A garden takes work

Our garden provides enjoyment.

I’m sitting out in it now awaiting someone from the MCC to take away the waste.

It’s not only for sitting out.

It’s also provided hundreds of Mangoes for friends, family and neighbours (plus squirrels, birds including parakeets, and fruit bats) to share.

There’s still the later fruit smashing into the ground around me now. — They were too high to reach and crop.

We already know the MCC horticultural department and the commissioner from our partnership to creating Manjula’s memorial garden (see below).

We hope they can pick it up. We don’t want to see more waste dumped by the roadside.

Longer road

Go on stick it up him.

Maïlis, Sowbhagya, and Tilak. —- Let loose on the roof — gathering the Mangoes.

Just a part of today’s crop.

They can’t get enough.

…..

And next …. Variety counts.

I’ve lost count, how many I’ve had today.

Longer stick

I’m slowly learning mango farming. Well reaping the product at least.

We’ve had streams of friends and neighbours on PYO – pick your own and donated kilos of the beauts.

We’ve moved on from the hook on a stick, to the giant butterfly net (not) and used two types of blades to get to a tool standard that works for the reachable ones

I’ve created an extra long pole (metal curtain rod and bamboo) to help reach to the top of the tree and its outer perimeters. The ‘unreachable’ ones are a challenge. The first extension broke, the next couldn’t quite reach

We’re not complaining. Well the old woman that cleans is… as I’ve not achieved the usual standard (I’m certain that’s not true)

Next stage is for someone to climb the tree. Two requests (farmers and experienced friends) haven’t worked out but maybe the grandson might step in.

BUT

We have collected hundreds of mangoes (this is one productive tree) and I’ve ordered a professional telescopic pole.

Delicious breakfast, family from round the back came for Mangoes (but they’re getting harder to reach) and Luca tucking in.

We’re sharing caring types —- some to our human friends, others to fruit bats, squirrels and insects, some have lost patience with me and dived to smash their mango brains on the ground.

Behold beauty in so many ways.

The latest wonderful creation has arrived from Aadirika aka —Mostly beautiful Maya— (check Instagram) has now created three fab memory portraits of MAnjula

Our first
Second

All to be found at Manjula’s Mysore.

Out third

Thank you Aadirika, for your intimate understanding of what MAnjula meant to me and representing our wonderful life here in Mysore.

Who can you spot in this latest portrait?

Manjula (obviously), Lucie our first dog of the family of over 15 years, Kaveri, walking Luca — our latest addition and in the tree. —- Billet-Doux my sweet (love) letter sent by Manjula, a few years ago. Plus the dragonfly and old man with his head in the clouds.

Did you find them ?

Sharing our new home.

We haven’t quite finished moving yet as there’s much moving to do within the house itself.

The moving that’s necessary is distributing things within the house, emptying the garage, getting rid of more excess (selling art and whatever remains being hung) and I suppose generally diminishing the chaos.

Here’s photographs of the main rooms and guest bedrooms.

Guest bedrooms (en suite)

First guests have been and given it the thumbs up.

Library and study

Photos to come later

Sit out and garden, Out front. Tibetan flags

Terrace (what could go here?) on the first floor

Halls (aka lounge or living rooms), there’s two and a dining area

It will, of course, continue to be sharing our home….. with other species too…

Our first guests at the new Manjula’s Mysore

We’re almost moved in — well sufficiently to welcome our new guests.

Kurt and Loe from Belgium, the very first guests and returners, having first visited us a few years ago. How cool is that? Complete with a soon-to-be new family member.

Luca, a ‘warm showers’ guest, has reached the final stage of his fund-raising cycle ride for a school in Bangalore.

Two Lucas