i earth i echo

Spider lily

2012-11-14T00:06:00.000+05:00

Also known as Peruvian daffodil. It is a summer loving plant but no doubt it is still growing well in my part of world. It isn't so cold here so blooming perfectly. It can make a great indoor plant for winter season, all you have to do is to place it in a room with sufficient light and water sparingly.

If you plant.

2012-07-18T02:09:00.001+05:00

“If you plant corn, corn will grow. If you plant wheat, wheat will grow. If you act in a wholesome way, you will be happy. If you act in an unwholesome way, you water the seeds of craving, anger, and violence in yourself. Right view is to recognize which seeds are wholesome and encourage those seeds to be watered.”

- Thich Nhat Hahn

Know about Common Myna ( Acridotheres tristis)

2012-06-03T14:20:00.000+05:00

Today I am going to tell you some interesting and amazing facts about an omnivorous native bird locally known to us as Lali. Its scientific name is Acridotheres tristis and it is also sometimes called as Common Myna. It is a native bird of south Asia and it is found abandoned in this part of world where I live.

They are regular visitors of my home garden and they spent a lot of their time here searching for food, collecting straws and usually chirping happily. They are lively, aggressive and noisy birds that love to live in pairs or in flocks of twenty to thirty birds.

This summer I have an opportunity to observe their breeding nature when a pair of mynas starts making a nest in our bird house. It’s very exciting experience for me to observe their breeding behavior and to wait for the hatching birds to come out and fly away.

It was fun and gradually became my favourite past time activity to observe their day to day activities and how they collect straws, twigs and rubbish for using as nesting materials. They mostly build their nests in trees holes, in abandoned nests of woodpeckers, and rooftops etc. This time they built their nest on a bird house. I tried to peek on their nest and found it rather untidy structure made of leaves, grass, roots and mostly twigs of neem tree.

Their breeding season lasts throughout the year but they mostly breed in summer season ( from march to June) and during the breeding season, their day time activities include scanning the environment, the scanned the environment before selecting a suitable place of their nest, nesting activities ( collecting material for their nest), vocalization, feeding, and searching for foods etc.

They are omnivorous bird and can snatch food whenever possible. They are notorious for their snatching and stealing habits and I have some bad experience with this bird when they try to snatch my food from my hands while I was busy gossiping with my friends in the college lawn.

The best time to observe their behavior is in the morning when they came out for the search of food. They usually walk on the ground/ grass with occasional hops and scavenge the grass for insects especially grasshoppers and this is how they have gained their genetic name Acridotheres or grasshopper.

It’s a pleasant delight to see them hopping on the grass searching for their desired food. What I do not like about them is their screeching habits and they do it so frequently that annoy me even more. They vocalize in unison which is known as communal noise. They screech when taking off flights or they screeches warning to their mate in cases of predators close by.

In our culture, they are symbol of everlasting love.

They are worldwide known for their imitating nature. They are excellent imitator and have an ability to mimic almost any sound they hear and therefore they are very popular as cage birds for their singing and speaking abilities.

Ten things you should know about common mayna

1- Acridotheres is a Greek word which means a locus hunter.

2- They are native to Asia.

3- They are lively, aggressive and noisy birds that love to live in pairs or in flocks of twenty to thirty birds.

4- They are easily identified by their brown body, black hooded head and the bare yellow patch behind the eye.

5- The word mynah derives from the Sanskrit madana which means “bubbling with joy”.

6- They are omnivorous bird and feed on insects, arachnids, reptiles, seeds, grain, fruits and discarded human food etc.

7- The common myna is a hollow nesting species.

8- In Sanskrit literature, one of the names for the common myna includes Kalahapriya, which means “one who is fond of arguments” referring to the quarrelsome nature of this bird.

9- They vocalize in unison which is known as communal noise.

10- They are excellent imitator and popular as cage birds for their singing and speaking abilities.

Image credits:

Common myna1

Common myna2

13 interesting facts about sunflowers

2012-05-31T00:23:00.000+05:00

Instead of roses, I would really love to be given sunflowers because they are the symbol of faith, loyalty and adoration. Here, I have gathered 13 interesting facts about sunflowers.

Top 13 facts: Fact#1
The Latin name for sunflower is derived from the Greek word helios, meaning sun, and anthos, meaning flower; the second part of the Latin name for sunflower, annus, means yearly. The sunflower’s name believed to be originated from its connection to the sun. A sunflower needs a lot of sun and follows the sun’s movements across the sky from east to west, this process is called heliotropism.

Fact#2
Sunflowers have been cultivated and harvested by many cultures for at least 4,500 years.

Fact#3
The sunflower is a native of South America; it is believed that many ancient cultures used the sunflower for its therapeutic properties and in culinary practice. The Aztec and the Inca cultures believed that the sunflower represented the sun and therefore worshiped the sunflower accordingly.

Fact#4
Sunflowers are well known for their ability to grow very tall and their heads can be equally huge but do you know a single sunflower head is made up of 1,000 to 2,000 tiny individual flowers called florets that are joined together to the base.

Fact#5
Sunflowers are an annual plant and are easily identifiable by a large, bright yellow flower head. There are more than 60 different varieties of sunflowers that can be found in the world but the most common is bright yellow with dark brown centers filled with seeds.

Fact#6
Do you know? The tallest sunflower was grown in the Netherlands in 1986 and it was 25' 5.5" tall.

Fact#7
Sunflowers are grown for their edible seeds and the phytosterol from the sunflower seeds is known to make the immune system better and reduce the risk of cancer when used daily. Most South Asian countries also use sunflower oil to cook food because of the same reason that it is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and reduces the chances of cardiac strokes.

Fact#8
Both the seeds and the oil of the sunflower are used in food preparations; sunflower oil is used in salads and as a frying oil. Sunflower seeds are a good source of nutrition and are high in vitamin D, vitamin B, niacin, and protein; sunflower seeds can be roasted. Sunflower seeds are also used to make butter. Sunflower seeds are excellent source of nutrition.

Fact#9
Birds love sunflower seeds and planting sunflowers in your garden is the easiest way to attract not only birds but also butterflies.

Fact#10
The residual content once the oil is squeezed from the seeds is used as feed for livestock.

Fact#11
The oil extracted from the sunflower contains therapeutic properties which can be used to treat many skin conditions, sinusitis, hemorrhoids and leg ulcers.

Fact#12
Sunflower oil also contains vitamin A, vitamin D and other valuable minerals such as calcium and iron.

Fact#13
In addition, sunflowers can simply be used for their large, bright flowers in floral and wedding displays. It represents warmth, happiness and all things positive and this is the reason why they are widely used in events like weddings, parties and birthday celebrations.

Why I like Petunias?

2012-05-12T15:18:00.001+05:00

It's been a while since I post anything and I have to start writing again. Thinking of what to write, I look around my surroundings and find these attractive trumpet shaped flowers which are known for their vibrant colours and delicate petals.

The reason why I like petunias revolves around the fact that they do best in the full sun and repeatedly bloom throughout the summer. And this fact made them the most reliable plants in my lawn for spring and summer season. They are ornamental flowers and can be used in flower beds, hanging baskets and in vases etc.

The Divine Farmer [Reblog]

2012-05-11T17:35:00.000+05:00

The history of tea is literally steeped in legend. No one really knows if all of what you're about to read is really true, but the story is definitely entertaining — so read on.

Perhaps the most widely acclaimed legend is about a Chinese emperor who is believed to have lived about 5,000 years ago (there is actually some controversy over whether he was actually an emperor at all, but we won't get into that). His name was Shen Nung or Shennong (literally, the "divine farmer") and he was famous for identifying the properties of hundreds of herbs (including poisonous ones) by personally tasting them. Some say his fascination with herbs turned his skin green and eventually killed him!

Legend has it that Shen Nung was boiling his drinking water — a common practice in China, even today — one day when a light breeze blew the dried leaves of a nearby shrub into his cauldron. When the liquid turned brown, the emperor’s curiosity was piqued. Of course, he couldn’t resist the urge to taste-test the interesting concoction. He claimed it was rather refreshing and urged others to try it. As it turned out, the mysterious leaf happened to come from what we now know as good old Camellia sinensis - the tea bush. The rest, as they say, is history.

Reference::
history of tea

Top ten uses of tea bags

2012-04-17T20:15:00.004+05:00

I love tea but don't know what to do with tea bags? Instead of throwing them away, this is perfect time to be creative as there are many ways of using the tea bags. I would like to share some of these uses with you.

10) Soothe tired eyes:

Yes, you can. You can now soothe pain around your tired eyes with two warm, wet tea bags and placing then over your closes eyes for few minutes. The tannins in the tea is effective in reducing puffiness and soothe your tired eyes.

9) Relieve pain from injection:

Try wetting a tea bag and placing it over the site of the injection. Hold it gently in place until the crying stops. The tannic acid in the tea will soothe the soreness.

8) Use as a mouthwash:

Why not reuse teabags to ease toothache or other mouth pain, rinse your mouth with a cup of hot peppermint tea mixed with a pinch or two of salt. Peppermint is an antiseptic and contains menthol, which alleviates pain on contact with skin surfaces.

A wet tea bag can also be placed in an area where gums are bleeding, or in the area of a newly extracted tooth, to alleviate both the pain and the bleeding.

7) Stop foot odor:

This is a time to do it. Say goodbye to offensive odors. You can put an end to your smelly feet by giving them a daily tea bath. And how can you do it? By just soaking them in strongly brewed tea for 20 minutes.

6) Get rid of warts:

Tannic acid is found naturally in black tea. It will eradicate warts. Place a warmed, wet tea bag directly onto a wart for 10-15 minutes. Do this two or three times each day and the wart will shrink significantly in just a few days.

5) Fertilize roses and help houseplants:

For healthier potted plants, place a few used tea bags on top of the drainage layer at the bottom of the planter before potting. The tea bags will retain water and leach nutrients to the soil.

4) Soothe razor burn: A wet tea bag can also reduce and soothe razor burn.

3) Cure acne: Wash your face with green tea to cure or reduce acne.

2) Soothe the itch:

Next time a mosquito bites you and leaves you with an increasingly itchy bump somewhere on your body, try applying a hot tea bag over the bump until the bag goes cold. This will soothe the itch and draw out any infection.

1) Improve breath:

Gargling with strong tea can help reduce bad breath.

I read this tonight

2011-08-13T02:01:00.001+05:00

“My fault, my failure, is not in the passions I have, but in my lack of control of them.”
— Jack Kerouac

“I love this world,” he added. “That is what rules my life. When I die, I want to have done all in my power to leave it in a better state than it was when I found it. At the same time I know that this can never be. The world has grown so complex that one voice can do little to alter it any longer. That doesn’t stop me from doing what I can, but it makes the task hard. The successes are so small, the failures so large and many. It’s like trying to stem a storm with one’s bare hands.”
— Charles de Lint (The Little Country)

Top 20 countries with most endangered species

2011-08-13T00:54:00.009+05:00

I don't know what inspiration is anymore. It is really unfortunate to see this list although it is still a rough estimation of things graphically done but a lot can be improved in real life with a mixture of hope, strength and good will.

For better view, click on the image and enlarge it or simply visit the link.

Reference:

Mother Nature Network

Few Flowers

2011-02-02T13:34:00.002+05:00

With a few flowers in my garden, half a dozen pictures
and some books, I live without envy.
- Lope de Vega

Rumi Quotes

2010-12-09T01:58:00.005+05:00

'This is love: to fly toward a secret sky,
to cause a hundred veils to fall each moment.
First, to let go of life.
In the end, to take a step without feet.'
Rumi

'Both light and shadow are the dance of Love.
Love has no cause, it is the astrolabe of God's secrets.
Lover and loving are inseparable and timeless.
Every moment is made glorious by the light of Love.'
Rumi

'There is no salvation for the soul
but to fall in Love.
Only lovers can escape
out of these two worlds.
This was ordained in creation.
Only from the heart
can you reach the sky:
The Rose of Glory
can grow only from the heart.'
Rumi

'We rarely hear the inward music,
but we’re all dancing to it nevertheless
directed by the one who teaches us,
the pure joy of the sun,
our music master.'
Rumi

Under the shade of trees

2010-12-06T19:07:00.014+05:00

Today's Quote :
Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.
- Thoreau

Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents,
it was loaned to you by your children.
We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors,
we borrow it from our Children.
- Ancient Indian Proverb

I confess, the image quality of this post is not that good as I didn't edit it so I am apologizing for this. Actually I didn't want to edit it. For some reason, I want it to be the same as it is.

It was a rainy day and everything was in rhythm and it seemed to me as though that the trees were also in rhythm that day and were busy in a deep conversation with each other.

I was walking under the shade of these trees when I met these women on the way back to their home. I was a visitor there so I didn't want to disturb them much and just stood there under the shade of these trees watching them walked away.

Image Location: Khanewal, Pakistan.

Leaves of the peepal tree

2010-12-03T00:45:00.007+05:00

The peepal is the first-known depicted tree in Pakistan as a seal discovered at Mohenjodaro, one of the oldest cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, shows the peepal tree being worshipped.

The peepal leaves are of heart-shaped, with a distinctly extended tip. Dried peepal leaves are used for decoration purposes. The peepal leaves are collected, cleaned, dried and then painted in order to preserve them for the future.

Peepal leaves are of heart shaped and so does their use, the leaves of peepal trees are effective against many diseases of heart.

Nowadays, some new uses of peepal leaves have been introduced by technology lovers. I don't know if this technique actually works or not but according to the news, now we can charge our mobile battery for sometime with peepal leaves. To know more about this discovery, read step by step guide to charge your mobile battery using peepal leaves here.

Live for peepal tree

2010-12-02T14:35:00.004+05:00

A wonderful peepal tree near a fish pond, Khanewal, Paksitan.

Truly love the tree roots.

Mysterious tree

2010-12-01T18:55:00.006+05:00

Mysterious tree

A strange looking tree near a graveyard. Never want to go near that tree ever again. I don't know why I always feel uncomfortable while looking at that picture. Some trees got evil powers or some places. I could easily recall it that I was feeling uncomfortable while photographing that tree. At that time, I felt like someone was watching over me from behind.But there was no one.

Historic building

2010-12-01T13:51:00.006+05:00

Its a historic building in Aimanabad surrounded by trees, a man made pond and fields.
Aimanabad is a small historical town near Gujranwala, Pakistan.I
visited this place late this summer.
Its a building of Mughal era.

Its a historic building in Aimanabad surrounded by trees, a man made pond and fields.
Aimanabad is a small historical town near Gujranwala, Pakistan.

Every building has its own historical background, especially the old historic buildings
that help us to know more about the previous period of history.

It is sealed from all sides for protective measures
so that no one can cause any further damage to its interior parts.

Old historic buildings are a reservoir of human history and culture.
Preserving such old building, in other sense, means that we are respecting
the cultural values of our previous generations.

Come, come, whoever you are.

2010-11-30T18:20:00.013+05:00

"Come, come, whoever you are. Wanderer, worshiper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter. Ours is not a caravan of despair. come, even if you have broken your vows a thousand times. Come, yet again , come , come."
rumi

These are my nieces, sheeza and mahnoor.
I am sharing their photo first time on this blog.
Hope you like them.
stay bless.

Beauty surrounds us

2010-11-30T16:17:00.004+05:00

Today's Quote:

"If in thirst you drink water from a cup, you see God in it. Those who are not in love with God will see only their own faces in it." Rumi

Location: Gujranwala, Pakistan.

"Only from the heart Can you touch the sky." Rumi

i am

2010-11-27T19:38:00.000+05:00

I am the dust in the sunlight, I am the ball of the sun . . .

I am the mist of morning, the breath of evening . . . .
I am the spark in the stone, the gleam of gold in the metal . . . .
The rose and the nightingale drunk with its fragrance.

I am the chain of being, the circle of the spheres,
The scale of creation, the rise and the fall.
I am what is and is not . . .

I am the soul in all. (Rumi)

Writing on a tree

2010-07-25T10:10:00.004+05:00

‎"Two lovers do not meet, they have always been inside each other" and "There is a freshness inside of me - and you are there"

What I found this summer is nothing but a magnificent peepal tree standing so beautifully near a man made lake in Aimanabad. Its is a small town with a marvelous historical background of the Mughal era. I located this tree near a well protected historical monument on the bank of that lake.

" Allah Hu " is written on the bark of this tree.

For all the tree lovers

2010-07-18T23:54:00.005+05:00

Everyone is beautiful, quiet as, their silence is screaming that God hears them alone...

because the beauty of the trees persists.

I have taken this photo from the city of flowers- Pattoki.

Life is precious, we should care for small things in our life, I am writing this because I want to thank all of you who visited my blog on regular basis.

As a huge fan of widgets and gadgets, I have recently added some more widgets here so that in my absent, its fun exploring my blog for you.

Keep me in your prayers,

Love for all.

And above all,

Thankyou for being the part of this blog,

Thankyou for being the part of my life.

Blessed Glance | Mystic Poem

2010-03-10T18:56:00.004+05:00

Blessed Glance

"You've taken away

my looks,

my identity,

by just a Glance.

By making me drink

the wine of love-potion,

You've intoxicated me

by just a Glance.

My fair, delicate wrists

with green bangles in them,

Have been held tightly by You with just a Glance.

I give my life to You,

Oh my cloth-dyer,

You've dyed me in Yourself,

by just a Glance.

I give my whole life to you Oh, Nizam,

You've made me your bride,

by just a Glance."

By Amir Khusro.

Image Location: Multan

Just carrots

2010-02-07T20:14:00.002+05:00

Home gardening is fun.

And carrots are among the list of those vegetables which we are growing this season.

Colourful flowers and my little ill goldfish

2010-01-29T21:42:00.007+05:00

Its almost end of January and I didn't post anything new so far. This month I have seen so many changes in my backyard farm and so many little things happened in the front garden that I want to share.

These flowers bring vibrancy in my garden with so many colourful butterflies and bees dancing around it.

So here these are some of best shots...

In the end, its like this goldfish is not at all happy with me. She is swimming with her head down and giving no sign for any improvements.

Its having a swim bladder problem for almost a month now. At the beginning of the month, I was worried how she'd survive this cold winter month but fortunately she did.

Saying it with the roses... Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T16:21:00.005+05:00

Stay Bless!

i earth i echo

Spider lily

If you plant.

Know about Common Myna ( Acridotheres tristis)

1- Acridotheres is a Greek word which means a locus hunter.

2- They are native to Asia.

3- They are lively, aggressive and noisy birds that love to live in pairs or in flocks of twenty to thirty birds.

4- They are easily identified by their brown body, black hooded head and the bare yellow patch behind the eye.

5- The word mynah derives from the Sanskrit madana which means “bubbling with joy”.

6- They are omnivorous bird and feed on insects, arachnids, reptiles, seeds, grain, fruits and discarded human food etc.

7- The common myna is a hollow nesting species.

8- In Sanskrit literature, one of the names for the common myna includes Kalahapriya, which means “one who is fond of arguments” referring to the quarrelsome nature of this bird.

9- They vocalize in unison which is known as communal noise.

10- They are excellent imitator and popular as cage birds for their singing and speaking abilities.

Image credits:

13 interesting facts about sunflowers

Why I like Petunias?

Further reading: Here are some useful links to see through Petunia Petunia fast facts Growing: Petunias

The Divine Farmer [Reblog]

Top ten uses of tea bags

I read this tonight

Top 20 countries with most endangered species

Few Flowers

Rumi Quotes

Under the shade of trees

Leaves of the peepal tree

Live for peepal tree

Mysterious tree

Historic building

Come, come, whoever you are.

Beauty surrounds us

i am

Writing on a tree

For all the tree lovers

Blessed Glance | Mystic Poem

Just carrots

Colourful flowers and my little ill goldfish

Saying it with the roses... Happy 2010!

Further reading:

Here are some useful links

to see through

Petunia

Petunia fast facts

Growing: Petunias