A chameleon on our doorstep!
A few days ago, Fahim called to me from downstairs, telling me to hurry and bring my camera. He wouldn’t…
Wildlife
Teeny tiny little greenish bird
This bird is a frequent visitor to my garden. In particular, to the trees and area outside my kitchen window,…
Transporting an elephant
In Sri Lanka, there are many elephants. There’s the elephant orphanage, there are elephants at the zoo, elephants are used…
The latest lizard to invade my garden
This guy was smallish. I say small-ish because, at about 2 1/2 feet long, this lizard isn’t all that large….
Sri Lanka’s Colombo Crows
We were visiting Fahim’s brother’s wife’s family in Colombo when I spotted these birds. Of course, everyone laughed at me…
Cows, Magnets, and Magnetism
This definitely falls into the bizarre-for-me category of information. <a href=”http://pics.laurieashton.com/2009/20090322-18.jpg”l target=”_blank” ><img src=”http://laurieashton.com/tn/2009/20090322-18.jpg” align=”left” alt=”” /></a>Thanks to <a href=”https://twitter.com/”…
A Squirrel and A Bird Come Visiting
I frequently see birds visiting the trees outside my kitchen window. They’re a welcome sight. I enjoy watching them flit…
The Yellow-Billed Babbler and Other Birds of Sri Lanka
Confirmed again, I am a geek. <a href=”http://pics.laurieashton.com/2009/20090209-17.jpg” target=”_blank”></a>Also confirmed is that this bird is the <s>Jungle Babbler (<i>Turdoides striata</i>)</s>…
Garbage and Recycling in Sri Lanka
About a month ago, we received notice that garbage pickup was changing. We now had to separate out our compostables…
Help Needed Identifying Plant Pests & Problems
We don’t have a very large plot of land, so don’t have a very large garden, but we do maximize…
Purple-Faced Langur Monkeys at Play
I finally got around to asking what kind of monkeys these were, and Fahim told me that our friend Sona…
The Lizard Walk. And The Bird. But Mostly The Lizard Walk.
It started at 3:04:35 pm and continued until 3:08:52 pm and will be indelibly imprinted on our brains until the…
More Neighborhood Monkey Activity
It’s true, monkeys amuse me. As long as they don’t fling poo at or near me, that is. π But…
Neighorhood Monkeys in Sri Lanka
For your information, these photos were taken with the purple-faced leaf monkeys (or purple-faced langurs) around 60-100' away from me…
German Restaurant
Published in Travel Sri Lanka magazine, October 2004. By Laurie Ashton When I was five or six, my sister and…
La Rambla Restaurante
Published in Travel Sri Lanka magazine, September 2004 By Laurie Ashton As I put the mouthful of sweet, creamy pudding…
A Taste of Culture Shock
Published in Travel Sri Lanka magazine, May 2004. By Laurie Ashton Shortly after arriving in Sri Lanka from Canada, my…
About Sri Lanka
Official name: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, or, in Sinhalese Sri LankΔ Prajathanthrika Samajavadi Janarajaya. Sri Lanka changed its…
About the Author
Howdy, y’all! I’m Laurie Ashton Farook and I’ll be your guide on this crazy adventure in Sri Lanka. π I’m…
Borax and Sugar and Ants, Oh My!
Borax and sugar kills the ants so incredibly well, it’s delightful! Except that the big brown ants don’t like it,…
Stuff we have here that you don’t have there
A question came up recently on a forum I frequent after I complained about all the things we can’t get…
Do hummingbirds hum?
I have no idea, but I’m wondering. I haven’t noticed any actual humming, but then, I’m partially deaf, so they…
Hummingbirds
The hummingbirds are dancing all over the jasmine and curry leaf trees in the backyard right now, five feet away…
Hummingbirds were busy today
So were a few other types of birds, but since I don’t know what they are, I can’t really mention…
Forest Kittens
The only reason they’re here? Because I like them. π The little fuzzy ones are so cute! (Fahim, can’t we…