Garden Slab Mosaic

This month we finally finished our first mosaic project. Gave a colourful makeover to a dull, grey concrete slab lying around the front garden, turning it into a pretty stepping stone instead.

Now this is no ordinary mosaic. It contains contributions from 3 generations - the pink pieces belong to a tea set my mother received on her wedding, the other coloured pieces have come out of broken and damaged ceramic crockery from my kitchen, while the square tiles on the edging were collected by my children from our previous home when they were younger. This coming together of 3 generations is what makes this piece of mosaic really special!!!

To read about the project details and the process we followed to make this mosaic, click here.

The mosaic tile now sits right in front of the children's bedroom window, under the papaya tree, nestling amidst the greens and blooms.

Love how we turned something ordinary to something special. We've got just one life; live inspired, I say!

Decor Prompts

In my efforts of trying to get the new house to look like a home, I have been adding bits and pieces to some key areas....  small touches and decor effects that bring in a certain warmth and lived-in feel.

From a Ganpati with dried florets at the entrance, right across the main door...

...to money plant in a bottle in the kitchen.

The macrame plant hangers that liven up the bathroom are all made by me.

Sundry florals from our garden, propped in random bottles and vases, pep up the living room.

And of course, my cherished green babies that give the home a welcoming, fresh feel.

The packing cases that contain my decoratives are not even opened yet. Can't wait to dress up the walls and corners with all the knick-knacks.

The Log of Wood

Sometimes the smallest things hold the strongest connections, just like this log of wood in my garden.

So this piece comes from a huge peepul tree that grew right outside our windows.... in our previous apartment. The peepul gave us many interesting experiences - from watching the antics of mynahs, parakeets and barbets, to seeing the eagle family's annual expansion, tracking the visits of the migratory rosy starlings, to getting awed by the bees and how beautifully they formed their hive. We got a ringside view of all these and more.

One monsoon when the peepul grew rapidly, spreading it's branches into people's homes, it was decided to prune it down. And that is when I opted to keep one of its branches as a keepsake in my garden. My mom thought I was a nut to be doing that but now every time I look at the log, it reminds me of so many stories! When we recently moved houses, I chose to carry the peepul log into my new setting.

Weather-beaten and gnarled, now the peepul log rests on the blue garden table under the mango tree, holding some of my green treasures. Every monsoon it duly rewards us with a toadstool or two! And makes the perfect backdrop in all our garden photos.

Aah, the joy of giving in to our crazy desires sometimes! And valuing those little things that money cannot buy...

Cat Tales

Soon after we moved in to our new abode, we realized that a bunch of cats roamed the backyard regularly. There was the bossy black and white fellow, with a deep throated meow, who roamed around like the king of the area. There was fat tawny cat who hung around the kitchen window salivating at all the lovely odours floating out.

Then one fine day we discovered mommy cat and her two kittens. It seemed mommy was fed by the previous house owners, and was familiar with and comfortable in our backyard. So she often sat outside our bedroom door, peering in and waiting for her goodies.

Or caught a quick siesta as her kittens pranced around. She even suckled her babies right outside our door. Till one morning, when all hell broke loose!

As mommy cat came lingering around the backyard with her kittens in tow, the kids decided to befriend them. The minute they stepped out with biscuits to lure them, the kittens ran helter-skelter. Jumping over flower pots, toppling over leftover construction material, trying to climb on to walls that were too high for the little kittens.

Both mommy and kittens were scared out of their wits and in their confusion, one of the babies made the disastrous decision of climbing up the mango tree to a safe distance.

What followed after was a comedy of errors.... the kitten clambered up too high for its own good, and we were afraid it may fall out of the tree and get hurt. But every time we tried luring it down, it couldn't find a stable branch that would bear its weight and give it the option of jumping on to the adjoining wall. So up it went again.... slipping and sliding on the branches of the mango tree, often meandering too close to the edges.

Amidst all this, mommy cat and her second kid watched the drama from a safe distance but did nothing to help poor little kitty out of its predicament.

This crazy spectacle continued for a while till finally the kids came back indoors, leaving little kitty to figure its own way out. As soon as they exited, mommy cat came in, made the frightened kitten climb down from the mango tree, and finally led it away to the neighbour's yard.

Phew!.... that sure was a tumultuous start of our relationship with the cats in our backyard. :D

The First Summer

Summer is unusually harsh this year, with scorching 44C+ temperatures lasting almost over 2 weeks at a stretch. A heatwave has been declared in many parts of the country, as everyone grapples with the perpetually rising mercury and the strong sun. Global warming is here, and how!

After spending a torturous summer in our top floor flat last year, I feel immensely grateful for the respite that ground level living has brought. The abiding greenery around serves to soothe the frazzled senses a wee bit more. The only dampener has been the frequent electricity outages.

But despite the weather, it is sights like these that makes us enjoy the new abode.

Here's a glimpse of the sunset from our backyard after a long summer day.

The Homecoming

When you return to an old neighbourhood after a gap of 8 long years, it does feel like a homecoming. A neighbourhood you loved but were forced to leave due to unavoidable circumstances.

One returns to the same familiar sights and sounds -- lush green surroundings, daily chores interspersed by birdsong, the chirping of sparrows that have sadly vanished from our metros, and the hum and rattle of the trains chugging past on the nearby railway tracks. Even the same vendors at the outlets one used to frequent.... only their now-lined faces and streaks of silver hair belying the passage of time.

The green open spaces are comforting, enveloping you in their embrace as you return to their soothing arms. Friendly neighbours and the presence of family in the vicinity make it easier to settle down. A certain calming of frayed nerves that have long borne the stressors of typical city living.

And then even Facebook reminds you that it is a curious case of history repeating itself -- exactly after a decade. 

Life does have a way of moving in circles, like repetitive patterns. Just hope this time we get to stay here longer. And this blog gets a new lease of life!

Colours Of The Monsoon

One of the best things about the rains is the colour of the evening sky...

And of course, the colour those magical drops bring to the garden...

Along with the heady scents that linger in the cool breeze.

Yes, I love the rains (as long as I don't have to get wet or walk through slush). How about you?

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UPDATE: This blog went into deep-freeze after this post. It has since been revived in 2019 after 8 long years, and is alive and happy again.