Day 186 : Yellow Brick Road

Today I had the best adventure of my life! I rode through the Des Plaines River Trail through the woods. It may seem a very routine task to the Americans, but in India, one is never really alone. It is completely exhilarating to find yourself completely alone in the woods and get in touch with nature. The trail was maintained so well that I wondered what a good job the county had done. The mud trail was perfectly maintained, straw was spread on either side of the trail to keep the trail intact, and rotten trees were cut down for the bikers to be safe. The Yellow Straw on either side of the road looked like the Yellow Brick Road in the "The Wizard of Oz". Here is the picture of the day:

Day 185 : I Dream of Spring

What a beautiful day it had been! The temperature was at last 16 degrees, no chilly wind blowing into the ears, and hundreds of flowers everywhere you turn. I wish the whole year was like spring. I dream of spring every day and like most sweet things that come after a long wait...Spring's April 29th has been the sweetest day this year. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 184 : Vanilla Icecream

Ever seen Vanilla ice cream when it sits long in your freezer? This is how it looks like. The ice crystals formed slowly into branches over the ice cream. Its amazing how beauty can be nestled deep in your freezer too. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 183 : Daffodils

Ever since I read the poem Daffodils by William Wordsworth, I wondered how daffodils looked like. I saw daffodils for the first time this Spring and now I understand how its delicate beauty inspired Wordsworth. For those of you who love poems, here's the sweet poem:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Day 182 : Hydrangea

Hydrangea is beautiful in a non-typical sense. The flowers are not that beautiful when seen alone, but they look like fireworks in a night sky when put together. This hydrangea with a tinge of violet to the green flowers greeted me into the leasing office in our community. Park Ridge Commons staff really made a beautiful spring for us residents and guests that visit them. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 181 : Tiny Green Flowers

I come from India...and it is strange to see trees completely filled with flowers, with sign of a leaf anywhere. This tree looked green and I thought they were leaves. It turned out that the tree was green coz of its flowers. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 180 : White and Fluffy

I had a glimpse of Easter Egg Hunt for the first time, in a party that I went today, where all the kids in our party went for a egg hunt. The bunny giving out candies was the birthday boy of the party. When I was coming back to home, I saw something white and fluffy and it was not a bunny. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 179 : Evening Breeze

I saw this tree completely leafless, but was drowning in its own flowers hanging like little chandeliers and waving softly in the warm evening breeze. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 178 : Sunshine on Yellow Flowers

I could not believe I was seeing this beautiful sight where the sun rays filtered through the yellow petals of the flowers. As the light dust rises from these deep yellow petals, you feel how delicate and vulnerable, nature really is. Happy Earth Day! Try to be a environmentalist rather than just being a consumer. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 177 : Signs of Spring

Spring is here...though not in weather, spring is here in little sprouts here and there and little flowers popping up like a cautious rabbit from its hole. These tender red leaves in the background of yellow moss provided me with a brilliant contrast. Here is the picture of the day: 

P.S.: Sorry for the silence this last week...but the bad weather in Chicago tied up my words. I found my voice again today. So I am back again!

Day 176 : Welcome

Day 175 : Tulips

Day 174 : Building a Nest

Day 173 : White

Day 172 : Yellow

Day 171 : Pink

Day 170 : Rock Bottom

Day 169 : Pseudo Flower

Day 168 : Reach for the Sun

Little leaves are sprouting, now that spring is finally here in Chicago. These little flowers and leaves look like they are trying to reach for sun and soak up every little ray of light. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 167 : Sunny

My friendly neighborhood Squirrel that I named Sunny, is as excited as me to see the spring in the backyard. He has been soaking up the sun in our patio while posing for my camera. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 166 : Yellow Clusters

With beautiful warm days in Chicago, flowers have finally decided to welcome the spring and these little clusters of yellow flowers really gave meaning to the quote, "Big things come in little packages". Here is the picture of the day:

Day 165 : Memory

Day 164 : Where is my Football?

I saw this beautiful shining orange football on the top of a tree and I had to take a picture. Though I posted a closeup shot, the ball was nearly on the roof of the building. Someone has a future in the big league I guess. The light drizzle cast a misty look to the branches. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 163 : Tamarind Heart

Day 162 : Violet Orchids

I suddenly realized today that it has been a long time since I posted a picture of an Orchid. Now, what kind of a orchid lover would I be if I dint post an orchid once in a while?! Here is the picture of a rare violet orchid:

Day 161 : Beauty and the Bulb

I have never seen a bulb as a thing of beauty, I have always thought of them as crude forms of lightening that do not give out enough light and are hot to touch. Bulbs are used extensively here in USA, but in India, bulbs are used only in store rooms or bathrooms and hence the deduction. But today's picture told me otherwise. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 160 : India under Chicago Sky

Happy Ugadi to all the Telugu people in the world!! Ugadi is the Telugu New Year, which is celebrated by a special pickle that has all the tastes of bitterness, sweetness, Chilli, and Sour, all of which represent the mixture of all states of human journey. Today I went to the Lemont Temple and the sky was unbelievably beautiful and the white temple domes seemed to be washing up in a river of colorful clouds. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 159 : My Wall Art

I made this wall art today to decorate our home. This was made with paper bags and I did not spend even a single cent! Thats why making beautiful things is such a delight. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 158 : Sweet Shop

Today was a wonderful day! India made history with its win for World Cup after 28 years, thanks to Dhoni. World cup victory was no small thing and it made all Indians unimaginably happy. The happiness was so contagious that it even spread to me. I personally do not care for the game, but the feeling was amazing. Added to that it felt like spring was finally here in Chicago, while in India the harsh Sun is scorching the land. I spent the whole day splashing in water and conquering fears I thought I never could. So here is a little wish card that I am sending to Dhoni and Team India....Congrats!!

Day 157 : Love is in the air