Opening an album

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Fluttery, dancing,
sprightly butterflies
make me sigh...

How time flies!

From...
blowing balloons
which go 'pop' in an instant
to flying those
'I-simply-refuse-to-fly' kites.

From...
days filled with
moulding unshapely mud pies,
messy sessions of finger painting,
crazily 'curious' days...
amassing golden leaves and seeds,
creating sticky artwork
that leaves adults in tears.

From...
whispering  funny secrets,
splashing water amidst squeals,
presenting pouting pink lips
thanks to licking lollipops,
jumping upon sand castles
while collecting seashells,
discovering a 'bear shaped' cloud,
talking nonsense to the beaming stars while beckoning a cheery moon.

From...
yearning for claps while preening
as  'dressed up' grandma
before a sly 'winking' mirror,
holding sway as a stern teacher
over a class of errant pupils...
dad being enrolled as one
or simply trying out mum's dresses
as a wannabe fasionista.

From...
running hard yet unable to catch
those winged beauties - the dragonflies,
sprinkling water over
a queue of greedy ants,
blowing bubbles over grandpa's head,
mimicking the 'caw caw' tune
of the raucous crow
and feeding  scampering squirrels.

From...
little hands covering dad's eyes
catching him unawares,
kicking the ball high
into the neighbour's yard,
being a jump rope artiste,
whoops of victory after
playing hide and seek or
chatting with a gigantic,
blooming Flame (of the Forest) tree.

From...
munching crispy potato fritters
on  dull, rainy days,
heads bent over
a game of snakes and ladders,
racing outside for a twig
to trace 'funny looking'
grandpa upon wet sand,
a little umbrella waiting nearby
for that inevitable rain dance.

From...
plaiting grandma's long hair,
skilled fingers rolling clay
to come up with a 'once seen' beetle,
running around
driving an imaginary bus,
making honking noises,
pressing one lil' nose
against a wet windowpane
to count the sparkly raindrops,
lil' fingers engaged in
scribbling countless wet 'smileys'
plus teary drops
when the paper boat turns turtle.

Such glorious, huggable,
childhood moments!

Hmm!
The butterflies
have moved over
to a more serious business -
of seeking food.





Intriguing Bytes

Water weeps...

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A tale begins... The lake drew crowds. Children played under the trees. Birds arrived Nests and fledglings  dotted the scene. The lake fed water to many a locality. Along came drought... The rains went far far away. The lake reduced in size. Filth and sewage crept in. The colour of the water puzzled many. People walked past wrinkling their noses at the smell. The lake  dried up. Trees were felled. The land was barren. Birds gave it a miss. The sand laden trucks took over. The 'premium' land was eyed... Encroachments came up. Huts, buildings, a colony, shops,... Through the windows, the echo of quacking ducks and a shimmering n' placid expanse of water, with a cool breeze blowing in, caressing the cheeks with dots of moisture, went missing. Was there ever a lake? Old-timers nod their heads. Near the window of a tenement, which rests upon a 'once  picturesque' lake bed, sits a big sparkling can of drinking water, delive
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Those few drops

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The sun wakes up smiling and decides to make its presence felt. The patch of rain clouds spread over the Eastern sky pause awhile. They do not wish to leave. The cool wind blowing, caressing soft cheeks, bringing with it a whiff of shiny drops, dithers... Should it stay or leave? The warm wind, ready and waiting nearby, takes over and just when the sun decides to bring in its strongest rays, the rain clouds rush past in a fit of mischief and let go a few drops, drops that can be counted. Truly, did it rain? Oh yes! It did. Within seconds... the rain clouds vanish and the sun gets extra busy, drying up those few wet dots, showing up, here and there, on the ground and on the soil. The leaves sway gracefully, aglow with the touch of those few refreshing drops, they were fortunate enough to receive and enjoy. Water series:8
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Hear them calling!

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Here they are, the big ones and the small ones, appearing singly or in groups, precursors to dazzling flowers, a kaleidoscopic range of fragile buds... parading their freshness, their eye-catching colours, unique designs, their varied arrangements, plus some mysterious secrets and scents. Do spend a minute to observe them closely, for their transformation may happen tomorrow or the day after.
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My office beckons

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Believe it or not... My day at the office is pretty cool.               No eyes glued to  computers. No deadlines. No brainstorming sessions. No troublesome co workers.             Shh! Just have  to peer here and there for some edible stuff.              
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Endless chatter

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The conversation went on ... The listener's eyes remained glued to the scene while her mouth moved, as the various parts were pointed out. Adult: Here are the roots. Child: Oooh! Adult: They call it 'the stem'. Child: Aah! So strong. Adult: See the branches spread out. Child:  Ha, ha!  Dancing to the wind. Adult: Touch and feel the leaves. Child: Shh! The ants are playing. Adult: See the baby buds Child: Open, open!  See me. Adult: A happy red flower. Child: Wow! May I touch it? Adult: Someone has seen it first. Child: Hey! I'm willing to share. Nature smiles... as endless tales are spun in its midst.
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Your very own piece of the forest

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The picture on the seed packet aroused interest. The packet was emptied onto a piece of readied Earth and the results were awaited. For a city dweller longing for a glimpse of a forest, the view before me is satisfying. A miniature forest to enjoy on a daily basis...meanwhile, I continue to dream of real forests, tempting/beckoning me with stretches of lush/dense growth, their vast canopy with many a mystery tucked away, a surfeit of green, thanks to raindrops trickling through, satisfying parched inhabitants, arousing the many buds and blossoms into a joyous mood, the tall, sturdy tree trunks, craning their necks and reaching up to tickle the clouds with bright tassels of green, Nature's  velvety soft patchwork quilt below, displaying  endless shades of green, thoughtfully designed  and exhibited by a master creator whose imagination knows no boundaries, and resounding with the diverse music of tiny bugs and their critters. 
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One minute reads-9

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Today's diary: Busy ants completing their project: the outline of a tree. Shh! Can you wait? I am not fully awake yet. The sky is a dull grey but I'm having fun peering at it, through chinks in the green canopy.
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Nature weaves tales-11

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"My favourite slippers are wet and muddy," grumbles a voice. "Shh! Never mind. Look down carefully. Your tiny seed has finally woken up," soothes another. A tale unfolds... The canvas above has a finished look. Darkness has filled in the gaps. The house turns silent. My eyes gaze outside, though the window mesh, trying to make sense of the blackened mosaic overhead, silent, except for occasional sounds from an almost 'pet-like' frog. Outside, the hot sand, cries, silently, for a long withheld lifeline. My eyes close and images - those bottles of hope - float, gently past, in my dream. Hours slip past... Sudden drum beats of thunder, humming the tune, 'gonna love taking the centre stage...' make tired eyebrows move. My eyes open. Softly descending raindrops, call out to darkness... 'am here to give you company.' Thunder agrees. Lightning follows suit. As dawn enters, the aroma of wet s
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World Environment Day 2018 - A bit of caring

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The dawn of a very special day. We are dreaming and praying. Hoping our wish for a plastic free, spacious, litter free, evergreen, butterfly kingdom comes true. Help has arrived to ensure this. We love our new playmates. Here's one, and another and yet another colourful one. We have some juicy treats in mind for the new entrants. Envisaging a thirst free day.
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Not just a tree

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The trees are whispering... we need to do something to draw attention and their strategy has worked. The 'oohs and aahs,' are spontaneous. A 'bleeeding'- traumatized tree. Once upon a time - The Dino World
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