Sights of Spring!

IMG_3052
Originally uploaded by priyass.

I was just taking a walk around my neighbourhood and clicked some shots of spring. I liked this picture. Didnt intend to take it this way but it turned out this way. Looks like the sun is just kissing the petals and shining through. I exactly dont know what is the name of this flower,I tried a lot of googling too..didnt work. If anyone of you know, do let me know.

MarkTwain's House

MarkTwains House
Originally uploaded by priyass.

Remember the Adventures of Tom Sawyer book? remember Huckleberry Finn and Becky Thatcher..well those were all creations of Mark Twain. He has written so many wonderfully funny quotes too. Recently I had visited his house in Hartford,CT. Man..the house is just too much. He has spent a fortune on it.We werent allowed to take pictures inside the house. The house was actually built on the banks of a river..the river still flows...underground. its a beautiful spot to build a house i would say. the house has 19 rooms and 7 bathrooms. he lived there with his wife and 3 daughters. his real name was samuel clemens. they had a caretaker for the horse..who lived in a separate building. near the house. there were the 'maangai'designs on the wallpapers. some curtains were inspired by indian wedding sarees..u can listen to some excerpts of his stories in the museum gallery at the entrance.
I loved Tom Sawyer as a kid and still do. can never forget staying up late with my sister to watch the movie on TV.
I didnt know that Hartford was the publishing capital of USA. no wonder! Twain was a lecturer too..and his wife Olivia was also from a rich family.
Seems his middle Daughter was in her 80's when they were restoring this house, and she came and gave them a lot of valuable information about the house. it was supposed to be destroyed but then they saved the house and finally are getting federal grant and well the visitors money to fund the restoration.
Was worth a visit.

Heavenly Abode in Ashland.

View of SriLakshmi Temple in Ashland
Originally uploaded by priyass.

Yes. There is a beautiful Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland. Built in typical tamilnadu style with the dwajasthambha, bali peeta, raja gopura..etc., the temple is really beautiful with ayyapan,ganesha,lakshmi,karthikeya,Shiva and venkatachalapathy along with Hanuman and the navagrahas..residing in their own sanctums.
The place was very serene and Lakshmi was really beautiful. The jewels they put on her along with the maambazha yellow saree..was simply amazing. I never expected that it wud be so good. also sang 'Bhagyada Lakshmi " by Purandaradasa...Of course we got to eat some vada and then some kesari as prasada..and got some kumkuma and viboothi home. The pujari also gave us (gals) roses as prasada. Though we got lost to find the temple..it was really worth the drive. Its a must visit temple I would say.
Here is the website of the temple.

http://www.nehti.org

Sri Lakshmi Temple

117 Waverly Street,

Ashland, MA 01721

Ph: 508-881-5775

Chicago

Chicago
Originally uploaded by priyass.

Dont know if I posted these pics b4. This was my Chicago trip! Was just amazed by Lake Michigan!

Spring and winter

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Originally uploaded by priyass.

Didnt I tell u all that there were some flurries the day before..in my last post. well guess what whn i started to work the next day and opened the door, i saw that there was enuf snow accumulated outside. man cant believe its snowing in april.
i tried to capture a picture of leaves along with the snow.
enjoy!

Things have changed

A lot of things have changed since my last post. Its spring now and well can you believe that there were slight flurries in MA today? Well it is true. It was raining in the morning and then toward the evening there was snow!

I like the poem by T.S.Elliot

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Winter kept us warm, covering
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding
A little life with dried tubers.
Summer surprised us, coming over the Starnbergersee
With a shower of rain; we stopped in the colonnade,
And went on in sunlight, into the Hofgarten,
And drank coffee, and talked for an hour.


Yup it is true. Its April and a friend of mine said smthing in German which meant that April can do whatever it wants.

I am particularly happy to see a lot of daffodils again reminds me of wordsworth. That was the poem I read in my 5th grade and it made no sense then. but rite now I google for it and keep reading it every now and then.

Quoting Wordsworth



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 the inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils"

I really enjoy this poem till date. I dont know how many of you have the patience to read it but believe me its really beautiful.

Its nice to post something after a long break.

In India we celebrate the coming of spring with Holi. The festival of colors.
"aaya saawan jhoom ke" and so many songs associated with saawan and the colors of holi.

You can find beautiful Cherry blossoms in DC and Boston(of course new england is known widely for its fall colors) Its not started blooming as yet in the city where I live, looking forward to that so that I can shoot some crazy pictures...like crazy...
If any of you find any more poems on spring do let me know.
Thas for today.
signing off...