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CHANGING SEASONS

 CHANGING SEASONS

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

20/II/2023

 

The season is changing fast. Days are getting hotter. The saving grace is the evenings when temperatures cool down. Typical of the desert, there is a slight chill in the mornings. Prediction for this year is a hot & long summer. We are prepared.

 

Another sign of the onset of summers is the yellowing of leaves. Our hibiscus collection are now shedding. The abundant flowers are few and far between now. Plants sense the changes; I don’t know how. For me, it is time to re-manure them before they go into dormancy till the next flowering season, which would be the coming rainy season.

 

There is this little girl who lives down the lane. She is an expert on everything and is my new ‘guru’. She avoids going to pre-nursery school but can give me sound advice on how to look after plants. The other day she pulled me up for wasting water, as some water spilled over.

 

Aise koi pani dalta hai? She said. Aap ko ata hai, I asked. Before I could say anything ‘Pari’ took the two litre Pepsi bottle filled with water from my hand to teach me how to water the plants. Imagine, with such a heavy bottle she put up a very strong front. A heave and a tilt and out flowed about one litre in one pot, over spilling. Almost falling over, as she bent down to the pot level. I stood to a side watching. Now that the bottle was little lighter, she could pour water with ease. ‘Mujh ko sab pata hai’, is her disclaimer.

 

Aise dalte hain pani, she asserted. I nodded my head as I thanked her. It is still chilly, so pots are watered on need basis, the reason to use a cold drink bottle. Now, she also assists me twice a week, when I use a hose pipe to water the pots. Her non-stop chatter can keep you spell bound. We are now best of friends because she is a great educator on anything and everything you can imagine under the sun.

 

To test her, my wife asked her the colours of flowers one day. ‘Je lead hai, je jello, je pupple, phink, geeen, boo etc. Mind you she was spot on. The story begins when she tells us to repeat the colours after her. If we say lead. She strikes her palm on her head and says, lead nahi lead. So, we repeat lead. App school nahi jate kya, aap ko itna bhi nahi pata je lead hai. We say Red. Haan, lead she repeats.

 

We wish her good morning everyday and also have to wish her happy birthday in the same breath. Everyday is her birthday. Farauk le li burrday ki? We ask. ‘Lilaince Mall’ se lenge, she announces. Then she will tell us, ‘mujhe chocolate ki bhook lagi hai’. Now she can open our main door and knows the bowl where we keep toffees and chocolates. Pari the angel, picks up one of each variety and leave. A small ‘Guru Dakshina’ for her tips on gardening and all sundry topics.

 

Presline, Pari for short is our ‘life coach’. Though she can barely reach our door handle but is sharp and very intelligent. What is she going to teach us next in this changing season? I wonder!!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS

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