Cat genealogy 2

Every popular movie has a sequel. The story of cats in our ICRISAT home needs one. If you don't remember part 1 you can read it at Cat genealogy.

Ashley, the matriarch continued to deliver children every six months. Her children - Honey, Candy and Toffee - grew into mature adults. Tofee became the sub-dominant male in the region, fighting sporadically with Boyfriend (his father) to become the dominant male. Candy and Honey grew into pretty females delivering children of their own (I will come to them later).

Fluffy followed in Ashley's next instalment. She is a pretty, agile female who has moved into a new territory and has delivered kittens of her own.

In September 2008, Ashley gave birth to four more. We called them Gundumani, Koorachimoonji, Leopard and White Tigress. These kids grew in our house, and have still not separated from each other.

Candy and Honey delivered kids this summer. The heat took its toll and Candy lost her kids. Honey brought her kids to our house. Since Honey Bee is a famous liquor brand in Kerala, we named them Vodka, Whiskey and Rum.

On sentry duty

On a winter morning, Raji shot the Roller and the Kestral perched on vantage points.

Water birds come calling

As winter sets in, the water birds come to roost in the mounds inside the Red Lake in ICRISAT. Raji and I have a field day shooting pictures.

Shapes and designs

Rajput and Mughal architecture excel in shapes and designs.

No rainbow here

Though the water drops from the sprinklers don't produce a rainbow, they have their own beauty against the setting sun.

Come rain or shine

Come rain or shine, the plants in my small garden live their lives in glory.

Dragonflies

Dragonflies have fascinated me since childhood. In my young mind I have fantasized them to be nature's helicopters, hovering over shrubs and flowers. As kids we have persuaded them to lift tiny stones. Though not as colorful as butterflies, they have their own sinewy beauty, spartan in build - like Ernest Hemingway's prose.