Day 219 : Blank Canvas

If an artist had seen this frame, he would paint something to fill this blank canvas, but the people who have this canvas use it to shield themselves from rain. Though a Van Gogh or Picasso would make a frame, highly valuable...this blank frame that protects their roof is invaluable to these people. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 218 : I Dream of Genie

Let me introduce to you, Genie, the apple of my eye.....hope of my life....and the little monster I cannot live without. After two years of absence, Genie and I have become inseparable these past few days. He never leaves my side even for a minute. My little black Pomeranian gave me a hard time as I tried to take pictures of him in the park. But finally my Canon T1i got this picture. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 217 : Keeping it Cool

The Sun today was hot enough to fry us Humans into a crisp mass, and I wondered how birds survive this temperature. But they found a away....this pigeon is using Blue Star air conditioner to keep it cool. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 216 : Rain Green

It started to rain here in India and with its pleasant weather and regular rain, the dusty roads have turned green with life. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 215 : King of Fruits

And finally I had the best mango in the world, only available in India....Aha! Locally called "Banginapalli", this variety of mango is so sweet and has heaven in each bite. I had the mango after two years and I could not believe how tasty it was. I had tasted the Champagne mango in USA and other varieties from Mexico, but they come no where near this King of Fruits. Here is the picture of day:

Day 212 : Guinea Fowl and the Sugarcane Cutter

As I walked towards the main road, I saw a part of India that was hidden from me before my camera opened my eyes. This guy with a heap of sugarcane by his side, was seriously cutting them into smaller pieces to make them fodder for his cattle. A guinea fowl was aiming at the ants and other insects that love sugarcane juice. Quite a combination I say. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 211 : Abu Dhabi

Happily reached India, and cried like a baby to see my family after two years! Slept like a baby too after 24 hours of sleepless travel. Abu Dhabi's airport was beautiful and I guess is the best picture for my first blog post in India. To all my loyal readers....the next two months will be all about India and wait for India to reveal itself before you. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 210 : The Cardinal

Day 209 : Touch the Sky

Day 208 : Galloping Horses

Missed one more day....I am so sorry readers....I am packing my bags for my trip to India and it is my birthday today, so in the excitement I missed one day. I will publish two posts today. Thank you for understanding. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 207 : Flower Girl

This picture looks like something out of a movie. A flower girl standing in bright sunny day in front of a dreamy looking house. If you ask me, the house looks like a vanilla cake with chocolate icing. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 206 : House Finch

I was surprised to see a red sparrow in early spring, for the first time here in Chicago. The red sparrow eluded me for many days, but I finally got a shot. But as I did some research, I found out that it is not a sparrow, but a House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) which looks like a Sparrow and even competes with it for food and space. The House Finch I saw was pretty friendly with the Sparrows and I wondered if they even knew they were different?! For more details on the bird, check here. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 205 : Bright Sky

Day 204 : One Cent

Penny, penny,
Easily spent.
Copper brown
and worth one cent....... Here is the picture of the day:

Day 203 : Flowering Crabapple

I am impressed by the landscape planning done by the Americans. Be it a park district or a local community, landscape is planned in such a way that the view in spring is amazing! Our community has flowering crabapple trees on either side of the roads and walking on a sunny spring day underneath those pink trees fills you with all the energy that was sucked away by the winter. I have seen a deep pink and light pink crab apple flowers standing together and it was a beautiful sight! Here is the picture of the day:

Day 202 : Hippopotamus Floating

I was impressed with the owners for this little idea, where they put a wooden hippopotamus in their backyard, as if it was just floating in water. The pine wood chips add color to this beautiful hippopotamus. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 201 : Burden of Flowers

Day 200 : Giant Wheel

Blogger messed up my schedule, but I am glad its back! There is something wrong with the posts, but nothing seems to be lost. I am posting yesterday's post today. A hitch in my 365 day photo challenge, but I would continue with my challenge.

Giant wheel has always been a fascination to kids and adults alike. Adults become kids and everyone gets to touch the sky! Here is the picture of the day:

Day 197 : Stand Apart

This tulip stood out from the rest the tulips, and as expected had become a star! Look at the paparazzi! Here is the picture of the day:

Day 199 : Turtles and Frogs

I saw these life-like turtles and frogs being sold in Arts and Crafts Fair in Holland. Seeing all these little animals pooled together, I felt I was in a rain forest for a second. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 198 : Where Life Begins

Yes, life started in the primordial soup, where single-celled organisms were born and the little blue planet was filled with living organisms. But, it is here, the center of a flower that life starts. Little feathery pollen fall on the stigma and a seed is formed, the seed becomes a plant, plant becomes food for animals, and the whole world survives. Here is the picture of the day, the center of the flower, where life begins:

P.S.: I am posting yesterday's picture today, as Blogger was down.

Day 196 : Tulipa 'Fringed Beauty'

This tulip festival, I saw different tulips that I never knew existed. One of the most surprising things for me, about the tulips, are its varieties. This tulip has fringed petals that just looks surreal. The multicolored petals look as if a painter whisked the brush on these tender flowers. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 195 : A Rose by Any Other Name

When I heard for the first time, Shakespear's 'A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet', I did not know that a flower that looks like a rose would look as sweet too. This is a tulip that looks like a rose and looks as magnificent as well:

Day 194 : Tulip Festival

Spring had brought with it a sweet gift for us Chicagoans, with Tulip Festival in Holland, Michigan. Just 3-hours drive and voila! you are in the center of nature's beauty and the most beautiful town you ever see. Red Tulips, Violet Tulips, Rose-like tulips, Lily-like Tulips.....Tulips everywhere! And not enough space in the memory stick!  If you want to see Tulip farms, visit Veldheer's Tulip Gardens early in the morning before the crowd sets in.  There are cute Dutch wooden shoes if you love souvenirs. Here is the picture of the day:

And Ding Ding Ding! The winner is! These multicolored tulips are my favorite in the farm.

Day 193 : Big Bend Lake

I recently discovered this lake near my home. Just three miles away, this lake is the best surprise that Chicago offered me. When it is a sunny day outside, I just walk or ride over to this lake and sit with cool breeze nudging my cheek and the feel of water under my feet. People around Des Plaines or Niles, can drive over here on a beautiful day and have a family picnic here. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 192 :Spread Your Wings

This lazy Mallard duck was standing on one foot when I started taking pictures. He spread his wing and foot to show this beautiful violet patch on its wing. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 191 : I was Here

"Mein aur meri tanhayi aksar yeh baatein kartein hai...."

Day 190 : Fresh in the Sky

Like anything worthy in life, Spring is worth the wait. With fresh flowers in the sky and sweet fragrance around, no wonder Spring has been a symbol of peace and happiness in literature and arts. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 189 : Roof of Flowers

There is a cute little park in our neighborhood and I go there nearly everyday to walk. The spring has turned the park into a exotic garden with hundreds of flowers smiling on leafless branches. There is a gazebo with a tree full of white flowers hanging over it, which looks like a roof of flowers. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 188 : Lilliput Jungle

As I rode through Des Plaines River Trail, I saw this little patch of green under the jungle roof. These little sprouts looked like little trees that stood in a Lilliput jungle. Here is the picture of the day:

Day 187 : Fishing

I have never understood how fishing could be enjoyable or relaxing. But when I saw this guy fishing in a lake, and carrying away a small pack of fish that he had caught with a look of accomplishment, I understood why people love fishing. Here is the picture of the day: