Red, Yellow and Orange!!

Wow, this was first published on October 16 of 2010--things and experiences seem so close sometimes I have to remind myself how long I have been writing this...I had returned to the US possibly after six months or possibly after a year---there was a conference in Texas.  I had gone from Texas to Oregon to pick up some old things from a friend's place and then to Boston for a quick stop ---then flew out.  All those places I had some work to do--conference, pending business and meeting a friend.  That was my first year in Sweden and I was in transition.  

I am always in transition.  But some years are heavier than others.  There is a whole book about that year--that needs to get written....:)

Posting this next to the last week's post about color.  I had seen pictures of autumn in Kashmir and of-course in brochures for colleges in the US.  But my first sight of it in the US, years and years ago made me feel like I was in a dream.  

Pennsylvania autumn is the most stunning.  Because unlike Sweden it is actually warm.  You get sunny days.  Sun shinning through these colors is something else.  A true time for reflection.  It blends so well with halloween and pumpkin and apple crumble and cider.  These are some of my favourite things....:) 🎵🎵

Btw, people go for special drives just to see 'Fall Colours'.  And these were taken when my friend took me for long drives through outskirts of Boston and one was taken in Oregon (Oregon colors are not as stark because of geography, but autumn definitely  makes its mark there as well!!

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Autumn colors are the best in New England!! When you are there, in the midst of Red, Yellow and Orange, you cannot believe it is all real. The colors radiate such warmth that you are pulled into them. Often times I have imagined wearing those colors, in silk and chiffon. Nature has the best taste in color palette !! Boston, October, 2010.

For years in Pennsylvania, this was my favorite sight. While the leaves were gone from the trees they still rest a while on the streets, before being dutifully raked away. I made sure at least a few times before they were swept away, I would push them together neatly, with my feet into a pile and revel in kicking them as I walked. All the time looking around because the sweepers would detest me for creating more work for them. The other thing to do is to pick up these leaves in your hands and stare into the mild autumn sun and just throw them into the air and then duck .....as them come wafting down..... Boston, October, 2010.

Autumn in Portland. Thought the colors are the best on the east coast, you can see the range of shades all the way to Oregon. It is a treat to drive through these these streets that are lined by trees that convert to being multi'color', every autumn!!

This is what I call a Half Autumn tree. In the middle of autumn you can spot these trees that are half way in the spirit of autumn. The leaves are still alive, there are a few branches, bare and proud, and then this pile of color that covers the ground, almost a ray of hope--that is is not over yet...

Branches flowing out of this tree were covered with rich yellow. I noticed their color next to the 'green trees'. It seemed that these trees were never green. Such is the illusion of perception....what we see, we think has always been that way.....

How Mother Nature Compensates

Been reposting for a few weeks. Am travelling often, for a class, trying to take care of some pending things.  So in between towns. And hardly have the time to write.  Also, some of those old posts are really relevant.

I have several posts in mind.  But might have to do with some re-postings until mid-december.  The thing is that I have been writing, publishing--both academic and non academic and have done some creative writing.  But the best part is that i am working heavily with my youtube channel. I get no money for these things, including the creative writing, but they are such a joy.  May be some day I will have a side income but I do it because it calls me. 

Have been going through some internal churning.  And have had posts about that in mind. They will follow.

Academic publications are doing well.  I got about 4 this year. Btw, it takes about 2-3 years to get one out.  So you can imagine the huge sigh that I let out when that happened.  Non academic--four publications so far---and about 25 new blog posts--or more may be.

About 4 short new videos and working on a longer one.

I never thought of myself as a writer. But when I look back, I write ALL the time. And have written ever since i can remember. 

Journals, gratitude journals, letters, poems, stories, speeches, scripts for videos and plays and what not...

Only recently have I realised how integral writing has been to my life. Look at this blog--I have had it for exactly 10 years.  Zero money. I do not even publicise it.

I look at the picture above --and see how mother nature compensates.  

Loosing light is not that pleasant and so mother nature fills our days with color.  Much of green turns into yellow, red and orange.  

So mother nature compensates in so many in our real lives as it does in nature. 

How does mother nature compensate when so much is going on, and in many ways life is not complete and questions of life keep knocking at us?

Well, little things.  Little things that fall into place.  And some joys that we never get paid for but those that bring us satisfaction.

Writing, teaching, drawing, painting, making short films are some such things for me. I get little money back, but I get to write, document and then sometimes share.

The satisfaction of creation. 

And keeping us connected to wonder---autumn for me is that--reflecting and being grateful!!  Light keeps reducing --now it gets dark around 3:30 pm or 4:00 pm depending on which city I am. I must have four layers.  But it is the need for warmth that keeps us indoors and its mother nature's way of forcing us to reflect.  Then snow descends on us --bringing us white, to replace the light!!  Thankyou mother nature, for taking care of us--

Thank you all for reading!!

Packing up summer paraphernalia

First published on 17th October 2010, my first year in Sweden--it is that time of the year.  Although summer things got packed about a month ago.  And now, be ready for some more pictures of autumn and soon winter!!

You know what this post reminds me of--how when I came here from Fiji, how excited I was about the change of seasons.  I was back in my Pennsylvania days, a place I loved so much. I am not really bored with yet, but very aware of how paralysed we are in winter with regards to movement and experiencing life.  So, hmmm, things to think about!!

October 1, 2010. Taking away planters that were brought out in spring. No more flowers. Not for a few months. You gotta miss Fiji now. What if we did not have flowers sometimes. We always had green. White and brown is what we count on this side of the world. For about 6 months :(( But believe me, in the middle of it, there are times, when you cannot but admire that as well....

Turkish Men sit for a chat outside the local grocery shop. A weekend ritual. Yes, I did ask for permission. And the middle one nodded politely and said, "As you wish".

I did wish to get the picture, and here it is....Notice the grandeur of latter years of life. Written all over their relaxed way of looking at the camera. No cares, all the difficult times of decision making and choices behind them. Makes you look forward to winter...of life...

Autumn Aura

First published on October 17, 2010.  Here it is as we end October and move into really cold November with sleet and snow.  Here is how warm looking it can be even in October!

Sada Mohalla (Punjabi). Vårt grannskap (Swedish). Nuestro barrio (Spanish). Our neighborhood. See those Orange leaves??

They indicate autumn. The stubborn green ones are still holding on. Normally, this street is filled with children running up and down. Playing hopskotch. In spring and summer, you will often find huge drawings on the street, with colored chalks. Since I know only a few words in Swedish, every time I see the kids I say, 'Hej, Hej', meaning hello. Hej Då (good bye). Vi sees! (see ya).

Notice the berries here. They are not edible, but they do have another purpose. Soon as the tree starts to shed, the remaining berries stand out. The number berries is an indicator of the strength of winter. The higher number of berries the colder the winter.

I still do not know the name of this tree. I have noticed that in many countries. I often ask what tree or flower is this. People just shrug. And then we worry about our environment. We need to be taught these things in schools. Although I am told that they have something of the sort in Sweden. Where school kids are taken in the woods and taught about plants, all the time learning to not be afraid of getting their hands dirty.

And so the leaves are quickly leaving us. Here a leaves-poor tree tries to smile back through a few colorful leaves. Every time I see leaves clinging to branches, fluttering in the wind, I think of 'The Last Leaf.', a story by O' Henry.

Now this is color. I have to say, that colors here are not as rich as that I have seen in Pennsylvania or Virginia or New York. May be its different outside of Karlstad it is different, but here the cold came in too quickly. So much so that the the trees you see in the following picture, taken barely a week ago, are already bald now :((

We are expecting snow this thursday!! Please visit us......:))

Celebrating a Decade: Lovo, Boo, Fat cakes, Bure, Rondavel: Words of Association and Nostalgia!

More popular than some other posts that were put under the same category of Celebrating a Decade--this one was posted first on Jan 31, 2013.  I have a special love for this one, because it talks a bit about some of the countries that I have lived in and their uniqueness!! I think that is the reason many look this up to read about it!! 

Every country has some words that a first time tourist, traveller, and visitor learns in the first few days of being there.  These words then are always associated with those countries, no matter how many countries use it.  Lovo and Boo are two words I will always associate with Fiji.  Boo, being the baby-coconut, commonly known as green coconut.  The coconut milk is still in its liquid and semi-solid form.  So, when you crack open a Boo, and drain the milk, there is still heavy cream of coconut.  Often you are given a piece of coconut shell itself to use as a spoon.  So, the above picture was taken right before we dug into our treat.....

In India sometimes street vendors create a spoon out of a leaf right in front of your eyes, to enjoy your fruit salad. 

The following pictures show how even cracking a coconut open can require a skill that is not everyone's cup of tea (or noni juice!!)

The pictures here were taken at Navua tourist village, about an hour outside of Suva.  This little island village that is totally functional with a day care and a small school, is created specially as a tourist attraction.  We spent an entire day there when my friends visited me in Fiji.  Following are two pictures of sort of Bures.  Bures are traditional fijian houses with thatched roofs.  Urbanization and modernization has resulted in significant reduction of Bures.  In addition Bures are not sustainable, especially with today's climate change.  My friend who grew up in Fiji told me that up until late nineties, when they drove around Suva, Fijian capital, one could see Bures as far as the eye went. Today they have been replaced by asbestos or tin sheets, so the neighborhoods look more like shanty towns.  Ofcourse, we are not talking about cities and planned towns.  Those places look like any other place in the world, except more sun, and palm trees!!

Lovo is the term given to food cooked in 'earth' like Tandoor in India, or Hangi in New Zealand (Maori?).  While it is baked, there are certain things that make it quite unique.  First, food in lovo, whether fish or vegetables, is often cooked in banana leaves, which gives it a unique flavor.  Second, because it is slow cooking, the food is extremely flavorful with a delicate smoked flavor. 

The above three pictures show a young Fijian man, dressed in traditional Fijian grass outfit (worn only for tourists--if you arrive a bit early you can see young kids running into their Bure (huts) to put skirts on top of their shorts), digging a pit to create space for Lovo.   The following pictures show the procedure of preparing a lovo.

The following pictures show how great the food looks when it is done....can you smell it already?

And continuing with country specific vocabulary---Rondavel, and fat-cakes are something I associate with Bostwana.  Rondavel being the round, thatched roof rooms/houses built all over (southern) africa (equivalent of Bures).  Often, the bottom part is cemented and made of bricks.  The thatched roof is replaced every few years.  Below is the picture from South Africa. 

Picture taken at a hotel at Monk's Cowl, near Inkosana Lodge, Drakensberg, South Africa. Its definitely touristy, but give an idea.  

The above picture was taken at Inkosana Lodge, and these Rondavels were individual, stand alone rooms.  Guests shared a common cooking area. I will put up pictures of the bunkers where I stayed.  They were just as good, only with possibility of more occupancy.  

Fat cakes are sweetened dough cooked, on open fire, in these african pots you see below. I learnt about them in Botswana.  

Fika, is the first Swedish word I learnt.  Well, almost the first word.  Related to coffee with something sweet to eat and good company, the term deserves an entire entry!!

All these words have a special place in my heart, and there are so many memories associated it.  Each one of them has its own flavor of nostalgia!!