Goodbye 2020!

 #DailyFlowers

2020 has honestly been a shocker, perhaps one of the worst years on record for the generations currently around. But it is time to bid it adieu, let it and its inherent negativity and nastiness go. In its place let us welcome a year soothing, peaceful, healing, love-filled and one in which humanity regains and reigns. 

 2020, we bid you good bye
You have twisted, turned and dipped us in lye
But you shall not win
Humanity you shall not down pin
We, the people will come through
Rights, freedoms, unity will hold true
We hope the leaders will with sense be blessed
Farmers, students, protestors will not be further stressed
Leaders will lead with humane hearts
There shall be no more attempts to tear nations apart
Each shall shine as only they can
Individuals shall reach for all victories in this span

Much like the purple flower above
We shall behold peace and love
The dove of peace shall fly free
And Unity in diversity shall be a flowering tree

Wishing all my co-contributors and readers of this blog a very happy, prosperous, healthier, filled with time with family and friends and over all a much, much better Year!

Welcome 2021! Be Happy, Healthy & Blessed!

Happy New Year!

Flower Courtesy: Archana's garden!

Time's a Flower-dancing!

  #DailyFlowers

The times' they are a changing! Time they say is the only constant and that too because it waits for none and time passes on by sometimes slowly, sometimes so fast you are breathless trying to keep up. And so, it is now, where time went this last week, I do not know, but nature's majesty keeps putting on a glorious show and that must be celebrated with pix, rhymes and lines, so here we go

Somewhere across the last three days my co-contributors found time to take moon-shots and this is what they brought: Shalini with the rising moon yesterday and Vivek with the moon tonight

When the moon rises up in the sky
The birds come home to roost
The day's fauna says bye-bye
While the nocturnal creatures get a boost
Framed within palms
Sending down silvery arms
The Moon photographers seduced
Look at the amazing pix they produced

Shalini went to NZ: Another beauty from New Zealand sent by Sucheta. Probably a flower from the Tulip tree. And then borrowed from her sister's garden: A picture from my sister, Rina, got me thinking...why are मधुमखी so underrated in our songs as pollinators? All our songs are dedicated to भँवरा. For e.g.  भँवरे ने खिलाया फूल etc. Why no song saying मधुमखी ने खिलाया फूल? बहुत नाइंसाफी है!

A beauty from a far-off land
Inspires dreams of flowers grand
Another from a closer garden
Brings forth a  beg your pardon
Why is it that the honeybee
Is not applauded in the lyricists' spree

Shashi is ranging into memories old  pulling out gold: #DailyFlowers 2008 photos from a Nikon Coolpix s200, 1.9 megapixel, How things have changed... and #DailyFlowers From Peru

Times have changed
Shashi far and wide with his cameras has ranged
With his Nikon captured a flower filled vase
And a lady with flowers red posed against  green grass
Two pix continents apart
Flowers nourish and gladden the heart

Vivek again went borrowing: From my younger sister Swati’s garden
Good morning; and in a riposte to Shalini: The bhramar or bumble bee is only a pollinator and does not extract honey. Maybe this selfless service is acknowledged in songs. Today’s flowers are from a friend. Good morning

Roses from the sister's garden
And from a friend do hearts gladden
Colors brilliant and sparkling white
They  brighten winter morns just right

On the penultimate day of the year, did the pix takers pull out gems... well, let see!  Shashi off to Washington went a day in 2018

Shashi brings out a white divine
Against a blue sky, a prearranged design
Eyes swivel and they come to rest
Upon this tree, on which stars bloom best

Shalini seems to be still in Rajasthan

Flowers painted on a ceiling she did share
Wonder how long they have been there
A canopy on richly painted walls
A story that would hold generations in perfect thrall

Vivek's flowers did into afternoon move
For flower filled ceilings did not his camera groove
Took recourse he did to pink shaped fans
Those fulsome blooms do the day span

Winter is not just for roses or mums
Deep oranges & reds beat their own drums
Full many a garden brims with joy
As blooms the softer winter sun enjoy

My Co-Contributors

Shalini & Vivek; Shalini; Shashi; Vivek; Shashi; Shalini; Vivek; and Archana

 

Closer & Closer Bells Ring

  #DailyFlowers

Mostly the year rushes to end, this time it's dragging its feet... so, we have to urge it on its way... but in the meanwhile we have nature's bounty and magnificence to keep us company

Post X-mas Day, Shashi lit up the tl with a delicious, out of this world cake and the next day followed it up with a mighty splash of color

In the spirit of the celebration these are confectionery flowers from December 2017 

Cakes showed up on my tl early in the morn
The coffee hasn't had time to toot the wake-up horn
Yet, it cheered me up no end
Salute the wonderful friend, who did it  send
The narrative then did itself to gorgeous color lend
A vivid pink-magenta in a bloom-filled shrub did blend
Much loved colors of the natural world
They have many times this year their colors for us unfurled

A friend studying biotech

Nature permits us to play
With her colors our way
Then she willingly does create
Our attempts her beauty to recreate

Before the regulars could get into play, Vishnu put on a beautiful display

Pink and White
They bloom
Spread cheer and happiness
Each with its beauty shines
They don't compete with each other
Lessons they give out
Each and Every One Unique and Valuable
To be loved and cherished

Flowers pink, flowers white
Spreading around so much delight
Not so much one up against the other
They are siblings from the one true mother

Shalini: The stone crop (Sedum) flowers in Anjuli's house. For a minute there I thought these are roses. Vivek not to be left behind followed with: Copy, paste, edit, post.

 Stone flowers from two different gardens
But these are not ones to ever harden
Blooming clusters full of life
In their presence there can be no strife

Lucky fellows are the yellows
Mellowed ones are brilliant white
Three different flowers
Their innocence full of powers

Periwinkles and bougainvillea in one pot do thrive
Amity and friendship they seek to drive
Innocence of pink and white in a pot red
Together they blithely march ahead

And then Shalini went down under for flowers: These pretty spotted bell flowers have come all the way from Ohakune, an hour's drive from Auckland, courtesy my friend Sucheta. I was stunned by nature's beautiful artwork. To these Vivek as is his wont added Nature's embroidery

Nature's artwork and her embroidery go hand in hand
Oceans apart but her magnificence puts up a strong stand
Purple spotted bell flowers and lazy-daisy chains
Inspiring many a painter's brush these do doubly entertain

My Co-Contributors

Shashi, Svariyar, Vishnu, Shalini & Vivek, Sai & Vishnu, Me, and Shalini & Vivek

Winter Breezes, Flowers, Merry XMas!

 #DailyFlowers

Days roll into one another, just the other day was Dec 23, then 24th and today is Dec 25 and Xmas and celebration time! Time for renewal, for togetherness, for joy and family and of course carols, warm cider drinks, snow and sleigh rides. But Covid has attacked these also, however the spirit of the festival and its warmth and cheer still remain! 

Merry Christmas, Folks! Season's Greetings and the Holiday Spirit be with one and all

 Come Christmas and reds and greens abound
The poinsettias these ably resound
Carols, jingles,  midnight bells
These decorations beauty swell

 Meet the Santa of the flower world :) Merry Christmas!

A beauty in deep red tinged with white
Blooms strongly on Xmas morning bright
Stands like a blazing torch amid the greens and dark
That's a perfect home run out of the park

Never been a cuter Santa!  Christmas Eve table from a friend. Edible roses too! Merry Christmas ye all !

The Xmas splendor
In all its familial grandeur
The sharing of the feast
Where cares worries matter the least
Merry Xmas, one and all
To the cheer and spirit of the season we call!

 A Festival that makes people happy, peaceful and celebrating with friends is great! 

 Like the Orchid that keeps us company
There are other flowers that daily us accompany
Across life and in festivals happy
Celebrations with friends keep us lively and snappy

Amid the reds and whites and green
Are vivid oranges and yellow serene
Dec 25  has glorious blooms
And the photographer in happily zooms

Covid stopped the world in its tracks, it taught us to value what we rushed by earlier, and this reminder was aptly shared  by Shashi

#DailyFlowers We were flowers once before the season changed. We were a always here, blooming in the summer age hibernating in the winter. You passed us many times but had no time to admire the beauty we created for you until the world  stood still & you stopped to admire 

Truer words were never more spoken
With Covid the hurly-burly's spell was broken
We stopped to see, admire
What nature in her magnificence to create never did tire

Good morning #dailyflowers! Pics from yesterday's walk

Sai walked in with two gorgeous stunners
A sunset and an amazing hibiscus were award winners
Not sure what the sunset was telling the flower
But together they enforce nature's majestic power

My morning is made with the beautiful sunrise from @VISHSAI!  It's been some time since I saw my own  On second thoughts, is that the sunset? Either way it's beautiful...These lovely roses are from my sister's terrace. Hope they brighten up your #goodmorning #DailyFlowers :) 

Roses glorious, roses pink
Of the winter morn, they deeply did drink
Shining like a beacon bright
Their beauty our senses does ignite

Would that Vivek be far behind, nay, not so! My money is on the sunset. @shashib  is right. I hadn’t paid much attention to flowers prior to the pandemic. Life is not a rosy path but here at #DailyFlowers we certainly try to make it one

What profusion, what confusion
Where to look, colors in diffusion
Blooms aplenty, blooms a-peach
Roses everywhere, all within reach

Blended images: Kakul & Vivek; Archana's garden & Shalini

Winters are not just for roses
Glorious mums captured in poses
Yellows, purple-pinks and creamy-whites
They are truly the gardener's delight

Vivek did recourse to his better half (@AsmitaT2) take
And in doing so, upped his stake
A dew-painted hibiscus for all to see
As the drops prance on the flower in full glee

My Co-Contributors

Rachna, Shalini, Vivek, Shashi and Vishnu

Shashi, Sai, Shalini, Vivek & Kakul, Archana, Shalini, Rachna and AsmitaT (Vivek) 

Turnin' Time beckons Beauty

 #DailyFlowers

 As the month of December and with it 2020 draw to close the signs of hope for a better 2021 take root; vaccinations have begun and hopefully soon the entire world will have received the protection it needs. But Covid did do a lot of damage to us and we hope to be able to recover from that. In addition, it slowed us down, caused us to look around and see/feel nature's majesty, beauty, glory and exquisiteness. 

We have just passed the Winter Solstice and time's a turning...

As Shashi said: #DailyFlowers We are past the winter solstice. These are memories of September. Not sure you remember a song called "Come September"! 

Come September
Beautiful days to remember
A melodious song
That will make you hum and rock along

Vivek chipped in with Yea the melody is evergreen. Mums are flowering everywhere, even in our humble garden

Mums and petunia side by side
December brings forth a glorious blooming tide
Whites, greens, near purples and pinks
I like how nature and gardens think

Shalini joined in with: Quick question: Are these flowers climbing a wall or are they on the ground?

Sai answered her correctly and produced a similar flower, so the blogger has combined them into one

 Light mauve bells climbing up the wall
Their beauty holds us fast in thrall
Just goes to show tender love and care
Makes flowers bloom even in lands parched and bare

And before that Shashi went to: Tirupathi  is the most visited place of worship in the World. The name means a person who worships there will get cleansed of all  sins. There are several ways to visit Tirumala and one of them is a 10 mile walk uphill to 3200 ft. 

And from there, what did he bring?

This bougainvillea, you know
Shows up wherever you go
Colors brilliant, colors bright
A small flower that packs real might

Vivek decided to share another color of his famed apta plant, which led to a discussion whether it was kachnar or not, and since it was and Shalini shared another tree in bloom: Yes, I remember. My cousin recently sent these pictures of the yellow kachnar in #Lodhi garden; the two were combined to make an interesting story

Memories sweet of Bauhinia (kachnar/apta) opposite the gate
Have come to the fore more frequently of late
The pink blooms and the carpet on the ground
A welcoming song these do resound

Shalini also sent: A splash of red, in a dreary land, reminds one of hope, when times are not so grand...

Time waits for neither you nor me
It runs its course untrammeled, free
Nature is wild, hardy and strong
Even when we despair, she presents colorful songs

Where love and tender care are bestowed
Gardens and blooms their majesty showed
Roses in December
Gorgeousness to remember
Some plants are bloom laden
While others the heart do gladden
Some hide in the leaves
And the pinks our attention achieve

My Co-Contributors

 Shashi, Vivek & Rachna, Shalini & Sai, Shashi, Shalini & Vivek, Shalini and Archana

Hurly-Burly Life & Serene Flowers

 #DailyFlowers

 Ladies and Gentlemen, please stow away your belongings in overhead compartments, put your tray tables away, your seats upright, fasten your seat belts, we are ready to take off! 

At times, life over-runneth its cup and the mundane gets buried under the hurried; then rhymes, lines, dances, trances fly out of the window! But worry, not the blogger is back! So, let's take off..

Many a tale was woven on #twitter by co-contributors; one is still in Rajasthan, enjoying sandy dunes and forts; the other is still peeking into neighbors yards, while another is dipping into memories. And then there are others who find flowers hardy enough to fight the December frost and bloom... 

And then there was the inimitable @Vivek, who talked of: Where flowers and leaves merge; Good morning

 You mean we have llowers and feaves
That me very confused leaves
Mergers he urges
Pinks and greens nature submerges?

 While Shalini still in Rajasthan did send in some really bright fellows: Some cheery yellows to take away #Thursdayblues 

Cheery yellows against a gray-scape
From cold ridden Delhi a good escape
Greens yellows a ruling hue
Greetings and wishes coming true 

Shashi joined this cheerful bandwagon with flowers from Austin, Texas

Yellow bells chime out loud
Their songs burst through the cloud
Winter mornings are no longer grey
This vibrant hue lights up the day

Despite being in sandy climes, or maybe because of that Shalini brought these gorgeous beauties in: Hubby to the rescue today with these roses colored orange...remind me of sunsets and candies and of honeysuckle with a tinge

When Roses in deserts flower
Then joy and love do amply shower
Orange of sunsets, honeysuckle and candy
Cheering the day along fine and dandy 

And Shashi not to be left behind, produced a Friday Gem with Happy Friday:

Real or unreal, bunches greens and blues
Oh the wonderfully gentle but brilliant hues
Brightening the environs with their smiles
Come across the world after traveling many miles

While Shashi brought in real or unreal, Vivek took: A peek into neighbor’s garden
#DailyFlowers as morning passes the baton to the afternoon

Into neighbors gardens he goes peeking
Then those flowers he says he's keeping
Cheery, colors bright and red
From morning to afternoon to evening be led

 
And from roses Shalini jumped to gates and trees: Happy weekend, folks of #DailyFlowers !

Bounded and gated from human or bird
Is unknown, but decorate they do the tree's girth
With colors bright and cheery
Unlike the black and bronze, they don't look weary

And Sai of the framing fame
Went and upped the game
A shy hibiscus was brought in to join the fun
Its beautiful folds and pollen gleaming in the early morning sun

And then yesterday, Vivek expanded the definition of #DailyFlowers: Potted plants sitting pretty on an old tree trunk. Good afternoon. I know there’s no flowers but still #DailyFlowers 

 Potted plants on an old tree trunk
Are supposed to make my words dance
Clunk, thunk, plink and plunk
There you are, go into a trance!

His creativity did Shalini admire, even as Shashi went to  Chicago for his flowers: From a trip to Chicago. Have a great Saturday!

Silver suited, hatted, booted
The flowers behind him in appreciation tooted
As he sat there in solitary design
The square and him perfectly in line

Then there came the cheery reds of all hues, whether from sandy climes or flowers holding strong against December Frost. Let's meet them.

 #DailyFlowers We miss the yearly trip to a beach in Mexico or other neighboring country plus the trip to India to visit family. This was a 2014 trip to Cancun, Mexico. Have a great Sunday!

Yearly trips to beaches and home country
To bask in the sun,  love of family and all and sundry
Covid has put a stop to all
Pretty soon, we hope to remove this heavy pall

Flowers brighten up any view...even such a forbidding one. Happy #SundayMorning #DailyFlowers people!

A plant so hardy
Its growth is never tardy
Flowering in the most unlikeliest places
Filling with beauty even the most forbidding spaces

#DailyFlowers: Red  " Tetti " flowers holding up in December frost 

Flowers holding up in December's frost
Make us wonder whether it's worth the cost
To cheer the day reds bloom
Their brightness is a vivid plume

Vivek brought in his share

Roses! It's roses all the way
That's Vivek cheering up Sun-day!
The reds n yellows gel n glow
Put on a fantastic show

My Co-Contributors 

Vivek, Shalini, Shashi, Sai and Vishnu