Third year in a Row :)

National Poetry writing  month hosted by Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) returned  promptly on April 1st and the poet in me jumped for joy . 
New Prompts each day to engage in poetic expression !

This one I loved ! The prompt being "Souvenirs" ( Day -14)

A Little Rock from that river bed
A shell from that sea shore
A flower on the path
A feather that called out ...

May be
I wanted to hold the light on that river
The wind on the beach
The scent in the air
The hope i felt

Little reminders
Of the wonders I felt
Souvenirs ....

Some April That

As March progressed  , a hitherto unknown entity progressed too, rendering us in a lock-down by the end of the month ..

And there was  April !.....

An unprecedented one ...
 Unlimited family time, work from home , relaxed meal hours ( which sometimes turned out to be the highlight of the day ) , Limited outings for essentials , and curtailed social interactions .
A forced hikikomori experience .

Being blessed to be isolated with the best lot , my own family .. I soaked in the little joys...Thanks to the connected world we live in, my best peeps were just a ping away ...
Grateful about this  time to pray and ponder, write , read , doodle, cook, eat healthy , exercise  and yes the inevitable cleaning and keeping house . Soulful web series & movies  kept amazing company too ... A much relished "pause" experience ...

And then there were unfailing sunrises , cool mornings giving way to hot noons , clouds gathering to burst into pre-monsoon showers, gently setting dusks and full moon nights ....

As April gives way to May , and there are questions about how and when things will return to normal.  Something I read resonated with me ." Use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to "

I for sure will take my time .........

Summer is arriving

Its March and the year is marching on at  a menacing pace... Summer is setting in briskly and as i sat sipping my tea  in the balcony with some pretty blooms for company , do wonder  what the summer holds...

'Its a time i look forward to.. winding down of the school term, holidays , activities with kids & trips and a chance to get -away and travel....
Yes the Longish March needs to be negotiated first :)

This year the school and the college schedules pose a conflict making me wistful for times when the girls were younger !

Tea times and solitude  are like that !
A chance to time travel .. I remind myself to take in the beauty of the moment.. with its sun dappled beauty & soft breeze .Plans for summer can wait :)

Temple on a Hillock

A Beautiful dusk saw us ride up a hillock to reach the Trikkur Mahadeva Temple.. Abode of Lord Siva popularly called the Thrikkur Appan.

Steeped in antiquity temple  dates back to the 7th -8th century ..

It is cut out of rocks with the sanctum inside a natural cave... being at an altitude it  offers breathtaking views of the surrounding hamlets steeped in green.

On most days its visited only by locals ensuring you have deep and silent communion with the Lord . The lord is famed to cure breathing diseases...

A trip to this temple , I await, for its a good ride away from home and the drive up the hillock is a sublime experience. The chance to be in front of the Lord , un-rushed is priceless. The beauty of the temple itself is astounding as it  nestles among the rocks .. the rocks around the temple could be climbed and there an inscription of a chess board on the rock with a folk lore that suggests Siva and Parvati were once playing when a disturbance caused them to retreat to the cave below , staying there for ever....

And that dusk was rendered special with the painted skies., fading light ,   the surroundings slowly preparing for night fall, the sanctum lit by lamps and the Serene Lord ...

Trip much awaited

Turn of the decade !
2020 Be kind :)

The beginning of the year brought for me a much awaited/coveted travel to be with my besties !
Four days off from home .. following my heart !
Reconnecting .. in person after a while ..
listening , moon watching , sharing ...
being loved :)
Much love, conversation , fun , food and  good times ..
Just the type that makes you feel well and whole 💓

And Thats a wrap to 2019 !

My year end post is all about gratitude for all the grace i was recipient of through the year .

A momentous year , a few milestones , abject helplessness but hanging in there with hope and presence, lots to cheer about and cherish ...

A year that reminded me that my presence in the present is a force to reckon with ..

A year that taught me that ever fear can be transmuted to prayer and  a year that showed me Miracles do Happen !

Day Trip

A Day trip the hill abodes of the Lord to celebrate a friend's birthday .

Crossing into Tamil Nadu in the wee hours we are at Palani to  witness the Raja Alankaram of  the Lord.  A blessed moment to be in the sanctum when the beautiful form of the Lord was revealed to the singing of Thriruppugazh ...

Winch down the hill and off to Coimbatore for one of my favorite shrines in Maruthamalai..
Since the first time i was here 20 years back , have felt a deep connection to this lord on top of the maruthamalai hills... Have re-visited since a few times over the years and each time its a special experience.. The Hills send out such healing vibes , must be the medicinal plants which abound here and the penance of many sidhars who made the hills their home ...

A trip that will remain etched in my memory . Thank you Dr S for making it happen ....