A Missed Class and A Mixed Morning

Ratz says:

My morning walk was saved by the cancellation of my class. As it had been a very long time, since I went for my morning walks, today came a pleasant surprise.

Everything reminded me of the mornings from before. I went very late, somewhere around 8:25 am. There were many walkers, some of whom I know from my morning walks. It was a very warm morning, with the sun just coming out from behind the haze.

I was happy and beyond, as I saw my squirrel friends after such a long time. I usually don’t find them in the evening may be because of the cold weather, but today I found them almost everywhere and everytime- hopping about and climbing the tree branches, running away and then coming near. In short, a complete flow of energy throughout the park.

The gardener had turned on the water hose for the plants. I couldn’t resist taking this picture. I really like this picture. It looks so fresh and bright. And what can I say about the water, it’s beautiful.

And, I found my long lost friend- Betsy. Today though it seemed, she had forgotten me due to my long absence. She was just exploring me from a distance and I took the opportunity to get her picture. My perfect picture poser!

I walked for only half an hour as I was getting late for my breakfast and I had to study too. Before, I started I took this picture of the sun. By this time, the weather was very warm and I sincerely wished I could spend a few minutes there basking in the sun.

To say the least, it was a very beautiful morning and well balanced. Every object in the morning tried to grab attention. Sometimes it was the trees and sometimes the new leaves or the birds or the squirrels or the sky or the sun. Though, all of them gave me one common thing- Happiness.

Last Evening

Last evening brought along beautiful colours. So long I have been only writing about them asking you to visualise the picture on your own.

But here it is. This is how the evening sky reflects the last colours from the sun. It was a beautiful evening. Though a Sunday and though there was chaos from the nearby playground, I was least bothered about all that. Besides I was happy to see some good sports.

I have written in my earlier posts about the construction work that is going on. This is what has been done so far.

We have to walk through this maze of supporting logs. Earlier it was a bit irritating but now I enjoy walking through them. With the pace it is going on, I expect that it will be completed in another two weeks.

I walked for some 50 minutes listening to some of the songs I like. I am quiet addicted to ‘Teardrops on My Guitar’ and that is the first song that I listen to everytime. Quiet a chilly evening too. My hands go completely numb at one stage when I begin to walk and then gradually come in sync with the temperature of the rest of my body. I see some people with sleeveless sweaters and I wonder how they manage this chillness.

As I mentioned, I had a short walk than usual, it was because I had to go somewhere with my sister. And 15 minutes of walk with her compensated for the remaining of walk from my daily walking schedule.

Well the evening ended with a good tune and so did my walking. Have a great day ahead. 

Finally Posting Pictures!

Ratz says:

The evening went along very gracefully. The evening was very quiet and calm. The evening sky delivered a golden yellow tinge perfectly matching the mood of the evening.

There was the disturbance in the form of the construction but it didn’t seem to deter me today for I was in a complete walking mood. I was listening to some of the classics. Weekends are an invitation for kids to forget their schools and so they were in a full flow today….. playing cricket, football and various others.

There was a very slight breeze reminding the chillness in the evening and my jacket did help cut the breeze and kept me warm throughout.

 

The side walk on one side of the park was covered with marigold petals and every time I walked that way, I could smell a very slight scent. 

I caught site of this pussy, the same one that once upon a time had a pigeon for its breakfast. Scary eyes!!!

But overall, a beautiful evening for a walk, just me and my solitude plus the classics. See you all tomorrow. Have a great day.

Photos

Ratz says: 

Photos from the park where I have my karate classes:

 

Photos from my balcony:

 

 

A Silent ThankYou

Ratz says:

So I went to park today confirming that there was enough space to walk. And I was in luck today. I started my walk at 5: 10 in the evening as I had a morning class. It was a solitary walk for most of the evening. I have been seeing very few people for the past few days. I haven’t met anyone of my ‘Greeting friends’ but today I made a new one. Oh! What a decent English he spoke. I have seen him before with his very unique way of walking, but I never thought that someday we would be having a sort of chit- chat. He must easily be in his sixties with the features of a regular grandpa. It’s so strange but we notice everything on our way everyday, avoiding the fact that we would also the objects of others’ attentions. Whatever it is, I have landed myself in making good park friends.

The playground next to the park was being set up with decorations for a wedding. They have covered the whole ground with a grass green carpet and dug in poles here and there. So, I am pretty sure tomorrow morning’s gonna be a complete mess. This is the wedding season going on and the newspapers make headlines with 20,000 weddings on one single day!!!!!!! Strange……..

Anyways, most of my evening walk was occupied with listening to songs on my mobile phone. I have finally got it repaired today. Hurray!!!! So, I noticed fewer things around me…. I remember having a smile on my face for most of my walk which originated with the talk with my new friend and scaled to many other small things.

On the whole, a very good Thanks Giving. I said “Thank you” a lot today without remembering that it was Thanks Giving. In our part of the world, it is not a very big occasion but to those who are celebrating it, I wish them all a very “Happy Thanks Giving”.

Special Wishes to:

God for giving me everything I really deserved & making me who I am today.

My sister for being with me and for me.

Karen for being my inspiration for walks.

And finally certain other secret people without whom I would haven’t travelled this far.

25th November 2009- A Stand Still

Ratz says:

My walks in the park are going to meet a stand still from today. There is a renovation work going on and it stands blocking the sidewalk for a considerable length. Though I have managed to walk for the past two days, I have experienced less comfort.

I am having a bit of trouble with my Internet connection, as a result of which I am not able to post on my blogs regularly. I have seeked out a solution for this constant occurring problem and will soon be regular. 

Till then I hope that you all enjoy your morning or evening walks.

22nd November 2009- Back To My Schedule

Ratz says:

I suppose I had a well deserved break. Being ill sometimes can be a boon. The past week had been real hard on my nerves and there’s nothing better than a slight illness. Sleepy days, watching TV all day long, no one bothering you with annoying questions and you can irritate everyone with constant favours(he he he). So I had a share of quietness during this time.

And after exactly four days, I went to the park this evening, only to be greeted with changes all around. There is a renovation going on. They are re- constructing the entrance and I have a feeling it’s gonna take some good time. The sagging branches from the trees near the side walks have been chopped down. Though it has helped in more light, but there is a lot of difference, and certainly not a pleasing one.

Sundays can never be a quiet one. The adjacent playground overflowed with guys, ranging from all age groups. A close call in a cricket match- some last minute tensions and some team won. I had a strange feeling that morning walks are better. Atleast if one wants peace.

But things from the nature are equally good in both realms of the day, let it be morning or evening. The clouds over the park were floating like ocean currents on a map and forming wild shapes. The setting sun rendered them hues of pink, violet, mild blue and orange- all at one……. That was the most beautiful sight during my walk. The side walk reflected the colour from the sky with a pinkish tinge. It was incredible. It was a crescent moon adorning the dusky sky. I saw a jet followed by the thick tail of smoke. Sometimes man made things can look beautiful too.

All these things apart, there was one thing that bothered most of us. The dry leaves had been put on fire in the play ground and the smoke from it was ruining the evening, burning our eyes and blocking fresh air.

So, days of stuck at home feelings were finally over for me today and I felt I was back with my regular schedule.

A Get Away Walk

Ratz says: 

It was a very warm day to begin with. My walk in the park is completely shifted to evenings these days and I am seriously considering changing the name of my blog!!!!!

Considering the fact it was a warm day, I did the blunder of not wearing my sweat shirt to my walk. And by the time I realised that, I had walked for half and hour now. So no use of getting back home and putting one on!!!!

It was a clear sky with just one large chunk of clouds, reflecting the lighter hue from the red end of the spectrum. It was beautiful. I just felt the need to get my mobile repaired sooner……

Not many walkers today, only a group of ladies chatting about something I could never make out. The one hour that I walked seemed to pass on very soon. I was listening to some of my latest favourite songs and that could have been the reason.

Overall, a calm evening, the one you would wish to turn to when you had a fight with your sister. I am sincerely going to try for a morning walk tomorrow as I don’t have any class to stray me away from one. Hope that I can make it. Amen!!!!

A Small Walk

Ratz says:

It was a small walk for me this evening. I was reading ‘Emma’ before and felt asleep for a decent time, so I went to the park not before 6: 15 pm. I had to go out somewhere too, so my walk was cut abnormally short.

I made another ‘Greeting Friend' today. A man from his sixties, I guess. The reason we recognize each other is because we blocked each other’s way twice, while walking, and there was nothing that we could do except passing a smile everytime that happened. So, finally I have successfully acquainted myself with two frequenters to the park. 

It was a very calm evening and gradually shifting to the night. I saw a toddler riding her tri- cycle. She had come with her grand pa and her nanny. Once while she was pushing her tri- cycle, the girl fell on her knees. Poor thing!!!! Luckily she hadn’t hurt herself badly. All’s well that ends well.

So those twenty to twenty five minutes of my walk did bring me some smiles and some flash backs, childhood- always a pleasure to go back to.        

15th November 2009- A Day of Ups & Downs

Ratz says:

The weather sharply changed its course today. It was a very warm, sunny afternoon. And the evening followed the same temperature. It was a day full of early mess- ups, starting from slight mood swings to the not functioning of my cell phone. It was a major blow to me for I had all my contacts saved in it. So my evening went finding ways to get it work again and browsing the Internet for locating service centers.

I was dangling in mixed emotions- on one side I saw every single moment attached with that phone, all the pictures I had taken, all the videos I had recorded and on the other side, I was telling myself that it wasn’t a major issue, that it could be corrected. So, going to the park was mainly to get myself a new insight. Because of all the hustle- bustle, I went to the park quite late.

There was a violet and pink tinge in the sky this evening and not much chilliness in the air. A very normal but noisy evening. A dusty one too, I would say, thanks to the guys playing in the adjacent playground. I should not have expected peace on a Sunday, after all. Though I didn’t feel like continuing with my walk (thanks to my bad mood & now this noise), I deliberately continued hoping I would soothe down. After a few eternal moments of screams and appeals, the boys finally packed up for the day. Good riddance!!!!!     

   

And the very next second, the park calmed down to its threshold of sound. Things quietened and maintained a pace, perfect for reconciliation. I thought of the good things that had happened to me during the day. It was like a scene from ‘The Sound of Music’. Some corner of my mind hummed- “Brown paper packages, tied up with strings, these are a few of my favourite things…..” I walked at a very high pace and being a warm evening in winter weather, I was sweating. The park had a very strange scent; I could still feel it as I am writing. It may have been from some flower or something else. It was a very strong scent- at one moment it would be like cardamom and then something else that I could not find out.

By the time for me to leave, I had come back to my old self. A solitary hour can bring change to a person. Somehow, I was confident that I could handle all those silly mess- ups that I mentioned earlier. They really did look silly- may be I was just being a drama queen.

The only thing that will be affected is that I cannot post pictures for a few days, till I get my mobile repaired. Till then, I’ll only have my words.

Bye everyone and enjoy your walks.

14th November

Ratz says:

It was an evening walk for me today. It was a nice warm evening with good light, completely different from the morning. The morning was a bit cold and foggy, not with good light. It gave us the hope that it would rain but it never happened. The sun finally made an appearance somewhere in the afternoon.

And so the evening was a pleasant one. The sky had a nice pinkish tinge reflecting the last colours of the sunset. I saw these leaves and they looked so beautiful, I couldn’t resist taking their picture. I like this plant, it has leaves with two hues, a darker and the other a lighter one…….

There was a group of kids playing football in the park today, so the park echoed with gushes of cheers and moaning time and again. But as the last of the lot left, everything fell back to silence. I listened to some of my latest favourite songs but I was totally overhearing them. My mind was lost somewhere today, and right now I am not able to recall much from my walk. I met a cute little girl whom I often see; she’s my park friend- since I lent her my badminton racket to play. She had come with her baby sister, and it was nice meeting her too. Every time I walked past her, the baby raised her hand and called out for me. It was a good moment. I liked her gesture. 

Well that’s it for the day, it was one of those monotonous days where miracles take a rest too, I guess. If I could think of something else I would write about it tomorrow. So long…..

Take care everyone.

Another Chilly Day!!!

Ratz says:

It was another chilly morning but a really pleasant one. It dawns at around seven these days so my morning walk begins by that time. The drizzle last evening had carried on through the night and so this morning looked especially wet and cold. Though the best part was the wet green lush grass that had somehow borrowed more colours to it and the wet side walks……… I couldn’t take any pictures today coz my camera’s not working. I don’t think the weather's going to change so I might get a few pictures tomorrow.

I haven’t been seeing any squirrels lately and I miss them. A few pigeons dancing and playing around in the adjacent playground are my daily sights. I met my ‘Greeting Friend’ again and we greeted each other as we continued with our walk.

An occasional cold chilly wind blew to keep the cold in sync with the weather. The leaves danced along with the wind. It made me feel what Paulo Coelho meant when he wrote- ‘And, when you want something, the whole universe conspires in helping you achieve it’. It was such a beautiful feeling, a reminder that everything will be fine.

I hope that it rains today….. Just a perfect day and weather to stay at home and enjoy some spicy snacks. Take care and enjoy your walks…

A Foggy Start & A Pleasant Surprise

Ratz says:

The morning started on a foggy note and continued to be that way for the whole day. A chilly breeze greeted me in the park and though I could manage only half an hour of walking as I had a class later, I felt it was worth it. There was a thin layer of fog surrounding the park, not very obvious but easily seen in the undisturbed areas.

People have started to walk in with their pullovers and cardigans and I held onto my sweat- shirt as usual. It was a very grey, cloudy day and the only hint that the sun was still present was the one time when it peeped out from behind the clouds. It had a day off, I suppose.

The whole day went on in shades of grey. I went to my one hour walk in the evening. As I stepped out to go to the park, I was greeted with a pleasant surprise- the first drizzle of this winter. The evening looked so perfect and the park so quiet. There was just one walker besides me when I started walking. It continued to drizzle throughout my walk. Everything around looked fresh and anew- the smell of the wet grass, the drizzle on my face, the occasional cold wind giving me shivers and through all this the beads of perspiration running down my back. Surprised though I was, I believed I was walking vigorously- there was almost no one and I felt like the whole place belonged to me. I was listening to Miley Cyrus’s songs- ‘The Climb’ and ‘ Make Some Noise’.

As the evening went on, few more walkers joined. I would want to mention a particular friend of mine- I think him as my ‘Greeting Friend’. He’s some where in his early sixties I believe and we always greet each other since the day we had our ‘Clean the Park’ mission. It’s good to have such friends, isn’t it???? I managed to escape a great fall today though, stumbled over the pavement. Great escape….

I guess I have written way too much- I would cut up now…… Have a great walk……. Until tomorrow!!!!!

From 6th- 10th November

Ratz says:

I feel good to be writing here again. This break was totally unintended and now that the problem with my PC is almost done with, I am glad to get back with my work on the blog.

My walks for these few days were the best I would say. Though I don’t have many pictures taken to present the view I am writing about, but I would want you all to go with the flow of my thoughts.

The seasons have finally turned around, with autumn taking a sudden back seat and welcoming the winter. With the sun playing hide and seek and posing from behind the clouds we are enveloped in foggy mornings and chilly nights. Most of my morning walks have got converted into evening walks. The evenings are as cold as the mornings, only with different lights. The skies take so many different hues from pink in the early morning to deep red and dusty yellow in the dusk. The latest weather forecast predicts rain, and I am hoping that it does rain here. We have got some new plants and some beautiful marigolds and a good winter rain would certainly do some good. This is how our balcony looks now……

The park has become a richer place since the manure addition. Though autumn has had its play and there are falling leaves almost covering the entire sidewalk, there are some evergreen that have come to the park’s rescue. The grass is always beautiful, a constant reminder of liveliness. I took this picture of these benches in the park, which can be moved anywhere, to comfort our talks.  

  

For a moment, it looks like the benches have something to talk as well.

Last evening, I could pull my sister along with me to the park. And we had a good walk and talk, nevertheless to say. The wind was just too perfect; the whole park was in some sort of a dancing move last evening. There were many new faces and many new things that happened. Of all the others, an important thing is that Betsy has got a boyfriend now. I saw a cute little baby too, a very adorable one.

Though the winters in my place do not see snow, the temperature can touch the height of chillness and I feel grateful to see the sun everyday. I wouldn’t mind rain (I adore it equally), but there’s nothing better than a warm, sunny winter morning. 

A Monotonous Evening

Ratz says:

It was a monotonous evening. I went to the park at around five. There were many people today….. The park looked very green today with fresh leaves and some bougainvilleas to adorn the beauty. There was an occasional breeze but it wasn’t cold.

As the evening moved into dusk and the lights were turned on, there was a change in the scene….. The park got quieter.

I saw two cute little girls with their grandma. They were so enthusiastic about everything they laid their eyes upon. It was a change from the monotony for me.

I am experiencing a writers’ block, I guess as I am searching for words……. Maybe tomorrow would do the trick for me….. Till then, have a happy life…..

A Perfect Morning

Ratz says:

This was the first thing I saw in the morning from my balcony. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was just so incredible. I felt so happy. The park looked just like heaven….

 

The moon was still there in the sky as if it was getting ready for bidding good bye to the morning…. Everything looked so perfect in place…. The birds, an occasional breeze, the flies and the bugs, the squeaking of a squirrel from somewhere in the trees (and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t locate it), the plants with dew drops on them and everytime my hand brushed against the leaves, it felt so good.

There were many people today before me. I guess everyone has been tuned to the change of season. Some new faces today though…… The sky had an amazing glow. Just an hour could show so many things, I wonder how many things I miss otherwise when I forget that there are others besides me.

All of this with a great mood started my day off with a bang. I hope that you all have a great day ahead too……

A Silent Evening

Ratz says:

It was an evening walk for me today. I had a class this morning so a morning walk was not feasible. I have found out that evening walk in the park is equally enthusing. It was a still evening, no movement, no breeze. Everything was so quiet. And there was no crowd just two or three people. There were kids playing cricket in the adjacent playground, but by the time I started to walk they had started to leave.

The sky looked beautiful though, it was pink today with a hint of clouds here and there. The clouds looked more like currants on a map. They kept on changing their flows and it seemed like they were travelling the whole sky. As the lights in the park turned on, a few more people came for their walks. Usually they are the ones recently back from their work. There is this one particular lady I would want to mention. She must be in her early forties. I have seen her everytime I have come in the evening. She is so vibrant and her posture reflects her confidence. Her i- pod hanging from her neck, she walks so boldly and her high pony dancing along with her. I like her attitude……

No pictures to share today though as there wasn’t good light today….. but tomorrow is another day…. Take care everyone…..

The Fall

Ratz says:

Happy Monday everyone….

This morning greeted me with the colours of the fall. Autumn is as beautiful as the spring; the difference is in the hues they deliver….. 

Though it was a good morning, it wasn’t a quiet one. It is ‘Guru Purav’ today and so the morning woke up with greetings to Lord Guru Nanak and with some noisy fireworks… There were few people in the park when I entered but gradually the number increased. There was a chilly wind blowing all along and I had to hold my sweat shirt time and again to keep it in place.

I saw a baby squirrel today. It was a cute little notorious thing hopping about and way too fast to be captured on camera. But it was adorable and enjoying whatever that it was trying to do…. Betsy came to the park today with some of her friends and they were all sitting in the middle of the park looking at something.

As I started back home, I saw the sun rising from behind the trees. It was way off time but it looked fresh and beautiful. It looked like a halo behind the trees. Overall, a great morning with a little bit of everything- the wind, the birds, the falling leaves, the wet ground and the sun, making it a complete beautiful morning………

Enjoy your morning walks…. 

A November Evening

Ratz says:

Hey everyone… Happy November to all……

Sundays are not really inspirational to wake up early in the morning. And I am no exception so I enjoyed a good sleep. So my morning walk was changed to an evening walk.

It was a clear but dark sky this evening. Not many walkers but there were this bunch of kids playing badminton in the court. I was really excited to see them playing because I like sports. I was listening to songs today as well and I listened to some of my latest favourites. There was a serenity in the park so prominent, it felt like the park was lost in its own solitude. It was a very quite evening even with the kids playing. The park had been watered so the pavement was wet and I spoiled my jeans with the mud. But it didn’t matter as it would have had I been a kid, mum’s not gonna scold me now……

The moon looked brilliant today, all alone in the sky. November’s on and so it gets dark very early. I got a call from my dad asking me to come home. I hung up saying I’m coming but still managed another ten minutes of walking. The park looked beautiful and I just didn’t feel like leaving and I wasn’t tired either. So another ten minutes and thus completing one hour of my walk, I started for my home.

Today I learnt that we never want to be alone but solitude can become a blessing if we are in such a place.