Fauna: Monkeys and primates.......

San Diego zoo has a rich variety of monkeys and primates.......representatives from different geographical locations.........Indonesian palm forest to Amazon rain forest...Madagascar to Indian Western Ghat...

Spot-nosed guenon...

Capuchin monkey.....

Chimpanzee........

Colobus monkey....

Orangutan.....

Mandrill.........

Lion-tailed macaque.....

Mangabey.....

Gibbon......

Marmoset...

Francois's langur.......

Squirrel monkey.....

Siamang....its vocal cord is specializes..

#Please respect evolution and never use any product that has caused harm to these precious animals..

Thought: Graceful old age...

Living long is a big thing...

Living it well by graceful aging is another.........

When I used to commute in San Diego trolley, I would see  woman, who must be in her 80's but everything about her was so impeccable...I used to marvel at her good lifestyle choices...

The actress Betty White is another such elegant old lady...also Maggie Smith..

Some of such women who transitioned to old age tastefully...

Observation: Wind mills in California Desert.....

Wind mills spotted in Colorado Desert.....
In the deserts, wind blows unobstructed....so, an ideal place to harvest the alternative energy..

In Tehachapi and near El Centro, there are thousands of them installed...
I just wonder, if they don't harm birds...
In fact, I have read that that the blades often chop of the unsuspecting birds...is not sad!
Nothing in the nature is straight-forward..

Passion: Croton in my garden..

A spotted croton in my garden...
Myriad pigments...adds much color to the garden..

I hope, it will grow into a stunning shrub some day..

Plants: Magnolia...other varieties..

I have posted often on Southern magnolia and Japanese magnolia..
However, there are numerous varieties of magnolia..
I saw some of them in a recent visit to Washington park arboretum in Seattle..
It was autumn, so, flowers not there...but the pods were gracing the trees...

Will try to find their IDs...

Knowledge: Dog breeds..........

Some dog breeds....
Saint Bernard...

Place: Our day out at Irvine regional park......

 Irvine regional park...a nice place to spend a fun-filled day...
Lots of space,lawn, sycamores, a stable, lakes, toy train, a zoo......

A mallard in a lake...the water quality sure is poor...

Thought: Adjusting to situation..

Life throws surprises, lemonades, acids, thorns quite often...one must adapt accordingly..to remain sane, and productive..

I had/have this two dreams very close to me...
(1) Being self-dependent..
and...
(2) Caring for aging parents..

Both got kaput...with the marriage to this NRI guy...of course it was my own decision, and I feel good about it..after all, you don't come across a God-like spouse easily..

So, how to deal with the unexpected situation? Solution is not easy..

First aim can be worked around..

One wishes to be self-dependent for 'money' and 'meaningful contribution to the world'

Money is not much of a concern in this case..

Contribution is not at all....even people in best positions in research world can't be publishing 10-12 papers/books a year....and if my publications are getting me international collaborators, I must be publishing sense...

Second aim is difficult..

Especially when you have a father who does not wish to visit another country..

Thankfully, I have siblings who can take care of them, till I can establish my roots here..and get that 'alien' status off my back.

While you are dealing with such quandaries, people make those more difficult with their barbs and prejudices...
These are my issues....you must have your own ....resolve them by sorting out your priorities..

Passion: Experience of growing flowers from seeds...

We love flowers....but, growing them is not easy......
Novice people generally buy saplings..that's easy to maintain..I do it sometimes..
Developing the plants from seed is not so easy...so when they survive and bloom, its great joy..

My cardinal climber...

Zinnia...

I bought the seeds from Home Depot or Amazon...
And now months later, they are blooming in autumn...

Place: Deception Pass State Park, Washington...

Deception Pass......a popular State park.....north of Seattle..
A harbor seal swimming merrily in the water ....juts like a mermaid..clicked from the iconic bridge..

Flora: Valerian...

Valerian...a pink flower-blooming herb from  Caprifoliaceae....butterflies love it...

Peace: Solitude shots...

Solitude is glorious...soul-cleansing...a kind of penance...

Thought: Need of the time...

Crisis of resources has been always there.. 

Developed countries had thought they are immune to it..but they are feeling the itch as well..

 In such scenario.. 

#When someone have three kids (even two is too much), I find them very irresponsible..its no more about choices..its about responsibility towards the world. If people were dying frantically like wildlife, a dozen would have been welcome.. But, in today's overpopulated world one should be enough..

Living harmoniously with animals is one of the best contribution make to this world...

 #When someone says, she wants to travel the whole world.. Developing outlook and getting to know other cultures is great.. But with depleting fuels, this dream is a form of selfishness..why not get to know your own surroundings..and improve its conditions.. 

#People are saying 'stand up to cancer' Cancer is not the enemy..neither are multiple sclerosis, diabetes and others.. Our wrong lifestyle by ignorance or choices is the culprit.. Stand up for a non-consumerist, moderate lifestyle.. Enough for now I guess, if anybody cares...

Knowledge: Important plants and the families they belong to..........

#Some important pant families and famous plants belonging to them...
Acanthaceae: Brazilian plume, bear's breeches, Thunbergia
Aceraceae: maples
Anacardiaceae:  mango, poison ivy, sumac, smoke tree, pistachio and mastic tree
Annonaceae: custard apple, cherimoya,  soursop, American pawpaw
Apiaceae (Umbelliferae): celery, carrot, parsley, angelica, anise, arracacha, asafoetida, caraway, chervil,  coriander (cilantro), cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage, cow parsley,  parsnip, cow parsnip
Apocynaceae: dogbane, Adenium,  Pachypodium, oleander, vinca, carissa, Allamanda, plumeria,  Thevetia, Mandevilla
Araceae:  Colocasia, elephant ear, Amorphophallus, Caladium,Philodendron, anthurium, skunk cabbage
Asteraceae: lettuce, sunflower seeds, artichokes, sunflower, marigold, Calendula,  Echinacea, daisies, fleabane, chrysanthemums, dahlias, zinnias, yarrow
Avicenniaceae: Avicennia
Brassicaceae: mustards, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards, turnip, cabbage,rapeseed, radish, horseradish, thale cress, Alyssum
Pieris rapae and other butterflies of the Pieridae family are some of the most well-known pests of the commercial cropping of Brassicaceae species.
Ericaceae: cranberry, blueberry, huckleberry, rhododendron
Euphorbiaceae: spurge, cassava,  castor oil, Jatropha, rubber tree, poinsettia, Chinese tallow
Fabaceae: Kudzu, legume, pea, ,Acacia,Indigofera, Mimosa, soybean, beans, chickpeas, alfalfa, peanut, Lathyrus, carob, liquorice, black locust
Fagaceae: oak, chestnut, and beech
Lamiaceae:  Oregano, spearmint,  peppermint, basil, lavender,  rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram,  hyssop, thyme, lavender, perilla, sage, coleus, Plectranthus
Lauraceae:  Sassafras, cinnamon, cassia,  camphor laurel, bay laurel, avocado
Magnoliaceae:  magnolias, American tuliptree
Meliaceae: neem tree, Chinaberry, Mahogany
Moraceae: fig, banyan, breadfruit, mulberry,Osage-orange
Myristicaceae: nutmeg, mace,  clove, guava, feijoa, eucalyptus
Oleaceae: olive, ash, jasmine, privet, forsythia, fringetrees,lilac
Piperaceae:  pepper, Kava plant
Poaceae: bamboos, maize, wheat, rice, barley, millet
Rhamnaceae: Jujube tree, Buckthorns, Ceanothus
Rosaceae:  apples, pears, quinces, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, raspberries, loquats, strawberries,almonds,  roses,  photinias, firethorns, rowans,  hawthorns
Rubiaceae: coffee, madder, Cinchona, Gardenia, Ixora, Pentas, African medlar, noni
Rutaceae: orange, lemon,  kumquat, mandarin, White sapote, Bael
Sapindaceae: lychee, longan, mamoncillo,  rambutan, soapberries
Solanaceae:  potato, tomato, eggplant, Capsicum, tomatillo, Nicotiana, Petunia, Datura, , Atropa belladonna
Urticaceae:  nettles
Verbenaceae: Lemon verbena, Verbenas
Zingiberaceae: shell gingers, ginger,  galangal or Thai ginger, turmeric (Curcuma), cardamom

Knowledge: Top novels of all times...

I was looking for the top novels of all times............the list went like this

ULYSSES: by James Joyce
THE GREAT GATSBY: by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN :by James Joyce
LOLITA:by Vladimir Nabokov
BRAVE NEW WORLD: by Aldous Huxley
THE SOUND AND THE FURY: by William Faulkner
CATCH-22: by Joseph Heller
DARKNESS AT NOON: by Arthur Koestler
SONS AND LOVERS: by D.H. Lawrence
THE GRAPES OF WRATH: by John Steinbeck
UNDER THE VOLCANO: by Malcolm Lowry
THE WAY OF ALL FLESH: by Samuel Butler
1984: by George Orwell
I, CLAUDIUS: by Robert Graves
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE: by Virginia Woolf
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY: by Theodore Dreiser
THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER: by Carson McCullers
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE: by Kurt Vonnegut
INVISIBLE MAN: by Ralph Ellison
NATIVE SON: by Richard Wright
HENDERSON THE RAIN KING: by Saul Bellow
APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA: by John O’Hara
U.S.A.(trilogy): by John Dos Passos
WINESBURG, OHIO: by Sherwood Anderson
A PASSAGE TO INDIA: by E.M. Forster
THE WINGS OF THE DOVE: by Henry James
THE AMBASSADORS: by Henry James
TENDER IS THE NIGHT: by F. Scott Fitzgerald
THE STUDS LONIGAN TRILOGY: by James T. Farrell
THE GOOD SOLDIER: by Ford Madox Ford
ANIMAL FARM: by George Orwell
THE GOLDEN BOWL: by Henry James
SISTER CARRIE: by Theodore Dreiser
A HANDFUL OF DUST: by Evelyn Waugh
AS I LAY DYING: by William Faulkner
ALL THE KING’S MEN: by Robert Penn Warren
THE BRIDGE OF SAN LUIS REY: by Thornton Wilder
HOWARDS END: by E.M. Forster
GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN: by James Baldwin
THE HEART OF THE MATTER: by Graham Greene
LORD OF THE FLIES: by William Golding
DELIVERANCE: by James Dickey
A DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME (series): by Anthony Powell
POINT COUNTER POINT: by Aldous Huxley
THE SUN ALSO RISES: by Ernest Hemingway
THE SECRET AGENT: by Joseph Conrad
NOSTROMO: by Joseph Conrad
THE RAINBOW: by D.H. Lawrence
WOMEN IN LOVE: by D.H. Lawrence
TROPIC OF CANCER: by Henry Miller
THE NAKED AND THE DEAD: by Norman Mailer
PORTNOY’S COMPLAINT: by Philip Roth
PALE FIRE: by Vladimir Nabokov
LIGHT IN AUGUST: by William Faulkner
ON THE ROAD: by Jack Kerouac
THE MALTESE FALCON: by Dashiell Hammett
PARADE’S END: by Ford Madox Ford
THE AGE OF INNOCENCE: by Edith Wharton
ZULEIKA DOBSON: by Max Beerbohm
THE MOVIEGOER: by Walker Percy
DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP: by Willa Cather
FROM HERE TO ETERNITY; by James Jones
THE WAPSHOT CHRONICLES: by John Cheever
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE: by J.D. Salinger
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: by Anthony Burgess
OF HUMAN BONDAGE: by W. Somerset Maugham
HEART OF DARKNESS: by Joseph Conrad
MAIN STREET: by Sinclair Lewis
THE HOUSE OF MIRTH: by Edith Wharton
THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET: by Lawrence Durell
A HIGH WIND IN JAMAICA: by Richard Hughes
A HOUSE FOR MR BISWAS: by V.S. Naipaul
THE DAY OF THE LOCUST: by Nathanael West
A FAREWELL TO ARMS: by Ernest Hemingway
SCOOP: by Evelyn Waugh
THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE: by Muriel Spark
FINNEGANS WAKE: by James Joyce
KIM: by Rudyard Kipling
A ROOM WITH A VIEW: by E.M. Forster
BRIDESHEAD REVISITED: by Evelyn Waugh
THE ADVENTURES OF AUGIE MARCH: by Saul Bellow
ANGLE OF REPOSE: by Wallace Stegner
A BEND IN THE RIVER: by V.S. Naipaul
THE DEATH OF THE HEART: by Elizabeth Bowen
LORD JIM: by Joseph Conrad
RAGTIME: by E.L. Doctorow
THE OLD WIVES’ TALE: by Arnold Bennett
THE CALL OF THE WILD: by Jack London
LOVING: by Henry Green
MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN: by Salman Rushdie
TOBACCO ROAD: by Erskine Caldwell
IRONWEED: by William Kennedy
THE MAGUS: by John Fowles
WIDE SARGASSO SEA: by Jean Rhys
UNDER THE NET: by Iris Murdoch
SOPHIE’S CHOICE: by William Styron
THE SHELTERING SKY: by Paul Bowles
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE: by James M. Cain
THE GINGER MAN: by J.P. Donleavy
THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS: by Booth Tarkington

Out of these 100, I have read only a few..or watched movies based on them..such as THE GREAT GATSBY; LOLITA..........

All of them might not interest me or I may not get time to read them all..
But, I would like to know their synopsis..

Passion: My gorgeous garden flowers...

Now, my garden boasts of  flowers forming a medley of colors..

I wonder, where they get the color from....of course I know the answer...the omnipresent sun...and the pigments giving  color are anthocyanins...

Thought: That's life...

Life....fleeting....transient..
Symbolized by
...the fallen sycamore leaf.....

...the rain drop...

It was such a freak accident in front of our San Diego apartment..
I woke up in the morning...looked outside, it was a normal dawn..
Then I got ready for my campus and came to the balcony with my cereal bowl..what did I see?
Police cars...the entrance of the apartment cordoned off...
An old jogging woman had been fatally hit by a driver..

I was perplexed by the fragility of life during rest of my stay there...

Photography: Abstract shots........

Abstract pictures...that convey a message..
'Non-conformist'..

'Plants have vasculature too'...

'Shriveling, swelling kidney bean'..

Cucumber vine tendril wraps a narcissus leaf for support............

A rusted nail.....

I came across this bunch of keys at the shore of Lake Crescent.......some traveller must have left it after sitting a spell at the stunning lake.......

Steam built inside a lid,w  after I clamped  it on a bowl with hot food...

A burnt chapati........my negligence led it to be charred......should not waste food...........

Bare white trees, against the blue winter sky.......

Ivy footprints on  a wall......

Cluster of cacti...looks like a human family........