The Orange Rhino Challenge

This one's been lying in my drafts for a few weeks now, so I thought it was high time it saw the light of day.

It started with this post I came across on Facebook, and also shared on my timeline to much discussion :)
https://www.facebook.com/apster.george/posts/10151481637494164?notif_t=like

Soon after that I visited the Orange Rhino page and read many more of her blog posts. I just felt a big connection to her writing, and her straightforwardness in expressing her shortcomings. I was nodding my head to so much of the stuff she said, such as this Ode to the Moms I shall never be. I also liked the fact that she set realistic goals, and encourages everyone to do the same. It's not about taking it on for a year like her, you can try a week, a month or even not count at all if that works better for you.

She had a recent 30 day challenge, not so much a no-yelling challenge as a preparation on how to start the journey. Well I read the emails, agreed to everything but somehow feel an inertia to just say "Here I am, starting off now!". Still pretty much at the introspection stage and wondering how to go about it, but here are some thoughts.

• There are degrees of yelling, and I don't consider just raising my voice as a bad thing to do. It is only the times when I feel hyperventilated, blood rushing to my head that I know it's crossed the line, at least in my eyes.
• No yelling does NOT mean no disciplining. As a generation of parents, I think we (and by that I mean many others ;)) let our kids get away with a little too much. Kids will be kids, yes, but there are absolute no-nos and basic behavioural stuff that I will not condone. In such situations, if some degree of yelling is called for (again not the type mentioned above), so be it.
• In most situations where the worst type of yelling happens, there is nearly ALWAYS a secondary reason involved - a headache, a missed deadline, a fight with the better half. So most times it is a question of stopping and thinking, now if only I can remember that an instant before the yell!
• Involving the kids can be embarrassing (Ma, but you said no yelling!) but effective I think, so that's definitely in my plan.

Can't delay the inevitable much more, so here goes. Announcing to the blogosphere and my friends and  family reading this, that tomorrow shall be Day 1. I'm sure many updates shall be coming up on "restarted" Day 1s so watch this space ;).

A new life is always exciting!

And I'm talking about my garden of course :).. I honestly feel plants need more taking care of than babies.. as babies grow up and learn to do things like drinking water and milk themselves, but with plants you have to continue to do the watering and feeding for a long long time :P.

I had a lot of lows in the garden over the last few months, especially with leaf curl refusing to leave, and though I'm not completely sure if it has eased up yet, at least SOME things seem to be growing. Here are some snapshots which is always the easiest way to convey what's going on :)

Guava nearly ready to pluck, so what if I get only 4-5 every season I appreciate every one of them!

Sold to me as Israeli Oranges, finally deciphered to be Kumquats

No matter how many times you have seen beans germinate, it remains a fascinating sight!
The box contains Arka Suvidha, Pelandron and Winged beans - all seeds from Annadana

The photo might look like a repeat, but this is the number of chillies on the plant after I harvested the last lot!
Forcing me to add more "spice" to life ;)

Kale in the making

I thought I had killed this orchid off, but it decided to come back to life!

I do love my colours :).. though my need for brightness is mostly supplied by my veggie flowers I still love a few flowering plants and succulents on my terrace, here are some:

Here's to the monsoons and some "automatic" watering for my plants soon !!