EFML: A flurry of feathers
I will attempt something different today, something I haven't done in a while-- a funny post drawn from my experiences. I do have several serious posts looming at the back of my mind, but I have been largely uninspired of late- maybe I need to break the monotony by writing something humorous for a change. A post that's less about good writing and more about the narration of an incident.
I miss those days when I used to chronicle my hilarious college experiences. :)Remember these? College drabbles Just reading these makes me feel so nostalgic and ancient. Sigh.
In February of 2019, I moved into an apartment which had 8 blocks of 19 floors each. I'd lived in a house all my life, and suddenly I found myself in this bewildering maze of concrete.(Remind me to tell you the story of the basement sometime, that's a funny one too!) I'd always had plants and trees around me, and I missed having something green around. I was also a little homesick. Balcony to the rescue!
I was ready to buy my first potted plant, and I set out to find a nursery. Google was no help, and I walked for almost 2 kilometers without finding one. And then the skies opened up in a torrential rain. I walked back home, soggy and miserable, but resolute in my determination to buy a plant. The next evening, I found that there was a nursery 200m away from my house, except that it was in the direction opposite to the one I set out in. Ah, the irony! I bought my first two plants, and lugged them back home.(Boy are pots filled with soil heavy!)
I watered them without fail, and nurtured them carefully. Whenever we'd go out for the weekend, my first thought on coming back would be my plants. The last thought as I'd be locking my door would be Did I water my plants? Soon enough, three more plants got added to my balcony. I'd look over them everyday, scanning for new leaves or flowers. I'd never before thought I had a green thumb, but my plants were really flourishing. Even when I went abroad for 10 days, I made painstaking arrangements for water and anxiously fretted over whether they'd be fine. They were, I discovered to my glee. They endured a scorching summer and an unpredictable rains.
Then came winter. And my first feathered friend, the pigeon. It perched uncertainly on the ledge of my balcony, looking hither and thither, walking around for a bit, flying off, and then coming back to perch. It would do this everyday, and I'd humor it, thinking I'm sure birds do that.
The pigeon soon became a frequent presence, and I got used to it. It took to my balcony so much that it started bringing a visitor. Now they would both perch and flutter and walk around. I again indulged them, seeing no harm in it.
Around the same time, my plants seemed to be growing weaker- I was worried. The tulsi seemed to lose all sheen, and quite a few leaves disappeared. Same with the aloe. I was quite puzzled by this. Maybe it needed a soil change? Or maybe the root had reached the bottom of the pot.
And then one wintry morning, I found the feathered culprit. Happily chewing away on my aloe vera, looking smug as a cat.
Aghast at this, I first shooed it away. Before the flurry of feathers subsided, I frantically Googled "What do pigeons eat?, Do pigeons eat plants?"(Exaggerating this a bit to sound like a millennial :P) I'd always thought pigeons ate insects and also a few grains. I'd never dreamed they'd eat plants, especially tulsi and aloe. But they did. Every single plant, except for cactus.
After this, I found these two creatures eating my plants several times. I shooed them away the first few times. And one day, I even tried putting out grains. But no, the pigeons only wanted to feast on my tasty plants, and they left the grains untouched! :P My husband jokes "Maybe you should put a scarecrow in the balcony."
I've taken a liking for the pigeons by now. I like seeing them in the balcony, but I'd rather they not eat my plants. Dear Reader, if you know of a way I can accomplish this, please let me know! I'd like my plants and the pigeons to co-exist peacefully. :D
I miss those days when I used to chronicle my hilarious college experiences. :)Remember these? College drabbles Just reading these makes me feel so nostalgic and ancient. Sigh.
In February of 2019, I moved into an apartment which had 8 blocks of 19 floors each. I'd lived in a house all my life, and suddenly I found myself in this bewildering maze of concrete.(Remind me to tell you the story of the basement sometime, that's a funny one too!) I'd always had plants and trees around me, and I missed having something green around. I was also a little homesick. Balcony to the rescue!
I was ready to buy my first potted plant, and I set out to find a nursery. Google was no help, and I walked for almost 2 kilometers without finding one. And then the skies opened up in a torrential rain. I walked back home, soggy and miserable, but resolute in my determination to buy a plant. The next evening, I found that there was a nursery 200m away from my house, except that it was in the direction opposite to the one I set out in. Ah, the irony! I bought my first two plants, and lugged them back home.(Boy are pots filled with soil heavy!)
I watered them without fail, and nurtured them carefully. Whenever we'd go out for the weekend, my first thought on coming back would be my plants. The last thought as I'd be locking my door would be Did I water my plants? Soon enough, three more plants got added to my balcony. I'd look over them everyday, scanning for new leaves or flowers. I'd never before thought I had a green thumb, but my plants were really flourishing. Even when I went abroad for 10 days, I made painstaking arrangements for water and anxiously fretted over whether they'd be fine. They were, I discovered to my glee. They endured a scorching summer and an unpredictable rains.
Then came winter. And my first feathered friend, the pigeon. It perched uncertainly on the ledge of my balcony, looking hither and thither, walking around for a bit, flying off, and then coming back to perch. It would do this everyday, and I'd humor it, thinking I'm sure birds do that.
The pigeon soon became a frequent presence, and I got used to it. It took to my balcony so much that it started bringing a visitor. Now they would both perch and flutter and walk around. I again indulged them, seeing no harm in it.
Around the same time, my plants seemed to be growing weaker- I was worried. The tulsi seemed to lose all sheen, and quite a few leaves disappeared. Same with the aloe. I was quite puzzled by this. Maybe it needed a soil change? Or maybe the root had reached the bottom of the pot.
And then one wintry morning, I found the feathered culprit. Happily chewing away on my aloe vera, looking smug as a cat.
Aghast at this, I first shooed it away. Before the flurry of feathers subsided, I frantically Googled "What do pigeons eat?, Do pigeons eat plants?"(Exaggerating this a bit to sound like a millennial :P) I'd always thought pigeons ate insects and also a few grains. I'd never dreamed they'd eat plants, especially tulsi and aloe. But they did. Every single plant, except for cactus.
After this, I found these two creatures eating my plants several times. I shooed them away the first few times. And one day, I even tried putting out grains. But no, the pigeons only wanted to feast on my tasty plants, and they left the grains untouched! :P My husband jokes "Maybe you should put a scarecrow in the balcony."
I've taken a liking for the pigeons by now. I like seeing them in the balcony, but I'd rather they not eat my plants. Dear Reader, if you know of a way I can accomplish this, please let me know! I'd like my plants and the pigeons to co-exist peacefully. :D
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