A Puttering Sunday in God's Own Country

It was a breezy Sunday morning in July. The monsoon must have pitied us poor human beings and decided to stay on for a while. The rains had just stopped; and the sun seemed to be unsure if it should make its presence felt. The magnificent panaroma of lush green trees adorned with droplets of water against the clear blue sky was soul soothing. 

A dozen or more coconut trees spread across the stretch of land with plantains- in-between barely allowed a view of the neighbour's house. To my right were a pair of large mango trees, water drooping from its leaves. Our backyard was filled with a mix of jackfruit and coconut trees. It was no dream, I was in God's own country!

It's been five months since I moved in, and this blog is long overdue. It was a hard choice to move from the bustling city of Chennai, which I call my hometown to Pallikara, a beautiful town beside the sparkling green Thejaswini river. But Covid, with its updated versions being released faster than Samsung and Apple phones has paved way for new beginnings. With adversity comes opportunities, and we set out in pursuit of such opportunities. The shift from urban to suburbs has indeed brought tranquility and peace.

As I sit here in the balcony with my hot cup, gazing at the woodpeckers and quails that seem to be chatting with each other, I feel blessed. Nature with its abundant colours and sounds calls out to me for attention, its time for me to stop, watch, listen and cherish the moment. The feeling is something that cannot be captured on any device, but would leave an indelible mark in my soul. 

Today was one of those puttering Sundays to laze around, read a long-pending book, enjoy my hot cup of tea with nature for company; as the rest of the noise-mongers are fast asleep. 

The Monsoon, a hot cup and my favourite author! 

I watch as the cloud grows darker, and the chirping dies out; now replaced with the strong sound of the chill winds and the large drops of water falling steadfastly on the aluminium roof sheets. Over the past year, we have learnt that nature has its own way of chiding and teaching us a lesson. If we fail to pay attention to the sweetness of nature, it knows how to get us unguarded. After listening to nature's monologue, I decide to rush indoors in search of quieter space.