Happy New Year

The year has come to end and a New Year is beaming in front of us, flashing rays of hope that should be only taken as betterment to lead us into the future, to be a fruitful to anyone looking out for changes in life, in a prospect of sour security, skinny web of friends and family as enclosure to the lavishing lush and red pupil heart of love, turning the lives into meaningful, kindest and sweetest towards eternal. Let’s wish for a change or continue to sail as long it’s peaceful, successful, and useful to throw lives into organic, healthy and happy.   

Wish you all Happy New Year again!

Christmas Craftworks

Collage of my craftworks

Begin 2011, I decorate Christmas tree every year, except 2013 and 2015 a disaster year for me and my city (Dec flood), I put lights and star to feel and get involve myself with the festive while people celebrates around. Usually I purchase ornaments for Christmas tree either from the shop or online twice a year, as most of them are made of thermocol (polystyrene) it don’t last few years. But this year I decided to make some ornaments using Popsicle sticks to see how well I could treat myself with the activities and I got many ideas browsing the net and I decided to stick with simple craftwork like stars, wreath, tiny trees, house etc.  And I enjoyed painting them all.  Here are few photos on craftwork that I later hanged on the Christmas tree.

My gingerbread house that was turned into stone house by my sweet grandmother. The other two beside the house is santa hat haha

Birth of Christ

My christmas tree with the ornaments I made with popsicle sticks

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MERRY CHRISTMAS 

My simple Christmas decor with serial led and christmas tree and star put on the balcony.

X-mas star

Jingle bell

An expression of distress

Dad is doing well after the stenting and no breathing difficulties anymore but he’s continues to stay in rest for few more weeks to get back to his regular activities. Thought it feel everything is normal I couldn’t take it easy with my life. I don’t know how to describe or put it in words the pressure I go through internal and it has no business with dad’s health and he’s alright. Like all, I dislike certain things or want to maintain a distance from people whose activities I don’t like or not suit my lifestyle which including my parents. But now life forced me to walk through those which I don’t know is how to unveil. Sometime people are fair and kind, and at next moment breakdown everything to make feel disdain and bad and we can’t blame them for that if that could be their nature, I would stay away, but when it bothers were just going behind them in sake of life. It’s a struggle purely to answer the conscience when accepting assistance physically and mentally couldn’t go through the all. I never thought life would shrink all of sudden when I wasn’t ready or even read the book of my future tense. I know I need to handle this really and I was in the process of planning my future and executing in bits manner but this huge skip is unexpected. This is my second huge leap after the femur fracture in 2013 that put me years ahead into the future, what I have dreamt was only average.

As I have told in my earlier posts, I, mom and dad were like a cycle where any part of the wheel gets an affect the entire cycle will face the challenge. So far I haven’t been to expect somebody to aid me on everyday activities and nature calls, rather occasional; my parents continues to be my saver to drive me all this while and I’m certain they will do it until we’re alive, but I do know I’m in need to look after by someone when they can’t physically support me. Though I know well I need to adjust with life and accept the changes and I too believe this isn’t permanent and I need to find a way if things haven’t change for better. I’m someone who couldn’t stand with people who easily change their mind-set and belief from time to time and draw a rule that frequently turn on and off. It may sound weird but sometime need to believe such people do exists and dealing with them is not easier. It isn’t a problem when taking things physically challenged, but I’m not an insane to feel about anything or insensible to the atrocities happening around me. Perhaps if I was a normal being I could have easily skipped or try to turn down or better, but being a dependent I’m limited and was forced to take things at teeth bite. I don’t know could you understand what I say, but still no problem at least I able to express something here and let you know something disturbing me lot.

Sunday Photos: Sparkle Fun

During Deepavali I took some fun shots, where I asked my dad to move burning sparkle fireworks in random directions to get these shapes. Every year I used to take some snaps using the firework mode on camera, lighting the sparkles to move in different directors to catch some interesting fire traces. This year it was performed on our balcony, so the moves were restricted to get some simple yet interesting ones.

This give me a perspective of first Tamil letter அ (A)

And this looks as Tamil letter ஒ (O)

Skywatch Friday : Pretty Sky

The temperature was mild today, with some clouds covering up the sky and the evening too wasn’t any different until I came inside the home. The sky turned wonderful all of sudden as I looked out the window; it was reddish as I faced west and I just came out instantly clicking some snaps on the sky looking partially purple and pink. We are having a depression in ocean and are expected to receive rains for couple of days during the weekend and as indicate of rain the grey clouds turned up after the play of purple and pink.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Operated on Stents

As you all know the status of my dad, who goes through clogs in coronary artery, was hospitalized yesterday for the stenting and the stents were planted on his heart successfully. We took nearly two weeks’ time to decide from either open heart or placing of stents for the blocks on coronary artery and it wasn’t an easier task as we consulted couple more doctors, open heart has been their first preference but only on our insist they suggest stent as second option and to be done from their referred doctors or hospitals. One of the doctors was strong that open heart is best, but his activities can’t be same and need to be hospitalized for 10 days and more recovery days at home. I know how painful it could be for him if he go through a major operation like open heart and we aren’t in a mind-set to see him suffer from great wounds and feeling sick. So we went back to where we begin, the doctor who guessed and took angiogram to reveal the blocks. He was clear and positive about having stents, and thankfully the major blocks isn’t on the main artery, so his opinion of having stents don’t create serious problems if dad was in controlled diet and continuation of medicine. 

Some report on net says stents aren’t recommended for diabetic patients and those survive on insulin injection. Though my dad was on diabetic for 15 years, which was taken into deep consideration, it was the doctor’s words gave hope and confidence to go for stents. Dad was at CCU from yesterday afternoon to this evening, before shifted to general ward and he’s doing well now and he called me twice after the surgery. Mom and brother were at hospital on exchange duty, where she would be with me at night and visit him on day and same was with brother. My grandmother was at home and my uncles and cousin helps me with day activities. Dad will be discharged tomorrow evening and would be at rest for a month before catch up with regular activities. And being a pensioner the partial amount for stenting will be covered under insurance.  I can’t even image him going through open heart and I’m glad the stents working on him and hope it continues to support him.  

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Colorful Murals

 

Two Sunday’s back, on a drive into the city I come across this colourful paintings or mural on the wall opposite to Nageshwara Rao Park in Mylapore. The painting look like was drawn in attracting kids with natural elements as sun, flowers and critters and further it has some festive scenes or market clips.

Linking this post with Monday Mural

Saturday's Critters

A crow preening from a recent showering! The northeast monsoon this year haven’t covered even half the amount it should have (at least in Chennai and adjacent districts) and we’re barely left by a week of hope for the rains as the season ends, and although winter has widespread all over the state, the hope for rain has decline. Though the meteorological dept. has predicted that there could be a formation of low (in Bay of Bengal) in the coming week, its hope of rain is uncertain or should be insufficient.

Due to low pixel mode, I had to sacrifice on the quality of pictures which I only realized after uploading to laptop and I have took many photos without checking it as I keep it always on high mode, something went out of my concern.

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Heaven on Earth

One of my favorite place on earth - Veerapandi, in Theni district of Tamil Nadu. Hope you don't need a question why, if you watched the video. Music by Anirudh from Vankkam Chennai, a favorite song of mine.

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Has unfold some colors

(click pic for enlarge)

A roadside vendor selling small house and kitchen items, opposite to Madras High Court in Chennai. Last Sunday (Nov 25) I took a drive through the heart of the city, after long time, and took many photos sitting from the car and had a coffee at Hot Chips opp. to the court  where i took this shot while waiting for my cousin to get me a coffee. Being Sunday, the busy road was far empty with many shops closed and we easily parked beside the road. 

Quite an unexpected trail

I never thought life would turn this difficult, this sooner, with unexpected happening into our lives. I couldn’t remark how I have been disturbed by the discovery of my dad’s coronary artery disease, which is a cause of narrowing of the arteries that supply heart with blood. To make it short blocks in heart. He was normal all these day and many a test result (related to heart) were normal except the treadmill exam, which taken on his complaint of insufficiency of breathe after having food or going on walk and climbing stairs. Seeing the result, the doctors advised to go for an angiogram to get a clear picture of the condition before going on further treatment. And the Monday’s diagnosis revealed three blocks on the coronary artery with a percentage of 90, 80 and 60 and for that the doctors prefer was either open heart surgery or placement of stents. But still we unable to decide and was expected to consult one more doctor, like we already done with two before taking a firm decision.

Except diabetic, dad doesn’t had any serious health problems but I do aware diabetic is a cause could bring anything into a healthy body, alongside lifting me and recent stress relevant to house renovation should be the prime reasons for the clogs. After mom’s surgery in May, dad was the only person to lift me to change in positions, mostly from cot to wheelchair and wheelchair to commode stool, with occasional aid from brother; I too haven’t took long trips since March visit to Kodai. Now it’s time for him to retire from the lifting course and of course he’s age 66, a fair reason to prevent lifting me but he did until doctor advised after examine the test reports.  For last few days my brother was helping on shifting and we too had sought for a part time caregiver and meanwhile the portable hoist is used for lifting. Like told above, I have no words to express my distress and pain and my only concern right now is dad’s recovery from the disturbing fact, and it’s no matter how I lead without his support but his healthy presence is more important for me and I could understand his situation and I hope the advanced medical aids will improve his condition and put back to norm at any state.

Though I sound strong and clear, I have fear about the upcoming progress in our lives and my dad and mom are a part of me so I could not keep away anything affects them, like I for them. I should say I really lost my sleep or fell into nightmares lot thinking his condition and our futures ahead; I too started to experience pains related to my scoliosis on spine and difficult at breathe some time. Though it wasn’t anything instant serious, but certainly a cause to bother me in near future and I tell myself get ready for the war with soldiers within! Haha There is no way denying the fact and I keep thinking and doing various things to distract the thoughts about the future and current occurrences. I truly wish stents works for my dad, so that he doesn’t need to suffer lot and spent more time in hospital and time to recover. Let’s wish for the best

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Our colorful Karthigai Deepam 

Or an arrangement of Diyas! Karthikai Deepam is a South Indian festival observed by the Hindus on the full moon day of the Tamil calendar Karthikai, which happens between November and December. It is an occasion where rows of oil lamps are lit in every home and temple. Karthigai Deepam is essentially a festival of lamps and lighted lamps are considered auspicious symbols; believed to drive off evil forces and let in prosperity and joy.

Diyas light up the balcony and door front

Most of the oil lamps (Diyas) used here (at houses and temples) are made of clay, and except for adding or replacing a few, most of the lamps are reused from previous years after cleaning. Mom soaked the oil-stained Diyas in water two days before the festival, then dried them before the oil-lit Diyas illuminated the night against the much brighter full moon. Karthigai Deepam is a renowned festival for the Thiruvannamalai Deepam (a massive lamp lit up at the peak of Annamalai Hill, about 2669 feet high) dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Just a day ahead of the festival, I got the idea of coloring some of the Diyas. I got posture colors, and started to paint immediately, and continued into the festival day including coloring quite red, green, and blue Diyas. I did some simple designs on the side of Diyas, and Diyas being small in size comes in handy for me to paint with my limited arm access. It’s been a long time since I touched a brush since I find it difficult to draw things holding a pencil or brush, but I always want to do something and the Diyas ignites the thought and I plan to do some more esp. to try to create some Christmas decors using Popsicle sticks and paint colorfully.   

My colored Diyas making center of attraction hehe.. (all pics clicked with iPhone)

Skywatch Friday: Stormy Sky

Shot outside the home. Before it started to rain heavily! Nov 20-21 had been really good day for us, with continues rain, which was the need of the hour, turned the environment to feel cool and was refreshing throughout the showering. Thanks to the depression in Bay of Bengal, we received 100-150mm of rain and so far we received less than 300mm of rain where the normality is 850mm.  So we still need more rain to raise our ground table and the water level at reservoirs. Hope more on the way before the monsoon ends.

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Gaja and the cottage at Kodiyakarai

The cyclone Gaja has smashed the coastal districts up to 6, and took very unusual routes into the land without losing its strength has stroke couple of mountainous districts causing heavy downpour and windstorms resulting in number of tree fall and landslides. Kodaikanal – my most visited place for vacation, where my uncle owns wood houses and cottage – being the core part of the cyclone, before it enters the Kerala state and Arabian Sea shook the mountains to unlink most of the roads and many remote villages are inaccessible still and out of electric. Even at the vicinity of my uncle’s woodhouse and plantation, many banana trees had fell and there’s no water or electric.

At the other hand I was wonder what could happened to the beautiful cottage we stayed in Kodiyakarai (PointCalimere) during our visit to the wildlife and bird sanctuary there, which was the eye of cyclone Gaja! It’s nearly a century old tiled roof cottage; adjoin the sanctuary and coastal line, built by Thambusamy Pillai, a sea merchant. There’s two suites named as Pelican and Flamingo, which is popular migratory birds of the sanctuary. I really loved this place, despite the frequent power cuts and mosquito bites; I could see deer and peacocks turn pleasant the moments anytime by their presence. Kodiyakarai and Vedaranyam in Nagai district is worst affected and almost cut off from the rest of the places, as it located on the eastern edge of the state.

The places that are affected by Gaja continues to fight against the debris the cyclone left back, after pulled down many houses and destruction of livelihoods. And to make situation worse, these places continue to receive heavy rains due to another depression at the sea and a warning of 300 mm of rain still. However it was raining from the morning here, more rains is expected in coming days. Hope it rains well, never a kind of flooding, to uplift the ground water and filling of lakes to support our city’s water scarcity. The pictures here are on the cottage we stayed at Kodiyakarai.

Sunday Photos: Fireworks

Some golden aerial fireworks shots from the Diwali night, capture through iPhone from the balcony of our home. 

Following is a short slow motion video of ground chakkara

Skywatch Friday: Sunrise and Contrail

Gaja, a severe storm or cyclone that was threatening the coastline of Tamil Nadu for nearly a week, had landfall near Nagapattinam, creating havoc at the early hours of Friday (today). Above 250 km away from Chennai, the coastal districts is at severe damage of properties and lose of countless trees, but the precaution efforts taken by the state and district authorities really need to be appreciated and I believe it is because of their efforts the worst has been prevent. Actually, Chennai was predicted to be the destination of Gaja, but nature decided to be kind toward us giving away the trouble to other part of the state. As I have been to the places of Gaja, I could imagine what kind of destruction the areas face and Vedaranyam being the eye of Gaja is isolated from outside world and it is surrounded by natural saltpans and forests that should be faced heavier. I was really worried about the Kodiyakarai; the Point Calimere wildlife and bird sanctuary, which is home to number of blackbucks, wild horses and migratory birds, including flamingos. Hope the nature wasn’t disturbed heavily.

Coming to the post, I would like to share couple of skywatch shots from the other day morning, when I waked up earlier than usual. Though it wasn’t an actual sunrise but for me the sun just came above the trees and building to bestow its tender waves on me that sense a lot to me. You could presume form the images that it was shot from balcony using iPhone and few minutes later a jet crossed the sky and its quick enough to pass and I could only get the contrail as proof. It was a pleasant morning for me and waked up earlier left me more time for reading and other activities. I wish I follow this pattern, though I’m someone don’t wake up before 8 am this should be a trouble. lol

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Curls

pic: google

Like upright ripples
curls, crawl downs her bosom as
infant hugs mother

Exists a beauty
even at a small gesture
of fingering curls 

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Festival lights

Shot from the night before Deepavali! I usually go out to see what happens around during Diwali esp. the evening or night before the festival of lights and mostly to the beaches in neighbourhood where people gather more to just catch up with the mood of Deepavali, and this time I went to Palavakkam beach and watched some fireworks lighting up the sky despite the time restrictions it was wonderful to check out. The photos carry some colourful light decorations from the shops on ECR that I shot when moving around in car. 

Skywatch Friday: Aerial Fireworks

During Deepavali I had wonderful time watching fireworks that repeatedly showed up in the sky from evening to night, from various angles it boomed the sky in dazzling light and colours which kept me active on phone as I have no idea from which direction a firework would light up, I was awake to capture some of the amazing displays. I initially used the camera in firework mode to shoot the same, but as many weren’t repeated kind I shifted to iPhone camera, which is quick at shot, helped me get some neat snaps alike here, from the balcony.

Deepavali this year wasn’t great to cherish or bad to critic, but went neutral where I couldn’t feel anything differenct; instead it was pretty bored for much part of the day as most programs on Television weren’t amusing. And I haven’t watched it as well. Though Supreme Court has set time limit of 8-10pm, which was altered by the state govt. as an hour in morning and night to light fireworks, there were crackers sound from morning to night but that particular time period, Chennai was at its high – the time where we also light some fireworks and joined the smoky eve hehe… it’s been years I have stopped buying noise crackers and also conscious purchasing less smoking fireworks last few years.

Obviously, this year the noise and smoke level was very low compared to former years. Thanks to the hard rule by Supreme Court, that forced people to either give up or control bursting crackers results in only bit rise on pollution level. But to my surprise, when I checked the weather app today, three day after Diwali, the air quality is poorer than what showed on Diwali. I wonder is it perhaps it was national holiday that day, with less vehicle and factory pollution the air quality should have shown better that what bursting crackers created. Huh!

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

Restriction and Reality on Fireworks

For Indians, the first thing that comes to mind when spelling on Deepavali or Diwali is fireworks. So was the festival caught fire with us and although we call it as festival of lights, only fireworks ignite the light and it has been a part of the festival historically. People may hold different belief regarding to the festival using fireworks, but generally people enjoy lighting fireworks and as it burst with different colors and golden hues brings lot of cheer.  As a 90s kid, fireworks has been my favourite  (and continue to be so)  and I believe it was for anyone grown that time, and now with lack of interest many would dropped firing  but the memories could not light off. The firework industry in Tamil Nadu is big enough to support the entire country and foreign export, and just for the one day celebration of Diwali the almost firework industry works throughout the year.

Now coming to the post, the Supreme Court of India has come up with restrictions to use fireworks – what is busting crackers for just 2 hours on Diwali – sounds funny! It’s quite impractical judgement by the Supreme Court (in response to a petition seeking ban on fireworks) and I really wonder what kind of analysis the judges did on the festival and its fever of bursting crackers. How could they think people would stop or bring down to the ground, a practice followed for many years, all of sudden? I don’t connect it with belief or religion, because Diwali is celebrated beyond anything by the people of India and gripping them tightly will end with disappointment and lose hope on democracy. I know this rule will be broke down for sure, and yes, bursting crackers are harm to environment but there should be some procedure to bring down the practice and making of firecrackers step by step rather pushing down to ground.

I just wondering like every other do, on how the Supreme Court is going to tackle the countless, certainly breaking down the time limitation. Already there’s a time limitation set out by the Supreme Court to light fireworks between 6am to 10pm at night on Diwali, but people begin bursting even earlier to late night will certainly ignore this rule, which is against democracy and people unfavourable. No doubt, the fireworks will lose ground in future but a slow landing is better for everyone and that’s what everyone needs to work out. Happy Diwali

Rain Picked Up

It was raining from last evening in Chennai and the city was almost cool down, and looks alike everything goes favourable for the northeast monsoon to pick up tomorrow. At our previous house rain was the real threat for us, and it was almost a force forced us to move out and it was there while everyone enjoys showering our thoughts were that rain shouldn’t last longer. Now, looking out the balcony I feel how pleasant was the rain, though it isn’t a new feeling, it sense something missed out longer. The array of rain drops looks impressive, studded along the steel rails of balcony contrast to rich green backdrop with trees and palms of neighbours.

As you all know the reason why we shifted house (threaten to flood entering home in monsoon as it was positioned down) and get back to our own house, we never need to face it again but still a heavy rain could be a problem to anyone and other. The weather condition was really helpful and brings hope of rain, what Chennai-ties and others need, but with the most celebrated festival (Deepavali or Diwali) on Nov 6, the rain could be a challenge for people out at purchase and those looking forward to celebrate festival. Rain is enjoyable, and with an open sky out here along with pretty flourished trees it brings a sense of atmosphere where it is a pleasure to watch rain from a safe range.

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia 

Goats from Neighborhood

Goats are regular visitors into our area from the neighbourhood, where they are reared by some and these goats are often found on roads searching for foods at garbage bins and shrubs that are available at neighbours’ houses. During our stay at the backstreet here they rarely come in search of food but after shifted to the main street I see them often, mainly in front (opposite) to our house, where they enjoy munching on the leaves and fruits of the Portia tree, which aka Indian tulip tree or Poovarasu in Tamil. I can do a post on it later. Sometime the goats even climb on the parked bikes when the leaves are beyond their reach. Today I saw a group of goats, mostly young ones, munching on the leftover vegetables, from a basket placed by the veg shop owner next to our house and I just captured it (from the balcony) to share with SaturdayCritters.

Cutting off some Green

On Tuesday morning, as I saw the mango tree in the house opposite to ours was pruning, I instantly took a snap on the tree before it lose some green limbs. Seems the tree has overgrown or got dense to block their ventilation or lighting, and I see it as a regular activity on the tree to sustain its shape and size with northeast monsoon expected to begin next week, the rain would  help the tree thrive much better to reproduce mangoes in summer. Our street has many trees either grown on roadside or inside the residential houses, alike the one in image gives wonderful look and shadows on the street. My cousin has planted couple of trees along the compound of houses opposite of our house and it has thrived greatly which I could share at another post. Picture here was shot through my balcony fence or rail.

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia 

RGB Monday

Colorful Yedappalli

Yedappalli is a beautiful town village, located between Coonoor and Kotagiri in the Nilgiris, and what I really like there was the different types of houses and architectures which gave me lot opportunity to take photos, but unfortunately I couldn’t use my camera and shot only with mobile. We stop at this village for a cup of tea, couple of time, during our travel through Nilgiris; and I simply loved this place and the colors used on the houses with very simple and neatly build for their capability. I believe you get to see more colors than RGB, in the picture above. I really need to say I had a good tea there and just for that we made another stop at the village during our return journey, in April 2017.

Pics on our renovated home

Been 25 days since we shifted to our house, things and life is slowly settling down to breathe enough but still the sofa set is unvarnished and some touch up work pending on main door, we’re back on track. I got some books to read and some waiting to be finished, and as I caught with cold on other hand keep me away from here and I’m really having some good, relaxing time by reading and listening to music to keeps me away from other distractions I’m going through these days.  I got to sky watch more often these days, from the balcony and through door and window it feels pleasant to go through the changes every day, time and motion and you can expect more sky shots from now where I watch sky from wake up to sleep.

House entrance through balcony, shot  when the door was removed for varnish. We get more than enough sunlight throughout the day for the hall and our bedroom, which extends even up to kitchen at far end. 

Our house is built on 800 sqft and the partial building was 35 years old, and the front part is 20 years and 2 feet higher than the former part, so a kitchen and bedroom went at the lower part and the hall and our bedroom and veranda is few steps above. Due to lack of financial support, then, only partial building was rebuilt and attached with the older part that was low at floor. As you know it’s a first floor portion and we moved out mainly to the difficulty of climbing up and down, carrying me all the way, but we have moved back as we could afford a hydraulic lift to elevate me, we decided to adjust with few steps climbing down to kitchen and bro’s bedroom. And I will leave you with couple of collages made on the interior of the house, which I hope you all would like. I could share some more in upcoming days.

The four frames on our living room and the wooden sofa set (in distracting way) is longing for varnish which has been put hold and incomplete by the workers.

We had bi fold doors for our bedroom to easy access through wheelchair and the door ways are widen more than 3 feet for the same. We have open space opposite to our bedroom for more light and air.