The busy man

 

From Pinterest

The busy man

The busy man works very hard

Before dawn, after dusk 

Until his eyes fall shut

We want to chew him up

Bit by bit by bit

Until all that’s left

Are his eyes mouth and ears 

Aha, we think

Finally, we have control 

Take him where we want

Feed him what we like

Place him on the mantelpiece 

Now he can’t work so much 

He will always be with us

But, it feels like there is a but

He isn’t a man any more

Just a puppet doll

But hey, always with us.

- written in jest to entertain the kids. 

Pandemic pets - meet Marshmallow and Hermione

We got guinea pigs. I never had or wanted pets and somehow one thing led to another and now we are the proud owners of two cutie-pie guinea pigs. We went from idea to adoption in just three days. Their quietly curious personalities provide so much delight and comfort for all of us that I think they are therapy animals!

Here are S1, S2 and my caricatures of them.

Sketched by the gullible one who never wanted pets but now fell in love with them anyway.

This cartoonist is the primary caregiver, you should see the excitement on the guinea pigs' voices when she feeds them

She never wanted pets and she said they would stink and poop and be a royal pain.
Now that the pets are here, she is delighted and loves to carry and pet them

We are experiencing the totally unconditional love these pets have for us. Well...not entirely unconditional, I guess. Feeding time generates the most undying affection as does petting time. In a pandemic world full of emotional and unpredictable humans and moments, these pets are giving us much needed, non-judgmental cuddle time!

How to Explore Tide Pools during a Super Moon

Last week's supermoon + blue moon + blood moon + lunar eclipse phenomenon reminded me of my recent tide pool experience.

Here's how I went about exploring tide pools during that supermoon:

1. Learn about supermoons and tidepools
2. Find the nearest tidepool
3. Wear appropriate footwear
4. Name underwater flora and fauna


1. Learn about supermoons and tidepools

A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that approximately coincides with the closest distance that the Moon reaches to Earth in its elliptic orbit, resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as seen from Earth. The technical name is the perigee syzygy (to be pronounced without imbibing alcohol) of the Earth–Moon–Sun system or more simply full (or new) Moon at perigee. Source: Wikipedia

Supermoon or Why The Natural World is Wonderful

Source credit here

I like to think of it as the moon being so close to earth that it's gloriously huge and awesome, something that was likely used as an excuse for a human sacrifice or husband-beating ritual or some such totally normal act.

Tidepools or rock pools are shallow pools of seawater that form on the rocky intertidal shore. Many of these pools exist as separate bodies of water only at low tide. To get the most out of a visit to the tidepools, plan to go during a low tide – the lowest low water level for a particular day. Low tides occur twice a day, but the lowest low tides tend to occur around the full moon and the new moon each month. The connection between supermoons and tidepools is that when there is a supermoon, there is a super low tide.

2. Find the nearest tidepool 

Supermoons also cause these crazy tidepools in which the ocean's tide becomes super low and the entire ocean recedes for 1-1.5 miles. To find an upcoming low tidepool in California, check out Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve 

During the previous supermoon, the nearest tidepool to us in the San Francisco Bay Area was the Pacific Ocean in Half Moon Bay. Half Moon Bay is a bay of the Pacific on the coast of San Mateo County in California, South of San Francisco. The bay is approximately semi-circular, hence the name half moon, with sea access to the south. 

We learned about this tidepool event via a totally random group email forwarded to me by an enthusiastic mom:

Greetings Everybody

Let's Go Negative Tidepooling next Sunday in Half Moon Bay!

Tides will be an unusually low -1.4 feet on Sunday December xx at Pillar Point.  That's the world famous Maverick's Surfing Spot!

So the famous surfing spot will be WALKABLE from about 2pm to sunset at 5pm.

For about 3 or 4 hours, the tides go out, and we will be able to walk

the astounding reef about half a mile into the Pacific.

This is a rare daytime weekend opportunity to see tons of sea life

trapped in the reef rocks by the retreating tides.  Animals and

algae/kelp are EVERYWHERE!  You will see lots of tiny crabs, moon snails, urchins, anemone, etc etc etc.

Walking is SLIPPERY!!!  So wear your best water-proof boots.  Also, bring a walking stick if you have one.  Or a broom stick usually works just as well.

We drove to Half Moon Bay and then hiked to Pillar Point Harbor,
where the ocean had begun receding and would continue to recede for another 3-4 hours

Walking on the ocean floor

Low tide for 1-2 miles into the ocean. This is the ocean floor

3. Wear appropriate footwear

Wear shoes or boots that allow you to walk around in ankle deep muck and slushy water

A and I wore our waterproof Merrell hiking shoes. The kids wore their hiking sandals, which in retrospect wasn't the best idea. They felt comfortable and confident walking over slippery, moss-covered rocks so that was good. But they must have felt cold, since it was around 15 Fahrenheit (around negative 9 Celcius) though they denied feeling anything but excitement. 

Marching on slippery kelp - large algae seaweeds. Kelp grow in underwater kelp "forests"

Smart S, our friends' son, was geared more appropriately in gumboots

4. Name underwater flora and fauna 

I read someplace that living in a tidepool is no day at the beach and thought it was so appropriate. Each living being fights hard for its share of space, light, and water in order to exist every day.

Pictures!

Sea snail

Red algae, methinks.
Seemingly harmless, red algae are known to have killed thousands of abalone, mollusks and sea urchins along the California coast.

Giant Green Anemone
Anthopleura xanthogrammica 
They are primarily sedentary marine animals resembling flowers.

Back to reality, which isn't so bright, colorful or neon.

I think these are acorn barnacles.  (Anyone knows better?)
Barnacles are crustaceans and are related to crabs and lobsters. 

5. For all those names you don't quite remember, mentally resolve to visit the local aquarium so you feel better about your failing memory.

Monterey Bay Aquarium, here we come!

Wonder and Wildfires in Yosemite

The National Parks Service calls Yosemite "Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra."  I couldn't agree more.

We headed to Yosemite over Labor Day weekend 2017. Two days before our trip, we heard there were wildfires raging across Yosemite. Most people in their right minds would travel away from wildfires. A, on the other hand, thought it was the best time to avoid crowds and explore majestic Yosemite. Crazy, right? We weighed the pros and cons and decided to take one day at a time, with a promise to run out any time things got hot. You know what I mean there. We were lucky there was only some smoke in the regions we visited, but we were cautious throughout and managed to have a mindblowing time, especially because several potential visitors canceled their trip. 

Life in California means we get to explore natural beauty just a couple hours' drive away almost all year around. A and I are taking advantage of that when we can. It's crazy that we visited Yosemite a whole 10 years after moving to the U.S. We have this urge to make up for lost time...and traveled with close friends who also have kids so the kids had a blast and we had great adult company. 

If you want to combine nature, adventure, easy hikes and also get the kids to bed early (yay, me-time!) the majestic Yosemite has few competitors. The girls climbed on fallen trees, clambered up rocks, scampered like monkeys in mellow meadows, swam in shiny rivulets and embraced Yosemite with wonder and well-worn legs.

Pictures!

Lower Yosemite falls - water, rocks and perfect blue skies

We have a climber - S2. If it can be climbed, it will.

Sunning like lizards at the bottom of the falls. We had to precariously climb over huge rocks to get down here

Swimming impromptu in the shallow river. I carry swimsuits everywhere these days

Really shallow, you could sit in it

Thankful for our friends K and V and their sons who were companions in adventure

and she climbs on...

and on...

Soda springs? Curioser and curioser

Soda springs have natural geysers and salt water. Just like soda, it has little bubbles but salty water

Who can resist skimming pebbles on rivers?

We found a rock and decided to climb it

It was a hill, really

or perhaps a mountain

The view was absolutely stunning

and everyone had to pause and ponder

Little Miss. Meadow

The sun has set but we shall be back soon, Yosemite. 3 days were not enough. 
We shall be back in Spring, Fall and Winter to see you change your colors and breathe in your beauty many more times.

What is the capital of California?

We decided to be very un-American and ditch the car last weekend. Not that we are American but living in America does make us more American than we think we are. We took the Amtrak instead, for the long Memorial Day weekend. Our close friends, D and K had this idea for a train adventure and we hopped on.

S1 and S2 were excited. A was skeptical. I was glad to have the freedom of a moving train. I recalled my train trips in India and wanted to relive those days of carefree abandon. and the days of walking to a restroom without stopping the car and getting stressed about which exit on the freeway we needed to take.

It was a big hit. The kids learned that they had to wait for things, like trains, to arrive. A and I experienced the joy of not driving. and the sun...reminded me that I am off to India soon to bake in the glorious kiln that is Chennai.

The Capitol Corridor train - beaming magnificently under the Sacramento Sun

Amtrak - I heart you

We rode from San Jose to Sacramento

A with the girls - can you believe there was not a soul in sight? I have never seen a railway platform in India without a teeming crowd of humans sitting, squatting, running or standing everywhere. The emptiness was refreshing but I missed the people-watching and glorious judging that is freely available in Chennai Central station.

This is a terrible picture that does absolutely no justice to the breathtaking, magnificent scenery we witnessed through our journey. This time, it was all about the journey and not really the destination. The destination was a mere excuse.

S2 patiently waiting for the train with a pack of Coffee Beans. 

We hit the Zoo. The girls loved seeing the animals. I felt sad for them and vowed to do something about freeing animals. Then I learnt that most of these animals were endangered and the Zoo was helping keep the species alive. Then I didn't feel so bad after all.

I would love to have one as a pet.

Tall, tall Tiga.

We visited FairyTale Town and stumbled upon the Crooked Mile

The girls think this is a real thing. In FairyTale Town, it was!

Humpty Dumpty reminded us to watch our step and our heads as we made our way out.

Oh glorious Sacramento Sun and palm trees! You call my name.

The Capitol Building

The 3-hour journey was as carefree and chill as could be. I took advantage of having A's undivided attention and problem solved/ brainstormed some life stage challenges as well. I call it problem-solving but he calls it arguing. I wonder why. Note to self: Maybe I need to tone down all this impassioned brainstorming that I love to do. :)             

Yep - Sacramento is the capital of California. Not San Francisco, not Los Angeles. But you knew that already, you smart reader!

10 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Stick a Pearl Up Your Nose

Hey kid,

This post is for you. Are you reading this aloud? Fabulous.

Yes, I know that the inside of your nostril is a warm, dark, gooey, magical and mysterious wonderland. Best part is, you can reach into it with your lil fingers.

A perfect fit! HUZZAH!

And yet I speak with wisdom from experience. Please do NOT stick a pearl up your cute lil nose. Or stick anything else up there.

What's the fun in that, you ask? Valid question. Well...

1. When you stick a pearl up your nose, your teacher will get a mini heart attack and ask you to blow your nose. You will not.

2. Then she will call your mommy. Who will be driving on a busy expressway to pick up her friend who just traveled half way across the country to see her. Mommy will pick up the call via Bluetooth, which ensures poor call quality.

3. Then your teacher will say, in a wavering panicky tone, "Your daughter has stuck a pearl up her nose. You might need to take her to the doctor. "

4. Then your mommy will get a mini heart attack and shriek, "a-what-up-her-WHAT?"

5. Then your usually frazzled and anxious mommy who doesn't really know anything about anything will call the doctor and ask in her fake calm, civil tone, "Hello, my toddler has a pearl stuck in her nose, what should I do?"

6. And the phone lady at the other end will say, "I'm not a doctor or a nurse but can she breathe?"

7. And then your mommy will call the teacher back and ask in a high-pitched voice, "can she breathe?!!!!" to which the teacher will say, "yes, she can. she looks uncomfortable and is crying but she can breathe"

8. then your mommy will call the doctor's office and say that you, the toddler, can breathe. To which the phone lady will say, "ok good. then please come here, there is a wait. you might need to bring some toys to keep your child entertained. (Is she really talking about entertainment here?) Or if you need urgent attention, go to the E.m.e.r.g.e.n.c.y (oh crap.)"

9. Your mommy will reach your daycare and pick you up. You will look adorable, sitting and crying because everyone around you is looking dramatically worried, staring at you and well, you know, you have your favorite pearl stuck in your nose.

10. Your mommy will carry you in her arms and kiss you more than ever before while her dear friend will efficiently google the situation and then suggest strategically blowing your nose.

10.1 Your mommy will press one nostril and you will blow hard through another.

10.2....and the shiny white pearl will fall out. Made shinier by you-know-what wonderful gooeyness.

10.3. Your mommy will start praying for a big, fat, gross booger to be the only thing up your nose forever and always in the future.

10.4. When your mommy asks you "what did you put up your nose last week?" You look adorably innocent and thoroughly impish and say "that one."

Huggy kissy,
your amma

Strawbebby fields forever

The Beatles' single "Strawberry Fields Forever" has always struck me as weirdly beautiful. It is psychedelic music, with surrealistic and impressionist overtones. I feel like when I close my eyes and hear that song, nothing else really matters other than rainbows, happiness and childhood. 

Last Saturday, we visited strawberry fields. They were real. Something concrete that still inspired abstract associations in my head. Strawberries. British. Western world. Tart. Picnics. Rich picnics. Poor farmers in India...

Note to self: do something...anything to help farmers in India.

I wonder if farms in India marketed fruit and vegetable picking as a weekend activity for city-dwellers. I bet there would be takers. Maybe they already do this.

Growing up, strawberries were these elusive fruits that were expensive. Strawberry fields used to strike me as an indulgence. A vision that previously only appeared in my childhood imagination and fantasy.

It was surreal to look at and wander through these fields with my family.

Strawberry fields do go on forever...

This was a U-Pick field. First, we checked in at the hut.

Then, we read the rules of the strawberry picking game

Mom hard at work picking the tastiest strawberries

Dad is already a pro

S2 cautious and conscientious

A - a man with a mission

We went with close friends D,K and S - who are pros at this sort of thing

Look at that ripe juicy delicious goodness! Eating while picking is the best part.

The buds, blossom and raw fruits

"I have more strawbebbies than you"
"It's not strawbebby, it's st--raw---be---lll---y"

Little fingers pick great little fruits

The farm rotates the areas which are open for picking each day, to give the rest of the farm a break to refresh and produce tasty fruit.
Did you spot the typo? Yes, they get to me too. :)

Jam? Jelly? Milkshakes? Pie? What do we do? What a good problem to have.

S2 is a climber. Bales of hay are begging to be climbed

Strawbebby fields forever

 Now I'm off to go listen to the Beatles again. Have a wonderful summer! If you want to go Berry picking in the Bay Area, check this out.