I not only got the video finished but uploaded
as well. Was quite surprised as often
the internet is slow on a Saturday.
I managed a little time working on my latest
embroidery project. Its meant to be a
flower but I have no idea how it is supposed to look. I am continually surprised at how it is developing
as I sew.
With two nights of really good rain this week
water collected in our granite hand grinder which stands next to our statue of
Ganesha.
This is the reflection of the rain washed sky
in the water.
We had a lot of fun with this when we were
planting out seeds after the rain. The
‘claw’ is made of plastic and is one of four on a pair of gardening
gloves. The gloves were disintegrating
so we took off the claws and used them for making holes in the soil into which
we dropped seeds.
They were very effective.
It was amazing to get a second good rain last
night which was even better than the first one.
It went on for some time but the rain wasn’t too heavy so it was
absorbed by the soil rather than washing the soil away.
The sky in the morning was beautiful with such a
clear light.
We had our first good rain after the hot season
last night. It got deliciously cool so
we all slept better. And of course it
was great for all our vegetables.
It was Magzhiran’s fifth birthday today and he
had a physically distanced party. Five people
came and everyone else was on WhatsApp.
This was one of the best pictures!
The rest of the pictures were too dark, I think because the
party was held on the terrace which contrasted too much with the bright lights
coming from the kitchen. I’ve got some
video clips that are a little better than the photos, but obviously if we do it
again next year, it would better to have things happen in the kitchen where the
light is better.
It was not only the summer solstice today but we
also had a solar eclipse late morning. It
was total in Delhi but only about one third here. In any case there was a lot of cloud so the
sun was very diffuse and it didn’t seem that anything changed very much. I hadn’t got anything set up to take photos
and definitely didn’t want to look at or point my camera to the sun.
I love it when vegetables live up to their
names like this snake gourd.
This is the last of the cashews. Another sign that the hot season is
finishing.
I found that I did not have enough video clips
for a video this week so have had to create a photo slide show instead. Fortunately I have got a lot of weekly photos which I
have taken of the research beds.
I found this on my evening walk when I have
been surrounded by butterflies and had a lizard almost run over my feet. All these things are symbols of change and
transformation. Which I suppose isn’t
surprising given the virus situation and that its got to that point where I can
feel the hot season is gradually moving towards the summer rains.
This is the corner in an area covered with
trees where I am going to try and set up a forest garden. I had some wild spinach pointed out to me
this morning and I was thinking of planting it here. But its so dry! Maybe I have to wait until we get more rain
before I plant it there.
I love this flower (desert rose) which has
flowered unexpectedly, probably in response to the recent (very small amount!)
rain. It seems to almost glow with an
intense redness whenever the sun shines.
This is the finished hanging I have been making
which I have put up in my room. I hope
the dust and sunlight don’t affect the material too much. In fact, to keep it in good condition, I
might eventually change it for a high quality photo.
I feel I could have gone on working on it
indefinitely!
I rearranged all the piles of material for the
decay display today. We will be planting
a tree in the middle of it and eventually it will create the necessary shade.
Until we get people coming I am going to take
regular pictures and eventually put them in a video.
We had three people come today to clear up the
area where we are going to have the display about the decay cycle. This picture shows the piles of different
types of material which is going to be left to decay.
I find it quite hard to imagine Buddha Garden full
of people again. I rather like it as it
is.
A very grey day today which at least made it
cooler. Especially when there was a bit
of rain – or maybe dampness would be a better description as there wasn’t very
much.
It has brought relief from the heat though.
I do enjoy my embroidery and find it very
calming. I’m continuing with the hanging
but it feels to me that I could just go on and on working on it for a very long
time. Perhaps never finishing it.
At the same time I have had ideas about other
things I could do.
This green praying mantis jumped onto me this
morning as I was putting the spinach into bags.
I felt as if he was a friend come to see me.
I put him onto Ganesha as this seemed to be the
right place for him.
I saw this little plant which must have sprung
up in response to Saturday’s rain. I
love how nature responds to the slightest bit of encouragement.
It resonated with how I am finding a new way of
being at this time.
I finished the video yesterday so have been
able to spend a lot of time embroidering the hanging. I am adding all sorts of unexpected things to
it like this embroidered black beetle.
No reason, I just thought it was the right
thing to go there.
I found this feather as I quickly walked around
the farm this evening just before it rained.
I would like to add it somehow to the hanging I am making. I will probably have to embroider it as I don’t
think combining it with the material will work.
If I do that it will be difficult to replicate the delicate way it is
made and the colours.
As I was walking around the farm I saw this on
the only sweet corn bed we have at the moment which happens to be in the Seed
garden.
The squirrels got there first and there was
nothing at all left for us.
I love this picture as it seems to have caught a lvery peaceful and happy moment. It’s a bit
too bright in the background. and I’ve tried
to do something about it, but my basic editing software doesn’t seem to be able
to do anything.
One of our Aurovilian helpers came with this
bag of goodies today. She works at a
unit that makes children’s clothes and this was some thread I needed plus some
ribbon which I am sure I will find a use for.
I was SO pleased as it seems I still can’t get this stuff online.
I managed to work out part of how to use the
book layout software for my new book.
Looking forward to using it tomorrow.
The lockdown was eased today and someone came
and stole two of our gas bottles from the kitchen. So we had to do a lot of running around and
phone calls. Rajan managed to retrieve
one of the bottles as it had been dumped in a nearby forest. Someone who lives
nearby said he thinks he will be able to retrieve the other. I hope so.
I was amazed by this picture of a succulent
which shows the delicate shapes of its leaves.
It doesn’t look like anything very much when seen with other
plants. Until I saw this picture I
hadn’t realized how beautiful it is.
I finished the video quite early and spent most
of the day doing even more embroidery. I
am using the faded patterns on the material as a guide and rather liking hot it
looks.
I feel as if I am rejuvenating the material.
I did a lot of embroidery today and am very
pleased with how it is coming along.
I didn’t have energy for doing the weekly video
so hopefully I will feel like doing that tomorrow.
