CB&W: The Bike Challenge

Okay so this week for the black and white challenge, Cee wants bikes or anything related to two wheels. Initially I thought I had only two photos but rifling through my archives I was surprised to find how many bikes had crept in without my knowledge! Good for me and them πŸ˜€

BikeYSA surreptitiously taken photo of the fascinating insides of a bike in a busy marketplace.

CycleThe good old bicycle, the lifeline for many. I used to love cycling as a child and often wish I could cycle now as well, but I feel shy and embarrassed.

BnglreThis one I have shared before, perhaps some of you remember. Quite an eye-catcher right?

Bnglre2A front view with minimal color. Which one do you prefer?

CamelBOn the streets of Udaipur, while admiring a camel with its nose in the air.

CamelB2The car and bike halt deferentially as the camel made its way sedately across the highway πŸ˜‰

HaldighatiA bike parked near a distillation flask used to prepare rose essence.

Cubbon

Two bikes near a massive gulmohar tree (at least the leaves look like that). The creepy roots are fascinating aren’t they? Oops I forgot the bikes were supposed to be the focus!

Cubbon2Hmm not sure if those are the same bikes as in the previous pic. But the tree is definitely different – such character don’t you think? I’m fascinated by how trees don’t seem to have any requirement to follow rules. Anything goes and each to her own is their mantra. Yet each is particular and conscientious about fulfilling their CSR (corporate social responsibility) for the less fortunate. By just being, they replenish the oxygen in the air – isnt that amazing?

Tree Cheers to them.

Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful week.

 

CFFC: Leaves and Trees

Whew! I almost missed this fun foto challenge of Cee’s! And my favorite topic too – Leaves and Trees. And I have discovered a recent fascination for leaves as well so picking and choosing was quite a challenge. Hoping that you will enjoy my selection.

Assorted

Let’s begin with an assortment of leaves, mostly teak leaves.

3leaves

Just trying for some perspective here – they are huge arent they?

GreenLI was fascinated by this find and carried it inside for some special treatment

AshokA collection of dried Ashoka tree leaves.

BananaBanana leaves against a cloudy evening sky

EucaEucalyptus tree standing tall against the litchi trees. Don’t miss the fair elbows!

RedgreenThe greens attempts to tone down the exuberance of the reds

BattyNext I have a really batty tree for you. Yes! those black things are bats waiting for darkness to fall.

Bare

Perhaps she dropped her leaves because she didn’t want any hanger-ons – what do you think? Did you notice her pose? Perhaps the stone sculptors of ancient India took inspiration from her kind. And before you scroll down – look! Mango blossoms – the prize for the heat and dust!

GoldenA golden tree by the road

TendrilsA mystery tree with strange tendrils hanging down like some exotic jewelry. Anyone know which tree? Ferdi?

FortThe last one standing at the Chittorgarh fort. Oh the stories it could tell

BadhairThis one’s having a really bad hair day πŸ˜€ Or perhaps it has seen some really hair-raising stuff in its heydays. After all this is the place for committing jauhar and sati.

CloverI clicked this patch of clover leaves hoping to find a lucky four-leafed one at leisure. No such luck yet – what about you?

ParlorAll neat and tidy, ready to toe the line and follow rules and regulations with not a hair out of place.

AsulikeAnd then we have this place where there’s no sense or order, each to her own to be as she likes no questions asked. Which do you prefer?

SunkissedAnd finally the Sun kisses this one good night πŸ™‚

Thanks for visiting and sharing your favorite one!

WPC: Moo Point

Here’s my third and final re-post for the Daily Post a story in pictures. Hopefully I shall be back with fresh content soon. Thanks for your visits and patience. Have a wonderful day.

Dahlia's avatarStories and more

One sunny winter morning, we set to explore the Kolkata suburbs. Err well actually, the boys were on the lookout for a suitable place to reconnect minus the usual noise of their own β€˜inhibitory’ pathways. And I, being blessed with no such inhibitions, tagged along for some possible photo ops. And voila there unfolded right before my phone camera a live drama.

brunchThe ladies were out for a bit of a munch at brunch

gossipPerhaps share a few confidences away from the old hag and other potential eavesdroppers.

dangerOh but wait – what was that? Danger!!!

retreatTime for a graceful and disdainful retreat – the leading lady led the way, while a tardy youngster grabbed a mouthful for the road.

retreat2Feeling brave, I ventured closer. She gave me a beady glare – No interviews or autographs please. I have other urgent business to attend to – she trotted off on…

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On the Squirrel’s Trail

One of the best (and possibly the best) part of shifting is re-discovery of once favored things, dresses, books and now blog posts πŸ˜€ No I am not shifting blogs but the Daily Post’s challenge – a visual story is very apt for a couple of my earlier posts (yes be warned! There’s at least one more) so here’s the second reblog of my own post. Is that a bit like blowing one’s trumpet? Or that of the squirrel? Do tell!

Dahlia's avatarStories and more

It’s time for Cee’s Which Way Photo Challenge and as usual I had a lot of fun and hope you do too πŸ˜€

So off we go – first the WAY

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Confused? Perplexed perhaps? Oh but hush while the Performer readies

sq-1And steadies:

sq-2

And off he goes!

sq-3Look this way

sq-4And that way

sq-5

After that lightning β€˜bolt’ risking bone and sinew, time for some much needed rest πŸ˜€

sq-6

Thanks Cee for hosting such lovely challenges and letting me get away with it πŸ˜‰

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A Love Story in Pics

The Daily Post this week invites us to share a visual story. I am busy shifting houses (now that would tell an amazing story but that’s another story for another day πŸ˜‰ but since I can’t seem to keep away from the blog world, I am re-posting one (from August 2016) which some of you may have seen. But I think it is worth a revisit. Feel free to disagree and move on! πŸ˜€

Dahlia's avatarStories and more

The other day I spotted a pair of geese:

1A GOOSE.jpg

Excited, I moved in for a closer shot:

But no matter how much I tried, the goose just wouldn’t let me click his mate. It honked and glared and pretended to be interested in the distal most piece juicy stem.

G3.jpg

Can you beat that?

The typical Indian male I supposed and walked away (or at least pretended to but the goose wasn’t that much of a goose – it wasn’t buying or budging).

Until I really walked away. That’s when I noticed:

G4

She was injured or ill and he was merely trying to keep away an opportunistic predator.

G5

Blessed to witness such a rare and precious sight.

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The Wilful One

For Becca’s Sunday Trees I have one that grabbed my attention from half a mile away with its peculiar wrung-out-towel-like trunk. Have a look to see what I mean.

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Strip me

wring me

but

I swear

I will

find a way

again

and

again.

 

A Wounded Lioness

This week for Becca’s Sunday Trees photo feature, I bring you one with many layers to her.

T1An impressive tree, I think, a mango tree perhaps. If so she would have been stoned, prodded and climbed all over the entire long summer. But undaunted, unconcerned she has continued her journey to reach for the sky.

T2I come closer. She allows a money plant to drape her like a scarf, even allow a lamp to rest on her curves.

T3Hey wait! That’s no drapery – it’s growing out of her. Just another surrogate mother for one who is not even her kind. My kind? she asks. What’s that? All life is my kind.

T4Just look at those wounds and scars. Don’t they hurt? I ask. No she shakes her branches.

T6Liar. I choke on tears as I walk over to the other side. Her silent howl of despair unheard in this vast preoccupied universe.

The Bickering Couple

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And you didn’t even notice my new HAIRDO!

 

Well, did you notice it? πŸ˜‰ πŸ˜€

Linked to Becca’s Sunday Trees

 

The Freeloader

Hello! I am back – anyone miss me? Ah well neither did I – so there! πŸ˜‰ I have been busy traveling and I did lots of shopping – tree shopping πŸ˜€ I saw scores of grand aging graceful and otherwise eye catching trees. But there’s one (or should I say two) that stand out among them all.

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The outer tree is a deodar tree and the inside one is the jarul tree (Lagerstroemia speciosa giant crape-myrtle, Queen’s crape-myrtle, banabΓ‘ plant for Philippines, or Pride of India). At least that is what a local guide told us. But I am not really convinced, especially about the deodar tree which grows in the Himalayan regions and has needle like leaves. Perhaps it is the sal tree? Do you recognize the trees? Ferdi? Anyone?

But these are technicalities and as the bard said what is in a name? Especially when there is so much to see, marvel and wonder over.

Can you see how the jarul split the mother tree? And that despite being split she continues to nurture her protege? Did you notice how the jarul tree was cut away from its base and roots but yet it continues to grow deriving nourishment, sustenance and support from the parent tree.

A marvelous example of nature’s beauty, tenacity, and capacity to survive against all odds isnt it?

Linked to Becca’s Sunday Trees

20171208_163855.jpg

No one

can save

me

from you

not even

me

#3 of 7 B&W Photo

It’s Day 3 of the no explanation no people 7 day B&W photo challenge. Simple right? But me being me – I had to go and complicate it πŸ˜€

β€œI never knew anybody . . . who found life simple. I think a life or a time looks simple when you leave out the details.” ― Ursula K. Le Guin, The Birthday of the World and Other Stories

20171125_133112

 

Right left

straight

up down

and

sideways

she tried

her hand

at everything

believing

knowing

that one day

even fate

would give in.

Thank you Orange for nominating me – people please do check out her awesome blog and selection although I have to confess this one is my favorite and not just because it breaks the rules πŸ˜‰

If you are worried and upset at having missed my earlier posts on this challenge here are the links πŸ˜€

Day 1

Day 2

Have a great day and see ya tomorrow!