A Belated 2007 Happy Holidays

With another year having blustered by, here is a few thoughts to close out the year. Of note, we are healthy and doing well. The boys are no longer little cuddly tots, (Paul age 5 ½ and Sidd age 4 yrs.) but the discoveries they make, and those of Molly and I thru them, are always something that makes us shake our heads and smile.

The boys, the baby Jesus, and his mommy and daddy...
- -Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2008 (click for larger image)

The Moveable Priest

Unfortunately in some respects, "church," in my head, is something that occurs in a big, fixed, specialized, largely single-use structure that sits out on its own. This notion has been turned upside down (only) twice at this point, and by the same priest. Stephen Uncle, here all the way from Nairobi, ended the wedding weekend by presiding over a quiet reflective function at Asha's house. 3 years ago, I attended a similar function that he presided over at a family reunion at Sunil's house. In both instances, I wondered how many (or few) people realized how easy it is, in some respects, to conduct mass outside a church. I for one, was quite surprised, in both instances.


Mass at home - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Mass at home - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

Asha and Sunil's Wedding - Antham Chartham (sp?)

So the day before the wedding, "the boy's" and "the girl's" families conducted separate ceremonies. I am a cousin of "the boy" so here's a few images from that function. Back when people were married in their early teens, it was very possible that the ceremonial shave was in fact, the very first shave ever. Not so anymore but it was fun just the same...


Serena helps set things up - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sunil and the boys wait patiently - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


A fitting emcee - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Mom and son look on, with the same expression - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


1st shave - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


In good hands - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

Dance Fusion

Mercy, who is the daughter of a friend of our is a talented dancer. Here she mixed traditional Indian music and jazz elements, along with the fusion styles of the Indian dancer Shobhana. Here are a few shots.


Formation, 1
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Formation, 2
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


In Flight...
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Still...
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

The Wistful Ways of The Washington Coast

We had the treasured opportunity to go to the lush western Washington forests and nearby coasts with my mom and dad. How remarkable. These were forests that felt right out of Lord of the Rings. Trees that had presided over hundreds of migration cycles. Sea spires that had meditated for millenniums and were the wiser. It was humbling to see the excessive beauty of the land. Here's a few shots from a lazy day at one of the beaches near Forks.


Grandfather Tree Watches On - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Trail down to the ocean - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Onward down the trail - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Trekking with appa - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sea spires watch over us - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Lunch with mom - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Tossing driftwood back into the sea - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Paul @ 5 - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Sidd @ 4 - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Playing by the shoreline - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)


Parting shot - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2007 (click for larger image)

3 Layered Cake

Being on the West coast when all our immediate family is in the Midwest or East coast, and even extended family is 400+ miles away means visits are not casual drop-ins. One needs to overtly arrange air travel, time off, friends to watch over pets, etc. But the get-togethers are more than worth all the logistical trouble. They are collections of fleeting, whimsical moments and the occasional tiff as one might expect at any family gathering. And then they end before you know it, with the parties parting ways wistfully and wishing they had arranged a later return flight.

3 Chuttumbees Winding Down After Another Session of Play - -
Abe Pachikara, Copyright 2008 (click for larger image)

Rethinking Minimum Requirements for Fun

Little ones make it clear that fun requires way less than we presume. 

Each year in the Redmond, WA area we get about 5 days of snow.  And at the end of our cull de sac, there is a small downhill – literally a ~15 foot vertical drop.  Too small to be of any use, I say with derision.  I have seen the stupendous grandeur of Tahoe, Breckenridge and Whistler.

How completely wrong I was.  Our two lads would scream as they went down the hill, then trundle up despite being packaged like Charlie Brown, and do it again. Until they were ready to drop.

No lift tickets.  No fancy parabolic skiis.  Just two $9 plastic sleds.  And a pretty lame incline.  The result – sheer magic.

 

Another Run;  The Speed is Intoxicating
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)

 

Screams of Exhilaration;  Thundering By
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)

Two Veterans of the Local Slopes
© 2007, Abe Pachikara (Click for larger images)