I don’t draw or paint often. I haven’t meditated in a long time either. Last few days have been stressful. It has been so for many of us. I close my eyes and I cannot stop thinking. So I draw. I find it to be soothing. I find the peace of meditation when I paint. I have become a recluse in my own creative world. It might take a while for me to get out of it. This is from memory. A trip to Ooty and standing at the top of the hill looking at the valley, a young eucalyptus tree

I met this flower the year when I was a bride to be. My mother-in-law had bought this bulbous plant from Lalbagh and it decorated our front yard. This lily blooms exclusively in May, hence the name May flower. It is also the monsoon season in India, and also called, monsoon flower. It looks like a football, hence football Lily. It is red and therefore called as blood Lily. It has a toxic alkaloid and called the poison Lily. With so many names, the the ball Lily stays bloomed

Bangalore was treated to a Sun Halo for a couple of hour yesterday. Called a 22 degree halo, When light passes through water crystals at 22 degrees from horizon and when there are water crystals, it reflects into different colours and forms a halo. It is a sight to behold as it happens rarely.

A Lemon Pansy butterfly. Many years since I saw this butterfly in the garden. They are very possessive about their territory. They will fight with Jade and other butterflies and drive them away. These are low flying butterflies and bask in the sun with spread out wings.

Saw this new insect in the garden. @inaturalist app Seek tells me it is called Atractomorpha Lata. It is herbivorous and belongs to the grasshopper family. I don't see a pair and wonder if there will be more. I am amazed at the way it looks. A minute into the video is a close up and you can see the neck is like an armour. Will update about it as and when I see it.