this question keeps surfacing...

the natural bling

singular skylight

the quatra glow

Creeping around..

Creeping around..
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

the stairs..

this Halloween

good enough to eat

skimming the surface

Step--into a fairyworld

the brightest lot

Eid exploits

Face--do you see it too?

My grandmother's fingers hold a twig---but its no ordinary twig.

Eid 2009: Too much Bling?

With  Eid close by,rows upon rows of glassy bangles, chunky 'kaaras' compete for attention in Lahore's Liberty Market. While I adore bangles, and have too many to count,--this season the kind on display are super-sparkly. By sparkly I mean---tons of multi-colored glitter, plastic stones in every shade of the rainbow--so much so that the beauty has been lost beneath the clutter.

Assorted Pics:Road Edition

I really like the funky paint job on this building!

This beats flying a mini-flag on the hood of the car.

Time--is of the essence

Reaching out

One of the photos taken around that very tree--which was caught on camera in the previous post.

Gotta love the afternoon sun!

Experience the photograph-Mars style!

Peeping through

Mushrooms I almost squished during a recent picnic- Can almost see lil fairies around them...can you?

with its back to the sun

Are you keeping up?

we spend our lives in the glow of the animated screen,

watching others partake in life.-Mars

Asking for trouble!

Cute tee shirt I saw the other day.

Pakistan day-Lahore

Was looking for bandanas here. While I did not find them,I ended up with 3 mini flag badges. Pretty good, I say!

shadow me

shadow me
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

the shadow me
off track
shine bright light
dissolve confusion
create resolve
linger around edges
smooth things out
stay right
you bright bright light
-Mars

the day's groceries

the day's groceries
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

what our kitchen counter looks like...a sea of crumpled plastic bags..stock full of culinary goodies..

Palmy breeze!

Palmy breeze!
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

Okay, so there really wasn't a breeze in Lahore yesterday--but the recent rain shower has made the city all green & lovely again!

Check out these palmy fronds--you could swear this was taken on some exotic island!

Learning the SaReGaMa's

Learning the SaReGaMa's
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

Took a quick shot during a practice session earlier this week. I am taking sitar classes for the first time ever--quite an experience!!

all squared away

all squared away
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

I just checked---according to blogger--this is my 200th post! :)

I shoot you!

"Love is not a feeling,Love is an ability"

-from the movie Dan in Real Life

Seeing how summers end up turning one's routine topsy-turvy--I have decided to initiate a change around here as well. Its the inclusion of--wait for it--Words! Lots and lots of them--most which I hope will compliment the snapshots I put up every few days.

Now that is done with--onwards! I just found a really interesting description of a vignette on Robin Minnick's blog while doing some school work. I especially appreciate her use of the word 'snapshot' in there:

A vignette is a short piece of prose writing that evokes a mood or emotion.
It is a snapshot in time of a scene, sometimes relying heavily on description,
that manages to convey something to the reader much in the same way a poem
does.

-Word Catchers, Tale Spinners and Dream Weavers blog

Lahore lives on

Lahore lives on
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

Following the attack on the Rescue 15 center near the Mall-the shattered windows, the lost lives, shaken confidences, genuine bravery and heartfeeling--past all that and more--

Lahore lives on.

This picture is special--due its ordinariness--a glimpse of the city from a moving car.
I will not lie to you, it is hard to articulate the mix of dread and confusion that gathers into a lump in my throat everytime there is news of a bomb blast. Prior to the increased frequency of such incidents in Pakistan, especially urban Pakistan, it was an event far-removed from our reality.

But now, it puts into play all sorts of questions--about survival, about the extent of 'hate', the lack of humanity, the definition of 'right' and 'wrong'--all this and more.

Where is this post going? Frankly, I do not know. As Pakistanis, this question raises another one--Where is Pakistan going?

There is a significant part of me that believes we can work things out, we can use the potentially awe-inspiring combination of our hearts and brains--and rise to the challenge.

(For all you cynics out there--which includes me at-times--this post was sponsored by HOPE)

searching for paradise

searching for paradise
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

Paradise Restaurant sits on the outer edge of the circle in Lahore's Liberty Market.

While it is pretty known for its shawermas..its the soft serve ice cream that draws Lahoris to the spot.

'i dream of a world at peace with itself'

'i dream of a world at peace with itself'
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

Said by Jahanara, the Mughal princess, as she conversed with her brother and Emperor, Aurangzeb. Jahanara is describing a vision, mingled with the poetry and sufism of her now-dead brother Dara and her father's dream of the complete Taj Mahal.

-from the play 'The Trial of Dara Shikoh'

Teapink swirls

Teapink swirls
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

these marshmallow-like roses were hand-picked for a friend--as she recovered from a minor surgical 'encounter'.

Follow the water

Follow the water
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

a glimpse from my short trip outside the metropolitan that is Lahore.

This is southern Punjab..

Can you tell that this too was taken while in a moving car?

I never had a stronger urge to just step out and explore the area, camera in tow, then while on the trip.

There is an abandon that comes from changing your space--geographically.

Yay for dahi bhallay!

Ahmed's scrumptious dahi bhallay!
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

absolutely delish!

honestly..I just had a bite.. because there was some mango ice cream to be had..

btw--If you are ever in Lahore, swing by Ahmed's (there are branches across the city)-- this is a definite 'two thumbs up'!

Prickly pumpkin cactus!

Was with my mom as she found vegetable seeds when I saw this super prickly plant. Interestingly the others were in other typically pepper or 'shimla mirch' colors,like a bright banana pepper yellow!

Flowershop Find

Flowershop Find
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

I came across these delightful daisies when my friend was picking out some flowers for a relative last week..

I think its no surprise that most of these warm tangerine-grapefruit colors are ending up in my summer wardrobe!

Blossoms in Mini Market, Lahore

Tranquility in a moving van

Tranquility in a moving van
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

I'm extremely partial..this one came out good..

This is on the way home from the impromptu flower shop trip

and believe it or not..
I was in a van...around 5 pm ...as it was weaving its way through Lahore ..and everyone was trying to get home..

when this macro was taken.

There be gold in the sky!

Palmtree glory
Originally uploaded by Gemintheeye

I had first labelled this picture 'Palm tree glory', but a Flickr friend commented with 'There be gold in the sky'--which I think is a really cool phrase!! :)

Multan, Punjab

March 2009