Labor Day Leisures

A time to reap, a time to sow... a time to stuff your face with hotdogs roasted over an open fire and spend time with family and friends.

That was what I was doing yesterday. And I got back from it all just a bit too late to post.

We had a beautiful day for the annual Labor Day wienie roast. There was a constant breeze and the sky was filled with blowing clouds...

And vultures!...


My friend Scoobie's little bro gathers monarch caterpillars every year and watches them go through their adolescence into full-grown butterflies. So I got to take some pictures of his elaborate butterfly habitat. The caterpillars were too busy munching milkweed to care about the photo shoot...

Here's one that's already turned into a chrysalis. I'm always amazed by the soft green and gold-trimmed work these worms manage...


The gourds there are doing well this year. And there was a variety like I'd never seen. I've always been fond of these cute little pumpkin-shaped ones...

But check out this type called the Caveman's Club!...

I'd asked the little brother who is in fact not so little to stick his hand in there to help show some perspective. Now that is one hefty gourd!


This sunflower looks weary, ready to call the season to a close...

And the hay is being baled into great round rolls...

Cows rest sleepily in the meadow among the trees and rocks...

The sun hides languidly among the clouds...

And Scout, having begged and devoured entirely too many pork products bearing the "dog" name, has settled down to digest all of this food and added attention from the picnic guests.

I don't blame her. I could use a nap today myself!

Hope you all have a non-laborious Labor Day, if you're celebrating!

Labor Day Leisures

A time to reap, a time to sow... a time to stuff your face with hotdogs roasted over an open fire and spend time with family and friends.

That was what I was doing yesterday. And I got back from it all just a bit too late to post.

We had a beautiful day for the annual Labor Day wienie roast. There was a constant breeze and the sky was filled with blowing clouds...

And vultures!...


My friend Scoobie's little bro gathers monarch caterpillars every year and watches them go through their adolescence into full-grown butterflies. So I got to take some pictures of his elaborate butterfly habitat. The caterpillars were too busy munching milkweed to care about the photo shoot...

Here's one that's already turned into a chrysalis. I'm always amazed by the soft green and gold-trimmed work these worms manage...


The gourds there are doing well this year. And there was a variety like I'd never seen. I've always been fond of these cute little pumpkin-shaped ones...

But check out this type called the Caveman's Club!...

I'd asked the little brother who is in fact not so little to stick his hand in there to help show some perspective. Now that is one hefty gourd!


This sunflower looks weary, ready to call the season to a close...

And the hay is being baled into great round rolls...

Cows rest sleepily in the meadow among the trees and rocks...

The sun hides languidly among the clouds...

And Scout, having begged and devoured entirely too many pork products bearing the "dog" name, has settled down to digest all of this food and added attention from the picnic guests.

I don't blame her. I could use a nap today myself!

Hope you all have a non-laborious Labor Day, if you're celebrating!

A Gallery of Animals/India

Apologies: These entries are getting much too long.

However, the joy of blogging is that the gentle reader can just say: enough of this already, and go and look at something else.

We are now back in New York, but, since some people are enjoying India, probably about four more days.......

Although there are no lions in India except in zoos, the lion is a powerful symbol and often seen. Here on a sort of sedan chair in Jodhpur. He reminded R. of our cat Mr.B in Marrakesh.

Here in a garden in Udaipur. We only saw four domestic cats in three weeks...very odd.

These little creatures, who resemble squirrels/chipmunks/gerbils (erudite readers please tell me the name,) are all over the place -- very bold and cheerful. This one is ejoying my extra cornflakes in Ranacpur.

This haughty camel was about to take tourists on an evening stroll. 

Much less grueling work than his cousins who pull carts along the busy roads.

Mother and child. The donkeys tend to be quite small. 

The loads they pull are somewhat smaller than in Morocco.

 Quite near Ranacpur.

Yes, yes, I know. We have seen this character before - but a different photo. 

The very essence of dogness. Look at the spotted tummy and fat front paws. 

No inbreeding here. Had he been in America I would have adopted him that instant. 

Dogs in India have either a good or bad time of it depending on how you look at it. 

Very few have owners and leads. They get to wander around freely. People pretty much ignore them --maybe throw them some scraps, but they don't hit them or shoo them away. 

Some are quite pitifully thin and in some towns more prosperous. Almost all limp.

 Here a little dog, whose ancestors continue to this day, is fed in a mural by the lake in Udaipur.

These churning, sacred, whiskery cat fish in the lake at Jeselmer enjoy eating sliced white bread. Ramesh bought some from a  nearby vendor.

 

Holy cow indeed!

Another mother and child in the street in Jeselmer.

More Peaceful -including Animals

India is vibrant and colorful - but some of the things I liked best were the quietest and most peaceful.

A donkey cart very early in the morning beside the road between Agra and Delhi.

A large puppy who wanted to be my pal at a lunch stop on the way to Bikaner. He had a very cheerful character. I think he would be very bored in New York.

The sheep and the goats.

Late afternoon in Mandawa. A young woman is driving the cows home.

Evening sky. Mandawa.