My life in wide open spaces for I live neither in a farm land nor in a village
Pristine, fresh and green surroundings throughout
With only wind mills to give us company
And, our two native breeds dogs
Every new day starts bright and cheerful
So much of life and energy brimming around
It is here that I have started to learn, accept and live !
Do you remember this handsome fella?
And this pretty damsel?
The happy couple have additions to their family now. There are fluffy little ones now, always tagging behind her 
Here come more…
Adorable little chickens they are. Always active and hungry very much like their mother. The mother has no thoughts for anything else other than teaching her little ones to search for worms and grains. Our handsome groom is now a protective father, always on the guard to keep them safe from dogs, cats and crows.
It is astonishing to see the way country chickens take care of their little ones. They make perfect parents.
Observing these country hens is interesting, …like reading an open book on life.
We have a pretty maiden at the farm…
And then it was time to get her company, a new groom…
He was very interested in making friends with her. But, she was reluctant. It did not help that she could fly well, while he was still a beginner at flying. He tried, and tried.. and tried…
And atlast, flew up and perched next to her.
The beginning of a new friendship.. blossoming on the branches of a mango tree
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Summer is just over, and we are having frequent showers with lots of bright sunlight. It rains for a couple of hours, and then it suddenly becomes sunny and sultry. Evenings are cool with a pleasant breeze.
In the midst of coconut trees and green plants,we found a sudden burst of colour – our rose plants are in full bloom with colorful flowers. Here is a sampler basket of photos
The adorable white rose:
I was not the only one drawn to this rose. There was an other visitor, already feasting on the white petals:
Here comes the delicate pink rose:
With soft pinkish and white edges, her petals are so delicate and soft.
Here is a more fiery one, with yellow / orange buds:
And when it blooms, it is a riot of colours, with a mix of red, yellow and orange colors:
A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose! The burst of colors, soft petals, delicate fragrance… and lot more to this beautiful flower.
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A trip to Top Slip is what we planned initially. This is what Wikitravel has on Top Slip: Topslip is located near Pollachi in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, at an altitude of 800 feet from the sea level on the Anamalai mountain range. It stands majestically with Green Spread Mountains and forest all around. The unique teak forests, Bamboo Forest also located near Topslip.
We boarded the early morning local bus at Pollachi for a long journey. We knew the path was through forests and mountains. We were expecting lovely green sights and occasional sighting of wild animals. But the grandeur and beauty that unfolded is beyond description.
The initial journey was through farms and coconut grooves. Then came a rugged path (in fact there was no path at all) that led to the foothills. After this, started the mountainous terrain with thick forests.
It was first normal forests, similar to the ones on way to Valparai. But as we ascended further up, instead of tea plantations that we saw on way to valparai, here we were greeted by dense forests. Bamboo plants rose to unimaginable heights. thick clusters of flowering teaks, surrounded by huge bamboo bunches were a common sight. Every inch of land was covered by thick undergrowth and huge mighty trees. Devoid of all signs of human civilization except for a lone bus trudging along.
As we neared Top Slip, there were forest guards and pretty animal statues. This place was a tourist attraction and had the normal tourist crowd sporting sun-glasses and cameras. We decided not to get down at Top Slip and continue further in the same path.
After Top Slip, the topography changed to pleasant lawns and pretty greenery.
But not for long.. soon after started the same dense forests. We were trying to guess names of at least a few trees we saw on the way. But apart from the old flowering teak trees and massive bamboo clusters, we were able to identify only the occasional Neem, Peepul or Banyan.
This is one of the huge sprawling trees on the way. Most of the trees are covered by climbing plants that reach up to their tips and spread through their branches.
We finally reached the last stage in our journey which was the Parambikulam reservoir. It is a heavenly place with two tea-stalls, a statue and a small park around it. By the time we reached, visitor hours at the reservoir had long gone So we spent time walking around the place and boarded the same bus to return back Buses are very rare with only three buses in 24 hours.
On the way back, it started raining and a lone elephant passed. Missed taking a picture of it due to the moving bus and rains. On the way back, we saw this tree… It was split in to two by lightning.
We loved every moment of the journey back… the moist wind, heavy downpour, sound of animals and birds… everything remains etched in my mind. This picture was taken on the way back where the mountainous path ends, leading to the plains.
All the grandeur and beauty of these dense forests are a remainder to the fact that Nature is far from being tamed, but can support and protect us if treated with respect and care.
