Sunday, January 31, 2010

bridges of great swamp national park

Hardly "bridges", these are more wooden walkways over extended parts of the swamp.

Doesnt take anything away from their being picturesque, though !

Saturday, January 30, 2010

double-bull


looks like an indian bulbul, dont know what it is called over here ..

Visited the Great Swamp national park today, a delightful half an hour drive away through forested land, by twisting, undulating roads which reminded me of this song.

The swamp is all iced over at this time of the year, and the ground's all crunchy under the feet from Thursday's snow. Elevated walkways take you around the swamp - long bridges that dissapear into the white mist in the distance; over shallow streams that have frozen mid flow. On either side, stands guard the gaunt forest, patiently waiting for spring, the leafless heads of the trees high up in the air.

There's a nice bite in the air - it's easily the coldest day of the year so far. Air so clean that you gulp it down by the mouthful, air so fresh that you want it to caress the skin, raising goose pimples all over.There's no one around in sight, and the occasional walker quickly dissapears on one of the myriad trails, as if apologetic for the interruption . Its a feeling of oneness with nature that you never want to let go.

The freeze has driven the reptiles into hibernation; and most of the birds to migration. There were just of couple of small hardy ones twittering about near the birdhouse, including the one in the pic above. Spring should bring back a lot of activity, though; so have added up a visit in my calendar two months from now.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

brrr



the cold contiues on to the next day, bringing along this time a world draped in white ..

.. shot with camera phone from a moving car which was getting late to office. No, I wasnt driving.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

twinkle click


It helps me see beauty everywhere around me
It helps me see a constellation where i saw but one star
It helps me realize maybe i need to visit the optician
Its my three-fifty-d

Today brought clear skies and sun, and freezing temperatures
Night's a clearer sky and colder still ..

Sunday, January 24, 2010

US vs India


In the US, it is more likely for deer to cross your path, than stray cattle.

The difference is that, the deer shows up for a glimpse and then flits away on winged feet.
In India, the cattle - they own the road :)

Friday, January 22, 2010

No, I don't


Or maybe, I do, just a teeny weeny little bit.
Just that much.

About caramelized banana with ice cream and honey.

Not much else :)

Going Green is just a fad anyway.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

The bridges of Central Park


Prominent among its many attractions, Central Park boasts of some forty bridges - stone, wood and wrought iron; and no two of them are alike. Most of them are hidden away around the corner - you take a turn on the path and suddenly you come face to face with a quaint beauty.

This here is the Gapstow bridge, takes the park path over the pond.

Of all the places in the world, I count central park as the Mecca for runners. Iske darshan mile, Yeh wali zindagi dhanya hui. ;)

Monday, January 18, 2010

shades of gray


The unbearable lightness of being ..

Read this novel two years back, loved the snippets but missed the big picture. I can hardly remember anything of the book, even its characters. Like it was a dream - you remember how it felt, but not what it was; even in the dream it was an amorphous, fluid something - that resisted finding a form - a dream within a dream ..

Maybe time to skip the Ludlum and go back to Kundera again !

This place: Near Shenandoah caverns, Virginia, on new year's eve.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

missing U


Can I touch you there,
Touch you deep inside,
Can I touch your heart,
The way you're touchin' mine ..

Its incredible how what is but a moment in a lifetime can last forever in memory...

Saturday, January 16, 2010

baltimore harbour


The place where the american national anthem took birth.

Also, a place where the city mayor could be tried and convicted for misappropriating gift cards to the tune of 630 $.

An amount that you would be expected to pay as bribe to the sarpanch of a village in India if you are the contractor bidding for the construction of the village road.

Multiply that by the standard of living factor. That is how matter-of-fact corruption is in India. And that is why roads to my village get washed away every monsoon.

Friday, January 15, 2010

quick-fix

Lemon-butter tilapia.
topped with garlic-pepper seasoning; and served with olive-rosemary bread. And to colour the palette and not forget the vitamins, baby carrots n peas.

I used about a tonne of butter; but who cares :D
Was even yummier than it looks :)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

capital


The Washington DC I saw was full of delightful little (and not so little) paths like this. Who wouldnt want to break into a run ?!

Its beautiful in the middle of winter - with bare trees, iced over tanks and frosted over grass. How gorgeous can it be during fall ? Or in spring, when all the cherry trees burst into blossom ?

There's only one way to find out :) spring and DC are 2 months and 200 miles away !

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

washington memorial

a gorgeous ray of the evening sun had painted the scene with fiery gold ..

Washington monument, as seen from the Lincoln memorial. Isn't it just apt that when you stand flanked by the monuments dedicated to America's two most famous statesmen, you should be filled with awe ?

Monday, January 11, 2010

ek aur ek


Were you a mirage, a fantasy, an illusion ? A dream? A memory that fades away just too fast ?

Or are you the reflection that covers my every thought ?

Saturday, January 9, 2010

ten-on(e)-ten

New year, more than a time for parties, is a time for resolutions. for new promises. to turn over a new leaf.

I havent kept my new year promises yet . :(

Instead, was turning over the pages of SinCity today. And by the time i reached mid-way, I started confusing Roark with Rorschach...

wood-duck

edit: added a vignette;
liked the way it felt like the duck was carrying a light in its wake into the dark waters.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

day eight


Walking on the water: courtesy the worldwide cold wave that is gripping winter '09-10.

Canadian geese are a lot like snow. They come in the winter (if you stay south of the border, that is :D ). The first sight of both is a thing of beauty. Too much, (and it happens in some time) and they become pests ...

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

seven



It's seven months today since i came here . A lot has changed. A lot remains the same.
I have learnt the basics of the all the three things I promised myself to learn.
The sky still remains an awesome shade of blue.
:)

As per Rocky, Seven is the most natural number in the world . As per Rowling, Seven is the most powerfully magical number. As per me, July is the month I was born in
:)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

six

ingredients for the after-office snack

one: cumin bread, toasted - Panera;
two: tomato and
three: onion rings,
four: egg - sunny side up - Shoprite;
five: garlic and herbs cheese spread - Rondelle;
six: ground black pepper seasoning - Spice Garden


didnt taste half as good. should be better if that egg is scrambled !

Monday, January 4, 2010

paanch

Water frozen in its tracks - topped off with snow;
or,
A skeleton hand guarding over the fossils.

Either way, I think - can be a nice texture layer to experiment with ..

Whenever I see something resembling an open palm, I am reminded of this eternal favourite from DD: (the image in my mind is from the video at 4:42)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

four: soar

I read the book Jonathan Livingstone Seagull during my first year of college; I think that's the best Bach I have read.

and D, this time I am not confusing Bach with Beethoven :D. Really, all that I was doing then was thinking about the opening lines from a movie:

What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died?
That she was beautiful and brilliant?
That she loved Mozart and Bach?
The Beatles?
And me?


This place: spring lake park; south plainfield.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

two

A twosome for the second day of Jan :)

Trying to write up an "impression" for this picture - i came up with this:
The sign implores me to stop time and freeze the beautiful moment.

Yes, pun intended :)

Friday, January 1, 2010

one-one

new year = time to revisit old resolutions ..
This place: clock tower @ liberty bell, Philadelphia. Arrived in time to hear the bell ring in 11 am.

The liberty bell was the subject of a famous april fool's day hoax ad by Taco Bell: http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/Hoaxipedia/Taco_Liberty_Bell/