A GREAT SUNDAY

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

27/X/2024

 

Sunday is one of the most hectic days, probably the longest day. There is so much to do. To pack all the goodies in the day becomes exciting and fulfilling to the hilt.

 

A walk in the outdoors is a bliss in our colony. Cool breeze and fantastic smells greet you everywhere. Harsingaar is in full bloom, as also the Devil’s flower or “Alstonia Scholaris”. Their sweet smells are free ‘aroma therapy’.

 

Some people around were complaining about the allergies they create, especially for people having breathing problems. ‘Pollen’ of any flower can be allergic, is my view. Allergies could be aggravated by so many other reasons too. People want such trees to be ‘axed’, which I think would be criminal.

 

In Sainik School Kapurthala where I grew up, these trees grew as high as 150 feet tall. Here, they remind me of standing in the school assembly or while going for an after-dinner stroll to the ‘Baija’ (Garden) enjoying the fragrance. For me, this scent sets in nostalgia and can never be erased from memory.

 

The second agenda of the day was watering the garden. Obviously, it takes time and effort. Ensuring the right amount of water to every pot depending on its requirement, is a task in itself.

 

Having gone through the chores in the garden, it was time to head to the riverfront to catch a few birds. ‘Ms Luck’ should accompany you.

 

It was cloudy, not ideal for a shoot. That is when I spotted ‘Millets’ growing in the wild. ‘Jowar’ is sometimes fed to birds here and probably this one would have sprouted through bird droppings.

 

On an electric pole, a kingfisher sat waiting for me. My presence did not bother him a wee bit. But my lens could not capture the desired photo. I descended to the riverfront leaving him alone to look for his shikar.

 

Birds get alerted seeing human movement and fly away. A “Jal Kukri” dashed into a thicket. Other birds raised the alarm and took flight. A squirrel got agitated and won’t stop squeaking. Then, there was dead silence as I froze for a while.

 

Sometimes, you don’t notice small birds sitting so close to you. I spotted a ‘Wag Tail’ just a couple of meters wagging its tail, unperturbed and foraging for food. My position was awkward and on a slope. To balance and take a photo was quite difficult. She waited and posed and I kept trying to balance and shoot. Ms Wag Tail got fed up and flew away.

 

It was time to change positions. I entered an undergrowth with low hanging branches leading to the water’s edge. One found a few ‘shed peacock feathers’. Unfortunately, the crown of the feathers had been soaked and soiled in mud for quite long and had decayed. These feathers make fantastic ‘floats’ for fishing. I left them there.

 

My face got entangled in threads of a spider’s web. Most of us would have gone through that feeling. What caught my attention was an insect dangling in mid air. It was a doomed beetle called the “Stink Bug”. It was well ‘meshed’ in that spider's web. Ms Spider had woven threads around it so tight that it must have choked and died. Her breakfast was served.

 

Ms Spider was not more than two millimetres but her catch was at least a hundred times her size. That is how strong the threads of a web are. I left her to enjoy the feast which would last her many days.

 

“Dhatura” is a very common shrub which grows here. Its bell-shaped flower looks very beautiful. What caught my attention was its fruit called the ‘Thorn Apple’. Green balls with umpteen spikes look so deadly. If you touch them, they are quite soft, unlike their appearance.

 

Peacocks could be heard but kept eluding me. They are shy birds and stay away from humans, unless they are domesticated. They flew to the far bank of the river while I wandered on.

 

A new flower caught my attention. I had never seen it before. It is called the ‘Bristly Star bur’. On a little research, it was revealed that it is a weed which grows mostly near cotton fields. It was attracting umpteen butterflies which were in no mood to pose for me. I thought it was the ‘Shami’ flower which was attracting them, but that was not the case.

 

The first quarter of the day went very well. A few good pics can elevate your mood. My stomach started gurgling and making funny noises, which was an indication that it was time to head home and grab a bite.

 

Could there be a better way to start a Sunday? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND 

©® NOEL ELLIS