Some random updates from the Yarden

Some activity happened in the last couple of weeks.  Some of them I bragged, nay, blogged in other posts.   Here are some random selections:

This is the backdoor facing the tool shed.  It cried to be painted since 40 years.  The cry was finally heard but it got its due in its different location.  I did a small pavement leading to the Yarden from this door which I showed in my other blog. The wall around this door also needed to be painted for the first time being a new wall.

Having bought a packet of seeds at the Lalbag Nursery as Mexican Sunflower, I expected it to bloom in red, but this turned out to be yellow.  Checked the web and found that there was also the yellow and I did not know it!! But this is profusely blooming. 

Drier months of winter [December-January] will encourage pests.  Some plants are prone to be attacked. This is the Gaillardia flower.  The ant needs its sweet substance and it knows it has a supply on mealybugs already appeared.

The favourite Jaquemontias are all in nice bloom. This is near the gate.

This is beside the pond.

One climbing another arch near the pond.

There was some work that needed bricks, to keep stone slabs like seats/benches for the new house also.  So when I was with the brick dealer, I just asked him where we could get some 'cement pots' because that was also the plan when we embarked on this trip to the Ring Road.  I needed those pots.  He showed in some direction that someone sells them there and quickly added that he had some clay pots if I needed them. We were shown one sample and were told that there were a hundred in stock on the balcony.  This was almost just the size I had in mind, probably a shade bigger would have been better, but I thought of buying them.  The bricks were already ordered.  I  chose ten pots by checking if there was any crack because they were from a place called "Kundapur" which is near the west coast, some 200 kms away.  Soon the bricks and pots were on their way in a three-wheeler luggage vehicle.  I do not have enough soil for these.  Have to buy new red earth when I start to use them for the next season.  It cost eighty rupees each.  They look good.

 A caterpillar was spotted on the compound wall.  In two days, it had made a chrysalis.  It should be of the Common Jezebel which I showed in my recent post.  I will watch this out in the next two days.

Firewood stock was getting low.

So I borrowed Ramu's saw again to the the branches I had brought down with the same lovely saw some weeks ago. This time I took a close-up of the teeth to see why the saw saws nicely! 

The bigger pieces had to be chopped with an axe.  I have a vintage axe that is heavy.  Its edge is blunt and has a curvy handle made from a guava branch.  Because of its curvy shape, sometimes I miss the mark as the axe itself is heavy and it takes a slight tilt while it is coming down. I had to compensate by holding the grip more firmly.

Chickpea season has begun and this is the first supply.  Almost always, these caterpillars are found as chickpeas are host to certain butterflies or moths. 

I noticed some leaves of the almond tree being cut in the edges.  I could see something from below.  I pulled the branch down to see what it was.  I now think it is a bunch of some butterfly eggs covered by something.  I see one egg on the left.  Have to wait and see.

While inside, something sweeter is happening. 

Jamun.