My Mother is a very passionate botanist and devotes a great deal of time and effort in gardening as a hobby. Over the years her efforts have been made visible by the wonderful garden that she maintains at home. Ooty being a hill-station is a very ideal nursery for many an ornamental plant.
A great deal of effort goes into gardening and upkeep of the patch needs be done much like caring for a new-born baby. Manuring, watering, shading and weeding are some of the many activities one needs to incorporate as part of daily routine so as to produce a desired outcome. Being part of a family that did not have a retinue of attendants, my brother and I would often be summoned to be part of many a garden-maintenance exercise, watering being the worst of all!
I took this picture on August 9, 2004. The flowering season was coming to a close with the advent of the monsoons, which can be nasty in Ooty. These last remaining begonias were wilting under their weight. Eventually the flowers would fall off, the leaves would drop and the plant itself would cease to exist leaving behind tubers that would resume the cycle once again at a different point in time.
Awarded
I was pleasantly surprised to know that I've been awarded! This award, which is the first-ever that I have received while in Blogsphere, was given to me by Usha Pisharody. Her wonderful words of encouragement and the gesture itself has left me elated. I wish to thank her for her gesture which has deeply recognized and appreciated my blogspace and ideologue.
As a gesture on my part to recognize the efforts of fellow bloggers for their remarkable contribution to the world of blogging, for promoting a healthy exchange of culture, for being able to illustrate social and political issues and more importantly for their ability to be themselves at all times, I'd like to roll-over this award to these luminaries of the blog world;
Devika Jyothi
Peter Olson
Man in Painting
Destination Infinity
Gil a.k.a. Blog Trotter
Jeevan
Vibushan Lakshminarayan
Alice
Marie Noyale
Barath Natraj a.k.a. The Seeker
Vimmuuu a.k.a Vimal Vijayan
Keshi
Archana ; and
Rocky Mountain Girl
Many Congratulations! It is a pleasure to be associated with you, always and all ways.
Ur mum is a superb Gardener WOW! Such a beautiful pic too.
ReplyDeleteCongrattz on the award Rakesh! U deserve it, cos u write from ur heart.
And ty for passing it on to some of us too. Its a pleasure to know someone like u thru Blogville!
:)
Keshi.
WOW!!
ReplyDeleteA fine garden...could only be by a finer gardener :)
i love Ooty...Oh so now we have a home also to stay, if we come...was wanting to go to Fern Hill next time we go together...we going together very rarely...
Congrats on the award, Rak...
I don't go for award functions :))
anyway, will think about that later..Thanks for the kind and generous heart to name me there :)
Nice post, RAK...
love,
devika
Congrat
**we go together very rarely...**
ReplyDeletethalayum valumillathe oronnu ezhuthum :))
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ReplyDeleteNice post bro.. and congrats for the award :D
ReplyDeleteCheers
Randeep
beautiful pathway!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for this beautiful award! And thank you so much for having thought to me, I'm honored.
ReplyDeleteDo you know I still have some roses in my garden, despite of the winter and the cold (0°C this morning)? I'll show them in a few days on my blog.
Have a good day, Rakesh.
Hi Rakesh! Congratulations on your much deserved and wonderful award! I'm speechless with the most kind words you used to pass it over to me! Thanks! It's an honour and I'm delighted!
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Thanks so much for the award buddy and our exchange of pleasure in blogging. I too love gardening and visiting gardens, adoring the beauty of flowers. The picture gives me a lovely feel and I wish ur mom's effort on maintain them. Sure the flowers are plus to hills of queen.
ReplyDeleteHello Rakesh,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations are in order,and also Thank you for letting me, share it with you. It's very nice of you.
Your picture of the day,brings me back to old times!!
When I was a child,my grand mother used to ask me,to take a walk with her in her garden.
I did it ,only to please her... nesting my nose between the perfumed flowers,and biting in the juicy raspberries or strawberries, finding it absolutely NORMAL...
Only now... a few years later , do I realize how lucky I was!!!
Have a good day.
That is a wonderful garden with a capital W :D
ReplyDeleteYour mom must be extremely passionate towards gardening. I dont know if this is true, some people call it being foolish, I heard that, talking to flowers while tending to them only makes them more colorful and to fully bloom..
Btw, thanks for the award! Very very delighted and pround to have got such a recognition from you :)
Yeah! beautiful pic,, So a Thottakara anna.. cool!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks a ton for the award.. It means a lot to me.. It really :)
that was a beautiful pic... !
ReplyDeletei always thought people interested i gardening were like very very patient people ??
i am the army guy ;).... sum problem with my account..
Keshi
ReplyDeleteYes, she is very passionate about garderning!
Many Congrats on the award! I believe you exemplify the spirit of blogging!
Thanks for your comments
Rakesh
Devika Chechi
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for your comments!
You are always welcome to stay at our place while in Ooty! It will certainly be a pleasure for all of us!
Do plan a trip sometime soon! I believe you have not visited for a long while now!
And, its good of you to post a picture of yours! Very gracious, I must say!
Cheers
Rakesh
Randeep
ReplyDeleteWelcome here! Thanks for visiting and leaving me your comments!
Do keep coming
Cheers
Rakesh
Magiceye
ReplyDeleteThanks very much!
Cheers
Rakesh
Alice
ReplyDeleteMany Congratulations on the award! I consider you among those people who transcend boundaries and relate to cultures via your intellect and of course the blog!
Its remarkable to have roses grow at a Zero Deg!
Must be very cold! I know how that feels, having lived in Ooty, which is a hill station down the South of India
Cheers
Rakesh
Hello Gil
ReplyDeleteMany Congratulations on the award! As always, your blog portrays very rich aspects of different worlds!
One can imagine the amount of knowledge and maturity that has been gained whilst travelling for so many years!
I must say you are a Roving Ambassador of many cultures and heritages!
Cheers
Rakesh
Jeevan
ReplyDeleteYour remarkable, die-hard optimism combined with an unseen zeal to excel makes you a very fine person, whom I've come to respect a great deal and hence this award is token of that appreciation and goodwill!
Yes, gardening is a very interesting hobby, one that soothes the inner self and brings out the best in nature and man together!
Cheers
Rakesh
Marie
ReplyDeleteMany Congratulations on this very well deserved award!
I am very glad that I could take you back in time to some of your very cherished memories!
Isnt it so true that we feel so lost out from those wonderful days of the past?
Cheers
Rakesh
Vibu, my good friend
ReplyDeleteThanks so very much!
Yes, Amma is very passionate when it comes to tending her garden and keeps at it with uncompromising routine which is very admirable!
True to what you've heard, people do talk to their plants and I'm told that the feeling is very unique and quite symbiotic! Amma does that often!
Many congratulations on the award Vibu. It is quite rare to meet someone with such maturity and finesse, also to mention the passion that you exhibit!
It is a matter of privilege to be associated with you!
Cheers
Rakesh
Bharath
ReplyDeleteYes, ur Anna is a thotakkara ;)
Many Congratulations on the very well deserved award!
Cheers
Rakesh
Armyguy
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
Oh yes, I can relate to that statement about people into gardening being very patient! My Mom is a shining example!
Ask me why?
She raised a brat like me after all! ;)
btw... whats wrong with ur wordpress ID?
Cheers
Rakesh
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ReplyDeletehai rakesh,
ReplyDeleteCongragulations!
Wonderful garden...I just felt honoured when you selected me.More than that when I read the post my joy just doubled.You know why?A person or a family who know how to manage a garden know the value of life...
Nice knowing people like you.
and thank you.
mip
had been to ooty long time back..its a heaven man...awesome place to go to...
ReplyDeleteMIP, my good friend!
ReplyDeleteThanks so very much for the wonderful comments that you have left me! And, many congratulations on the very well deserved award!
Your paintings are a source of wonderful inspiration and lead to very deep introspective thoughts!
Thanks as always
Rakesh
Rakesh
ReplyDeleteYes, Ooty is a great place to go to! Unfortunately a great deal of commercialization has ruined it like never before!
Cheers
Rakesh
Took a while getting here, but that lovely picture was worth it :) :)
ReplyDeleteHats off to your mother for her loving patience with the flowers [and you?? *tongue in cheek*]! If there is one thing I have not been able to apply myself to, it is gardening! And that is why I hold anyone who loves and does gardening, in very very high esteem!
And congrats, all over again, for the award.. :) It is richly deserved and well in place. Glad it is the first of the bounty here :)
Thanks Rakesh for the award...during my hiatus lot has happened...and I am trying to catch up!! I cherish this award from you...Your posts are truely inspiring and an award from you means a lot...Thanks again..
ReplyDelete