Sandy's Backyard

Sharing A Sincere New Year "2010" Wish.

2009-12-25T05:58:00.000-08:00

I guess no matter how busy one is, we always take time out to hope and pray when the year comes to the end.
A sense of new hope for the coming year is always there...
Isn't it?

While we are celebrating Christmas today, I take time out to pray and wish , not only for my little girl Ayin, but also for all the children in this world...
I pray that they remain forever innocent, playful, inquisitive and healthy while they grow....

And may our world http://www.globalwarming.org.in/ become a better place for them...

It's a sincere wish from Sandy's Backyard that ~
2010 will be a wonderful year for them and us too.

Summer time with rains in Kolkata

2009-10-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

When I look back, already three moon festivals have gone in Sandy's Backyard...

This year, somehow I've eaten the mooncakes!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mooncake

But shy to say that I do not know which night was the moon festival night this year!

And this year is like any other year, I feel the urge to start painting seriously again!!
SERIOULY!!
Yea, got to be more serious , really...

But, of late I find 24 hours a day is too less for me...

May be time is going faster when one becomes old...

Or, perhaps my world is completely taken over by my little granddaughter ~ Ayin...
http://sandyao.blogspot.com/search/label/first%20day%20in%20school

I simply cannot beileve how summer has gone and very soon winter will set in...

Actually, the dry windy air is already in the atmosphere, and the dryness on our face, nose and in the throat are felt.

It's time to wash the blankets....

I feel the chill while coming home at night... I guess in morning, one can feel the chill too... but shy to say that, I am a late riser, so I have not felt the chill in the morning as yet!

Looking back again, last year between October 2008 to May 2009 we had one of the driest weathers in Kolkata...
During those eight months we saw the whole city covered with thick layers of dust... And the city looked almost after a vocalno eruption...

Then came the rain.... a good blessed monsoon after so many months' wait...

Do share this year's monsoon of Kolkata with me in Humanflowerproject ~
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/the_rain_letters/

Yes it rains and rains....

AS if one can never have enough of the rain....
And...Lol!! Hard to believe the monsoon seems to have gone already!

We are now back to waiting for the next monsoon to come.
Only hoping this time the wait will not be another long wait like the last one....

The ever Enchanting "Bodhu Re" The Cactus' song under a beautiful moon

2009-04-11T02:11:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite songs by The Cactus.
http://www.cactusmusic.com/

A Bangla Rock Band from Kolkata...

Every time I witness thier Live shows, I find this song enchanting, and they never play the same way in every Live show.

Imagine hearing and watching them performing this song under a full-moon night in an open air park! Last night the moon was exceptionally beautiful....

Do I need more words for Allan and his buddies' "Bodhu Re".... ?

Here's the respond to the powerful call of Sidhu's...'Bodhu Re... Bodhu Re....( friend)....'

Shall we feel the power of Cactus' " Tuchho" once again?

2009-04-10T12:25:00.000-07:00

I was actually chasing The Cactus' one particular song. Till date has not been been successful...

In the meantime, simply cannot resist their ever powerful "Tuchho"
No matter where they play this song, the power is still the same each time I hear "Tuchho"

Looks like we are going to have some music upload again in the next few comming blogs!

First day to School, a big step in life.

2009-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it is time for our little girl to start her schoo!

Time has changed so much, in our time we started school when we were eight years old.
When it was our son's time, he started school when he was four years old.
But today's children start school as early as 18 months old!

As a matter of fact, these are not exactly regular schools, rather play schools where children learn how to inter-react with their own age-group.

The concept of this could be for the reasons, that there have been great changes in our society.

Firstly, the mothers, especially the urban mothers have the oppotunity to pursue their careers even after they become mothers.

Secondly, especially in the metro cities, the nuclear family system has taken over the age-old joint family system.

Thirdly, the urban couple no longer desires to have more than one or two children.

And, the most important change will be, a female baby is being loved/valued as much as a male baby in the family!

In old conservative systems like ours,
these changes have taken roots with positive results, which have helped us move on.

Opps... I almost got out of track with all these changes in this page!

I am supposed to share here our little girl's first day of her pre-school, isn't it?!

Well, when she turned two years old, we were all mentally prepared to get her addmitted to a pre-school.

We started introducing the idea of school to her, weeks ahead of her actually going to school.

Of how to share her toys with others, no agressiveness with others and how to share her tiffins with others....etc

She seems to be happiest with the idea of the tiffin box, as it will contain some cakes, fruits and a small bit of chocolate!!

At last, this morning her Mummy drops her to school with her Spiderman school bag.

(Oh she loves to imagine that she is the Spiderman-

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/spider-man3/

and she likes to be addressed, "Hey, Peter Parker!"

There, this is what I mean by changes...

http://spiderman.sonypictures.com/downloads/wallpapers/spiderman3/images/800x600/peter_sm7_800.jpg

Girls no loger need to play with her dolls anymore! They are allowed to imagine they can be a hero like superman/spiderman.. fly around to save the needy and the world)

We have not accompanied her to school for the fear that our little one may insist,
like she always does " Apho (that's me, she calls) come!!!"

And there is a possiblity that if she finds I am not allowed to be with her in the school, she will follow me back home!!

Anyway, my husband and I join her mother to collect her after the school...

Oohhh... it is a good feeling to see her coming out with so many other tiny-dots...some of them are crying, with the obious sign of missing their parents...but our little one looks as cheerful as her usual self, except with a touch of shyness...

Before leaving school, she joins to play with the others in the swing, slide... and even has a ride on the merry-go-round that's outside the school gate.

In the midst of all these excitment, her Mummy notices our little one is wearing someone else's shoes!!!

On the way home, she is chattering...
" Anna (that's what she calls herself) ate Chips..!!"

Her Mummy looks surprised... " I did not give you any chips... Ooohh! you have eaten somebody's tiffin!!"

We become more curious... we start asking if she has fought with any one at school? Has she cried?

And from her sketchy answers, we guess, she has not cried
nor fought with anyone over toys...
and she goes on... " The teachers teach us singing!... and ask what is this... Oh, it is tomotoes, grapes, lion, tiger, monkey, bird, flowers and lioncopter..."

Hey!! Wait!! what's this lioncopter????

"Helicopter!?" I say.

"No! lioncopter !!" she insists.

Mmmm... what animal is this ?

At last another suggestion from me ... "hmmnnn ... alligator?"

" Alligator!" approvingly, she nods her head.

Well, what an exciting day for her and us!!

Our little one's first day in school has been a big step forward not only for her, for us, as well.

She feels good to think that tomorrow she will be in school again...

Tomorrow, Mummy will surely remember to include chips in her tiffin box , and write her name in her shoes....

And when she returns from school tomorrow, we will look foward to more new words like 'lioncopter'....from her!

p.s.

"Our baby girl, your papa is on his musical tour, and this page is especially for him to share your first day in school!"

2nd April 2009.

"Picasso? Who is that?"

2009-04-01T11:15:00.000-07:00

(This post is posted on 8th April. 2009, and not on 01/04/09.
An error with the post options!!!)

Today is the 36th death anniversary or Pablo Picasso.
http://picasso.tamu.edu/picasso/

I still remember the day when the news of his death was announced....

That was a long, long time ago. (8th April, 1973).

I was a 4th year, Fine Art section student from the Govt. College of Art and Craft.Calcutta.
http://www.indiaeducation.ernet.in/insitutions/PROFILE.ASP?no=U00336#
http://www.gcackolkata.org/

That particular morning , I was, as usual, late for the classes.

I was rushing up the wooden stairs as fast as I could, in an attempt to reach my classroom before our professor came in for the roll-call.

I could see the big clock on the 1st floor wall showing it was well past 9.30 am!

When I entered the classroom, which was on the 2nd floor of the building, I found that our professor had not yet come to the class. I heaved a sigh of relief.. "Good that I made it!"

My classmates and I settled down and tried to concentrate on our unfinished paintings.
In a few weeks time, we'd be having our final exam.

While we were arranging our colours and brushes,
suddenly we heard quite a bit of noise coming from the 1st floor.

My classmates and I went out to find out what all the commotion was about.
We leaned on the wooden railings and saw many students talking to our principal Shri. Chintamoni Kar http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051004/asp/nation/story_5317879.asp , http://www.asianart.com/exhibitions/antwerp/alphen.html
whose official residence was on the first floor of the building.

As I did not speak Bengali, and did not understand the language too.
The first few things that rushed to my mind were ,
"What happened again?... is it another Student Union agitation? .... not again!!.. Please, no Strikes or Bandhs... Final exams are just around the corner... "

(In fact, during the early '70s, the movement of all the Union strikes and bandhs were just taking shape like a strong wave. Which, later, became one of the main factors for seeing the state of West Bengal losing out many industries. Of course, that's a different story which I am not going to indulge in here!! )

While I was still wondering what was happening, I saw one of my close friends , who was also my Rakhi brother, http://hinduism.about.com/od/rakhi/a/rakshabandhan.htm,
the final year, commercial art section student, Xitij Joshi, was actively negotiating with the principal too.

I went down to the first floor.
I asked Joshi why he and the rest of the students were arguing with the principal?

I gathered the news from him that Pablo Picasso had died just some time ago....

Joshi and his group of friends were demanding that the principal should announce a holiday on that day to honour Picasso's death.

I heard our principal in his usual gentle manner,
" Why don't you honour Picasso by working harder today as a true artist like him, instead of taking a day off from your creative work? And Picasso did express he would prefer no holiday to be decleared on behalf of his death."

"Every great man's death we declear a holiday! And when it is Picasso's death, why a holiday should not be called?! ... We don't meet a Picasso in our life that often...!!" Those were the students' answers to the principal... And the loudest voice was from my friend Joshi.

"Wow, I did not know Joshi is a great admirer of Picasso!" I was thinking...

Honestly, at that age, while we were in an academic institute, we were encouraged to concentrate on straight lines, curves, light and shade...
We were trying hard to find inspirations from artists like ...Titian, Raphael, Velazquez, Botticelli etc., http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Masters ....
and the impressionists .. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/imml/hd_imml.htm

Picasso !!! http://www.artchive.com/artchive/P/picasso.html

He was a living legend!! His works were far too deep and complex for us to even dare to imitate!!
I was really envying that Joshi was deeper than us...!

Anyway, the arguments went on between the Principal and the students for quite a while.

At last our Principal came up with a wise decision.

He said, " Alright, those who want to honour Picasso by believing one should work hard, especially today, may go back to the classrooms and carry on with the classworks. And those want to honour Picasso with a day off can go home, he or she will not be marked absent."

Many of us opted going back to class and work harder on that day.
And Joshi and his other group of friends were happy that they could take a day off .

Before we went back to the classrooms. Joshi got me on the side , laughingly, he asked me "Sandy, tell me who is this Picasso?"

I thought he was joking!!!

"You don't know who is Picasso????" I asked.

" No! I heard about him only this morning . "

"Joshi!! You don't know Picasso???" I could not believe what he had just said.
"He is the greatest living legend of the modern art. " And I went on..."I thought you are a great admirer of him!.. that's why you insisted so hard to honor him with a holiday!! But then why ??"

Cheekily he said " When I saw so many students demanding to call for a holiday today, I figured that this Picasso must be a great man, otherwise why so much fuss?... Honestly,
I actually did not know he is an artist too....! I thought he is some politician from India...."

I simply could not believe Joshi could be this crazy!!

Later on the day, I noticed he did not go home. I found him in the college compound/ canteen area whole day happily sipping tea and whiling away the day.

After the classes were over, I met him again and I asked him " Joshi, why didn't you go home? I thought you fought so hard for a holiday today!....What is the difference between inside the classroom and outside the classroom?"

He had no answer!! First, he gave a laugh and shrugged his shoulders... And then he just could not stop laughing ....!!

P.S.
Joshi had never participated in any Union movement,
neither in his college days nor after that.
He went off to America after he finished his final year in the Art College.
We lost contact with him.
Anyway, this crazy friend of ours, definitely added colours
in our lives when we were in the college.
Those days when we were dreaming to be a Van Gogh, a Rembrandt, a Monet, a Cezanne,... and later, dare to dream of being a Picasso.....

(another crazy idea of Joshi's, here with his guitar, he did not know any chord and did not play the guitar, but he said keeping the guitar was to win the admiring looks especially from the girls!!!)

( These black and white pictures are all Joshi's photographs)

(L-R: Mukta, me, Subroto and *Bendang*, my three senior friends who guided me especially in sketches )

(with my fresco painting. Final year in College)

(me holding *Bendang's painting: Life Study- a portrait).

(L-R: *Bendang*, Subroto, me, Joshi and Jyotsna, the other two senior friends who helped me especially in sketches)

*Bendang* was the best student amongst us... he is still the best artist among us...he still paints seriouly... and the rest of us? Most probably are taking a holiday just like Joshi did on 8/4 /1973...

8th April 2009

Phantoms' Visit

2009-03-15T00:59:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, like any other calm evening after sunset.

I had given our little girl a bottle of milk.
After that, she woke up from her afternoon nap and started playing with her grandpa out there in the balcony.

I decided to go for a bath, but before that, I sat down for my habitual daily crossword puzzle.
I was trying hard to catch the eight letter word for "detective story" .....
Suddenly, I heard my husband calling me with excitement...
and in the midst of his excitement I heard my little girl joining in
" come, come! see ..."
Woh... I heard lots of "Caw...Caw.." the Crows and the Kites'..."Eeek..."

"What's this going on in our backyard? Someone trying to harm the birds? The cats? Snakes? Human?....?" I was musing.
Anyway, when I rushed out to the backyard balcony, my husband had the camera ready for me!!! And he said "There is something in the bush..the crows are attacking it..."

YES! I see some light!

Again my husband excitedly said "Look there is something up on that pipal tree...do you see it?!"

Yes! I see it, it went off in such a speed...like Phantom!!

More noise from the crows ...
Our little girl was excited like the crows,
"Big eyes... big eyes..." she was saying.

And I was trying my best to catch a perfect picture of this "big eyes"

My husband was prompting me..." Sandy. there are three of them! Here... there...!"

'Wait!! give me a second...' I was desperate to capture them with the camera .. but, it was too dark... 'I need flash...' and the flashlights took such long time to be recharged...! 'I better try without the flash!'

I don't know who were more excited that evening?
The "big eyes"? My husband? Our little girl? me? The Crows ? The Kites?

I had no time to notice whether our neighbours were watching all these commotions going on at the backyard and were excited like us?!

Whew!! Very soon the night came, these "big eyes" took shelter in the dark Money plant
http://www.jaycjayc.com/epipremnum-aureum-pothos/

I went on clicking till I no longer was able to get any sight of them in the darkness.

Actually, both my husband and our little girl were trying to flash torchlight on them to help me get the pictures of these three "Big eyes"

[ honestly, though none of these torchlights are good at all!!
but thank you, my sweeties.. these are the results of your great help!!]

Anyway, it had become dark in the balcony, the mosquitoes started swarming around us.. So we decided to give up looking for those "big eyes" and came inside the room.

We were still excited... but with no clue as to what those three animals were..
My husband guessed those three must be of one family.. parents and the baby.

Are they Koate? Loris? Panda?...
I went on asking my husband "... suggest more names please!!!"

He came up with "What about Civets?"
Search....search..
Yes!! He is right again!! They are Palm Civets!!

When Allan and Mahua came home, our little girl excitedly told her parents
"Papa.. mummy...Mmm, big eyes!!"
She would insist me to show her favorite picture of this "big eyes"

to her parents!

Till the other day, I thought I was happy to have this backyard with all my songbirds ... with a few lazy cats and the noisy crows...

Never thought we would have these "Phantom Civets" in and around here at this metro city of Kolkata!
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061023/asp/opinion/story_6883901.asp

Wonder where they move about during the daytime?

And whether we should feel good that, although Kolkata is such a congested city with so many humans, we are still able to find such wild animals like these civets?
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/common_palm_civet.htm

Next morning, I asked the watchman about these civets.
He said "They are notorious. They come almost every evening... They enter the flats and eat whatever food are there in the house. They like fish and meat-mutton... they catch birds..etc.,... they are pest actually..!"

Sounds scary.... Must remember to lock the windows and the doors well after dark!!

What an experience for us... and what an amazing phantoms visit for us.
Through this backyard we learnt so many things which, otherwise,
we, in our wildest dream would never have thought of knowing , espeically, about Civets!
http://www.thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Carnivora/Viverridae/Paradoxurus/Paradoxurus-hermaphroditus.html

Exciting yet scary...

Well, I guess, I better take this whole episode to be a fairy tale...and see through the whole thing from our little girl's point of view....
" Wow! Big eyes!!.. they have all gone to sleep.." she says.

P.S. I could not think of that eight letter word for"Detective story"
after all the excitement... but my husband filled it up for me-
" Whodunit"!

Thank you... Bendang... you are always there for me!!!

I love birds and their beautiful songs.

2009-03-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

I have been so out of touch with Sandy's Backyard...

Actually, I am so enchanted by all the birds, insects, trees and few cats... that are in the backyard around the complex where Allan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_little_indians

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=212711002
resides.

In between baby sitting our little Ayin, I would click a few pictures of hers and the birds/cat and what not that are in the backyard...

There are quite a number of birds around the backyard.

Some common ones I can identify, the rest I have no knowledge of their names...

Nevertheless, the songs these birds sing, especailly early in the morning and during dusk... can bring so much of joy and comfort to the mind.

I love birds, not only for the reason they have wings to fly up in the air ..they are so free while gliding in the breeze , and I love the talents for their melodious singing.... Which reminds me of this interesting link:

http://whyfiles.org/114music/2.html

I found watching birds flying..hoping .. and listening to their songs very de-stressing.

Especially in a nosiy city like Kokalta,
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata_/Kolkatas_killer_noise/articleshow/3592220.cms where everyone loves to honk their horns...

the sweet songs form the birds are indeed a rare treat for a change!

Well, do come and share this feeling in this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dl5PbR1m00A

Though this may not be a very good video but I must say there was thrill while finding myself able to record this bird singing without being disturbed!

(By the way I have no idea which species this bird is, will be very happy if some one can tell me the name of this bird)

As you know, in Kolkata, crows
http://sandyao.blogspot.com/2007/06/crows-dare-to-stand-up-for-their-rights.html
are the only birds that hate any human holding anything in hand while looking upward!
They are so clever and defensive.. they think we human are holding sling/stick/or even gun to aim at the birds to harm them!
They will make so much of noise and sometimes will swoop down to attack us human.

Aside the crows, the rest of the birds enjoy the space and the harmony in this small backyard.
Sometimes I see a flock of Indian Minah birds picking the red berries ( arecanut)

while the cat taking a nap on the roof with soft sunlight and cool breeze under the leaves and... it has forgotteen to try to catch any birds!

This particular picture of the Indian Minah bird is projected with some beautiful stories by Julie Ardery in her wonderful Humanflowerproject!
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/the_marriage_of_betel_leaf_and_areca_nut/

I remember the days during my stay in Kohima
http://www.north-east-india.com/nagaland/kohima.html
There is a bird which will sing joyful song all around the hills after the rain... sometimes, when we had weeks and weeks of rain, suddenly, I would hear this bird singing, and I would feel so good to know there would sunny days again.

I do not know the name of this bird, and I have never seen this bird too.
My husband told me that it is a small bird. But the song it sings fills the whole valley...

I can still remember the tune this bird sings... Oh it does make me home sick!

But in the meanwhile, I must say I am not missing too many good feeling around this backyard too, while baby sitting our little darling girl...

and along with her, my fond songs by the birds....

my Sunflower

2008-09-29T23:55:00.000-07:00

Music ! Music !!

Without knowing another Moon Festival is gone! I have missed the moon-cake this year too...!!

For a change, I will share this post not with music but with few of my water colour painting...

As usual in my style... rather messy.. but it's okay as I am still insisting "I paint for myself..."

With that excuse, I think I should be comfortable to keep painting...

"Bodhuree"-"Friend"

2008-09-29T00:46:00.000-07:00

I feel I should share here "Bodhuree"-(friend) a song by "Cactus" http://cactusmusic.com/band.htm

I almost think that Sidhu (Siddhartha Roy) http://cactusmusic.com/sidhu.html
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080920/jsp/entertainment/story_9859863.jspis at his best in this song!!

Hear his calling... "Bodhuree..."

The daily call that we hear from the fisherman, the farmer in the open air around Bengal countryside...

This is almost a perfect "Baul"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baul
song of Bengal in contemporary music performed by the amazing Bangla Rock Band of Kolkata- "Cactus"...

Need I say more?

Feel the Power of the Insignificant from Cactus (live)

2008-09-18T02:09:00.001-07:00

Wow...Another Cactus Live....!!

The song that I up loaded here in Sandy's Backyard -
"Tuccho Ami" - the " Insignificant me..." is a very powerful song from Cactus' new album, which is to be released tomorrow: 19th September,2008.

Note the unmitakable powerful voice of Sidhu interlocking with the Sayak's melodious soprano...hmm... and Allan's delicate yet powerful guitaring supported by Sandip's heavy bass, Baji's relentless drums along with Buti's haunting keyboard...."Tuccho Ami" is not to be taken lightly!!

I believe all die-hard Cactus fans will agree with me and dig this as a "Must hear" song from Cactus...

Otherwise, no problem...I will not mind to listen to this song all by myself again and again...

Hey! we are almost having a concert in Sandy's Backyard for the last few days... with all these Cactus' live shows...

As matter of fact, Allan and his buddies are having a jam-packed concerts in these recent weeks.

Besides, I did promise that I'll come up with more of Allan and his buddies live shows videos..

May be, I should upload some of his other videos where he is with his other buddies...
that sounds good already!! Isn't it?!

In the meantime enjoy this "Tuccho Ami" and feel the power....of the "Insignificant" Cactus

As promised.. Here's Cactus Live 2008 at City Centre, Kolkata

2008-09-16T22:45:00.000-07:00

As usual I always try to keep my promises...
So this is the 2nd song from the Bengali Rock Band Cactus.
"mon"..."my heart..."

Have you noticed more of these "Fairy Tale Creatures" in this show too?!
With Cactus' dear buddie June Malia singing, this all time favorite song sounds still sweeter to all Cactus die-hard fans..Enjoy....

Watch out for more of Cactus fine performances here in Sandy's Backyard

Am I one of the fairy tale creatures?!..

2008-09-16T03:12:00.000-07:00

Check up this live recording of Allan and his talented buddies...Bengali rock band "Cactus"

One of Cactus fans' all time favorites.... "Shudhu Tumi.." (Everyone came... except you...)

Watch out for more of such music videos from Sandy's Backyard... As I have become one of the most faithful fans of Allan and his buddies...

Actually, I must confess that, it was my mother who was encouraging Allan all the way to do what he loves to do in life... That's music!!

My mother http://sandyao.blogspot.com/2007/06/happy-birthday-dearest-mother_27.html
would insist that, me, being a parent, should attend all Allan's stage performances...!!

So, my husband and myself make it point to be in most of his and his budddies live shows....

Which my husband says we are almost like..."Fairy tale creatures " in Shrek.
http://www.solarnavigator.net/films_movies_actors/cartoons/shrek.htm

Fortunately, Allan never tells us like Shrek says to one of his fairy tale creatures...
"Why are you following me....!?"

P.S. Have you noticed my blue teeth after eating Ayin's birthday's cake!!
I surely am one of the fairy tale creatures in Shrek!!

Baby Ayin, let's sing your most favorite song.."Happy Birthday to Ayinla..".

2008-08-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

(Wow...At last!...For the last one year, we have been asked to sing the "Birthday" song again and again daily by our little girl, Imtiyinla.)

Baby Ayin, let's celebrate!!

For today's your second birthday... one of the most wonderful moments for us to sing the song that you love most.... "Happy birthday dear Ayinla...happy birthday to you"!

I guess you loved the moment of your first birthday most during the last one year that it seems you remember all the happenings around you one year later too.

Your must have cherished the love that everyone bestowed upon you on your 1st birthday, and you seem to love every body's birthday thereafter!

In fact we learnt from you that "birthday" is actually the happiest moment in every one's life!

What great joy you bring us daily...your every new word, every new behaviour, every new expression, every new discovery and your annoyance with us when we are unreasonable to you...

You have made us live our lives again through your innocence... otherwise, we almost have taken life for granted!

It's been a wonderful year to see you grown into a perfect two year old child...

No doubt in between we get worn out with your energy!! But when you give us your sweetest smile/song/dance ....all our weariness simply disappear!

My birthday girl, as you have practiced your birthday song to perfection...

So today, come, all Ayin's friends...

Winnie the Pooh and friends http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/pooh/

Mickey mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto http://disney.go.com/mickey/index.html

Shrek http://www.shrek.com/main.php

Also Papa's two bands "Cactus" http://cactusmusic.com/

and "Five Little Indians" http://www.myspace.com/fivelittleindians

members can join us here to sing aloud...

"Happy birthday dear Ayinla, happy birthday to you...."!!

Lots of love to you Baby Ayin...

May God be always with you and bless you with all the wisdom...
And you'll keep bringing love and joy to your parents...

31st August 2008

Bae Yong Joon- still a darling to his die-hard fans

2008-08-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

It seems we are going to have a Happy Birthday season in Sandy's Backyard...
For a start, here is a Happy Birthday wish for you... Bae Yong joon!

Two years ago when I first started a blog, I wished you a happy birthday in Sandy's space. http://theaospace.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!EC8F2329F08E7C65!270.entry

Honestly, I did not imagined that page will become a very fond page for your fans across the world.

In fact, that page happens to be the most visited page in Sandy's space.

And which almost makes me feel that time has stood still to believe that all your fans want to keep wishing you a happy birthday every day in the last two years!!!

It's just like after celebrating our little girl's 1st birthday (31.8.07) , she wants us to sing the "Happy Birthday" song to her again and again for the last 363 days... ( And we are all geared up to sing this fond song to her within the next two days...) In the meanwhile, today, in Sandy's Backyard, we will sing this song especially for you.

Last time when I wished you a happy birthday, I had only the Asian fans with me to wish you the happiness .

This time I am sure I have fans all over the world ( Europe, South America/ Africa, Middle East..) want to wish you the very best, as well want to know more about the magic of your charm.

Truely, in your official web says http://www.byj.co.kr/ ( in this link we will find few of Bae Yong Joon's own photographs)

"Don't they say while all other stars move around in the night sky...."

And you are the "Polaris"

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/skytellers/polaris/activities/still_polaris.shtml

as in "Winter Love Song",

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=paMdEBXqLck&feature=related,

and stay firmly for all the "Jung Yu Jins" in this real world!

I am sure in your forthcoming book, with your own photographs on Korea
(http://www.worldisround.com/articles/170/index.html)

http://www.ampedasia.com/forums/bae-yong-joon-create-book-introduce-korea-t-12308.html

You will make every one want to know more about your beautiful country, country-men/women!

With which you will create a further magic link between you and your fans...!!

No wonder you are forever the true "Polaris"

http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/polaris/thenorthstar.html

to all your die-hard fans across the world!

Oops, this is supposed to be a birthday wish blog, isn't it?!

Mmmm.....Many, many more birthday songs to be sung to you and many, many more birthday wishes to be wished to you...... have a wonderful day and keep giving your fans your sweetest smiles!!

Happy Birthday....Bae Yong Joon...

*( A birthday gift to his fans! A link that's supposed to be a must for all the Bae Yong Joon die-hard fans.. here we go.. http://www.happiebb.blogspot.com/ )*

P.S. O0ps again!!! I almost forgot to mention that when my net is sleeping, the magic words "Bae Yong Joon" in my Google bar is still very effective!!!

Amazing !!! isn't it?!

Many "Thanks" to everyone with thier links and photos of Bae Yong Joon being here to wish him a Happy Birthday!

29th August 2008

The tuberose crown for the bride.

2008-08-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

Last year in the month of May, there was a post about tube-rose crown for the bride in
Human flower project.
http://humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/tuberose_tiaras_for_brides_and_gods/

That was about the tuberose crown makers in the Mullickghat flower market, Kolkata.
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&ie=UTF-8&rls=GZEZ,GZEZ:2008-30,GZEZ:en-GB&q=howrah+bridge+kolkata&um=1&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title

(A fond place where I love to go and spend my day in taking pictures).

Find out how beautiful these brides are with their tuberose crowns in the recent Human Flower Project.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/bengali_weddings_whats_the_rush/

http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/bou_bhaat_beauty/

I don't think I need to add any further words in this page...
Except, perhaps, India is the only place on earth,
where flowers are lovingly associated with the gods/goddesses.

Which also makes me hope, I will be able to get some pictures depicting the gods/goddesses adorned with these beautiful tuberose crowns.

The Twigs That Cure

2008-05-22T02:58:00.000-07:00

In Kolkata city, we find many amazing things to make us think silently. Often we will wonder whether such practices are a way of life/culture?!

Anyway, today I am uploading the man-( many more like him around the city) who sits on the pavement with big bunches of different kinds of twigs and roots.

I walk past them all the time. Never bother to find out what all these twigs are for... recently a friend of ours came to visit us from other part of India.
With humour, he mentioned that these twigs are meant for removing one's mistake/misfortune/woe...etc.,

The other day, as I was in and around our neighbourhood, St. John's Church http://www.indian-cemeteries.org/cemetery_details.asp?town=Calcutta&cem=St%20Johns%20Church
near Raj Bhavan, http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enIN272IN273&q=raj+bhavan+calcutta&um=1&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title
I saw a man with his bunches of twigs. I decided to find out what exactly are all these twigs for. They look like some wild simple shrubs, and I can only identify "Touch me not" ( mimosa pudica ) among these twigs.

I began to ask this man questions after questions.

Oh... we have language problems from both ends.

Fortunately, many customers came for their twigs, and with their help and the explanations, I found that behind these simple twigs, there are many amazing 'remedies'.

It goes like this, these men -I guess I'll call them the medicine men- will have a board hung on the wall of a building.
It is like a table, showing the individual plant's name and its purpose. Almost like a medicine guide book!!
This is especially helpful to the customers, who can not decide which twig to buy.
Otherwise, the regular customers can simply instruct the medicine man to give the required twigs that they need. It is like going to a drugstore, and asking the druggist to give an aspirin!

I noticed that someone even came with a description,that too with a contact mobile number,this must have come from some more senior medicine man!!

Now the interesting part happens!

After the customers mention the twig/twigs, the medicine man will take out the plant from the bunch. He will remove the bark, and with his knife he cuts 1" or 2" inches of it from the root/twig; swiftly tie the cut piece with some thread of different colours, though the colour has got nothing to do with the root.

And with expert hand he will make it like a talisman which is to be worn around the belly.
( some customer does not know how to tie this talisman, but don't worry, the helpful medicine man will give a hand to tie it for him!)

I began to ask questions again... the purpose of these talismans!

I was told, except that thorny twig, which is to be consumed (for diabetics ), the rest of the twigs/root/branch are used as amulet/talisman.
And these talismans/amulets are for guarding against jealousy/ ill feeling... and even help to win a quarrel!!

Hmmm....I am not surprised by such answers! The reason is, I see some very educated customers coming for these amulets!! After all, getting a promotion and the like can create jealousy! Right?! And petty Pickering do take place in our daily life.

No wonder, we see more of such medicine men sitting in the busy offices/ business thoroughfares than in a quiet lane.

But does it really work? I have no clue.

But again,looking at the brisk business this medicine man has, I must believe it helps.

I asked this medicine man the last question... or is it my own thinking aloud!?

..."To me, these twigs are more of a medicine for mental peace than they are for physical ailment?!"... Smilingly this medicine man nodded his head to agree to my guessing .

Well... our human brains do create amazing imaginations and simultaneously, able to find the cure to calm it too!

Or, is it one of our ancient cultures making us preserve nature like the way we are made to preserve flowers, for in India, each and every flower is linked to different gods/goddesses...

If it is true, to my believe, I wish these twigs will begin to heal the world !!

Amazing indeed.....!

By the way, I still haven't asked

what ailment does the "Touch me not" cure..... !

P.s. check this up

Michael wood "The Story of India" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diqQfJcYKcc&feature=related

Mullickghat flower market, I join you here to pick up the broken pieces...

2008-04-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

To day I am here to share the tragedy of Mullickghat Flower Market.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/marigolds_of_mullickghat/

This amazing flower market was almost burnt to ashes on the night of 11th April 2008.
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/mullickghat_flower_market_burns/

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080412/jsp/frontpage/story_9129093.jsp

This is one particular place where I love to visit whenever I find my self down in spirit.

I was first taken to this market by a close friend, to purchase some flowers to decorate the church for our son's marriage, Febuary. 2004.

After two years when I first learnt how to use the camera , I took my husband with me to visit this flower market : 30 July 2006.

We were so amazed by the market scene, especially me, like a child finding a new ground to explore.I went on clicking my handycam... when we came home, I found I had taken more than a thousand photographs in Mullickghat that day!!...

Yes, the market looks so old and broken... but the basic human feeling for supporting each other to survive through flowers is very much in this market, and it makes one feel so fresh and ageless.

It's a very, very crowded place, yet you'll neither find your pokect being pinched nor you being cheated or mugged.
They keep their cool when they find a transport vehicle breaking down in the midst of their stalls, patiently they will hope the mechanic repairs the truck fast...

When they saw me with great enthusiasm with my camera, they would smile for me and even offer me a flower!!

At one point of time, it started drizzling... and I lost sight of my husband in this sea of human..I, being so small and tiny, it was not possible for me to locate him or he to see me, though I tried to stretch my neck as long as I could... I must have looked very helpless, therefore, one flower seller offered me his stool and allowed me to stand on it to locate my husband!!
I had added 3 ft. to my 5ft. height, that had enabled me to be tall enough for my husband to see me!!

In the meantime, I was getting so much encouragement from my dear friend Julie Ardery

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://humanflowerproject.com/images/uploads/on-the-road-to-lautrec.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/about/&h=398&w=400&sz=88&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=4-7QXW7Qp2j7CM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djulie%2Bardery%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DGGLR,GGLR:2006-02,GGLR:en%26sa%3DN
and the great support from my husband Bendangnungsang Ao http://morungexpress.com/index.php?news=3866

I went on visiting Mullickghat , and each time I visited this place I'd come back home feeling so fullfilled.

I learnt so many things that I had never bothered to learn, be it flowers, custome, or human behaviour....

And Mullickghat has become a healing touch for me ever since...
I love to see the madness with which the flowers are being valued by the sellers, growers and the buyers.
I try to get drunk with the perfume from the flowers that's floating in the market air.
Each season has its special scent, during winter the marigolds smell so sweet, that it makes you turn your head to search for the flowers.
I guess that's exactly how this sweet smell works on the insects to locate the flowers.
Once in a while I'd peep through the shoulders of the humans to get the beautiful sight of the faithful Hoogly with its beautiful Howrah Bridge..

This place is like a complete community living in hormony.
With the tea makers offering a good cup of tea in a small terracota cup; the locally made ice cream/lemonade to cool oneself in the summer heat; the coconut flesh to quell the rumbling tummy ; the sweet water melon to refresh the dry throat; the blacksmith to sharpen the knife in his cycle stone grinder...
This is the only place where one never hears of anyone complaining of the summer heat!

In fact, it is the most eco- friendly place ...

If one can afford, there will be a small table fan near his stall, or else, a palm/plastic fan is good enough to keep oneself cool...
who needs the air conditioners?
The gods/goddesses never ask flowers that need to be kept in the air coditioner!

Only the exotic flowers sellers need an air condition stall..
but then when it is too comfortable, the owner goes off to sleep!!!

For cold storage?

There are men who sell ice in plastic bags, and this packet of ice can be kept amidst the flowers to prevent them from wilting in the summer heat!!

Who says we need a modern building for the flowers?
We do not need to become multi- millionaire through flowers...

we need only the faithful devotees to come and collect the right flowers for the right gods/goddesses... The way Mullickghat has been doing for the last 125 years....

Dirty? But they are only waste from the flowers... it's organic dirt... why not turn around and look at the river bank and see the dirt that has been ignored!!

But then, the mystery fire did take place on this weekend...

Every one was speechless....
I was speechless too.. I went and visited all the familiar faces....Yes, there is sadness in the eyes..there is the smell of burnt wood in the air but the devotees still have the faith; the sweet smells of the flowers make them know the gods/goddesses will bless them ever more nevertherless...

I came back home feeling stronger, and I believe Mullickghat will rise again like the phoenix- come alive from the ashes again and again...

There will be a modern facilities for the flower market in Mullickghat very soon, but the people will continuously selling the flowers abundantly in the same old fashion to please the gods/ goddesses . For that's the only way they know.

I know Mullickghat will be my healing touch once again, I will pick up my own broken pieces within me as the way the humans in Mullickghat are doing now!

(The first 7 pictures - Mullickghat after the fire.
The remaining pictures - taken during my earlier tirps to the market)

My Birthday

2008-01-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

I think I am like my little granddaughter, how she loves birthdays.
Today is my birthday... 16th Jan, I am 60!!

But to be honest, physically, I do feel every bone of mine is 60 years old, otherwise, I feel I am as young as my one year old girl!

There are so much to learn and so much to discover... how can I feel old?!

When I have so many loved ones, be it family members or friends who are constantly giving me strength and support, and making me live my life so beautifully for the last 60 years.

Today, being my birthday, let me thank you all for making me feel life so wonderful..Especially to my mother who gave birth to me... Mom I love you.

You should see how my little one enjoys my birthday more than any one of us, and she thinks today is her birthday! .... How she loves the strawberry cake which her mother bought... and how she enjoys the flowers that her fahter bought for me... and how my husband still think I can look as young as ever through his lens....!!!

Looking at my little one, I begin to imagine, when I am 81 years old like my mother, would I become a great grandmother like her?
For, by that time our little one will be 22....:)

I guess I'll have to start singing "when I am 84".... not 64...!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

2007-12-25T14:41:00.000-08:00

Here's wishing every one a Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New year...
And as usual, I am having my sweet little grandchild to be our well wisher in Sandy's Backyard... I am sure we will have another wonderful New Year ( 2008) ahead of us...

my moon

2007-10-05T22:52:00.000-07:00

I do not know if it is because I am not active with my blog or time flies off faster than I thought?

And it appears most of my writeup are of "Birthday".

Well, for a change today I will share here with you : "My Moon".

In the past few years , after the Chinese Moon Festival, the urge to paint would always take place in me. And I would be painting for a while in this season.

May be this is one of the most romantic seasons in the Chinese calendar....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Autumn_Festival

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=t&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2006-02,GGLR:en&q=moon+festival+china

With the crisp air and the clear night sky one tends to calm down and wants to dream away one's fantasy...

But, this year without knowing, The Moon Festival was over and I haven't eaten

any Moon Cakes!!

Fortunately the romantic air is there and the urge to paint is still there...

But, before I seriously start painting (?!) Come join me

in "My Moon" in Sandy's Backyard.

I guess every one loves gazing up to see

The azure sky,

The clouds,

The rain, and its rainbow.

The rising and the setting sun.

In the twilight we will try to search out

The morning star,

The evening star, the Polaris and

The moon.

Of course not wanting to miss any shooting stars that streak

Across

The universe.

And this season ( Autumn) to see the milky way

With the faint light of the moving satellite and the jet airplane

Adding extra

Twinkles in the dark night sky...

Endless imaginations and wonders

These heavenly bodies offer to us. Especially

The moon and the stars...

Here some pictures of "My Moon" .

I used the simplest digital cameras, (Sony handy cam, Sony digital cam and Olympus) and experimented my mood with the Moody moon.

The third and the last four pictures were taken in one Live concert where Allan and his group played one of their best performances.

With their sweet music in the air and the gentle wind moving the leaves,

the moon looked so beautiful and abstract...

I guess I need not write more than this, as the most versatile object is on the centre stage of Sandy's Backyard...

Enjoy her eternal performance...

Happy birthday to our little Ayinla.

2007-09-01T15:11:00.001-07:00

It sure is a good season for me for I've just finished wishing my mother on her 81st birthday.

And today I am here wishing our little grand daughter Ayin on her first birthday!

http://theaospace.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!EC8F2329F08E7C65!275.entry

" HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, Ayin.(31/8)

It seems it was only yesterday that you were born. I remember the boundless joy you brought to us when we saw the first sight of your delicate life coming into this world, tenderly holding you in our arms and frightened of hurting you..

I remember our excitement of watching your smiles , your cries and your movements..

The sleepless night on the first day of your birth, pitying on how you tried to adjust to the strange surroundings which was going to be your world thereafter.

The endless changing of nappies, rocking and cleaning, the nursery rhymes, your seasonal illness...

The excitement of your first sucking on your mother's breast, your first tooth, your first turning, your first sitting, your first crawling, your first word "Papa", your first standing, your first step..

Today when you turn one year old, you are running around calling us our respective names.

Singing along with us and dancing along with the music...

In fact you have turned into a perfect one year old child..

Your father and mother are both rather quiet persons. Before you came into their life, their house used to be so neat and tidy but silent. The only life we saw were those fish swiming around your father's three aquariums!

Today I am glad, with you around, their house has turned into a makeshift house, with books, toys, cloths, milk bottles, clips, ribbons, spoons etc lying everywhere!

The most welcome sight would be the laughter and the noises you make. And your father has forgotten his famous three aquariums!

You brought life into your parents lives...Also ours.

The other day your father asked me "what is the difference between a child and the grandchild?" Well, I told him that, to me, he is like a guitar and whereas his daughter ( you) is like music...

Your father understood what I meant. For he is a musician.

I felt the tremendous joy when my mother ( your great grand mother ) told me tenderly that , you are the image of me when I was a baby of your age ...

Actually we all see part of us in You...!

My Birthday girl, may you grow into a wonderful human being and bring lots of happiness to your parents.

May God be with you always and bless you with many wonderful Birthdays in your life.

Happy Birthday, our sweet little Ayin, we love you..."

Happy Birthday , Dearest Mother

2007-08-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today is my mother's 81 st birthday, ( 29/6) but I am far away from her. How I wish I could join my brothers' and sisters' families in sharing her birthday.

Few weeks back I was watching a TV programme where the participants were all women. The topic was - which woman influenced her the most during her formative years? Actresses, models, politicians etc? I stopped a moment and wondered what would be my answer?

My answer was the same as the ladies in the show - their Mother!

I began to think - yes, we have a lot of male idols all through our formative years, but to be honest, we can only have our Mother as our sole role model in life.

Today I feel my mother is above all mothers. She is not only our mother, she has been a mother to many who were not her own children!

She has weathered a lot of ups and downs. She had a lot of dreams - some came true, some did not. Still she stands above others because she can keep understanding us , her children and keep up with our pace!

Her life story is just like one of Pearl.S. Buck's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_S._Buck stories.

So colourful, full of struggles and yet all the time she courageously carries the loads and patiently moulded us on how to become a good human being.

My mother is like all mothers, a very good home maker, her house is always neat and clean .

But my mother is always ahead of her time. She would drive the car and take us out to the park every evening and expose to us to the beauty of nature. ( This was during the fifties when most men did not know how to drive!)

She would take lots of good photographs with her camera and explain to us the art of composition. ( that too, during the fifties.)

She is a very good cook and would love cooking for any one who will savour her food!

She is a very good dress maker. She would emphasise the technique on how to cut a good collar and sleeve.

She is good and fast in knitting. I remember - besides making sweaters for us, she would knit some socks and hand gloves for her father. She is a very good daughter, she would love her parents without any conditions.

She is a very good sister to her siblings.The way she loves her brothers and sisters set an example to us how to love our siblings

She is a very good nurse. There were numerous occasions when she would not sleep and stay up whole night for her children. And we sure were a bunch of sickly children!

She is a very good wife who shared her husband's happiness and hardships.

She is a very good teacher. I remember how she spent one afternoon till sunset in teaching me how to learn the abacus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus. I must have been dull! Whatever, I remember the usage of the abacus the way my mother tought me only, not my teacher's teachings.

She writes beautiful calligraphy and her letters written to us read like a literature.

She is a very good business woman always keeping her words and deal with honesty. She is a very good Samaritan too.

She is a serious follower of Lord Buddha, yet she allows us to find our own faith.

I, especially felt proud to have a mother who is educated and a perfect person. I know today what ever I am , it's because of her influences on me.

I remember when we were young, after the Chinese New Year, she would pack her bags and go for her yearly pilgrimage -

Bodh-Gaya http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya

Nalanda http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda,

Lumbini http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lumbini,

Banarashttp://www.sacredsites.com/asia/india/banaras.html ,

Rajgirhttp://www.tourismofindia.com/hibuddh/buddh_rajgir.htm

Kusinaga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kushinagara

Sravasti http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sravasti ( her favorite site ) and various other places on the pilgrimage route.

When she came back from her trip, she would bring home some strange stones and tell us, "these are meteorites ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite)... from the shooting stars" I cannot say if it was right or wrong. We would be very excited, but did not value those stones and do not have any of them today. Whatever, I guess my fondness for collecting pebbles and stones are definitely due to this romantic exposure from her!! That makes the shooting stars look more beautiful to me.

I dreamt of becoming an artist , due to my listening to all her stories that she'd share with her cousins every Sunday. Oh! I can go on writing about her non-stop.

I guess I'll just tell her I know she loves me the most...

For all through, she knew what I liked and what I didn't like.

She would complain about the noise being too loud when I'd listen to The Beatles, worried I would be rebellious like them, and yet she would buy me an imported Beatles's LP when she came upon it!! Mom, that record is "The Magical Mystery Tour."

She knows who was my favorite movie star - Peter O'Toole.

She knows what I like to eat - Ham Choi ( preserved Mustard leaves) and Tofu

She knows I never like to grow up! So she will always get me those kiddish T-shirts!

She knows I am lazy, and she will go on forgiving me for my shortcomings.

I can go on and on...

I am sure my siblings will not agree with me that my Mom loves me most, for they do feel she loves each and every one of them most.

That's what makes my mother to be the best.

Today, even though she is a Parkinson's patient, she keeps her grace and maintains her beautiful look just like when she was 18 years old.

Mom I... No, WE love you. We want to be strong like you and have the wisdom like yours to enable us to become a good parent to our children too!

Happy Birthday Mom. You are 18, not 81.

...and you are as beautiful as ever!

small, beautiful things that we ignore

2007-07-03T03:42:00.000-07:00

For the last few days it had been raining non-stop and there is water everywhere.

So is the case in Sandy's Backyard!

Actually, our local internet provider is unable to keep the connection stable during rainy season and hence, the irregularity in the blog being updated.

Ha! In this case not even the magic of Bae Yong Joon can help me!

Besides that, my grandchild is growing fast - she is moving around the house in her walker and senses everything around her with curiosity .

I can hardly sit down with the computer, for she loves to help me with the mouse and the keyboard... But she is a darling!

It seems my gossip days at my backyard will have to be brief and irregular! But then I can always talk less and upload more pictures, right?

What could be the best way to daydream during rainy season? Hmmm...alright, here we go...

Fancy walking on the beach and collecting the shells after each tide ebbs?

No matter how small and plain the shell looks, there's always joy to pick up each shell, isn't it?

That's how, unknowingly, we collected bowlfuls of seashells. Anyway, today I'll show you what I purchased on the sidewalk near Victoria Memorial, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Memorial_%28India%29,

Calcutta http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcutta during one of the rainy days.

It is of some artifacts which are made with the shells from the sea beach of Puri, Orissa. http://www.shubhyatra.com/orissa/

I guess, considering the price I paid for the toys (Rs. 2 for each tortoise and Rs. 5 for the mouse), the artists make these least sophisticated but definitely indigenous shells toys. They are made simply to express how shells can become something that are worthy for someone like me and not merely for money!

After reaching home, these toys look so at home with the other small collection in one corner of the house! Aren't they gorgeous?

How a woodrose blossomed in Sandy's Backyard through Humanflowerproject!

2007-06-24T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today there will be few words in Sandy's Backyard.
For I am taking you to Julie Ardery's site:http://www.humanflowerproject.com/ where you will find how the woodrose blooms amongst the world of beautiful and fragrant flowers!

Thanks to the famous Bae Yong Joon , for it is from his page http://images.google.co.in/images?sourceid=navclient&aq=bae%20Yong%20Joon&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:en&q=bae+Yong+Joon&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

that this wonderful world of humanflowerproject came into my focus and it has now seen this flower seedpod-woodrose bloom . Thank you, Julie. I have only one word to express to you, of how you have turned this simple seedpod turn into a beautiful flower - WOW!

A peep into my chocolate box of pebbles (part 1!)

2007-06-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought I'll not have time to write a blog today. As tomorrow is the weekend, I may as well just be brief and let's peep into some of my chocolate boxes filled with pebbles.
Some of it I collected on the road- will tell you the story some other day.

Some of them I got from the fish seller (aquarist) in Hyderabad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyderabad,_India) who is actually a tailor but loves fish so much that he used to keep some fish in his workshop. Gradually he ended up keeping and selling the extra fish whenever he got a buyer!

What a nice way to make both ends meet! Sometimes, I would wonder which gets him the bread and butter? The hobby or the dress making?

Anyway, his wife loves pebbles and when she came to know that I loved stones and pebbles , she parted with many of these wonderful pebbles. My son would go for his fish's food, and I'd follow him to see the pebbles in the tailor's shop! What a novel way to get the best for all of us!

Nature can give us so much of joy and pleasure, I feel they are as beautiful as the Swarovski's Crystal - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarovski except these are real and natural.

The man-made amber

2007-06-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

The other day I saw a programme presented by Sir David Attenborough on his amber.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/jewel/about.html

This programme was simply mind blowing, especially for a person like me who loves collecting stones, seeds, leaves and what not! They are like an eye opener!

Today, I will share with you : man-made amber, from one of my ( my family members term some of these stones as JUNK!) collections.

I got these artifacts as gifts from China when I visited the place a few years back.

First, I must clarify that these creatures were already dead before they were moulded inside the plastic.

These artifacts are made, mainly to show how dead creatures can be transformed into some beautiful gifts. Artistic items with a skillful imagination!

I know they can never be as beautiful as the real amber which Sir Attenborough has...

But these man-made amber do have a different charm. Especially after the light is switched off, the dead creatures and the calligraphy glow distinctively with the green fluorescent light, indeed transforming them into pretty and charming mementos!!

p.s. the first picture is Sir David Attenborough with his beautiful amber!!

Happy Birthday to Paul McCartney

2007-06-18T03:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To you, Paul McCartney

href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney

http://www.photos.mccartney.net/

http://technorati.com/videos/tag/Paul%20McCartney

It's been a long long time ago since the day we first went crazy over you.
And all these seem to be only Yesterday.

I remember my college days, the carefree days, how we would take many breaks from our drawing and painting classes and hang around in the college garden talking about paintings, books, compositions and dreams ...but always ending up talking about the Beatles. There were many songbirds in the college garden singing your melodious song "Black Bird".
And I remember how I loved humming "Yesterday" and "When I am 64".

Everyone would laugh at me for liking these two songs. Because we were very young then, we had so many wonderful musicians in that era. And who would like to be 64?
"Come on, Sandy, life has a long way to go..." That was what I'd be told.. Yes, life has been long and it was like a beautiful tapestry all the while!

I also remember I was asked this question by my husband , who then was my senior and a friend in the college.
He asked me who is my idol.. it seems I used to like Alain Delon and you, both were so handsome... and all teenage girls love a handsome idol , isn't it?!
I could not answer him at that moment.. (Zapped).
After three days, my answer was "Paul McCartney".
"Why?"
"Because of his music..!"

And thank you Paul... You have proved that many of your fans like me are right. Thank you for all your beautiful music which had kept us moving on and reaching out to our dreams and learnt how to fly like your Black Bird!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ERnT1X9HPw&mode=related&search

I took "Off the Ground" with your Wings and roamed the world of music like your "Wanderlust"...And with your "Long and Winding Road" taking me back to Sandy's Backyard with these beautiful memories....

I thank you for bringing back these beautiful memories to me on your Birthday.

May you have a Wonderful Birthday and live your life as colourful as your music.

p.s. I'd like to thank my friends on the internet for these pictures.

Crows dare to stand up for their rights.

2007-06-14T03:49:00.000-07:00

Today, I thought I'll write a blog on how we admire the beautiful looking people, but instead, I am here with the crows!

Yesterday morning, we woke up with the heaviest rain so far this summer. The whole day we were busy in keeping the house dry, and thought we'd have a good sleep as the night was very pleasant after the rain. Well, This morning my sleep was disturbed by the noise of crows.

CAW...CAW ...CAW....CAW!!!

It went on and on, they just would not stop cawing. Somebody tried to shoo them away, instead of flying off they cawed more angrily.

When I got up and peeped through the window, I saw what must have been all the crows in the neighbourhood gathered in our area and looking downwards cawing and threatening to fight with anyone who tried to stop them cawing. The reason? Yesterday's rainstorms had broken some branches of the big tree ,and one of the baby birds fell off from one of the crows' nests and died. And when some one tried to throw the dead bird away, the crows objected to any one touching the dead bird.

This is a fact that crows not only support their own kind, but they would object to anyone touching any bird belonging to other kind in the same manner!

I guess crows are the one that dare to fight for their right. When they get angry, they will first make lots of loud noise to protest; (they know the noise they make is no music to any other creature and especially to us humans who seem to love only good melodies for our ears, isn't it?) Next they will swoop down across "the enemy". I know a number people who have lost their eyes after being attacked by crows!

The best way to avoid such situations would be not to react to their angry cawing, but rather, try to offer them some food to make peace with them!

I learnt this technique this morning.

Someone got up and took the trouble of taking out some cool rice and offer the crows.

Some of the crows took the offer happily, ( maybe the leaders?! ) but the rest of them did not join in the meal. Anyhow, the cawing rhythm was disturbed and slowly they stopped the protest.

No doubt, thereafter, whole morning I could still feel that the crows' moods were bad and were ready for another round of cawing. Amazing isn't it?! They are like us humans, who would not like to be intimidated!!!

Or is it that they learn all these manners from us humans and copy our behaviour?

I remember the episode about crows from "The Life of Birds" on BBC presented by Sir David Attenborough http://www.pbs.org/lifeofbirds/brain/index.html and I learnt crows are one of the most intelligent birds on earth. If I am not wrong, they have strong memories like elephants!

Like them or hate them, we must admit they are the only birds that dare to stand up for their rights!!

How a handsome man did not want to look handsome

2007-06-12T05:38:00.000-07:00

When we talk of the flamboyant Spanish Surrealist Painter Salvador Dali, We see those melted clocks and twisted human figures appear in our mind.

And the man with the most pointed moustache (wonder how he kept them so stiff!- with wax?) and staring at us with his pair of marble size eyes... rather the dreamy figure that sometime visits us in our dreams.

But all these images fizzled away from my vision after I read Julie Ardery's blog

http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/dali_the_narcissist/

I begin to search and try to see how Dali looked behind his Moustache and the marbles eyes...

Oh yes he was handsome!

Check this up!

http://www.virtualdali.com/#photos ( hold this page for few minutes and see the dream like effect!) enjoy!

I am still wondering why some one who was handsome and did not want to look handsome?!

Isn't it that we try to look our best all the time? We even want to look better than our works!

Yes Julie has put it right, Dali was a Narcissus... he did not fall in love with his own look ,but he fell in love with his work!

He even lived like one of the characters from his painting!

What a dream and what a fantastic dreamer!

supposed to be a floating museum

2007-06-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I wonder if everyone has a 'Penny lane' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' in one's backyard.

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Penny-Lane-lyrics-The-Beatles/E3F5C9971741CE6148256BC20014277E

http://www.youtube.com/v/YHBKAyn17vw

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Strawberry-Fields-Forever-lyrics-The-Beatles/D9A941B443BA338B48256BC200142A40

http://www.noolmusic.com/blogs/YouTube_Music_Videos_60s_70s_-_Beatles_-_Strawberry_Fields_Forever.shtml

This is my 'Penny lane', situated at the backyard of the Government College of Arts and Crafts ,Calcutta. It's a place where we used to hang out and dream of becoming a Picasso, Van Gough or a Monet... Wow ... Once in a while, there would be a fish popping up to greet us and add some beautiful ripples on the surface of the water making our dreams so much like Salvador Dali's world...

Well , many years back, The Indian Museum of Calcutta planned to build a floating museum on this pond, but somehow the project did not take off, leaving behind these bamboo stumps in the pond.

During the rainy seasons, with the reflections of the bamboo stumps, buildings and plants around the pond, we see the pond transformed into a beautiful piece of art ... we must say God is the greatest artist and Nature is his masterpiece.

Recently, I noticed that my little granddaughter was aware of her shadows when she was 7 months old... and she was crawling after her shadow! May be we all love to see the mystery of the shadows?!

So, come and share with me these almost like Chinese Brush Art painting pictures of my 'Penny lane'...

new backyard!

2007-06-06T03:21:00.000-07:00

I was sailing for a long time in Sandy's Space

http://theaospace.spaces.live.com/ ! You can say I was lost in the space... Therefore not much activities on earth... So my son Allan brought me back to earth and put me in this Backyard... here I am in Sandy's backyard...

Hope I can be more lively and share some beautiful things in this Backyard with many of you...

Who knows many beautiful Flowers (dreams) may bloom and mature into sweet fruits in this backyard....??!!

For a start I must share the most visited page of mine from Sandy's Space

(August 29
HAPPY BIRTHDAY...BAE YONG JOON
Happy Birthday Bae Yong Joon ---- from Sandy’s Space!!
You are the key to this Sandy’s space!!! Started from Julie Ardery’s http://humanflowerproject.com/...
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/koreas_lovely_kkotminam/
In fact, calling all BYJ ‘s fans on this side of the network, (very serious tips! ) When your net is down and sleeping … unable to link to any site, click on the Google search : type ‘Bae Yong Joon” and enter, it works like Alibaba’s magic words “Open Sesame” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Baba_and_the_Forty_Thieves( I found it’s very effective)…. See how the net wakes up!!!. Of course, it will not work when the net is completely disabled from your local network provider. During such time you either land up calling your connecters and give them your choicest advice or pull your hair out from your head…..!!!
I wish I can upload more pictures in the album, but on second thought, I think it may add more joy if you search Bae Yong Joon ‘s WebPages yourself…. I can assure you that his web pages can really make you feel you are in a real spider’s web…..amazing link from one touch point to the others… have fun and find out how Sweet ( at least his die-hard fans feel that way ) a person Bae Yong Joon is, with his ever ready sweet smiles… no wonder the whole world is keen to know about the present craze of Korea ( Hallyu)
Opps, it’s supposed to be a Happy Birthday page… well, I can feel how Bae Yong Joon’s parents feel for him today…. Especially his mother; do have a wonderful day with your birthday Boy today!
I have given here one of his famous pages http://www.spcnet.tv/korea_wintersonata.shtml
For those who do not know Bae Yong Joon by now; discover him in Sandy’s space.
p.s Calling Bae Yong Joon’s fans to add more pictures of his, in this site!
12:20 PM Add a comment Send a message)

This should be termed as a soft landing!

haha...

Right, it's a Backyard, therefore, I need not worry too much about what is right and what is wrong to say..isn't it?!

The best place to spend one's time is the backyard . Here you can go on talking for hours with no fixed subjects. Sometimes you even let your food get burnt without feeling guilty!!!

Anyway, it's my new alloted site , still have to learn a lot of things on how to get the best from this site..

Well, the baby is awake, got to babysit... got to leave the yard..... bye....loaded some pictures of the baby ,isn't it she is a darling.....

2007-06-03T11:56:00.003-07:00

merry christmas!!!
Hey from Sandy's Space...
Pretty long silence ....!!! Well, seems I have been only waiting for this moment to surface here with this beautiful greeting card to wish every one in Sandy's space a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
This special card is designed by my son Allan Ao, with his beautiful baby - Miss Teresa Imtiyinla Pongen as our well wisher....
I am sure having such a sweet well wisher like her, we will have a wonderful year ahead of us.....Ins't it!?
Any way, have a wonderful season