Drive by Chennai: 2

 

Eyes are Windows to the Soul

Eyes are indeed windows to the soul. Not just for humans, for all living creatures. To me, the best bird photos are those that tell me what is going on behind the eyes, in the heart.

 Some birds look fierce, like a red-tailed hawk; its eyes do not try to deceive you. They tell you that there is murder in its heart.

 But with sparrows, goldfinches and red-winged blackbirds, their gentle, defenseless look makes you keep your distance from them lest they get spooked and fly away.

A snowy egret leans in while wading in the pond ready to spear any unsuspecting fish with  its long sharp beak, the madness in its soul reflected in its pale orbs.

Then, there is that stately crane, standing cross legged like a Regency buck waiting for the coachman to bring his hat and gloves. What a pose, what a look!

The mallard duck’s mouth is perpetually tilted in a smile that is reflected in its eyes; maybe it is just grateful to be in this world, living and loving.

The tilted playful look is definitely misleading— the rose-ringed parrot is definitely calculating how much of the tamarind pods it can gorge on before retiring to its nest.

The most intriguing is the urban crow. Perched atop a palm tree, it has a quiet contemplative look taking a moment to observe the world, perhaps wondering where does it fit in this hurly burly world.

 

 

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Nature's Rhythm

It is never truly spring till the birds come to take a bath. After a few late winter storms and freezing temperatures, finally this morning  there was this female cardinal luxuriating in a warm bath all fluffed up while the mate watched from the nearby forsythia bush. It was a comforting sight. Then in the afternoon I saw a handful of dark eyed juncos and a robin. Now I can say, spring is here.

Linked to Image-in-ing. 

I is for Image

An image consecrated and enshrined inside a temple is divine and therefore cannot be photographed or videographed. The same image desacralized and placed inside a glass case in a museum building is a temporal object of interest to be gazed and endlessly captured on film.

Linked to Image-in-ing and ABC Wednesday.

Freeze!

First there was snow and then there were icicles. Then the high winds that kept you awake at night. Supposed to warm up this week. Let us see.

Linked to Image-in-ing. 

Outside

It is very windy and grey outside today here in New Jersey. Looking to brighten the mood, I found these sunny photos that I took during my trip to Santa Fe. New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment and you realize why when you look at its vast blue skies and large fluffy cheerful clouds. New Mexico is also a land of colors, predominantly copper and blue. These photos were taken at the Native American Museum and the Folk Art Museum plaza and at Abiquiu.

Linked to Our Beautiful World and Image-in-ing.

Also linked to ABC Wednesday. My words for C are Clouds and Colors. See below.

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Chiaroscuro: Light and Shadow Play

Afternoon shadows on a cold and windy day. Just beautiful!

Linked to Our Beautiful World "Light. 

Linked to Image-in-ing.

Illustrated Recipe: Lassi

Lassi is a old drink made with yogurt and water. It is a cooling drink when no spice is added. The addition of spices give it a restorative quality. I drew the illustration on a Kraft paper using black and white gel pens. The black pen worked well on the paper but the white pen only so so.

Last weekend, my husband and I did some bird watching at the Conowingo dam in Darlington, Maryland. It was a mild fall day with cloudless blue skies and much of the coppery foliage still intact. Lucky for us, the turbines at the dam ran for several hours. An interesting fact about the dam is that when the turbines run and as the water and the fish spew out, the fish float on the surface making them an easy prey for the birds.The dam is a popular hunting ground for piscivorous  birds. The star attraction is bald eagles but gulls, cormorants, herons and vultures are common. It is a popular spot for outdoor photographers looking for opportunities to take dramatic pictures of eagles diving down the water and sweeping up with a fish in its clutches. I caught a few moments like that myself. 

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