Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts

Sunday, January 13, 2013

2012 - The Year in Flowers

We started 2012 in Bangalore, India with my husband's family.  The first picture is a bouquet that was presented to us with much pomp and circumstance.  Imagine dignitaries and a Kollywood (this is NOT misspelled!) star seeing us off to our visit to mountainous Coorg.  A wild ride with curious monkeys looking on. Atop the mountains we were in tea fields - my dream!  We stayed at a coffee plantation on my first to India, so now it's complete!  Next, notice the beautiful chalk drawings on the pavement by my talented sister-in law, Premila.  She also, like is a tradition in India, designs flower arrangements as heads of flowers and petals floating on water.  These arrangements are placed next to the front door of your dwelling.  Another common practice is to have large clay pots lined up against your home or around your patio so to enjoy every variety of flower, vegetable or herb for cooking or medicinal purposes.  Derick's mom and Premila take wonderful care of these plants as you see Amma's yellow sunflower on her terrace looking out. This blue and white bowl is my attempt to re-create these beautiful Indian water arrangements.  We all love flowers!!!DSCN2887IMG_0923DSCN2957DSCN2959DSCN3216DSCN2629DSCN2646DSCN2862IMG_0621IMG_0609

From India we return to Jacksonville and later Saint Augustine as we move in June.  With the help of a friend, I start a flower ministry at church for the sick, hurting, or anyone needing cheering up or encouraging.  What a joy to cheer so many dear ones and use my gifts and passion for flowers.  Enjoy the rest of these shots!

DSCN4530DSCN4641DSCN4933DSCN5146IMG_0419IMG_0591IMG_0592DSCN5223DSCN5275DSCN5274DSCN5544DSCN5472DSCN4943DSCN4944DSCN5443DSCN5550DSCN5502IMG_0799DSCN5514DSCN5494DSCN5486  I heard it once said that when God created the world, He laughed in flowers.  I believe it and am the richer for it.  Thank you for laughing too!!  I'll see you in 2013 in the next post!

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Diwali - Festival of Lights

Shoes off

Enter holy


Glamour and sparkle of dress

Bangles
Anklets

Laughter

Jokes in Telugu
I smile

Gents one room

Ladies another
Children in the middle
We keep it that way

I honor Amma

Spoken language doesn't translate
I kiss her cheek
She understands

Food

Glorious food!
Intricate combinations of spices
Indian cooking

Tangy tamarind rice

Spicy finger cucumbers with coconut
Crunchy onion bhajis
Sour curds

Sambar

This one is special
My tongue probes the mystery
Is is dry mango?

Befuddled

I seek she who created
She laughs
It’s simple really

She unravels the mystery

My tongue still questions
Amazing

Indian sweets

The ordinary dressed up in
Ghee, cream, sugar, rose water,
Cardamom and bits of nuts

Carrots

Dal
Sooji
Bread

An Indian bride

Silk, henna and jewels...
Confectionery of pure beauty

Pride of Indian cooking

We discuss recipes
Swap ideas

We want to recreate culinary memories

That dish from that restaurant
Mama’s specialty
Scenes from childhood

Stew of ideas and memories

Stir into each dish
And me, the “foreigner”,
Became “one of us”
because “nothing is too spicy”

Kids emerge

Promise made of spewed lights
We rush into the cold night

A light spectacle

Tantalize young and old.
Gingerly I hold a sparkler
Always afraid of fire

Big Loud explosions!

Bright showers of color.
Spinning furious chameleon tops.
Flaming fireballs shoot.

The Grand Finale spirals

Rocket and Boom!
An umbrella of colored stars
Explode leaves me breathless

Smoke clears

We enter the house
Bushes are covered in jeweled lights
Our saris brush by all sparkle

We carry the light too

Lights in constellations
Bursting momentary lights
Electric lights
Candle light - serenest of all

We are lights

We reflect that Greater Light
The Creator of all lights
He whispers to us:

“Let your light shine

before others....” Matt. 5:16

He says, “I am the Light

of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12

I stop

Wonder
Now it is dark
He is The Light

“So we thank Thee that

darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee Thanks
for Thy great glory.”
T. S. Eliot The Choruses from the Rock