Rain Raven

Week 34	August 18, 2014	August 24, 2014

1.     Preamble:

The monsoon rainy season continues despite the fact that it did not rain the entire week except at the fag end, on last Friday night. We could smell rain in the air on the preceding evening and hear in the distance thunder rumbling, moving closer and closer accompanied by lightening arcs across the sky before the rain storm accompanied with the howling wind struck. It did rain for a good couple of hours. The air became fresh and clean once again. The temperature plummeted to mid twenties from mid thirties and regardless of the post rain high humidity, it was easy to breath before and just after rising of the Sun. The chirping and singing of many a birds early in the morning foretold a happy day ahead.

We have radar, sonar, thermometers, barometers, so us humans know what the weather will be like hours or even days ahead. Other animals and plants do not have instruments to help them predict the weather. Yet they seem to know. If we watch them we can have a confirmation to the effect too. Among the plants, the Texas Sage or barometer bush as well as the Rain Raven as it is also called can sometimes predict rain better than our meteorologists. When it begins to produce an abundance of purple flowers, watch out—rain is on the way. We have a couple of these bushes at the farm and have been witnessing their blushes from time to time all through this entire monsoon season. We will talk about the Texas Sage besides also the heavenly Hibiscus the summer's late-blooming sensation and the Tuberoses, which too have lately arrived on our farmhouse scene. The Bitter Gourd Vine these days is full of yellow flowers and the vegetable fruit that it is bearing. In addition one of our Guava Tree too is in fruiting season and we can not resist talking about it too. But first and foremost the Rain Raven. 

2.     Flowering Trees/Shrubs:

2.1.  Texas Sage: Rain Raven or Barometer Bush:

The Texas Sage or Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens) as it is sometimes called, is a great south and central Texas native shrub. The sage has many varieties offering evergreen foliage in shades of gray to green and blooms in hues of pink, lavender or white. The sage, of which we have a couple of plants at our farm is the one which gives out blushes of lavender flowers. It is called the ‘Silverado’ Texas Sage. It has a dense, rounded growth habit. It's bloom cycles follow summer rainstorms.

We have one in front of our front window facing west and the other in front of a bedroom window facing south. We keep pruning them at regular intervals to keep them in the shape of a tree.

Read more at:

http://pk.search.yahoo.com/search?p=Texas+Sage+Silverado&fr=ipad

http://plant-shed.com/beat-the-heat-with-texas-sage/

http://pk.search.yahoo.com/search?p=Texas+Sage+Desperado&fr=ipad

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucophyllum

http://shoreacres.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/trusting-the-barometer-bush/

2.2.   Heavenly Hibiscus: Summer’s Late-Blooming Sensation:

In addition to Texas Sage, one other shrub, which is in bloom these days at our farm is Hibiscus. Hibiscus is a large shrubs or small trees that produce colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers late in summer  

It is a deciduous shrubs with dark green leaves; the plants can grow to 15 feet tall. Flowers may be up to 6 inches diameter, with colors ranging from yellow to peach to red. 

Talking of Hibiscus, I all of a sudden remember and reminisce about my days in Denmark back in 1974-75. I was there for a stint of one year with the Danish Atomic Energy Research Establishment RISO at Roskilde. At the RISO Guest House. we were many a foreigners from several countries but quite a few from Egypt, with whom I had developed close friendship. Together, we used to go to Copenhagen besides other places of interest. One especial place that we used to frequent was the apartment of Dr Hafiz Higgy, who was an Egyptian scientist of considerable standing (He later rose to the position of the Chairman, Egyptian Atomic Energy Commission). Since Dr Higgy had a family, accompanying him, he preferred to live in the city of Roskilde rather than the RISO Guest House. I remember when ever we went to the apartment of Dr Higgy, his very kind wife, whom we all addressed as Madam used first to serve us with a maroon colour cold beverage, which had a nice tangy taste to it. I then learned,  it was the preferred Egyptian drink called Karkady made from  dried, dark red petals of the Hibiscus flower. Many years later when I went to Cairo to attend an international conference in 2002, I had a rendezvous with the family of Dr Higgy who looked after me and had me invited to their place for a very sumptuous lunch. Of course at that occasion too the Karkady was served as a starter, which took us back to the sweet memories of our days together in Denmark. On my return, I did not forget to bring back a packet of the famous Karkady from Luxor, (Egypt), which was grately liked by the entire household of ours.

Read more at:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus

http://www.bhg.com/common/profile/regStep1.jsp?regSource=9438&returnURL=http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plant-dictionary/perennial/hibiscus/

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_tea

3.     Vegetable of Season:

The vegetable of season currently is none other than the Bitter Gourd, which we are harvesting in abundance these days. Taxila, where our farm is situated is renowned for good quality Karela or Kareli,  which the bitter gourd is known as locally. It is planted by more or less every other grower in the vicinity. Every day in the morning we can see Suzuki vans loaded and packed to capacity with this vegetable leaving for the vegetable market in Islamabad/Rawalpindi. Besides, Lychee, Oranges and Garlic, it is another cash crop of this area. For the last couple of years, it is being exported  directly from the farms to the Middle East, where it is in great demand. We have talked about it earlier too and will suffice with exhibiting only the pictures of our produce at this time hereunder:

4.     Fruit of Season: 

4.1.  Guava:

In addition to other fruit trees, we have a couple of Guava trees at our farm as well. It is an evergreen, tropical tree. Different cultivars are grown all over the world which, vary widely in flavor, pulp color, and seediness. The best quality Guava is grown and cultivated in Malir (Karachi) and Larkana (Sind). The fruit is soft when ripe with sweet musky aroma and creamy in texture. Internally, the flesh varies in color depending up on the cultivar and may be white, pink, yellow, or red. Ripe fruits have rich flavor with sweet-tart taste. Each fruit contains numerous tiny, semi-hard edible seeds, concentrated especially at its center.

In the Taxila/Khanpur area where our farm is situated, the Guava is of the same cultivar that is grown and cultivated in the Punjab. During each season, the trees at our farm bear numerous round-shaped fruit. Following are some pictures of the Guava harvest of our farm. We will keep harvesting the fruit for a few weeks yet.

Before we wind up and close for the week, it is nice to say adieu with a bunch of Tuberoses which too are in bloom and about which we sure will talk next week when we will also celebrate the birthday of Taha, our youngest son, in these pages.

Godspeed Every body.

Clouds, Rains and Rolling Darkness

Week 33	August 11, 2014	August 17, 2014

1.     Preamble:

Our farmhouse has rolling hills at its rear in the north and north east. Besides, the landmass has gentle but distinct slope towards south and south west. This, often leads to flash floods following torrential monsoon rains. As one can understand, it is inherently dangerous for the live stock and inhabitants of the area alike besides the damage they do to the standing crop. Only last week such a situation did arise when following heavy rains early in the morning two water buffaloes in the vicinity of our farmhouse were swept by an exceptionally violent and ferocious torrent rushing down the hills. 

The weather changes particularly if they last an extended period can potentially affect agriculture, live stock, human beings as well as the farm life. We may accordingly start this blog with a brief discussion on the prevailing weather situation as usual. The monsoon season, which lasts from mid July to the end of August in and around Islamabad, continues undiminished. The season, as we studied in school, comes about due to a shift in wind directions. Throughout most of the year, in areas affected by monsoon, winds blow in the direction from the land to the ocean, keeping the air dry. However, in certain months (mid July to end August) the wind starts blowing from ocean to the land, bringing in excessive rains.The monsoons of South Asia are the most famous, but they also occur in North America, Africa and South America. Here we might have a look as to how it affects the landscape around our farmhouse!

The mist hangs low from the grey cloudy skies. Dark clouds amass draping a fog or mist over the hills. In the first picture above, the weak sun is rising from behind the hills barely showing the silhouette of our farmhouse, in the rolling darkness under the cloud cover. In the second picture one can identify the farmhouse behind the sentinel Junipers and the grass savannahs around. Both these pictures reflect the ambience of our farmhouse at different times of a day during the current monsoon season. The dramatic green growth has completely obscured the farmhouse. This is particularly evident if one compares the above two photographs with earlier photographs taken last winter. 

2.     Summer Flowering Trees and Shrubs:
2.1.  Lagerstroemia:

In the edition, dated 29 June (week: 26) of this blog, the flowering plant talked about was Lagerstroemia (Crape Myrtles). There, we introduced the Double Violet Lagerstroemia in early bloom. The Lagerstremia flowers of other colours were yet to bloom. During the current monsoon season, they all are profusely flowering. Among them besides the Violet are: White, Pink, red and purple:

Read More at:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia

3.     Fruits of Season:

3.1.  Pear:

We planted six plants of Pear two years earlier. Out of those only two survived. One of them has produced a solitary fruit this year. Both the surviving plants are healthy and doing well. We may therefore hope to gradually have more and more  pears from these two in the years to come. 

Recent studies have shown that the skin of pears contains at least three to four times as many phenolic phytonutrients as the flesh. These phytonutrients include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory flavonoids, and potentially anti-cancer phytonutrients like cinnamic acids. The skin of the pear has also been show to contain about half of the pear's total dietary fiber. All pears contain flavonoids. Intake of which can decrease risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Read More at:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pear

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=28

3.2.  Quince:

Along with Pear we had also planted a couple of Quince trees. Only one of the two however survived. It too has bore fruit this year.  Although we are familiar with pear, quince is not however well known in this part of the world. This fruit cannot be eaten like pear or apple but need to be baked or frozen to eliminate their acidity. Once ripened, the yellowish fruit still has a hard exterior. If one is not using them immediately, cooking guides recommend storing them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. The core of the quince is very hard. 

Though the interior of the quince is white when raw, cooking will turn it a deep red. Like apples, this fruit contains a lot of  pectin so it is frequently used for jams and jellies. 

Read More at:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-quince.htm

4.     Book Review:
4.1.  Before Memory Fades: Emergence of Pakistan as Nuclear Power

This blog relates in general to the life at our farmhouse. Every thing at the farm including plants, flowers, vegetables, fruits and birds, pet or wild inspire us. We take deep interest in them. These all together form the kit of our (Anjum's and mine) survival here. One of our essential occupation and pastime is also reading books. During our once a fortnight visit to the Islamabad Club Library last week, I noticed a book, which caught my fancy. It was the memoir of the Ambassador Mian Abdul Waheed. As the memoir made special reference to the work of the Ambassador in furthering the cause of Nuclear Power for our country with a foreword by none other than Abdul Qadeer Khan, I got it issued in my name forthwith.

I am quite aware and appreciative of the fact that it is not at all the proper forum to review a book but this book kept me occupied for most of the last week. I accordingly can not help but talk about it a bit. If I publish the following comments, these might politicise the subject to my dislike. We read very good books as also good books, which often are a source of inspiration to us. I am afraid this book belonged to neither of the two.

Mr Abdul Waheed was our Ambassador to Italy and Germany during the rule of President Zia ul Haq.  He originally belonged to the police service but got himself transferred to the foreign service to, shall I say our misfortune! I do not  know him personally nor have I ever met him. I have never been introduced to his person in absentia either. I wish however he had not written the book, for in all his naivety he succeeded only in portraying himself as an incompetent diplomat without any consideration or sense of responsibility that was entrusted to him by the State. In spite of having been provided intensive training both within the country and abroad he unfortunately never attained the ability of the stature that some of his colleagues, are or were known for. It is regretful that barring a very few, he doesn't seem to have kind words for any of them. To my horror, he was also the Chairman Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs National Assembly of Pakistan.

According to my knowledge Pakistan never admitted, it was officially involved at any level in the transfer /smuggling of material(s) and components related to its nuclear programme from abroad. The ambassador goes out of his way to claim his involvement and at that with a lot of relish, deriving credit for the smuggling of special steel and magnets besides many other components in that connection.  While doing so, he goes to the extent of disclosing that he was posted as ambassador to Germany at the behest of none other than the President of Pakistan (Zia ul Haq) himself for the sole purpose to attain that objective. This tantamount to bringing the dead horse to life again and therefore besides his own disrepute (of which he is altogether unaware) also embarrassing the Government of Pakistan. It is quite clear that he got the foreword of his book signed by Mr Abdul Qadeer Khan without the scientist reading it. The Ambassador doesn't seem to have any idea as to what the nuclear programme was all about? He only used it for gaining cheap attention.

He claims that in spite of being closely related to both the President and the First Lady, he never took an undue advantage or favours from the coveted relationships but he does admit that he requested the President to appoint him the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs to which the President statedly acceded to but asked him first to get himself elected (or shall we say nominated) to the Parliament. He did succeed in doing so but fortunately for the country his benefactor perished in the tragic air accident. One can conclude from his own statements that he was unfair to his colleagues, some of them extremely respectable diplomats of their times. Quite regretfully he backbited on them by filling the ears of the President against them. I wonder if it was not the misuse of his close relationship with the President? 

It is amusing that the ambassador never failed to mention his tête-à-tête and pleasant talk with the sales girls of department stores, where ever he went. It is interesting that all those sales girls found him charming and handsome. At one stage I was appalled at him seeking suggestions from his landlady as to where he needed to go to see striptease in Paris! What an indignity! He doesn't mention  or talks about diplomatic skills if he possessed any. Had he not written these memoirs, we would never have learned why our missions abroad are so callous and are such a miserable failure as to provide any solace and remedial measures to our countrymen besides failing completely in projecting the name of our country and safeguarding its reputation. 

The memoirs in question disappointed me no ends. I feel regretful to have seen and read them. Those succeeded only in bringing remorse to me, at the misfortune of our beloved country. God bless our country! 

Our Savannah Land

Week 32	August 4, 2014	August 10, 2014

1.     Foreword:

Rainy season continues unabated. In addition to the previous week, there was continuous heavy downpour in the current week as well. It is very pleasant if sun doesn't come out and there is a light breeze too. However, if sun shows after the rains which usually is the case and there is no breeze either then one perspires uncontrollably on account of rise in humidity level. There is immense grass all around, both the miniature and giant type, giving the area around our farmhouse a Savannah like look.



The grass blades can be thick, needle thin, stiff or flowing. Right after the sun rise people riding their bicycles and armed with their sickles come in hordes to the Wakefield Gardens Farms to cut and fetch the grass for their live stock. Sometime they would come bringing in their horse driven carts for taking the cut grass away but mostly they would make do it on the back carriers of their bicycles. It is quite a sight to see them trying to paddle their heavily laden bicycles often with very considerable effort. The rainy season is a great boon for every one as virtually each household in the nearby villages (Pind Gakhra, Sultanpur and Usman Khatter) has at least one water buffalo or a cow, which produces rich, white heavenly milk for the household. As the fodder is in abundance and freely available too the milk gets measurably (a single buffalo can fetch upto 16 Kg of milk per day) enhanced. It is a source of earning as well as substantial quantities can be spared from the use of a household.

Our yard had remained submerged after heavy rains of the last week. It got inundated further after the downpour of the last three days. The out growth is dense. We don't enter the pulpy  area as our feet can easily sink deep into the muddy soil and then there is a danger of snakes too, which come out of their hideouts in this humid weather. Although we will talk about the fruits and vegetables in the making, there may still be not much to discuss. We may therefore continue looking at the greens and may also search new topics to keep the interest alive. Starting the current week, we will take up a new talking point: "The Family Event (s)" allowing us to celebrate the birthdays and anniversaries of our loved ones as they come along, in the truest traditions of our family.

2.     Ever Green Non Flowering Trees/Shrubs:

2.1.  Junipers:

Junipers are coniferous plants belonging to the Cypress or Cedar family. They have two types of leaves: young, or juvenile and adult. Young leaves are like needles and adult leaves are like scales. At our farm, we have two types of Juniper trees. The Type:1 is Skyrocket Juniper. It has a tall and extremely narrow, columnar growth habit with striking silvery blue foliage. The leaves are up right. There are number of these along the right boundary wall as one enters the main gate. These give the driveway a stately look. The other type is of pyramid shape, with slightly different flat leaves structure. The leaves of this Juniper are pale yellow in colour. All Junipers have berry like fruit, which is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance.

Read more at:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper

3.     Fruits of Season:

3.1.  First Look at the Oranges:

Although the season of citrus fruits e.g., Khanpur Oranges, Grape Fruit, Fruiter  and Kinoo is still at least 3-4 months ahead, we can see them enlarging and growing in size. Here we can have our first look at them. We will keep visiting them from time to time until they turn golden yellow, ready to be picked.

4.     Vegetables of Season:

4.1.   Bitter Gourd:

The bitter gourd is known as “Karela” in urdu. Besides bitter gourd, it is also called biter melon and bitter squash in english.They are dark or light green in colour depending on the region where they are 

grown. Though they taste very bitter, they are filled with many beneficial antioxidants and essential vitamins. In our blog post dated June 21, we said we were about to have our first harvest of bitter gourd but then it became so hot that all that got stunted and died up in-situ and we never had the pleasure of enjoying the bitter vegetable that it is. Now in the midst of monsoon season and high humidity that persists without any break, the bitter gourd vine seem to have magically revived with plenty of flowering and fruit large and small hanging from the trellis.

Read more at:

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-bitter-melonbitter-gourd/

5.    Family Event (s):
5.1  Hiba's Birthday: Saturday, August 9

Ever adorable, Hiba is one of our many very sweet and lovely grand daughters. Coincidentally She is the second child of our second son Omar and second daughter in-law Sadaf.  She was born in Karachi in 2003 but spent her early childhood that included crawling, babbling, standing on her feet and the phase of learning to walk unaided besides starting to utter a few syllables of words with us when we lived in Fizaia and subsequently in Falcon Complex, Rawalpindi. From the very beginning she appeared to be on her own. Before starting to walk, she would crouch on the floor and in that posture she would crawl fast where ever she wished to move. She started taking her meals using a spoon from the very early days and even before she could standup and walk. She started going to school when still with us but immediately thereafter Omar was posted out to Chunian Cantonment and later to Shorekot Air Base and then to the Faisal Airbase, Karachi. She accordingly has been attending schools belonging altogether to very different and varied environment and cultural setups. This has helped in building up a personality of her own. Unlike many a girls of her age, she takes good care of herself and would appear to be on the ready right from the first thing in the morning. She's attentive and very caring indeed. As in the picture above, she is always smiling. I have never seen her brooding or agitating about any matter! Her Dadi often reflects, oh! Hiba, she's so loving! In the following picture taken at our farmhouse, this Eid, Hiba occupies centre stage with her siblings and parents.

Hiba has grown into an amicably mannered and well disciplined young girl. Away from us now for over 6-7 years, she goes to the Army Public Schol in Karachi and has recently been promoted to class sixth. As her elder brother Hamza, she too is a high scoring child masha Allah. She invariably scores more than 95% marks on the aggregate but would fail to secure first position in her class. What a pity! we all would say and she will quietly smile before slipping away! She's a great help to Sadaf both in the kitchen and looking after other chores in the house including taking care of her baby brother Yahya when she's at home. Her greatest fan is her cousin younger sister Inaya, who calls her Ba'a. Her Dadi lovingly addresses her 'Meri Hiboo' or just Hibbs.

Hiba is one child about whom I can say, she insha Allah would turn into a graceful lady. She would make her name and will become famous in the profession she will choose for herself. A true torch bearer of the house of Iqbals. This surely is also my prayer for her.

Happy birthday Hiba!

Butterflies Galore and Festive Eid

Week 31	July 28, 2014	August 3, 2014

1.    Foreword:

Never before seen so many butterflies at the farm! They seem to have sprung up all of a sudden this rainy season! Baffling to see them in so many different sizes, colour patterns and hues! Only other time I remember seeing them in such large numbers was in my childhood when I had just started going to school (Birla High) in Okara (a small town of that time near Lahore) where Abba worked as    medical officer in Sutlej Cotton Mills (since long been sold out and taken apart!). Seeing them fluttering over flowers, I used to run after them in an effort to catch them, while returning from school. Now I can not do that but the joy I used to derive then is still the same today!

Okara of my childhood and Taxila where we have our farmhouse both happen to be rural green, with perhaps similar conditions of temperature and humidity in summer. That might be the reason behind the 'Butterflies Galore'', we witness and which the city dwellers might not appreciate or aware of! I, however can only sympathies with them!

2.     Eid Reunion at the Farmhouse:

Thanks to a great improvement in weather and unusually long Eid holidays, the farmhouse was bustling with life this past week. The families of all our sons: Hasan, Omar and Saad except Taha the youngest (lives in Toronto) joined us from Lahore, Karachi and Pindi respectively making it one of the most enjoyable of Eids, we had for several years! Apart from the Eid feast, there was a barbecue evening but the biggest bonanza of all was the fact that all our grand children having over a period of time come of age joined their being at the farmhouse to make the most of it. Games they played both outside and indoors with essential quarrelling but mostly joining in making themselves happy was a pleasing sight day after day and an enviable previlege of ours!

2.1.   In Pictures:

3.     Ever Green Non Flowering Trees:

3.1.  Araucaria heterophylla Norfolk Island Pine:

Soon to be one of the most majestic trees of our garden is the Araucaria heterophylla Norfolk Island Pine, which is located on the left hand side of the entrance to our grassy lawn. "It has a pyramidal outline of whorled, horizontal branches, widely spaced, in formal ascending order to its crown. The dark green leaves (needles) are awl-shaped, covering all sides of the branches, changing their shape slightly in the upper branches as the tree ages. The bark is grey and rough. 'Heterophylla' (variable leaves) describes the variation in the leaves from youth to adulthood."

"It is One of the most familiar tree silhouettes in the world. It is a member of the Araucaria family that has been dated from the Jurassic period, 200 million years ago. Araucaria species have prehistoric connections to the pine family when all of the continents were one single land mass. Captain Cook discovered tiny Norfolk Island on his second voyage to the South Pacific. Eight hundred miles due east of Australia. Norfolk Island Pine is also popular as a Christmas tree, or as an exotic houseplant of ancient lineage that survives with little watering."

Read more at:

http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/garden/bloom_10_05.shtml 

4.     Wildlife at the Farm:

Among the wild life at the farm, there are Brown Rabbits, Partridges, Many a kind of Reptiles and a large varieties of Birds, not commonly seen in urban areas. Among the most noticeable are the Grey 

Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus, described below:

4.1.  Grey Francolin:

Francolin or more precisely the Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus is a species of partridge seen and heard in abundance at the farm during winter, which is their mating season as also after harvesting of wheat, when the hatched chicks are seen briskly following their parents all over the place. Their local name is Teetar, which is based on their calls, a loud and repeated Ka-tee-tar - tee-tar which is produced by one or more birds. The term teetar however may also refer to other partridges and quails. They move fast and in spite of some effort, I have not been able to take a presentable picture of them. To make them identifiable by the reader, borrowed pictures (from reference cited below) have accordingly been included in this blog.

Read more at:

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Francolin