Flowery February Fares

 #DailyFlowers

There are stories everywhere, esp. in Nature. All of her creations script their own tales, whether short or long, black, white or colorful, but script, sing, present they do. We too have stories today, stories in color in a few lines. So without ado, let's get started.

A common sight in Delhi right now. Soon silk cotton strands (semal ki ruyi) will be floating around everywhere, accompanied by: Coincidentally a cousin from Pune shared a close up of the flower

The first story comes from the in-season silk cotton tree
Whose flowers are blooming in a gleeful spree
They do not just the trees branches grace
The tiny cotton fluffs fly into every nook, cranny and space

 Asmita: will you sweep the lawn? Me: why ? The frangipani adds color, let it be.
Asmita: you lazy smartass! What’s your verdict? A rose growing on a marigold tree.... am I that good a gardener? Or a sly photographer?

Some refuse to sweep the garden clean
They say the fallen frangipani petals add to its sheen
Bring forth a pix of two different close-growing flowers
And claim to have awesome gardening powers

 Spring has come to my parents' balcony

Spring makes its presence felt
Colorful flowers are what the season's has dealt
Everywhere you look, colors do glow
They put on an amazing show

A glimpse of my uncles garden and his collection of Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas occupy pride of place
Uncle's garden they do grace
Colors vivid, some unseen
They all deserve to be treated like queens

Along with pinks, yellows and oranges range
Their shades and hues merrily exchange
Places and ranks up and down
Their brilliance chases away all frowns

Sometimes, some real beauties cross my way
Shared by friends near and far away
Then do memories come to fore
Of fun-filled times, changing seasons and more

Music and flowers in Baltimore; Cousins at a flower show

When flowers and people combine
They form a union divine
Deep pinks and the musician play a lively tune
While young cousins share a pleasant afternoon

 Flowers coming from  Chacha's farm
With their brilliant colors they do us charm
Sing a good morning greeting
A strong rhythm they keep repeating

Las Vegas trips are memories dear
With glowing flowers they are so near
And then there's a bloom so white
Its central yellow is the guiding light

A good excuse to get up and go
Daily Flowers put on quite the show
Colors bright, purple and deep pink
Eyes, minds and souls they do deeply link

My Co-Contributors:

Shalini & Vivek; Vivek; Shalini; Vishnu; Shalini, Rachna, Vishnu; @Hiway & Freda Aunty; Shashi & Vivek; Shinjini; Shashi; and Vivek

Flowery Cheerleaders

 #DailyFlowers

 February is almost ending, and flowers are blooming like crazy; their heads bobbing up and down, gently swaying in the breeze and at times literally being the cheerleaders. Whether in gardens, on shrubs/trees/plants or in bouquets, braids or reigning as decorations, they are supreme.

Someone brought the laddoo to center stage  and thence came the marriage reference: Shaadi ke phool....Shaadi ke laddoo se behtar?

When flowers over laddoos score wins
You know the sharer has lobbied some spins
Tales that put sweets against flowers
Must be having some mysterious unseen powers

Then she went a flower hunting
And found colors a-bunting
White-yellows, mauve and orange yellows
In combination they did make for merry fellows

 Looking for a caption for these silly lilies that are taking so much time to blossom. Vivek responded with: Here are a few lines for silly lily

बाजारसे आई लिली
उसकि तबियत है ढिली
ईतना सारा पानी पी ली
फिरभी नही खिली

शिकायत करते ही खिल गयी!!

लिली की मुस्कान खिली
जरासी ढीठ , जरासी शर्मिली

Not content with that she brought in silly lilies three
They refused to go on a blooming spree
A plaint raised in the group brought forth
An admonition to blossom and show their worth

 Shashi spotted the humble periwinkle
Gracing pathways pinks and whites did twinkle
Yellows with them did march along
Singing to some secret song
Memories of flowers last so long
Never mind to which circa the blooms belong
Flowers to cheer, blooms to greet
Only with them is life complete

#DailyFlowers 2012 Cherry Blossoms Festival Washington DC

And then a float did he bring
It celebrates the advent of spring
Pinks, whites and ladies bright
Making for a lovely sight

I walked into a CVS after almost a year. It's a pharmacy. This is what I saw first.

 A visit to the pharmacy netted colors galore
In these days the heart craves them more
Whites, lilacs, pinks did shine
Signing a cheery welcome to the customer in line

Lest you think Nature paints only precisely
You should know colors she pairs almost wisely
Blooms are her canvas to decorate
She allows a myriad shades to them percolate

A good friend has exited the city
On his farms are many blooms so pretty
One on #Twitter caught my eye today
I sought his permission to let it on the blog play

 

Freda Aunty is back with pinks and reds
These colors always are ahead
Of the pack, they are the stronger
They also seem to be around longer

 

How can we forget Vivek's shares
They are deeply varied fares

Some are surprises blooming in his garden
Others bring forth hues our hearts to gladden
Yet others are meant for friend's to greet
On birthdays a greeting sweet

Someday's, contributors share gyaan, it was Vivek's turn: Yesterday we went house hunting for a friend. I was focused on this. One fact about bougainvillea I got to know from a botany professor is that what I thought to be flowers is actually a grouping of leaves around the real flower. I trust him and have resisted googling

Another bougainvillea shrub is blooming in glee
Decorating the boundary wall, it's on a fun spree
Leaves we thought are flowers
Are actually guardians of the inner flowery showers

My Co-Contributors

Shalini; Shashi; Rachna & Vishnu; @Hiway; Freda Aunty; Vivek

Mid-February Twirls

   #DailyFlowers

Oh, well the great traveler that we have has been sending in more pix, this time she really upped the ante. And Vivek obviously added to it. Not to be outdone, Shalini came back with another.

 A plateful of flowers.... #DailyFlowers #goodmorning! Here’s a side dish to the plate.  Good morning! Here's a famous dessert for you all - apricot delight. It was just melt-in-the-mouth yummy!

Decorating the hotel lobby was a plateful of flowers
And then Vivek brought into play a side plate of pink powers
As if that was not enough, Shalini did us decide to tease
With a historical khumani meetha that did the palate please

And if that was not enough, she shared
A pic where bougainvillea in its beauty flared
A pool with its bordering palms
A massive suggestion of calm

And then she to Delhi returned
A historical site with beauty she discerned
A tomb, a bench and flowers...
Together they create memory towers

 The lonely ‘sentinel’ swaying in the wind at our entrance! Good morning! #DailyFlowers

 From pix to video did Vivek turn
A waving glory did he upturn
A strong sentinel at the gate
Standing strong despite all the weight

Arti shared this one. A mall in Paris, circa 2019.  Good morning #DailyFlowers

Vivek not to be left behind
Produced a pix, a one of its kind
Caused our eyes to skyward twirl
As the hanging decoration merrily did whirl

#DailyFlowers can't wait for the spring to take new flower pictures

Shashi hearkened to the times of  farmers' markets
Where could be found colorful flowers in baskets
Spring should be coming around soon
And these wondrous colors would be freely around strewn

And then pulled he out the eternal glory
That is part and parcel of many a story
Deep pink blooms a dozen and more
But they do not keep the score

 Coming from a friend's friend (Dipanwita in Kolkata) with permission to use and share

  Flowers whether growing wild or laid out by us
Teeming colors, varied blooms can fill an entire bus
The garden sparkles and gleams in many hues
As shades and blooms into each other diffuse
Along with pink, white does seem to be Nature's muse
Creamy-whites with pale yellow fuse
To create a sight so pretty
And allow the blogger to create this ditty

Blooms white tinged with pink
With the eyes beauty they link
Full blooms and buds ahoy
Nature's bounty for us to enjoy

A rare bloom comes from my cousin dear
While she is far, her flowers bring her near
A bloom or a flowering leaf
Its magnificence does us there rooted keep

My Co-Contributors

Shalini & Vivek; Shalini; Vivek; Shashi; Dipanwita; Dipanwita & Vishnu; Vishnu; Rachna