Say it with Flowers

Wish you a very happy and healthy 2012!
I thank James for hosting this wonderful meme Weekend Reflections, and giving me endless hours of entertainment and reflection throughout last year.

Last Flowers of 2011

These are some of the flowers that are blooming now in my garden. There will be nothing left of the flowers on New Year's day, as the cyclone 'Thane' has reached the eastern coast. The Met office has issued warnings of severe storms in the next two days. The skies are overcast. Gloomy skies will not deter the young crowd from partying on New Year's Eve.
Wish you a very happy 2012!

ABC Wednesday- X

Xanthosoma sagittifolium is similar to Colacasia. The plant has very large, dark leaves.It can be grown in dappled shade . Its leaves are used to make a delicious dish called Patrode. The tubers are dried and powdered, and used in the place of wheat flour by those who are allergic to wheat.The leaves and tubers should be used only after careful preparation, because they might cause severe allergic reactions.
I thank the team of ABC Wednesday for hosting this interesting meme.

Our World- Playing with Water

The sea at Murdeshwar is always warm and inviting.
This is the last post for Our World Tuesday for 2011. Thank you Sylvia, Gattina, Arija, Lady Fi and Sandy for hosting this very enjoyable meme.

Flowers for Christmas

Warm greetings to all my blogger friends and visitors! Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a wonderful and fulfilling New Year. I am linking this post to Today's Flowers and Floral Friday.

Skywatch Friday

Greetings and Good wishes for the holiday season! You can see fabulous sky pictures from all over the world at Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday- W

W is for waterfalls. This is the waterfalls at Courtallam. People take a shower undeneath these falls, as the waters of this falls is reputed to have medicinal properties.

This waterfall is at Agasthiamalai.

The Gagan chukki waterfalls on the Cauvery.

The Bhar Chukki Falls.

The Jog Falls in the Western Ghats is depleted of all its splendour by the dam upstream which stores the water . I thank the team of ABC Wednesday for hosting the meme. Merry Christmas to all !

Our World- Crawford Hall

The University offices in Mysore are housed in this imposing edifice known as Crawford Hall. There is a frieze of Saraswati, the goddess of learning, on it. My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday.

Tropical Flowers for Winter

These are some of the flowers blooming in my garden at present. You can see more flowers at Flowers for Today. The blogger is acting up- so I am unable to connect to the link.

Weekend Reflections

The bus station in Kengeri, a suburb of Bangalore.
You can see more reflections at Weekend reflections.

ABC Wednesday V for Vanilla

In my vanity, I grew the versatile vanilla. But all my efforts to vertilize the vlowers were in vain. The vanessas in my garden were not very helpful, either. Verily, it is a vile vine!

My thanks to the team of ABC Wednesday for hosting this wonderful meme.

Our World Tuesday

These rice fields are cultivated by a farmer living in the edge of the jungle.
On the other side of this thick forest, he also has a spice garden where he grows cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cloves and cardamom.
He lives with his extended family here in this 100 year old house. There is no other family living within 40 kilometres from his home. The children go to school by local bus.

For us city dwellers, life here seems so idyllic, with fresh air, greenery all round, and fresh, organic food every day, but they have their own problems.

My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday, where you can glimpse life in different parts of our world.

Today's Flowers

This year, the hibiscus has not stopped flowering at all. Usually, they take rest from flowering during one month of winter.
The tiny blue flowers of the Jacquemontia can be seen on many fences now. In January, it will be the turn of the flamboyant Bignonia venusta to adorn the fences.

I am thrilled to have my flowers displayed by Today's Flowers. I thank the team- Santilli, Pupo, Denise and Sandy Carlson.

Weekend Reflections- Fruit Market

The fruit market in Mysore is at the beginning of the flower market. You first got through the colours and smells of the fruit before you are exposed to the bright hues and intoxicating scents of the tropical flowers and herbs.

For more reflection photos, click on James' Weekend Reflections.

Skywatch Friday

Candles to the sky- the Candle Cassia has occupied many vacant plots in my suburb. The bright yellow flowers bring cheer on gloomy days.

My thanks to the team of Skywatch Friday.

ABC Wednesday-U

I am in utter confusion about the Umbrella Plant.

Some call this ubiquitous, undercover weedthe umbrella plant.
Some others state unequivocally that this is the original one. Undoubtedly, one of them is a usurper. U decide for yourself. It is not urgent.

My thanks to the team of ABC Wednesday.

Our World Tuesday- Butterflies in December

Butterflies are great mimics. The female of the Common Mormon in the picture below, mimics the Crimson Rose butterfly, which is detested by the birds .

But her partner, the male Common Mormon, has no such stratagems. He is an easy target for the birds.

The Giant Red Eye butterfly is named because of its eyes. These skipper butterflies love the coconut tree, and breed in the leaves. All butterflies seem to love the blossoms of the Himalayan Blue Sage, which is flowering profusely now.
This golden brown butterfly is a stranger in my garden, whose name I don't know. Do you know it? Hopefully, in a few days, the migrating butterflies- the Blue Tigers, will stop by my garden!

My thanks to the team of Our World Tuesday, where you can see wonderful images from all over the world.

Today's Flowers

I am thankful that I live in an area on this planet, where there are flowers and butterflies throughout the year. The Butterfly ginger which usually rests during the winter months, is putting out fragrant, silky blossoms

Another silky flower is the pink Justicia carnea.
The highly scented, native creeper, Hoya carnosa is full of buds now. The opened flowers fill the airin the night with the scent reminiscent of Brylliantine, a men's hair cream which used to be imported from England.
The bright yellow flowers of Basant- Rainwardtia indica are appearing from surprising corners in my garden.

I am so proud of this queen of all flowers, the rose. It flowers more during winter.

My thanks to Santilli, Pupo, Denise and Sandy Carlson for their great meme Today's Flowers.

You can see more flowers at Nixblog too

Weekend Reflections- Beetle

In a purely technical sense, each species of higher organism-beetle, moss, and so forth, is richer in information than a Caravaggio painting, Mozart symphony, or any other great work of art.

- Edward O. Wilson

To view more reflections, click here.

Skywatch Friday

Early morning over Powai lake in Mumbai. Fishing in the lake on improvised tyre floats had been banned two years ago after a crocodile attack. But some youngsters still do it for a lark.

You can see some fantastic sky shots at Skywatch Friday.