H is for Hairpin Bends

Wayanad , Kerala

Do-Something-everyday, August 30, 2016

The letter is H at ABC Wedenesday. I have chosen the word Hairpin Bend as it is called in India which in American English is referred to as "switchback". Driving around these narrow highways can cause your heart to heave but the view from the hills is worth it.

Have a happy Labor Day Holiday!

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Sunlight

 Do-Something-Everyday, August 28, 2016

This week's theme at Our Beautiful World is Sunlight, a subject with endless photographic possibilities. Here are some of mine. Also linked to this week's   Image-in-ing 

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Art on a Book Page and a Tangle

Do-Something-Everyday, August 22, 2014

For this round, Try it on Tuesday invites its participants to create an art using Book Pages. I painted this hoopoe on an old torn book page. I prepped the paper by applying a light layer of absorbent ground and then painted the bird using watercolors. 

Also linked to Paint Party Friday. Thanks to Kristen and Eve for hosting.

The one below is my response to this week's challenge at I am the Diva which was to use the tangle ING. This tile came about quite accidentally. I was de-cluttering the kitchen cabinets when I came upon full box of unused coffee filters. These filters were in brown color and I was reluctant to throw them out. While taking a break from cleaning, I sat by the dining table and created this tile. I used a black gel pen and pencil.

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Summer and Green: Going, Going....

Do-Something-Everyday, August 21, 2016

Yesterday, I took a walk along the Passaic River Trail before the big thunderstorm hit the area. Everything was summery green. Summer and green go together. Like love and marriage.

The river glistened in the afternoon sunlight.

 Though it was hot and humid, there were glimpses of the cooler season approaching.

Seasons come and go. Sometimes, they seem long and sometimes they are short. Our internal clocks too shift gears in anticipation, especially if your work cycles is tied to seasonal cycles. For me, working in higher education, fall is when new students come and classes start. Even when I am doing the same things I did the previous fall, it is still a season of new beginnings.

Linked to:
Our Beautiful World (Summer)
Image-in-ing
ABC Wednesday where this week's letter is G and I have chosen the word Green.

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World Elephant Day

Morning Prayers

Do-Something-Everyday, August 11, 2016

Elephant, one of a few living megafauna, is endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. It is shocking to contemplate that if we do nothing about it, twenty-five years from now we may be living in a world without elephants. August 12 has been dedicated as World Elephant Day to create awareness of the urgent plight of African and Asian elephants, and to share knowledge and positive solutions for the better care and management of captive and wild elephants. Elephants hold a special place in Indian culture and mythology and they are a recurring motif in my artistic work. 

Visit World Elephant Day website to know more about this issue.

Linked to Art Journal Journey (Nature)
Linked to Moo-Mania (Moon)
Linked to Paint Party Friday

Full Moon in July

Below: Elephants at Muthanga and Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuaries, Wayanad, Kerala, India.

 

Examples of Street Art

Do-Something-Everyday, August 8, 2016

An entire stretch of an exterior wall of a college compound was covered with an eclectic mix of art by the students of the college. Here are few examples of the street art to be found on Cathedral Road, Chennai.

Linked to Our Beautiful World theme on Outdoor Activities.

Linked to Image-in-ing

Linked to ABC Wednesday where this week's letter is E. I have chosen the word Example wherein I have provided many examples of street art.

Summer in August

Do-Something-Everyday, August 4, 2016

As I had mentioned elsewhere on this blog, nature is an endless source of inspiration. The other day I saw a Spicebush Swallowtail flitting from one flower to another, stopping by one for a few seconds and whizzing off to the next. This swallowtail is native to New Jersey and they love coneflowers (Echinacea Purpurea) which grow in abundance in my garden. I did this painting completely in watercolor.

A few days ago while cleaning out my attic I came upon these Walter Foster instructional painting books. As a self-taught artist I relied on these books to teach me how to paint way back when You-Tube did not exist. I had not used them in a long while but as I was flipping through those books I was surprised by the thrill of recapturing and refreshing long-forgotten lessons and to find how useful they still are. I decided to keep them.

This afternoon I saw a white-breasted nuthatch scurrying down the maple tree. I have not seen one since March and I wondered what brought it back to my yard. I did not take any pictures as it moved very fast but here are a couple I took in March on the day when weather gods surprised us with snow.

Linked to Paint Party Friday, Art Journal Journey and Moo Mania.

Thanks for stopping by.

A Dozen Dishes to Make at Home

Do-Something-Everyday, August 2, 2016

It is letter D at ABC Wednesday and I have chosen the word  Dishes (as in food).

Recently, the New York Times did a feature on its food section called Thirty Things You Should Make at Home (and not buy from store). The list consisted many baked goods, two each of dairy (butter and yogurt) and ethnic items (hummus and kimchi). I thought I would produce a list of my own Indian dishes that should be made at home and not bought from store.

These are about a dozen delicious dishes that I make at home but are readily available in Indian stores nowadays. These really do taste much better when made at home. They are listed below not in any particular order. If you click on the Recipes label at the top of the page, you will find detailed instructions for some of them.

1. Spice Powder (top picture)

2. Cooked beans (chickpeas, kidney etc.) at home. They taste much better than canned ones.

2. Roti and Poori (Indian bread)

3. Low fat yogurt. Economical and better tasting than store bought.

4. Plantain Chips

5. Ghee (clarified butter)

6. Chutney (mint, cilantro or sweet)

7. Dosa batter

8. Gulab Jamun

9. Carrot Halwa (milk based carrot dessert)

I hope you enjoyed my little list.

Thanks for visiting.

Attracting Bees and Butterflies

Do-Something-Everyday, August 1, 2016

The coneflower plants on my front yard attract all types of insects, the best of which are the butterflies. Yesterday, this big Spicebush Swallowtail came to visit and stayed long enough for me take multiple photos from various angles, close-up using my smartphone. Take a look:

Linked to this week's Image-in-ing Photo Challenge

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