NOEL ELLIS' GOOGLE BLOG

  UNIQUE JUGAD   LT COL NOEL ELLIS 31/I/2024   In my childhood during fishing trips near Kanjli rivulet, we could watch the ‘Persian Wheel’ go round and round to draw water from a well in the adjacent fields. Tin boxes welded to wire ropes would tirelessly drop their contents into a trough and go down empty only to be refilled and hauled up as an ox went around in circles tirelessly. A big ‘gear wheel’ would be connected to a small gear at 90 degrees, which further would be mounted on a shaft, which in turn would be connected to the chain on which those tin water buckets were attached. On reaching the top water would start flowing out smoothly. The breadth of the trough was such that it could trap most of the water. The spillover or leftover water, fell back in the well. Those machines were replaced with tube wells. Oxen were no longer put in service. The farmer could now concentrate on watering his crop, rather than keeping an eye on the ox, which at times would stop. They needed cons

  Mandore Garden through my lens DIL KHUSH ❤️

ENCOUNTER WITH A DAMSELFLY   LT COL NOEL ELLIS 30/I/2023   A person who loves photography faces many dilemmas. It could be the lighting, the angle, fast moving objects and so many other factors. The most important being having a camera handy at the right time, at the right place, ready to shoot at short notice, irrespective of the factors mentioned earlier and hope like hell to get a good shot. A couple of weeks back due to my ignorance I had done a big blunder. I mistook a ‘Damselfly’ larva to be a ‘Water Scorpion’. Fearing that it would injure or eat the fish in the tub, I extracted it from the tank. It never went back to where it belonged. After researching on the internet, I realised my mistake. It was a harmless insect, though looks are deceptive. Yesterday morning, as usual, I neither carried my camera nor my mobile, when I went to the roof to feed the fish. There was chaos as fish food hit the water surface. The fish went into a feeding frenzy. As a habit, I did

  Mandore Garden makes my Dil Khush 🧡

  DIG DIG DIG   LT COL NOEL ELLIS 27/I/2024   It was while doing Staff College at Wellington that we came in close contact with officers of friendly foreign countries. It was good to see them attired in their respective uniforms. A bit of learning for us. By far our ‘Olive Greens’ stood out beyond doubt. I say this in no manner to disrespect their uniforms but as they say, “hamari vardi ki kuch baat hi alag hai”. There was a wreath laying ceremony at the ‘war memorial’ right at the gates of Staff College. We used to have ‘Sponsor Officers’  detailed to brief and keep foreign students abreast with everything. Sponsor officers were responsible for briefing them on every aspect and familiarising them with every nook and cranny of the college so that he does not dope it out and reaches at the stipulated time. There was one student from ‘Vietnam’ who didn’t know English or Hindi. A Lt Col much senior to us, who detailed to lay the wreath on the memorial on behalf of the foreign students. On

  Knob Billed Duck or Comb Duck and Ruff with Stilts make my Dil Khush 💙

  ……..ROBERT FROST wrote in one of his poems namely STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING     The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep,   …….And miles to go before I sleep, …….And miles to go before I sleep.

The Citrine Wagtail (Motacilla citreola) is a small songbird. Citrine refers to its yellowish colouration. It is an insectivorous bird of open country near water, such as meadows and bogs, and nests on the ground. 🐦 DIL KHUSH 💙

The D emoiselle Crane (Grus Virgo) is a species of  crane  found in central  Euro Siberia, ranging from the  Black Sea  to  Mongolia  and  Northeast China

  Our New Sun Lamp DIL KHUSH 💛

  INTERESTING DISCOVERY   LT COL NOEL ELLIS 17/I/2024   What will you do if you spot a scorpion, which is my sun sign too? Raise an alarm, be dumbfounded, scream, try to shoo it away, stomp on it, try to pick it up carefully and relocate it or just let it be and let it go on its way. Chances are that very few would exercise the last option. What if you chance to spot a ‘water scorpion’ or rather a scorpion adapted to water? Especially, if it is spotted in your water lily pond with your favourite molly and guppy fish in it. Knowing the scorpions' mentality that they must be stinging the fish and killing them, chances are that one would like to fish it out and dispose it off as far away from that tub as possible. How can anyone let his fish be food for this aquatic insect! Where did it come from? There could be a few sources. The sand picked up from the river bed could have their eggs. They hatched when the conditions were ideal. They found their way clinging along the

  My Green Friends make my 💚 Dil Khush 💚 Treron phoenicopterus  also known as yellow-legged green pigeon, is a common species of green pigeon found in the Indian subcontinent. It is the state bird of Maharashtra. In Marathi, it is called Haroli or Hariyal. Also found in Rajasthan. Pic shot in Jodhpur

  THE TRUE ARMY SPIRIT   LT COL NOEL ELLIS 16/1/2024     Our daughter returned home yesterday from the Garden city, Bangalore, where she had gone for her enhancement of professional skills. Our girl is very independent and keeps telling us to stop worrying as she has grown up now. Still, I gave her numbers of all course mates and relatives, just in case she would need them. Accommodation at Bangalore was an issue. With no idea about Bangalore, we needed help. A fellow Mech officer and course mate from Bangalore was contacted. Within minutes I received phone numbers for the needful. Our first choice was a PG accommodation, closest to her place of work. Second, if it could be an Army set up, that would be ideal. I then messaged a classmate, coursemate, squadron mate, jiggrey and above all a gem of a person, who had commanded a unit at Bangalore if something could be done. He replied within an hour that the ‘warmer round’ has been fired as we say in the army parlance. Meaning, a message h

💚DIL KHUSH💜