Growing up in a tropical environment, I never felt the shifting moods and activity of nature and human activity. We take good weather for granted in the tropics, mostly complaining about summer heat and urban issues that come with more heat.

It’s only when I moved out to the temperate climates that I really understood discussion about the weather!

I write this blogpost while I sip my coffee in the garden, watching roses of ants busy collecting food, a bumblebee visiting lavender blooms, bougainvillea sunbathing and hummingbirds visiting the red-lipped salvia.

Something tells me that my mood is connected to this activity, color and general upkeep of life in this season. If only I can make myself available to switch to the seasonal changes while making it a successful life and year, I would be grateful.

It is going to be a decade anniversary since my stepping foot on American soil, and I think that does not validate India renegade. So the work is one of a slow burn and conscious choice, of the parts I want to keep and the parts I want to further and speak to a future generation.

I choose to experiment with so many things in the garden and kitchen, almost as a peace and time question, while using watercolor as my therapy. While I did not force myself into a new habit, I seem to circle between these world, for they speak to my creative energy in a calm wonderful way!

My Instagram connection has opened doors to so many creative lives who cross connect their love for nature and gardening to aspects of their life that remains to be explored. For me, it’s learning the nuances of how borage blooms and leaves have a cucumber flavor and yet, they can transform into hot pakoras for an evening snack.

It is how the nasturtiums create bright blooms and toranams (Google it) to engage our entrances and vases. Not to mention, the peppery leaf offers a good alternative to burger bun bases and salads, raitas and other foods. This is the connect I make in my experiments between my garden and kitchen.

This is the short version of a spring story that hopefully resonated with you all. It’s a good time to revel in a newness in many ways, for hopefulness, and love.

If you like reading this, please do let me know. Sometimes I feel I speak into an abyss but if I do learn that someone is receiving my stories and perhaps be inspired by them, it may channel my energy anew?

Thanks for reading! I leave you with a gallery of my blooms so far, I did stop taking phone pictures of my food, I don’t have the finesse to really get to a beautiful shot, I may also have been pragmatic to eat first before I take pics! 😂

Cheers, Radha