Enthralling Trails

  “If I had a flower for every time I thought of you…I could walk through my garden forever.”― Alfred Tennyson It was a typical year-end evening. A King Cobra snake emerged from behind the hedge and attempted to cross the street. This snake was not fully grown and was short in length.  It would raise its hood and curl its body when it threw itself across the road, it would then fall at a distance, and later it would glide even further. We were transfixed by the raised hood, flickering tongue, and startled eyes. We were also awestruck by its vibrant energy and intelligence. The determination was so strong that it reached the opposite side of the street though the traffic was at its peak and disappeared in the hedges. Along that roadside, there were vegetable vendors selling vegetables from carts. Upon seeing the King Cobra, these carts were left aside, they rushed forward to save themselves, anticipating the climax of seeing the Cobra land on their vegetables. After the sn...

  “Glittering tinsel, lights, glass balls, and candy canes dangle from pine trees.”― Richelle E. Goodrich, My daily walk through the man-made forest is full of mysteries, reminding me of fairy tales and unique secrets. As I was walking through the forest one morning, I picked up a leaf from the Christmas tree. That was not a common Christmas tree, it was a Leyland Cypress plant. There are cypresses throughout the forest, so this was a common plant in the area. As soon as I brought it home, I planted the leaf and its axillary bud in a long flat pot. Then, I watered it thoroughly. It grew in the friendly space of the money plant and hibiscus which were swift in their growth. While the leaf remained green, I did not see much growth. The soft branches of the money plant almost covered the leaf, while the hibiscus plant stood two feet high. Just when I was about to give up, I saw a tiny twig growing from the leaf. The leaf had finally begun growing. After that, it never stopped growing,...