Upon the wall, a tiger tale is told…

Upon the wall, a tale is told,

In stripes of black and gold,

A relic of the wild and free,

Now but a silent elegy.

Once, it roamed the forests deep,

Through shadows, where the hunters creep,

Majestic, fierce, a living flame,

Now a ghost, with none to blame.

In royal courts and ancient halls,

Its beauty graced these noble walls,

A trophy of a bygone quest,

A symbol of man's ruthless best.

The Bengal tiger's silent roar,

Echoes of a time before,

When jungles thrived, and rivers sang,

And nature's balance finely rang.

Now, we mourn with heavy hearts,

The loss of these magnificent parts,

A reminder of what once was grand,

A legacy carved by human hand.

Yet hope remains in whispers soft,

To save what little's left aloft,

For in our hands, the power lies,

To ensure the tiger never dies.

May this skin, upon the wall,

Serve as a timeless, urgent call,

To cherish, protect, and to defend,

The wild, until the very end.

My hobbies have vanished or locked up in cupboards!

 

Learnt over a hundred card tricks,

During childhood and teens for pleasure,

One of the many hobbies I had

In the '60s and '70s, a treasure.

For many years it served me well,

To entertain, surprise, amuse, and puzzle,

Family, friends, and relatives dear,

Especially children, whose laughter was a hustle.

All I needed was one or two packs of cards,

An occasion, an interested audience, a spark.

Today, such situations rarely arise,

And life has moved on, leaving its mark.

My card tricks paraphernalia you see here,

Has moved into higher and higher storage cupboards.

My memoirs brought the items down today,

To click a picture, to reminisce happy card times, now blurred.

A colourful splash of peace in a world of tensions and war…

 

This portrait is a colourful splash of peace in a world of tensions and war,

The dove and the colours sing of peace, while the world weeps war.

In love with this piece, I wish the world reflected its peace,

Hope is rising, this seems a beacon of peace amidst the storm.

Amidst the chaos, it stands serene, a silent plea for calm,

A vision where the hues of hope replace the cries of alarm.

In every brushstroke, dreams of harmony quietly unfurl,

A testament to beauty in a broken, troubled world.

If only we could capture this essence, make it last,

Let the dove's gentle song echo from the past.

For in this vibrant portrait, a bright future is drawn,

A world where peace prevails and all our fears are gone.

Today, 16th May is National Barbecue Day

Today is National Barbecue Day. It is observed every year on 16th May. It is a celebration of smoky flavours, grilled delights, and cherished traditions. Across India and worldwide, families and friends gather to indulge in the joy of indoor or outdoor barbecue/grill cooking, sharing laughter, and creating unforgettable memories, at the slightest opportunity.

Normally, when people say they’re “barbecuing” something, they often mean they are “grilling”. These words have become synonymous with each other, but they actually have different meanings.

“Grilling” is when you cook food fast and over a high-temperature-direct heat. This is how we cook meat, chicken, fish, prawns, fruits, and vegetables. When we grill, there will be a flame directly under the food. This flame is normally created through charcoal or gas.

Barbecuing, however, isn’t a fast process. Instead, you prepare for a slow and low heat experience. Barbecuing is typically reserved for large portions, which need a low and slow heat to create a tender texture, specifically, whole chicken, turkey, and meat steaks. This method allows the meat to reach a tender texture, which melts in your mouth. A long slow cooking helps to thoroughly cook these tougher meats all the way through, helping them to become properly tender and tasty. Meats like this often require extra seasoning and flavour, and long and slow cooking can help to achieve this (BBQ normally requires over four hours).

Here are some mouth-watering pictures of us preparing and enjoying, mostly grilled food: