Blogging Pains

I really like this blogging stuff except for one thing - uploading pictures can sometimes be a royal pain. Sometimes 3 will load easily and the 4th will hang up and never go. Not if I rename it, make it smaller, or do any of a dozen things I've tried. Sometimes some oddball thing will work, but never consistently, so I have no idea why. K suggested getting a Flickr account and referring to URLs. Does anyone have a more direct solution, just working through Blogger?

Pix From India - The Wedding (finally)

You can review Aunt Sharon’s story about the wedding by going to previous posts. Look at the blog archive on the right side of this page, you’ll need to go to February, and click on a promising title.

This story is from Bob’s version of the wedding. Keep in mind he’s 22 and probably doesn’t know the significance of our own tradition of “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” I don’t think I know that, either. Do you? (I'm sure Wendy and Gwynessa do.)

Sharon and Bob, dressed for the wedding.


In the U.S. we have one guy who does the ceremony stuff. In India there are so many traditions and ceremonies, it takes a lot of wedding guys to do it all. Here are the wedding guys with all the stuff they need.


Here comes the groom. Aparna gets her brother Vasu ready for the traditional ceremonies.


The wedding guys work with Vasu and his family.


Here comes the bride carrying a green coconut. She's with her family. When she gets to the platform, the wedding guys have some ceremonies for them.


Some of the traditions involve putting things in the bride and groom’s hair. After this part, they go take a shower and change clothes. (It’s no problem, everyone else is eating and partying.)


Here comes the bride again. She's in front, in different clothes.


Then the wedding guys work with both the bride and groom.


Are we married yet?


Yep, but now they have to pose for a bunch of pictures.


Krishna, Sharon, Vasu, Anu, Callie


Best wishes from all of us to Vasu and Anu!

Before the Wedding - Shopping for Clothes

Yesterday I got a catalog in the mail. There were a few things in it that appealed to me, but I hated the choice of colors. It seems someone has decided that there are 4 acceptable colors for the spring season, and that's it. Well, what if I don't want pistachio, guava, pool blue, or black? I guess I could go to India. These photos, mostly taken by Callie, show the gals on a shopping trip to buy outfits to wear to the wedding. There are delicious choices of fabric and colors.

I think it's ironic that many of the clothes we buy are probably made in India or other countries where folks have more variety than we do.

Leaving for a day of shopping in Chennai.



Sharon and Aparna in the sari (saree?) shop.



Trying on a beautiful piece.



At the tailor shop.



Now for a scarf. More beautiful colors.



Sharon picks one she likes.



At the jewelry store.



The happy shoppers at the end of the day.


I can't wait to see these purchases in person, can you? I'm wondering where Sharon, Libby, and Patty are going to wear this stuff in Amador County, though. Callie lives in the Bay Area - no problem.

Special Requests

I interrupt the story process tonight to answer two questions.

First, is there a picture of Sharon with the Amador Ledger?
Yes.


Second, did Bob have fun on the trip?
Of course.

Marwari Horses

A couple of the pictures from India showed cart horses, I posted one and made a comment about its ears.

These are Marwari horses, a breed that is indigenous to the Rajasthan area. They are light saddle horses (and are also obviously driven) that are similar to Anglo-Arabs. Their most unusual feature is long, narrow, graceful ears that curl at the tips.

Here is a web site to check out:
www.horsemarwari.com

Jack Kinkade raises Tennessee Walking Horses and loves a horse with expressive ears. I think he'd have fun with a Marwari.

India Pix - Before the Wedding

The reason for the trip to India was to attend the wedding of Krishna's brother Vasu and his bride Anu. The wedding took place over a period of several days and involved many ceremonies and traditions and lots of eating. Bob said one good thing about an Indian wedding is that you can sit and watch when you want to, or get up and go talk to other people, or eat while the events are going on. You don't have to just sit still.


The groom, Vasu, and brother Krishna.


What are Bob and Aunt Sharon watching?


The bride, Anu, is having her arms painted in henna.


The henna masterpiece is finished! Somewhere in the design is the groom's name.


All of the adult family members got to bless the groom and put rice in his hair. Sort of like the married couple smearing each other in wedding cake, except everyone gets to participate.


All of this produced a well-blessed groom with messy hair.

Pix From India - Modes of Transportation

Here is a look at some of the transportation choices in India. I think these photos were mostly taken on the road to the Taj Mahal. There are a lot more choices available in India than we have here. It probably works because they're better drivers. It might be nice to have a camel or horse cart to drive down the side of Hwy 50 at rush hour. It might be faster.

Basic, reliable transportation.


A close-up of the engine. No emissions control.


If a camel isn't your style, maybe you'd prefer a truck. No emissions control on this, either.


Another "homemade" truck. Not much bodywork to maintain, easy to get to the engine. Is that a chugger motor, Uncle Jim?


One nice thing about the homemade trucks is they can haul a buttload of passengers.


Sort of looks like downtown Sloughhouse.


Environmentally superior method.


Obviously not AAA-approved.


Several ways to get around, including walking.


Here's the preferred transportation for all you trail riders. I think Jack Kinkade would buy this horse in a minute - look at those pretty, hooked ears!


This looks like a way to get labeled "tourist."


Which mode did our travelers choose? None of the above. They went in style, in a comfortable car with a good driver. Or wait! Maybe that's Britney Spears and her bodyguard? No, the glasses might be the same, but Callie definitely has better hair and better taste in clothing. And that doesn't look like much of a bodyguard.

India Pix - Staying With Krishna's Family

The travelers stayed for over a week in Chennai at the home of Krishna's father, Sahadev. Bob says there were several other wedding goers staying there also, so there was always someone to talk to.


Krishna and his dad


A conversation on the steps.


Ramana, Aparna and Krishna. Ramana is Aparna's husband. Aparna is Krishna's sister.


Aparna in the kitchen.


Shiam and Laura.


Bob's friends are wondering how he lived for 3 weeks away from a computer. He obviously didn't suffer.

Pix From India - Traveling

Here are some photos from the India trip. Here is the cast of characters: Aunt Sharon, married to my mother's brother - my Uncle Ray. Ray and Sharon's daughter, my cousin Callie. Callie's husband Krishna, who was born in India and has family there. My son Bob.

Krishna and Callie needed to make a trip to India for Krishna's brother Vasu's wedding. They invited family members to join them. Aunt Sharon and Bob were the only ones who ended up being able to make the 3-week trip.

The photos today are about traveling. The adventurers left California on February 16. They took a van to the airport.


Aunt Sharon and Bob in the van.


And waved goodbye to Uncle Ray, Libby, Levi, and Paul.


Callie and mom at the airport.


Bob and Sharon on the plane. Do you think that grin could get annoying after a while? (Aunt Sharon said they almost lost him in the airport in Taipei "by accident." Or was it that they lost him and accidentally found him?)

The trip to India was a long one, it took almost 24 hours including layover time in Taipei and Thailand. When they finally got to India, the travelers stayed first with Krishna's dad.


A welcome front door in India.