As It Comes To Mind

Yesterday, I described a visit to some friends' home that had left lingering memories in my mind. Well, it was not only the things that I saw that left an impact - there was one other thing that left me rather impressed, and it had to do with my taste buds! After our tour of the house and it's surroundings I had felt rather thirsty and had made my way to the kitchen along with the lady who helps out at our friends' place. As I quenched my thirst with some cool water, she showed me something that she was rather proud of. Earlier, in the garden, she had showed me the saplings of  various herbs that had been planted such as mint, parsley, coriander, thyme and so on. Now, she took off the lids from a couple of bowls and showed me their contents. In one I saw some green-colored rice and in the other there was white rice mixed with a yellow-looking substance. She explained that she had tried out two rice recipes and almost all the ingredients were sourced from their garden! Ge

Some days back, we got lucky to visit the villa of some friends. Unlike the norm this house was neither a very large one nor an estate to be called a villa. That it was a large house was without doubt (small houses generally cannot afford the classification of a villa), but the name villa would be apt for this one because it was a house in a city with a yard and a garden - a definite luxury when it comes to a city like the one we live in! They had moved into it not long back and it was our first visit to the place. Tastefully done up with beautiful and creative artwork at strategically located places the place spoke of warmth and camaraderie that went well with the free-flowing conversation. Whether in the living room or in the open kitchen facing the invitingly green and refreshing courtyard, the talk centered on topics of general interest such as places of travel, cinema, gardening, cuisine etc. The thing I most appreciate about such hosts is that there is no clearly defined demarc

As a creature of habit you get so used to something that when an alternative or a change of scenario presents itself, you take time to adjust to it. Only, the adjustment time period is different for each one of us. This morning as I sat down to work on this post, unconsciously I found myself trying to move the laptop a bit sideways just as if I were sitting with a pen and writing pad and used to tilt it sideways to write! (Although the fact that Dustin Hoffman was playing 'Tootsie' on my TV set could be construed as a distraction, but I know better!)  Just as suddenly reality dawned, and I realized how much I missed literally penning down my thoughts!  I have been using the computer to write or rather type for a number of years now, but never has the urge to use pen and paper ever really left me.  It almost seems like another era now when writing was an important medium of communication, be it letters, notes in a greeting card or for that matter posts as they have become now.