Asian Koel and Summer calls

Asian Koels and summer seems to have some connection between them, because I observed their presence more these days unlike any other season. Proving that, couple of my friends has also uploaded Koel photos in Flickr shot at their neighbourhood from across the country. Though I don’t see this birds often unlike it used fall into my sight during my residence in apartment previously (the pics below were also shot there), their call from the trees around my home is frequently loud.

Sometimes I see both the male and female Koels when I come out in the evening and the house next to ours has different kind of trees along the space around their home… invites birds such as Rufous Treepie, Green Parrots and Yellow billed Babblers. And I used to try capturing these birds but the angles they perch don’t fall into my comfort of shoot.

Male and Female Asian Koel

Koels are renowned for their sweetest tone and despite being black and grey in colors the bird’s enriched calls are inspiration for many poets to pen down beautiful verses. Koels are hard to distinguish from crows (due to black in color) unless taking little notice at their eyes - crimson red in color, and the female is differentiated by the white and buff spot on its brown back which resemble the look of an hawk. 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Some Fence and Gate

Being Thursday, I was thinking about Good Fences and thought of sharing some pieces of fence and gate I shot during my evening strolls around the home. First one is an old damaged picket gate, belong to the neighbor and it is incline to their wall. The table fan aside the gate is a govt. freebie and it seems to be unable to mend to keep away… even the waste mart didn’t take away the fan during the clean-up explains its content.

The following one also belongs to the same neighbor and want lying on the wall is the leg parts of some wooden cot and the design wants me to shoot.

A long shot on our courtyard towards the gate and you could see our pet dog Maya is emerging out…   and dad’s former Scooty pep. He owns Honda Dio now.

A balcony rail of a nearby apartment, shot before it was rented. 

Sunday Photos: Some Scenic Mountain Views

During my last month vacation to Kodaikanal I took a detour through Palani to reach the destination. I have been to Palani before and drove up to the foothills of Kodaikanal, but I really wanted climb up the mountains this way and got the change only this time conveying my parents. I love this route (from Dindigul to Palani) esp. for its scenic landscapes and Western Ghats Mountains range that last throughout the way. And here I share some of the beautiful shots capture during our travel:

The road from Dindigul to Palani has an adjacent footpath laid alongside the road for the devotees to take foot pilgrimage to the Palani Murugan Temple.  The pilgrimage takes paces mostly in the month of Thai and Panguni (January and April) as Thaippoosam and Panguni Uttiram festivals are celebrated during these months.

P.S. Btw. I have completed 11 year in blogging by this June and I quite forget about it… I thank each and every blogger/friends for supporting me on this fabulous journey which I never dreamt of climbing this height. I don’t know what I would have doing now, if not blogging, but my life wouldn’t be this brighter, happier and energetic to look forward in life. If there’s some hope and looking forward thing in life, my blog would take place first and something that keeps me inspiring without second thought. Thank you all :)

At Rajesh’s (Destination Infinity) wedding party

I know I am not regular at blogging these days and there isn’t a specific reason rather that a mild disturbance with health and mind-set but overall the hot and humid weather keeps me away from any activity and make me feel tired through the dry weather. Though the intense summer month has passed down, the radiation of heat continues to battle our part of the country and the late beginning of southwest monsoon doesn’t seems to help much rather downpour in southern districts. But when things were right on track; the cold began its activity and annoyed for some time until couple of days back make me uncertain could I able to attend the wedding party of my friend and fellow blogger Rajesh of DestinationInfinity.

Glad I felt better on Sunday and I reminded my parents and brother about the get-together two days earlier so that they could prepare for the evening. It wasn’t difficult for us reaching his place and being Sunday there was very less traffic on the road and as I learned he stays at ground floor house I was certain not to miss the chance greeting him in person. I was thinking about getting some gift for the newly wed, but I couldn’t conclude with an idea and my search on internet also didn’t give hand and there isn’t time to place an order in online too. So decided to present a chocolate box, as I thought it would be a safest way since no one would dislike chocolates and it only gives pleasure whoever let it be when the creamy layer melts inside can’t resist relish. Lol

Though he lives at ground floor, unfortunately I couldn’t enter his home due to couple of steps at their doorstep, but it wasn’t a matter to me because I am there to greet and share his happiness while he enters a beautiful phase of his life. Rajesh looked very smart and tucked in shirt and his wife Ramya in traditional attire (or perhaps their wedding suit) was beautiful and smiley. I was comfort with their porch and they treated us with juice as soon we enter and a light meal followed later. I didn’t expect him to arrange for an early dinner (about 6pm) at an unusual time, but we couldn’t say anything when the food container was already at hold. Many talk but very few act according to what they say or think and Rajesh is one of its kind and I know he’s health conscious and try anything which is healthy.

And why I am saying this is because what he organized for the dinner was Vegan food. I know he’s interested in vegan style and have attended events relevant to vegan and what he consumes have also transformed into millets. So no wonder he tied the difference and it also worked well. I really liked the items served in the container but the only thing was I couldn’t eat everything. The curd rice made with peanut milk, instead of dairy, tasted very good and wasn’t much different from the regular. And also the jiggery pongal was sweet enough along the main dish pulao, and it also contains chapatti kurma and couple of side dishes. We have been the first guest at the get-together but we couldn’t stay long to see many of them.

But glad I could meet another blogger friend Sandhya, known by many as Maradhi Manni, before we decide to move. Though I couldn’t talk with her rather greeting either, it was good enough at least happen to see the person behind the blog. Back to Rajesh, he’s one of my long-time friends in blogging and we have met couple of times at my home and I really like his cheerful and smiling attitude. And I am sure it’s going to be double, perhaps, joining with his wife who too has a smiling face and sure to be kind enough going to sustain their happiness and smiles throughout their lives. Wishing both a very happy, bright and beautiful married life! Congrats DI 

Our stray guest

Picture shot in front of our gate… couple of our neighbor's gates also visible in the background. I really need to say, the stray dog in the picture is a quiet animal and never seen aggressive unlike other stray dogs in our street. She casually enters our gate and walk out quiet without disturbing anyone, but our pet dog kept barking at her every time she sees. It is a female dog and seems to nurture cubs somewhere or I guess the cubs I saw couple of nights back were hers.