SKYWATCH--golden and blue

Sunsets come earlier in the winter....and there are some beauties.

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

 Daily Haiku

Head bowed in darkness

I chanced to look up and saw

Breathtaking sunset  

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU!  Thanksgiving is my favorite end-of-year holiday; non-denominational, no stress about gift-giving, just happy, gluttonous time spent with friends and family. I'm actually celebrating this coming Sunday, since today is not a holiday here.

Enjoy your day, and this not-so-recent video via Youtube....; Mother ill; no time to take fresh photos for the moment.

Turn on your speakers!

ABC WEDNESDAY "T" is for "Table"

It's been raining here....not good for cameras, but usually good for photos, lighting and all.

No one was sitting at this cafe.

See other T's on Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC WEDNESDAY.

Daily Haiku

Dark black tears of grief

Shed for my departed love

Stain my face and heart

 

On the hoof

 Webster defines 'on the hoof' as doing something while busy or moving about, not giving the matter your full attention.

I don't think this pigeon cares. He's just got a slightly better view than his buddies of what's below on Belgrade's Republic Square.

Daily Haiku

Minds tend to wander

Thoughts jump like agile monkeys

Try to stay focused

Indoors...

Haven't been out and about too much with my camera these days, what with my mother in the hospital, now out, and visits.

This white chrysanthemum on my dining room table lasted about a day after I took this photo. I like the shadows....and the little ant.

Daily Haiku

White petals struggling

Once vibrant, now fading fast

Our lives are flowers... 

Time to relax....

Here are some items I have beside my computer, not necessarily jammed together like this. The nose with lips and a mustache holds eyeglasses, which I'm wearing right now so I can type this.

I've decided to not post photos on weekends (today is an exception, as will be Theme Days and holidays), since I need a mini-break. My mother is recuperating from a hip fracture and a lot of my time is taken.

So, bear with me during the week, dear readers, and I'll be visiting fairly regularly.

Daily Haiku

Time for little time off

Time to breathe and meditate

Time to just be me 

SKYWATCH--a painting...or not?

No, it's not a painting, but rather I used the 'painting' effects option on my small Nikon P510.  Not too different from the original, but well, more like a painting!

See other skies on SKYWATCH.

Daily Haiku

Photography is

Not always considered art

But I think it is 

Shadows.....

My mother fell and broke her hip and is in the hospital; not good news.  While waiting for visiting hours to start, I snapped this cell phone photo of others also waiting.

Daily Haiku

 Shadows come and go

Lengthening and shortening

Like days of our lives

ABC WEDNESDAY--"S" is for "The Sword in the Stone"

No Lancelot here, and technically this should be the 'sword ON the stone', since it is chiseled on the surface, not embedded.  Anyway, I've passed this marker lots of times, but have always wondered what it is. I've googled, but to no avail. I have a reader who very, very often writes and enlightens me (Knez, are you there?), so maybe he can help if he's reading this.

Check out other S's on Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC WEDNESDAY.

Daily Haiku

 

It's that time again....

Holiday lights are going up......

Daily Haiku

Sparkling overhead

Strings of twinkling icy lights
Diamond necklaces

 

Undressed and dressed

A cell phone photo for you.   Pardon the blur; it was late at night.I took this photo before I left for India a month ago, and since these 'dummies' had been standing there for already a week or two and the rest of the store was empty, I figured it was just one more boutique that had gone belly-up.

When I returned, lo and behold, the dummies are all dressed up, new paint and shelves inside, but still the same 'old' store.

Daily Haiku

Knowing what to wear

Is just a matter of taste

Don't call me 'dummy' 

Revamped....

Back from India and missing Indian food. You might remember this place that I showed you over two years ago. It's had a facelift, and I imagine more people like it this way....  It's interesting to note that they take in the spoon and fork at night. (When I passed by one night, I thought they'd been stolen.)

Daily Haiku

Through these portals pass

Those hungry for lasagna

Or maybe pizza 

On our way back....

Not members of our group.  Just me again sneaking a shot of these two fellows who appear to be just as worn out as we are, while waiting for our flight at Dubai airport.  Below are two images that designate which bathroom you should use....  It's been a WONDERFUL trip, and I'm already missing India....

Daily Haiku

An old cliché says

All good things come to an end 

...until the next time.

We're all in Lucknow....

About to head home. Here's a photo of our little group in Lucknow at the Bara Imambara, a Muslim religious monument built in 1764.  Its central hall  is said to be the largest arched hall in the world. Its construction is unique because its arched ceiling blocks have been put together with an interlocking system of bricks, without the use of girders and beams, and no pillars to support it.

The Bara Imambara is also known for its incredible maze called Bhulbhulaiya, located in the upper floor. From the photo above, you see that we found our way out.  I'm the one in the black top and brown trousers.

Daily Haiku

  Up and down we wove

Through twisting, narrow hallways

As we do through life

Keep the corners clean

I spent some time in Delhi walking around Connaught Place, one of the city's largest financial, commercial, and business centers. The center has a circular colonnade walkway, and I couldn't help but notice that here and there some of the corners were quite dirty, whereas others, such as above, were spotless.

Someone had a good idea by strategically placing tiles with gods/goddesses there.  No one wants to soil them.....  In the photo are two Krishna tiles and one Hanuman.

Daily Haiku

He who can't recall

Cleanliness is godliness

Creates bad karma

 

Bodacious Bovine

This man had his cow all decked-out for Diwali, a festival of lights taking place this year in early November.

The cow seemed pleased with her appearance and posed for me; all she needed to do was smile.

Daily Haiku

It's fun to dress up

In finery and flowers

Even if you're a cow

Wings....

I did a double-take when I saw these winged shoes in a Delhi store window.....  I would love to know who  is going to buy them.

Daily Haiku

 The Greek god Hermes

Wore sandals fitted with wings

Pretty snazzy chap

 

 

All iz Well

Sniff, sniff, on the way home, indirectly, with a stop in Delhi before we move on to our departure city, Lucknow.

We stayed at the All Iz Well hotel....love the name, and loved even more the tremendously successful (a few years back) Hindi film The Three Idiots, in which you can hear the song and watch the video clip All Izz Well that I'm pasting for you below. (Two z's in the song title....) Watch and listen!

Daily Haiku

Things don't always go

Quite the way we want them to

Obstacles are life

Lot of pots

Saw a fantastic dance performance in Udaipur.  I saw this same performance four years ago in Udaipur and was pleased to see that little had changed and it was as entertaining as before. Also, the woman in the top photo was still able to perform with these twelve pots on her head. She started out with two, and others were added in twos or threes.  After each addition, she continued her dance while doing something  a bit different.  For example,  once she balanced herself on the edge of a metal tray and tapped out the rhythm with her feet. 

As they always add on some commercials, "Do not attempt this at home".

Daily Haiku

Nothing's really hard

If you practice long enough

Discipline is hard

 

Faces of Udaipur

No particular comment for these. Just faces of the fantastic Indian people I met on my trip....and one shadow that reminds me of Gandhi.

Daily Haiku

We are not alone

Along the roads we travel 

Strangers become friends

Two from the Road

Two photos from the road, taken from my bus window.

Daily Haiku

Glimpses of faces

That we'll never see again

Often stay with us 

The painter of miniatures....

Meet Rakesh, a painter of miniatures on silk, who lives and works in Udaipur.  A few years back, I'd bought a painting on silk from another painter, but I am certainly glad I popped into Rakesh's shop.  A delightful fellow.  He treated me to a miniature of my own on my thumb. Mine is (still there--will last a week or so, he says) an elephant, and the peacock on the thumb you see above belongs to our group's leader, Jelena, who passed by and wanted one, too.

And don't you just love the tufts of hair on Rakesh's ears?  And his thumb!  My grandmother could do that, too; said she was double-jointed.

Daily Haiku

Elephant for me

And a peacock for my friend

You painted your heart

 

Peeking again....and one who peeks at me...

Most Indian hotels have a rooftop terrace, where food and drinks are served, and before or after a meal, of just to relax, people retreat there to catch an evening or early morning breeze.

Of course I'm up to my Peeping Tom tricks again.  I observed the man in the little room across the way prepare his meal, then calmly eat it.

And just before the sun set, this little bird was watching me.

Daily Haiku

Eating mindfully

Savoring every small bite

Increases pleasure

  

Keep your eyes on the stars....

The first photo is how I started my day in Pushkar at the wonderful cafe, Honey and Spice, run by an Indian man who was in the catering business in Europe before, but then branched our to health food and returned to India to open this place.  Every single thing I had for breakfast here in Pushkar was delicious....  The second is a graffito scribbled on the roof of our guest house...how true it is....and good advice.

The last photo is Pushkar's Mount Abu, whose steps' lights appear as stars.

Daily Haiku

We often lose sight

Of what really counts in life

Don't fail to see the stars  

Faces and veils

India is many things, but a country of fabulous faces and one ablaze with color are just two of its assets....  I never get tired of either.

Daily Haiku

Lines in our faces

Tell the story of our lives

Smooth face means dull life! 

Monkey see, monkey do...

Probably not the best title for this duo of photos.  The top one shows the trio "Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil," while the bottom one is of a monkey that was performing with her partner in the street.  She shook my hand....

Daily Haiku

 In  monkeys' faces

We often see our own selves

Closer than you think....

THEME DAY-HEIGHTS--Behind the Taj Mahal....

Behind the Taj Mahal in Agra rises this tower, just over 85 meters....
Click here to see other posts.

Daily Haiku

Our ambitions rise

Then sometimes suddenly fall

Stone towers still stand