4.1.2024- Blue Moon Crocuses in bloom in my garden
“no winter lasts forever; no spring skips it’s turn”
Happy Easter
Snapshots
Watching Spring’s renewal of life, beautiful backyard birds and delightful wildlife
I engage with the enchanting nature everyday, and I wonder what it has to say!
Crocus: Like every year, my first bloom in the garden this week.
Follow me: https://m.facebook.com/SnapshotsandStories/ for more snapshots and stories.
a message today @ 2.4.2024
A Special Moment
Leah turned a year older today. Did anything change from yesterday ? No, the routine was the same as any other day.
Looking back over the past years and all the birthdays celebrated, a lot has changed now. Her mother would say “well I guess it does for all! nothing stays the same”.
Today her mother was not there to wish her. Her father didn’t remember her birthday either. The family is broken with sibling relationships turning cold and edgy. Now birthday wishes come from financial advisors, company human resources, airlines and banks! Guess that’s a good sign that they keep in touch. It’s a new phase in life when these folks remember you with cards and warm notes more than friends and relatives from years past, and days go by just like this.
Today morning, the November sunrise over the cold barren trees in the backyard greeted Leah. The golden color of the sun reminded her of her mother who once told her that she is blessed to see sunrise everyday when going to work. Indeed she was blessed, when she witnessed the warm, soft sun rays fall on the delicate petals of the beautiful, pink hibiscus that had bloomed indoors. She could hear her mother say “Isn’t it beautiful Leah?”.
The surprise call with her father today, a true birthday blessing indeed even though he no longer remembers names, numbers, dates, nothing… But the smile acknowledging a known face said it all.
She stopped by to check on a neighbor as an ambulance pulled up. At work she worried for the sick patients as she read a report. Nothing stops and nothing special happens on a birthday unless you create one. Sharing a moment of happiness with a person or nature is all you need to make something special. Leah had created her special moment with her parents who were in a different world. After all, birthdays are only special when parents are around.
“Remember this, that very little is needed to make a happy life.”
Rocky’s Black Friday Shopping
Rocky loves to ride in the car. He mostly settles down in the backseat sleeping. When he is not, he stares intensely at the front seat driver or passenger following the conversation and making sure everything is fine. He only gets up on his two hind legs to check the surroundings if the car slows down for any reason. After one such long journey, we decided to give him a break the next day by planning to spend a few hours at an outlet mall to take advantage of Black Friday!
I wasn’t sure what to expect and thought we would only do some window shopping and if lucky grab some food. However, we were surprised when we got to spend a lovely afternoon walking around with Rocky in a very dog friendly shopping complex and needless to say Rocky had a blast!
Curious as he is always, he didn’t mind the cold day wandering around the shops, checking out every flower bed, looking around at all the shoppers (young and old) who walked past merrily with colorful bags, and children. He enjoyed the warmth of the afternoon sun patiently waiting outside the stores as we took turns to go in. Everytime, I came out of a shop I was greeted by big jump ” where are we going next?”
The highlight of the day was the huge attention he received from the shoppers as well as the folks in the shops that he was asked to come inside one of them. Our playful and affectionate Rocky loved to be petted by the shoppers and almost everyone had a sweet compliment for him that made him feel more loved, happy and cheerful!
The loving gestures from strangers towards Rocky and the few minutes of joy he gave to them by picking up on their energy made us all happy!
Through Peace to Light
“I do not ask, O Lord, that Thou shouldst shed; Full radiance here;
Give but a ray of peace that I may tread; Without a fear”
Happy Diwali 2023
Rocky is an Adult!
Rocky turned 2 in May this year and was officially declared an adult dog by the vet last month during his annual check up! At 2, Rocky is a healthy, happy dog boy and there was nothing big in my list to discuss with the vet, except for the lack of thick hair in his belly !!!
Two plus years in his home, Rocky is obviously comfortably set and well recognized in the neighborhood, our friends circle, everyone in the animal hospital and above all very popular in the kennels! He has his set of admirers and friends! He gets wished good morning by humans during his morning walks and very often complimented for his good looks wherever he goes! I feel proud to walk with him and also be protected by this amazing watch dog! Thankfully, he no longer lunges on other people including strangers, but wags his tail to show his super excitement! But he continues to bark at smaller dogs and scare them. These are indeed moments of awkwardness for us, more so when he has no interest in stopping this intimidating behavior.
I will share here the range of emotions and interesting activities we have witnessed after Rocky turned 2 years in the past few months.
Graduating from his crate days to sleeping on his own bed, Rocky soon figured out that there are better places to take over. Since that day Rocky sleeps in the guest bedroom, on a flannel throw and a red pillow. I had noticed that he loves to copy us sleeping with our head on the pillow. He was so glad when he got one and I was happy to fulfill his wish! He also loves to relax on the Yogibo and often pushes me out of it. The 70+ lbs of weight rolling in different postures everyday, has made it totally flat now and in need of new beads!!!
I must admit Rocky is a very good looking young dog and extremely photogenic! I have discovered that he loves to get some extra bit of attention nowadays and doesn’t mind props unlike a few months back. Below he is wearing a bow tie, almost ready to join a party!! That day he literally picked it up with his mouth wanting to wear it as the young man was getting dressed. I so wished he could also join us !!!
Rocky continues to be inquisitive and checks and double checks what’s going on around him and sometimes very casually. I swear he can be a good detective!
Rocky loves to play like any other young boy! He loves water and it’s hard to water plants in front of him. He loves to play soccer but also with his toys! The “Chubaru” is one of his favorites but so is the snake that has lost its eyes and flippers! He somehow treats toys differently inside the house. These toys have survived in the yard albeit wounded. They would not have lasted indoors as Rocky would have chewed and eaten them by now! He can be very aggressive when playing with his toys and doesn’t let them go out of his sight! He also loves to scare us by his aggressive looks.
But don’t be mistaken by his expression in the above photo. Rocky is not trying to scare us but that’s a rewarding smile showing his teeth! He indeed shows his gratitude everyday for all the little things we do or share with him. I just love this smile but it definitely look me awhile to understand that it is a broad smile showing his teeth!
Morning Shadow and Glow
If I were a sunbeam I know where I would go; Into the darkest corner to spread some cheer and glow
Today Morning@7:00am
Note Card
Garden Flowers
I love gardening. It brings back sweet memories of my childhood, associated with my mother and specially the many home gardens and gardeners of the sprawling bungalows where I wandered as child. I learnt the tricks of gardening from them, watching and listening to their conversations as I played around the trees and shrubs. I used to pull flowers off the plants to play, as I roamed in my make-believe world.
Flowers are precious. I live in a colder climate now. Most of these flowers are from my garden that bloom during spring and summer every year. It is amazing to see how the perennials tolerate the cold winter and then start budding slowly in spring. I watch the plants transition from a dry stick to green foliage, and finally to colorful blooms as the temperature rises. I love to capture every moment of it. I planted them at some point in my garden and it is so much fun to watch the plants mature. Each plant has a story associated with it when I planted them. Close-up pictures reveal stunning characteristics of these flowers. Here are some from my collection. They are all close to my heart and associated with warm memories. So I can enjoy their beauty, I rarely pluck flowers from my garden ! Hope they bring you joy and a smile to your face. With fresh new blooms every year, this gallery gets updated. Feel free to share, download any of these lovely beauties!
“Flowers, flowers, fragrant and gay; everywhere we see
Smiling in beauty each day; blooming for you and me”
Smiling in Beauty
A peaceful place in my garden:
Flowers, Flowers, Fragrant and Gay, Everywhere we See
Smiling and Chiming in Beauty Each Day, Blooming for You and Me
Lilies
Colorful elegant lilies herald the month of July and August in my garden.
“Flowers, flowers, fragrant and gay, everywhere we see,
Smiling in beauty each day, blooming for you and me”
Ring out the Old, Ring in the New
February: The sight of fresh new leaves on my indoor plant finally brought some relief and a smile to my face. But at the same time I felt heavy hearted when I saw the few remaining old leaves that were about to die and fall off….
July: Indoors, the new leaves that came out turned out not so healthy to contribute to the overall health of the plant. This summer I placed the plant outside in my patio so nature could take it’s own course. I had completely forgotten about it and assumed it may die in the excess heat and rain, as it was an indoor plant. To my surprise, with a different surrounding and environment, the old weary plant has rejuvenated into a healthy plant with bright green foliage. I hope to maintain it’s health through the rest of the year and beyond.
“Ring out the grief, that Saps the mind.
for if the tide of life , should ebb away
give me Thy Love and Grace dear Lord, Sweet Lord today”
The Himalayan Foothills
A long desire to visit the foothills of Himalayas was finally fulfilled early this year. Even though a short stint, but the trip to Rishikesh, the yoga capital of the world has been a memorable one. Halfway around the world now, in a quiet corner of my room, I can visualize the turquoise green waters of the river Ganga meandering through the foothills of the Himalayas giving me a sense of peace and calmness. Here I describe our 2-day trip to Haridwar, Rishikesh and Devprayag.
Day 1: We reached New Delhi Airport in the wee hours of the morning after a long international flight. As we sipped hot tea from the clay mugs (kulhar chai), we eagerly waited for our driver to show up. At 5:30 am in the morning Rahul our excellent driver who soon became our guide and friend called to say he was waiting in the parking lot. Thus started our journey to Rishikesh on a cloudy rainy day! Zooming through the almost empty roads of the city, soon we found ourselves driving on the well done Delhi-Meerut expressway with fields of sugarcane on either side, listening to Hindi Bollywood songs on FM radio. What a wonderful world!
Our first halt was Cheetal Grand, where we stopped for breakfast. The taste of a simple omelette and freshly baked bread with hot tea was just awesome. The beautiful garden outside was full of flowers; the delicate petunias a bit droopy from the rain.
Roorkee: The next stop was Roorkee. We stopped to explore the oldest engineering college in the country. I would highly recommend visiting this impressive British era college (now Indian Institute of Technology, IIT). The institution (that started as the Thomason College of Civil Engineering) was founded in 1847 by James Thomason, the Lieutenant-Governor of the North Western Provinces, to train engineers and surveyors during the construction of the Ganges Canal. The campus is surprisingly very green with a variety of trees lining the roads and sprawling gardens full of flowers. Here I noticed the lovely Sita Ashoka trees in full bloom.
As we hit the road again, we crossed the impressive Patanjali Yogpeeth. This is an impressive yoga institute founded by the famous yoga guru Ramdev and named after the Rishi Patanjali. The institute is involved in research and development of Yoga and Ayurveda. I had heard a lot about it. Soonafter the traffic started getting bad as we hit the congested roads leading to Haridwar town. It is here we got our first glimpse of the river Ganga as we crossed Har ki Pauri which is believed to be the place where river Ganga leaves the mountains. We decided to come back later and headed towards our destination. I would highly recommend traveling by road to Haridwar if you enjoy doing sight seeing on the way.
Har Ki Pauri 
View of the River Ganga from the hotel
We arrived at the hotel overlooking the Ganga. It was still overcast and drizzling, but the view of the mountains and the river from the hotel was just spectacular! Since it was a short trip we did not want to waste time. Instead of exploring Rishikesh that day we decided to witness the famous Ganga Aarti that evening at Haridwar. By late afternoon after a delicious vegetarian meal at the lovely rooftop restaurant of the Ellbee hotel (https://www.ellbeehotels.com/ellbee_ganga_view/index) we made our way to Haridwar to witness the famous Ganga Aarti.
Haridwar: We spend sometime exploring the area around Har Ki Pauri, walking along the narrow lanes of Moti Bazar. Teeming with people from all over the country the narrow lanes were lined with small shops selling pickles, ayurvedic herbs, rudraksha garlands, colorful bangles, and clothes among many other things. The pooja items on sale included well crafted idols and utensils made of copper and brass. Last but not the least there were numerous vendors selling mouthwatering sweets, and savory items. This is an excellent way to know a new place and culture, food and the people around.
Har Ki Pauri: We soon headed back to the Har ki Pauri area. This sacred spot on the banks of river Ganga attract thousands of devotees everyday. They feel blessed to take a dip in the holy Ganga at this spot. The famous Hindu gatherings of Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh also take place at Har ki Pauri. The world famous Ganga Aarti takes place in the Brahmakund ghat of Har ki Pauri. The sun was playing hide and seek with the clouds as it got ready to set for the day. The ghat had already become crowded. If you want to witness the Aarti you have to come to this area almost 2 hours before to grab a good spot. Initially a bit impatient, I settled myself on the cemented wet ground cushioned between a crowd of people under the vast cloudy sky and next to the rapidly flowing Ganga. My eyes were fixated on the activities happening on the other side of the river. It is amazingly to see such a huge crowd gathered just to witness the Ganga Aarti.
Ganga Aarti: Perhaps the most important event related to the holy river, Ganga Aarti starts with chanting of hymns in Sanskrit. As the sun sets, a group of priests gather near the water and along with all other priests in the many temples adjoining the river pray and show gratitude and respect to the river asking for it’s blessings holding huge lighted brass lamps. The priests dressed in orange, the fire from the multi tier brass lamps, the chanting of mantras in chorus, the ringing of bells and blowing of conch shells, the bright marigold flowers, the refection of the lamp fire on the holy river generates a different kind of vibrant energy that though spiritual is hard to explain. Witnessing this 15 minute ritual at dusk, sitting on the wet ground amidst an unknown crowd made me feel so humble and submissive to mother nature. After the Aarti, in turn, I offered my respect by floating a small oil lamp (diya) with flowers into the rapidly flowing river, a common ritual among devotees who come to witness the event. This was an incredible experience!
Day 2: DevPrayag: The next day we headed out very early in the morning for Devprayag. Devprayag (means “Godly Confluence” in Sanskrit) is another sacred town in the state of Uttarakhand, India, and is the last of the Panch Prayags (five confluences) of Alaknanda River https://uttarakhandtourism.gov.in/destination/devprayag). It is around 70 kms from Rishikesh. We went up the winding roads into the mountains, with the Ganga on our right but way down the cliff! I was in awe of the dramatic landscape of the magnificent Himalayas. We made small stops on the way to enjoy the beauty around and also walk all the way to the rocky banks of the river wherever possible.
The sacred rivers of Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi join to form the Ganga in Devprayag. You can walk all the way down to the confluence. It’s a bit strenuous going down the steep road and again climbing up to the main road, but totally worth it!
Refer to post: https://wordpress.com/post/ridewithtia.com/1880
Rishikesh is called the gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas and to the Char Dham (the 4 Hindu pilgrimage sites), namely Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yaminotri. We made it back downhill to the hotel just in time to witness the Ganga Aarti at Triveni ghat. Three sacred rivers meet at this spot, the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, that justifies the name Triveni. Even though a decent crowd gather every evening at sunset to witness the aarti, the scenario here is a bit different from Har Ki Pauri. You can watch the ritual on the river banks, while enjoying the cool evening breeze. This was more serene. Live music and bhajans (hymns) greeted us as we were escorted by the hotel staff to front row seats to witness another memorable ceremony in the calm and peaceful backdrop of the mountains and the holy river. At sunset, the Vedic chants filled the air as priests in uniform held huge lighted lamps moved them in a certain motion and prayed to river Ganga.
We walked down the river after sunset to take a stroll in the famous suspension bridge “Ram Jhula”. Walking in the crowd on the swaying bridge we landed on the other side of Ganga. Like Haridwar the lanes were lined with busy shops in the evening hour. We spotted many yoga ashrams, gurukuls and music schools along our way and were lucky to hear some evening practice sessions from the music schools. The energy at this place had a blend of meditation, spirituality and yoga. But Rishikesh is not only about this. The unique natural beauty of the river and the green mountains attract a lot of nature enthusiasts ( wild life and bird watching), and adventure sports lovers. Rishikesh has it all! You have to just pick the reason for your visit. The people are very friendly and the local food is out of the world! We ended our Day 2 with an elaborate meal at the Famous Chotiwala.
The Ram Jhula illuminated at night 
The Famous Chotiwala Restaurant 
Vegetarian Thali at Chotiwala
Day 3: The clouds had cleared and the early morning view from the hotel roof top restaurant was perfect. The morning fog cleared slowly to a bright sunny day. It was time to say good bye! If you have a couple of days, I would highly recommend a visit to the Himalayan foothills. It has so much to offer. You just pick your reason to visit this wonderful place!
Morning Fog over Ganga 
Morning Breakfast 
A Bright Morning View
The Black-capped Chickadee
“High among the branches is a cosy nest; Listen as the nestlings try to chirp their best”
Sweet Memories of Sweet Beverages from India
“We do not remember days, we remember moments”
Captured below are refreshing moments of simple joy as I enjoyed the many natural beverages in India to keep myself cool and refreshed during the hot summer days!
Sugarcane Juice
On a recent travel on the Delhi–Meerut Expressway, India, I passed through vast stretches of sugarcane fields. It was close to the end of harvest season for this seasonal crop. The slow moving tractors loaded with heaps of harvested sugarcane sticking out on all directions was fascinating!
Sugarcane Fields 
Tractor loaded with Sugarcane 
Slow moving Tractor heavily loaded 
Loading along the Highway 
Flurry of Actibvities 
Busy Laborers
The state of Uttar Pradesh in India is one of the largest producer of sugarcane and I was at the heart of the Uttar Pradesh sugarcane district (Meerut). I spotted a guy churning out fresh juice on a sugarcane juice maker right next to the fields. I was tempted to try some and wondered if I will be able to grab some during this trip?
Few days later, many miles south of Delhi, at the heart of Bangalore city, I was thrilled to see freshly pressed sugarcane juice available from a more modern sugarcane juice machine! A menu with a modern twist! I was ecstatic and ordered a bottle of fresh sugarcane juice with a squeeze of lemon! It was ages since I had fresh sugarcane juice. I had almost forgotten the taste. So refreshing!!
If you ever go to India, don’t miss the fun of having sugarcane juice, be it at the fields, roadside or at a fancy mall with a fancy menu! The taste will be the same and I guarantee you will love this sweet sugary beverage!
Coconut water
During summer time in India, nothing can be as refreshing as coconut water! Vendors selling coconut water on the roadside is a common sight. This is a must for me whenever I am in India. I particularly love the coconut meat or “coconut malai” as commonly known in India.
I order one coconut which also has the “malai” in it. The vendor nods his head and with casual confidence he chooses a perfect one for me from the pile and uses precision strokes of a sickle to cut it open. He sticks a straw into it and it’s ready to be served. So fresh and invigorating!!!
Next, I return the empty coconut once again so he can open it up to reveal the inside. The soft, white and creamy layer of flesh inside the unripe coconut is known as coconut meat or “malai”. He cuts a piece of the outer green part of the coconut to be used a scraper to scrape out the meat. This cool stuff tasted heavenly as I scraped it out slowly and ate it standing under the shades of a Gulmohar tree. No ice-cream can beat this during the hot and humid summer days of India! A must try for all!
Recommended Fruit Juices
Hot Beverages
Nothing else can start a day but a sip of hot tea or coffee depending on where you are in India. In north, tea is common, while in south it’s coffee!
Check out the links below to know more about kulhar chai and filter coffee.
https://www.kaapi.com.au/post/ultimate-guide-to-indian-filter-coffee
Spring Tulips
I happened to have a layover at Amsterdam during a long journey to Asia. As the plane slowly descended in preparation for landing, I spotted some colored fields from my window seat. Initially confused, I soon realized I was looking at the famous tulip fields along the canals! I wished I had enough time to do a break journey and visit the gorgeous tulip fields.
At Schiphol Amsterdam Airport the majestic wooden tulips greeted me and so did the gorgeous Aviflora “House of Tulips” shop at the Lounge. (https://aviflora.nl/en/lounge-2/). I couldn’t resist myself to get a couple colorful wooden tulips packed as gifts.
But all through this tulip excitement, I was thinking about my tulip shoots at home, that had just about emerged from the cold hard ground since I started my journey. Every year in Fall, I get a bag of assorted tulip bulbs and plant them in anticipation of some colorful bloom during spring! Well it sounds easy but it is tough for these plants without any defense to face the wrath of the chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and gophers, to keep growing healthy and eventually blooming. Every year the story is different….
My trip was soon over. I came back home to be greeted by some healthy and to my dismay some half eaten plants as well as some exposed bulbs on the bed ! But to my surprise the healthy ones already had buds. I was overjoyed to see that! Since then my photography spree started as each bulb bloomed to revealed a different color. It is such a unique celebration of colors and patterns! The wonders of nature! Today is a bright sunny day and the blooms have opened up to reveal the intricacy of design within. I love the close up shots. Enjoy!
Colors of Spring
Mother’s Day
Acrobatics in Snow
Albeit a bit late to share some winter snow pictures… Here is Rocky having too much fun trying to catch a snow ball in the February snow. I was amazed to see him jump so high and realized how tall he is if he stood on his two hind legs.
As you can see he tracks the ball from mid air till it crashes on the snow. Knowing how greedy he is, he must have been dreaming to swallow the snow ball. If you didn’t know, Rocky loves to eat snow!!
Godly Confluence
“There is beauty all round; There is joy in every sound; Peace and plenty here abide; Smiling sweet on every side”
Devprayag, Uttarakhand, India
Left to right: The rivers Bhagirathi from the Gangotri glaciers and Alaknanda from Badrinath meet here, merges into one and continues downstream through the narrow Himalayan valleys as Holy Ganga or Ganges.
Celebrating Spring
“March wakes the flowers of Spring; Makes the silent birds to sing; Pass it on, pass it on, pass it on”
Legacy
A post in honor of Black Month.
Black Month reminds me of a beautiful mural with a strong message which I saw in Philadelphia few years ago.
The mural, on the side of a building facing a parking lot, explores the work of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass to end slavery. This piece of art by Josh Sarantitis and Eric Okdeh, was produced in collaboration with public schools and dozens of individuals, with over one million small glass tiles.
You can read more about it here: https://www.muralarts.org/artworks/legacy/
“A middle-aged woman rising from the blue flames that surround the central medallion. She represents the central girl as a grown-up as well as her ancestors who survived the holocaust which claimed millions and to this day impacts the way each of us lives our lives.”
I wonder, why some of us still fight for our rights! Isn’t it high time we understand that we all came to this world as visitors, so shouldn’t we all be equal? and at least treat each other with love, respect and kindness?
Legacy by Josh Sarantitis and Eric Okdeh
Rocky @ One Year Eight Months
I have read about behavioral changes in a dog after being neutered.
Honestly, I have not noticed a huge change in Rocky since December, when he was neutered. May be a slight change in the barking pattern when he meets other dogs during his walk and overall good behavior during the daily walks. Nowadays, he greets his many human admirers not with a bark or by leash lunging but a more loving cuddle; wagging and tucking his tail. But till his big job is done during the walks, he continues urine marking and pulling the lease to explore exotic perfumes in the wet winter leaves in the woods! May be a little less ? Not sure about that!
Smiling Rocky: “I got the joke guys!” Rocky only shows the lower teeth when smiling. 
Happy and Smiling Rocky
But the main behavioral change that I have noticed is that Rocky has become very interactive (vocally as well as facial expressions). I have also discovered two things that Rocky fancies. He loves cakes with icing. Even though he is a good dog who never jumps on the counter but this behavior cannot be guaranteed if a cake is kept there.
The other fancy is quite different. He loves to sleep like a human with his head on the pillow. Obviously he does this when no one is around. We have caught him many times in this act and it’s normally my pillow he fancies. Awe….. sooo much love!!!
Rocky was always curious (https://ridewithtia.com/2021/12/17/curious-rocky/), but now he has become a spy !! He watches over us 24/7 and no new thing gets unnoticed by him be it an indoor plant, a cigar box, or any new arrangement at home. His sneakiness and demand barks have significantly increased and he is often caught eavesdropping too! It seems that he is almost going to start conversing with us… Nevertheless, with all this sneakiness and demands, my heart melts when I see his apologetic look.
“It’s dinner time! Can you hear me ?” 
Apologetic Rocky: “I am sorry! I will try not to do it again”
Here is a small story: A cigar box gifted my the manager of a Latino restaurant, was lying on a low table. The box didn’t have any cigars but instead had 4 Worry Dolls. This new thing obviously had attracted Rocky’s attention. Every day I noticed the change in position of the box. But it never came to my mind that it was Rocky’s inquisitiveness. Till one day, we found that he was chewing something. Soon a Worry Doll came out of his mouth! Of note, Worry Dolls are tiny, hand-made dolls from Guatemala. They are meant for children who share their worries with the Dolls by placing them under their pillows when they go to bed at night. By morning the dolls gift them wisdom and knowledge to eliminate their worries.
I found it very interesting. Isn’t it so uncanny that Rocky, “a toddler puppy”, got hold of one, but instead of under the pillow it landed in his mouth!!!! Well after all he is a dog !! I hope the Worry Doll gave him wisdom and helped him eliminate his anxiety of staying alone at home sometimes! Well that’s another story….
If you want to know more about Worry Dolls here is a link: https://www.commonhope.org/the-legend-of-the-guatemalan-worry-doll/
Black n White in Snow White
Spot me if you can! 
Looking for it’s mate 
A stroll in the snow 
Camouflaged in black and white
#my 50th post
Warmth in the Cold
Half a decade is long, and your memories cling on the key chain strong; Your wish to see the world far far away thus fulfills everyday,
As the cold winter moves in, when you are are lightyears away, I remember you today, and everyday…….
In the warmth of the pink sweater, or the adorable jewelry and scarves in the dresser,
Alas, the winter flowers are gone forever; but memories of them bring sweet bliss beyond measure,
I want to tell you that I am still in awe, of the simplicity, endurance, and finesse, that no one saw,
When unfinished chats make me sad within; I think of ones that make me grin;
Let’s keep the heartwarming stories that are priceless and ignore the ones that are mindless;
Ma, half a decade is long, and your memories hug my key chain nice and strong.
Remembering with Flowers — RidewithTia
Gorgeous Portulaca I believe that flowers have their own special language. Today, on my mother’s special day, I have tried to capture her memories in the beautiful flowers she grew in her garden. As I go over some old photos of flowers she sent me, I find they all have something to convey taking me […]
Remembering with Flowers — RidewithTia
Happy New Year
Wishing you all good health, happiness, peace and prosperity in 2023. May your new year be filled with adventure and joy!
Happy Holidays
The holidays are coming up. So that Rocky can have some fun time with us over the holidays, I scheduled his neutering appointment earlier this month. We had read a lot about it and just followed the veterinarian’s advice and got it done soon after he turned 18 months.
It was indeed hard to see Rocky so quiet and disorientated after the surgery. The effect of the anesthetic generally takes between 24 to 48 hours to wear off. His metabolism came back to normal only after 48 hours and we were happy to see him recover to his bouncy self slowly. We gave him as much comfort he needed (added some extra special love) and ensured he rested well post-surgery. The first snowfall of this season took place around this time and Rocky badly missed running and playing crazy on the snow and kept staring out of the window. So I took him out all wrapped up in his body suit.
To my delight Rocky was back to his usual form along with his tantrums in a weeks time! I am just glad that this process is over! Check out these websites for more information on spaying or neutering your pet.
Last year during this time Rocky was in a more exploratory mood. He had never seen a Christmas tree or the beautiful holiday lights! I think he was just happy to see something new ! Well this year the little guy has turned more mischievous! His curiosity is several levels up…. He sits behind the Christmas tree admiring all the glittering decorations and holiday lights. He often sniffs around the many presents around the tree, probably wondering what they are! When no one is around I caught him dragging presents from under the Christmas tree! and as soon as he hears someone coming, he quickly gets back to his favorite spot as if nothing had happened!
I am just happy that Rocky is back to form before the holidays and we get to see his patent apologetic look once again whenever he is caught red-handed! It’s a big yawn that displays all his lovely white teeth, with his long ears flattened to the back of his head (see photo below)!
I hope you all get to enjoy your pets during this holiday season! They are an absolute pleasure and bring tons of joy to our lives!
Happy Holidays!
The Wondering Soul
Pass it On
I recognized the Red-bellied Woodpecker who came to the bird feeder from the woods today. I captured the moment with a smile……….
“Was it the sunshine of a smile, Pass it on; Staying but a little while, Pass it on”
I celebrate 1000+ all-time views of my website with this post to share my joy! Thank you all!
Rocky’s First Hotel Stay
Recently Rocky had the opportunity of an overnight stay at a pet friendly hotel. I wasn’t sure how he would behave but more worried if he would sniff at every corner of the hotel lobby, elevator, corridor and pee. I packed his favorite blanket, but in my heart I knew he would love the bed and sleeping at night wouldn’t be much of a problem. But first time experiences are always unique and unexpected!
Rocky was very excited about the trip! He made his way through the hotel lobby, elevator, corridor and finally inside the room like a good boy without any incident but super excited instead wagging his tail! The main fun happened inside the room. I have no words to describe his expressions as if he had so many questions about the new environment!
“Now why did she close the door? Is this the only way out?” 
“I don’t want to drink water ! Tell me, are we going to do something now? Can I go up on the bed please?” 
” Phew! I finally made it up here! Nice and soft!”
The next morning……
“Good Morning, are we going to go out for our walk?” 
“ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?????????”
We go out for a quick walk and Rocky behaves pretty well and also does his daily business. Well, this time on the way back to the room, he resisted getting inside the elevator. ” Noooo not again …… my heads spins in there!” We finally make it back to our room.
” Why did we come back here again? There is something going on outside. I want to go out and check it out!” 
“Thanks for playing with me, but please tell me why did we come back here again? When will we go out?” 
” Well, I am not sure what you are up to ….. BUT I AM BORED!”
the next moment he jumps off the bed and I can tell the muffled noises from the adjoining room and corridor is bothering him …..
“I really don’t like here indoors. There are weird noises coming from outside and looks like you are not concerned at all!!!! You are stressing me out!”
Happy Thanksgiving
Sending good wishes to all my followers this Thanksgiving! May you have all the best delights in life.
Buddha and the Deer
From all kinds of flowers,
Seek teachings everywhere,
Like a deer that finds
A quiet place to graze,
Seek Seclusion to digest
All you have gathered. . .
— Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche
Beaver Blood Moon
Total Lunar Eclipse Blood Moon captured from my front yard early morning today. The street light illuminates the bright yellow Fall foliage. In the background the Beaver Moon glows red and orange as the earth’s shadow slips on the face of the Full Moon. The reddish glow would have surely looked eerie in the dark if not for the street lights, but I thought it looked like a round candy corn up in the sky amid the glittery stars on a Fall November night!
-8th November 2022
For more information on the Lunar eclipse:
https://moon.nasa.gov/news/185/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-lunar-eclipse
Cosmos
“Flowers of earth and buds of heaven”
Expressions
Rocky is very inquisitive and sneaky. He is almost one and a half years old but his facial expressions can match up to any adult human. It’s just mesmerizing. The photo below captures his casual stare but often with some intention. He seems to be soaking up everything he is watching. Reminds me of my quiet Grandma. She hardly spoke in front of anyone but always watched all family members, guests who came visiting us with a lot of interest. But unlike Rocky, she would get her facts checked later by talking to me in confidence. This look of Rocky reminds me of her so much! I sometimes wonder what if Rocky has some follow-up questions too! But alas!
I call the photo below “the 007 look”. It is hard to capture this sneaky moment, as you would least expect Rocky to be there silently watching over you. I had no idea when he had sneaked up behind me like the super spy 007 James Bond. I love this James Bond look!
Last but not the least is this majestic pose of Rocky. This is his favorite spot, on the stairs, a little above the ground (may be gives him a sense of authority), with a good view of indoors and outdoors. Decked up as a young man he poses calm and composed, on the stairs often with his front paws crossed over another. He strikes this pose mostly late afternoon pretty much everyday as if showing off his pure breed Labrador features. It’s his true self.
Surprisingly, crazy as it may sound it has taught me a lesson: to take a break every evening from the work I do everyday. Rather than moving from one chore to another, make sure to take a break, relax, admire your surroundings, be it nature or indoors in your home or even dress up! You are not doing it for anybody but yourself. A simple self care practice of being yourself everyday!
Let me know your thoughts...
Rocky’s Fall Adventures
Fall is a lovely season. Nature celebrates itself by displaying vibrant colors ranging from shades of yellow to orange all around. This year it has been more enjoyable, thanks to Rocky. I want to share some of our adventures together exploring the nature during our daily morning walks. I love the fact that he stops to explore the wonders of nature be it the morning fog or frost or just staring at a colorful leaf falling off a tree swaying in the wind or the noisy migrating geese.
Rocky and the Colorful Fall Carpet: My favorite moment captured this Fall
With all the Fall decor around, Rocky is super excited and looks around intently. His favorite is a hanging skeleton from a tree that he loves to explore everyday as it swings back and forth in the autumn wind . I felt he really wanted to be part of this autumn celebration and so I was not surprised when this super active lab readily wore a halloween dog collar bandana (though the wrong way away from his active mouth!), posed shyly with a prop (sunglasses) and the colorful Fall foliage as background. Like all dogs Rocky communicates beautifully with his eyes mostly and I am glad that I can understand him to give this cute little guy some joy in his life.
Not to forget the power naps and the everlasting energy to go out and play all the time!
Mesmerizing Raw Beauty of Fall
“Beauty is truth’s smile when she beholds her own face in a perfect mirror.”
-Rabindranath Tagore
Sunset at Lake Skaneateles, New York 
Sunset and Seagulls at Lake Skaneateles, New York 
Remnants of Summer Blooms as Fall takes over @Lake Skaneateles 
https://ridewithtia.com/2022/09/06/alluring-beauty-lake-skaneateles
The White Houses and the Colored Trees @ Lake Skaneateles
The hill top peaking through the clouds; the red car blending with the Fall colors 
The Morning Mist of Autumn 
Vibrant Fall Colors 
The Red Barn against the Fall Backdrop 
Driving through the Color Corridor 
Nature’s Decor 
Fallen Yellow in Fall
Enjoy related posts from RidewithTia:
https://ridewithtia.com/2022/09/06/alluring-beauty-lake-skaneateles/
Nature’s unfolding
“The flower’s age is but a day; its bloom the pledge of it’s decay
Sweet it’s perfume, it’s color bright; it blooms at noon and fades at night”
@7:30 am 
@8:00 am 
@ 12 noon 
different angle @ 12 noon 
@6:30pm
Snoopy Rocky
It’s been awhile I posted an update on Rocky. I am happy to see your response to so many of Rocky’s post. Well, time is flying and Rocky is already a year old now and a tiny bit settled in his behavior. He doesn’t jump on people when on a walk and of course he is not scared of the neighborhood dogs any more! But he remains very, very inquisitive and nosy in his own characteristic quiet way.
Much to my surprise he also loves to explore nature. Just like a kid he looks up at a flying plane and stares at it until it disappears. He lovingly looks at flying geese and once in a while at baby birds learning to fly. I just love this side of Rocky as it also gives me an opportunity to stop and enjoy these quiet moments. Ever since he has come the gopher has stopped visiting my garden and I see them venture out to neighbors pastures early in the morning!
He loves to sit near the front door gazing out, or checking out tomatoes and flowers in the most sweetest way. He often surprises me when he sneaks up from under the table while we have dinner.
Watching the squirrels 
Rocky admiring the red tomato 
Sneaking from under the table
“I hear noises. What’s going on there ?” 
“Finally I get a good view”
Rocky loves to go to the vet for all the attention he gets! On a recent annual check up to the vet, he was super excited and had to bark at every dog that he could get a glimpse of. It was a busy day there and we were told to stay in the corner waiting area till our turn came. Energetic and snoopy Rocky obviously wasn’t very pleased with this arrangement. You can see in the pictures above how he positioned himself on the weighing scale itself so he wouldn’t lose sight of any of the doors to the exam doors including the main door to the hospital and miss any excitement. I thought it was super smart of him but we humans are not that different. Are we?
Watch out for this space and I promise to come back with more pictures and stories of Rocky the Rockstar!
Alluring Beauty: Lake Skaneateles
Skaneateles is a picturesque village in Onondaga County, in central New York, United States. I have always heard a lot about its beauty from everyone local to this area and that how pretty it is during summer and specially winter. On one short trip to central New York, I realized we were very close to this place. So on a sunny Friday afternoon we headed to this place. It was only 30 minutes drive from Syracuse along a winding road with lush greenery on either side, herds of cattle and a lot of local ice-cream shops! We hit a T-junction and the right led us to Skaneateles.
As we neared we saw glimpses of the Skaneateles Lake to our left and I could feel the vibrant downtown. This lake known for its crystal clear water is one of the Finger Lakes in this region and means “long lake” in one of the local Iroquoian languages.
As I walked down the pier, I could hear a local jazz band playing music from “The Fiddler on the Roof”, bringing back memories of my school concert days. A huge crowd of senior citizens had gathered for the last performance of the season. Even though the sun chose to hide behind the clouds, I was in awe of the crystal clear lake, and the overpowering streaks of grey and white clouds that loomed above it. The water was transparent and I could see the clear pebbles at the bottom of the lake closer to the pier. I stared at the unique bluish grey possessing beauty where the sky and the water merged at the horizon and soaked myself into this alluring moment.
Needless to say we stopped by a local restaurant for a delicious dinner of fish tacos with local beer. I would love to come back to this place with more time in hand and definitely for some Christmas shopping! Don’t miss this place if you are visiting this area.
For more information on Lake Skaneateles visit: https://skaneateles.com/?season=summer
Best Friends: bubble bee and lavender
“Blessed Three”
“Meek and Lowly, Pure and Holly; Chief among the ‘blessed three’
Turning Sadness into Gladness”
Days of the Week
It’s springtime and this past week, pristine flowers of different shades of mauve and purple bloomed in my garden. I have dedicated each portrait to a day of the week, as every day is a chance to start afresh!
Take a moment to appreciate these beauties of nature, enjoy and share!
Blend of Natural and Artificial
Texture and Pattern: mix of natural shadow patterns with beautiful flower Rangoli
Rangoli, outside the main entrance at a cultural event in Bangalore, India
To learn more about Rangoli: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/style/rangoli-art-diwali.html
Rocky by the Sea
It’s springtime and warming up. Nature’s greenery is back and there are beautiful and gorgeous blossoms all around. As we enjoy this warm weather, we are also looking forward to something else. It’s Rocky’s birthday! He turns one year old this week! Yay! In celebration we headed out to the beach yesterday. Nonetheless we were a bit apprehensive as to how it would go!
Rocky jumped into the car with a lot of excitement. A quick stop at McDonalds and then the highway; he had to explore it all during the approximate 90 minute drive. By the time he jumped out of the car he couldn’t hold his excitement as he smelled and saw a whole new place ! It wasn’t the vet or the park or the kennel! Curious Rocky was all hyped up!
“Wow! where did we come? I smell other dogs and a fishy smell. What’s this grainy stuff ? this is not grass or the road. Nice! all stones and pebbles! Oh please don’t pull me, I promise not to eat ’em!”
Rocky was all hyper initially pulling me at different directions and his pinch collar was of no use…. till he reached closer to the water. He kept staring at it not knowing what to do and where to go. There was no more pulling but he stood still gazing at the water as his floppy ears kept flapping side to side in the pleasant strong sea breeze in the water front. I slowly took him closer the the water as he cautiously followed me. His feet were wet by now; he licked them and looked up at me. The next moment, he was licking and tasting the water. Thirsty he was from so much excitement! But the salty water was a bummer. Soon after he had a bowl of fresh water.
Testing the water 
Licking the salty water
After this initial excitement it was wonderful to see Rocky walking along the rocky beach enjoying the breeze, while gazing at the vast expanse of water in awe. It’s always heartwarming to capture the fist encounters.
Flowers of Spring
“God make my life a little flower, That giveth joy to all,
Content to bloom in native bower, Although the place be small”
RidewithTia 