We had some peculiar sightings these holidays and have learnt to understand nature better. Yesterday I spent most of the morning making some plum jelly and later on in the day worked on some coffee which came forth splendidly. Around afternoon we heard the birds make a cacophony of noise and the first instinct as my brother and my mother who understand nature better was to be alert as to what was disturbing them. Suddenly we saw a crow make plenty of noise . Sailly screamed and almost dropped her plate. She seemed to have spotted a monkey on the second floor of the house. She called all of us and as we gathered to try and take some photographs ,the monkey hobbled down towards the greenhouse and then disappeared. Later on ,my brother while talking to some of the people who live in the upper zone ,came with the news that it was its second visit. Apparently it had made a similar visit yesterday and had hovered around specially targeting the crows nest, and that was the reason why the crow sounded so hassled by its presence.One may think what’s so unusual about sighting a monkey but this is the first one I have seen in my hometown.
Then my mother told me an interesting thing, I believe whenever something disturb the birds or they see something unusual the birds have ways of warning and asking for help.Apparently the first bird to warn is the little brown and sweet sparrows after which it is the tailorbird, then comes the hill mynas and then last of all the crows join in. When you listen to these creatures quietly and respond ,one invariably has the privilege to sight the unusual.
I have been learning a few things about farming.The other day my brother was teaching me how to water the plants and although I have done my fair share of kitchen gardening in the hospital quartersI realise I have a lot to learn. For instance while watering the plant I believe one must not water the leaves but soak the ground below.I have on different occasion given the plants a good bath.
Another vital thing that I learnt recently is if one is thinking of using an organic manure say ,cow dung,then one has to be sure that it has become a compost and must not try to put raw manure on the plansts.That would extract all the nitrogen from the plant to form a compost and therefore it would be detrimental for the plant.
I also learnt the art of mulching to keep the weeds at bay and to retain moisture in the ground.
I am getting challenged in political science as well and have just finished this fascinating book,a memoir of a political officer’s wife in Tibet,SIkkim and Bhutan by Margaret D Williamson.
Mr Williamson,a Scottish gentleman ,political officer of the region ,succumbed to a renal failure while on an official visit to Tibet while based in Sikkim.He left behind a widow after just two years of marriage and she wrote the memoir.This was in the thirties.What made me wonder was the innumerable journeys the couple had made through the difficult Himalayan terrains and weather to make these official visits ,mind you ,on the back of the mules over days on end, these terrains and the paths are closed to human expeditions now .Politically as well a very turbulent time when Tibet was ruled by a regent and the tug of war between the chinese and the other powers were at play and the hunt was on for the Dalai Lama to be reborn as per Buddhist beliefs. The Williamsons seemed to have embraced the indiviiduals they came across and interacted with ,during these times ,beautifully.Some became lifelong friends.It is no wonder that the British ruled the world.The book was unputdownable for me.
I have this daily morning habit of taking my early morning cup of tea in the patio overlooking the city of greens that is my view with the Kanchendjonga smiling at me.
This morning as I meditatively looked around I was struck by these overtly bright leaves on a heavily leafy tree in my line of vision.While I stared at it,they looked pretty compared to the dark green ones which were there but hardly stood out.On studying it closely I realised that those were the leaves furthest from the trunk and the root.They were lighter green frailones because their food and water was compromised but not so the sunshine.Were a gust of fierce wind to come they would blow away.
So much to learn from watching and listening close enough to people,plants,birds and bees....the learning goes on.
Comments