Flowers From Our Garden (Macros)

Took my old Tamron 70-300 lens and took some macro pictures today of flowers and plum in my garden. Makes me wish I had not sold my canon macro lens

                                    

                                           

Deepavali 2010

Deepavali or Diwali, popularly known as Festival of Lights, is possibly the most important Hindu festival that is celebrated in India. This is one festival during which I always wish I was back in India and totally miss celebrating this India. This year my in-laws are here with me. They consider this our “Thalai Deepavali – The first Diwali after one’s marriage, typically celebrated with the groom’s in-laws” because this is the first time after our wedding that we are together for Diwali. Hence this year I was pampered with the whole shebang…

Diwali, in southern part of India (where I come from) signifies the killing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna along with his wife Satyabhama. More popularly and across majority of India, Diwali celebrates the return of Lord Rama along with Sita and Lakshman after his fourteen year long exile and killing the demon-king Ravana.

In general it signifies the victory of good over evil. Here is what wikipedia says about Diwali – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

For us it reminds us of new dress, fire crackers, lots of sweets and savories and going around visiting family and friends and enjoying more of the sweets and savories. Oh what would I not give to be there in India for this one day in the whole year!!

Here are some snaps of different things that made our Diwali this year special (ofcourse not putting our family snap as this is a public post)…

Here are the new dresses…

The Sweets and Savories…

The Fire Crackers (though here most these are party poppers except for the Sparklers and the mini vengaya vedi)

The Deepavali Marundhu (traditional concoction that is supposed to help in digestion & keeping our health and well being in spite of all the food that we gorge during this day…)

What more can I ask for my “Thalai Deepavali”……

Macro!

A recent macro snap of a grasshopper that has made the log in our patio as its bed!

The full one…

My Trip to Yosemite National Park, July 2010

Washburn Point, Yosemite National Park

Did a trip to Yosemite a few days back. It was an awesome trip with plenty of water in all the waterfalls around the valley. We were also very lucky to see the american black bear (multiple occasions) in the park. Here are some snaps from my trip.

Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite National Park

Half Dome, Yosemite National Park - A view from Glacier Point

Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park

Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park

Mirror Lake, Yosemite National Park

Giant Sequoia, Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park

Nevada Falls, Yosemite National Park

Vernal Falls, Yosemite National Park

American Black Bear, Yosemite National Park

Trip to Fitzerald Marine Reserve

Last weekend my wife and I made a trip to Fitzerald Marine Reserve in Half Moon Bay, California as they had a negative tide on that day. Negative tide causes the ocean to recede so much that it will expose the reef which would normally be covered by 8 feet of water. Here are some snaps taken there (Most of the snaps were taken by my wife, so credit goes to her

StarFish

Sea Anemones

Reef

Reef