Life in Pictures: January 2013

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Day 30/Jan 30 - My Little World of Books

one thing that I really really love about being in US is the access to the library system, the books, the programs they have and all those and many more.!.. so here we go, the first lot on the right OA's and the on the left mine with a card holder separating both :)... and yes, the kid has hers too.. in another post :).

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Day 29/Jan 29 - In the Fridge

The preserved food in the fridge... huh!! with all the eat-fresh lectures that I get.. a quick pickle with ghee or a sandwich with ranch, quick yoghurt or a go-gurt for the kid...yum are the break from routine!!!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Day 28/Jan 28 - Fridge Bags..

I so hate the plastic that we use day in and day out and also the paper that we use in this country...!! I prefer carrying my own vegetable bags and use a cloth napkin instead to wipe the kitchen clean.. got them from India through a friend.. I guess somethings never change... more ways to go green???

Day 27/Jan 27 - Week 2 Work

.. the theme for the week is birds and the alphabet is G... a few of the kid crafts/work this week :)... Love schooling in US.. it is just plain awesome!

Day 26/Jan 26 ~ Yummy - Happy 33 Kiddo !!

.. and the kiddo, my brother turns 33 today... Happy 33 kid, another 11 yrs. before enjoy a double-digit year.. may this year bring you extreme happiness and contentment.. love you bobby!!!

Day 25/Jan 25 ~ Taalimpu Pette

Popula pette ani kooda antaaru deenni... idante enduko naaku cheppalenanta ishtam... idi nindugaa unte illu kala kala laadutundi ani nammakam...

Andhra vantaki, ghuma ghumalaki, ruchiki kendra binduvu idi ante tappu kaadu, ledu... kaane kaadu...

Day 24/Jan 24 - Karivepaaku mokka

ee mokkalu evaro friend India vellipotoo naakicchindi.. bayata enda raaka, intlone light kinda petti unchaanu prastutaaniki..endeppudu vaste appudu patioloki shifting :).

Day 23/Jan 23 - A Cute Planter

ikkadikocchinaaka naa mokkala paityam taggindi anukuntunnaara... ledu ledu... kaalam kalisi raaka kaasta aagindi ante :).

Day 22/Jan 22 - Our Nest!!!

... and years later, the kid brings home the nest she made with her tiny hands and how true it is.. this piece of work is the real nest we had been trying to build... with her around, everything seems to be so perfect...

kaala - tika post!!!

Day 21/Jan 21 - A Nest

Years ago, when we started our life together.. we named our place "The Nest" and the dreamy me had gotten these doves from Micheals and decorated it in our nest.. the place which we named but never really consider ours or at least I could not... a memory from the past, a reminder for the future...

Day 20/Jan 20 - Winter

The view from the living room at my place.. the bare trees without leaves, a few cars parked here and there on a week day with almost every one at work and similar pattern of houses wherever you get to see..

Day 19/Jan 19 - A busy week

The kid had a blast in the school, she loves it very much (Kala-Tika) and that is because she gets to do all this, make any amount of mess she wants to without being yelled yet, and taught a lot of things the fun way.. the alphabet this week is S and the concept is snow man.. :).

Day 18/Jan 18 - Inkoti..

This one I got last time I was here in US... a friend had taken it and got it back when I came here once again.. just love it :)..

Day 17/Jan 17 - Toranam

these cute little things, I love a lot and by the way that is the burinazar thing that is stuck up there..!

Day 16/Jan 16 - Shredded Identity

Identity theft one of the major concerns of people here, in a seemingly, so called paperless country which uses so much of paper for mails, flyers, coupons, this that and what not.. I end up shedding all the bills, envelopes that have any information into pieces before we trash it.. sigh.. how easy were the days where I just used to burn the trash once in a while :)

Day 15/Jan 15 - My Dhobi Ghaat

However posh it might look.. the washer, drier and a room for it and all that. it still is what it is.. the dhobighaat... :)

Day 14/Jan 14 - First Day in School in US

The kid goes to her pre-school, all happy, excited to play and learn and have fun away from home, with her buddies and as she says.. ikkadi school, ikkadi bhaasha.. :)..

Like we joke, me and the OA, she is going to be Foreign-educated for a while.. which neither of us were able to do :).

Day 13/Jan 13 - Amma Vaaru

There are a lot of things that happen in life by choice and a lot more by chance.. I never really realized that this would come to me with me to US.. the Chitkula ammavaaru Chamundeswari Maata.. she just followed me here to be with me like she always is..

I was scared of the number 13, scared what bad it might bring to me, the superstitious me... but as if to say.. no worries.. she is here, with us, with me, within me...

Day 12/Jan 12 - Getting Ready

The best part of the kid's day is when she is allowed to bath however long she wants to and the be given the lotion to rub on and play with and of course watching herself in the mirror... happy happy time :)

Day 11/Jan 11 - Spimming Pool

This is the place the kid loves the best about US :).. yes, about US.. ask her if she likes about US.. YES!! what about it?? Swimming pool in bathroom.. i.e., the bath tub.. a place she loves to spend time...

Day 10/Jan 10 - A Busy Kid??

Stacking up things for the kid to do when at home.. engaging them 24/7 is not an easy task!

Day 9/Jan 9 - My Little Indian Corner

Somethings from India, a part of what we are always goes with us wherever we are.

Day 8/Jan 8 - Routine Reading

the free desi magazines are what I end up picking and reading to keep in touch with what is what and what is new over here..

Day 7/Jan 7 - TV Time

one thing that we can definitely call ourselves in winter in US is a couch potato... we do not have the cable connection yet, just the basic channels and of course our own Netflix and the GPB.. love the programs they have for the kids.

Day 6/Jan 6 - Bird Feeder

a pinwheel and a bird feeder and if possible a bird bath are the 3 things that I would love to have when in US.. time is not yet ripe for a pinwheel but we have our own feeder which we keep filling and have quite a few cardinals, finches, and a couple of chipmunks as visitors.. chirping away and bringing joy to me and the kid.

Day 5/Jan 5 - Fixed

Got the ipad fixed and happy :)..!

Day 4/Jan 4 - Breakfast

A new life with a new kind of breakfast.. milk and whatever on the bar to grab a quick bite for the day!

Day 3/Jan 3 - Bedtime Buddies from Buddies..

Stuffed toys, stuffed in a basket.. gifts from loved ones.. tiger from Keerthi, Blue Teddy from Kavya, Pooh from Krupa, Mickey from Uma, Red Teddy from Akhil...

Day 2/Jan 2 - The Hot and Cold of it

Must-have's for a no-cold person like me...

When the central heater is not of much use.. I love this tower heater which keeps me warm.. the kid and OA hate it though ;).

Day 1/Jan 1 - Life is..

Things one is grateful for in life..

Project 365 (2013) - Life of Sree :)

Life is getting a bit settled, have a few hours for myself with the kid going to her pre-school... and what better to spend that time, looking forward to a photo moment of the day and capturing it.

Get, set, go.... to begin with the glimpses of our home and my day!!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A New Beginning.. and a Farewell

Life in pictures has been a wonderful part of my life, captivating the moments of life, I had with my daughter in my native place, though remote by technical geographical terminology with respect to urban culture, I never felt I was missing anything other than the occasional craving to meet friends and people to work with or talk to.

The routine was boring at times but once you enjoy the taste of village life, that is one luxury we are going to miss out here.. I had so many memories as a child and now I cherish them a lot more 'cos those are my kid's too.. each day was a celebration.. it still is and will be of being alive, being together, being secure and happy and above all content.

Bidding farewell to village was a tough decision but a welcome one on the personal front. I would never have gone to any metro for sure after that luxury of pollution free environment but US, the land of opportunities is also a land of better hygiene.. there might be pollution but it is of other kind, at least I get to breathe some free and fresh air, take a walk in the park, or the apartment complex without smoke, dust.

I must say though that I miss the scent of my village, dust, mud, this that and what not.. I just crave for that.. well, that I guess is the love that we have just for our motherland and nothing can beat it.

So, here I am, after so much of hesitation, planning transition for the kid and self, finally.. in the United States of America.. a home away from home, the place where I started my life as a wife, made this place my home, so it always has a special place and call it the destiny, we just began where we left, as a couple with the new tag parents!!!

... I know, a lot of my buddies would miss my village posts... but I guess that is it for now.. all in the memories.. Just before coming back, the day before I started, I went around the village, captured it in my camera and now reproduced it in the blog... I could not think of a better way to say Bye to a place that has given me so much.

... and about the future of this blog.. I guess I will take it as it comes.. I will maybe just stop or come back... well, unpredictable is my middle name isnt it???

Taabelu Gudi

ఊరికి దక్షిణం వైపున పొలిమేరలో ఉండే గుడి.. ఎందుకు దీన్ని తాబేలు గుడి అంటారో తెలియదు, దీని కదా నేను అక్కడ ఉండగా ఎప్పుడు పెద్దగా పట్టించుకోలేదు.. మా అమ్మమ్మ చిన్నప్పుడు ఏదో చెప్పింది అని మాత్రం గుర్తుంది..

ఈ గుదితోటి మా ఊరు దాటిపోతాం.. .

Heritage

Heritage milk collection center at the other end of the village..

మా ఊర్లో కూడా ఒక heritage ఉందోచ్.. ఊరి చివరన పాల సేకరణ కేంద్రం ఒకటి కొత్తగా పెట్టారు.. దీని వలన కొందరికి పని దొరుకుతుంది..

Nagendra Swamy Gudi

The temple, the last halt on the day I left the village for good..

ఏదైనా పని మొదలు పెట్టాలన్నా ఎటైన బయలు దేరాలన్నా ముందుగా నాగేంద్ర స్వామి గుడి దెగ్గర దణ్ణం పెట్టుకేల్లడం అమ్మమ్మ చేసిన అలవాటు.. అలాగే వచ్చే రోజున.. ఆఖరి సారి అటు వెళ్లి వచ్చాము... ఇన్నాళ్ళకి వస్తామో తెలియదు కాని తండ్రి అందరిని చల్లగా చూడు :..

Baapayya Nuyyi

ఊరి చివర నీటి బావి, పేరు బాపయ్య నుయ్యి, ఇక్కడి నీళ్ళే తాగి పెరిగాము చిన్నప్పుడు ఇప్పుడు మాత్రం ఇక్కడ నీళ్ళంటే భయం.. అయినా ఇంకొందరు వీటినే వాడతారు.

Godla Chaavidi

ఈ మధ్య చేపల చెరువులు ఎక్కువ అయ్యి.. దోమలు పెరిగి మనుషులకే కాదు గేదాలకి కూడా తెరలు కట్టాల్సి వస్తుంది.. వీటికి ఫ్యాన్ కూడా వేస్తారు కొందరు.. నాకు ఇలా వాటిని కన్నా బిడ్డలు లాగ సాకే వాళ్ళని చూస్తె భలే భలే ముచ్చటేస్తుంది.. వీళ్ళు కూడా మన లాగే అబ్బో చాకిరి అనుకుంటే ఎలా అని కూడా అనిపిస్తూ ఉంటుంది.

Birds..

maa oorlo okaayanaki ee paadi pantalu, pasuvulu poshana ante chaala ishtam.. ante adedo pedda vayasu unnaayana kaadu, maa eedu vaade.. early 30s or so.. he has every possible domestic animal in his house... aavulu, gedalu, kollu, mekalu, gorrelu, baatulu, kukkalu.. abbabba idi adi ani ledu lendi.. aa inti vaataavaranam beebatsam.. asalu aa chaakiri chese vaallani mecchukovacchu..

pedda vaallaki aa chettaki chiraakanipinchinaa.. maa budda daaniki maatram atu vaipu velte pandage.. :)..

Panchayiti Office

I love this tiny space.. though the building seems to be so dilapidated.. I love its tiny garden, so green and tiny, just gives me a peaceful feeling during its non-office hours with so many birds chirping around.. on a typical working day though it is a mess.

Jemudu Chetlu

maa chinnappudu oori polimerallo mogali chetlu, jemudu chetlu vipareetamgaa undevi, ippudu ekkadoo lopala polaala gattuna tappa ivi kanipinchatledu.. mogali chettaite nenu gata naalugu ellalo okasaari kooda choodaledu..

Bulli Pandiri

kids build a shelter with leaves and sticks.

chinnappudu bommarillu kattukuni, pelli aata aadukuntoo.. enta swecchagaa tirigevaallamo taluchukunte ippudu anni undi enduku aa trupti ledu ani oka pedda prasna vastundi...

Pillalaatalu

The kids playing in the streets, in the mud, dust yet happy.. I really envy them :).. especially more so now 'cos I see the kid lonely at home waiting for some company.

Tumma Chettu

Seema tumma chettu...

ee chetlu ekkada padite akkada kanipistoo undevi, regi chetlato paatu, ippudu oorantaa vetikite okato rendo migili unnaayi.

Bulli Peradu

A typical coconut leaf wall...

kobbaraakula dadi.. inti bayata chaavidi andulo paadi, dodlo kollu, kaapalaaki kukka, vaakitlo kobbari chettu, karivepaaku chettu, koorala pandillu... idi pakka palletoori vaataavaranam..