Where do you go my lovely? Where do you go? I wanna know my lovely.I wanna know

My flask of tea tucked into my shopping bag along with the list ready in my mind and thrilled with what is in store for me today, i just hit the road quite at ease with the traffic at 7.30 in the morning. And guess what song was i humming to myself as i drove happily waving to the school kids who were waiting for their school buses talking animatedly to each other.What else could it be other than ''....and these are a few of my favourite things...dhin chak chak chak chak din chak chak...".

Ok this is what i feel.There are places and then there are happy places.Places where anyone you see will be having that lovely fulfilled smiles.That smile which conveys only happiness pure and simple nothing else.This is how that smile will look like.(pic above)
So what is this place? Does it exist here somewhere near ? It sure does where a person  like me hopelessly resists these urges on being a compulsive buyer. Sometimes i just lose track of time and pester the owner of the place to tell me the names of those that i have taken a fancy too.The poor creature not to hurt a regular customer like me while attending to other clients will blurt out intermittently mispronouncing the names nevertheless clear enough to get me educated . i am successfully able to point out now to Maranta,  Lantana, Gaillardia, Ipomoea, Caladium, Coleus and the names of various kinds of lilies.One thing for sure the chappie never ever looks hassled at my constant enquiry and obliges me returning to be by my side, after he has dealt with the rest. He then suggests me to make my pick. This after enquiring about the placement ie whether i want them indoors or outside. Needless to say then that  he actually doesn't mind when i take nothing at all sometimes and just keep to my enquiry.That is another reason why this place makes me wanting to go there oft an on even when i don't have a list.This place makes me happy.

Other times i sit in my car and sip tea watching those who come to actually buy. i am able to figure out by their purchases whether they own their own house or live in some apartment. It is very heartwarming to specially see young couples who come with dreams in their hearts.That so deep in love and so much caring for each other's choice and the amount of time taken to make a selection of sorts  is enough to convey that they are new in their alliance.While they fuss around i keep imagining their new and happy life so full of anticipations and expectations. i imagine the sitting pretty pots in their verandah where they would have their morning tea together. i am still smiling.

There's also a store nearby which sells these terracota pots and when my tea is finished i will pester the lady there to  show  me some pots. And sometimes after the selection of a rather cute but unusual pot i will go back to my chappie  who within seconds  would get busy potting the one i had shown interest in earlier. All the while congratulating me on my pick and explaining the care to be taken regarding sunlight and watering. This being done i should be hitting home now but how can i. There's something holding me back still. The spring flowers all blooming and beckoning while i keep telling myself -"What's the use they are char dinon ki chandini ( just for a few days) not worth getting addicted to" but then that last look and i succumb to temptation. Oh coming back home with all the excitement and happiness and the wonderful thoughts of the transformation is rather quicker lest the sun gets too hot for the new plants to steal their freshness and the leaves getting limp with heat.

As i hurriedly start placing my babies in the shade i could hear the phone ringing. "hello Didi?" says that sweet voice to my hurried hello. "Oh hi" says me the tone a bit settled now, "how's life ?"

"Didi i am saturated ready to condense now" says my sis on the other end. She then appraised  me of her well being and that of her kids. Also explained the reason for her anxiety. Exam season in full swing and with one kid appearing for the board exam  i could very well understand my poor sister's stress who was handling two kids all by herself as her husband was posted in the other town. Just like a typical elder sis i offered my sincere advice to which she reluctantly answered " Will try didi and thanks for talking to me " and then she disconnected. Saying a silent prayer for her and the family i returned to my babies.The very same evening i get a cheerful call from her once again thanking me for giving her a cure for all solution.This is what i told her earlier "Do something that gives you happiness and you'll feel better" and it worked for her too. i guess then that some solutions are universal. i feel blessed that we both know for sure what gives us this pure happiness. For me it is a trip to this happy place called a Plant Nursery. It is fun , brings joy and has always helped me get rid of stress. i know what she would have done.She would've taken Buddy her pomeranian for a walk and later played with him in the lawn.

What comes next has a magical feel to it. To watch them grow just a little every day, every week, until you get that sight of an emerging new leaf or perhaps a sudden sprout from a plant you never thought has flowers.i just remember that AHA moment when one morning as i walk into my balcony this bushy foliage which resembled some variety of ornamental grass had blooms. In one it was white, while the other had yellow and still another had mauve pink blooms shooting out from slender tubular stems. Dainty and oh so pretty.My inquiries helped me call them by their original name Storm Lily  and the best part THEY FLOWER MAINLY IN CLOUDY WEATHER . Just look at the happy faces which transcends age boundaries and imagine that relaxation when back from a hard day's work you and your mate drop by into a nursery and decide to feel that joy together.Kiss or no kiss  but i bet u will feel happy because a Plant Nursery sells only happiness.