Life is like Groundnuts

Groundnuts boiled in salt water

There's a certain magic to winter evenings that becomes complete with a bowl of freshly boiled groundnuts. The ritual starts with cleaning off the mud and scrubbing the groundnuts clean. Then into the pressure cooker they go with generous amounts of water and salt, hissing and steaming to several whistles, filling the home with the aroma of cooked shells. Inside the cooker, salt works its magic, seeping through those hard shells to season every nut inside.

The real joy begins when you take a bowl of these warm pods and settle into your favorite spot at home, undisturbed. You pick a nut, press it between your fingers, and it splits open with a spray of warm, salty water. Now comes the choice - either open the pods completely or hold them between your teeth and pull in the salt water with a whoosh, just like drinking through a straw. The saltiness spreads quickly throughout your mouth as you discover the soft, tender nuts inside. Pop them out of the shell with a small thrust into your mouth, and your teeth crush the soft nuts, bringing a burst of satisfaction.

It doesn't stop there. Before you've even finished chewing, your fingers instinctively reach for the next pod, eager to continue the rhythm of cracking, savoring, and relishing. Sometimes you get a shell with just water inside. Even that tastes good. You squeeze it straight into your mouth, making that satisfying squishing sound. Each shell is different, just like days in life. Some are packed with plump nuts, others are half-full, some have nothing but water, and then there are those tricky ones where the soft nuts stick stubbornly to the shell and won't let go.

The best part is you can't do anything else while eating these boiled nuts. No checking your phone, no watching TV. It's just you, focusing completely on each nut, each crack of the shell, each salty bite. It's meditation- but the kind that fills your mouth with happiness.

A moth that looks like a bat

Olepa Ricini

Whenever I spot a moth or butterfly, I immediately wonder about its host plant. My reasoning is simple – these delicate creatures rarely stray far from their ecological foundations. By "far," I mean not just the immediate surroundings of my house, but within a radius of several streets. This curiosity has led me to fascinating discoveries.

This moth is called Olepa Ricini, and one of its host plants turned out to be the castor plant, Ricinus communis. You see the word connection, Ricini, in both their scientific names? Castor plants grows abundantly in a vacant plot behind my house and in the surroundings. Despite its notorious poisonous seeds, the castor plant serves as a vital hub of biodiversity, attracting numerous pollinators and providing a sanctuary for various species of moths and butterflies.

Many times, I would find these moths resting peacefully and camouflaging on colorful clothes drying in the balcony. Some would remain still, seemingly unbothered by my presence. With gentle movements, I would try to glimpse their underwings for identification. Moths often carry a fascinating secret – while their outer wings may appear dull, their underwings can be strikingly colorful, as seen in species like Olepa and the Fruit Piercing moth, Eudocima. These vibrant underwings serve a purpose – flashing brilliantly during night flights to attract potential mates.

Underwings

Unlike their day-loving cousins, the butterflies, these moths display a different temperament during daylight hours. They remain quiet and unassuming, choosing stillness over movement, adding to their mysterious nature.

Imagine

Your Channel No 5 perfume has it. Some of your expensive body massage oil also has it as well. It is a star ingredient in luxury and aromatic products. And therefore one of the most sought after flowers apart from Jasmine for its heady fragrance. It is called Ylang- Ylang. There are two varieties. This climbing Ylang-Ylang is called, Artabotrys hexapetalus. The other variety is Cananga Odorata which has similar type of fragrant flowers but is long stalked. This is a climbing vine that also has a shrubby look. The peduncle forms a hook that helps in climbing. The name “ylang-ylang” comes from the Tagalog term “ilang-ilang,” meaning “wilderness,” reflecting its natural habitat. Local names are beautiful for they describe the character of a flower. In Tamil it is called Manoranjitham meaning that which captivates the mind. It is beleieved that if you inhale the fragrance of the flower thinking of a fruit, you can smell the fruit. There are six green petals in the blooming stage which turn yellow as the flower fades making it even more aromatic. The flower is at its height of fragrance late in the evening and is pollinated by nocturnal moths and insects. A oval shaped fruit forms sometimes.