A curious hobby

I have a new hobby, interest, pastime; call it what you may...it is a bit unusual and infact I feel a trifle silly writing about it. But it is really most addictive and I find myself indulging in it often, despite the horrible weather when, most who have the option, stay indoors. Yes its an outdoor hobby. My in-laws have a small garden in the front with a assorted bunch of shrubs, ivies and plants and three trees all growing in a kind of wild tangled profusion. Orange blossoms, pink and white flowers of the madhabi lata, white 'bel', white nayantara, red hibiscus and a few more. And ofcourse the varied green of the leaves of each of these. These interest me. In between the green foliage, there are a few leaves that have turned yellow. Touch them and they come away from their branch. You don't even have to pluck them out. I have spent many a hot and clammy hour collecting the yellow leaves and then throwing them away. I have to be careful ofcourse not to over do it otherwise I will have to wait for quite some time till more leaves yellow!

Most evenings, I go for a walk to a park across the road. I usually take a brisk 8 rounds (2 kms) in about 15 minutes or so. But now it takes me longer because on each round, I stop in mid-stride to pluck out a leaf from a shrub. At first, I would choose the shrubs at the corners and when there was no one passing by, but now I stop whenever I choose and ignore the curious on-lookers! Its kind of like bursting the bubles in a bubble wrap!

If hobbies reflect the persona...then I shudder to think what mine must be telling you all about me...the heat, the domesticity, my joblessness must be taking its toll, what?!