Birding at Uran & Nhava-Sheva 2014-15

Impromptu birding at Nhava -Sheva and Uran.

Spot kite, cormorant, crane, egret, ducks and peacock (yes there's some in Mumbai too!!!)....just round the corner. A neighbourly courtsey if you please from Nerul to Nhava.

 

Apr 2015: Flower power in Doon

 

Brahmakamal blooms at home

 

Birding at Airoli office

Black kites are most often seen gliding and soaring on thermals as they search for food. This bright birdie dropped by my work station during a talent management review (non-taxable fringe benefits of working in a glass covered corporate high rise).

The black kite (Milvus migrans) is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family of other diurnal raptors. It is thought to be the world's most abundant species. Black kites are opportunistic hunters and are more likely to scavenge.

 

Their angled wing and distinctive forked tail make them easy to identify. This kiteis widely distributed through the temperate and tropical parts of Eurasiaand parts of Australasia and Oceania, with the temperate region populations tending to be migratory.

The raptor does drop in from time to time but mostly we see him merrily riding the thermals while we slog at work. Just that moment its tempting to head off on my own flight of fantasy and day dream a bit. Truly the best things in life are free ;-)

April 27th, 2015 - Fire at Housing Complex

It was 9pm – like any other day- I had finished dinner and was lounging in my pyjamas, listening to the news on the Nepal tragedy when I heard the wailing of a siren.  Soon I could see the rotating lights reflect on my windows as they went around a merry go round while the siren continued to sound. At first I thought a neighbour had a medical emergency and so an ambulance had come. Call it neighbourly concern or simply curiosity I happen to peek out of the windows to check why there was still such a commotion. It was a sight I won’t ever forget.

The 6^th and 7^thfloor houses of the building right next door were lit up due to the raging fire inside. For a few seconds I just stood and watched the flames – against the dark of the night, the stillness in the summer air interrupted by the whoosh & hiss of the flames - eerie, the shiny fire engine blaring its siren. Then instinct kicked in and it occurred to me that with all the wooden scaffolding put up (buildings in our housing complex are getting repaired and painted), something could go horribly wrong. So off I rushed to warn my neighbours and they too had been alerted and everyone was hurrying to the open area downstairs. Luckily for me, being on the second floor has its advantages. I had returned from work around 8pm, so I quickly changed clothes, grabbed my purse (yes, for women-all our world resides in it) and my phone, checked & ensured the power, stove and gas were switched off, locked the house and stepped out.

There we were - children, youngsters, the elderly and Muffin (the much loved Labrador in our building) watching breathlessly as we took in the spectacle in front of us. At that time we didn’t know if anyone was in the next door building or they had been quickly evacuated. The fires were leading to a lot of sputtering and soon some 5^th floor windows & surrounding scaffoldings started to light up. As stuff fell from the 7^thfloor to the 6^th & then to the 5^th, we truly did hear a sickening thud with each drop. Involuntarily we all took a step back fearful that something would go awry.

Fortunately the fire had been spotted early but it took a good 20 minutes for the flames to be put out. We could see plumes of jet black smoke coming out of both houses, the smell of burnt stuff was in the air and the fire engine continued to spray steady jets of water from the outside while the fire fighters tried to curb the fire from within. Once we saw the flames starting to come under control, all other residents of remaining buildings decided to head back to their houses. So did I –it had been quite a day & I had to inform worried folks at home residing in another city and few friends & colleagues from work that all was well and safe. It was another hour before the fire fighters finally ensured all embers had died (the fire engine had sprayed water for almost over 30mins) and checked that the impacted building was safe . There was another loud wail (more of a moan) and the heaven sent blessing in the form of the brave firemen and their bright red fire engine took off for their fire station.

While we’ll get to learn the cause of the fire in the newspaper & society circular tomorrow, we do have fire hydrants/extinguishers in our society regularly inspected, there’s no denying that the proximity of the fire station to our housing complex was a big advantage. The events of tonight were totally unprecedented. I know what I experienced today is nothing compared to what & if something had gone amiss. My respect & salutations to those who continually brave the odds to ensure safety of others!

You know the question– what will you do & take with you in case of fire at home? Well, at some point we’ve been asked this or heard someone respond to it. Frequently heard responses shared with me were (not necessarily in order of preference or popularity) my diary, my family (mother/ sister), my dog, wallet/ jewellery, educational certificates/ medical documents, special book, stamp collection and even my prized begonias!!

For me, as I stood there, clutching my bag, house keys & my phone, watching someone else’s home burn down, while mine was still safe - it was a humbling experience. In times of crisis we pray for each other’s well-being and not for our possessions, we reach out & help each other & not seek anything in return and what we truly are most thankful for is life and the opportunity to live it.

 

The Power of a Winning Smile

Rustyji, aapke daant to motiyon jaise chamak rahe hain................raaz ki baat hai - must bite into a cupcake + mutton chop + unfriendlies once a day ;-)

Fun with Lego

Apr 2014 saw us in Lego Store Copenhagen with Easter just round the corner. The lego store visited was near Pedestrian Street (a lovely shopping area where no vehicles are permitted, one has to stroll the cobbled paths at their own pace and sample a bagel or frankfurter once in a while.

Needless to say, where there is lego, u gotta let go and dig in to have some fun :-)

 

Ship spotting -JNPT to Colaba

Roll back to May 2014.....
Our weekend getaway from JNPT (Sheva) to Gateway - Colaba.....while the gentle swell of the Arabian sea lulled us in to an impromptu snooze we were rudely woken up to spot the pride of Denmark. All the excitement doubled soon as another container ship was spotted - NYK - competition of course ;-)

 

Madhubani - my Guru

Thank you so much Aunty S for all the guidance and love.....!!!

Madhubani - dulhan,doli aur kahar

Bride escorted in a palquin :-)

Madhubani - Many moods Radha Krishan

Madhubani - Shiva -Shakti (ardhnarishwar)

Madhubani BW vs Colour

Madhubani 2014

Visit to Sula

Circa Feb 2015.....Madame Malhotra-Jamwal and Moi decide to pay homage to the mai baap of wines in India - SULA.

Drive from Mumbai to Nashik does not take too long given the winding scenic beauty of the ghats at Igatpuri - approx 3 hrs. We reach Sula by 2:15pm and are plesantly surprised to see the crowd hob nobbing away. I was informed that the previous weekend saw the Sula Fest and like every year there was a commendable turnout. The staff are very helpful and inform us that we can book the tour, go munch and by then be in time for the next wine tasting & tour of the winery.

The dining area is decorated very thoughfully. I'm reminded of the bistro at Napa and PMJ of France. Foodies that we are, on priority ample amount of fare is ordered and we sit back to sip the daintly coloured Sula Brut Rose wine.

Feeling fortified with lunch we amble off for the winery tour. The guide walks us through the history of the place, wine making in general and readily responds to queries of the tour group. The tour takes a few minutes and at each juncture we are carefully debriefed on the process/ machinery, temperature, why cork n which wood etc. We walk on and soon enough reach the tasting chamber.

Our guide makes us twirl n sip, sniff and slurp - and soon we are not so sure if its white, pink, red or desert wine which is our favourite - and that is saying something!!!Post tasting we take a walk around and pose for pictures and head for the wine shop.

Armed with our purchases we head back to the car. One would think PMJ and yours truly would have had a peaceful end to the day but no. We missed a crucial turning to the expressway and ended up meandering through jawahar -thane to reach Mumbai which took much too long- so travellers be warned to stop look and then proceed back to Mumbai lest you too miss the bend in the road.