'Tis Time for Roses!

 #DailyFlowers

Time as usual has flown by and we have moved into 2025; winter is here, hopefully moving on and Spring is signaling its entrance and that means flowers galore. And it is time for Roses to take centerstage. If you are regular reader of my blog, you'd know that my Delhi aunt was looking forward to checking out Roses, but a bad fall put that on the backburner. Seeing her love for roses, I requested Shalini to please go out and capture Roses on her sojourns round the city and share. This post features those shares. Of course, aunt's little back garden that houses a few roses has also sent in its contributions.

Roses, roses in all their colorful glory

Each hue, shade telling its own story

A few from friends' travels come

Some darlings of back gardens become

Each dancing to its own music & drum

Amazing hues make their play

As our gazes on them stay

A pair are featured here

The colors likely beyond compare

A bud when I was visiting

Soon turned into a full bloom

A color so lovely 

It cast away the winter gloom

My exhortation to Shalini brought forth

Quite likely a camera's entire worth

Showcasing them was a joy

All of Designer's skills I had to employ

Some frames might have repeats

For these roses, my heart did beat

Newer settings did strive to please

May have succeeded to tiny degrees

My Co-Contributors: Neena & Shalini; Neena; Rina; Neena & Rina; Neena; both frames: Shalini; Shalini & Neena; Neena & Rina. My ageing brain has had me missing Shantha out, my apologies! All Rina's shares via Shalini

Of Weddings, Flowers & Lil Furballs

#DailyFlowers

Over the last 20 days of December the blogger has had the honor of attending 2 weddings. One in the extended family and of a friend's daughter. Could the weddings have been more dissimilar yet similar, is difficult to say. The mehndi & ladies sangeet at both were filled with song, dance, laughter, togetherness, family, friendly competition, good food and more. The weddings were a solemn occasion as they should be along with the usual revelry, song, dance, band-baja-baraat, jaimal & pheras. At both the blogger broke from the norm and wore traditional Indian attire (more on that some other time). But this post is being written specifically for Shalini. Permission to use some commonly shared pix has been sought and taken for granted, (alas the blogger is wicked)!

Into the bitter Delhi winter, the blogger went
In response to summons Shalini had sent
Her darling daughter was tying the knot
Friends were to be present, the lot 
Mehndi, ladies sangeet, the wedding was a fun-filled day
As music, dance, laughter, songs held sway
Escorted to the dais by a dancing singing team
Joy, laughter, love, music and much more fun was the theme
Darling daughter & groom to be
Complimented each other in attire for all to see
The bridal side was singing banna-banni songs
The groom’s mother added her melodious voice along
One saree eclipsed another as color decked the halls
The men didn’t lag behind and added to the thrall
Dance matchups lit up the stage
As both parties competed for advantage

Delhi in winter is actually great fun

There are many goodies to savor in the sun

And mums, petunias, roses all are on display

Their multiple hues make for gorgeous displays

My aunt a visit to the rose show did devise

But that excursion never did arise

Alas, a slip of hand and foot was all it took

From a bad tumble, my aunt was all shook

Speedy recovery for her is desired

For her continued good health many have inquired

The sun came out after a gloomy rainy day
And all of God’s beings came out to play
Three lil furballs scampered around
From tree to cycle to basket to ground
Tiring of all the jumping and play
They did on the table curl and lay
One lil furball decided to be queen
With her head down declined to be seen
Both Shalini & Captain came to mind
As the blogger captured antics of the feline kind

Excluding wedding, all pix taken by the blogger!

Blooms in Profusion

 #DailyFlowers

Life! The blogger did intend to post more, but a bad cold and cough did throw out that score. Days spent coughing, hacking, drinking warm liquids by the gallon, doctors chipping in with medicines, hopefully all will be set right soon.

Last night preparing to sleep

Some lines rumbled in mind

This morning on awakening

They have disappeared into the sands of time

Strange are the ways of words & lines

Hither and thither they run, scrambling in rhymes

Some things were to start

But they seem to be more falling apart

Some news with close friends shared

Resulted in a loud indignant nay
Seems like Lady Luck is running scared
In the midst of all this confusion
Nature’s many hues bloom in profusion
Contributors are still going strong
Their shares now demanding their songs
Their clamor is loud and clear

No more laziness will they bear 

Pix Contributed by
Shashi, Alka, Shalini & Shantha; Euphorbia Milli by Rachna

A Green Thumb

 #DailyFlowers

My cousin is an avid gardener, and her garden is always in full bloom, a testament to her efforts. Across the years that this blog has been running, she has been a major contributor. Recently she shared some gems. This post is for her efforts. 

A green thumb and a gardener’s heart
Are what my cousin has
Her garden in full bloom is a work of art
Pots and plants are sprinkled around
While nature’s majesty abounds
A single color is not her way
Multiple hues bloom and sway
Bougainvillea in pots on her terrace do preside
Astonishing hues the eyes to themselves do guide

My co-contributors: Rachna

Time's Grace

 #DailyFlowers

It's been quite some time since I last posted, in April this year. Sometimes it felt as if there would be no more posts, thankfully that's not so. Although words are yet to gush unstoppably, they have started to flow. 

The words while slow are starting to come

A line or two and then some

But if fingers to keyboard be slow

Up and away they go

Things are still to fall in place

Time for rumination thus has been a grace

Calmness of heart is not complete

Life, however, throbs to its beat

Seasons come & season go

A never-ending flow

Contributors & friends have stood steadfast

Their shares harken to present, future and past

Pix contributed by

Shalini, Vivek & Shantha.

My apologies, I have somehow missed Shashi's shares! Next time! 

Colors Bright

 #DailyFlowers

Temperatures are on the rise

That means in come summer supplies

Needing to go out is sheer torture

The sun is a complete scorcher

Things have suddenly turned topsy-turvy

One wonders if all efforts are worthy

Will they ring in peace & calm

To hurting souls will they be a balm

Cutting through all are hues bright

Colorful blooms fill the sights

Causing hearts to yet rejoice & delight

Pix Contributed by

Rina, Shantha, Vivek & Shashi

Peace of Mind, Heart and Soul

 #DailyFlowers

The blogger apologizes for going missing yet again; was compelled to. As the laptop HDD decided to misbehave and had to be replaced. Then the OS decided it was its turn to have fun at my expense. But, the laptop's up & running now, hence posting is back on track.

Somethings have fallen into place

Others have yet to pick up pace

Life has smoothened some edges

On others one still has to jump the hedges

The sun rises and it sets

That is all the time one gets

To trim one’s sails and set about

Respond here and there to a shout

Flowers in full bloom seem to abound

Every season they come around

One lesson they always teach

Steadfastness one must reach

For peace of mind, heart & soul

With ups & downs one must roll

Pix Contributed by:

Anjali, Shashi & Shalini