tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51695149677116119532024-03-14T12:07:12.958-07:00Red Ripe TomatoesAs the Garden Grows, So Does the GardenerAnita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-55123687098333764962013-02-24T20:12:00.000-08:002013-02-24T20:12:06.947-08:00A Potato Post<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Early this month, I harvested these baby potatoes. And though they
were tiny, they weren't lacking in taste. They were probably the
freshest, tastiest potatoes I've tasted.... just melted in my mouth. After three previous attempts that failed, I was beginning to believe that
potatoes can't grow in Chennai's warm and humid
climate, that too in containers. Which is why, I was so eager to harvest these even before they
were ready, just two months after they'd been planted. Had I waited a
month or two longer, we'd probably have had larger ones. I also should
have been careful to <i>hill </i>them at the right time. Not hillling
them on time, caused a couple of potatoes to pop out and turn green. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vuScuERLYS8/USrj_fSBx7I/AAAAAAAACLE/Lg_00Gpvt-4/s1600/potatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vuScuERLYS8/USrj_fSBx7I/AAAAAAAACLE/Lg_00Gpvt-4/s1600/potatoes.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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But
despite the size and number of potatoes, I'm quite content. Imagine
planting a single budding potato in clayey soil that drained poorly, and
getting this in return. (Potatoes need well drained, loose
soil.) Now that I know potatoes can indeed grow in Chennai, I'll be
more focused next time.<br />
<br /></div>
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<b>PS:</b> This post has come after several months of inactivity. But from now on, I'm looking to post shorter posts, but more often.</div>
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Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-55457884136994196122012-04-27T22:48:00.001-07:002012-04-29T02:46:50.164-07:00Coffee in Coorg<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sdPtww5xp9U/T5z9CjG6IKI/AAAAAAAACDA/UC45TRuWle4/s1600/DSCN2510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="409" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sdPtww5xp9U/T5z9CjG6IKI/AAAAAAAACDA/UC45TRuWle4/s640/DSCN2510.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Flame Tree or GulMohur.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W1tyc0PZueQ/T5z8ZIz1JXI/AAAAAAAACBI/Xc4o_0IUP_c/s1600/DSCN2404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W1tyc0PZueQ/T5z8ZIz1JXI/AAAAAAAACBI/Xc4o_0IUP_c/s640/DSCN2404.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee Blooms</td></tr>
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While for some, Friday the 13th, may seem unlucky, here in Tamil Nadu
it was celebration time. The Tamil New Year was on Friday the 13th,
this April. That meant, we had a long weekend. So we packed up our bags
and headed off to Coorg, the Scotland of India. We found out that the
best way to experience the place would be to stay at a homestay. With
umpteen homestays in Coorg, picking one was really hard. But I
believe we finally chose the best - Spice Garden. It is a 125 year old,
traditional house set in a coffee estate. Our hosts, Naveen and Raina were extremely
warm and charming. While Naveen is a wildlife expert, who educated us
on the flora and fauna, Raina is an excellent cook. Both of them gave us
a taste of the wonderful hospitality that Coorgis are well known for. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjTCDizp3mM/T5z8dNqx07I/AAAAAAAACBQ/cj2IZ7aJrD8/s1600/DSCN2417.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjTCDizp3mM/T5z8dNqx07I/AAAAAAAACBQ/cj2IZ7aJrD8/s320/DSCN2417.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very Coorgi key-holder</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDCr4ykfaU8/T5z8e9tAtGI/AAAAAAAACBY/RGkE5uGjB7E/s1600/DSCN2414.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDCr4ykfaU8/T5z8e9tAtGI/AAAAAAAACBY/RGkE5uGjB7E/s200/DSCN2414.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild Flowers Sprout at Unexpected Spots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QdqvvL4wNqM/T5z8wKfmsJI/AAAAAAAACB8/AVlj3K9LlRY/s1600/DSCN2457.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QdqvvL4wNqM/T5z8wKfmsJI/AAAAAAAACB8/AVlj3K9LlRY/s640/DSCN2457.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibiscus Profusion: A Very Common Sight</td></tr>
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If
you are a foodie, then Coorg is an amazing place to be. For me, the
breakfasts there, were the most memorable. On day one, we had <i>Paputtu</i>,
which is a soft rice cake with lots of coconut in it. And the next morning
we had <i>Sannaas</i>, which is a kind of idli, only fluffier and tastier.
Sannaas is made of rice, coconut and a little toddy. While my husband
and I rounded off breakfast with wonderful strong Coorg coffee, my son
had fresh, sweet milk from cows that grazed on pastures all day long.
Even the eggs were from hens that roamed all over the place, pecking on
worms and insects. Yet, the milk and eggs didn't have the
designer "organic, free-range" label that we see in cities. All the food
- the vegetables and grain came from within the estate. To urban food
activists, that would mean zero food miles. Here, however, eating local
didn't seem anything out of the ordinary. "Organic", "Free range",
"Local" may not be a part of the regular Coorgi vocabulary. But we realized that they are a way of life here.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUiPO1TG2QY/T5z8wg05hLI/AAAAAAAACCA/UNJ33q7PlLA/s1600/DSCN2482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YUiPO1TG2QY/T5z8wg05hLI/AAAAAAAACCA/UNJ33q7PlLA/s640/DSCN2482.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This cow has all the grass to herself. City cows would really envy her.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sQmGfiBz_uI/T5z84dFQtaI/AAAAAAAACCU/hdbu3nT9FZI/s1600/DSCN2485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="394" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sQmGfiBz_uI/T5z84dFQtaI/AAAAAAAACCU/hdbu3nT9FZI/s640/DSCN2485.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Free-range, organic, local" hens</td></tr>
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Besides
the food, the natural beauty of the place is magical. Just sitting in
the verandah, I could spot so many new species of birds that I'd never
seen before. The biggest surprise for me was the Malabar Whistling
Thrush. I mistook its call for a man's whistle. By the end of my stay, I lost count of all the new birds I'd seen. Coorg is a bird lover's dream.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZ334MlTI90/T5z8Uv68YdI/AAAAAAAACBA/ZdIEZ8WV7io/s1600/DSCN2400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZ334MlTI90/T5z8Uv68YdI/AAAAAAAACBA/ZdIEZ8WV7io/s640/DSCN2400.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swallows on the Lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1bTVig3PODc/T5z85He-MiI/AAAAAAAACCc/SgdhsZ2kCAE/s1600/DSCN2486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="524" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1bTVig3PODc/T5z85He-MiI/AAAAAAAACCc/SgdhsZ2kCAE/s640/DSCN2486.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Dove in its Nest in the Verandah</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQ_u6JuBQUo/T5z8oWhMdCI/AAAAAAAACBw/-2lnMpxSyrg/s1600/DSCN2450.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQ_u6JuBQUo/T5z8oWhMdCI/AAAAAAAACBw/-2lnMpxSyrg/s400/DSCN2450.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Delicate Rose: Notice the Leaves have been Chomped on</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUCzH_PYwoE/T5z9Bp_m-fI/AAAAAAAACC4/83IvgjaldqA/s1600/hibiscus+collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="540" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dUCzH_PYwoE/T5z9Bp_m-fI/AAAAAAAACC4/83IvgjaldqA/s640/hibiscus+collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the Many Varieties of Hibiscus at Spice Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<div style="color: black; text-align: justify;">
The hills, the never ending stretches of coffee plantations, the fragrant air, the
waterfalls, the endless variety of hibsicus flowers, the exotic spices, the vanilla,
the wild roses, the forests, the fruit trees all made Coorg seem like
paradise. Did Coorgis have any problems, I wondered. Of course they have
problems. And they have REAL problems I soon discovered. Traffic jams and crowded buses don't count. Here, it is the
danger of coming face to face with a tiger. The cab driver
who drove us around told us, he had spotted tigers at least six times in
the past year. The old tigers come to steal their cattle. The elephants destroy
their fields. The solar fencing doesn't really deter them. Leopards eat
up their pets. Poisonous Cobras and Vipers bite them in paddy fields.
But as a brave warrior race, the Coorgis seem to take all these dangers in their
stride.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asafoetida (Hing): The resin is dried in the sun for use.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0hhfVXISgLs/T5z8nUm4-2I/AAAAAAAACBo/MY8fDWyCiSk/s1600/DSCN2431.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0hhfVXISgLs/T5z8nUm4-2I/AAAAAAAACBo/MY8fDWyCiSk/s400/DSCN2431.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AllSpice: The all-in-one garam masala spice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RSwD00hj-g/T5z84KjrQ1I/AAAAAAAACCQ/tT3JLH3de18/s1600/DSCN2493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RSwD00hj-g/T5z84KjrQ1I/AAAAAAAACCQ/tT3JLH3de18/s640/DSCN2493.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Typical Plantation, with solar fencing to ward off elephants: Here there's Coffee, Areca Nut and Cocoa (right in front) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="color: black; text-align: justify;">
Before
I end this post, I must apologize to all my regular blog readers. It's
been more than a month and I've not been able to visit any of your
blogs. My own posts are now less frequent. It was only last year, I
discovered the joys of blogging. And I hoped it would go on forever. But
with my long hours at work, my blog time is severely restricted. I
don't mean to quit blogdom altogether, but I will be here less often. I
hope my blog can make up for the lack in quantity with quality. Do keep
visiting.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0hhfVXISgLs/T5z8nUm4-2I/AAAAAAAACBo/MY8fDWyCiSk/s1600/DSCN2431.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjTCDizp3mM/T5z8dNqx07I/AAAAAAAACBQ/cj2IZ7aJrD8/s1600/DSCN2417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oIcjO36RLTc/T5z8-So0SUI/AAAAAAAACCo/2hjyjpQDU2A/s1600/DSCN2497.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oIcjO36RLTc/T5z8-So0SUI/AAAAAAAACCo/2hjyjpQDU2A/s640/DSCN2497.JPG" width="556" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Jackfruit Tree: Elephants love the fruit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cRXXNDQpCLM/T5z8v6zaoeI/AAAAAAAACB4/YkH1ot3zjOc/s1600/DSCN2469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cRXXNDQpCLM/T5z8v6zaoeI/AAAAAAAACB4/YkH1ot3zjOc/s400/DSCN2469.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Singapore Cherries: Attracts birds and little boys. Even we couldn't resist eating all the ripe ones.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a6Td7jV9k94/T5z8RBm1fkI/AAAAAAAACA4/mYhWS7z2cYA/s1600/DSCN2395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a6Td7jV9k94/T5z8RBm1fkI/AAAAAAAACA4/mYhWS7z2cYA/s400/DSCN2395.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Green Mangoes: Kaddu Manga</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9NYT2PtETE/T5z8_oOSsTI/AAAAAAAACCw/M2hxERBON_w/s1600/DSCN2504.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X9NYT2PtETE/T5z8_oOSsTI/AAAAAAAACCw/M2hxERBON_w/s640/DSCN2504.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Wild Elephant with her Calf, at Naagarhole Reserve Forest</td></tr>
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</div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-7029060871314407532012-03-09T17:30:00.000-08:002012-03-09T17:30:50.214-08:00Rajnigandha and Some Veggies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MedEosn5BPg/T1Oad7juSMI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/QexgU7Wr4No/s1600/DSCN2255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MedEosn5BPg/T1Oad7juSMI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/QexgU7Wr4No/s400/DSCN2255.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rajnigandha/ Tube Rose </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWi5qPClHks/T1Oaq317pJI/AAAAAAAAB_0/Gmf5G2OtGiQ/s1600/DSCN2262.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my last post, nearly four weeks ago, I'd shown you my Rajnigandha buds. And I've been meaning to write about the flowers, but my new job keeps me busy and the flowers have been slow to come. From the the first bud to the withering of the last flower, it has taken at least two months. They've been really slow but it's been well worth the wait. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWi5qPClHks/T1Oaq317pJI/AAAAAAAAB_0/Gmf5G2OtGiQ/s1600/DSCN2262.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FWi5qPClHks/T1Oaq317pJI/AAAAAAAAB_0/Gmf5G2OtGiQ/s400/DSCN2262.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers Bloom One at a Time</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The cluster of buds, open one at a time, from the outside. And I think it took nearly a month for the first bud to bloom. The flowers aren't spectacular to look at. It's the fragrance that is absolutely irresistible. The scent is so heady, so intense, yet not cloying. I wish Blogger would allow me to post its scent for you. Let me at least post the link to a song about it, one of my favourite Hindi film songs - "<a href="http://www.smashits.com/rajnigandha/rajnigandha-phool-tumhare/song-77273.html">Rajnigandha Phool Tumhare</a>". </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-juTT8tXaLeo/T1OaqRVwluI/AAAAAAAAB_w/XsLyGFFEGR8/s1600/DSCN2280.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-juTT8tXaLeo/T1OaqRVwluI/AAAAAAAAB_w/XsLyGFFEGR8/s400/DSCN2280.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night Bloomers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For those who don't know, "Rajnigandha" loosely translates to "night-fragrant". The flowers open at night. It's a good choice for a moon garden. Rajnigandha or Tube Rose are bulbs that are suppose to bloom in summer, but I've been lucky. Of course, I've fed them quite a bit as I was told they need lots of nutrition. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5U_cwcPsMyg/T1Oah55hibI/AAAAAAAAB_o/dUXQDe7wnsw/s1600/DSCN2261.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5U_cwcPsMyg/T1Oah55hibI/AAAAAAAAB_o/dUXQDe7wnsw/s400/DSCN2261.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Withered and Gone</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-juTT8tXaLeo/T1OaqRVwluI/AAAAAAAAB_w/XsLyGFFEGR8/s1600/DSCN2280.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Every day as I reach home, I pass a flower bazaar fully stocked with Rajnigandha garlands. These garlands are very popular in India, especially at weddings. I think the flowers are known to have aphrodisiac properties. I read somewhere that they're also used in therapies, as they are amazing de-stressers. One long sniff of the flower filled me with calm and goodness. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fIiJlgh_W7c/T1Oad5jTPvI/AAAAAAAAB_c/0wlt1r5vrYk/s1600/DSCN2257.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fIiJlgh_W7c/T1Oad5jTPvI/AAAAAAAAB_c/0wlt1r5vrYk/s400/DSCN2257.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Haul of Pink Mooli</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5U_cwcPsMyg/T1Oah55hibI/AAAAAAAAB_o/dUXQDe7wnsw/s1600/DSCN2261.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A<span style="font-size: small;">part from Rajnigandha, the recent highlights of my garden have been pink mooli and capsicum. While I thought pink mooli would be more attractive than the white ones, the white ones actually yielded much better. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps it was because the pink mooli seeds were 100% organic and traditional. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> These pink mooli were really tiny, about half the size of the white one, which was not too large either. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fIiJlgh_W7c/T1Oad5jTPvI/AAAAAAAAB_c/0wlt1r5vrYk/s1600/DSCN2257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BqRjuYSSNYw/T1Oabu1Y3aI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/EiUq8K-UYkU/s1600/DSCN2243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BqRjuYSSNYw/T1Oabu1Y3aI/AAAAAAAAB_Q/EiUq8K-UYkU/s400/DSCN2243.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink Mooli Leaves: More Sharply Lobed than White Mooli Leaves</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">My capsicum have actually flowered and fruited. </span><span style="font-size: small;">I let the leaf curl be. And still they've managed to produce a few fruit. </span><span style="font-size: small;">I expected them to be yellow-red, but they're plain old green :( Think I mixed up the seeds. At last I know what a homegrown capsicum is all about: really crunchy.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uL-FaCpAdH8/T1qqcVF_qQI/AAAAAAAACAU/F9GgoUCpcy4/s1600/DSCN2227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uL-FaCpAdH8/T1qqcVF_qQI/AAAAAAAACAU/F9GgoUCpcy4/s400/DSCN2227.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capsicum/Bell Pepper/Sweet Pepper Flower (You can't miss the leaf curl)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gXDkMNcBihc/T1qqfHxB34I/AAAAAAAACAc/CbMO2r2rO-U/s1600/DSCN2351first.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gXDkMNcBihc/T1qqfHxB34I/AAAAAAAACAc/CbMO2r2rO-U/s320/DSCN2351first.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My First Tiny Capsicum. Next to a Teaspoon for Scale</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JC3Bw7N6rHs/T1qqjsznamI/AAAAAAAACAk/A1hGtHWtyeE/s1600/DSCN2366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JC3Bw7N6rHs/T1qqjsznamI/AAAAAAAACAk/A1hGtHWtyeE/s400/DSCN2366.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Capsicum</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-19233011745469457892012-02-06T09:14:00.000-08:002012-02-06T09:14:19.907-08:00New Beginnings<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">January is a good time of year to start plants in Chennai. The weather is as pleasant as can be. The sun shines brightly, but doesn't scorch the plants. This year, the temperatures touched a ten-year low in Jan, for which I'm very happy as I'd planted some carrots for the first time. Carrots here, are among the exotic "hill vegetables", (since we get all our carrots from the surrounding, cooler hills.) While the seeds sprouted in less than a week and have been growing steadily since, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It's too early to say whether my carrots will actually grow in Chennai's "cold" weather.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apqqT-eAnSo/Ty80vj8B5II/AAAAAAAAB6s/DAKmTAYCn5o/s1600/DSCN2204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apqqT-eAnSo/Ty80vj8B5II/AAAAAAAAB6s/DAKmTAYCn5o/s400/DSCN2204.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Carrot Seedlings: To be Thinned</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now in Feb, many of the seeds sown last month have transformed into sturdy little seedlings. Here are some photos. My earlier basil bush was overgrown, so I decided to start it from seed once more. Basil is so easy to grow here that starting from seed is much easier than re-potting and pruning an old bush.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3NuFJvHK70U/Ty80lswyhVI/AAAAAAAAB6k/AXWi5xrX7oA/s1600/DSCN2208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3NuFJvHK70U/Ty80lswyhVI/AAAAAAAAB6k/AXWi5xrX7oA/s400/DSCN2208.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sweet Basil Starting Out</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Last year's spinach went to seed after several wonderful harvests. So this year, I intend to invest in some more spinach. While I had nearly 100% germination success with the seeds, many of the seedlings have been trampled upon by squirrels and crows. The crows come to peck at pieces of egg shells that are part of the compost.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I09E11HVS5g/Ty_6SVm_N9I/AAAAAAAAB7c/QBT9QEazc54/s1600/DSCN2166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I09E11HVS5g/Ty_6SVm_N9I/AAAAAAAAB7c/QBT9QEazc54/s640/DSCN2166.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spinach: A Year Old</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTlUEKFQHPM/Ty81clZdkmI/AAAAAAAAB68/bpR6BQ8bvGM/s1600/DSCN2211.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTlUEKFQHPM/Ty81clZdkmI/AAAAAAAAB68/bpR6BQ8bvGM/s400/DSCN2211.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spinach: Less than a Month Old</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bell pepper plants look like strange chilly plants. The leaves don't seem too well. Perhaps it's because I've done something that is strongly discouraged. The capsicum seeds weren't bought, but saved from a capsicum that I got from the market. The capsicum was yellow-red and probably hybrid. Since it seems near impossible to get yellow and red bell pepper seeds from anywhere near my place, I was left with no better option. But seeds from hybrid plants yield poorly. I am just hoping that they will at least yield a couple of capsicums.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTH6cBJQNUM/Ty8z31xMV7I/AAAAAAAAB6U/s3SAwT6qtPo/s1600/DSCN2194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="547" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JTH6cBJQNUM/Ty8z31xMV7I/AAAAAAAAB6U/s3SAwT6qtPo/s640/DSCN2194.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The curry leaf tree and the lemon tree (both in pots) are showing a lot of promise. Many tender green leaves have sprouted all over.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ws0WRYesug/Ty81z7CnDDI/AAAAAAAAB7M/oJl8hTe1PoI/s1600/DSCN2226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Ws0WRYesug/Ty81z7CnDDI/AAAAAAAAB7M/oJl8hTe1PoI/s640/DSCN2226.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Curry Leaf Tree with Plenty of New Growth</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lots of suspense at the Tube Rose (Rajnigandha) plant. Buds have been growing a little bigger each day, for nearly two weeks now, but it is yet to flower. </span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xp2I4taw-CY/Ty8zrOEfRVI/AAAAAAAAB6M/Pg8WEazbisI/s1600/DSCN2192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xp2I4taw-CY/Ty8zrOEfRVI/AAAAAAAAB6M/Pg8WEazbisI/s640/DSCN2192.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tube Rose Buds</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While my other zinnias are beginning to fade and produce smaller flowers every time, the peach coloured zinnias have just begun to show off. These get lovelier as they age and in fact are in their best colour when they're nearly all dried up.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-g5SST-o5s/Ty8z5piTxiI/AAAAAAAAB6c/tr9GAdZZZp4/s1600/DSCN2199.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="542" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-g5SST-o5s/Ty8z5piTxiI/AAAAAAAAB6c/tr9GAdZZZp4/s640/DSCN2199.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Zinnias Basking in the Sunlight</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">And just like my garden is making a fresh start, so am I. I've landed a new job after a longish gap. And while I am very happy about the job, it may also mean less blogging. (During the week, I have only just enough time to water my plants). So if you find fewer posts and comments from me, you know the reason. </span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-16749398382594015622012-01-27T08:57:00.000-08:002012-01-27T08:57:04.564-08:00Green Gram or Moong<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">A while ago, I'd scattered some mung sprouts, which had gone slightly stale, into an empty container. I had expected the sprouts to quickly decay and nourish the soil. Instead, one of the sprouts chose to take root. Destined to bloom, it even survived the recent cyclone Thane, which had denuded some of my other sturdier plants.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmo487qF2nA/TyJ5o7yWMAI/AAAAAAAAB50/iXFRpwrh3xE/s1600/moong+bean_tender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmo487qF2nA/TyJ5o7yWMAI/AAAAAAAAB50/iXFRpwrh3xE/s400/moong+bean_tender.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moong Pods on the Plant</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-088Sa0DD6aY/TxLW6riRroI/AAAAAAAAB5I/p3AMWRB-qDw/s1600/moong+dal+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-088Sa0DD6aY/TxLW6riRroI/AAAAAAAAB5I/p3AMWRB-qDw/s400/moong+dal+flower.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moong Bean Flower</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJHwphXNfuA/TxLXDdXd95I/AAAAAAAAB5Q/en1cfqXLsEc/s1600/moong+dal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While the couple of pods that have emerged aren't really worth a nibble, I'm still glad to see this unexpected shoot. It's always nice to know what our food looks like before it reaches the table.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJHwphXNfuA/TxLXDdXd95I/AAAAAAAAB5Q/en1cfqXLsEc/s1600/moong+dal.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kJHwphXNfuA/TxLXDdXd95I/AAAAAAAAB5Q/en1cfqXLsEc/s400/moong+dal.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dried Green Gram in the Pod</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Green gram or moong beans are extremely versatile. They can be had as fresh sprouts, as dal, as noodles and even as dessert. Moong dal is very easy to digest; in fact it was one of the first solid foods I fed my son. My favourite moong dal recipes include the Pesarattu (similar to a dosa) and Moong Dal Payasam (a lentil pudding). While Indian Payasams/Kheers are milk based, the moong dal payasam from Kerala is the only Indian <b>vegan </b>payasam that I know of. Here's my easy-to-make version of the dish.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Moong Dal Payasam / Parippu Pradhaman</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jjxsB6g9cc/TyJ5zcLVUTI/AAAAAAAAB6A/Ad-ghGvA93I/s1600/split+mung.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1jjxsB6g9cc/TyJ5zcLVUTI/AAAAAAAAB6A/Ad-ghGvA93I/s400/split+mung.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted Split Moong Dal</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ingredients:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yellow Split Moong Dal - 1/2 cup</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jaggery - 1/2 cup </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coconut Milk - 100 ml or the milk from 1 coconut </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cardamom (Elaichi) - 3 pods</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Water 2 1/3 cups</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>For the Garnish:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Halved Cashew nuts - a handful. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Raisins - a handful</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chopped coconut pieces - a handful </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enough ghee to fry the above. (Vegans can substitute the ghee with oil.)</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My recipe is only mildly sweet, so those of you with a sweet tooth can increase the amount of jaggery.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Method:</b></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">1. Dry roast the dal in a heavy bottom pan. Once the dal gets a pink tinge and a lovely roasted aroma emanates, consider the roasting done. Wash the roasted dal. Add 2 cups of water and cook it until it is soft. (You could cook it in a pressure cooker for 2 minutes after the first whistle.) Once cooked, most of the lentils should hold their shape. Lightly mash the cooked dal with a spoon or masher.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">2. In a separate vessel, melt the jaggery with 1/3 cup of water on a low flame. Be careful not to let the jaggery burn. Add the melted jaggery and crushed cardamom pods to the dal. (Only jaggery can lend the dish its characteristic flavour and dark colour, so try not to substitute jaggery with sugar.)</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">3. Slowly add the coconut milk to the dal mixture. The mixture should be gently heated over a low flame for 5 minutes, while stirring it all the time. The coconut milk can curdle if it is heated rapidly.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">4. Fry the cashew nuts in ghee/oil till they are golden brown. In the same ghee, you could fry the raisins and coconut pieces. The raisins will plump up and the coconut pieces will dry out and turn brown. Add the cashew nuts, raisins and coconut pieces to the payasam.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The payasam will thicken within an hour, and can be had warm or chilled. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3C9rUnfzRBk/TyJ5ogutkqI/AAAAAAAAB5w/xkIzcU54YVU/s1600/DSCN2179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3C9rUnfzRBk/TyJ5ogutkqI/AAAAAAAAB5w/xkIzcU54YVU/s400/DSCN2179.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moong Dal Payasam: Not great food photography, but it's both healthy and tasty.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-61672698945447494492012-01-03T22:15:00.000-08:002012-01-09T21:13:04.035-08:00Coco Peat and Other Garden Experiments for 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">My foray into vegetable gardening began only last year. And while I'm far from attaining any kind of self sufficiency in the garden, the experience has been very fruitful. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Prior to my little rooftop patch, I didn't know the taste of a tomato picked fresh off the vine. I didn't even know that at the end of their season, it would be harder to get red tomatoes. But that it was okay. Green tomatoes are perfectly edible. They just need to be used differently. It's not just the tomatoes that I understand better now. I know the taste of raw lady's fingers: they're sweet and crunchy when freshly picked and not all slimy like I expected them to be. I know that moolis don't have to be peeled when they're garden fresh, that growing fennel is as simple as growing weeds.... the list is long.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yEC-7rC5LLA/TwPiwvmLtnI/AAAAAAAAB4I/tOT9HUDXuz8/s1600/DSCN0439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yEC-7rC5LLA/TwPiwvmLtnI/AAAAAAAAB4I/tOT9HUDXuz8/s400/DSCN0439.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End-of-season Green Tomatoes and Other Garden Produce for a Chutney</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most of all, I'm glad to see that my son is learning about the food he eats. While most kids (including mine) can be picky about their vegetables, my son is very enthusiastic about the ones he's helped grow. Gardening (i.e. mucking around) is one of his favourite activities and what grows in the garden is treated with due reverence by him and indeed the whole family.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOM7iynre34/TwPj-23H2lI/AAAAAAAAB4w/xVaCTN4TwJ0/s1600/Getting+Dirty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xOM7iynre34/TwPj-23H2lI/AAAAAAAAB4w/xVaCTN4TwJ0/s400/Getting+Dirty.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Son Enjoys Messing Around in the Dirt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">So this year, I've decided to expand my garden. My plans include growing plants I've not grown before: lemon, curry leaf, capsicum and onion. I also have ambitions of growing some cool-weather vegetables. Then there are the potting soil experiments I have to do. I've heard of so many formulas for the ideal potting soil that I've now come to believe I need to develop my own, for the kind of compost I use and the weather we have. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGeOpT_XNRc/TwPjwPkaDjI/AAAAAAAAB5A/yB2269UMhNM/s1600/DSCN2103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KGeOpT_XNRc/TwPjwPkaDjI/AAAAAAAAB5A/yB2269UMhNM/s400/DSCN2103.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curry Leaf Sapling</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">At a recent gardening workshop that I attended, the many benefits of coco peat were elucidated. But sourcing coco peat in Chennai is not that easy. It was only after some hunting that I found a supplier that sells the stuff at a reasonable price. In case you're from Chennai and interested, it's the <i>Prarthana Inn Drive Nursery</i> on East Coast Road. Though Chennai is not lacking in coconut trees, it's unfortunate that coco peat isn't easily available in the market. It appears that TN suppliers find it more profitable to export this wonder material than stock it for the local market. For those of you who cannot source coco peat, an alternative would be to tear away the little coconut husk that is left on the coconuts that one gets in shops. Don't try to separate them too much and use them as little chunks itself. On separating the fibre, it seems to retain less water. Since this form of husk is not an exact substitute, use it much more judiciously.</span><br />
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</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Moq6CiWB4/TwPik_REx0I/AAAAAAAAB4A/Z61IHl9FpGA/s1600/coco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i7Moq6CiWB4/TwPik_REx0I/AAAAAAAAB4A/Z61IHl9FpGA/s400/coco.jpg" width="378" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coco Peat / Coir Fibre Pith / Coir</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">What's so great about <b>Coco Peat</b>?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Coco peat is a natural fibre derived from coconut husks. Since coconut trees grow in abundance in India, its use is environment friendly. It has tremendous water retention capacity and cannot be easily over-watered. It helps soil aeration and provides for a healthy root system. Because it is lightweight, it's a good option for rooftop gardens housed on roofs that haven't been treated to bear the extra weight. However, since coco peat doesn't provide any nutrients of its own -- it could in fact draw some of the nutrition away from the plant -- regular fertilizing is important.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Equipped with plenty of coco peat and compost this year, I've begun planting my seeds in my new potting soil. If my soil recipe works well, I shall post it. Here is my homemade seed starter tray - a discarded egg carton. The seeds were from a coloured capsicum that I dried at home. The >90% germination rate indicates that I'm on the right track. While I like to start all my plants from seed, the lemon and curry leaf trees are going to be exceptions. I've got saplings of the two as the right seeds are hard to find.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XaZ7xtHzaPg/TwPj7hiRagI/AAAAAAAAB4o/np5MaM_m45g/s1600/DSCN2108.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XaZ7xtHzaPg/TwPj7hiRagI/AAAAAAAAB4o/np5MaM_m45g/s320/DSCN2108.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capsicum Seedlings: 11/12 Sprouts in a Converted Egg Carton</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">More about them and other new plants in future posts. Till then, <b>happy gardening!</b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sfrqNSEbuwU/TwPje7qPfzI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/FJpuUn8cT8k/s1600/DSCN2092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sfrqNSEbuwU/TwPje7qPfzI/AAAAAAAAB4Y/FJpuUn8cT8k/s400/DSCN2092.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sunny Zinnia</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-44093019444140914092011-12-30T03:21:00.000-08:002011-12-31T02:03:58.892-08:00My Holiday in Vizag<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This month, I've missed out on the many happenings in Blogosphere. My blogging hiatus was because of my three-week long holiday to Vizag, where my parents live. Three weeks is a long time and Vizag is a beautiful place. And so there's plenty I'd like to share in this post.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m1_CFxEwm_0/TvxGJfGsvgI/AAAAAAAAB28/hpGITepbndE/s1600/vz.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m1_CFxEwm_0/TvxGJfGsvgI/AAAAAAAAB28/hpGITepbndE/s640/vz.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picturesque Vizag</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Vizag is a scenic city on the east coast of India. Bounded by the Bay of Bengal on the east and dotted with many hills, this once fishing hamlet is now a major industrial hub. Although I've spent most of my growing-up years in Vizag, every year when I return, the city still throws surprises at me. And so it was this year too. This time, I happened to pay my first visit to INS Kurusura, India's only submarine museum. It was also the first time we visited Tenneti Park. This is a delightful park located high above sea level, but from where a couple of paths will lead you all the way to a quiet little beach.</span> The spruced-up <i>Jatara </i>with its newly installed life-like statues had me dropping my jaw.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGiIML_fQoc/TvxEXDHMFUI/AAAAAAAAB2U/SVC5ReRjcb0/s1600/DSC00789.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGiIML_fQoc/TvxEXDHMFUI/AAAAAAAAB2U/SVC5ReRjcb0/s640/DSC00789.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At Tenneti Park: My son had fun going down three long slides all the way to the sea.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Only the steps are visible in this picture.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rrslUtz48tI/TvxDfqds4EI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/fZGPgPL0oHw/s1600/DSC00683+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rrslUtz48tI/TvxDfqds4EI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/fZGPgPL0oHw/s640/DSC00683+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These Bullocks Ain't Real</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Here are more snapshots of our time in Vizag at the different parks and beaches. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8_6ZoUuwI98/TvxFO1EUkSI/AAAAAAAAB2k/nn9Zsp2EH90/s1600/DSCN1977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8_6ZoUuwI98/TvxFO1EUkSI/AAAAAAAAB2k/nn9Zsp2EH90/s640/DSCN1977.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Christmas Tree at VUDA Park (The park I frequented as a child).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IlOQpSklBNE/TvxEMSQCKdI/AAAAAAAAB2M/CQFNZLUdqSA/s1600/DSC00826.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IlOQpSklBNE/TvxEMSQCKdI/AAAAAAAAB2M/CQFNZLUdqSA/s640/DSC00826.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Father and Son at the Quiet Rishikonda Beach</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X48OUZjVi-g/Tv15r-fgFlI/AAAAAAAAB3c/8nUhC_GycQM/s1600/DSCN2003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X48OUZjVi-g/Tv15r-fgFlI/AAAAAAAAB3c/8nUhC_GycQM/s640/DSCN2003.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;">Early Morning at the Ramakrishna Beach: My Mother with My Son </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Vizagites take ample advantage of the city's many scenic spots, especially during <i>Karthik Masam</i>, which is after Diwali. Karthik Masam is the traditional picnic season, when hordes of families and groups can be seen to descend on every possible picnic spot. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">One such picnic spot recently developed is Jatara, which attempts to showcase rural Andhra and promote folk arts. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YMzMxD_ftE/TvxDf-wx4pI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ktmv8BwMPJs/s1600/DSC00682+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3YMzMxD_ftE/TvxDf-wx4pI/AAAAAAAAB1U/ktmv8BwMPJs/s400/DSC00682+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture at Jatara: Village Belles at the Well</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHxexnjR6Fk/Tv175i1jHzI/AAAAAAAAB3o/TYdgPd3RpDA/s1600/DSC00699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHxexnjR6Fk/Tv175i1jHzI/AAAAAAAAB3o/TYdgPd3RpDA/s320/DSC00699.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpture at Jatara: Girls Playing Traditional Games on a <i>Charpoy</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">Located amidst a reserve forest and flanked by tall green hills is the 625 acre Indira Gandhi Zoological Park. It is home to many exotic animals including lions, hippos and Himalayan bears.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lH5GWYYgiKE/TvxKTsn03HI/AAAAAAAAB3M/op1UMHXT5ww/s1600/DSC00724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lH5GWYYgiKE/TvxKTsn03HI/AAAAAAAAB3M/op1UMHXT5ww/s640/DSC00724.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sirish, the White Tiger</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Some Interesting Pictures of Vizag's Flora and Fauna</b><br />
<br />
<b>Fruits</b> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9C-p2-HNUoQ/TvxEK5N8k-I/AAAAAAAAB2E/oepnNxEcECo/s1600/DSC00788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9C-p2-HNUoQ/TvxEK5N8k-I/AAAAAAAAB2E/oepnNxEcECo/s400/DSC00788.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Custard Apple-shaped Dustbin at a Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="325" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gd4GPF362N4/TvxFAiw1d6I/AAAAAAAAB2c/m5jCRw8hDto/s400/DSCN1967.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumbo Lemon Sourced from the Farmers' Market. One of these = 6 limes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Birds and Beasts</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ2zNn6XU9U/TvxDfXUZrLI/AAAAAAAAB1M/Sx6rdtp5liI/s1600/DSC00678+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NQ2zNn6XU9U/TvxDfXUZrLI/AAAAAAAAB1M/Sx6rdtp5liI/s400/DSC00678+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooster at Jatara</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_ZXfXZkJgY/TvxDjKPRM4I/AAAAAAAAB1w/RNJD0TMNIK8/s1600/DSC00707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k_ZXfXZkJgY/TvxDjKPRM4I/AAAAAAAAB1w/RNJD0TMNIK8/s400/DSC00707.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emus at the Zoo<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kVbkQkBeYk/TvxDlRreTEI/AAAAAAAAB18/Zpy1PQq3hLI/s1600/DSC00712+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3kVbkQkBeYk/TvxDlRreTEI/AAAAAAAAB18/Zpy1PQq3hLI/s640/DSC00712+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sambar Deer Against the Backdrop of a Banyan Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wH9v239GXbA/TvxDinUGwqI/AAAAAAAAB1o/vdtzpP5_fSc/s1600/DSC00687+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wH9v239GXbA/TvxDinUGwqI/AAAAAAAAB1o/vdtzpP5_fSc/s320/DSC00687+-+Copy.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terracotta Pony</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0hVk7qNuu2k/TvxDiLxCxZI/AAAAAAAAB1k/kpjoIIlm2Ho/s1600/DSC00686+-+Copy.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0hVk7qNuu2k/TvxDiLxCxZI/AAAAAAAAB1k/kpjoIIlm2Ho/s320/DSC00686+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Grasshoppers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-size: small;">A trip to Vizag is incomplete without visiting the Kailash Giri hill. As the name indicates, Kailash Giri is a hill-top park that has a massive Siva-Parvati statue. What sets it apart from other hills are its gardens, a rope-way, a circular train, a non-conventional energy park and plenty of kid attractions. Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, it offers several panoramic views of the city. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wS0EWX6JHyg/TvxGJa4StyI/AAAAAAAAB3A/1xj5MuKTe8k/s1600/DSCN2042.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wS0EWX6JHyg/TvxGJa4StyI/AAAAAAAAB3A/1xj5MuKTe8k/s640/DSCN2042.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Kailash Giri</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2qenoa5F_4/Tv2Xyp9p_qI/AAAAAAAAB30/TNoB23E5D24/s1600/ropeway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m2qenoa5F_4/Tv2Xyp9p_qI/AAAAAAAAB30/TNoB23E5D24/s640/ropeway.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cable Car at Kailash Giri is Extremely Popular</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The hills, the beaches and its affable inhabitants make Vizag an endearing place. Yet, behind the apparent beauty, the city harbours some ugly secrets. The air and water pollution in Vizag has been going from bad to worse over the years. During my visit this time, there were local newspaper reports of hundreds of fish dying near the Shipyard. To be precise, two tons of mackerel fish had died, presumably due to the unchecked release of industrial effluents into the sea. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AYUqpLjRdQM/TvxFocotZCI/AAAAAAAAB2s/1witPoQkf-I/s1600/DSCN2027.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AYUqpLjRdQM/TvxFocotZCI/AAAAAAAAB2s/1witPoQkf-I/s640/DSCN2027.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fog or Smog?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">Most of the city's pollution can be attributed to the steel plant, the oil refinery, the port trust, and several other factories that border the city. People are finally waking up to the industrial damage and questioning unbridled growth. On the penultimate day of our holiday, the whole family had packed up for a trip to the Anantagiri hills, a two-hour drive from Vizag. Midway, we found ourselves stranded when a huge group of tribal farmers had blocked the road (the only one to the hills) as a mark of protest. They were protesting against the destructive mining activities in the region and were determined to send back a government delegation (and everyone else) who were visiting that day. While we were rather disappointed to turn back, I believe those farmers may in fact have been doing us a favour. Our trees, hills and beaches need to be protected and unfortunately road blocks and hartals seem to be an effective way.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">My green wishlist for 2012: </span><span style="font-size: small;">a greener rooftop garden and more importantly, a greener, cleaner planet. </span></div></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-25679727619003983012011-11-29T22:40:00.000-08:002011-12-12T17:38:15.486-08:00Camouflage - II<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In one of my <a href="http://redripetomatoes.blogspot.com/2011/07/camouflage.html">earlier posts</a>, I'd described how I stumbled on a leaf insect. Well, it seems like leaf insects are dime a dozen. One just needs to look through their cunning camouflage.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The other day, I spotted this green leaf insect resting on my Sweet Basil plant. Its spindly legs were the exact hue and appearance of a thin woody basil stem, while other parts of its body bore the illusion of mottled basil leaves.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ww-oFzdnrWQ/TtRqxZHZI2I/AAAAAAAAB08/_1JMDrLfx2k/s1600/Spot+Me+If+You+Can.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ww-oFzdnrWQ/TtRqxZHZI2I/AAAAAAAAB08/_1JMDrLfx2k/s400/Spot+Me+If+You+Can.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spot Me If You Can</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEbtuUwpvVw/TtRqKabIsAI/AAAAAAAAB0s/53t-Fj7bmjk/s1600/Belly+Up+-+Green+Leaf+Insect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uEbtuUwpvVw/TtRqKabIsAI/AAAAAAAAB0s/53t-Fj7bmjk/s640/Belly+Up+-+Green+Leaf+Insect.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <strike>Green Leaf Insect</strike> Wandering Violin Mantis</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">in Belly-up Position</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The next morning I went to check on the insect, not quite expecting to still find it. I was in for a big surprise, when not only did I find my original green leaf insect, I also found two other brown leaf insects. All three insects were pressed against each other. My theory is that the two brown ones were males who were fighting for the lone green female. In the evening, I found one of the brown insects all by himself in a corner, while the other brown chap was sticking to the green one. Isn't that how it usually is in the animal kingdom.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4DLQzp3_JQ/TtRqs_Lq9TI/AAAAAAAAB00/SpfYmHDRwLM/s1600/There+are+3+of+us.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j4DLQzp3_JQ/TtRqs_Lq9TI/AAAAAAAAB00/SpfYmHDRwLM/s640/There+are+3+of+us.jpg" width="480" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are 3 of Us Here: One Green and Two Brown</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OV34qVaAfB0/TtRp0tJ4imI/AAAAAAAAB0k/cw7oN_tERj4/s1600/In+a+Tussle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="518" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OV34qVaAfB0/TtRp0tJ4imI/AAAAAAAAB0k/cw7oN_tERj4/s640/In+a+Tussle.JPG" width="640" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">In a Tussle?</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">I now believe that I've probably brushed past many a leaf insect without a second glance, owing to its brilliant camouflage.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">PS: I'm off on holiday, so you may not hear from me for a while. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Update: I had incorrectly identified the above insects as Leaf Insects. I believe the insect is actually the </i></span><b><i>Wandering Violin Mantis.<br />
</i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-52506358531764117502011-11-28T20:48:00.000-08:002011-11-28T20:48:27.372-08:00A Splash of Colour<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The unrelenting rain has taken a toll on our garden. There are broken branches everywhere. The paths are slushy and slippery. The ground is waterlogged. And my potato experiment is most likely to fail, for the </span><span style="font-size: small;">third time this year. </span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqow2H83O_0/TtRY9X9heZI/AAAAAAAABzg/nXBk_SLb68M/s1600/DSCN1896.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lM-u__LciTE/TtRZVaEmsxI/AAAAAAAABzo/CqLXVWWq8AU/s1600/DSCN1899.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lM-u__LciTE/TtRZVaEmsxI/AAAAAAAABzo/CqLXVWWq8AU/s320/DSCN1899.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden in Disarray<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqow2H83O_0/TtRY9X9heZI/AAAAAAAABzg/nXBk_SLb68M/s1600/DSCN1896.JPG" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqow2H83O_0/TtRY9X9heZI/AAAAAAAABzg/nXBk_SLb68M/s320/DSCN1896.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waterlogged Potato Plant </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bqow2H83O_0/TtRY9X9heZI/AAAAAAAABzg/nXBk_SLb68M/s1600/DSCN1896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">But in this post, I'm choosing to focus only on the beauty that's still around us. Granting a respite from the dark, grey skies are a few bright and colourful blooms in the garden. Here is my first Zinnia flower. I'm grateful that it obliged to bloom in such wet weather. While in most regions, gardeners strictly follow a sowing and harvest season, in Chennai we do get away without following the calendar. With the exception of the monsoon months, throughout the year, the weather in Chennai is much the same: hot and humid. If the plants aren't weak and immature when the monsoons strike, most plants can tide over.</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QooMPW2alII/TtRZnIPh1WI/AAAAAAAABz4/g60rQT-09lg/s1600/DSCN1950.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QooMPW2alII/TtRZnIPh1WI/AAAAAAAABz4/g60rQT-09lg/s400/DSCN1950.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zinnia</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">A<span style="font-size: small;">nother plant that's just begun blooming is my Butter Bean. When a small batch of fresh butter beans were forgotten and too old to be eaten, instead of throwing them away in the compost bin, I carelessly scattered them in a spare container. While the squirrels destroyed every other seedling that sprouted, this vine seems to have made it. </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-brkONuqEahM/TtRZo5zneMI/AAAAAAAAB0A/6RkD2kr5pxM/s1600/yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hb05ekiqIXY/TtRYsjEyD9I/AAAAAAAABzY/epGLgaxB1qk/s1600/DSCN1949.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hb05ekiqIXY/TtRYsjEyD9I/AAAAAAAABzY/epGLgaxB1qk/s400/DSCN1949.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Butter Bean Bloom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-brkONuqEahM/TtRZo5zneMI/AAAAAAAAB0A/6RkD2kr5pxM/s1600/yellow.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-brkONuqEahM/TtRZo5zneMI/AAAAAAAAB0A/6RkD2kr5pxM/s400/yellow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drenched Yellow Bells</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Yellow Bells and Morning Glories are in full bloom. Yellow Bells, with their delicate fragrance, are terrific bee magnets. But their fragrance doesn't carry very far. For fragrance that spreads further, there is the Rangoon Creeper. This creeper has climbed up our bare, leafless Gulmohur tree. Both these are hardy plants, which require little care, but reward you with plenty. </span> </div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_q8ORfKgqk/TtRXCDAokOI/AAAAAAAABzE/nA_VSlycUAA/s1600/DSCN1862.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1_q8ORfKgqk/TtRXCDAokOI/AAAAAAAABzE/nA_VSlycUAA/s400/DSCN1862.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Bells / Yellow Trumpet Flowers in Profusion</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPaRVnRgDKk/TtRZgJC_-II/AAAAAAAABzw/vLuMP4fBRrM/s1600/scarlet+cordia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UKWan6PcisU/TtRXG0vS9QI/AAAAAAAABzM/x7xD065nLGA/s1600/DSCN1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UKWan6PcisU/TtRXG0vS9QI/AAAAAAAABzM/x7xD065nLGA/s400/DSCN1854.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning Glory: One of the 1000 Species</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U0s-1R6UrM4/TtRiwfcmY9I/AAAAAAAAB0Y/X--MXyq-n0Y/s1600/RangoonCreeper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U0s-1R6UrM4/TtRiwfcmY9I/AAAAAAAAB0Y/X--MXyq-n0Y/s400/RangoonCreeper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="color: black;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rangoon Creeper </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">All the flowers I've mentioned here are sun lovers. So unless the sun is out soon, the flowers will all be gone. The thought makes me want to sing my son's nursery rhyme: Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me.</span> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPaRVnRgDKk/TtRZgJC_-II/AAAAAAAABzw/vLuMP4fBRrM/s1600/scarlet+cordia.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QPaRVnRgDKk/TtRZgJC_-II/AAAAAAAABzw/vLuMP4fBRrM/s400/scarlet+cordia.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun-loving Scarlet Cordia Tree </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><img alt="" class="mL" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/images/cleardot.gif" /></span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-90878940437540663462011-11-17T21:30:00.000-08:002011-11-27T20:20:56.234-08:00Monsoon Skyscapes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Right now, the Northeast or winter monsoons are sweeping through Tamil Nadu. While we felt the first few thundershowers around Diwali last month, more squally weather is anticipated till the end of this year. The sky often changes colours swiftly from dark grey to clear blue. Here are a few pictures of the sky, taken in the past few days.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0mgmYtdw50/TsXabgTDh5I/AAAAAAAABu4/Uqm55YJwZUY/s1600/grey.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0mgmYtdw50/TsXabgTDh5I/AAAAAAAABu4/Uqm55YJwZUY/s640/grey.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looming Dark Thunderclouds</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0XWqNS_KQeg/TsXcN2DzEuI/AAAAAAAABvc/AkmlayTp1U4/s1600/Rainbow1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0XWqNS_KQeg/TsXcN2DzEuI/AAAAAAAABvc/AkmlayTp1U4/s640/Rainbow1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next Morning: Clear Skies and A Rainbow</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The term "Monsoon" is derived from the Arabic "Mausam", meaning season. While there are monsoons experienced in other parts of the world, the Indian Monsoons are the most spectacular, providing the country with most of its rain. Here's a layman's perspective of the workings of the monsoon. </span><span style="font-size: small;">We have two monsoon seasons: the Southwest monsoon or the summer monsoon and the Northeast monsoon or the winter monsoon.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">In summer, while the Asian continent is steadily getting heated, the surrounding giant ocean does not get similarly heated. Reason: land heats up and cools down much faster than water. The difference in heat between the land and water bodies is huge, since on the one hand we have the large Asian continent and on the other, we have an equally vast Indian ocean. As the hot air above the land rises, a low pressure is created. The cooler air from above the ocean rushes in to fill the void. Laden with moisture from the oceans, winds (blowing from the south west to the north east) hit the Indian coast by the end of summer. The date of arrival is around June 1st. This is the summer or Southwest monsoons.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
Later in the year when the sun retreats, the land cools rapidly, while the ocean still holds its heat. The result is a high pressure zone over the land, which causes the wind from the Himalayas to sweep down towards the Indian Ocean. These winds pick up moisture from the Bay of Bengal and bring rain to Tamil Nadu and other parts; these are known as the Northeast monsoon or the retreating monsoon.</span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWamXpZFDLs/TsXb-4b7oOI/AAAAAAAABvU/7Ro8PWQh-rI/s1600/Stormy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWamXpZFDLs/TsXb-4b7oOI/AAAAAAAABvU/7Ro8PWQh-rI/s640/Stormy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Sky at 11 a.m.: Cloudy Turmoil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjMAAa6AHpU/TsXacpjwraI/AAAAAAAABvA/s65I4URjkg8/s1600/azure+blue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LjMAAa6AHpU/TsXacpjwraI/AAAAAAAABvA/s65I4URjkg8/s640/azure+blue.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Western Sky at 11 a.m.: Azure Blue Skies </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> Above are pictures from yesterday, taken at exactly the same time. While parts of the sky seemed to be in turmoil, when I turned around, the scene was much calmer.</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4peW6rWC0RA/TsXccwhjxCI/AAAAAAAABvk/eGK90IAaHcU/s1600/Twilight.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4peW6rWC0RA/TsXccwhjxCI/AAAAAAAABvk/eGK90IAaHcU/s640/Twilight.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening Sky at 6 p.m.: A Beautiful Sunset </td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> By evening, the sky had cleared up a bit and was a brilliant crimson. There was little hint of the torrential rain that was to follow at night.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4TVOqm69bAs/TsXbxqE0s2I/AAAAAAAABvM/zthqrHypnX8/s1600/Soft+pink+glow.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4TVOqm69bAs/TsXbxqE0s2I/AAAAAAAABvM/zthqrHypnX8/s640/Soft+pink+glow.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soft Pink Glow</td></tr>
</tbody> </table><span style="font-size: small;">The monsoons are rather erratic and highly unpredictable. In fact, I read <a href="http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/feature-article/simply-unpredictable">here, in this rather informative article</a>, how the only predictability about the monsoon is its unpredictability. Indian farmers are hugely dependent on the monsoons. Yet, our meteorologists give us little and sometimes misleading information about this annual mega weather event. The monsoons are poorly understood and need to be studied more. With more research and better technology in the future, I hope India will have improved weather forecasts. Until then, many Indians may be more content relying on astrological predictions rather than predictions from the met department.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Linked to <a href="http://skyley.blogspot.com/">Skywatch</a> </span> </div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-37178769971068243772011-10-22T18:14:00.000-07:002011-10-22T21:04:23.375-07:00Drumstick and Other Edible Flowers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BjmsIH4sIXQ/TqEzYCl3BAI/AAAAAAAABq8/1aL6NV3JEd0/s1600/DSCN1590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="422" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BjmsIH4sIXQ/TqEzYCl3BAI/AAAAAAAABq8/1aL6NV3JEd0/s640/DSCN1590.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Roof: Drumstick Tree in Bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The <b>Drumstick </b>tree is an incredible tree. Nearly every part of the tree is edible: leaves, flowers, pods, seeds, roots and even bark. Right now, one of the five drumstick trees in our common garden is in bloom. The flowers<span style="background-color: red;"></span> I discovered only recently, are not just edible; they're delicious. If you're lucky to have a drumstick tree, it wont hurt to occasionally sample a bunch or two. But since the flowers go on to produce pods, it's inadvisable to amass all the flowers.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_rVbIzg-j0/TqEz42E5H_I/AAAAAAAABrE/EHWMQjTsLnQ/s1600/DSCN1606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_rVbIzg-j0/TqEz42E5H_I/AAAAAAAABrE/EHWMQjTsLnQ/s400/DSCN1606.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drumstick (Moringa) Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With input from my mother, here's<b> </b>a simple<b> Drumstick Flower recipe</b> that I devised.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLytTjBRkEw/TqEz88s4i0I/AAAAAAAABrM/pKbKwJyTSOE/s1600/DSCN1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLytTjBRkEw/TqEz88s4i0I/AAAAAAAABrM/pKbKwJyTSOE/s400/DSCN1610.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients for My Drumstick Flower Recipe</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Ingredients:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Drumstick flowers - 2 cups</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Freshly grated coconut - 1 cup<br />
Green chillies - 2<br />
Cumin seeds - 2 tsps<br />
Oil for frying<br />
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp or as per taste<br />
Salt - As per taste<br />
<b>Method:</b><br />
Grind the coconut, chillies and cumin to a coarse paste. In a pan, fry the paste in oil for a few minutes. Pick and thoroughly wash the drumstick flowers. Add the flowers and a little water to the pan. Add salt and turmeric. Cover and cook till done. The dish should be ready in about 10 minutes.</span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oERTfLEJ69k/TqE0EoIYjSI/AAAAAAAABrU/A8TCQtMc85I/s1600/DSCN1611.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oERTfLEJ69k/TqE0EoIYjSI/AAAAAAAABrU/A8TCQtMc85I/s400/DSCN1611.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooked Drumstick Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7iF4MviDNU/TqEzCBFLQII/AAAAAAAABq0/soXWEL0nffU/s1600/DSCN1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The flowers taste a bit like mushrooms or banana flowers. Banana flowers are however quite laborious to prepare and can be astringent, if not cooked right. </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7iF4MviDNU/TqEzCBFLQII/AAAAAAAABq0/soXWEL0nffU/s1600/DSCN1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7iF4MviDNU/TqEzCBFLQII/AAAAAAAABq0/soXWEL0nffU/s640/DSCN1576.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fennel Basking in the Sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tq8y1Gmtm-I/TqEy1ZF_NEI/AAAAAAAABqs/JGFaYsu3yXU/s1600/DSCN1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another 100% edible plant, from flower to bulb is <b>Fennel </b>or <i><b>Saunf</b></i>. My Fennel plant on the rooftop is currently in full bloom. The flowers along with the seeds are delightfully sweet, which are food not just for humans but a variety of insects. Mid morning, when the sun is shining brightly, there's a swarm of insects hovering over the fennel flowers.<br />
</span><br />
<div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jo7aOZ4jo7E/TqE2VML8O-I/AAAAAAAABrw/y6MFsj3zAAM/s1600/DSCN1621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jo7aOZ4jo7E/TqE2VML8O-I/AAAAAAAABrw/y6MFsj3zAAM/s400/DSCN1621.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Insects </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">In India,</span><span style="color: black;"> fennel is most popular as an <b>after-meal mouth freshener and digestive aid</b>. It also features in several Kashmiri and Gujarati cuisines. Surprisingly, the spice doesn't figure very much in south Indian cooking, despite the fact that it grows very easily here. Just sprinkle a few store-bought seeds in the soil and you'll be rewarded with plenty of fragrant fennel. If you plan to grow them in containers on the rooftop like me, you may want to water them twice a day on very sunny days, lest they wilt. Otherwise, fennel appears to be hardy and well suited to Chennai's hot climate.</span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tq8y1Gmtm-I/TqEy1ZF_NEI/AAAAAAAABqs/JGFaYsu3yXU/s1600/DSCN1561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="341" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tq8y1Gmtm-I/TqEy1ZF_NEI/AAAAAAAABqs/JGFaYsu3yXU/s400/DSCN1561.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Fennel Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> There are a few other flowers in our garden that fall into the edible category. <br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b style="color: black;">Aparajita or Butterfly Pea</b><span style="color: black;">: I recently planted Aparajita in one of my containers. It's another easy-to-grow plant, which will add colour to a garden, perennially. The flowers are deep blue and have a unique shell shape. While I am attracted to the flowers, so are the neighbourhood squirrels. Every morning, there may be several aparajitas that have bloomed. But the squirrels tramp around and by evening they are reduced to shreds. These flowers are edible and are used to <b>colour </b>food. At <a href="http://redripetomatoes.blogspot.com/2011/06/auroville-city-of-dawn.html"> Auroville</a>, you may be able to buy yourself a bottle of Aparajita <b>syrup</b>, which has a refreshing, rather unique flavour.</span></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XH4r6z3pwNw/TqEyD_J3r6I/AAAAAAAABqc/u918PNkPP4E/s1600/DSCN1533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XH4r6z3pwNw/TqEyD_J3r6I/AAAAAAAABqc/u918PNkPP4E/s400/DSCN1533.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aparajita</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1dE7hzJBy4Q/TqEyakTL42I/AAAAAAAABqk/f9mKB5Gitxs/s1600/DSCN0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Hibiscus</b></span><span style="font-size: small;">: Another source of food <b>colour </b>and <b>syrups </b>are hibiscus flowers. They're also used to <b>flavour tea</b>. But I doubt the hibiscus flowers from our common garden have ever found their way into a kitchen. We mostly use it for worship.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1dE7hzJBy4Q/TqEyakTL42I/AAAAAAAABqk/f9mKB5Gitxs/s1600/DSCN0624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1dE7hzJBy4Q/TqEyakTL42I/AAAAAAAABqk/f9mKB5Gitxs/s400/DSCN0624.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hibiscus rosa sinensis<i><b><br />
</b></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>Jasmine: </b>The queen of fragrances, this flower is used to scent <b>tea</b>. Recently, I received a tin of Taiwanese Jasmine tea from my neighbour. The delicate fragrance and flavour of the tea was heavenly, almost intoxicating. Jasmine Tea is a specialty tea from China that is supposed to have health benefits. Having savored Jasmine tea, I wonder why we don't have other Jasmine flavoured food and drink.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hvhf21TGbgo/TqExxxSURnI/AAAAAAAABqU/5KPc-VTQ6oo/s1600/DSCN1223.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Hvhf21TGbgo/TqExxxSURnI/AAAAAAAABqU/5KPc-VTQ6oo/s400/DSCN1223.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arabian Jasmine. Other Names: Moghra, Malli, Mallika, Mulla, Sambac,Yasmeen, Sampaguita</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">While there are over 200 species — both shrubs and vines — belonging to the Jasmine genus, our garden has just two varieties. We have two <b>Arabian Jasmine</b> bushes, which sadly rarely ever bloom. (Recorded just two blooms this year.)</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJlWHCfscRo/TqE1UcVRhII/AAAAAAAABrc/xFdSY_4R894/s1600/DSCN1582.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FJlWHCfscRo/TqE1UcVRhII/AAAAAAAABrc/xFdSY_4R894/s640/DSCN1582.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Star Jasmine Vine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">And then we have a </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><b>Star Jasmine</b> vine, which has climbed all four stories of our building. These flowers aren't as fragrant as most jasmine, but they're always around, dangling like pretty white stars.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">There are so many edible flowers around us. But how does one really go about using them in the kitchen? I'm on the look out for flower recipes. If you have a flower recipe to share, please drop your comments.</span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-87598074919290663992011-10-20T03:06:00.000-07:002011-10-20T21:27:43.846-07:00Mooli - The One Month Wonder<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-edludnaqr8Q/Tp_vhLGtGNI/AAAAAAAABqA/FL3ALDM8bHM/s400/DSCN1630.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mooli</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Having read <a href="http://geekgardener.in/2010/11/08/how-to-grow-radish-in-containers/">Geekgardener's detailed post</a><span name="KavHltTag"> </span>on how easy it is to grow Mooli (Daikon Radish), I thought I'd experiment. Just 38 days later, the result was three crunchy Moolis. Moolis are ready for harvest in just 30 to 40 days of sowing. A few of the seedlings didn't make it to being full-grown Moolis, but I've been duly compensated with plenty of Mooli leaves. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Potatoes and Mooli leaves are a good combination.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> The tops can also be used to add extra bite to a soup, salad or raita.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4-Tv8eL3U/Tp_vdmYHmOI/AAAAAAAABp4/9kSSb-mkF2o/s1600/DSCN1638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4W4-Tv8eL3U/Tp_vdmYHmOI/AAAAAAAABp4/9kSSb-mkF2o/s400/DSCN1638.JPG" width="400" /></a><span name="KavHltTag"> <img );width:12px;="" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" /> </span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Garden to Table in 38 Days </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Moolis were grated (not peeled) and added to curd for Mooli Raita. You don't want to be peeling and wasting any part of a homegrown Mooli! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQspbEtRseY/Tp_vSMP-W-I/AAAAAAAABpw/S7tKAwhyTOw/s1600/DSCN1531.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LQspbEtRseY/Tp_vSMP-W-I/AAAAAAAABpw/S7tKAwhyTOw/s400/DSCN1531.JPG" width="400" /></a><span name="KavHltTag"> <img );width:12px;="" src="data:image/gif;base64,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" /> </span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radish Tops</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This vegetable is a great way to introduce oneself to vegetable gardening. Now that I know how easy and quick it is to grow, I am planning my second batch.</span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-5729484948707109122011-10-01T05:25:00.000-07:002011-10-01T05:25:18.517-07:00Black Pepper, Bonsais and Fruit Trees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The title of this post sums up the highlights of my mother-in-law's garden. Last weekend, my family and I visited my in-laws, who live in <b>Bangalore</b>. An avid gardener, my mother-in-law has created a charming garden over several decades. The garden is well-balanced, one that has fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, flowers and ornamental foliage plants </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">adequately represented</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">.</span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-HxM29g-wQ/ToVjhO69PMI/AAAAAAAABo4/BoC8Yh42Zig/s1600/DSC00364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MosQRAqZPgI/ToWGOawnRMI/AAAAAAAABpo/Rq-3_ElN60s/s640/collagebgl.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L to R: Fern, Begonia, Unknown, Lime, Rose, Succulent, Orchid Crown of Thorns, Ornamental Foliage and Anthurium</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-HxM29g-wQ/ToVjhO69PMI/AAAAAAAABo4/BoC8Yh42Zig/s1600/DSC00364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C-HxM29g-wQ/ToVjhO69PMI/AAAAAAAABo4/BoC8Yh42Zig/s640/DSC00364.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Section of the Garden Downstairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The narrow strips of land bordering the house are cluttered with plants and trees of various kinds. Many fruits and vegetables grow here, leaving just enough space to move around. On the other hand, the roof garden is well organised and more ornamental. Here, the family enjoys its evening tea sessions.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3U91WFAkHP0/ToVj9XO4N4I/AAAAAAAABpI/7YVB3xCtrN4/s1600/DSC00389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="443" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3U91WFAkHP0/ToVj9XO4N4I/AAAAAAAABpI/7YVB3xCtrN4/s640/DSC00389.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Family Chai Adda: Part of the Roof Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Besides other plants, the roof garden has an an envious collection of <b>succulents</b>. And though I was given several specimens of these, I must admit, I haven't quite succeeded in growing them. Could I blame my failure on the humidity of Chennai or is it my habit of over-watering that did them in? Succulents and cacti, though hardy, need to be watered carefully and I haven't really figured it out.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq8L_jSf9ak/ToVV0IGgvPI/AAAAAAAABo0/hAq5uszuMMw/s400/DSC00375.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="250" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Succulent. Harvested Paddy Hanging Beside It</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JvqDnrt_Hyk/ToVjseRNz0I/AAAAAAAABpA/Q_yx7f4Q_vY/s400/DSC00395.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose Tinted Succulent</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0C0f6VWXpNU/ToVj7uU171I/AAAAAAAABpE/EjVNrZsLkIs/s1600/DSC00396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0C0f6VWXpNU/ToVj7uU171I/AAAAAAAABpE/EjVNrZsLkIs/s400/DSC00396.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Fleshy Succulent</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The roof garden also boasts of two dainty <b>bonsai </b>trees. They are both </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ficus benjamina</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> that have aged gracefully over nearly two decades. While I have been witness to their re-potting, there are many other tricks of the bonsai trade that I am yet to learn. Pruning, wiring and careful watering are few of the secrets.</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hGLPPWH46qE/ToVktLNEDyI/AAAAAAAABpg/wHy161JNWIA/s1600/DSC00410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hGLPPWH46qE/ToVktLNEDyI/AAAAAAAABpg/wHy161JNWIA/s400/DSC00410.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ficus Benjamina Bonsai</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ornamentals add beauty to a garden. But homegrown vegetables and fruits are what truly delight us. Currently, the list of fruits and vegetables include limes, bitter gourds, pumpkins, pomegranates, custard apples, chikoos and coconuts.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Z5b6O_EDOY/ToVVk8keQ_I/AAAAAAAABos/Qo5zFSQHO08/s1600/DSC00365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Z5b6O_EDOY/ToVVk8keQ_I/AAAAAAAABos/Qo5zFSQHO08/s320/DSC00365.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bitter Gourd Creeper Climbing on the Water Well</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Near the entrance of the house is the <b>Chikoo </b>or <b>Sapota </b>tree. This tree seems to be perpetually brimming with chikoos that are intensely sweet. While the outside of a ripe chikoo looks and feels like sandpaper, the inside is soft and almost creamy. No wonder sapotas are excellent in milk shakes. Picking sapotas at the right stage is very tricky. They can be picked before they ripen, but if picked prematurely, they remain stone hard and will not ripen. Yet, if one were to wait for the fruit to ripen on the tree, chances are that they will be eaten by bats. (Fruit bats are hugely fond of Chikoos.)</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRCu0bLzLEQ/ToVkqu06J4I/AAAAAAAABpY/ey7C_U9JzDU/s1600/DSC00405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRCu0bLzLEQ/ToVkqu06J4I/AAAAAAAABpY/ey7C_U9JzDU/s640/DSC00405.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sapota or Chikoo Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The two <b>coconut </b>trees, planted by my husband and his sister in their childhood are also extremely prolific. My mother-in-law has to constantly find ways of distributing the hundreds of coconuts that are harvested each season. While some are given away to the coconut tree climber, some make it to the neighbours' kitchens. Still others are carried all the way to Chennai, whenever they visit us. The remaining coconuts are dried and used as copra.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yZzoZtS7FoU/ToVj9r8R0lI/AAAAAAAABpM/wwgvs_3jAxA/s1600/DSC00381.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yZzoZtS7FoU/ToVj9r8R0lI/AAAAAAAABpM/wwgvs_3jAxA/s640/DSC00381.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the Coconut Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">At present, one of the coconut trees supports a <b>Black Pepper</b> vine. As you can see, the vine is laden with pepper corns. Yet, this was not always the case. Apparently, Black Pepper needs plenty of mulch at its roots as it likes moist soil. It was only after my mother-in-law added loads of coconut husk fibre at the base of the vine, that the pepper yield increased. I also learnt from her how peppercorns get their various colours. The <b>green </b>unripe peppercorns are picked and dried in the sun to get <b>black </b>pepper. To get <b>white </b>pepper, the same black pepper is boiled and its skin is removed. And if you want <b>red </b>pepper, wait for the green unripe peppercorns to ripen, just as you would tomatoes. </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k22ltmlgA-o/ToVjh74r-gI/AAAAAAAABo8/4AzAu2DZCoY/s1600/DSC00370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="577" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k22ltmlgA-o/ToVjh74r-gI/AAAAAAAABo8/4AzAu2DZCoY/s640/DSC00370.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unripe Pepper Corns on the Vine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our trip to Bangalore was also marked by a visit to the famous <b>Lalbagh gardens</b>. For those who don't know, the Lalbagh Botanical Garden </span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> is a sprawling garden and a botanical study centre of international repute. We had a delightful picnic lunch under the trees there. And after lunch, we did some garden shopping at the nursery. While I chose some seeds and bulbs, my mother-in-law bought large sacks of horse manure and vermicompost. No doubt her plants are well fed. But they thrive for another reason: Tender Loving Care (TLC). My mother-in-law regularly talks to her plants. A little love goes a long way.</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xc1CPGtDoRg/ToVksSSGA8I/AAAAAAAABpc/lwEJsQs6zVw/s1600/Bottle+brush+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="554" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Xc1CPGtDoRg/ToVksSSGA8I/AAAAAAAABpc/lwEJsQs6zVw/s640/Bottle+brush+tree.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Lalbagh Gardens: Bottle Brush Tree in Bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-34952119123517092042011-09-12T23:06:00.000-07:002011-09-13T08:28:12.969-07:00Leafy Greens<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">While veggies like tomatoes and ladies fingers provide the "wow" factor in a kitchen garden, it is leafy greens that are more reliable and easy to grow.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b>Spinach</b>:<br />
Of all my kitchen garden plants, the most faithful has been spinach. For over 9 months now, I've been getting a fresh crop of crisp spinach leaves every couple of weeks. At each harvest, I leave about 25% of the inner leaves to ensure another crop. While I've always been led to believe that spinach is a cool weather plant, which is quick to bolt in hot weather, the truth seems very different. Even in the height of summer, when temperatures soared to nearly 40 degrees C, my spinach never failed me. The variety I have, is well adapted to Chennai's heat and hasn't shown any signs of bolting or ageing. My homemade compost and regular watering have seen it through.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ajSDxQuLcQ/Tm7k41ZXG5I/AAAAAAAABng/kyD9qK5zOAU/s1600/spinach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="593" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--ajSDxQuLcQ/Tm7k41ZXG5I/AAAAAAAABng/kyD9qK5zOAU/s640/spinach.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crisp Spinach Leaves</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDTBQEPMNRs/Tm7k-X1O57I/AAAAAAAABnk/XlA2GT2Pu_c/s1600/spinachclose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hDTBQEPMNRs/Tm7k-X1O57I/AAAAAAAABnk/XlA2GT2Pu_c/s640/spinachclose.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thriving Spinach</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gD6rS4FqcH8/Tm7keHZs9nI/AAAAAAAABnY/dP3i90AU45Q/s1600/DSCN1402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">This vegetable is among the easiest to prepare and is very versatile. But if you're interested in deriving the most nutrition from it, it's best to combine it with vitamin C rich foods. Freshly squeezed lemon juice before serving will do the trick. A doctor explained to me, how the iron in spinach (and in fact all greens) is of the "non-heme" kind, which isn't easily made available to the body unless combined with enhancers, such as vitamin C. <br />
<br />
<b>Drumstick Tree (Moringa) Greens:</b><br />
While the health benefits of spinach are well known, most of us do not fully appreciate the nutritional benefits of drumstick tree leaves. A few months ago, when the building gardener had vigorously cut back the drumstick trees, there were enough greens to fill several sacks, but very few takers. Even I was hesitant and took only one large bunch, though I was offered several. I sauteed the greens and sprinkled a little jaggery in the end, fearing that they would be bitter. But the leaves tasted very good and were not the least bit bitter. In fact now that I know, I'd simply prepare them the way I would spinach.</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gD6rS4FqcH8/Tm7keHZs9nI/AAAAAAAABnY/dP3i90AU45Q/s1600/DSCN1402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gD6rS4FqcH8/Tm7keHZs9nI/AAAAAAAABnY/dP3i90AU45Q/s640/DSCN1402.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Treeful of Greens: Drumstick (Moringa) Tree </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O4wnhuTzQlU/Tm7wn5pV2QI/AAAAAAAABn4/9FGC4a372u0/s1600/DSCN1431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O4wnhuTzQlU/Tm7wn5pV2QI/AAAAAAAABn4/9FGC4a372u0/s400/DSCN1431.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super-nutritious Drumstick Greens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Internet sources declare that drumstick leaves are exceptionally nutritious. They all claim that they are such an excellent source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, protein and iron that in many parts of the world they are used to fight malnutrition. What I find spectacular though is how quickly the tree grows. Even after thorough pruning, the trees have grown back in about six months. So if you can't invest much time and energy in gardening, but still want your daily serving of greens homegrown, a drumstick tree can guarantee that.<br />
<br />
<b>Microgreens and Baby Greens.</b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MUKemqLNtw/Tm7kD1_s0MI/AAAAAAAABnQ/W5AQQkvzzik/s1600/METHI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7MUKemqLNtw/Tm7kD1_s0MI/AAAAAAAABnQ/W5AQQkvzzik/s400/METHI.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fenugreek (Methi) Baby Greens</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vhMORcoREYc/Tm7k4Ne4weI/AAAAAAAABnc/_0SWOU7kbHY/s1600/MUSTARD+LEAVES.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vhMORcoREYc/Tm7k4Ne4weI/AAAAAAAABnc/_0SWOU7kbHY/s400/MUSTARD+LEAVES.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mustard Baby Greens</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xFmLvAb5PM/Tm7nzPImp9I/AAAAAAAABns/xo2ZgOEH1aA/s1600/raita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="341" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0xFmLvAb5PM/Tm7nzPImp9I/AAAAAAAABns/xo2ZgOEH1aA/s400/raita.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micro/Baby Greens in My Raita</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Microgreens are tender, young greens harvested when the first true leaves appear and they are just a few inches tall. Baby greens are slightly older and larger. Both these are great in salads and garnishes and only take a couple of weeks to harvest. An ideal option for the impatient gardener! So far, I've tasted success with mustard, fenugreek (methi) and fennel (saunf), all of which are spices found in any Indian kitchen.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iscuNO3VpO0/Tm7ozwKkkbI/AAAAAAAABn0/nu5-cmSroUU/s1600/DSCN1422.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iscuNO3VpO0/Tm7ozwKkkbI/AAAAAAAABn0/nu5-cmSroUU/s320/DSCN1422.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Radish Seedlings: Intensely Flavourful</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oI5bKu4IPqE/Tm7kWeuEHHI/AAAAAAAABnU/WDoOox7M4KI/s1600/DSCN0514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oI5bKu4IPqE/Tm7kWeuEHHI/AAAAAAAABnU/WDoOox7M4KI/s320/DSCN0514.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Beginnings: Fennel (Saunf) Greens are Great in Hummus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Another comforting fact about growing them is that they hardly require any space. Old tin cans, plastic trays and other small containers can be put to use for the cause. And all they need is a sunny spot on a windowsill or a balcony ledge.</div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-40174592856326711012011-09-08T21:52:00.000-07:002011-09-08T21:52:31.059-07:00Happy Onam!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onam"><i><b>Onam</b></i></a>, the mother of all festivals in Kerala. It is the day when the legendary King Mahabali makes his annual visit to all Malayali homes. To welcome him, a <i><b>pookalam </b></i>(flower arrangement) is made in front of the house. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I was young, I'd wake up early on Onam and go on a flower picking expedition. Flowers from the garden and the wayside were collected and arranged in rings. The flower gathering trek was as much a part of the festival as the final arrangement. Today, <a href="http://www.hindu-blog.com/2007/08/onam-pookalam-photos-of-floral-designs.html">pookalams are often grander</a>, but the flowers are usually always bought.</span><br style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /> <span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RsgdR5RSow/TmmYJO_Us4I/AAAAAAAABnE/FF1t09NOyYQ/s1600/DSCN1390+-+Copy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2RsgdR5RSow/TmmYJO_Us4I/AAAAAAAABnE/FF1t09NOyYQ/s640/DSCN1390+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pookalam - 2011; Tuberose, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Jasmine, Lotus, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here is our little pookalam made by my little boy (and me). My mother always insisted on a hibiscus flower in the centre. It symbolises the <i>koda </i>(umbrella), she said, ubiquitous in Kerala.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And this is last year's pookalam. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xz4TRMnqnwc/TmmYefCBhpI/AAAAAAAABnI/V62Q8bUnKhg/s1600/Pookalam_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xz4TRMnqnwc/TmmYefCBhpI/AAAAAAAABnI/V62Q8bUnKhg/s640/Pookalam_1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pookalam: 2010; Jasmine, Rose, Chrysanthemum, Marigold, etc.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Onam is about flowers, <i>Onasadyas </i>(feasts), new clothes and revelry. Happy Onam!</span><br style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-36911457569082243932011-09-06T17:34:00.000-07:002011-09-06T17:34:10.421-07:00Semmozhi Poonga: A Green Oasis<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yr3K_lD1R7Y/TmWw3JYC9zI/AAAAAAAABmI/JeCEkge6oMY/s1600/DSCN1298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">On Ramzan last week, we finally made our long-due trip to Semmozhi Poonga, a botanical garden in the heart of the city. Located on Cathedral Road and surrounded by several multistorey buildings, this urban garden is a green haven amid all the city clamour. Aesthetically designed and well maintained, this is probably Chennai's best urban park. </div><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SPwuYabSWWI/TmWy1ndXOvI/AAAAAAAABmw/QiobUddGBTY/s1600/DSCN1350.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="408" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SPwuYabSWWI/TmWy1ndXOvI/AAAAAAAABmw/QiobUddGBTY/s640/DSCN1350.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance of the Semmozhi Poonga</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NW3NapJZrZQ/TmWvrzDBZYI/AAAAAAAABl4/STBMmN9NCNk/s1600/DSCN1275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NW3NapJZrZQ/TmWvrzDBZYI/AAAAAAAABl4/STBMmN9NCNk/s640/DSCN1275.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The entrance is singularly elegant. The archway has a vertical garden filled with numerous plant species and is a fantastic showstopper. Nearly 15 feet high it compels visitors to linger and survey the passage, before they pay the nominal entrance fee of five rupees. Semmozhi Poonga literally translates as "Classical Language Park" in Tamil. To the uninitiated, this might sound an odd name for a park. But it was named thus to immortalize the World Classical Tamil Meet, which was held around the same time as the park was built.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naa8KPs73r4/TmXgORQguQI/AAAAAAAABm8/g7R-6vOuQow/s1600/collagesemmozhi.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-naa8KPs73r4/TmXgORQguQI/AAAAAAAABm8/g7R-6vOuQow/s640/collagesemmozhi.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Riot of Colour</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ojZO5kFAIOw/TmWw92rVYyI/AAAAAAAABmM/G9KMVLO-Qdc/s1600/DSCN1305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As per <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semmozhi_Poonga">Wiki</a>, the 20 acre park has been built at a whopping cost of Rs.80 million. Evidently, plenty has been spent on procuring plants from other countries. The garden abounds with native species interspersed with several exotic ones. But what I found enchanting were the very old native trees that were there even before the park. In fact though the bonsai garden is pretty, I can't say I'm elated over all the foreign plants it houses. I have come to terms with consumer goods that are "Made in China", but when a park commemorating Classical Tamil, sources its plants from China, it seems a tad ironic. I am also led to believe that some plants have gone missing since the park's inception, going by early newspaper reports. Could it be that the missing plants were imports not suited to Chennai?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5KGq7HqmmvA/TmWwaRWYKXI/AAAAAAAABmE/Z1H9QJkN6Ts/s1600/DSCN1294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5KGq7HqmmvA/TmWwaRWYKXI/AAAAAAAABmE/Z1H9QJkN6Ts/s640/DSCN1294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Rockery</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v93UOqaeVfs/TmWx0KoT57I/AAAAAAAABmc/ZzpFiyFMt-I/s1600/DSCN1315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v93UOqaeVfs/TmWx0KoT57I/AAAAAAAABmc/ZzpFiyFMt-I/s640/DSCN1315.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geese in the Pond, Climbing Up and Down the Ladder</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uy74JJ3AHHc/TmWxulR1LnI/AAAAAAAABmU/AwEsjhiyofE/s1600/DSCN1309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Uy74JJ3AHHc/TmWxulR1LnI/AAAAAAAABmU/AwEsjhiyofE/s640/DSCN1309.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Park Amidst the Concrete Jungle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzbPQa-5ANY/TmWyhZ8d1II/AAAAAAAABmo/LVFnwPiFfck/s1600/DSCN1329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pzbPQa-5ANY/TmWyhZ8d1II/AAAAAAAABmo/LVFnwPiFfck/s400/DSCN1329.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonsai Garden: Made in China</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAzDyvQjPbc/TmWyfUZzyKI/AAAAAAAABmk/hDbwa_maIGc/s1600/DSCN1332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAzDyvQjPbc/TmWyfUZzyKI/AAAAAAAABmk/hDbwa_maIGc/s400/DSCN1332.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ficus with Shaped Tree Trunk</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What is faultless though, is the maintenance of facilities. Here, there are no broken benches or litter. The toilets are spotless. The play equipment in the children's park is top class. The food counters are unobtrusive, yet largely successful. All in all, Semmozhi Poonga is a lovely hang-out. Wish Chennai many such parks in the future.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KDffTzOd5_o/TmWyb4lO1KI/AAAAAAAABmg/qajxfenkQ_o/s1600/DSCN1342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KDffTzOd5_o/TmWyb4lO1KI/AAAAAAAABmg/qajxfenkQ_o/s400/DSCN1342.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to the Children's Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwTIbHvpBxs/TmWvo54GM_I/AAAAAAAABl0/efxUKhjuz8I/s1600/DSCN1280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="451" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwTIbHvpBxs/TmWvo54GM_I/AAAAAAAABl0/efxUKhjuz8I/s640/DSCN1280.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Trees; Part of the Amphitheatre is Visible on the Left</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-47307675331964277152011-09-02T00:54:00.000-07:002011-09-02T01:17:21.193-07:00Creepy Crawlies: Friends and Foes of the Gardener<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">For the past couple of weeks, I have been guilty of neglecting both my garden and blog. To some extent, my diminished interest can be blamed on the hornets, which have their now-mammoth nest near my roof garden. My lack of attention has cost me dearly. A host of mealy bugs, aphids and ants have made my brinjal plant their home. The basil has also been affected by a few black aphids.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This post is about few of the creepy crawlies that have come uninvited to my garden, at different times.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ants</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While ants in the garden can be useful -- they decompose organic matter -- occasionally they tend to eat the plant. Ants may also cultivate or "farm" other pests like aphids and mealybugs. There was a short period, when all my ladies fingers were being devoured by ants. <b>Diatomaceous earth</b> (microscopic fossils of algae like, water plants) is supposed to be the best all-natural ant killer. But I couldn't find this miracle powder and so settled for the traditional, cure-all Neem oil spray. When that didn't work, I tried a thick paste of turmeric and soap. This helped marginally, but the paste had to be applied twice a day. And I didn't want to be overdosing on either soap or turmeric. Finally, after a couple of weeks, the ants did get fed up, quite literally, with my ladies finger and their numbers began dwindling. I think the ants actually quit because their voracious appetites could no longer be satisfied.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jvs32pQX1Hc/TmB5Tv_O4YI/AAAAAAAABlM/Vh1riWRy-LE/s1600/ants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="357" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jvs32pQX1Hc/TmB5Tv_O4YI/AAAAAAAABlM/Vh1riWRy-LE/s400/ants.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ants Feeding on Immature Lady's Finger Pods</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Aphids and Mealybugs</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aphids are also called <b>plant lice</b>. Both aphids and mealybugs suck the plant sap and can carry a host of plant diseases. The aphids on my brinjal had been unnoticed, because they were feasting from the underside of the leaves. It was only when I detected ants on my plant, that I uncovered a huge colony of aphids. Ants act as guardians of both aphids and mealybugs as they benefit from the honeydew (sweet secretions) that they secrete.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94U9lpHGv6c/TmB5tjZ_OSI/AAAAAAAABlY/4-viLGjKZt4/s1600/DSCN0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="572" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-94U9lpHGv6c/TmB5tjZ_OSI/AAAAAAAABlY/4-viLGjKZt4/s640/DSCN0468.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mealybugs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YH2fdFefMI4/TmB500FxMvI/AAAAAAAABlg/WgPiGPKWpN0/s1600/DSCN1363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YH2fdFefMI4/TmB500FxMvI/AAAAAAAABlg/WgPiGPKWpN0/s640/DSCN1363.JPG" width="593" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pale Green Aphids and White Mealybugs on the Leaf Underside</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Caterpillars</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">While a butterfly is welcome in gardens, their predecessor, the caterpillar isn't. Here's a hungry baby caterpillar. Yeah! Caterpillars are ALWAYS hungry.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oIst0tbO7NY/TmB515x-HRI/AAAAAAAABlk/iHxTgfk6QgA/s1600/DSCN1365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="332" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oIst0tbO7NY/TmB515x-HRI/AAAAAAAABlk/iHxTgfk6QgA/s400/DSCN1365.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Banished Caterpillar</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Leaf Miners</b> </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">These look like threads fused into leaves. They are actually larvae of various insects like beetles, moths and even wasps. The larvae tunnel their way through the plant tissue and live within the leaf. So far, simply removing the affected leaves is all I've had to do to keep them in check.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6pAfZY3KuU/TmB5j0LOKfI/AAAAAAAABlU/3-fhPHm5kFM/s1600/DSCN0509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="361" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E6pAfZY3KuU/TmB5j0LOKfI/AAAAAAAABlU/3-fhPHm5kFM/s400/DSCN0509.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leafminer on a Tulsi Leaf</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Ladybirds</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Set a bug to catch a bug. Lady birds are natural predators of aphids and many other plant pests. I have spotted a couple of ladybirds on my brinjal plant. How they have sensed that my plant is in trouble I do not know. But I feel reassured to know that I'm not alone in my fight against the aphids. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4jgqWeO9Qg/TmB5ZZGuaxI/AAAAAAAABlQ/uNOkrPWrV1s/s1600/DSCN1359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4jgqWeO9Qg/TmB5ZZGuaxI/AAAAAAAABlQ/uNOkrPWrV1s/s400/DSCN1359.JPG" width="383" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladybird: Hunting Pests</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Earthworms</span></b></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now here is a creepy crawly that clearly isn't a pest. An indicator of healthy soil, earthworms are farmers' friends. I love finding them in my garden soil. The fatter they are, the more delighted I am. Not only do these worms aerate the soil, their castings act as natural fertilizer.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMwuYMNFTJA/TmCKeZ8tt4I/AAAAAAAABlo/uHNNNV_ijEs/s1600/DSCN1375.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PMwuYMNFTJA/TmCKeZ8tt4I/AAAAAAAABlo/uHNNNV_ijEs/s400/DSCN1375.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Glistening Earthworm</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since harsh chemical insecticides are a no-no in my garden, I rely on natural pest control. Most of these are painfully slow to act. <b>The Penguin Book of Gardening in India</b> by<i><b> Meera Uberoi</b></i> has plenty of "Indian recipes" for driving away pests. Usually they call for <b>turmeric</b>, <b>neem oil, soap solution (not detergent) and tobacco leaves (cigarettes</b> will suffice if you can't find the leaves). There are some offbeat recipes too, like the one for snails. Apparently snails enjoy beer as much as many humans. So snails are to be trapped in bottles that have beer in them! But having tried some of these home remedies, I believe the best remedy is Prevention. A healthy plant is less likely to fall prey to pests.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> I'll end my post with a<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npB8qltaB6g&NR=1"> video link of a </a></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npB8qltaB6g&NR=1"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npB8qltaB6g&NR=1">beautiful </a></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npB8qltaB6g&NR=1">kitchen garden</a>. I'd watched this a year ago; yet I vividly remember the entire presentation. Watch till the end, on how to confuse pests, the Permaculture way.</span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-39050954725398378172011-08-12T01:17:00.000-07:002011-08-12T01:17:22.346-07:00Welcome Showers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">While most of India has been hit by the South west Monsoons, Tamil Nadu as usual, has picked up only some of this rain. To get our fair share of downpour, we will have to wait till the end of the year, for the North east monsoons. Maximum temperatures are still in the 33 deg C - 36 deg C range. However, even the occasional light showers that we've been getting are a blessing. The layers of dust on the trees have been washed off, the smaller plants aren't wilting any more, the city seems greener and everyone is more cheerful.<br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5EUrriesfI/TkTHSx_npYI/AAAAAAAABkU/yxziJKNg2QU/s1600/DSCN1228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q5EUrriesfI/TkTHSx_npYI/AAAAAAAABkU/yxziJKNg2QU/s640/DSCN1228.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lush View from the Western Side of Our Roof</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v6Tf_dxTdok/TkTLESDa4vI/AAAAAAAABkk/oK5d8mFi3lI/s1600/DSCN1227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v6Tf_dxTdok/TkTLESDa4vI/AAAAAAAABkk/oK5d8mFi3lI/s400/DSCN1227.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Rain has Goaded the Lantana to Bloom</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">With each brief spell of rain, there are a few new appearances in the garden.<br />
<br />
A recent appearance is the <b>Keezha Nelli </b>or <b>Phyllanthus niruri</b>. In Tamil, "Keezha" means down/under and "nelli" means berry. Under the leaves of this plant, you will find tiny green mustard seed-sized fruits. It is this feature that helps me distinguish it from other similar looking weeds. Though in Ayurveda, it is regarded highly, it is in reality an unassuming weed that chooses to spring up anyplace. As a child, I remember my mother telling me about its anti-jaundice properties. It also has several other medical benefits, including kidney stone prevention. With several trials underway, allopaths are seriously looking at its potential. </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iI2PDjxvm8I/TkTMLD99kJI/AAAAAAAABko/gT5J_DnYiQw/s1600/DSCN1202p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iI2PDjxvm8I/TkTMLD99kJI/AAAAAAAABko/gT5J_DnYiQw/s640/DSCN1202p.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Phyllanthus Niruri or Keezha Nelli (in Tamil)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vhsa6sB9xEg/TkTHOmIURcI/AAAAAAAABkQ/vyIMlZlmC2o/s1600/DSCN1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="345" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vhsa6sB9xEg/TkTHOmIURcI/AAAAAAAABkQ/vyIMlZlmC2o/s400/DSCN1241.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Tiny fruit on the Leaf Underside</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> <b>Mushrooms </b>have also been sprouting in parts of our garden. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hkTYPrtdPPM/TkTMwNnoW8I/AAAAAAAABks/ZJ6SQRRpbMk/s1600/DSCN1157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hkTYPrtdPPM/TkTMwNnoW8I/AAAAAAAABks/ZJ6SQRRpbMk/s400/DSCN1157.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pushing Through the Dirt</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKW4gMqzNsE/TkTNDIXrqzI/AAAAAAAABkw/KLNArv5T698/s1600/DSCN1193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKW4gMqzNsE/TkTNDIXrqzI/AAAAAAAABkw/KLNArv5T698/s400/DSCN1193.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Fine Umbrella for Some Bug?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Like most Indians, I haven't a clue about which mushrooms are edible and which aren't. It's hard enough for an expert. Traditionally labelled as "<i>tamasic</i>", since it springs out of rotting and decaying matter, mushrooms haven't enjoyed a favourable reputation in India. We are beginning to change that as we discover the joys of eating them. Yet, the more orthodox among us, still like to keep away from these fungi. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tcPJWlk95a0/TkTHItaKSII/AAAAAAAABkM/XeuuDQxVCiw/s1600/DSCN1204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tcPJWlk95a0/TkTHItaKSII/AAAAAAAABkM/XeuuDQxVCiw/s400/DSCN1204.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Mushroom with a Reed Fused into it.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> While mushroom cultivation requires a tightly controlled environment, I like the way these wild mushrooms choose to sprout anywhere with gay abandon. If only I could eat them!</span> <span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="line-height: 130%; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"></div></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-75864707297100946202011-08-10T00:02:00.000-07:002011-08-10T00:51:53.036-07:00Nests in the Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">A <b>crow nestling</b> has emerged in the crow's nest that I'd written about in my </span><a href="http://redripetomatoes.blogspot.com/2011/06/good-news-from-my-garden.html" style="color: #38761d;">earlier post</a><span style="color: black;">. There were three eggs but only one baby crow made it into the world.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6hNpvLnDhc/TkIOlamj40I/AAAAAAAABi0/ygb3aVOJwUs/s1600/DSCN1140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J6hNpvLnDhc/TkIOlamj40I/AAAAAAAABi0/ygb3aVOJwUs/s400/DSCN1140.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crow Nestling: Nearly 20 Days Old</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is one spunky little chick that's always demanding food and attention from its parents. Actually it needn't bother. Both its parents are very indulgent and are forever fussing over their only baby. Tasty morsels are brought to it all day. Often, some of it is deposited on our bathroom windowsill. The other day, we had a large chicken foot placed on our windowsill. The hideous image of the severed foot completely freaked me out. But I imagine it was a treat for our baby crow.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1acexgcGOC8/TkIOTZeMZAI/AAAAAAAABiw/eqwy_LuCYY8/s1600/DSCN1139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1acexgcGOC8/TkIOTZeMZAI/AAAAAAAABiw/eqwy_LuCYY8/s400/DSCN1139.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Screaming for its Food: Like all Babies, Bird or Human</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Another bird's nest that came to my notice is an exquisite <b>tailorbird's</b> nest. Abandoned by the birds, I was free to examine it from all angles. The nest is most impressive. Two large leaves have been delicately sewn together with plant fibre. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Q68rWhBWHg/TkIOSeZqDRI/AAAAAAAABi4/BDaIQmMS4JA/s1600/DSCN1128+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7Q68rWhBWHg/TkIOSeZqDRI/AAAAAAAABi4/BDaIQmMS4JA/s400/DSCN1128+-+Copy.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abandoned Tailorbird's Nest</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BKd-U1C0GRw/TkIOLXg4YRI/AAAAAAAABjA/dV5cKMYIMcs/s1600/DSCN1130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="317" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BKd-U1C0GRw/TkIOLXg4YRI/AAAAAAAABjA/dV5cKMYIMcs/s400/DSCN1130.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underside: Sewn together with Plant Fibre</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;">The inside is lined with soft material, specially </span> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>beak-picked</i> by the parents. The tailorbird is a tiny bird, with a high-pitched chwee chwee call. Always flitting from branch to branch, it hardly ever stays still. And though I spot it ever so often, I've never been able to capture this bird with my lens. At least now I have shots of its workmanship.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-No-FHbGr5x4/TkIRbA8mKTI/AAAAAAAABic/yoToDdimeCM/s1600/DSCN1195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-No-FHbGr5x4/TkIRbA8mKTI/AAAAAAAABic/yoToDdimeCM/s400/DSCN1195.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Nest: Warm and Cosy<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's one more nest in the garden, that deserves mention. A <b>hornets' nest</b>. Though beautiful, this nest </span><span style="font-size: small;">mostly </span><span style="font-size: small;"> evokes dread in me. Here's a zoomed in picture of the nest, courtesy of my neighbour. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The nest being on the top (fourth) floor of our building, my simple, point and shoot camera could not measure up to the task.</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-0S67HbmYc/TkIRt3Rx8ZI/AAAAAAAABjE/1wo3mSodQe4/s1600/waspnest_thiruvanmiyur.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-0S67HbmYc/TkIRt3Rx8ZI/AAAAAAAABjE/1wo3mSodQe4/s400/waspnest_thiruvanmiyur.jpg" width="336" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hornets' Nest: Made of Chewed Plant Fibre and Wasps' Saliva</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> After a lot of research on the Internet, I've come to believe that this is the <b>Greater Banded Hornet</b> or the <b>Vespa Tropica</b>. Please correct me, if I am wrong. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7hnYXBThd8/TkIRSmjWfJI/AAAAAAAABjI/hvbdN4JApYQ/s1600/DSCN1184.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u7hnYXBThd8/TkIRSmjWfJI/AAAAAAAABjI/hvbdN4JApYQ/s320/DSCN1184.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater Banded Hornet / Vespa Tropic: A Dead One </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The sting of this wasp is rather painful. We know this for a fact as we've recently had two victims. While a bee stings once, a wasp can sting repeatedly and without any apparent provocation. What is more worrying is that a small percentage of people are allergic to the stings and if stung, can go into anaphylactic shock, which is potentially fatal. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">In cooler climes, most wasps die in winter. But the so called winter in Chennai may simply go unnoticed by the wasps. While I find the presence of the hornet's nest threatening, (especially on hot days), and am even contemplating its elimination, I'm also hoping I don't have to meddle with nature. Would the wasps do me a favour and relocate some place else. Or is this wishful thinking?</span></span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-25646180217371255972011-08-03T04:16:00.000-07:002011-08-03T23:20:06.469-07:00Today's Garden Visitor - The Rat Snake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">This morning, a snake was spotted in the building's common garden. While snakes have been spotted ever so often in our garden, this one seemed worthy of special attention. At over 3 feet, it seemed too long to ignore. Most city folk don't know much about snakes. In fact, many of us could easily mistake a worm for a snake. So for us urbanites, whether we can tell if a snake is venomous or not, is too much to ask for. Whenever a snake is causing inconvenience in Chennai, the <b>Guindy Snake Park</b> is contacted. The snake park employs a bunch of extremely professional snake catchers who are open to distress calls related to snakes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm9dI3aErEM/TjkbJCX_AWI/AAAAAAAABg4/Bg5m1S4Popc/s1600/Ratsnake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Bm9dI3aErEM/TjkbJCX_AWI/AAAAAAAABg4/Bg5m1S4Popc/s640/Ratsnake.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snake Catcher from the Guindy Snake Park</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IMlK0U2_X3I/Tjka2Qxlp5I/AAAAAAAABg0/LTBmZ50zQPU/s1600/holding_snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"> When the snake catcher arrived, he identified it as the<b> rat snake</b>. This snake is quite common and pretty harmless to humans. As its name suggests, it feeds on rats. However harmless they may be, snakes aren't welcome in urban dwellings. So it was bundled into a cloth bag and taken away to be released in the wild. With one less rat snake around, if the rat population rises, we have only ourselves to blame.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IMlK0U2_X3I/Tjka2Qxlp5I/AAAAAAAABg0/LTBmZ50zQPU/s1600/holding_snake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="311" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IMlK0U2_X3I/Tjka2Qxlp5I/AAAAAAAABg0/LTBmZ50zQPU/s400/holding_snake.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Holding the Snake Tight</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"> My son and I were thoroughly impressed by the snake catcher. Without a hint of fear, our man held the struggling creature, strongly in his hands. These men are known to expertly handle even the deadliest of snakes, often with just a crowbar or even their bare hands. What they rely on is their excellent acumen, honed over generations. The snake catching <b>Irula tribe </b>are one of the best snake catchers in the world. Now I know who the hero of my next story for my son will be -- the Brave Snake Catcher from Guindy.<br />
</span></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-87766466536023707122011-07-18T23:50:00.000-07:002011-07-18T23:50:04.843-07:00Brinjal or Eggplant or Aubergine - What's in a Name?<div><b></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxJCh0uubeg/TiUT9hgVR5I/AAAAAAAABgc/10jv__q7QFc/s1600/DSCN1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxJCh0uubeg/TiUT9hgVR5I/AAAAAAAABgc/10jv__q7QFc/s400/DSCN1051.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brinjal or Eggplant or Aubergine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">This vegetable of the Nightshade family is known by different names in different parts of the world: Aubergine in France, Eggplant in North America, and here in India we know it as Brinjal. Brinjal is native to India and there are nearly <b>2500 varieties of Brinjal</b> grown here. They can be <b>white, green, purple, round, long, huge, tiny, striped</b>, etc.<span> </span>So when I sourced my brinjal seeds from the local nursery without knowing the variety, there was much suspense about the kind of fruit I would get. Nearly three months later I found out that my brinjal is the small, round, purple variety. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G-xJKXBcaBk/TiUUuD6jV_I/AAAAAAAABgg/TtMXH0j_XFw/s1600/DSCN1072.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G-xJKXBcaBk/TiUUuD6jV_I/AAAAAAAABgg/TtMXH0j_XFw/s320/DSCN1072.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brinjal Bounty</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before cooking brinjal, one is advised to<b> salt, rinse and drain it</b>, to rid it of its slight bitterness. Raw Brinjal, in fact, can’t be eaten as they are somewhat bitter; the reason is that they contain minute amounts of <b>nicotine</b>. Here’s a fun fact sourced from Wikipedia: Nine Kgs of brinjal contain a cigaretteful of nicotine. But once brinjal is cooked, its<span> </span>flesh turns succulent, almost melting, with a rich, slightly meaty flavour. This vegetable is extremely versatile and there are a mind boggling number of recipes that one can choose from around the world. Very often, the brinjals in my kitchen find their way into <i>sambhar, vangi bhaat (brinjal rice)</i> or a tomato brinjal curry. Yet, <a href="http://fxcuisine.com/Default.asp?language=2&Display=115&resolution=high"><b>Deep-fried Brinjal slices</b> (Sicilian style)</a> and <b><i>Baba</i></b><i> <b>Ghanoush</b></i> are my favourites.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QSONiqXaW8U/TiUVLds7x1I/AAAAAAAABgk/__tzOulpRd8/s1600/DSCN1108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QSONiqXaW8U/TiUVLds7x1I/AAAAAAAABgk/__tzOulpRd8/s320/DSCN1108.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Recent Harvest</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUulK_jy-_Q/TiUV2D8gmbI/AAAAAAAABgo/SLRc927MSIA/s1600/DSCN1112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUulK_jy-_Q/TiUV2D8gmbI/AAAAAAAABgo/SLRc927MSIA/s320/DSCN1112.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salted Brinjal Slices: To be Rinsed and Drained</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="im" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Baba Ghanoush is a wonderful Middle Eastern dish, in which baked brinjal is mashed and combined with olive oil and seasoning. There are many more mouthwatering brinjal recipes. Like the Turkish <b><i>Imam Bayildi </i></b>(brinjals stuffed with tomato, garlic and onions and simmered in olive oil). Imam Bayildi literally means the “Imam (Muslim Priest) fainted”; he fainted after eating the dish as it was so good. Now, with an interesting name like that, one is strongly urged to try it out. </span> </div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let me sign off with the story of an unusal experiment. An Indian farmer from Chattisgarh has <b>grafted Tomato and Brinjal into a single plant</b> and is getting good results. Since both tomato and brinjal belong to the same family, such an experiment is possible. Here is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poG5iW73jAQ">link to the video</a>. Can we further this logic and grow all <i><span>Solanaceae</span></i> species in the same plant. Can we have a “potato, tomato, chilly, capsicum and brinjal all-in-one” plant? Somehow, I find the idea disagreeable, even if it is to bear fruit (pun intended).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="color: black; font-size: 10px; line-height: 130%; margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: justify; word-wrap: break-word;"> </div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-13163432937954380482011-07-14T02:05:00.000-07:002011-07-14T02:05:34.341-07:00Camouflage<div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">What do you see in the picture below? A dried Almond tree leaf, a fallen almond and some other dried leaves. Look harder.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYW2zz4tFZ8/Th6wOmVZoQI/AAAAAAAABgU/oX6SOeovVhQ/s1600/Cammouflage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lYW2zz4tFZ8/Th6wOmVZoQI/AAAAAAAABgU/oX6SOeovVhQ/s640/Cammouflage.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camouflage: Spot the Odd One</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Can you spot the spindly legs of the brown <b>Leaf Insect</b> sitting on the almond leaf? I nearly missed it, but when I saw the leaves move in the absence of a breeze, I looked closer and was in for a surprise. Not only does this creature look like brown leaves, it also tries to mimic the movement of leaves being blown in the wind. The insect rocks back and forth as it moves.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IFRGudwJFdA/Th6wYtlmFYI/AAAAAAAABgY/ELReelZ3XSQ/s1600/leaf+insect.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IFRGudwJFdA/Th6wYtlmFYI/AAAAAAAABgY/ELReelZ3XSQ/s640/leaf+insect.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Leaf Insect</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here is a clear shot of the insect. If someone can help me identify it more accurately, please let me know.</span></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-22754586796847278352011-07-11T00:58:00.000-07:002011-07-11T01:05:45.847-07:00Meet the Oldest Tree in Chennai<div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The international headquarters of the <a href="http://www.ts-adyar.org/"><b>Theosophical Society</b></a> is located in Chennai, just a couple of miles from my home. Dedicated towards Theosophy, this unique society encourages the study of different religions and philosophies. According to <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/tamil-nadu/chennai-madras/sights/building/theosophical-society">Lonely Planet, its library houses a vast collection of religious books, including “thousand-year-old Buddhist scrolls and intricate, handmade 19th-century bibles”</a>. Yet, more often visitors, including myself, are drawn here for another reason – its natural beauty. Of late, I’ve been making regular trips and I find I’m getting addicted to the fragrance and the loveliness of the place.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X5LLDIP8JBY/ThlqAIIDOEI/AAAAAAAABfA/aOu8k7D4f2k/s1600/DSCN0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X5LLDIP8JBY/ThlqAIIDOEI/AAAAAAAABfA/aOu8k7D4f2k/s640/DSCN0980.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burmese Pink Cassia</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jQyvRfD2rBA/ThlsOa32h0I/AAAAAAAABfw/aCAu2oHdOB4/s1600/DSCN1043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="379" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jQyvRfD2rBA/ThlsOa32h0I/AAAAAAAABfw/aCAu2oHdOB4/s640/DSCN1043.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree Canopy</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmL7K4r-5VI/ThlqRB52_oI/AAAAAAAABfE/POy_I33XDDU/s1600/DSCN0985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FmL7K4r-5VI/ThlqRB52_oI/AAAAAAAABfE/POy_I33XDDU/s640/DSCN0985.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vinka Lined Path leading to the Parsi Fire Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The entire campus is canopied by old, majestic trees. Paths leading to various bungalows and places of worship are lined with flowering shrubs that are often mobbed by swarms of butterflies and colourful dragonflies. Although nature hasn’t been allowed to grow completely wild, here you will not find well manicured gardens, save for a few patches. Instead you may often find yourself under eerie bat colonies, buzzing bee hives or monstrous hornet nests. But it is this wilderness, in the heart of bustling Chennai, which I find so alluring.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMGXogZbj78/Thlq9YM_moI/AAAAAAAABfY/rdWiGjvzkMY/s1600/DSCN0998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wMGXogZbj78/Thlq9YM_moI/AAAAAAAABfY/rdWiGjvzkMY/s640/DSCN0998.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying Fox Colony</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPwDfwS6j5I/ThlrblYEcuI/AAAAAAAABfg/21WS0KeWiHg/s1600/DSCN1004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="536" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sPwDfwS6j5I/ThlrblYEcuI/AAAAAAAABfg/21WS0KeWiHg/s640/DSCN1004.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee Hive Near the Cannon Ball / Nagalingam Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oXW5ujmR00s/Thlqzqb0_ZI/AAAAAAAABfU/zQC09-9H4A8/s1600/DSCN0996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oXW5ujmR00s/Thlqzqb0_ZI/AAAAAAAABfU/zQC09-9H4A8/s640/DSCN0996.JPG" width="585" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hornet's Nest</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">The star attraction of the Theosophical Society is the <b>Great Banyan Tree</b>, the oldest tree in Chennai. The tree is over 450 years old, and by the latest record, is spread over 65,000 square feet. It is not surprising then, that it can host a gathering of 3000 at a time. The tree’s central trunk was destroyed in a storm, years ago, but now its prop roots support the tree and it continues to encompass more ground each passing year. When one learns that the tree has been host to great souls like Gandhi, Maria Montessori, the Dalai Lama and J. Krishnamurti among others, one feels even more reverence for it. </span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPzRa1iksi4/ThlqnYlM1GI/AAAAAAAABfM/bXjZxZzHOFI/s1600/DSCN0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPzRa1iksi4/ThlqnYlM1GI/AAAAAAAABfM/bXjZxZzHOFI/s640/DSCN0994.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great Banyan Tree: Over 450 years Old and Spread Across 65,000 sq ft.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RPzRa1iksi4/ThlqnYlM1GI/AAAAAAAABfM/bXjZxZzHOFI/s1600/DSCN0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is another tree that characterizes the campus: the <b>Nagalinga tree</b> or the <b>Cannon Ball tree</b>. Native to the Amazonian rain forests, this is a tall tree with beautiful fragrant flowers that one can smell from a mile off. The Nagalinga flower attracts hordes of bees and strangely it springs directly from the bark of the tree trunk. If that’s not enough oddness for one tree, there’s more. Its fruit is woody and resembles a cannon ball that can cause considerable harm if it were to fall on you. The flower is considered sacred in India as the petals resemble the hood of a Naga (snake) protecting a Shiva lingam (the stigma). </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91qXAIKnI1w/ThlrnmgimEI/AAAAAAAABfk/wXMB4gJoGQE/s1600/DSCN1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AeZvpPTT7Xc/Thlsef4DNeI/AAAAAAAABf0/lbFDXrDXocI/s1600/np2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AeZvpPTT7Xc/Thlsef4DNeI/AAAAAAAABf0/lbFDXrDXocI/s640/np2.jpg" width="505" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nagalingam Tree/Cannon Ball Tree</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bvOgH2ilZKg/Thlr4jNrNeI/AAAAAAAABfo/DZP5fL6fLH0/s1600/DSCN1033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bvOgH2ilZKg/Thlr4jNrNeI/AAAAAAAABfo/DZP5fL6fLH0/s400/DSCN1033.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nagalingam Pushpa (Flower)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpwzRGzoWo4/ThlsBOtU8LI/AAAAAAAABfs/86L_DQ39exc/s1600/DSCN1039+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IpwzRGzoWo4/ThlsBOtU8LI/AAAAAAAABfs/86L_DQ39exc/s400/DSCN1039+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Another Angle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WYEkNP_Kaxw/ThluJhJ1UoI/AAAAAAAABf4/5N7ZPJ16G68/s1600/DSCN1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bordering the campus is the <b>Adyar river</b>, on the banks of which one can find many large water birds and Giant Ghost Crabs. And though I tried hard to get a picture of the Giant crab, they were just too quick for me. These crabs crawled into their holes, the moment they sensed my presence from afar. <span id="goog_114350102"></span><span id="goog_114350103"></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02QdxFAUUO0/ThlpmsNV_rI/AAAAAAAABe4/KUevF-cQpVw/s1600/ct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02QdxFAUUO0/ThlpmsNV_rI/AAAAAAAABe4/KUevF-cQpVw/s640/ct.jpg" width="396" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cactus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSttRP9Pm5c/ThlpwPaBVuI/AAAAAAAABe8/Ql-TpPKAqu8/s1600/DSCN0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lSttRP9Pm5c/ThlpwPaBVuI/AAAAAAAABe8/Ql-TpPKAqu8/s320/DSCN0978.JPG" width="288" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cactus Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9VYpGZm53tU/ThlqX-r016I/AAAAAAAABfI/s-w0W3sVwpg/s1600/DSCN0990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9VYpGZm53tU/ThlqX-r016I/AAAAAAAABfI/s-w0W3sVwpg/s320/DSCN0990.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palm Flowers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfBXUQVvVzw/Thlqs9XMU0I/AAAAAAAABfQ/2ksRww3Tlz0/s1600/DSCN0995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XfBXUQVvVzw/Thlqs9XMU0I/AAAAAAAABfQ/2ksRww3Tlz0/s320/DSCN0995.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snail</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Enclosed within 100 acres of land, the Theosophical Society campus is a treasure house of diverse plant and animal species. The campus can easily be mistaken for a botanical garden. For a pictorial reference of the flora and fauna that reside here, click on the links you will find <a href="http://www.ts-adyar.org/content/image-galleries">here</a>. </span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CyN4MLTzvQo/ThlrNmuCRBI/AAAAAAAABfc/yd6RVtfBvpQ/s1600/DSCN0999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="393" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CyN4MLTzvQo/ThlrNmuCRBI/AAAAAAAABfc/yd6RVtfBvpQ/s640/DSCN0999.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tamarind Drying</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91qXAIKnI1w/ThlrnmgimEI/AAAAAAAABfk/wXMB4gJoGQE/s1600/DSCN1014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-91qXAIKnI1w/ThlrnmgimEI/AAAAAAAABfk/wXMB4gJoGQE/s640/DSCN1014.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harvested Coconuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WYEkNP_Kaxw/ThluJhJ1UoI/AAAAAAAABf4/5N7ZPJ16G68/s1600/DSCN1018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WYEkNP_Kaxw/ThluJhJ1UoI/AAAAAAAABf4/5N7ZPJ16G68/s400/DSCN1018.JPG" width="372" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rofous Treepie</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-60636382636908787732011-06-29T02:38:00.000-07:002011-06-30T03:15:27.000-07:00Good News From My Garden<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s some good news! A <b>crow </b>couple, which lives adjacent to my building, is expecting triplets. They have a nest atop a coconut tree, which I can peek into from the stair case landing of the third floor. The would-be parents are guarding the eggs round the clock. But on this rare occasion, the parents were away and I managed to take two good photos of the <b>pale green eggs in their nest.</b></span></div><div style="color: black;"></div><div style="color: black;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bP671TAVpk/TgrtravJmjI/AAAAAAAABeQ/xr6G1S1KLjY/s1600/DSCN0949+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="499" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bP671TAVpk/TgrtravJmjI/AAAAAAAABeQ/xr6G1S1KLjY/s640/DSCN0949+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three Crow's Eggs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_bmp1UVHNE/TgruGDwpJFI/AAAAAAAABec/As3AYSwENZc/s1600/DSCN0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="523" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_bmp1UVHNE/TgruGDwpJFI/AAAAAAAABec/As3AYSwENZc/s640/DSCN0975.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly Hidden From View</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite the scorching heat in the afternoon, the evenings are often cool and pleasant. Occasionally we even have a spell of rain. Early in the week, when it was about to rain, this <b>Kingfisher</b> seemed rapturous. It went about shrieking “Kee Kee Kee Keeeee”, almost begging me to take a picture of it. So I obliged.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wf-b3kTja_4/Tgrtw7Tx9_I/AAAAAAAABeU/4ZXdHzSHOtU/s1600/DSCN0954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wf-b3kTja_4/Tgrtw7Tx9_I/AAAAAAAABeU/4ZXdHzSHOtU/s640/DSCN0954.JPG" width="622" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Breasted Kingfisher</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my earlier post, <a href="http://redripetomatoes.blogspot.com/2011/04/birds-from-my-window.html">Birds from My Window</a>, I’d mentioned the rare sighting of the<b> Lesser Golden-backed Woodpecker</b>. Well, I recently spotted it for the second time. It was right above me, but I didn’t have my camera handy. By the time I went up and down three floors for my camera, the bird had moved away, thanks to the crows. But here is a zoomed in, long shot of the beauty.</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvNaUjA6asc/TgrtgBZ1UdI/AAAAAAAABeM/UrZxaXLCsM0/s1600/DSCN0663+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="584" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WvNaUjA6asc/TgrtgBZ1UdI/AAAAAAAABeM/UrZxaXLCsM0/s640/DSCN0663+-+Copy.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesser Golden-Backed Woodpecker</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coming to the flora in my garden. The suspense with regard to my <b>brinjal </b>is over. And it is…. it is the small, round, purple variety. It was delicious, almost melting, as I had it in my <i>sambar</i> yesterday.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MeqwCo62Pd4/Tgrt6xpfxSI/AAAAAAAABeY/9ZfJh_X6TNI/s1600/DSCN0963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MeqwCo62Pd4/Tgrt6xpfxSI/AAAAAAAABeY/9ZfJh_X6TNI/s400/DSCN0963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple Brinjal Drenched in the Rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let me sign off with pictures from the balcony garden and the garden downstairs.</span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDCkGyR6t8g/TgrteWXVCrI/AAAAAAAABeI/VT1TNKNbSRo/s1600/DSCN0630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PDCkGyR6t8g/TgrteWXVCrI/AAAAAAAABeI/VT1TNKNbSRo/s400/DSCN0630.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pomegranate Blooms</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGyserCvZ2g/TgrtVJFL7GI/AAAAAAAABeE/Krggq8kQ4tY/s1600/DSCN0619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HGyserCvZ2g/TgrtVJFL7GI/AAAAAAAABeE/Krggq8kQ4tY/s400/DSCN0619.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bunches of Pink Ixora flowers</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: black; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e1LMKAI3VNs/TgruVZXkaBI/AAAAAAAABeg/PVfusgj_JqI/s400/gggg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="317" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spotted Leaves and Floor: Caladium Plant</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="color: black; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5169514967711611953.post-52665723192019075882011-06-24T17:48:00.000-07:002011-06-24T18:02:35.107-07:00Say "Chillieees"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;">I was born and mostly raised in the land of Chillies – Andhra Pradesh. The typical Andhraite loves his food searingly hot and spicy. Often, after a traditional Andhra meal, my mouth and fingers would burn for long time. My gut would be on fire and I would have to douse it with a large cup of curd or butter milk. Yet in my own home, chillies were sparingly used. So I never quite honed my taste buds to savour these peppers. That was until I grew my own. Growing vegetables has made me deeply appreciative of the food I eat. I’ve become more aware of their freshness and taste. As for chillies, they’ve regained their rightful place in the kitchen.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBGQFi2udTA/TgUnWn2IXNI/AAAAAAAABds/TZtr1e_kz6Q/s1600/2chi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lBGQFi2udTA/TgUnWn2IXNI/AAAAAAAABds/TZtr1e_kz6Q/s640/2chi.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly Harvested Green Chillies</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When my neighbour was growing chillies, she offered me a young seedling, which I readily accepted. The seedling has grown into a large bushy plant now and is quite prolific. When young, the chilly is light green, has a wrinkled appearance and is rather long, often with a twisted end. Later, it turns a beautiful bright red. It could very well be the I<b>ndian Jwala (volcano) variety</b> but I’m not sure. I’m hoping that a reader will help me identify it correctly. Googling hasn’t quite helped; instead I’ve come across this <a href="http://www.chilly.in/chilli_faqs.htm">great link on some chilly FAQs, </a>which I’d like to share with you. </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It has some useful tips on how to preserve chillies for a longer time, how to reduce the burning sensation when handling them, etc.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fEIIrYcb3jo/TgUnetI4YQI/AAAAAAAABdw/aRw9UgGGDyc/s1600/3ch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fEIIrYcb3jo/TgUnetI4YQI/AAAAAAAABdw/aRw9UgGGDyc/s640/3ch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny, White Chilly Bloom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rqMYhUZIx1E/TgUn8FOMq6I/AAAAAAAABd4/yg4ts9TfF9Q/s1600/5ch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="604" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rqMYhUZIx1E/TgUn8FOMq6I/AAAAAAAABd4/yg4ts9TfF9Q/s640/5ch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Chilli Plant with Chillies</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For my small family, which consumes few chillies, this single plant is all we need. One advantage of having your own chilly plant is that you can harvest chillies as per your tolerance levels.<b> Most chillies turn hotter as they mature.</b> Having my own plant now makes it’s very easy for me to choose a tender </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">young </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">chilly that’s just the degree of hotness that will suit my three-year-old. If my green chillies are left longer on the plant, they turn a fiery red with a hotness that’s mind numbing. When I bit into a fresh red chilly from my plant, for a few minutes, I didn’t know what hit me. It seemed like a volcano had erupted in my mouth.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yAxj6Iy0YWs/TgUtg0o0tsI/AAAAAAAABd8/EAfuURQkym0/s1600/ch7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yAxj6Iy0YWs/TgUtg0o0tsI/AAAAAAAABd8/EAfuURQkym0/s640/ch7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tender, Young Chillies: Less Hot</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SK6dUwtONLE/TgUnuI4zJkI/AAAAAAAABd0/tg0drta4Ip0/s1600/4ch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="552" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SK6dUwtONLE/TgUnuI4zJkI/AAAAAAAABd0/tg0drta4Ip0/s640/4ch.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Red Chilly on the Plant</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHJbe-REYcg/TgUnH_KgVtI/AAAAAAAABdo/eFKNRbIfSPo/s1600/1chilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHJbe-REYcg/TgUnH_KgVtI/AAAAAAAABdo/eFKNRbIfSPo/s640/1chilly.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Colour Contrasts: Red Chilly Drying and Yellow Spotted Insect</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Though fresh red chillies can be ground and used in <b>Thai red curry pastes</b> and similarly spicy hot preparations, I prefer to use them whole, after drying. They seem</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> a lot tamer that way. The standard South Indian <b>seasoning </b>I frequently use</span><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">calls for <b>whole dry red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves</b> fried for just a few seconds in hot oil. If done right, the aroma of this seasoning is heavenly. There are so many more exciting ways to use chillies: a hint of green <b>chillies in jam or fruit juice</b>, spicy hot <b>chutneys</b>, finger licking <b>stuffed red chilly pickles</b>, <b>green chilly ice cream</b>, chilly <b><i>Bajjis</i> </b>on a rainy day, <b> Mexican chocolate and chilly sauce </b>and I’ve even heard of <b>chilly beer</b>. </span></div></div>Anita Kumarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10902981126493850669noreply@blogger.com9