Month: July 2024

Reflective space

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What is it?

An opportunity to meet to share your thoughts with other young adults (and one or two who are just young at heart)

Our monthly meeting is a way to connect and share with other open minded people ….

Reflect on what’s happening in the world, consider what the future holds, support each other, share the mistakes we’ve made and lessons we’re learned, be more active and less passive.

…and stroke a dog (Lucie) and a cat (Billet-Doux). If you’re lucky, there maybe cake.

Interested?

Check the links on this page for more information.

https://meandmycycle.com/2024/07/17/whats-to-talk-about/

https://meandmycycle.com/2023/09/11/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/

Send an email to Stephen with any questions. He’s on tours@mycycle.co

Join the WhatsApp group. https://chat.whatsapp.com/CReQUVWoPWNJlybLbPsFTi to get notice about future meetings.

We’re part of Manjula’s Mysore everything we do is in her name and memory

which provides ….

– a monthly reflective space

– individual meetings and smaller focus groups, (on request)

– access to Manjula’s library

– opportunity to suggest innovations and help implement them

Mysore Bed and Breakfast and mycycle tours.

from Stephen

The not-so-young one.

Manjula is still with us, even though her beautiful spirit has gone to find a new host.

Reflecting Again and again

Blossoming

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When will it fulfil its destiny?

The flower would appear each year at this time, carefully nurtured by MAnjula.

Eagerly anticipated, she’d predict what night it would blossom only to fold in on itself by the morning.

A short intense appearance not unlike MAnjula who dramatically changed my life.

The aroma even reaches into the house
I know I know the old git is an unwelcome distraction from the beautiful pair below…

It’s all no accident as she radiated the sun herself, through her smile, her presence every inch of her being. Two queens together.

What’s to talk about?

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Whatever you want.

Reflective space is Our monthly meeting of young adults to discuss anything of interest.

What a wonderful group of people, with a wide range of experience and interests.

Our special guest was Sarvesh visiting from Australia.

We discussed education, medicine, culture and much more.

We ‘d reconvened after a gap of two months due to me being pre-occupied with school summer holiday and my own holiday to Europe.

Next month our special guest is Maria. We want find out about her and what she does so we expect it will cover women’s empowerment and support for children, as she has experience in those fields.

Meetings will now be held each month.

If you want to join a future meeting write to Stephen at tours@mycycle.co

Kaveri’s school innovates.

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Kaliyuvamane

A statement from the founder Ananth Kumar

We are very happy that children are enthusiastically flocking around Mr. Rajesh Madhavan, Theatre Director, a product of ‘Ninasam’ – Theatre Institute, who is staying on the campus.

Our sincere gratitude to ‘Nirdiganta’ for opting ‘Kaliyuva Mane’ for their 6 months’ programme, ‘Shala Rangavikasa’ (ಶಾಲಾ ರಂಗವಿಕಾಸ). Hope this will enhance the emotional stability, imagination and expression of children.

Please watch the video:

This is the school Kaveri attends.

It’s providing innovative ways to help the children become more confident and develop competencies to help tackle life’s challenges whilst fulfilling their potential.

It’s a great example of how Kaliyuvamane School has a different approach which goes beyond traditional schooling.

Supported by our guests.

South West England

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Leaving behind the cloudy dismal weather I’m now exploring English history and beautiful countryside.

All with friends who have visited Mysore Bed and Breakfast over the years.

Ruth
The Brits love gardening
Jony’s beautiful cottage
Bath
Sue and Chris were the first of these friends to visit Mysore BnB
They also love their cats
Jony followed up with a visit
As did Ruth
Stephen our coms expert (and not only with bees) always finds interesting places to visit when I’m in Kingsclere.
Decanting the honey.

I’m back in Mysore

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To meet my queens (both sets)

What’s one of the first things they want to do on my return?

Go for a walk

After a lovely time in Italy with Maria

With plenty of lovely food …

They want pizza….

And presents

and to watch the movies…

I’m so lucky to have them in my life…

Mama Maria

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“Don’t forget your sun screen and water!”

Maria checks that I’m properly equipped for the day ahead.

Maria first visited Mysore five years ago, a few months after I lost MAnjula.

I’m on my annual trip to the U.K. but Maria had noticed I was coming and sent an invite for me to visit her in Italy

This wonder puts me up at her house, ferries me around, provides simple sophisticated food, takes me on day trips, guides me on walks, introduces me to her fab friends, provides happy insights into her own life and Italianeeeeez.

Maria is a good example of the lovely people that visit Mysore Bed and Breakfast but she’s even more special.

I’m trying to emphasise BK with Kaveri who can quickly tell me what it means: Be Kind.

Well Maria is overflowing with kindness.

Not just in hosting me…

That’s nothing by comparison with the total package …

…. she goes way beyond the stereotypical caring mama … to be a caring precious friend.

She has a social conscience reflected in the life she leads and her work in helping others to flourish through the organisations she sets up and the services they provide. She lives and breaths this throughout her living.

She’ll be revisiting Mysore again in August to undertake training as a yoga teacher and look forward to her becoming Kaveri’s Italian auntie.

I’m honoured to count Maria as an important person in my life, a cherished friend.

Footnote

She claims I photograph her as much as her dad (I think mine capture her essence as I’m certain her dad does) but she’s tolerant and I love that she’s my friend.

….

Thank you Maria for a happy time and the closeness we’ve established. I look forward to more to come.

Love from Stephen.

From Bees to Birds

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I’m now in Firenze visiting the incomparable Maria, more later but first to the birds ….

… sharing my second breakfast

It didn’t take too long to attract many new friends

I’ve discovered a riverside cafe: great location, bargain breakfast. It’s a low cost place where the community of all ages (and some foreigners), and especially older people meet, chat, draw, paint, work, support.

The view

Dancing with the Bees

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Pheromone lure to attract
Ballet
Capturing in the net
Drones (seeking a queen to mate)
Being marked

No bees were harmed. It was ‘citizen’ research on Greenham Common in south England.

Capturing Drones (male bees no sting) who are looking for queens to mate. We hope to track which hives they are from.

It’s one of many places where Drones congregate, as part of their life’s purpose, to find a queen to mate.

Most are unsuccessful and disappointed.

Of course the odds are stacked against them.

Footnote

Initiated by Stephen Fleming with the help of the Newbury and District Beekeepers’ Association on Greenham Common in South England.

Stephen and Richard, from our team, are editors of the leading U.K. magazine BeeCraft.

Follow the link for more info on beekeeping in the U.K.