Pretty Patchwork

These blankets are made from collected scraps of material by migrant construction workers. They are usually quite a common sight around a building under construction where they hang colourfully on grey cement. The dash dash dash of the stitches adds to the pattern made by the squares of coloured material. 
Look at the stitches on the green underside of the blanket in the second picture. Isn't it fascinating how the women have layered the most mundane scraps of material to make something beautiful? The printed bedsheets sold at big stores don't look half this good.


Remember that the women who make these blankets are also part of the invisible workforce that is building Namma Metro.

Lilies in my Garden

Someone is masquerading as a Lily in the last picture.

The Empty Family

I turned and moved fast, focusing swiftly on a wave I had selected for no reason. There was whiteness and greyness in it and a sort of blue and green... It had an elemental hold; it was something coming towards us as though to save us but it did nothing. Instead, it withdrew in a shrugging irony, as if to suggest that this is what the world is, and our time in it, all lifted possibility, all complexity and rushing fervour, to end in nothing on a small strand, and go back out to rejoin the empty family from whom we had set out alone with such a burst of brave, unknowing energy.

~ extract from one of the most beautiful and haunting short stories I have ever read -  

The Empty Family by Colm Toibin.

Naan

Crisp, flaky and utterly delicious - Naan from Albert Bakery.
Recommended by Arch. Visit just one of  her beautiful blogs here>

Force of Nature

It is difficult to know what to do with so much happiness.

With sadness there is something to rub against,

a wound to tend with lotion and cloth.

When the world falls in around you, you have pieces to pick up,

something to hold in your hands, like ticket stubs or change.

But happiness floats.

It doesn’t need you to hold it down.

It doesn’t need anything.

Happiness lands on the roof of the next house, singing,

and disappears when it wants to.

You are happy either way.

~excerpt from So Much Happiness by Naomi Shihab Nye

Strangely Beautiful

Skinned cat - the remnants of Cindy

Her reincarnation as a Trumpet flower

Yes, I was just kidding about the first picture. Those are the seeds of a Baobab plant according to my gardener. He's planted them just now, so let's see what happens. 


But you have to admit, it does look like the remnants of a Cat.

Growth

They flower once and die.

Colour

By nature

By man

I love them both.

More at Gilaas of Chai >

Black and White

Playing = paper+ charcoal

Don't even think of trying to be neat.

Sophisticated Smoothie = Banana+ Guava+ yoghurt+ milk+ oats+ water

Don't even think of adding sugar.