“Delight in Disorder” — When I planted my small herb garden, I put wooden partitions between my five herbs. “And don’t think outside your box,” I told them. The Chives and Thyme took note and kept well within their boxes. The Rosemary grew tall and wide but didn’t stray outside its home. As always…

Ornamental or Culinary — I love you all — Shortly after I began gardening, I walked into a friend’s kitchen — and into a cloud of floral fragrance. I find bottled floral perfumes overpoweringly sweet. But when a flower gives off that fragrance — whether honeysuckle, gardenia, or jasmine — I love it. My friend pointed to a bunch…

A half-hour before I set out for my board exams, I began feeling nauseous. I became fearful of missing the exam. Mom was at work. Dad was home that day. We didn’t have nausea medication at home, and the pharmacies were closed. Suddenly, Dad remembered his mother’s remedy. …

Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle — Awww… we’re still friends, I promise. I had backed out almost to the end of my driveway when my cousin said, “Stop! Stop the car.” She was riding with me. I braked. “What’s the matter?” “You have ducks in your front yard!” I looked out the window. “Oh yeah… the Muscovies. They come by sometimes.” “They’re…

“Color is descriptive. Black and white is interpretive.” — Eliott Erwitt — The lead photo of the sun sparking through the leaves dazzles my eyes and makes me blink. I don’t know if it’s the contrast or the power of auto-suggestion. “Happiness is a duckling.” Or three.

Sing to the tune of “Give Peace a Chance” — (Two, one-two-three-four!) Ev’rybody’s talking ‘bout Racism, fascism, Nazism, supremism, nut-jobism, nativism This-ism, that-ism, oh and what-about-ism All we’re saying is give guns a chance All we’re saying is give guns a chance (Hit it…) C’mon, ev’rybody’s talking ‘bout Buffalo, Uvalde, and Tulsa in OK Kiddies and funerals, cry-cry, no dry eyes, And bye-bye bye-byes. All…

We were getting ready to go to my niece’s baby shower. My daughter had come over with her family to attend the event. The dress code wasn’t specified but we were wearing Indian clothes. I had finished draping my sari when I heard the commotion from my daughter’s room. My…

Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle — Palm Tinted With “Happy Color” Henna Henna — a.k.a. Mehendi — is sometimes called “Khush-Rung,” which translates as “Happy-Color.” In the Middle East, Pakistan, and some parts of Africa and India, henna is integral to happy occasions such as weddings, religious functions, and traditional celebrations. Most Indian weddings are at least two-day affairs. The festivities kick…