Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

By Simer Dhume

How Exciting, coming early to NYC. Are you ready to grace Spring’s bliss?

_{^{Cherry blossoms brighten Park Avenue in midtown Manhattan. Photo by gigi.nyc on Instagram.}}

It’s 6 am. I’m sipping my coffee. As I sit at my desk, ready to write ‘Hints Of Life Guest Columns’ – a crisp Spring breeze kisses my sleepy face. Among my many thoughts a realization I’m smiling more these days. Is it the spring effect? By all means, the answer is YES! 🙂

The days are getting longer. Past Sunday, the clocks changed in the United States. Though people have different opinions on Daylight Saving Time, that’s how we live now. In my personal opinion, I am hopeful the U.S. Senate approves the bill to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. But then, of course, there are two sides to the coin. It might not be as good a solution to people living far North. Moving on.

Good News

Spring is coming early to the United States. March 20, 2022, at 11:33 A.M. EDT, will officially mark the start of the Spring season. This means the sun will cross the equator line heading North. Are you excited about the increasing daylight hours and warming temperatures?

Don’t Miss the New Article on the Blog

Good News: Spring is Coming Early to the United States. Five best places to see Cherry Blossoms in NYC, 2022.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Celebrating the first day of spring. Our guest writer Sugandh Swani pours her heart in her new poem- ‘The Spring Song’ for the readers. Her joy to welcome the season of regrowth rebirth of earth after a long, long slumber is unmatched. How many of you feel the same way? Tell us in the comments below.

The Spring Song

By Sugandh Swani

It is instead a time of joy,
Now that you are about to leave,
For we could never see eye to eye,
So now I shall no more grieve.

Until the next time when you come again,
To wrap the world in your beautiful blanket,
Of cold, white, and painful silence,
That will slow time down to tranquility.

But I hardly admire the peace of your presence,
In our lives for those nights so long,
For you bring with you chilly winds,
That sings a grim and gloomy song.

You paint deep wrinkles on the faces
Of young and old, everyone alike,
And put to bed, timid creatures,
That run for their life, as you strike.

You announce your arrival with a sweet fragrance,
That invites everyone for a walk in the woods,
And then you reveal your dark face,
That hisses cold secrets from under the hood.

On your way back, when you are in full bloom,
You scribble epitaphs for the poor and old,
Who gives in to death and it takes them away,
To become lost stories, forgotten and told.

So, now that you are leaving, O Winter,
I bid you farewell with a joyous heart,
And I wait for Spring and all its color,
For a new life and old warmth as you depart!

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To follow her poetic endeavor follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Hints Of Life Guest Columns: Long calming winter nights!

By Japjeet Duggal

With all the chaos going on in the world, winter usually brings the peace and calm that we all are craving for. So much happened in the last few months. There were heat waves and rainstorms wreaking havoc on us, on top of a never-ending pandemic. The winter silence is something I am personally enjoying.

End of October I had a second baby and a week after his birth, my older one turned three. And as they say about three-year old’s, they are threenagers. My day goes by with a lot of noise, a small baby asking for mom and an older one understandably seeking attention which belonged to only her and is now divided.

No one is to blame, but as everyone sleeps at night, I am the one up most of the night feeding and caring for a five-week-old. I look outside the window and the streets are all quiet. There is smoke coming out of the chimneys of newly built homes across the street. Some days it’s nice and warm, others are rainy and snowy.

Whistling trees that I can see and not hear, but imagining the sounds of trees, one or the other car passing by gives an immense sense of relief, reminding me that this is only a phase of motherhood that will pass, and I should enjoy it as much as I can. Watching my babies sleep and be as little as they are.

On all the days, the serenity of long winter nights brings so much peace to mind. Sunrise is equally comforting which implies we are moving to the next summer and longer days in months to come.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Are you ready for fall NYC?

Written & edited by

Simer Dhume

Crisp breeze, amber, auburn, crimson or carmine leaves, harvest festivals, Halloween, warm cider cocktails, pumpkin spice, and everything nice—Fall is a dream. It’s a season of the soul more than of nature alone.

It’s October, fall feels so real and omnipresent. The crisp mornings awakens my soul. I wonder what it would be like to soar like a leaf caught in the fall breeze. It must feel so carefree and joyful, like sails without boats. The vibrant fall colors sing to the blue of the sky above and the green grass below. Planting smiles on countless faces that watch this spectacle before the leaves bury under the soil.

Later in the day, the vivid, coruscating sunsets makes it tough for me to decide what I enjoy more the fall colors or the fall sunset? Sitting by the Hudson river I watch countless such striking sunsets until the winter gloom sets in NYC. What do you like more the fall foliage or the fall sunsets?

^{_{“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
― L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables}}

Fall is hard to beat in New York City. It’s indeed the best time to visit NYC. The weather is moderate and mellow, city landscapes look stunning, and crowds are thinner compared to summer. Despite being an urbanized megalopolis, NYC boasts 300 mi (482 km) of trails and over 500,000 trees. Norway maples and red maples are especially scenic in the fall, revealing bold orange and red tones. Oaks, hickory, American sycamore, dogwood, and American beech add gold and bronze into the picture.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns: When is the best time to see fall foliage in New York?

_{^{Fall colors at The Bow Bridge, Central Park, New York | photo from the archive | © hintsof.life}}

Even though it’s hard to predict fall weather and each year is different, October is generally the best month to visit NYC for leaf-peeping. The leaves start to change color at the beginning of the month, but the peak time usually comes in the second half of October and lasts up to early November. By mid-November, many trees already lose their leaves.

The list of NYC’s top leaf-peeping destinations always starts with Central Park. With over 20,000 trees growing in over 840 ac (339 ha), it can hardly be surpassed by another urban oasis. The park’s numerous hickories, birches, elms, and cherries look stunning from any angle. The best way to enjoy the landscape is to rent a boat and take a scenic ride. The most beautiful spots include the Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary, located on the south side of the park, the Pool, the North Woods, and the Ramble.

Hints Of Life lists below the must visit city parks for leaf-peeping in 2021. We have also included the suggested routes and don’t miss places for an extraordinary fall experience. Whether, you are visiting NYC or a city goer our suggestions would equally delight you.

Central Park

Trees to see: American elms, oaks, Norway maple, sycamore maple, red maple, black cherry

Suggested routes: The Ramble, Central Park’s wild garden, and The Ravine are two of the best places to see fall foliage in Central Park. Take the path that runs along the Loch in the North Woods to find rustic bridges, cascading falls, and a variety of birds that call the park home.

Don’t miss: In The Ravine, the Glen Span Arch features a nearby waterfall and connects the water body known as The Pool to the stream called The Loch that winds through the North Woods.

Highbridge Park

Trees to see: red oaks, white ash, hickory, black cherries, Norway maple, tulip tree, black birch

Suggested routes: The trail that runs along the high ridge above the Harlem River Drive, for the length of Highbridge Park from 155th Street to Dyckman Street, is a fall highlight. The trail passes the landmarked High Bridge and High Bridge Water Tower, which were part of the Old Croton Aqueduct system that also ran through Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx.

Don’t miss: Check out the view of the city in fall colors from the oldest standing bridge in NYC, the High Bridge — it’s car-free

Learn more about Highbridge Park

Learn more about the High Bridge & Tower

Inwood Hill Park

Trees to see: oak, hickory, Tulip poplars

Suggested routes: There’s no wrong place to go leaf-peeping in Inwood Hill Park, but one route we recommend is along the blue trail, a marked trail that picks up at the Gaelic Field in the northern side of the park and leads up to the Overlook, which affords a gorgeous view of the Hudson River and the Palisades. View a map of Inwood Hill Park’s trails

Don’t miss: End your day of exploring at Muscota Marsh. Its tranquil scenery includes a view of the Henry Hudson Bridge and the birds of the Spuyten Duyvil Creek.

Learn more about Inwood Hill Park

Brooklyn

Fort Greene Park

Trees to see: sugar maple, honeylocust, oaks, elms, osage orange trees, London plane trees

Suggested routes: Get to know your fall colors! Use our Tree Trail Map [PDF] as a guide to learning the names of the trees you’ll discover as you explore fall foliage in the park.

Don’t miss: The park is small enough to explore in its entirety in one day. Just don’t forget to climb to its apex and check out the city view from the hill.

Learn more about Fort Greene Park

Owl’s Head Park

Trees to see: oaks, maples, beeches, tulip poplars

Suggested routes: You can’t go wrong with a wander through this park in autumn. Make sure you take a moment to look out over New York Harbor and check out the park’s unique trees on the big lawn.

Learn more about Owl’s Head Park

Prospect Park

Trees to see: camperdown elm, black cherries, sassafras, American hornbeam, turkey oak, weeping willow, tulip tree, American beech, pin oak, white oak, Himalayan pine, gingko, Norway maple, London plane, and more.

Suggested routes: Check out the Lullwater and Peninsula, where you can see an array of native and exotic trees encircling the park’s pond. The Ravine, in the center of the park, contains Brooklyn’s last vestiges of old-growth forest. View a map of Prospect Park

Don’t miss: Trek to the top of Lookout Hill, one of the highest points in Brooklyn to see the kaleidoscope of colors at the treetop.

Learn more about Prospect Park

Our source: nycgovparks.org

Today, our guest writer Sugandh Swani shares a beautiful fall poem from New Delhi, India. Fall is the season of magic, bliss and celebrations that connects us all in someway, no matter where in the world we live. We suggest you find your cozy nook, sit back and enjoy “The song of the fall” by Sugandh Swani.

_{^{Fall sun kissing the wild greens in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, India.}}

The Song of The Fall

By Sugandh Swani

It’s more…more than something,
than everything, this season holds allure,
And I feel orange, with a salmon soul,
Like I was reborn, perky, and pure.

This nip in the air takes me back,
To that hot cup of cocoa, I shared with you,
Sip on sip, like a warm hug,
That I cherish still and never outgrew…

The warmth of October sunshine,
Takes me to the brazen fields,
Where I lie as the wind whispers
to me, the songs of leaves that kneeled.

The crisp leaves of the fall,
That form a beautiful, scented carpet,
For me to walk and make music,
While I gather the treasures for my autumn basket.

It’s the last dash of colours,
Before the wicked winter gloom,
And the sky is dressed in shades of tangerine,
And birds are playing with its muffler maroon.

No time in the world fills my heart,
The way fall does in its snuggly serape,
And I sit here blushing, looking at today,
Autumn giggles and leaves goosebumps at my nape.

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

***Last summer days- a time for self-nurturing and* *self-cultivation***

Written & edited by

Simer Dhume

_{^{Hello September!}}

^{_{Red flowers in bloom | Photo by David Bartus}}

“September tries it’s best to have us forget summer,” Bernard Williams. The sunny month brings the last of the summer days, all to be savored. In contrast, the first day of September witnessed the remnants of Hurricane Ida, triggering the first ever ‘flash flood emergency’ in New York City. Nonetheless, the weather hassle is temporary as the storm clears just in time for the Labor day weekend.

Summer is nearly over, the past few weeks witnessed hot, muggy weather and heat-breaking thunderstorms in New York. Summer rains bring the much needed relief from the sweltering heat and also, dramatic views, as I witnessed at Boat Basin, Hudson river, New York. The dark, rain clouds approaching from the West of the Hudson, a sight wanting me to stay a bit longer albeit that meant getting drenched in the rain later.

_{^{Dark clouds signals the impending thunderstorm and heavy rain at Boat Basin, Hudson River, Manhattan, New York}}

In traditional Chinese medicine late Summer is considered as one of the five major seasons, as stated in the Five Element Consciousness Framework. This ancient theory of interrelationships describes how humans are influenced by many aspects of Nature. We are all energy beings. All life—human, plant, animal, and Universal—are connected in the larger picture.

“Late Summer begins around the third week of August and runs through the Fall Equinox. In August, nature undergoes its last burst of growth before harvest time. The energy of this season corresponds to the nurturing Earth element. The next few weeks are an important time for self-nurturing and self-cultivation. This is a powerful time to fully ripen and transform, using the last of summer’s bountiful energy,” says, Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation, in ‘Late Summer: The Season of Nurturing and Transformation.’

It’s time to harmonize our energies, soak in the warm sun that’ll soon be weaker and sporadic in its appearance.

Late Summer is also the best time to travel. The peak of summer is the perfect time to jettison all 9-to-5 obligations, pack your bags and head to your favorite destination. Unfortunately, COVID-19 or Delta variant has scraped travel plans for many due to the rise in cases especially among young children and uninoculated people. It’s wise to stay home or travel only if utmost necessary. However, that doesn’t stop us from experiencing our favorite destinations because all one needs is a book and a comfortable reading nook. “Books are the plane, and the train, and the road. They are the destination, and the journey. They are home,” quotes Anna Quindlen, in How Reading Changed My Life. In these unprecedented times it holds true for many of us.

Dive into the world of words and imagination with this list of top 5 Travel and Nature books to make the most of these last of summer days.

1.Slow Adventures: Unhurriedly Exploring Britain’s Wild Places by Tor McIntosh:

The title of the book is self-explanatory. Why rush through life when you could stop, ponder and truly experience the world around you? A beautifully descriptive, eloquent and a personal journey of author Tor McIntosh- this unhurried exploration of the great outdoors encourages the readers to engage all of their senses and fully appreciate the beauty of your surroundings.

Exploring Britain’s glorious countryside, the book emphasizes on experiencing, rather than simply passing through. Slow Adventures asks us to pause for a moment and reconnect with nature. An exceptional writing by McIntosh will want you to go sea kayaking in Inverness-shire, fossil hunting in Yorkshire, willow weaving in Somerset, rock pooling in East Sussex, wild camping in Cambridgeshire, foraging in Herefordshire, and countless more memorable experiences.

A joyous read, it’ll leave you feeling calm and connected with your inner-self.

2. Bicycling With Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following The Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman

An extraordinary story that had me glued to my reading chair for hours. Sara Dykman, an outdoor educator and field researcher made history when she took a round-trip adventure on a bicycle alongside monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration. What sets this story apart for me is Dykman’s solo journey, through three countries and more than 10,000 miles. The first person ever to achieve such a remarkable feat.

In Bicycling with Butterflies, she recounts her incredible journey and the dramatic ups and downs of the nearly nine-month odyssey. As a reader you are not just reading a story but are by her side as she navigates unmapped roads in foreign countries, checks roadside milkweed for monarch eggs, and shares her passion with eager schoolchildren, skeptical bar patrons, and unimpressed border officials. In the book, you also meet some of the ardent monarch stewards who supported her efforts, from citizen scientists and researchers to farmers and high-rise city dwellers.

Dykman offers a compelling story, validating the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration—and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all. Most importantly, she handles a sensitive topic with grit, humility and humor.

3. Small Bodies of Water by Nina Mingya Powels

A multifaceted book there are many reasons to read Small bodies of water.

a) It’s a lyrical, poetic essay collection that blends memoir with efficacious writing on the natural world, taking us from London to New Zealand, Shanghai to Malaysia.

b) It reflects on a girlhood spent growing up between two cultures, and explores what it means to belong.

c) This lyrical collection of interconnected essays explores the bodies of water that separate and connect us, as well as everything from migration, food, family, earthquakes and the ancient lunisolar calendar to butterflies. In powerful prose, Small Bodies of Water weaves together personal memories, dreams and nature writing.

It was pure joy and honor to read Powels distinctive new voice. It moved me as she so beautifully, delicately and intricately explores movement, migration and memory. She imbues small movements and details with poignancy and meaning. As I read the book it gave me such a longing for travel. The most remarkable aspect is that nature is not necessary to the fore but nonetheless, ever present. It is instead the medium for remembering and discovering.

Note: The book is currently available on Kindle eBook. The hard cover will be released on February 15, 2022.

4. O ne Man’s Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey by Sam Keith from the journals and photographs of Richard Proenneke

Are you longing to stay a few days in the wilderness? Far away from the constant flurry and hubbub of city life? This book is for you.

Imagine a pristine land unchanged by man, an idyllic site of your choice where you roam through wilderness not many humans have passed. You cook your own food and are not at odds with the world but content with one’s own thoughts and company.

A classic, memoir I thoroughly enjoyed reading. In 2018, the book celebrated the 50th anniversary of when Dick Proenneke first broke ground and made his mark in the Alaskan wilds in 1968.

Thousands have had such dreams, but Richard Proenneke lived them. He found a place, built a cabin, and stayed to become part of the country. One Man’s Wilderness is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities he carried out alone, and the constant chain of nature’s events that kept him company.

A masterpiece carved out of the beyond will leave you feeling good and happy.

5. The Marches: A Borderland Journey Between England and Scotland by Rory Stewart

If you are an anglophile this book is for you. Rory Stewart in The Marches: A Borderland Journey Between England and Scotland travels with his eighty-nine-year-old father—a comical, wily, courageous, and infuriating former British intelligence officer—along the border they call home. The father-son journey through the history and landscape of the United Kingdom “a sensitive exploration of what borders mean and don’t mean”, quotes The Wall Street Journal.

In the book Stewart uncovers more about the forgotten peoples and languages of a vanished country, now crushed between England and Scotland. Stewart and his father are drawn into unsettling reflections on landscape, their parallel careers in the bygone British Empire and Iraq, and the past, present, and uncertain future of the United Kingdom.

What really drew me to the story is how gracefully the author brings human empathy to his encounters with people and landscapes. With a splendid description of Britain’s natural beauty intertwined with history, travel and reporting on local communities, The Marches: A Borderland Journey Between England and Scotland is a memorable tale. A highly recommended read.

Today, our guest writer Sugandh Swani pens a beautifully compassionate, late summer poem ‘The Aureate Pool‘ from Bir, India. Tucked away in the heart of Himachal Pradesh, India, Bir is a beautiful small town. Green mountains, snow peaks, rice fields, and tiny settlements makes for a priceless travel experience.

_{^{The best way to explore a place is to walk. Tucked away in the heart of Himachal Pradesh, India, Bir is a beautiful small town. Green mountains, snow peaks, rice fields, and tiny settlements makes for a priceless experience.}}

_{^{Picture credit- Ila Reddy via tripoto}}

The Aureate Pool

By Sugandh Swani

I walked past a field,
Where the sward was snug,
In a cozy blanket of warm sunlight,
That held it tight in a golden hug.
It twitched a little,
The glimmering tip of the grass,
For it saw me staring longer than I should,
And expected me to just stop and pass.

But I wanted some more,
To maybe just take a dip,  
In the aureate pool with ripples of breeze,
And butterflies stopping by for a sip.

So, I stepped into the gold,
And got a glimpse of paradise,
That warmed a tired traveler’s back,
For as long as time’s day lies…

And just like that, The soul felt like summer,
But autumn was all my heart,
For it shed it’s last bit of pain,
To give this life a fresh start…

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

August: the summer’s last stand

Written and Edited

By Simer Dhume

As we step into August, I remember a quote from A Line Made by Walking, by Sara Baume, “This morning, the sun endures past dawn. I realise that it is August: the summer’s last stand.” It’s in the last month of summer one wants to accomplish everything outdoorsy before we hurtle towards another fall. Though every season has its own beautiful charm, saying goodbye to summer isn’t easy. It stirs up emotions ranging from the joys of childhood memories to nostalgic remembrance of more recent summers and the excitement of our hopes and plans for the seasons to come. Do you relate to it all?

On my recent visit to Central Park, I spotted a Gray Catbird singing, perched on a big rock in the lush and dense Ramble. It sang to it’s heart’s desire and I stood there listening to it’s melody for coon’s age.

How to identify a Gray Catbird?

Gray Catbird is a very distinctive mimid. Though, it generally remains hidden in the understory of dense thickets woodlands and residential areas. It often cocks its longish, black tail, and is usually detected by its harsh, down slurred mew call, reminiscent of a cat’s meow. A chunky, medium-size bird, it is larger than Catharus thrushes yet smaller than other thrashers. No other North American bird has a uniform dark gray plumage. Monotypic. Length 8.5″. (Source: National Geographic)

_{^{Gray Catbird at Centrl Park, Manhattan, New York | © hintsof.life}}

August in New York City is especially beautiful and the best time to visit. To help you make the most of summer’s last stand, Hints Of Life shares 10 absolute best outdoor things to do this August in NYC. Although most of us are vaccinated, being outdoors is still the safest.

1. Recharge and Soak up the Sun in Central Park:

Especially in the summer months, Central Park is NYC’s beautiful backyard. The lush 843-acre patch of nature in the middle of Manhattan is one of the city’s biggest attractions and greatest assets. You will find many people using green space at all times, playing sports, having a stroll, or just soaking up the sun. It is great for the hot and sticky days in August, as you will always find some shade to rest a little. Many New Yorkers use the green field to lounge, relax, and escape the big-city bustle for a while.

But if you’re an explorer and like hikes and trails, check out our article about Central Park, to find meandering trails, and naturalistic landscapes that are dressed in thousands and thousands of breathtakingly picturesque flowers.

2. Shakespeare in the Park:

One of the biggest attractions at Central Park is “Shakespeare in the Park.” Make your way to Delacorte Theater to see one of the most famous plays in the world. In recent years, some stars have made it to the stage as well. Stop by and you might see Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Al Pacino, Blythe Danner, George C. Scott or Denzel Washington.

Find out more about the Shakespeare in the Park event in New York and the current dates here.

3. Bryant Park Film Festival and Bryant Park Picnic Performances:

The city offers a plethora of free events. One of the best in August is visiting the free Bryant Park Film Festival and picnic performances. In the heart of Manhattan, you will see people gather in the summer months with blankets and chairs they’ve brought themselves to relax at the outdoor movie theater and concerts by the New York Philharmonics. Bryant Park is just under a 5 minute walk from Times Square, surrounded by tall trees, so it’s a bit secluded from the rest, but you’re still in the middle of it all: Isn’t that simply Awesome!

You can get a seat from 5pm, the films start around 8pm as darkness falls, and the Philharmonic concerts 7pm. You can find out more about the events and the free concerts at Bryant Park website.

4. Summer Streets in NYC:

Summer street is a multi-day, annual, car free event held on the first three Saturdays in August. This event takes place in Manhattan between the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park. Nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are open for people to play, run, walk, and bike along Park Avenue and its connecting streets.

More details can be found here.

5. Jazz at Pier 84:

New York City is one of the entertainment capitals of the world, and much of that entertainment is from music. Every second Wednesday in August, the concert series “Jazz at Pier 84” takes place. New York and jazz are a combination that resonates with me and reflects the city’s persona, its character. And the best part is you sit at the Hudson River enjoying not just the great music but the majestic views. It’s free because it’s a project of Hudson River Park and the Jazz Foundation of America.

Check out the event calendar, to mark your dates and plan your trip to Jazz at Pier 84.

6. Free Kayaking on the Hudson River & East River:

Whether you’re a seasoned kayaker, or an amature kayaking in summer is adventourous and an amazing way to discover New York through its water. What makes it a really cool event is it allows you to book several times a month. You can start at the Manhattan Community Boathouse (Pier 96 at the Hudson River) or at the Brooklyn Bridge Park between Pier 1 and Pier 2 (every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday until the end of August).

Seats are limited, so be quick to secure your preferred date – here for the Manhattan Community Boathouse and here for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse.

7. Music on the Green with Carnegie Hall at Madison Square Park (August 4 + August 11):

In collaboration with Carnegie Hall, Music on the Green is a free concert series inspired by Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest that brings artists from the Hall’s Ensemble Connect to reflect on the themes of the exhibition. The concerts are held every Wednesday (August 4 + August 11) on the Oval Lawn (6 – 7 p.m.).

You can find more details here.

8.. NYC Restaurant Week (July 19 – August 15):

Are you a foodie? Restaurant Week in New York is especially for you and is popular among locals. Why is it popular? During this week you can visit the best restaurants in the city and eat for a fixed price, which is significantly lower than the regular prices of the restaurants. In other words, you can experience the fine dining that the city offers at a much economical price. Make the most of the Restaurant Week in New York, click here for all the dates & info you need to know!

9. Sail around the city:

Many of the sailing cruises have already reopened and are back to the rivers of New York City. Sailing in New York City is one of my favorite things to do during the summer. There’s nothing better than watching the sunset and enjoying a glass of wine onboard.

Here are Top New York City Day Cruises, The best dinner cruises in NYC, and The 10 Best New York City Boat Tours.

10. Explore Governors Island:

Governors Island is one of my favorite places in New York City. Especially in the summer, it’s a lot of fun to explore. Being completely surrounded by water, the fresh breeze fills your lungs making you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s best to rent a bicycle (or even tandem, if you dare!) to ride around the island. It’s much more comfortable than walking. Even though you can only explore the outdoors, there’s still a lot to do: have a picnic, ride on NYC’s longest slide, chill out in one of the hammocks, climb up the hill to enjoy gorgeous views of Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, take a look at Fort Jay, enjoy fresh lemonade, or even go glamping for anything between $200 and $600 a night. Be sure to reserve your ferry tickets in advance as capacity is limited to ensure safe distances.

Celebrating August rains or the famous monsoon in India, our guest writer pens a heartfelt poem. We advice, sit back, relax, and savor “Tranquil Storms’ by Sugandh Swani.

^{_{An exposed leaf bathed in raindrops | Picture credit: pexels}}

Tranquil Storms

By Sugandh Swani

There is a wild storm inside,
One that stirs up ever so often,
Untamed, unchained ready to pounce,
That only these monsoon winds can soften.

They stroke the forehead once, twice,
And brush the locks falling over the face,
Snogging the strands one by one,
Leaving faint fragrance in the amorous chase,

And just like that the storm subsides,
Finding a way to the corner of the eye,
Dropping a warm wet kiss on the lips,
That taste its silence with a smile and sigh.

By then the leaves start to whisper, 
Their tales of love to the sky,
Of how they saw the bees coquetting,
With the colourful Cosmos ever so shy.

And I listen and look at these stories in silence,
Of flowers sweating and blushing, coy.
The storms are long lost in the past,
All I know is a little peace, a little joy…

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Written and Edited

By Simer Dhume

World Conservation day, July 28, 2021

Our earth is our home. It’s where our ancestors lived and it’s where our children and their children would live. They will inherit the planet we leave behind. Therefore, it’s our utmost responsibility to conserve, nurture and nourish our home, our earth, our oasis and leave behind a livable, habitable planet for the present and future generations.

World Conservation day, celebrated on July 28 each year, acknowledges that a healthy environment is the foundation for a stable and healthy society. We as responsible human beings must participate in protecting and conserving our nature .

Hints Of Life shares some simple habits to implement in your daily life to help make a huge difference in conserving the environment

1.) Home vegetable garden

Starting a home vegetable garden is a great step towards conservation and comes with many benefits. Not only does it help you save money but it also ensures you consume healthy, unadulterated vegetables and fruits. Don’t have space? Grow organic fruits and vegetables in your kitchen or balcony and cook delicious meals everyday.

2.) Go plastic free

Live smart. Act smart. When you go grocery shopping, choose a cloth or paper bag over plastic. They are reusable and help a great deal in saving the planet. If you feel it’s a chore, close your eyes and think about our oceans and millions of animals whose wellbeing depends on our actions.

3.) Choose to reuse

Instead of tossing food containers and peanut butter jars into the bin, you could reuse them for other purposes, like storing other goods in them or get crafty and make showpieces out of them.

4.) Treasure the trees

Not just planting trees, it is important to treasure them as well. Plant a tree every month, encourage your friends and family to join you in this amazing initiative.

5.) Plant love for the outdoors in your children

There’s nothing more important than to inculcate in your kids the love for the outdoors. To show them they can find refuge in the company of nature. It doesn’t have to be a trip to the Grand Cannyon, but simple activities like a walk in your local park or spending time in your garden. The key is to make it fun, interactive and personal. Like watching tadpoles in a pond, or giving nicknames to birds in your garden.

By doing so you create opportunities for wonder for your children. This would help reduce screen time and encourage outdoor play, and extended time outside has many benefits. But even a single, seemingly ordinary moment can inspire a lifelong conservation ethic, reports New York Times.

6.) Quit smoking

Smoking doesn’t just harm your body but the environment as well. It releases toxic air pollutants into the atmosphere. Also, the cigarette butts that are mostly left on the ground rather than the dustbin litter the place. The toxic chemicals in the remains seep into soil and waterways, causing soil and water pollution.

7.) Choose public transport over a car

Driving is one of the biggest causes of pollution and yet there seems to be no control over it. Whenever, possible consider taking public transport over a car ride to work. If you like being active walking or biking to work are great ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle that in turn benefits the environment.

Hints Of Life, shares ‘Save our earth’ a poem written by Jessica Roberts. It’s rightly befitting on the occasion of World Conservation Day.

Today, Vijayalakshmi Abhishek writes a thought provoking piece, asking “Are we doing enough to conserve our environment?”

_{^{A squerrel searching for nuts at Riverside Park, Manhattan, New York | © hintsof.life}}

Are we doing enough to conserve our environment?

By Vijayalakshmi Abhishek

A simple habbit can make a huge impact on our environment. Have you ever thought about adopting simple habbits in your daily life whilst your busy routine? Or have you paused for a minute to think and understand what ‘conservation’ really means? In simple words it means prevention of wasteful use of a resource. Our resources aren’t just limited to the pristine forests, infinite oceans, or the vast mountains but for me conservation of nature is to safeguard our inherent or fundamental essence, the air we breath, the food we eat, the clothes we wear.

In my neighborhood, the house next door has nine air conditioning installed. Often times, I have wondered what if they run all their air conditioning at the same time. The amount of heat produced by all the ac’s together would be enormous. Does a two story house need these amount of cooling systems?

These unanswered questions must be thought through. Because when it comes to consumption, we hardly think but when nature reacts with unprecedented high temperatures, outlandish heat waves and severe drought, we have so much to say. On my visits to restaurants I have often noticed electric bulbs lit in daytime in spite the sunlight peeping through the windows but who cares? To every action there is an equal reaction. If we are not ready to take the responsibility of our actions, we better be prepared for nature’s retaliation.

Wastage of food is another area of concern as we talk about conservation of our resources. Whether, it’s at home or in enormous scale at restaurants. It’s an issue mostly overlooked. The best we can do is order wisely keeping in mind the amount of food we can consume and try not wasting.

In addition, the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. According to the studies, an average consumer throws away 70 pounds of clothing per year. I am not saying that we must stop buying clothes but yes our buying must be more need based, rather than following fashion trends. As compulsive buyers we keep buying more and more and keep throwing the unused which end up into landfills. Buying new clothes isn’t bad but we must have some reliable solution for the unused clothes. We can recycle, exchange or provide them to the underprivileged.

Conservation can be done on daily basis, it depends on the choices we make. Small steps, simple changes can bring about huge impact on our environment. By simply cutting down on extented use of air conditions, switching to solar panels for electricity, not wasting food we comsume and reusing and recycling as much as we can are effective ways of conservation.

Are you ready to use your resources prudently? Take a step towards conservation. Be the change you want to see in others.

Vijayalakshmi Abhishek is a mother. She writes heartfelt and compelling stories for us from Queens, New York. Follow her on instagram @vijayalakshmi_Abhishek.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

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Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

The earth is warming up every passing year in an unprecedented way. The sizzling temperatures in the past few weeks in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada and Western United States have scientists baffled. The climate reality that was thought still decades in future has herald into 2021 causing suffering to both humans and marine life alike.

“This week’s sizzling temperatures may herald a climate reality that scientists thought was still decades in the future,” reports NBC News

The heat wave broiled the U.S. West Coast soon after the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada experienced record breaking high temperatures.

The setup for this event was different from what unfolded in the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada June 29 to July 2, when countless temperature records were smashed, with Portland, Oregon, hitting an all-time high of 116 degrees and the small town of Lytton in British Columbia setting Canada’s heat record at just over 121.

In the Pacific Northwest heat wave, the high pressure was centered over Oregon and Washington state, an unusual scenario that triggered anomalously high temperatures in a region where most homes and businesses don’t have air conditioning systems.

_{^{Silhouette of a man enjoying the cool ocean waves during sunrise, USA}}

But the situation was different in the U.S. West coast. The dome of pressure was over the Four Corners region, where the southwestern corner of Colorado, southeastern corner of Utah, northeastern corner of Arizona, and northwestern corner of New Mexico all touch, according to the National Weather Service.

Today, our guest writer recounts her experience surviving the heat wave with her family in the Pacific Northwest. Japjeet was aware of the outlandish heat wave that was going to engulf her neighborhood. But it turned out to be much severe than what was expected.

“The predictions seemed completely outlandish,” said O’Neill, an associate professor at Oregon State University. “They were so crazy insane that professional forecasters and people like myself thought something must be wrong with the models.”

As it turned out, the forecasts were right.

_{^{A seagull flying over the ocean waves.}}

^{_{Heat wave killed an estimated 1 billion sea creatures, and scientists fear even worse in the Pacific Northwest region.}}

Surviving the calamitous heat wave

By Japjeet Dugal

In the last couple of weeks, the Northwest Pacific of North America faced one of the most unprecedented weathers in the last 150 years. The infamous heat wave took even us Indians, used to the harsh weather, by great surprise.

For our bodies, now so dependent on air conditioning, and other luxuries, the heat wave was a reminder that nature is supreme. We may be the smartest species of all, but we cannot outsmart nature.

The few days of heatwave made us appreciate the smallest of things, the minimal cool breeze, evening shade, waking up and sleeping with the sun, enjoying the cool grass in the yard. Our typical day started with waking up as early in the morning as possible and closing all the doors and windows before the atmosphere started to heat up. Bathing and getting ready for the day.

Thinking of meal ideas involving minimum use of appliances so as to not increase the temperature inside the house. While all the stores were out of stock for fans, air-conditioners, or even portable pool for keeping kids cools, we thought of innovative ideas to keep us cool with bowls of ice in front of the fans, taking cool baths, soaking feet in the cold water, covering windows with dark sheets.

Our neighbors filled up a small pool with cold water for their puppy and would spend their evening sitting with their feet soaked in it while the puppy played. Another neighbor went and stayed with their family they had not spent enough time with, since they had an air-conditioner.

Evenings were most fun when the sun was about to set, all the neighbors would come outside for some fresh air and walks. Reconnecting with each other, enjoying the relatively cool breeze and shade. Chatting away for hours together because everyone was stuck inside their homes all day long.

It felt like nature’s way of telling us that you need to talk to each other, make new friends, enjoy the outdoors and be with nature. And we followed. All of us.

Japjeet Duggal is a mother who lives with her husband and daughter in Washington State. She shares her heartwarming and sweet nature stories with us each month. You can follow Japjeet on instagram @japjeetduggal.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

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Sunday read

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

There’s so much to look forward to in the summer! Whether it starts early on Memorial Day weekend, or you wait for the solstice in June, many of us look forward to the first day of summer all year. Long days, short nights, sunshine, warm weather, and school holidays. Is it any wonder that we associate the summer months with feeling happy and carefree?

The parks are blooming with vibrant, picturesque flowers. Summer is all about picnics in your favorite park. Ice creams and bike rides. The joy of discovering a new hike, long walks in nature, and inhaling the sweet fragrance of dozens and dozens of flowers.

HOL lists below 10 best summer quotes to inspire you to step out and enjoy the bright, warms days in the company of nature:

_{^{Kousa Dogwood and Great Laurel in full bloom at Central Park}}

“In early June the world of leaf and blade and flowers explode, and every sunset is different.” – John Steinbeck

“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” Maud Hart Lovelace

“We might think we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.” – Jenny Uglow

“I am more myself in a garden than anywhere else on earth.” – Don Green

“When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome.” – Wilma Rudolph

“Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.” – Jenny Han

“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” – Marcus Tullius Cicero

“In the summertime, when the weather is hot, you can reach right up and touch the sky.” – Mungo Jerry

“Summertime. It was a song. It was a season. I wondered if that season would ever live inside me.” – Benjamin Alire Saenz

Today, our guest writer pens a heartfelt poem to mark the onset of summer months. Her poem is a reflection of the present day life we all are living. No matter how tough the circumstances are there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. HOL presents ‘This June’ by Sugandh Swani.

_{^{A view of the Hudson River at Riverside Park, New York}}

This June

By Sugandh Swani

This June is different.
It has come a little soon,
After what seems like an eternity,
While the summer flowers swoon.

This June is different.
It is not as harsh as ever,
While the world seems topsy turvy,
And we have been home forever.

This June is different.
Where the sky is a box of colours
The sun shines and the clouds visit,
While the rain and the rainbows act like lovers.

This June is different.
More privilege for some we see.
For we have learnt and unlearnt,
A thousand skills with glee.

This June is different. 
With eyes and hearts full up to the brim, 
With gratitude and prayers for all
More for the souls with sorrow and sin.

This June is different. 
We have cleaned, relaxed, baked and whipped, 
A recipe and a proper promise for tomorrow, 
To make more of every minute of this life we have sipped!

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

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Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

White roses are a symbol of purity and innocence. There’s something special about them that’s hard to explain. Maybe, it’s the rich, sweet fragrance that profusely fills the surroundings all year round, especially, in the summer. Once called the ‘bridal flower’ as they decorated every wedding before the discovery of red roses, they represents unity, young love, and new bond.

It’s no surprise there are several thousand variety of roses one can choose from, red roses being the most favorite. HOL is excited to explore the wonders of the white. Have you ever considered planting an ‘Iceberg White Rose’ as a shrub or climber in your garden or patio? Growing iceberg roses is a simple and rewarding task for both novice and veteran gardners. But before we list the steps, let’s indulge in the beauty of the iceberg white rose.

Iceberg White Rose

The ‘Iceberg’ is one of the best floribunda white rose and is extremely popular among rose lovers. They are abundantly floriferous throughout the season, producing large clusters of medium-sized, round and double flowers, with soft white petals, sometimes flushed with pale pink. Mildly fragrant, iceberg bloom continues right through the season until winter. Tall, bushy, upright, and handsomely shaped shrub with large, glossy green leaves provide an ideal backdrop for the summer-long floral display. A free flowering variety, it’s available as a bush, standard, weeping standard and as a climbing rose that is fit for clambering over pergolas or trees.

How to grow an iceberg white rose?

Follow the 5 easy steps for a successful bloom:

Plant iceberg roses in a location that is exposed to at least six hours of direct sunlight daily to encourage healthy growth and development. Plant your iceberg roses in well-draining soil to reduce the risk of harmful fungal diseases.
Water iceberg roses regularly throughout the growing season to keep the soil evenly moist, but never saturated. Provide your roses with 1 inch of supplemental irrigation each week in the absence of sufficient rainfall. For best results, water your iceberg roses via a soaker hose to ensure that the moisture soaks deep into the soil.
Fertilize iceberg roses twice each growing season with a balanced, water soluble rose fertilizer to promote healthy foliage and flower growth. Apply the first application of fertilizer in the early spring to give your roses a much-needed boost of nutrients. Wait until the roses have started blooming to apply the second fertilizer application.
Provide winter protection for iceberg roses in cold climates. Mix equal parts sandy loam and well-rotted compost until well combined. Form the mixture into a 10- to 12-inch mound around the base of your rose bush; do this before the first fall frost, if possible. Remove the mound in the early spring, as soon as you notice the buds on your iceberg roses beginning to swell. Leave 3 to 4 inches of the mound in place to serve as mulch, if desired.
Prune iceberg roses each spring, once the leaf buds have opened. Use a pair of sharpened and sterilized pruning shears or loppers to cut out any diseased, winter-damaged or dead canes. Remove any crossing or weak canes to increase the air circulation to your roses; as lack of circulation can increase your plant’s risk of developing problems such as powdery mildew. Cut any remaining canes back by one third to encourage invigorated growth.

Today, joining us in celebrating this month’s theme ‘May flowers’ Sugandh Swani presents, ‘The May Morn Romaunt.’ Get ready to transcend into a beautiful world of poetry. As Robert Frost quotes, ‘Poetry is when an emotion has found it’s thought and the thought has found words.”

_{^{A white rose in full bloom is our favorite May flower | Photo credit: Sugandh Swani}}

The May Morn Romaunt

By Sugandh Swani

A walk down the street on a sunny May Morn,
There is a yellow carpet under my feet,
An intricate work of art by those golden chain trees,
The luscious lively Laburnum sweating in the heat.

A few steps further, a butterfly on red,
Flutters her way around the flowering fest,
As hibiscus shrubs shyly swoon to the breeze,
Celebrating the little bug’s zeal and zest.

A gentle giant flower, welcomes me with grace,
Grabbed by grandeur, a touch I can’t escape.
A mighty rose that whispered, “Mon Amour”,
Wearing captivating colour in a never-ending cape.

And there is the fresh fragrance,
Of the beautiful Jasmine on green,
Sitting like a string of ravishing white pearls,
Almost enchanting like a decorative dream.

Aaaahh! And now I am lost in pure love,
Of the purple and pink and orange and white,
Of these bright bougainvillea bushes everywhere,
Taking over the city with all their might.

And I take back with me a dash of colour,
As I walk home only to treasure this moment,
For the May flowers miss our admiring eyes,
Praying to heal the world in their rosy romaunt.

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To know more about her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Sunday reads ~ Hints

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Come Spring and tulips are blooming everywhere in North America. In the parks, gardens, and the sidewalks. They delight you with their stunning beauty and vibrant colors. They sway gently in the spring breeze. Their charm is unmissable and infectious.

But did you know tulips are planted in the fall to make way for the beautiful blooms in Spring?

Yes, that’s correct.

This is because they need good 14 weeks of chilling at between 35 and 50 degrees in order to produce their beautiful flowers.

How to plant tulips?

To start, choose the right spot. Tulip bulbs like sunny areas, with good soil that isn’t too wet but not too dry, either. Most gardeners plant their tulips between September and December because these cold-weather plants need to be chilled in order to bloom.

When you’re ready to plant, remember that tulips, like most bulbs, prefer to be buried deeply. Dig a hole eight to 12 inches deep and place the bulb at the bottom with the pointed top facing upwards.

If you feel the soil needs more nutrients, then mix in a few handfuls of compost with the loosened soil before you bury the bulb. Water the bulb in, place a thin layer of mulch on the soil and wait for spring!

Celebrating the tulip season, our guest writer Japjeet Duggal shares, ‘Tulip Festival’ a family getaway to witness the endless tulip bloom at Tulip Town, Mount Vernon, Washington.

Tulip Festival

By Japjeet Duggal

_{^{Red tulips blooming at Tulip Town, Mount Vernon, WA | Photo credit: Japjee Duggal}}

Tired and weary of working from home, fetching groceries, and just going by the weeks, we decided to take a much-needed break and visit some Spring blooms at the Tulip Town, in Mount Vernon, WA.

The drive to Mount Vernon was as beautiful as our destination. We witnessed the most incredible mountain scenery in Washington. And drove through the old country homes. On reaching Tulip Town, finding parking was a challenge but not a surprise. It surely indicated the popularity of the festival. And the dusty parking so iconic to farm house living.

_{^{A windmill surrounded by myriads of tulip blooms at the entrance of the Tulip Town | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

As we entered the town, a windmill surrounded by beautiful tulip flowers and a distinctively blue colored water fountain greeted us.

There was also a tractor ride for anyone who wanted to ride around the farm to take a glimpse of the flowers. However, we decided to walk along with them and enjoy the tulips up close. The tulip beds were like a rainbow on earth. Vibrant and breathtakingly beautiful.

_{^{Visitors take a tractor ride around the farm to view the tulip blooms | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

Everything in the town was magnificently decorated with flowers. An old truck parked near the exit was rusty but laden with flowers of all colors. A small bench was decorated with a canopy of tulips as people waited in line to get their pictures clicked.

Further, there was a huge photo frame with the same beautiful backdrop and wooden steps on all sides that gave tulip admirers an opportunity to take precious family photos up close with the flowers.

Kids were running into the fields, and their moms chasing them. Some toddlers were so excited, their clothes were brown and soiled with mud, and their smiles wide as summer’s beaming sunshine. All they cared about was running in the vast fields with no care of the world.

_{^{Giving earthy vibes an old, rustic truck laden with flowers at Tulip Town | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

My 2 year old daughter was thrilled to see farm horses in the stable. Three well bred country horses had everyone’s attention as they whickered every now and then. While we stood there watching our toddler say, ‘Mama that’s a horse’ another toddler dressed in a bunny costume ran up to the fence and started climbing. His dad was quick to get him off the fence, a moment that gave the onlookers a chance to share a hearty laugh.

The last two rows of the tulips on our wait out were multicolored, dominated by a bright red. They were perfect for taking a memory home.

Even though it was a tulip festival, I could not help but remember a paragraph from my favorite childhood poem, daffodils:

For often when on my couch I lay,
In vacant and in pensive mood,
They flash upon an inward eye, which is a bliss of solitude,
Then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the ~~daffodils~~ tulips. 😊

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

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Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Hello April!

April the month of reawakening. It’s the month that instills a spirit of youth in everything on earth. A time when nature awakens from a long slumber. We witness rebirth, regrowth and renewal as buds begin to sprout on bare branches, flower beds emerge from the soil in gardens, parks and sidewalks, the earth is moist and the sun shines bright and strong.

British writer, Monty Don, says “Daffodils, blossoms and tulips jostle to the front of the stage in April. I love these early perennials: they may be more modest but they nearly all have that one special quality that a plant needs to transform your affections from admiration to affection – charm.”

The allure of April is in witnessing the transformation of a bud into a blossoming flower. The joy is in soaking up the myriad colors of nature and the countless species of flora that come alive. In sharing this sentiment our guest writer Vijayalakshmi Abhishek presents ‘Pink Mandevillas’.

_{^{Pink mandevilla flowers in full bloom at Forest Hills, Queens, New York}}

Pink Mandevillas

By Vijayalakshmi Abhishek

A morning ritual I follow everyday. The bright sunshine flooding my room as I open the window to let in the fresh morning breeze. Enjoying the sun’s beaming golden rays on my face, I see a beautiful pink mandevilla tree in full bloom right across the street. For a moment, I couldn’t believe what my eyes were witnessing, dazzling pink flowers. After months a delightful sight of flowers in the neighborhood.

That’s the beauty of Spring. I eagerly wait for spring season because it isn’t just a season, it’s an awakening of nature from a long slumber. Nature comes to life. It’s a pure bliss. A feeling so refreshing and rejuvenating after a prolonged phase of emptiness, and dryness that sometimes make you feel gloomy and dreary.

_{^{Spring darling Star magnolia blooming in Forest Hills, Queens, New York}}

A sunny day fills life with energy and zeal. On the other hand, I feel lethargic and sluggish when the sun isn’t bright and shiny. Honestly, for me spring is nothing but pure joy. As days get longer and warmer, it gives me immense pleasure and happiness. The lingering sent of spring blossoms in the air elevates my inner consciousness, chirping of the birds enlivens the surroundings, cool breeze and warm days bring people and children outdoors. It’s heartwarming to see children running merrily in the neighborhood parks, families enjoying picnics under the unending blue skies. It’s immensely comforting to see sanctity and blessedness all around.

Spring is that time of the year when mother nature rewards all the trees, plants and everything that is part of nature, the gift of life. A reward for their patience and tolerance they display while remaining stranded and grounded during the long and harsh winter.

This makes me reflect deeply on the fact that life’s greatest things come only to those who show grit, courage, and the ability to endure life’s greatest challenges.

Vijayalakshmi Abhishek is a mother. She writes heartfelt and compelling stories for us from Queens, New York. Follow her on instagram @vijayalakshmi_Abhishek.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Hello April!

_{^{Rangoon creeper or Combretum indicum, a vine with red cluster flower is native to tropical Asia}}

Drumroll

By Sugandh Swani

You see they are now turning around,
The winds that once left your side,
Bringing along thick covers and cushions,
As they spread over firmament far and wide.

And they are not planning to return alone,
They are here to celebrate with pomp and show,
The onset of summertime and all things fresh,
You see them trees now taking a bow.

Welcoming the loud laughter of thunder,
As it slices the sky with feisty fires,
Lighting up the deepest and darkest corners,
Of celestial realms in orange attire.

Oh, and the winds will roar with rains for days,
To wash and wet the warm beds of loam,
Getting them ready for the tints of summer,
For flowers and fragrance to feel at home.

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To follow her poetic endeavors follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature stories at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Sunday reads ~ Hints Of Life

Spring is on everyone’s mind and rightly so. It is the season of new beginnings. Soon the earth will come to life with fresh bud blooms, animals awakening from long hibernation and sun shining bright. Farmers and gardeners will plant their seeds and temperatures will slowly rise.

Color, vigor, enthusiasm and outdoors will be the highlights of the coming season. Life will sprout in every corner, rainbow will color the blue sky and laughter will eco in every park, garden, field and street.

Today, Hints Of Life share’s ‘The Listening walks’ by Vijayalakshmi Abhishek. Walk along to witness the joys of nature in this heartfelt nature tale.

The Listening Walks

By Vijayalakshmi Abhishek

_{^{Forest Park, Forest Hills- Queens, New York | Photo crIedit: Vijayalakshmi Abhishek}}

In order to spend time in nature one doesn’t have to go hiking up the mountain or camping or rafting or to some exotic vacation. That is always overwhelming and exciting, the most amazing aspect about nature is its accessibility. It’s ubiquitous.

Look up at the sky, you’ll find flocks of birds flying in synchronicity forming stunning patterns, a phenomenon of nature that amazes and delights those lucky enough to witness it. Look around you and you’ll witness the shades of colorful leaves in reds, yellows, orange and brown. Look down, there are squirrels running as fast as they can, climbing trees and eating nuts. Sometimes, finding a little patch of grass or flower in the concrete fills the heart with boundless joy.

Finding time to spend in nature and appreciate its beauty is time well spent with ourselves and our family. Mother nature has blessed us with abundance of grace and joy, all we need is to appreciate its beauty. For me the best way to spend time with nature is going on long walks.

Somedays, I go alone and other times I love to take my son along. We together go for walks and I love to call it ‘the listening walks’.

We walk in silence and try listening to the sounds around us. The tak-tak of his shoes, the crackling of leaves under our feet. We hear cars and a constant hum of traffic. Some cars are quite and some are extremely loud. We hear the bus door slide, making a puff sound. I often talk to my son about all sort of sounds we can hear around us.

There is a rail track close to our home and my son is very fond of trains. He stands still and watches the train move along making the clacking noise. He loves to pretend play the sound as the train passes by.

_{^{A parakeet perched on a branch in the lush green Forest Park}}

He often hugs the large trees as we walk by the blocks and we talk about how huge they are. After walking a few blocks, we reach our neighborhood forest park. While walking through the woods we hear the pigeons cooing and the crickets chirping in the grass. We hear the wind whispering as it whiffs between the lush green trees and the bees humming in the flowers.

Our family walks in the evening are fun. The nature looks alluring in the dark, we can spot the clear skies, the gleaming moon and the glint of stars. Listening to the crickets chirping on a warm summer evening is pure bliss, everything seems so quiet and calm.

It’s fun to go on a listening walk. You don’t have to go far. You can walk around the block and listen, you can walk around your yard and listen. You don’t even have to take a walk to hear sounds. We have sounds everywhere all the time. All we need to do is keep still and listen.

Vijayalakshmi Abhishek is a mother. She writes a compelling piece for us from Queens, New York. Follow her on instagram @vijayalakshmi_Abhishek.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife

Sunday reads ~ Hints Of Life

Today, Hints Of Life share’s a last snow story with its readers. A sweet mamas sweet ‘First snow’ story, by Japjeet Duggal.

First snow!

By Japjeet Duggal

_{^{Our balcony covered in several inches of snow | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

The pandemic changed everyone’s life in some or the other way. For me and my family, we decided to move up north, from California to Washington state, closer to family and on a new adventure.

My 2-year-old is now used to talking to our extended family on video calls and facetime, and warm weather. She had not seen her uncle, my brother, since a year. As he parked his car outside our house, she screamed with joy and laughter out of surprise. It was long past her bedtime, but she was too excited to sleep. We had imagined she would sleep the next morning.

The next morning she was in for another surprise.

My husband woke me up at 7 am asking me to come and look outside. Barely woken up, with eyes half open, trying to put on my glasses right I looked outside and everything was white. It was my first snow. Yes, my first snow which I experienced at 30. I sprinted out the room, down to the living to express my excitement, making sure to not wake up my 2-year-old.

_{^{A snowy neighborhood in Washington State | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

While I was facetiming my parents and showing them the snow-covered roads, my front yard and everything else that was white, my daughter woke up and joined us, at what was the event of the day. She stood on the windowpane to look at the “white”, which was the only word that came to her mind followed by a WOW!

She stood there for a long time admiring the beauty and magic that snow brings with it. From the window to the balcony, she ran all around, ecstatic at the snow outdoors and eager to step out. We skipped everything, breakfast, diaper change, brushing, all our morning routine to experience our ‘first snow’.

Within minutes we were all dressed up in our jackets and snow boots to experience our the snow. We ran in the snow, played with snowballs, even tried attempting a snowman, but we missed wearing our gloves.

All the neighborhood kids were out of their homes playing in the thick snow. There were snow angles in balconies, snow ducks on railings, snow castles using beach toys and many more attempts at making snowman.

_{^{Vintage vehicles covered in snow, Washington State | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

We didn’t confine ourselves indoors just because it was snowing. The whole experience of exploring our new home was elevated by the perfect big snowflakes that kept falling on us.

We drove to the countryside, getting a glimpse of the vast white fields, vintage vehicles covered in snow and other beautiful sights. It was the first time she did not sleep on a drive. She was wide awake admiring the stunning snow covered fields.

Her Uncle had driven from Alberta to escape the snow but it followed him all the way. While he was not excited that his weekend with the family was White. His disappointment was overshadowed by his niece’s sheer delight to experience her first snow and her excitement to play with him in the snow.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Sunday reads ~ Hints Of Life

Spring- Season of new beginnings.

Spring is the season of new beginnings. Soon the earth will come to life with fresh bud blooms, animals awakening from long hibernation and sun shining bright. Farmers and gardeners will plant their seeds and temperatures will slowly rise.

The timing of these changes varies depending upon location. Spring is generally considered the period between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Defined by the angle of Earth’s tilt toward the sun, astronomical spring relies on equinoxes and solstices to define it.

Spring or springtime as many call is three weeks away. Join us in the Spring 2021 countdown with this compassionate poem ‘The Last Laugh’ by our guest columnist Sugandh Swan.

_{^{The Last Laugh | Photo credit: Sugandh Swani}}

The Last Laugh

By Sugandh Swani

Did you leave something behind?
I saw you turn your head there,
Something that is left undone,
You feel a missing piece somewhere?!

The sun is closing the doors for you,
And yet you swoosh in making your way,
Through the windows back to our world,
A bit longer I feel, you want to stay.

Or is it your cold shadow we feel?
On our backs when the dewy dusk dawns,
And you have found your bed already?
To find rest and sleep for your weary yawns.

For you have worked really hard,
To blanket the world in gloom,
But now it’s time for the grey days to go,
And for Spring to make some room.

For the fresh flowers and crisp greens,
And the birds to colour the skies blue,
So, enjoy your last laugh O Winter,
We are ready to bid farewell to you.

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To follow her poetic endeavor follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Living with nature in the Pandemic.

Even as the world has been swept up by the pandemic, many of us have in this time rediscovered our love of nature and the outdoors. HOL asked its guest writers to share their heartfelt nature stories in these trying times. We asked them to reflect on how spending time in nature has brought joy, happiness and solace in their life.

We’re gratified by the overwhelming support from our writers. To read the previous stories click here.

Today, we share ”Raising nature’s child ” by Japjeet Duggal. As the times get tougher, the stories interesting.

Raising nature’se child

By Japjeet Duggal

_{^{A Yosemite forest of Pine, Fir, Incense Cedar, and Sequoia | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

I was laying in bed on this warm Saturday morning. Staring out of the window to the trees that surrounded our apartment, awake but not yet ready to get up as my eighteen months old lay asleep on my arm.

Had it been any other Saturday, I would have been making plans. Plans to show her new places, give her new experiences. But today, after a long time, I wanted to lay there, just look at the trees and soak in the sunshine reflecting from the bright green leaves.

It’s the year 2020. Nothing is normal this year. As my thoughts lingered a bit more, she woke up saying the words, “quack quack” and a smile with her eyes still close. She has been picking up animal sounds and she likes the sound ducks make. She had been a nature lover since she was a tiny baby who could not even see right.

To my surprise, I hear the sound of ducks and it struck me! It’s Saturday morning! This is when the ducks from a neighborhood park come to visit us and take a dip in the pool which is right next to our apartment here in California.

_{^{Fall colors at Yosemite National Park, California | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

One moment asleep, the second she was up with her eyes wide open to the sound of ducks. Third moment, we were standing on our balcony.

She watched the ducks take a dip in the water and play in the abandoned pool, free from humans who were locked in their houses. I, looked at her eyes shining and held her for she was jumping up and down in my arms.

A few moments later, we saw her old friend, the big squirrel who comes to our balcony for food, hiding in the tree, waiting for us to go back in. We come back in but sit at the edge of the bed, the closest spot to see the squirrel. The screen door closed so the little animal feels safe.

As the squirrel picks and eats the food we laid out for her, my 18-month-old had forgotten how hungry was that morning. Happy watching her favorite animals each morning.

_{^{Dry River Bed in Yosemite National Park, California | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

While the pandemic took away our freedom, it gave that freedom to the birds, squirrels, and other animals. While most of us humans were not happy to be stuck inside, I was happy.

Happy to see my 18-month-old grow in my arms, sit and play under the trees covering our two balconies, as I had imagined when she was growing inside me.

The pandemic gave us the once in a lifetime opportunity, to make memories with my firstborn in the house she was born in.

6 months later, she turned two, big enough to admire nature with all its colors and flavors. Pandemic fatigued, we planned a trip to the famous Yosemite national park for her birthday.

We drove up a day before her birthday. A city on the way is known for cattle rearing. We had to stop when she saw cows and yelled “MOO”. It was the first time she saw cows, not in books or TV.

_{^{Yosemite National Park, California | Photo credit: Japjeet Duggal}}

On her birthday, with the half dome in the background, she explored gigantic trees, small waterfalls, ran in the open land, admired new colors of nature, and more. It was cold and wet but she did not have a care in the world.

All she wanted to do was touch every big rock and run.

It was the perfect birthday gift for our nature baby.

Japjeet Duggal is a mother who lives with her husband and daughter in California. She shares a heartwarming and sweet nature story with us this week. You can follow Japjeet on instagram @japjeetduggal.

Sunday reads~ Hints O

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Living with nature in the Pandemic.

We’re gratified by the overwhelming support from our writers. To read the previous stories click here.”

Today, we share “Nature a perpetual healer” by Vijayalakshmi Abhishek. As the times get tougher, the stories interesting.

Nature a perpetual healer

By Vijayalakshmi Abhishek

_{^{Fall colors in a neighborhood in Bronx, New York | Photo credit: Vijayalakshmi Abhishek}}

The Year 2020 was an unprecedented year in the living memory of mordern history. As we approached closer to the New Year many people took to social media to express their reactions to the year that 2020 has been. I remember reading an article that gave the year two star rating, another stated how being in lockdown and not meeting other fellow beings was the hardest part of the Pandemic, and that they want to omit 2020 from their lives by every possible means.

As I read these stories I wondered as a matter of fact, 2020 did turn out to be a disaster in many of our lives but subsequently there’s been a lot of learning in these past few months that changed almost everything in our world.

In retrospect, as the world came to a halt, I took a long pause from the everyday rigmarole that we all were a part of. A fixed routine, unaltered plans and a long list of unaccomplished objectives.

_{^{Tulips blooming in a garden in Forest Hills, Queens, New York | Photo credit Vijayalakshmi Abhishek}}

In the beginning, like everyone else I too was between my phone, tablet, laptop, and television, some form of screen time was happening almost 24/7.

But then I paused and asked myself, is this the way the whole time is going to be? It was for sure not helping my family in anyway. Reading and watching coronavirus stories every day, was bringing nothing good into our lives.
Sleeping late at night and waking up late in the morning was making our lives more miserable until an incident altered my way of life.

One crisp fall morning my sleep was interrupted by the chirping of birds outside my window. I got out of bed and opened the window while rubbing my eyes. Though, the streets were empty a beautiful sun was about to rise.

Without much deliberation, I took my stole, put on my slippers, my mask and stepped outside the door. While standing in my front yard, the morning sun made me adore it. The sky was painted orange and crimson, golden rays of the sun were giving a bright colour to the clouds. This spectacular view was bracing my eyes. I kept on looking at the sky and thought why didn’t I appreciated this vision earlier. Watching that sunrise helped me see a light within myself. It was a feeling of peace within. As if nature mother was pouring a healing power and talking to me, saying in the end all will be well. In a trice, I realized I have been missing nature so much. Nature brings so much cheer, comfort, elation in our lives but as humans, we never take out time to appreciate the fact.

_{^{Pleasant drive on a rainy day in Monroe, New Jersey, New York | Photo credit: Vijayalakshmi Abhishek}}

In the Pandemic I realized that getting out into nature doesn’t have to be a big event, it doesn’t take much effort to unplug and head out into the great outdoor. So I started to go out for long listening walks with my son early in the morning.
The streets were deserted and I could hear the sounds maybe I never tried to listen before. It was surprising how much we were missing. Ever since my husband, son and I started going to the forest park in our neighborhood. The place has large number of dense vertical lush green trees. Going for walks in the forest park is so unwinding.

I can hear some friendly critters, wind in the leaves whispering, the cooing sounds of pegions. I can sit for hours under those dense shades and appreciate the beauty around. The calmness in nature helped me go within and appreciate the fact that we are so alive.

Undoubtedly, the year 2020 was a year full of uncertainties and unpredictablities
but I couldn’t deny the fact that the sudden pause in our world helped many of us to realize the value of our existence, the true value of nature and its winsomeness.

_{^{Evening clouds turn orange-yellow as the sun set’s at a subway station in Queens, New York | Photo credit: Vijayalakshmi Abhishek}}

When was the last time, we witnessed the clear skies, the gleaming moon or the glint of stars? There is a whole alluring world around us waiting to be unwind.

Vijayalakshmi Abhishek is a mother. She writes a compelling piece for us from Queens, New York. Follow her on instagram @vijayalakshmi_Abhishek.

For instant feeds follow us on instagram @hint_soflife.

Sunday rea

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Living with nature in the Pandemic.

We’re gratified by the overwhelming support from our writers. To read the previous stories click here.”

Today, we share “How I time traveled in 2020” by Anu Gogna. As the times get tougher, the stories interesting.

How I time traveled in 2020

By Anu Gogna

_{^{Pink bougainvillea glowing in the evening sun, Singapore| Photo credit: Anu Gogna}}

Would you believe me if I told you I time travel; and in 2020 when flying across the borders wasn’t possible, I traveled across time.

It isn’t impossible I figured, all you need is to trigger a connection with the past.

For me these triggers vary and can be a particular smell, a taste or even music. And if there is one thing that I valued even more in 2020 it was easy access to nature. Though, ironically in a way we had lost our freedom to even breathe in fresh air.

With fewer activities outdoors and more time spent indoors; it came as a refreshing change just to go out for a quick walk. Staying indoors all the time, it meant so much to explore, new parks and new paths.

_{^{A fallen Bush clockvine (Thunbergia erecta) at Garden by the Bay, Singapore | Photo credit: Anu Gogna}}

Wearing a mask did one thing good after all, I started to value every bit of fresh air I could get. In Singapore, the only possible way to breathe the fresh air without a mask was if you were jogging or running. I went out of my way for the first time and went for a few runs just to take off my mask and smell the dew in the woods.

It surprised me the first time as I felt a spiritual connection with nature. It wasn’t just me reaching out to nature and exploring the new and unknown; but nature connecting with me in ways and elements I had not known before to take me back in time. One day as I was walking, a whiff of air emerged right through my mask, my eyes brightened; and in a heartbeat my mind boarded a flight to the past. I slowed down and took a long, deep breath and that’s it, in a whirlwind, I was transported to my childhood. To a garden blooming with jasmine flowers, as I played hide and seek with the other kids.

_{^{Ornamental plant captured in the garden, Singapore | Photo credit: Anu Gogna}}

With nature I share a unique connection. Whether it’s the rustling of dry leaves in a breeze, or birds chirping perched on a tree, or the sound of insects waking at dusk. On my walks I’ll pick a flower fallen on the ground and keep it by my side all day long.

_{^{It’s a cotton field up there | Photo credit: Anu Gogna}}

Sometimes, I wish to store these fragrances in small bottles to be able to go back down memory lane whenever I desire. But that would mean losing touch with nature and the ability to travel back in time.

Anu Gogna is the author of ‘Kids are from Mercury’. Her ebook and paperback is available on Amazon. Follow her interesting and unique stories on Instagram and Twitter @anugogna. She blogs at anugognablog.wordpress.com.

Sunday reads~ Hints

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Living with nature in the Pandemic.

We’re gratified by the overwhelming support from our writers. To read the previous stories click here.”

Today, we share “Kalvarayan Hills, Tamil Nadu” by Taarak Parasher. As the times get tougher, the stories interesting.

Kalvarayan Hills, Tamil Nadu

By Taarak Parasher

_{^{A view of Kalvarayan Hills in Kalakuruchi district, Tamil Nadu | Photo credit: Taarak Parasher}}

Away from the hustle and bustle of life in Pondicherry, a town on India’s southeastern coast, lies a hidden gem that belongs only to us friends. Year after year we’ve escaped to this campsite by the picturesque Gomukhi river in the jungles of the Kalvarayan Hills in neighboring Tamil Nadu state. The lesser known campsite is known only to some of us, and we’ve tried to keep it that way. It’s our home away from home. A river and a green cover is all it has and that is all we need!

A long year, 2020 had its moments too. As the lockdown kept us under our roofs, the joy of the long-awaited escape was unparalleled. This escape to the wilderness came a month after the lockdown was lifted. It didn’t take me long to assemble the participants and all that was needed for the trip; food and essentials.

The ride to the hills from Pondicherry is about three hours. Bikes have their own charm and it added to the joy as the highways that are otherwise choked with traffic were relatively empty. We zig-zagged through the slow-moving traffic, eager as we were to reach the wild. We reached the Gomuki Dam that is fed by the Gomukhi river that we camp by. From here we made our way to the last village at the edge of the forest, parking our bikes and continuing ahead on foot with our backpacks. It would be another half-hour before we reached the campsite.

_{^{An expansive view of Kalvarayan Hills Forests | Photo credit: Taarak Parasher}}

Celebrating the moment as if it were the greatest escape in human history, a calm came over us. Not a soul was in sight. We walked in silence, whispering occasionally to each other to watch a step or listen to a bird’s call. The madness began when we started to cross the river. The river isn’t deep, but its flow is swift. It is here that we grew louder shouting to each other where to cross and where to step, while making our way to the opposite bank. Less a worry than someone taking an accidental dip is the risk of losing the food that we’re carrying. No one wants to sleep hungry, right?

Out of the river, an hour later, we rushed to collect wood as the darkness was creeping in. No fire means no food. Everyone rushed to get their task completed. One made the fire, another fetched water from the river for cooking, two others put the tents up and arranged the stocks of food and belongings. The lazy ones yawned and asked the hard working ones to hurry up.

_{^{Jungle stream enroute to our campsite | Photo credit: Taarak Parasher}}

As the night fell, the jungle fell silent. We sat huddled around the fire with headlamps lit to check what was cooking. On the menu was Khichdi, the most amazing and underrated dish in an Indian household, rice and lentils with loads of pickle.

It wasn’t long until we wiped our dishes clean. No one said a word while we ate like buffoons. It was now time to admire the heavens above us. A shooting star went past, then satellites. Two friends were in deep conversation about how life began. The other two argued about a constellation that shone right above us. A lone cloud floated across, and I wondered if it would rain.

As the night grew darker, we began to see fireflies. It was a sight to behold. The stars were above us and around us, twinkling and shining brighter as the time went by. We didn’t know when we fell asleep, but it was the sweetest sleep under the stars.

_{^{Rocks and the riverbed at Kalvarayan Hills Forests | Photo credit: Taarak Parasher}}

Taarak Parasher is the Founder & Partner at Roads & Journeys, and he’s always on the move. Taarak always wanted to start a company which encouraged promoting the outdoors to the young ones because he believes nature has an answer to everything. He wants every child to take up at least one adventure sport as a hobby. Whether you want to scale the mountains or swim in the Indian Ocean, plan your next adventure with Taarak at www.roadsandjourneys.com. Following him on instagram @roadsandjourneys.

Hints Of Life Guest Columns

Sunday reads

Living with nature in the Pandemic.

We’re gratified by the overwhelming support from our writers.

Today, we share “These Soft Winds” by Sugand Swani. As the times get tougher, the stories interesting.

These Soft Winds

By Sugandh Swani

_{^{These soft winds | Photo credit: Sugandh Swani}}

Every night, as I walk up to the roof,
To reflect on the long day that was,
There blow these soft winds that join,
My tête-à-tête with the sheeny stars.

They sit patient on brawny branches of the trees,
As I raise questions and express my desires,
Listening to the silent words the eyes utter,
In a passage of smoke from the heart’s fires.

And then they prepare the leaves to reply,
On behalf of the stars and the moon,
As they twist and turn and gently quake,
Almost playing piano as they swoon.

For I hear tender music as the winds blow,
The tunes that tie some knots between
My soul and the soul of the soft subtle nights,
Whispering the answers to those wishes, and dreams.

Sugandh Swani is a Public Relations professional and a poet at heart. To follow her poetic endeavor follow @sugandhswani on instagram and twitter.

Share your heartfelt nature story at heartfeltnaturetales@hintsof.life.

Sunday reads

How Exciting, coming early to NYC. Are you ready to grace Spring’s bliss?

Good News

Don’t Miss the New Article on the Blog

The Spring Song

Sunday reads

Hints Of Life Guest Columns: Long calming winter nights!

Sunday reads

Are you ready for fall NYC?

Hints Of Life Guest Columns: When is the best time to see fall foliage in New York?

Central Park

Highbridge Park

Inwood Hill Park

Brooklyn

Fort Greene Park

Owl’s Head Park

Prospect Park

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Last summer days- a time for self-nurturing and self-cultivation

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August: the summer’s last stand

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World Conservation day, July 28, 2021

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***Last summer days- a time for self-nurturing and* *self-cultivation***