Aahaa Chennai

It arrives a little after the stroke of noon, imparting a host of dancing moves to gooseberry laden slender branches which twist and turn in gay abandon, sending the fallen potpourri of white and pink bougainvilleas and yellowing neem leaves into a huddle in a corner, giving a hearty hug to the Oleander plant, proudly showing off a profusion of yellow blossoms, scattering the dried twigs, here and there, for the eager nest builders to gather, cajoling the bounteous mango tree dreaming of a bumper crop, into dropping some of its green gifts, leaving  the blossoming orange tree, enjoying an afternoon siesta with a white dotted carpet to gaze at. On  hot and blustery summer afternoons, the wind sets the tune, the notes floating in through the open window. The various stanzas reveal a  continuing tale... the gusting wind has a job to do.

Today is the day. The sun  decides to offload its golden baggage... filled with sachets of fast spreading warmth, changing the pale looking sky to a stunning, dazzling blue. The dazzle makes the small Tulsi plants, struggling to rise, in the tiny patch of brown below, wilt and wither, chorusing a silent demand for a taste of water, the cool droplets arriving to subdue the stresses and then... the contest begins. The refreshing and Earthy green competes with a mystical blue, with the sunny patches, visible, here and there, witnessing  the proceedings. A new season has arrived.

Small and fresh, the fast spreading curry leaf plants , sprouting all over the place, are winning hearts tickling the taste buds into longing for a spoonful of that 'pulling you into the pile' green 'curry leaf' powder, which makes your rice or plain curd jump several spots ahead in your 'favourite foods' list, also a bottled favourite, eagerly travelling places or enjoying a short, memorable sojourn on the kitchen shelf, sought by eager hands ever so often, getting an A+ for its old world flavour plus its rich stock of nutrients.

It is summer and to my surprise, I find that Nature has rewarded someone with a new pair of sunglasses. As weeks pass by, the tale unfolds... An age old science lesson which we can recall - a natural journey from a just formed fruit which slowly ripens, to revealing the seeds, to preparing for seed dispersal, to the wind slowly initiating the process, the timeline for each step scripted by nature - is brought alive at close quarters.