Graffiti on the Balcony Walls

With so many things driving me up the wall the past few weeks, "crazy me" had to go and find a wall to get crazy. Yeah, when the going gets crazy, the crazy get going! :)

Was grocery shopping after work last week when I happened to spot a box of crayons at the store and had a sudden brainwave. It's funny how ideas and thoughts strike at the strangest places. It's been a childhood fantasy to scribble on walls but since I never did at that age, maybe now was the time for a balcony wall makeover. A school friend who was staying with us over the weekend was reminiscing about the lovely view of the Kanchenjunga that we took for granted in our boarding school years in Darjeeling. That brought back memories of ladybirds we would gather into glass jars and daisies that we would collect from all over the countryside. Felt a wee bit sad as am still trying to come to terms with the view of the lovely yellow mustard fields which I enjoyed the first few years now being replaced by the debris of this construction site. Well, living in Indian cities what else can I expect, so maybe scribbles can add some cheer.

Anyways, when you are inspired, inspiration arrives from several places. I thought about the graffiti wall they had in the old, homely, cozy Flurys before they went and got a "makeover" to this now snooty, cold, and impersonal establishment. Remembered the "Before I Die I want To" scribble board at Truffles Cafe where guests can write their fantasies and wishlist. Another inspiration was this blog I stumbled across a few weeks ago - a stranger who scribbled on the kitchen walls of her beautiful home. Next, I went through several web sites for some interesting one-liners (so far I've got 12) and with my tools all set, I began my handiwork.

After a week of scribbles, I do find it outright amateurish and kiddish but console myself that at least my plants don't have to look at drab walls. I've been terrible at it and don't remember when was the last time I used crayons. May have been Class IV or Class V after which we must have progressed to water colors. It's still work in progress coz the only time I get to scribble is around midnight or at dawn before the sun wakes up, but will keep at it whenever I get time because for now the balcony walls are my canvas. :) Also, nobody's seen my scribbles yet. No, not even Joy coz he rarely steps into the balcony and if he doesn't, am not telling. :P However, the conclusion is that I should avoid my own art work in my next home WHENEVER WHEREVER that will be.

I remember EL James mentioning in one of her interviews that 50 shades was an output of her mid-life crisis so may be this is kinda my output. Her mid-life crisis made her millions, my scribbles on the wall won't make me a penny, but oh well. :D Was telling some pals that scribbling on the wall may even be a way to diffuse the sadness, anger, and frustration that I feel at the distressing news events thrown at us everyday. Are the people inhabiting this planet getting loonier or were they always this way? Oh well, enough said!

P.S. If you do come across some interesting and funny gardening quotes, please share. I have 3 walls to scribble on.

Ochre Walls and Blue Shuttered Windows on my Mind

My balcony's been on my mind and once something's on my mind, it's like a bug that refuses to go away. With all the construction work going on right opposite our building, there's always some residue of rubble or cement that greets me when I step out. It's coated all over the grill, the floor, the walls, and even my plants till I give them a good wash morning and evening.

It's very, very, very annoying but I can't do much except wait for the work to complete before I can go ahead and paint my balcony a lovely, deep shade of ochre. Since there's absolutely no point cribbing and feeling sad about things beyond my control decided it was time to make the best of limited resources. Woke up today morning before the sun did and decked the dusty grills with some bottles that I've been hoarding.

Now all I need to do is fill these bottles with a couple of money plants that trail and entwine across the grill and that should add some cheer. Meanwhile, I dream of ochre walls and blue shuttered windows...maybe it's the call of the meditteranean. Oh well, someday.

Addicted

A peek at the new batch of plants delivered by gamlaa.com. Fingers crossed they survive the harsh summer. Love them already!

Flop DIY Projects

Got quite a stash of bottles last night so decided to put it to good use in some DIY project. My first thought was to hang the bottles from the balcony grill but after reading umpteen instructions online realized that cutting off the base of the bottles was a little too complicated for a beginner like me so chickened out. Then tried hanging  them from ropes secured at the top, but after entwining them with the clothesline shaped like a tangled basket, still didn't feel secure so dropped that idea. Next, tried putting them in old handbags and hanging them on the railing but felt it may snap so gave that up too.

Guess it was just not my day. Gave up the creative buzz in my head and went back to simpler methods. Oh well, there's always a next time.

Also, while browsing through a few pages for DIY, chanced upon this site gamlaa.com. Was pretty kicked about it because finally I get to order plants online and though they do not have herbs and other organic saplings yet, saves me the trouble of lugging indoor, outdoor, and some flowering plants. There were around 9 pots that I had retired for the summer but now that home delivery's available, got online and placed my first order. Now waiting for the beauties to arrive. Fingers crossed. :)

Serendipitous Sundays

Waking up on a Sunday morning to my plants is the most joyous activity right now in my life. Other days, its the hustle bustle of life where I am rushing through one chore to another but Sunday mornings are sacred.

So was shuttling back and forth tending to my plants, listening to melodious old songs wafting out in the background on Vh1 when something stopped me in my tracks. Happened to glance out of the dining room window and saw the sky change color in a matter of a few seconds from a dull grey to a bright orange. Was spellbound. My first instinct was to hunt for a camera but then decided to savour this moment in solitude instead of uploading just another sunrise pic to this already crowded digital world.

The beauty of the sunrise seemed to have eclipsed all other tasks so I sat back and watched the sun, in peace with the world for a few minutes till the doorbell rang and the maid woke me up from my utopian reverie. :)

So back to my rambles about my plants. The latest plant that I am fixated on is coriander (dhania). I've been reading several blogs on how to grow dhania and decided to try growing them at home. So here's a peek at the weekly progress of one of the dhania plants.

Still in the germination stage but hope by next week there is more progress. If all goes well it's going to take another 10-15 days before I can begin using my own home-grown produce and then I can get more ambitious in the gardening arena and venture to other produce too. :)