2020 is finally behind us… and so is our old house. Yes, we bought a new home!
I am quite bad at setting up the stage for a big reveal. But here it is: we bought a house! To be honest, my contribution to the entire process is that of being an advisor… and well, a little record-keeper of sorts. And needless to say, now a little more than a novice at buying a house in the U.S. of A.
The global pandemic deeply affected the housing market, and numerous residential areas in the US responded to the changing situation. The house prices fell, and we started looking for something that could potentially suit our budget. It was now that we could finally think of making an offer in the current atmosphere of dipping housing prices. Although the prices fell, we did not wish to compromise on the value. A place nestled in the countryside, close to sprawling greens, was indeed tempting, but we wanted our buck to work for us once the market rises again! And in case we were to move somewhere else, we wanted to have our house in an area where we could easily sell it – or aspire to get offers relatively easily. Our parameters were this set: a place with newer amenities, within the city (or close to public transport), in an area which would attract tenants or buyers in the near future.
We started peeping at the listings online between our work-from-home schedules, laughing off some options, and thinking of some others as too good to be true… Finally, four months ago, we gave our house-hunting some serious thought. And then launched into house showing appointments. COVID-19 and all the restrictions made a not-so-easy process look more complicated. In addition to the showings, there were finances, paperwork, and other considerations looming heavy overhead. We took a deep breath and carried on – like the rest of the year. And it was finally around Thanksgiving that Kuro, Ro and I found a cozy condo to call our own.
And as the bright beginning of 2021 while remaining indoors, we settled in our new home!
As I write this, it is the New Year’s Day and we watch the empty Times Square on our screen. The world hasn’t gotten back to how it was pre-January 2020. Ro and I will continue to work from home for a good part of 2021, and we are chiseling out our office spaces in new home. With so many small and big steps in buying and owning the house, I have a lot to talk about. So more, real soon. In the meantime, we will get on with the private indoor, socially distanced party!!
Little water-babies that we are, we wanted to have a fair share of beach relaxation before the night of nail-biting (a.k.a. the US election night). And so, we hopped into the car, and off we went to San Simeon in Central California… But to be honest, it was not as impulsive as I made it sound. Ro and I had planned a beach camping getaway at Morro Bay Strands since a while. And the San Simeon pitstop was just an extension for the Morro Bay camping to follow.
Morro Bay
The sea lapping at the sandy beach was more endearing here at Morro Bay with its gentle calmness. The sheer blueness extending on both sides mentally transported me back to the Mediterranean. It is not just I who was transported there, and the antique shops in the Morro Bay downtown fostered the European sea-life charm further. Whitewashed or pastel colored exterior for the low-rise buildings skirting along the Bay marries the American and European charm.
Naturally formed bay and estuary (and the sand bar) at Morro is a part of eroding volcanic formation from millions of years ago. The iconic Morro Rock is the volcanic outcrop from the oceanic floor that stands tall to this day. Morro Bay is home to many aquatic and amphibian species. Finding varieties of kelp, sand dollar and other aquatic life on the beach, are common things when one takes a casual stroll on the sandy beaches.
Sight of the Morro Rock from T-pier
We camped to the north of Morro Bay downtown, at the Morro Bay Strands. The beachside campsite offered lovely views of the beach and the most coveted spot for sunsets. Incidentally, we were at the site on a full moon night, and the night views were spectacular! Overall, we were surrounded by natural beauty all around – while being at a stone’s throw from the city.
Camping at Morro Bay Strands, overlooking the sea
Morro Bay was a highlight for us for the array of dog-friendly activities. Kuro had a blast running on the beach, playing in the sand, peering down from the pier, and chasing the gulls! Another thing Kuro did for the first time was accompanying us in the canoe! a tiny dog that he is, he smelt the gentle Bay breeze, and gradually warmed up to the idea of having fun in a mobile contraption on water (the canoe). I was impressed by the other dogs who accompanied their humans on the paddle board and maintained their calm composure. That may be the next step to aspire for, for little squirmy Kuro!
Kuro enjoying the view as we paddle forthAnd sometimes he snuck up to me with the cutest “mleh” expression
Mammals and birds at Morro Bay
And oh, the birds and aquatic animals at the Bay! I was spoilt – with the sightings of herons, cranes, egrets flying, fishing, and doing their thing as we walked on the beach and then to Morro Rock, and then when we sat by the pier. We didn’t catch a glimpse of any whales, presumably because they all swam to the south to breed around this time of the year. The sea otters were plenty at Morro Bay around this time, and we joked how big they are, as compared to our little 7 lbs pooch.
Whale jaw-bones near the Natural History Museum at Morro Bay
Could we take a moment to express the annoyance about seagulls and geese? I absolutely adore all birds, don’t get me wrong. BUT, yappy seagulls and (entitled) geese that sometimes actively attack humans, have been on my list of annoying birds. And at Morro, seagulls were plenty! Surprisingly, like the sweet humans of Morro Bay, the seagulls there were not too annoying… Maybe the place rubs on you 😉
We named this one Mr. Magoo
With some sporadic shopping, playing boardgames under the moonlight and cup of tea by the fire, we felt at home at Morro Bay. The sky was clear, and gradually we emptied our minds off work-stress et al. Camping also afforded us a sort-of analog life, away from internet and fancy gadgets. This time around, we did not take many pictures as much as capturing mental images of us having a good time, relaxing and soaking upthe sun.
We returned home with our hearts full, and plans for heading back to Morro sometime soon, to unwind 🙂
Look what I found! A half-baked note from one year ago, when I was feasting on granita(s) after two exhausting days in and around Rome… As we sit indoors and peer out of our windows this year, here’s a bit of Italian sunshine from last year…Â
Nothing screams “Italy” like Roma…(Or so I thought). I carried my love for Sicily all the way to Rome. And although I should have been a Roman in Rome, I continued to be Palermo-phile in Rome. The lasagne-like layers of culture all around me – in the landscape, buildings, cuisine, and people around me – continued to enthrall me (more so, than what happened to me in Naples).
The Vatican was a crash-course in Christianity for me. I was in a group of pleasant Canadians and Australians as I tried to grasp the expanse of the smallest city-state on the globe. Exquisite marble sculptures, frescos, and murals jumped at me. However, in the August heat, I soon ran out of energy to appreciate the nuances in the artwork. Sistine Chapel was too crowded, and the viewing experience was not as grand as I had expected.
The exhibit of maps. Ancient maps of the known world to the Vatican: Beautiful exhibit! Some cute points such as this three-dimensional ceiling painting stole the show for me. It was one thing to look at the embellishments, and entirely another to weave narratives that seem like they were destined to be there!
St. Peter’s Basilica is my favorite part of the Vatican. Fortunately, I reached the Basilica early and was able to beat the crowds. As I walked in, I chanced upon melodious notes from a choir practicing “Ave Maria“. Schubert’s rendering of this touches my heart every time I listen, and I experienced something very similar as I took in the music under the dome at St. Peter’s. The light from the windows and skylight suddenly seemed akin to the divine light…halo!
All those courses in Classics finally came to my rescue as I looked for specific angels, satyrs and the like, in the frescos around me. More soon… or maybe in a year’s time? 😉Â
Fires in California made headlines. And the stupidity of humans – gender reveal party that set thousands of acres ablaze – was not lost on us, staring haplessly at the screens, looking at latest news updates. A thick blanket of smoke was hanging above. And the sun became a rare sight in sunny California.
I was laboriously dusting the ash off my plants in the balcony… Only for new soot to settle down next morning. Did the women in Pompeii feel something similar thousands of years ago? What would they have thought, seeing ash pour down, and sky turning deep yellow and orange as if ablaze?
Albany waterfront
That day, much before the fires, Ro and I were marveling at the beautiful Bay landscape. And how this beauty was a creation or a product of intense pain… Heat, lava, erosion, exfoliation, and so on. The petrified mute geological markers of time and landscape formation had borne the brunt of these natural elements.
On a scale of this vastness, we are indeed tiny speckles of carbon.
The undulating landscape of the Albany waterfront was a natural setting for nerds such as ourselves to reflect on the many ironies of human life. And this mulling over was accentuated with eclectic pieces as embellishments of the landscape. It was a fine example of public participatory art. I could totally imagine one person setting up the wooden planks, and some other random person adding a few pieces until finally a ship shaped up…
Bespoke pirate ship sculpture at Albany waterfront
We as humans mark the landscape in some way or the other: through tangible material expression, or narratives, or merely by our presence. Sometimes it is a desirable intervention, but oftentimes, not so much.
Our actions beget reactions from nature, and the fires have shown us what scale it could reach, so as to engulf everything in its wake. In our monetary calm at the waterfront, we immerse in the natural beauty that surrounds us, but carries a slight taint of being momentary, or fleeting.
I oscillate between being a hopeless romantic and a bleeding heart worrier (not warrior). I proclaim that the nature has its course of healing, and we should let it be – only to turn around and panic about how irresponsible we as humans have been! And in such oscillating states, something like a thousand acre fire shakes me to the core. Every view that I see here’s colored with that immediate concern running in the background: that of fleeing to safety.
View of San Francisco skyline from Albany waterfront (pre-forest-fires) – Aug 2020
We return to waterfront in the hope of taking in the calm pace of nature, to heal and nurture. The gentle harmony of ripples sets a pace for busy days to come, and we can mentally zone out to the tranquil depths at the waterfront.
The gentle unfolding of patterns in nature struck me more as I read “The Hidden Life of Trees”. In this book, Peter Wohlleben renders endearing pen picture of plant life. And it truly makes us seem ignorant. Nah, self- obsessed! So self-consumed, that we fail to look around us.
Yep, its a banana tree! Don’t worry, it is no longer standing squished in a corner by the bin (its not a trash-bin, but my garden supplies holder – you know how roomy these bins are!). My banana tree, lovingly called as “Banu” is now standing in the sunniest spot, soaking up maximum sun all day long.
The story of getting Banu was mostly a result of the long weekend, and us deciding to stay put. With the pandemic et al, it is best to watch plants grow at home, rather than in the woods, especially on one of the busiest long weekends with throng of tourists and hikers everywhere… So here we are, admiring the plant collection and propogation (yet again) in our balcony, helped by a little Yoda (my feeble attempt of creative spin on Yoga-dog).
Little Yoda 😉 – didn’t say Baby Yoda!
Speaking of the gardens, we have some tiny additions of flowers and blooms. The petunia are attracting hummingbirds, my peace lily is finally (!) putting out some blooms and the orchids have flowered :). All in all, a good week to stay indoors and watch plant babies unfurl.
I was thinking of making this post about propagating various plants, that I had success with. I am no gardener or garden expert, but if my advice/suggestions/journey into plant propagation would help anyone, please comment below. I will have a dedicated plant propagation post 🙂 That also reminds me how terrible I have been with documenting the steps while I propagate! Maybe because I start with a trepidation of whether of not that plant will make it! I will try my best to show that in the post anyway 🙂
My trusted pals – pothos and zz, on my desk
With hikes and promenades in the parks, I can certainly feel the endearing pull towards the natural world. I have always loved dogs, and my family has been enthusiastic with gardening, so all that probably converged into this weird (at times) feeling of being close to the nature – animals and plants, more than just an escape into the wilderness. Maybe that is something I could work on! But this love for outdoors is gladly taking shape in cute forms:
Blue jay rapid sketch – a gift for my friends, with mint and Zebrina pendula (of course, both propagated at home)And a pondering corner in the balcony garden (sans Banu)
Camping in pandemic is probably doning on the cape of being a “covidiot” for some. But we wanted to get fresh air and stick with our small social bubble – even while we camped. And so there we were – at Lassen Volcanic National Park,again after one year. This time around, we knew our way around the park, and camped at Manzanita Campground again. The day after Vacaville area was up in flames for a massive wildfire, we packed the car, and set out – partially ready to turn around if case may be.
The smokey sky on the way to Lassen Volcanic National Park
We had one, and only one objective this time around. To scale Lassen peak and to have fun. Wait, is that two things? Nah…its one: to enjoy our time at LaVo.
Volcanic eruption in 1914 morphed the landscape as we know it, and LaVo is a treat for geologists, hikers, bikers, nature enthusiasts, and people hoping for any kind of activity level. Birds and wildflowers add the “omph” factor to the undulating landscape with its varying shades of minerals, soil and sulphur springs.
Wildflowers (dogear?) on the way to the peak
Scaling Lassen Peak
Towering at 10,457 ft. (from NPS website); the peak looks over the park, as a part of the Cascade range. Chaos Crags mount and other hillocks form an undulating landscape at the park. This has also contributed to the formation of numerous little lakes around the peak, that make for a scenic addition to the local ecology.
Way to the peak
Just 0.5 miles to go! – But a demanding uphill climb
As you climb further, the vegetation disappears and scorching dryness dominates the landscape
Mt. Shasta at a distance
Making wishes?
Some tips for hiking at Lassen peak:
Start early – the trail gets crowded by 8-9am, especially on the weekends. We started early at 6:30am, and were able to hike up at a leisurely pace, enjoy the views from the top of the peak and descend by lunch time.
Breathe – A no-brainer probably, but at 8000 ft; air seems to thin out. Breathing deeply would really help ready your body for the long haul. Hiking with face masks on as a precaution for COVID-19, we found ourselves taking breaks and taking long breathe intermittently. When we were on the trail all by ourselves, we did carry on without the masks on 😉
Take breaks and sip water – Another no-brainer, but taking short breaks and sipping some water goes a long way when hiking Lassen peak. The cold breeze at such heights makes it an artificial task to halt and sip some water, and I cannot overstate the importance of doing that. A few hikers who started climbing with us, went full-steam ahead initially, as they had underestimated the little tips for hiking to the top. Rangers at the park are super helpful with tips to prepare for the hike.
Layer up – Instead of one heavy jacket, several layers of covering go a long way. You can take breaks and maybe take off a layer if you feel hot. The alternating play of cool breeze and sun may throw one off…but layering helps. And needless to say, hats help from feeling dehydrated due to the afternoon sun blazing at you.
Snack at the top – “It is lonely at the top”, indeed in case of Lassen peak. Although, the loneliness in this case is much deserved solitude and a wonderful scenery around. The volcanic landscape appears as an artists pallete around. The lakes and foliage make for a great pattern to look at from the rocky outcrop of the peak. And if you make it to the top in good time, it is a good place to sit back and have a snack. Or maybe a protein bar or a muffin?! Replenishing sugars at the peak is a great idea before you start the descent.
Our climb to the top of Lassen peak was great! And the last 0.5 miles that look like a cakewalk, but aren’t; were also an easy climb with the tips above. The angular rocky top pf the peak is a great rock-climbing practice that offers great views of the valley below. Owing to the forest fires, the sky had a thick grey band of soot that hung at a distance. The blue of the sky, and that of the waters compensated for it, and we were in for interesting patterns around us.
Hiking on the rocky outcrop at Lassen peakIt’s lonely at the top (?)The valley around Lassen peak
Camping, hammocking and blue-jays
Birding was on our list. But the meal prep, enjoying the canopy of fir trees and relaxing in hammock occupied our three short days at the campsite. Blue-jays were our constant neighbors, sometimes serving as alarm clocks to get us out of our sleeping bags and hit the hikes for the day.
We camped at the Manzanita Lake Campground, next to the scenic lake where we kayaked on our last trip to LaVo. This time around, the lake had an otter family resident in the lake, and the campers were advised to stay off some areas of the lake. The walk around Manzanita lake was ideal for an evening stroll, but we longed for the starry skies that had enamored us last time. The forest fires in California had as if enveloped the sky with a layer of smoke, and the milky way that ran overhead, had now become a rare sight at LaVo. I am certain, that by next week, the star lit sky at Lassen will be back on view again 😀
It was calming to swing in the hammock while staring at the canopy of trees. This time, we felt like pro team for backpacking, with the amount of preparation we had with us. And I was trying to plant a seed of back-country (or dispersed) camping sometime soon. But we could not agree upon what is the correct balance for “into the wild” camping. We all were enthralled by nature in its various forms around us. The songbirds made our retreat in the woods a medley of morning and evening melodies. Deer often peeped at us through the woods, and I was once again reminded of my walks at Nose Hill Park. I was mentally oscillating between Canadian Rockies and volcanic mountains in California.
As we chatted over the bonfire about our hikes in the Himalayas, the Canadian Rockies, various National Parks in the US and mount Vesuvius in Italy last year, the nuanced geology around us became a focal point. Except the fold mountains of the Himalayas, we were drawn to the volcanic mountains, and also to the thrill of scaling active volcanoes! Maybe Mount Etna, Pacaya, Mt. Aso, or Santorini will be our next volcanic adventure! 😉
Questioning how we could go on “like this”, we painted walls, got in new rugs and furniture pieces, and decked the balcony with even more plants. Since March 2020, our household also started looking inward. We started off with online yoga sessions, trying to eat healthy and breathing fully.
I made it my mission to add one more mindful action to my day – everyday.
Household trash started sitting in three bins: compostable, recyclable and land-fill. Within two weeks, it became six bins: food-scraps, cardboard and paper, glass, metal, recyclable plastic, non-categorized trash. The entrance foyer to the apartment resembled a trash collection center. And by June, I took a step back to peer at “this life” of refuse.
My bamboo cutlery set still traveled with me in the cotton tote. The bamboo straw would come handy as I picked up freshly squeezed fruit juice, or the fork/spoon to help myself to frozen yogurt in a paper mache bowl. “What is I throw this bottle into the sea?”, I wondered to myself as I sipped from my water-bottle, focused on the bay in front of me. “It will float away into nothingness!”… with its steel vessel encased in ribbed bamboo, the bottle will probably sit on some distant rock along some shore. I could not get the feeling of being in a losing battle. How do I make my existence as if treading light – such that the vestiges I leave behind, will break down and go back to earth in less than a decade?
Meandering further into sustainability, juicing and souping became the next thing. We loaded our refrigerator with fruits, vegetables, and seeds. Our experiments with juicing began – which soon resembled cooking up concoctions. The fruit peels, refuse skins and pits, and a heap of fibrous residue made a permanent home at the base of the compost bin. Juicing was refreshing, with its fruity tones and minty garnishes. But a week into it, rinsing the blender, peeling and slicing the fruits, blanching the vegetables… got on our nerves. We were not ready for this diet – for the belly and the mind.
Spinach + orange + musk melon = not so pleasant colored juice
Two humans, one dog in a pandemic and a generous serving of ideals of sustainability in a world of plastic packaging… was overwhelming. And yes, did I say a pandemic? So all this, in four walls. (However, I am quite privileged to be here, and have the luxury to crib and be a crybaby. This is not to say I am out to exploit this privilege, but for a moment, I wish to etch a graph of struggle with ideals and the real world).
Berkeley is a reluctant mecca for projects and lifestyle of sustainability and mindful living. At the epicenter of this movement is the University campus and intellectuals – probably – but the entire city has embraced some form of mindful living. And probably this was my throbbing vein – “if Berkeleyites can, why can’t I?”
Three months in, and all I had was a series of failed attempts at “living simply”. We went down the rabbit-hole of ordering food, creating enormous trash for land-fill : take out food containers, single-use masks, plastic cutlery, plastic cling-foil, and heaps of other stuff that hurt my eyes more than my mind. COVID-19 had foiled my attempts of getting a small section in the community garden to grow my vegetables. Work from home bled into life otherwise, and we turned to eat-and-go-to-the-screen, for over ten hours a day. And then the breathing practice went away with a breath, and “bakasana” flew away like a crane 😉
Fumbling to Flying
And in this log of our failures, we realized that our approach to sustainable living was wrong! We were stuck with the ideals, and too focused on the destination. The fun is in the process!
The next three months were spent in taking a piecemeal approach rather than biting off more than I (we) could chew. So, the revised plan looks at concentrating on reducing non-compostable waste.
Home cooked meals – Two-three items per meal
Mindful meal prep
“No” to plastic grocery bags and carrying our own cotton tote. > This is specially challenging with grocery store policies. We carry the produce in carts from the store to the car, and then stuff the cotton totes waiting in the car. That way, we do not violate the store rules against carrying own grocery bags into the store, and effectively eliminate the plastic bags <
Shopping locally, or store pickup rather than home-delivery or online shopping. > We learnt, that this reduced the number of packaging material such as bubble-wrap, air pouches, etc by almost 70%(!!) <
Moving to non-chemical cleaners such as bioenzyme for kitchen utensils and as cloth detergent. (I regret to say, we haven’t yet found a non-chemical base shampoo for carpets. And that is an important component of our cleaning arsenal with a dog at home!)
Bye-bye to dryer sheets. Instead, we use special woolen balls with drying spin to remove static etc. Or sometimes, tbh, use nothing.
Made significant changes to our dog’s diet and meals (more on this in a separate post).
Continue carrying bamboo cutlery set when we step out. Who know’s when we feel like digging into a bowl of fro-yo!
Eliminated packaging items such as plastic cling-foil. By eliminate, I do not mean we threw it out into trash, but started reusing wax paper for covering leftovers in the refrigerator, etc. (Maybe more on this in a separate post, too!)
Making conscious choices with toiletries and cosmetics.
Spoiler alert: It is indeed an uphill journey making these changes – specially with the whole household on board (oh, I have said this before, right?). BUT, it really pays off. And small steps cover great distance!
I feel touched when on our walk with Kuro, I see the windows in the neighborhood decorated with paintings, rainbows, flowers, and warm messages for the front line workers. An unexpected hop-scotch grid drawn on the pavement by somebody brings a smile. Sometimes, I catch glimpse of children planting or playing in the mud in their yards. All is not lost. These innocent reminders of a possiblity of rainbows and unicorns on the other side keeps me going.
Our nieces live across the seven seas from us, but they make us smile with the positivity they share over the phone, through our video calls and through messages. There’s no rocket science involved in striving for an all round mental health of people around us. It’s just the act of care that makes the world go around.
My niece’s drawing about the world around her
The video calls with my niece where we discuss sweet nothings are the world to me! When she shows “I painted this!” Or pans her mother’s mobile camera onto her recent wall painting, I see the reflection of myself. I derived great pleasure in drawing on all surfaces possible- walls, tables, streets, cobbled areas, tree leaves, feathers, twigs from the garden… My parents encouraged my explorations with painting, and I had once picked up nailart (not painting on nails, but making etchings on thin sheet of paper with nails used as a stylus) from my grandmother. And when I think about my nieces adventure in exploring the world of painting, gladness washes over me. I am glad that my sister is using this time to let her daughter’s imagination fly.
With this time at home, we all have begun to appreciate our luxuries and the world around us. The books and crannies of our house that we didn’t know existed, have found new meaning such as an art station, or a plant home. I have gradually become obsessed with my balcony garden as a means to see the plants grow as well as to keep the non-virtual social life thriving.
My niece’s rendering of me in the kitchen 🙂
My niece’s expression through art has literally won me over. The innate observant nature is an asset, yes, but the encouragement to grasp the details of your surroundings is another. She depicted me in the kitchen (she hasn’t visited my current place yet) and the details of the space. She shows me warming the slices of bread, and the jar of jam ready in my left hand. I, in the picture, have a bedhead (so true, if this is me making breakfast), and a very casual air about me. I instantly connected with the picture whether or not that would’ve been my rendering in the artists mind! Did you also notice the “warm” and “cold” taps on the sink!?
I brag about my niece not just to encourage her, but for us to reflect on how we are to continue social interaction and education. I, for once, think I have had enough screen-time with my students for a month. And I am mulling over how to go ahead with my summer classes that are just around the corner.
It is not just that. Are we taking this time to really converse with the young? I am no mother to a human child, and so whatever I say about that may mean nothing. But in an instructor’s shoes at a university, I deem this conversation as an integral part of everyday life. A mind that sharp to take in all the details of mundane life, needs to be bolstered to take on the challenges on a broader canvas. I don’t mean to suggest, let’s talk racial discrimination with a 3 year old; but the moment of rupture is here. Now. In this modern times.
A gem 🙂
An octopus can fit through any hole, make home anywhere, as long as it’s head fits. Aren’t we like that metaphorically? We linger where our ego fits and swells. Maybe it is time to shift some mental gears, and add some positivity.
Maybe the first step is to be cognizant of our surroundings, converse (not talk to) our young members of the family and go ahead, hand in hand.
All said and done, the children around the world — may it be just around the block or over a video call from other country — have so much positivity and lease of life, that we should harness for the rainbow across the horizon.
D.
P.S: I’d love to hear from you. Even if your reaction is something like “oh this is naive, eutopic, etc”; I would really like to know different perspectives. We’re indeed standing at a precipice staring into the fog.
Since Kuro and I flew to California, we have been immersed in observing nature. Initially, as a California spring present a stark contrast to the frigid landscape in Calgary; and later as a hobby that slowly grew. I skimmed through some and devoured some books on natural world of California — the birds, trees, and flowers. And later wandered in the Tilden area, trying my luck at spotting birds. Well, the outdoor activities did not start until this weekend when the shelter-in-place orders finally eased.
And in addition to outdoorsy hobbies, we are trying to revisit our hobbies of the past. Past indeed, is a funny word that changes with perspective. Both Ro and I claim to be avid readers in the past, and this time at home afforded an opportunity to have a go at this “past” hobby. I jest the past so much for sometimes it is a matter of choice. Many of my elder family members have continued to practice a hobby for years together with sheer will-power. Not that they had abundant time at their hands, but they set aside some time to practice their hobby. And truly, hobby is for practicing, as opposed to indulgence, as for some. But I digress.
So there we are, sitting at home, planning to revisit the days of the past ;). We tried listening to audiobooks, reading individually, and making some accountability strategies. We managed to pull off some amount of miscellaneous reading (in addition to browsing through newspaper articles and work-related reading), but it did not seem enough. Both of us were making slow progress at reading a few pages a week. Also because video-games and stretched out zoom meetings were taking up a lot of our free time.
Finally, a breakthrough came along, when we realized we have some common “to read” books. Why not read them together?! Shedding the initial reluctance and consciousness around how one’s “reading voice” sounds, we started sailing off to the world of the text. Ro and I take turns to read a chapter or two each night and make it a point to set aside before-bedtime slot for combined reading. We haven’t yet ventured into the arena of philosophical treatises, but the land of fiction has uncovered an enchanting scape for us so far. My reading style is that of animating each character and putting on the shoes of the invisible narrator of the book, while Ro reads out each piece with a scholastic sternness. The plain voice sometimes helps see through the words and get to the meaning between the lines, which I am guilty of veiling under my preference of animation.
Our read-aloud sessions have colored the horizon of reading with further depth. When I read Umberto Eco’s “Six Walks in Fictional Woods…“, I was fascinated by the analogy of being lost in the woods to be guided by the invisible narrator of the book. I relate to that role even more, now. The words also take on a layered meaning when you read and hear it. And since we take turns to read from the same book, the different approaches to reading text by the same author in two variant voices and attitudes renders an interesting mosaic of viewpoints too! “I think this he’s right,” sometimes I halt to voice my personal opinion as I am reading. And that lends a personal undercurrent to the matter being read.
Our first book was Nikolai Gogol’s “Dead Souls”. Right from the opening scene of a horse-cart stopping at a mansion door in the book, Ro and I had our perceptions of the various characters. Those perceptions colored our tone of reading and knit together a story through two different spectators. The current book we are reading deals with a retelling of mythology. Our thoughts on the book make for intriguing dinner time conversations. Let us see if we continue to hold our ideological camp or arrive at a similar opinion by the end of the book!
Although a small activity, we are exploring some fascets of enriching each other through shared hobbies. It is much rewarding to say “we read together” rather than “we read”. And not just in saying, but in experience, reading together is making our bond stronger 🙂 I am not sure if we will be able to continue reading together once working from home ends and we start traveling for work again. But que cera cera!
What are you bonding on during the time of quarantine?
With all our anxieties, insecurities, and uncertainties about life, we are making a small virtual support bubble to get through this troubling time. This time is not “unprecedented” as some have called it. Humanity has been through much worse.
And in the struggle of making a safe space for you and your family, humanity has also resorted to coping mechanisms through time. It differs from person to person. I found it is spending time with plants for me. I know, I have mentioned plants in my blog posts a gazillion times. I have maybe reflected a bit on taking long strolls to tire my feet and satiate my mind. Or I have maybe mentioned the bit of greenery in a home that fills my soul. I have a hungry heart for plants. The pandemic bought time for me to start seeding and to watch my plants grow in the balcony.
Emily and I were discussing about aging. As we age, the natural world captivates us again. Older soul years for greener sights and natural smell in the air as that of a jasmine bloom. The sight of yellow bahava (Cassia fistula) decking the tree or wisteria hugging the roof seems more pleasant than a room full of gadgets. Maybe, the experience and preferences as one gets old are also very different for different people…
I sit in the balcony, looking at the green plants swaying in the California sun. I wait for the jasmine to bloom, and the lemon tree to have its citrus fruit. And also for the tiny cotyledons from the tomato plumule to drop, so that it grows into a big, healthy plant. The songbirds are back, and hummingbirds check-in every once in a while to see if my garden has bloomed. It indeed has, but it hasn’t blossomed yet, as the hummingbird would like it. Maybe I will plant some flowering plants that will please the butterflies and the bees…and also little hummingbird to dip its beak in.
My roommate, Rachel, is an avid bird watcher. Her casual rendezvous with birds and critters while on her long winter walks used to amuse me. Her dog, Wren (no no, a dog really – a Springer Spaniel, just with a bird’s name), and she would watch birds fly and make nests, and the flowers bloom. She unknowingly taught me to watch the pace of nature sipping IPA on the porch – may it be Calgary winter or Missouri summer. I noticed her gift to me in the form of this appreciation much later after I moved to California. But there’s no time like today to thank her for this little gift of observing nature unfold before us.
In a tiny space of my potted plants, I watch nature unfold. From seed to sapling into a plant (and maybe a tree one day). I watch the uninvited squirrel try and check if I have any food or nuts buried for her in the pots, and Kuro waltzing around my plants as if to show who’s the boss. I killed some plants from the last season and lamented enough. Hardly did I know, that it was just a part of this tiny world unfolding on my balcony.
Across the globe, plants take root and wither. So many of them. I have a handful of them, to remind me what is home that blossoms with love, blooms with care, and stays with you when you nurture.
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