bright shadows...

oxymoron. yes.
bare warm home
uplifting fall.
our rented furniture.
bright shadows.

Apple picking. Grape stomping.

Last weekend was all about the goodness of fresh fruits and vibrant colours.
We drove down to Aamodt's Apple Farm, which is known to be the home of the Minnesotan Honeycrisp Apples.

The apples took on various delicious forms in the farm...

So many local varieties to choose from...

Sweet 16 variety was the apple of the day and we walked around the orchard trying to find the perfect ones, didn't succeed in that but found some really delicious ones.

Aamodt's Farm also houses the Saint Croix Vineyard.

Learnt about the grapes, the process of wine-making and also tasted some along with the freshly-baked Apple Cider Donuts. 

Mr.Sun was out in his full glory, bright blue Autumn Sky and a delightful band playing music.

The highlight of the trip was probably the grape stomping competition which had the crowds cheering as the competitors stomped the ripe grapes in old oak barrels, mashing them to pulp and squirting purple juice everywhere:-)

The color of the day was definitely purple!

(Images by Arch)

Men in pagaris...

When Priya drew a charcoal sketch of a young boy wearing a huge turban (pagri) recently, I realized I had shot men with many different styles of pagaris during our trip to Kutch in Gujarat and Shekawati in Rajasthan.

A pagari or turban is a long piece of unstitched cloth worn by men in  India, Pakistan & Bangladesh.

Each region has a particular style, color and size of wearing it.  

In hot desert climates like Gujarat & Rajasthan it protects the head from the heat...

 Pagaris are also a symbol of honor in many communities in India.

Read more here

Priya Sebastian hope you like the fact that a large number of Indian men still wear turbans!

(Images by Arch)

Walking around...

...collecting memories.

Crabapple Tree

Dandelion.

It is of the small joys and little pleasures that the greatest of our days are built.

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Warm up...

I have.
Slowly begun to warm up to Minnesota, as the leaves here seem to herald autumn.

Life here in an empty home seems to be taking on a routine. 
Slow. Routine.
That is the word that I seem to be gravitating towards and hence towards blogging which seems to offer  an easy pace to put my thoughts down as words and images.

Have always been a locavore, picking up vegetables sourced from local vendors, eating seasonal. 
I enjoyed checking out Whole Foods and it's delightful merchandising, I quickly also googled for local farmer's market and found one close by!

Yesterday we spent sometime there buying some regular as well as some very interesting local produce.

M seemed to have colour coordinated her flip-flops with the peppers here;-)
Squashes in pretty shapes, sizes and colours. Pattypan squash, bottleneck squash and zucchini.

I have been cooking with some lovely local vegetables as well...

Beetroot tainted Acorn squash:-)

Butternut Squash...

...eating some juicy cherries.

I bought my first succulents at the farmer's market yesterday.

As long as there is Mr. Sun shining outside my window, it feels like home.

Back to the basics...

A lot has happened between the last time I shared my little travel stories from Kutch, Gujarat to this day.

We have moved to Minnesota from Bangalore.
Our whole home is right now bubble-wrapped and boxed into a 40 feet container, probably sailing through an ocean, to be reunited with us in two months time.

Carrying 6 suitcases we entered our new house in a new country to make it our home.
An empty home with few pieces of rental furniture, borrowed vessels of 2 pans, 3 forks, 3 plates & two tea mugs we started our new journey few days back.

We are acquainting ourselves with our neighborhood flora and fauna.
Learning the names of the trees.
Learning that the squirrels here are larger with a fluffier tail.
Learning that having a rabbit hop around in your backyard is common sight.
Learning that DIY is a way of life.
Learning that smiles are plenty.
Learning that church bells in the evening fill me up with serenity.
In the last five days I have come to realize that life is much simpler.
Easier.
Happier.

Learning that all you have is all you need.

(Images by Arch)

The White Rann of Kutch.

Salt.

As far as your eyes can see.

At dusk where the earth and sky seem to meet.

White Rann of Kutch is a 16,000 sq.km of saline wetland which floods up with water during the monsoon. Around the month of October the expanse starts to dry up leaving behind white crystals of salt.

A white salt desert.

Few frames shot during sunset at the Rann.

Used my earrings and shawl as props to add contrast to a stark white salt flat desert background:-)