Ginger, Buddy and Shadow here!

Found this little fellow in the garden this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

He was so busy he didn’t hear me even at just three feet away! And then suddenly as if in response to my ‘Please, please lil’ squirrel, look up please’ he shifted position so I could get a full body shot!

 

In the midst of  high-rise concrete jungles and all the noise from never-ending city traffic, the little chirping birds and the happy squirrels scurrying around give me a sense of assurance.

All is well with the world after all!

 

I am linking back to two exciting memes Shadow Shot Sunday and to ‘Green Day’ on Raindrops and Daisies. Two lovely themes at two lovely blogs you must just go check out.

 

 

Technorati Tags: Green Revolution,Monsoon,Rain,Photography,India,Delhi,Nature

Movement….

THURSDAY CHALLENGE for Fun and Learning’s theme for this Thursday ‘Movement’ brought back memories of a beautiful morning of an weekend trip from almost two years ago.
Most vivid of them all – pristine white, fluffy clouds floating by against the backdrop of a lovely clear blue sky.
May be it was the vast open countryside, may be it was the breeze or may be just an illusion… those clouds seemed to be moving at great speeds. In fact, as I stood there at the top of the stairs and gazed around, everything seemed to be moving…the citadel ruins, the little town down below, the fields, Ginger and Buddy running around exploring the hills…
To this day, I do not know if it was all just in my head or I have had an acute attack of vertigo from acrophobia!
Ha!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHADOW and GINGER

 

 

Shadow – that forlorn little street pup who’d resolutely decided he was adopting me as his Mummy is today the Darling of our family. Official guard dog, watch dog, sprinter, fetcher, high jumper, climber and amateur hunter defines only a part of his exuberant personality. My little boy turns two today – officially out of puppyhood, a grown Dog. But he is and always will be our ‘Darling puppy’.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Sweetheart Shadow.

We adore you and we know you know. We just love so many things about you - the way you are so brave always and protective, the way you always come running when called, the way you can’t sleep till I or Daddy hold you close. But most of all you are so precious because every time I look at you, you make me feel a little less sad about the millions of poor stray pups living and dying on our streets everyday.

 

Ginger – that scared little pup I’d scooped up into my arms from my neighbour’s filthy balcony, shaky at the knees, terrified of thunder is today the most confident and nonchalant dog I’ve ever known.

 

 

 

Ginger changed our lives forever. I and my husband became parents that day when we adopted her and how! Today she knows us both inside out. She understands every little nuance of our behavior, every little change of tone in our conversation, every bit of tension, joy, sadness, fear and elation.

It is difficult to imagine that my little girl is six years old today. Well, she certainly doesn’t look and behave like one!

 

Happy Birthday, Ginger.

We are and always will be grateful you are family. You’ve taught us so much, we’ve been through so much together…

 

Bless you, My Dahlings.

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Delhi,Shadow,Ginger,Birthday,India,Love

A Good Life..

No sight of the much predicted rains. Not even a stray drop of rain till Friday afternoon for us Delhites while the entire neighborhood reveled in cooler temperatures.

And then, what a shower!

My poor plants that were looking so tired and wilted for the last couple of weeks are now drenched to the roots. Just hoping they don’t all decide to die on me from ‘over-feeding’…I so love my little potted garden.

 

What an evening!

First, an early exit from work. Explored my favourite book store while waiting for my husband P who’d promised to take a short break from work to come meet me.

Plan: Coffee.

It took him nearly two hours to ‘run away’. By then, I had dissected the ‘On Sale’ section, leafed through the entire ‘Western Philosophy’, noted down Dalai Lama and Osho quotes, sighed and swooned at the ridiculously expensive fountain pen collection and filled my basket to the brim.

I always do that. Fill my basket with books that I assume I’m going to buy till at the billing counter better sense (occasionally !!) prevails and I dump half of them.

Finally  I dumped just three which means I am now the proud owner of over half a dozen new books I have no time to read! But it feels good.

Anyway, Coffee happened.

 

 

And it was just when we were giggling away like teenagers that we realized the menacingly approaching dark clouds will soon be upon us if we did not rush back home. And if you think it should have been a romantic proposition let me remind you that we were stuck with two cars.

How could we have forgotten that we had both ran away from work!

Besides, P still had to go back to the hospital to check on a patient.

So, post coffee date saw us both head our own ways.

The clouds did catch up with us half way through.

The usually vibrant sun had retreated without a fight and we were stuck with howling winds and lashing rains much akin to a Hollywood doomsday scene.

 

 

But it was fun. In spite of the fact that I could hardly see where I was driving, it sure was fun!

So finally, we got our share of the rains.

 

I was a tad worried though. Ginger is a little apprehensive of thunder. With Shadow and Buddy around, who hardly seems to notice it, she is much better now. But I do make it a point to always get back home as fast as possible at the first signs of a brewing storm. Thankfully the sky wasn’t very noisy,  just terribly leaky!

Anyway, my kids were fine.

A ‘more than usual’ exuberant welcome. I was over three hours late. They knew exactly. They always know.

 

The evening walk was lovely. The now gentle raindrops, the wet grass, the fresh air…. perfect setting for a romp in the park.

P suggested special dinner. And that he was willing to fix one.

Perfect!

What can be better than to curl up with a fresh new book, Ginger Buddy and Shadow huddled close while your husband fixes a gourmet meal of sorts!

 

HA!

Sweet and Spicy Ginger Chicken fry. Risotto. Baked and fried Mango chutney as a side!

It was only half way through our meal I realized I hadn’t got any pictures!

What a quaint little day!

 

Saturday passed off in a blur again. The entire world invariably imagines doctors should be on duty on weekend evenings because ‘It is just so convenient for us to see you on a Saturday. We do not have to take off from work’!

A humid Sunday morning. No rains. Ginger, Buddy and Shadow cooled off the routine way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P is off to see a patient again!

Should we go out afterwards? The mid-year discount sales are on at almost all my favorite stores and I do need a new wardrobe. But then Murray and Federer are on at 5. Of course I can always record the match. But it isn’t as much fun to watch it afterwards.

Hmmm…

 

And then there’s tomorrow. I need to prepare for tomorrow. It’s a specially special day, this coming Monday.

Oh! I think I’ll just talk about it later!

 

Hope you are all having a lovely Sunday.

WAIT…

It must be raining somewhere…

For the first time in nearly two months, the breeze feels cool. Certainly not as cool as we would like it to be but a definite improvement over the thick moisture laden hot winds that was making life impossible.

For once the Met Department seems to have got it right…

‘Tuesday evening would see a drop in temperatures. Possibility of a thunderstorm in certain areas. The much awaited Monsoon rains should reach Delhi by late Wednesday.’

So for us the countdown begins….

Mummy was at home the entire day today. She hasn’t been feeling very well for the last couple of days. Sort of a heat exhaustion. So she decided to take the day off. We wish she would learn to take a proper off if she wants to get better soon.

What good is it staying at home if you keep running around the house doing things that can actually wait till you’re better?

We are certain she has an obsessive compulsive disorder when it comes to cleaning, tidying up and stuff like that.

Anyway, Mummy at home doing stuff is better than no Mummy at all. So, when even after much cajoling and coaxing she refused to come and sleep, we settled down for our nap hoping she would take a hint. And finally she did!

We did some reading today. Not on the net or on our Kindle but some REAL reading. It always feels good..the feel of a real book. We hardly ever get the time to read real books these days. We finished off one that we have been reading for like a hundred years now – ‘The Case of the Howling Dog’. A Perry Mason story. And then we re-read bits of this wonderful book ‘ The Life and Letters of Tofu Roshi’ by Susan Moon.

One day when we can manage some time we would like to tell you about this book in detail. We often hear people speak about life changing books. Well, this is one book that has changed many a things in the way we view life. It has taught us so much about Zen philosophy in a simple, playful way that we keep going to this book over and over again. Even when there are so many other new books in our shelves that need to be read.

 

 

(Practicing our Yin and Yang Posture)

 

 

Well, it is half past seven in the evening and the sun hasn’t yet retired for the night.

Isn’t it tired from straining all day long? Time for our evening walk. Daddy isn’t back from the hospital yet. We think we will wait for him to come home so we can go out to the park together. It is much more fun when he comes along. With him around, Mummy doesn’t freak out when we run after squirrels and birds like she does when she’s alone with us. Not that we will find many squirrels or birds that will stay up to play with us after dark.

But then,you never know. We might just find a bat!

 

Hopeful,

Buddy, Ginger and Shadow

 

 

Technorati Tags: Delhi,Monsoon,Rain,Ginger,Buddy,Shadow,Life,Zen,Perry Mason,Susan Moon

A GREEN GREEN!

The other day, my friend Janice from JABBLOG with her post on something green made me instantly think of this picture. And it has been stuck in my mind ever since!

Strange how the mind works!
This isn’t a recent picture, neither taken on any special day nor do I consider it a particularly difficult and interesting subject to capture.
But this was the image that I instantly thought of when I read ‘GREEN’! I rummaged through my untitled folders filled to the brim with unedited photographs and was just so satisfied when I could finally find it.

Heaven knows why!
I mean there are just so many lovely subjects that I had experimented with that were green. And various beautiful shades of the colour too.

Guess it has something to do with the vibrancy that comes across in this particular one.
I had taken this one fine spring morning in the nearby park in the middle of walking Ginger, Buddy and Shadow. They were busy chasing spring butterflies, squirrels, lizards and numerous little insects I don’t know anything of! It was a beautiful happy day and this particular green just seemed to scream out ‘Spring’ out loud.

It is indeed a lovely, happy, fresh shade of green. Somehow it makes me think of a glass of chilled refreshing lime juice!

Talking of which I really need to go get one. It is 43+ degree Celcius outside and the rains are still playing foul. The drive back from work promises to be hot and humid in spite of all the air-conditioning inside.



Just in case all my 'GREEN talk has made you think of your own Green picture or has left you craving for more 'Greens', please do go visit 'Rainbows and Daisies'

Technorati Tags: Green,Summer,Spring,Lime juice,Life,Photography

Random Shots

 

A series of photographs collected over time. A passionate collection – one that brings back so many memories of small joys and major events. One that tries to capture the varied hues of nature and life as we DO NOT see it! One that I had been meaning to catalogue.

One day, I hope to showcase my pictures. It is a life dream to exhibit my work. Just as it is to publish, well, a book of sorts. Not because I aim to achieve great recognition as a photographer or hope to fill my coffers (not that THAT is a bad idea!) but because I have this huge driving ambition to see my passion come alive at a gallery.

Till then, my blog is my wall!

 

The following series of pictures is titled : ‘Life on a Beach’

 

 

‘SIESTA’

 

 

‘INDULGENCE’

 

 

‘SOLITUDE’ 

 

 

 ‘AN ESSAYIST’S SOJOURN’

 

 

‘ THE SEA BECKONS…’

 

 

‘The SILENCE of THE WAVES’

 

 

Technorati Tags: Goa,Photography,India,Beach holiday

SHERU

Undisputed access to the entire apartment complex area, free run of the property, unquestioned right to dig as large and deep a hole as he likes in the manicured garden…Sheru has a good life.

He is all of 12 and half years. He prefers to sleep away most of his days. He hobbles about in the premises on arthritic limbs but is still very alert, smart and serious about his duties as the resident guard of our colony.

We learned from one of the oldest guards that Sheru (his name is an endearing Hindi alternative to ‘Tiger’) was adopted by the builder who was looking after the construction of the complex years ago. He was just a tiny little bundle of fur then. The builder moved away long back and left Sheru behind. We don’t know if the builder had meant this handsome little dog to be the colony dog right from the outset or whether he just abandoned him here but Sheru stayed on. And made this place his home.

 

Sheru is an old dog now. Probably the oldest resident of our colony. But he isn’t a dog that you can take for granted yet. It was only just the other day that we found he had managed to lay his paws on what has eluded us for so long.

Yes! One of those pestering pigeons. And it wasn’t even a baby!!

 

 

 

  

 

This time there was no one around to save the bird (Pls refer to earlier post)and it was long gone by the time Mummy found Sheru looking so smug!

This old boy certainly has a lot left in him!

In the evenings, Sheru prefers to lounge by the huge gates at the entrance, as if he needs to keep an eye on everyone coming in or going out. During the chilly winter days, he would sit with the guards and warm his old achy paws by the wood-fire they invariably light up and then go to sleep with them inside their station.

In the summers, he prefers to dig a large hole in a corner of the garden and sleep away the hot, humid hours in the shade. But only till nightfall when he is to be found at his usual place by the entrance gates.

 

 

 

 

What is so beautiful about Sheru’s story is that you find so many little instances of kindness and acceptance in it.

Like for example, the guards. There are so many of them working in shifts. Some young, friendly, smart and subtle. Others old, grumpy and loud. But they are all equally kind and tolerant of Sheru. They make sure his water bowl at the gate is full and if you happen to take him some food or milk, they gladly wash his bowl and feed him. A lot of people in our colony do that. Take him food, that is.

Equally tolerant is the poor gardener who works everyday in this scorching summer heat watering and trimming all the grass and plants, straining to keep our lawns green and fresh. And then, when Sheru manages to find the coolest freshly watered spot to dig his bed in he is allowed to!

 

Sheru understands. And certainly works hard to earn his living.

He isn’t very fond of us or the other dogs in our colony and is very vocal about his displeasure. Understandably so too. For him, we must seem like groomed and pampered pooches that strut about in his territory without a care.

But he is very fond of Mummy. Wagging tail, adorable eyes, old and wise but still shining like an excited puppy’s, paws that are bent by arthritis but that gathers speed from the trust that there’ll always be a treat for him…

He is a beautiful old dog, inside and out.

It is sad that he doesn’t have a proper home. He would have made a lovely companion, brave, loyal and friendly. But we are thankful that he has had a safe life so far. And he belongs.

That is so much to be thankful for when you think of so many other equally brave, loyal and friendly dogs who never have and never will know what it is to belong…

 

 

A tad sad,

Ginger, Buddy and Shadow

 

 

Technorati Tags: Life,New Delhi,India,Sheru,Sher Singh,Dog Adoption

To Kill a Mocking Bird

The other day I killed a bird.

Well, almost! I was just working on it’s tail feathers when Buddy gave me away with his excited wagging. Buddy is funny that way. Anything worth investigating or chasing, he would either dig/sniff/jump with a noisy ‘wuff’ or just dash off after whatever letting the whole world know he is on the hunt. Words like ‘stealth’ and ‘stalking’ simply do not exist in his dictionary. Silly boy!

Anyway, there I was silently working the tail feathers of this baby pigeon (that probably had fallen down from it’s little nest on the rain gutter of our eastern side balcony) I had managed to chase into our living room and under the sofa that Buddy suddenly happened to smell it.

I knew he would give the entire game away and so I had made sure I was behind the sofa farthest from the dinning area (where you are most likely to find Buddy at any given time of the day!) But guess you can’t deceive a labrador’s nose.

Mummy noticed him and Ginger wagging away ever so noisily and Ginger even trying to dig her way through the concrete living room floor to get behind the sofa.

 

Sigh!

What followed is just so disappointing.

The sofa was pulled away from the wall, Mummy’s shriek brought Daddy running, the bird was unceremoniously snatched away and I was called ‘a BAD dog’.

 

I, Shadow a BAD DOG?

Why, I was just trying to keep our home clear of those mocking birds that marks our balconies, soil our potted garden, leave marks on the parapets and generally invade our perimeter.

 

This isn’t fair at all.

It was the birds that started this war. I mean, look. We lounge out there in the balcony enjoying the fresh air after a nice cooling bath and these birds fly into our airspace and refuse to leave. They sit there, high up on the awnings and rain-gutters and persistently mock us day after day.

 

 

 

 

Buddy and Ginger no longer requests them to leave. Sometimes I think they are right. We are just wasting our woof anyway.

But I just can’t help myself.

That is the reason I was so very excited that day when I saw this book on Mummy’s kindle.

 

 

So Mummy has some agenda now to rid us of those persistent pests. But turns out this book doesn’t have step by step instructions on how to rid one of a mocking bird like I had thought. In fact it has nothing at all to do with birdies. What a misleading title!

It really can’t be my fault then that I had drawn inspiration from this book and decided to take the matter of the invading pigeons into my own paws.

Anyway, that birdie survived. Mummy dressed up it’s wounds and settled it on the parapet outside. It sat there very still for nearly an hour. It must have been stunned after it’s near death experience. But then, after what seemed like an eternity, it fluffed up it’s feathers as if to test them and then slowly took off. Mummy was very worried it would fall down to it’s death from our fourth floor home but she needn’t have worried.

A bird is a bird and I guess it never forgets how to fly, tail feathers or no tail feathers…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The birdies still come and sit up there on the awnings for ages and I still ask them everyday to leave us alone. Mummy tells me I am a ‘GOOD BOY’ for trying to chase them away. None of them have fallen down ever since the incident with that particular birdie but one question still bothers me.

 

‘To kill or not to kill a mocking bird, that is the question’.

 

Confused,

Shadow

 

 

Technorati Tags: Shadow,Indian Dog,Delhi,Pigeon,To Kill a Mocking Bird,Harper Lee,Life

 

ZEN CORNERS

I think there must be these little corners in your home that are serene, beautiful and colourful enough to inspire a sense of calm solitude. Where you can maybe relax with a book and  your cup of coffee. Or just feel refreshed and happy because these little spaces are just that – Colourful, creative, fragrant and totally refreshing and happy.

Over time, I’ve sensed this change in my own moods which I realise, has made it’s way into the decor I choose for my home. I have thrown away all the garish and loud stuff and have settled for subtle and simple stuff. More greenery, more earth, more water, more BUDDHA!

Somehow, over the past couple of years I’ve developed this huge inclination towards a Zen way of life. Neither I nor my husband have ever been religious people. And by that I mean we do not believe in idol worship or religious rituals of any kind.
I do not have anything against any such practice(except of course the sickening animal sacrifices!) or anyone who practice classical religious rituals. To each his own.
Just that I do not feel inclined to follow blindly a tradition that is prevelant in the society if it doesn’t help me in any way.

I am sure prayers and rituals – going to a temple, church or mosque, fasting, mass prayers, chanting - are designed to inspire peace and happiness. If they don’t their entire purpose is lost. I cannot blindly go to a temple ( I am a Hindu BECAUSE I was born in a household that follows the dictum of the Hindu scriptures) and pray/fast/donate/chant . I am more at peace with myself when I’ve used the same time, money, effort on getting that poor little thirsty stray a drink. God never wants a donation nor elaborate and expensive dresses and jewelry. I find God in the wag of tail or the smile of that poor street urchin whose face light up at being offered a pitiful little packet of biscuit.

That is where my connection with Zen philosophy comes in.

I like what it says so simply. That living your life to the fullest is the strongest form of meditation and prayer. It doesn’t ask you to renounce life or it’s material aspects. It just asks you to appreciate the paperback edition of the latest best seller you are reading instead of craving for the very expensive and fancy hardcover edition. Prayer is when you find peace doing whatever.

It is as simple as that.

Where does that lovely little corner in my home fit into all these?
Well, this….

 

 

 

 

One little corner in our living room which radiates enough positive energy to start my day on a happy note. Our music system is on the same bookshelf on which this beautiful  Buddha figurine rests. Ginger, Buddy and Shadow love to lounge around here because this part of the room leads to the large balcony with my little potted garden. May be they like the greenery or may be the breeze blowing in through the door. Or maybe the soft music nearby…
One of our Zen Corners…..


‘What is the path?',  the Zen Master Nan-sen was asked. 'Everyday life is the path, he answered.’

Technorati Tags: Zen,Delhi,India,Life