A little of this and a little of that ... 2

While browsing through Kichu Khonn, a few days ago, I came across this beautiful post of mine ...
A little of this and a little of that . And was overwhelmed with a feeling of deja vu.
The photos and their describe took me back in time ... though I must admit I had to plough through the days and months back.

But things are picking up now.
It does take a lot of will power as well as good will ... I must say.
And it was not easy. 

Just as moving to a new place was not easy.
I had never moved in my life. Just once, when I left home for studies. Then settled down in the same city, where I grew as a person. Learning life, making friends, setting up a home. Moving ahead in life.
And then comes this huge change. Totally uprooted ... and the new city hit me smack on the face.  Everything  felt different. The weather, the distances, the traffic, the food ... everything. Hordes of friends and relatives, sweeping down on us with all good intentions, did not help.
As didn't the ill health.

I was homesick ... to the point of actually not being myself for a while.
Morose, lost, uncharacteristically impulsive, angry ... gosh!
People used to the old me were left very puzzled. :-)
But I was lonely, I missed bumping into friends, catching a girls day out, cooking and spending time with close friends at informal gatherings, my library, my home, my kitchen ... I missed a whole lot of things.

But pleasant surprises started to line up. I started to notice that the roads did not look unfamiliar within a few days. I could actually give directions to the man when driving without the GPS.
The people are warm and very polite.
The food is a welcome change ... we are still discovering new places to eat at with much enthusiasm.

I slowly started to notice that our adopted state looked and felt very familiar ... the balmy weather and the red coloured soil, the huge fruit laden trees like the jackfruit and mango trees, the torrential downpours with proper thunder and lightening  ... reminded me so much of my home state where I grew up.
Along with its abundantly available fresh vegetables and fruits ... I haven't bought cold storage vegetables ever since I came here ...  with its surprises in sudden rains, cloudy days that broke into beautiful evenings .... with its warmth. 
We love to  explore new places and we are getting way too many choices here.
Am so looking forward to visit them.

This is a place I'll be calling home for the next few months. :-)
Settling down in the rhythm of daily chores again, this is where am getting my calm back.

Where music has made its way back into my life.

 Where the quiet gently settles on the soul. Where the sun warms the world, the green soothes.

 

Where I'm trying to set up house again ... a house we can call home.

 

Where  quiet, foggy mornings are beautiful.

 Where the view from my kitchen window makes me stop ever so often and keep looking out at the meandering, red road ... wondering where it leads to.
Making me hum "Graam chaara oi raanga maatir poth .... " , at least once a day.

 Where the same window turns mysterious on foggy mornings. I often stand there with a hot cuppa ... thinking how change works in life. Days change, people change, thoughts change, tolerance too.

Where I'm starting a new garden, trying not to remember the old one I left behind.

Where I watch this old cowherd walking down this path everyday ... oblivious to all. 

 Where afternoons are languorously stretched ...

Where I can view the sun first, rising quietly, for the day ahead.

Where I have my old friends beside me ... always.

 

 Where evenings cast a warm, reassuring glow.

 

 Where Bappa stays on with me, holding my hand ... always.

 No recipes today folks! 
But soon... very soon.
Here's to the roller coaster called Life ... cheers!! :-)