It was early December of 2011 and I was new to Japan . I took a stroll to the nearby Chikusa park and was awestruck by the clear blue sky and colorful trees.
Today’s clear blue sky reminded me of those days in Nagoya. I felt an urge to look at those pics and memories came flooding back. Here are some of my favorite pictures of autumn colors at Chikusa park, Nagoya, clicked with our then new DSLR.
March, 2012: That was my first winter in Japan. I was desperately waiting for spring. It was then I saw this plum blossom at a local park. I felt so relived and happy when people told me that spring is just around the corner.
Plum Blossom -Tsurumai Park, Nagoya
This is Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica). I instantly fell in love with this amazing flower. The symmetry of petals is just perfect. It slightly resembles a rose and so it’s called the “Rose of winter”.
Japanese Camellia – Atsuta Jingu, Nagoya
This is a video of a moth drinking nectar from the flowers in our garden.The plant is Jasminum polyanthum (Pink Jasmine). We shot this video last spring. Gk spotted the moth and we recorded it immediately with the iPhone 5s we had at that instant. This is something I can’t forget because it was a day before we moved to Tokyo. Now waiting for this year’s bloom. I am seeing some pink buds already 🙂
Place: Nagoya, Japan
Date: April 30, 2015
Taar taar up pa..!
Taar taar up pa..!
(Star.. Star..! Up there! )
My LO was pointing upwards to the (imaginary) star. He loves the rhyme “Twinkle Twinkle little star” and the line “Up above the world so high” is his favourite.
“up pa… up pa..”
We had bought him a pack of radium stars for his room ceiling and it was lying idle in the shelf. I thought its high time to decorate his room with those stars. He was super excited and kept telling “taar taar” all the time until I finished.
It was getting dark outside. I pulled the curtains and closed the door. I felt a gush of happiness when I saw the stars above. It was stunning. My LO who was shouting suddenly lowered his voice to a whisper. He sat down and started admiring its beauty and I was moved.
I left him there and checked out the sky. It was a clear, no moon night with stars. I switched off all the lights and took him out to the balcony. It was dark and I pointed the real stars to him. He was still whispering “taar”. We both sat there for a while and I was lost in thought.
My childhood memories came flooding back. Those unwarranted power cuts, lying flat on the terrace gazing at the stars with my brother, pointing out all the constellations we knew and the quiet time we got. No worries except for the next day’s homework or the class test. The memory of Hale-Bopp and the enthusiasm we had in learning about planets, comets and meteorites is just awesome.
I wondered when was the last time I quietly admired nature and got immersed in its beauty. I grew up in Hosur, which is known for its pleasant climate. I remember those rainy days when I used to sit on a divan near the window with a book. Reading the book while listening to the subtle sound of raindrops outside is such a great feeling that can’t be expressed in words. I remember reading the novel, “His Name Was Not Listed” by Boris Vassilyev on one such beautiful rainy day. It’s still close to my heart.
As we grow older, the commitments and responsibilities are so overwhelming that we fail/forget/miss to look at nature through a child’s eyes. Childhood days are always the best. We need to create an environment where our children get an opportunity to experience and admire nature.
Still sitting in the dark, I found my LO sitting quiet. I wondered if he fell asleep. To my surprise, he smiled at me. It was a calm and serene smile.
** LO – My Little One – My baby
Life...!!! It goes on... 