Just a Leaf

Update: The painting was proceeding at a sedate pace, drawing curious-eyed visitors but had to be stopped because 'the-cannot-be-curtailed' raindrops were starting their evening performance.

Sizzling sun wavers. Tender green newborns reach out, delightfully wave.

A sudden crash! The end of a glorious innings... The sun, the rain and the wind have played their part but no worries, you'll see me back, sometime later, as an eco friendly broom.

Thanks to the sun's largesse, I am getting more attention than I usually do... a second look, a third look, some extra appeal, even making those 'art inclined' fingers itch.

Amidst the flattened groups of leaves, dominating green spaces with their bright tones and natural elegance, thin, needle like ones find their niche, serve as a contrast and spread wings.

A battle is on... A tussle of one-upmanship between a soft leaf and a 'never-say-die' wind. The 'shaken' leaf has never felt so many tremors in its rather quiet life but is happy that there is someone willing to share the moment.

Grandma feels something strange at the back of her neck. Naughty little eyes are having a hearty laugh tickling grandma, brushing something softly, up and down her neck, a 'make do' toy, tucking it upright onto her hair. Staid grandma ends up with a 'warrior like' look. The toy is left outside to sunbathe and later, safely rests inside the rice tin, keeping away the pests. Fun moments with 'Neem' leaves

The battle among the colours was over but the Creator was left dissatisfied. Something was missing. The colour room was empty except for a patch at the back. The Creator stepped  in to have a second look and then smiled. Just what the Earthlings needed. It would bring out the smiles, serve as a vivid reminder of the sun and the rain, of the cycle of life, of sunny times, of growth and harmony, of health and vitality, combining freshness with rejuvenation. Down below on the  Earth, vibrant 'green' leafy clusters fluttered gaily.

The game is starting. Need to find 'the winning word' before others do. There are many pointers. There is repeated mention of... happiness, being cared for, all needs being met, total, all-round satisfaction with  surroundings as well as life. What could the word be? Got it! "Contentment."

"I too wish to join the display," insisted  the participant. The selection of flowers was on. All hands voted for the unusual one, which stood out, elegance personified. The bunch of tender leaves, about to make a mark, had a quiet laugh... .

Traces of yellow. Dwindling green... emerging brown. The sun has a plan.

                    Yellow drapery.          Faded grey wall comes alive.                 Sun marches ahead.

The sun has begun its art class. The progress is good. Alas! Dusk occupies the place. The piece is incomplete.

Flowers can be strange! Sometimes, they too want a change. They turn leaflike. 

In need of a translator... with knowledge of leaf language to express my situation. Looking forward to a few drops, now and then, which will bring back the hidden green.

Heat waves continue. Shiny  green bits gently sway... playing 'pretend rain.'

                                            L                                   e                                   a                                   f                                opens                        new book. Old                     chapters flip past.                     Vibrant harmony,                      cheery freshness,                      sunlit splendour,                       wholesome  ties,                            safe haven,                                green                                  play                                   m                                    a                                     t                                     e                                     s.                                                                        

In green or in shades of yellow-brown, whether single or as a collective eyes tend to pause awhile, to absorb the riveting beauty of things far far removed from the unnatural.

Scorching heat pummels. Spunky leaves in rehearsal mode. Dress-up day begins.                

                  Sun ups the lever.       Green leaf uses sign language.                 Refreshing eye balm.

A bright sunny day and  down below I spot someone, sharing the struggles, the pangs of birth, experiencing the... expected and the unexpected,

A tale interrupted... With a cheery green garb, that flutters gaily alongside a gusty wind each sunny morning and spending time, gazing endlessly at the sun's steps, up above, while readily absorbing some of its golden sheen, a sprig of five  'once spectacular' leaves, now brown and toasted crisp, seem resigned to facing their destiny together, enmeshed in a silky white web fashioned by a devious creature, skilled at setting traps.

An eye-catching piece of green waving a question paper... How many lines can you count? How many shades do you see? How long will it take for you to replicate this?

Many designs come to mind, when I wish to attempt some fabric artwork, but it's a dazzling slice of summer beneath my window, that gets the vote. Nature displays its own, day-to-day, green posters.

Happy to witness the unfurling of a green flag in the vicinity. Seeking and dreaming of a secure green future on  this wonderful planet.

Beneath a luxuriant canopy, delicate blotches of white long for a splash of green. A little voice echoes... Aren't leaves supposed to be green?

A delicate leaf epitomising Nature's creative skills and designed like an artifact looking to compete with your handcrafted bookmarks.

When the air is doubly hot and  you tend to feel that something is lacking, a green palm frond, perfectly sculpted, enjoying its sojourn in a quiet nook, displays its mantle of freshness, drawing away  your thoughts, from the harshness of the heat. 

The merrily swinging leaves of the mango tree are clinging onto a weird looking, rolled-up item, unaware of the presence of busy, teenie-weenie workers, preparing many such tiny abodes, planning a quiet takeover.

Sometimes... Nature goes into an imaginative mode, dabbing leaves with the hues of its delicious fruits. Young leaf clusters bring to mind those sweet brown 'chikoo' slices that disappear in a jiffy.

Sometimes... nature turns artist and makes you wish for a dose of that creative spark.

Striking hard at tired eyes which flicker in response, a radiant yellow bunch outshines the green. Somewhere overhead, a bright and vibrant sun, sending forth its  golden warriors, smiles, as it crosses the sheaf of yellow. 

Away from the blazing sun, spot a yellow winged visitor, carrying on a whispered conversation with a green friend, having found the perfect hideaway spot - 'the soft underside of a leaf'.

A fallen leaf... and I hold my breath. Lined up but empty, the tiny wasp nests clinging onto the underside of a majestic palm leaf speak silently of those sudden n' painful stings of the past. A message too... until the next season!

A young n' emerging leaf, eager to grow, sharing its glowing and healthy look, thanks to a readily available, and strengthening support network, during the early years.

Glimmering beneath the 'now golden, now mellowed,' spread of the sun's rays, a 'rolled up' green gift, sways gently under the influence of  a warm breeze, hiding its mysterious interior. Nature is busy...mimicking a familiar stationery item - chart paper.

Too busy to lift heads... to interact with and admire those bits of green, look downwards for a mesmerizing substitute.

Competing with that famed green stone... and doing our best to adorn those living green spaces. The Jade plant - Nature's 'stand alone' Jewel, invites a second look and a third one too.