Tales that Flowers Tell

 #DailyFlowers

Another week has rolled off the calendar and time's juggernaut keeps moving on! Sometimes,  looking back on these last nearly 18 months can feel some smiles break free, but then sadness and stress does also creep in. This blog doesn't really offer commentary on political situations because it is not meant for that. This is supposed to be a bright corner amidst all the doom and gloom, but sometimes the blogger gets weighed down. The past 18 months have seen my country change and how, but they have also brought to light some really beautiful true souls and some have made their presence felt on this blog. 

So, what shall flowers talk of today
What beauties shall come forth to display
Colors known and unknown, varieties new
In gorgeous plumage, and not just a few
What stories would flowers tell
What dreams could they sell
The lesson they share everyday
Blossom heartily and shed cares away
When contributors do the bloggers work
Create beautiful panels that need no rework
The blogger can just sit back and say
There's nothing more to bring into play!

When the weather doth undergo change
Unseasonal flowers grow across the range
Two, that in India bloom in cooler climes
Have been hoodwinked into earlier times
The Rise of the Rose, or the Rose Rose
And the lilies that with it did pose
Did as a surprise to many come
But flowers always did march to their own drum

The tales that flowers do spin
Hues of lavender, mauve, violet do begin
To knit a telling that's old but gold
Multicolored flowers, their beauty to behold
Of lakes, monuments, butterflies and bees
Blooms swaying, dancing in the breeze

Then there were raindrops on petals
Lovingly did they there settle
Even as the parijat covered the car's bonnet
Seemingly left behind by a passing comet
Saptaparni with its fragrance spicy
Winter's herald, with morns cold, dark and icy
Gardens tended lovingly
Shared by Shashi so touchingly
Of glowing yellows and reds
Beauties right ahead

Of stunning double toned Dahlias and Passion flowers
Nature's bounty on humans generously showered
Of hibiscus duos and rose creeping vines
Grandeur at times natural, sometimes designed
Tales of Tulip gardens and flyaway thistles
With some more hibiscus they elicit many whistles

A humble flower so captivatingly captured
Along with the Wishbone it is regally featured
Cape Jasmine and Casabela Thevetia White
Contribute to songs of unending delight

 

 A painter's palette set forth to express
The myriad shades with which nature did us bless
Chrysanthemums have come out again to play
This time in a yellow and purple display
Reds cannot be left behind
This blog has not yet lost its mind

My Co-Contributors

Freya Snowball & Arjunjith; UdayBaxi, Shashi, & Karthik; Shalini, Vivek, FredaK, NeenaK, & Kirti; Asmita, Deepak & Shashi; Dreamer 2.0 + Shashi; Shalini, Vivek & Uday Baxi; Shalini & Vivek; Vivek, Shashi, Deepak & UdayBaxi; Vivek, Shalini-Rina & Mahesh; Vivek, Mahesh, & UdayBaxi; UdayBaxi (next 2 frames); Vivek, Shashi & Arjunjith

 

Flowers Glorious & True

 #DailyFlowers

 Oh dear me, what a mixed bag the last nearly 10/12-days have been! Phew! And it is not over and done with as yet! I have had electronics of all kinds misbehave and services go haywire! Started with the electric kettle, moved onto Mom's walker,  then onto the TV which decided audio was better than video! Added to that, we had a massive water drain-out in the apartment building and ordered in tankers for the same. And, news from the world over is not very cheery either! The rains are lashing Southern India; floods and mayhem have ensued. On other fronts, cars meant for driving are being used to mow down people with the maximum impunity possible. Yet amidst all this gloom and doom, flowers bloom; spreading their brilliant plumes! So, let's talk flowers and give into their healing powers!

Fall is in the air, yet flowers blossom fair
Pinks, yellows, violets, happily pair
Colors overpowering in their brilliance
Throughout all they've demonstrated resilience

Flowers wondrous, flowers strange
Flowers coming from across the range
Fairy fan, orchids and more
These blooms certainly did up the score

There were roses, and then there were Hibiscus
In pots, & moved out of them without too much of a fuss
Shalini & Vivek did hibiscus bring
Roses from Mala did their music sync

The verses today seem forced and patchy
The blogger is unable to create rhymes catchy
But gorgeous blooms need to be lauded
Their being always around must be applauded

Roses are ever glowing and strong
To the world they do in glorious shades belong
A rose by any name is still a rose
Its beauty has engendered many a poem and prose
Along with roses, others do have acclaim
As offerings to myriad gods they do proclaim
In bunches, garlands, wreaths and more
Nature sharing her abundant store

Blooms are indulgent
In many hues abundant
Trees, shrubs, plants, rangolis galore
For us to admire and adore

Yellows have some mysterious powers
Gaiety and cheer they always shower
Looking at them begets much pleasure
Makes you think you've found glorious treasure

The evergreen whites came into play
A wide variety formed an array
Sparkling, twinkling teasing gems
Perched on so many stems
Joined by a light white-pink
A silent welcome sentinel did wink
Upping the doorway's frame
Calling a greeting to all who came

My Co-Contributors

@nath_et_isis & @FreyaSnowball; Freda Aunty, Shashi & Vivek; Vivek, Shalini & Mala; Charles, Freda Aunty, Shalini & Rachna; Shalini, Deepak, Vivek, Shashi, & June; Dreamer 2.0; Rachna, Shashi, Vivek & @jacobraphaelv; Rachna, UdayBaxi, Shashi, & Vivek; @Subytweets, Shalini, Deepak, Arjunjith & Rachna; UdayBaxi & Vivek; UdayBaxi; Vivek, Shalini & Rachna

Sweet Flower Memories

#DailyFlowers

 Come October and the Goddess comes in; with her comes the dhol, arti and lamps bring! It is a quieter puja this time, but flower hunters do abound, ransacking blooming trees around. It is as if the Goddess will forgive all trespasses on others' gardens as long as they give, blooms to her in offering! A sad tale that is, but true! Flowers, however sing out loud, they do prance and dance, so let's sail forth them to meet, for they are creators of memories, mostly sweet!

Shalini is still in England  and sending gems forth
Daisies,  web-building flowers, showcasing true English worth
To the Botanical gardens did she like other visitors go
The flowers didn't disappoint, they were in full flow
Britain welcomed her with grey and rain
But she didn't tell the rain to go to Spain
Instead she left it behind, hopping on a train
Still more flowers she needed, flowers she got
Friends stepped up to fill the spot

Nature celebrates not just flowers
Vegetables and fruits it does empower
We honor their being with us
Fruits&Veges kick-up no fuss
But the thrill that comes from seeing them grow
Is a different kind of high, though
Add in the roses and that increases the delight
Lovely colors that enhance the sight

When flowers and the skies meet
It is another type of sweet greet
Shashi brings out gems divine
Helping elevate this blog to the sublime
On his wanders does he go
His narrative adds to the flow
Fountains and flowers join the game
Beauty they together claim!

Among all other blooms
The Hibiscus tree is in gloom
Early morning its flowers were taken
To honor the goddess, but faith in fellows is shaken
 Tithonia, passion flower  & others have come to say
We are here to make your display
A lone Zinnia stands strong against incoming Fall
Refusing to heed the season's call

Some real wonders does Deepak in pull
In blooms, small, tall and full
One stretches to dizzying heights
Our focused gaze it does invite
Along with lovely reds, pinks, yellows and whites

It looks like a fairy's tutu
But only when it is in situ
Ginger crepe is its name
For that prosaic name who should we blame?
Chinese Chaste tree continues the game
You think we should them rename
Allow them grandeur matching their acclaim?

Cheilocostus speciosus-Crepe ginger-केमुक/केऊ &
Vitex negundo-Chinese chaste tree-संभालू/निर्गुंडी

Sometime in the week, whites were again in play
This blogger has failed to put them in one display
But whites are powerful, whites are strong
With other colors they do prance along
The songs they sing are loud and true
But truly heard by a very few
This blog is therefore very blessed
All these blooms reduce life's stress!

 Plumbago auriculata-Cape Plumbago-Cape Leadwort-नीला चित्रक

Udayji contributions are not yet done
His shares have a good run
Sida acuta and Black honey shrub
Have come to join our club
Blooms myriad, blooms bold
Their shades gleaming like gold

 

My Co-Contributors

Shalini (both frames); @Oneirology11; Shashi (both frames); Vivek, Shashi, Vee, Karthik & June; Vivek & Arjunjith; Deepak; UdayBaxi; Deepak, Vivek & UdayBaxi; UdayBaxi

Goodbye September! Welcome October!

#DailyFlowers

 September is done and gone and in comes October again. Similarly, seasons flow through their cycles, Spring, summer, autumn/fall's round the corner again! Yet flowers are holding strong, with hues that delight, sparkle, set everything alight with freshness, spontaneity and cheer!  The UK got some visitors, Shalini finally did make it there and my sis and brother-in-law also got across (after some 5/7 Covid tests and what not). Obviously, pix from the UK have come in, Shalini's daughter Ria seems to have also joined! Welcome! 

We begin today with a cheery fellow...

Yellows in multiple hues abound
Their glory bursts on the air around
Raindrop brushed or trumpets in a bunch
These blooms pack quite a punch
Whether from home gardens or from parks
Blooms glorious that always hit the mark

The plethora of whites
Is an overwhelming delight
From  ivy gourd to tuber-rose to bouquet bridal
The variety offers an astonishing recital
Pairs, quads, lined up on a vine
These whites truly define divine

Polianthes tuberosa-Tuberose-रजनीगन्धा &
Coccinia grandis-Ivy gourd-कुंन्द्रू &
Plumeria-pudica-Bridal bouquet-नाग चंपा

To the UK visitors did go
Obviously the blooms put on a quite a show
New Westminster, Christchurch college did their parts play
Some flowering power they did display
Flower-draped doorways and rose filled hedges
Flowers lining the Fraser River's edges

Not content with the #DailyFlowers tag
Contributors decided their shares to flag
with #MerePaasHai and it went on a run
Shashi, Shalini & Vivek and others i daresay had some fun
One had roses still a-bloom, temple flowers sharing their plumes
Yet another had papa's balcony, while a cousin came to the third's rescue
But, dare I say, I am the winner of all
After-all, all shares into my blog do fall

An abundance of color fills Shashi's backyard
Rich blooms form the season's vanguard
And yet does Shashi with his camera wander
Bring us rich colors, from hither, thither & yonder
And then he adds pretty captions
Wonders from Udayji also have traction
Increasing the frames' attractions

New names we learn everyday
Things we knew perhaps, but never this way
Carica papaya-Melon tree in one?
In joins the Pongam tree to increase the fun

Carica papaya-Melon tree-Paw paw-Papaya-पपीता &
Pongamia pinnata-Indian beech tree-Pongam tree-करंज

Nature's beauty knows no end
She effortlessly does shades blend
Can anyone out-paint the painter
Nature's palette has no container
She doesn't restrict her beauty to blooms
Brightly colored leaves that she grooms
Raindrops do her creations grace
And they in turn them happily embrace
On beauty there are no curbs
Vibrant color makes for wondrous blurbs

My Co-Contributors

@Subytweets, Deepak, Shalini, Shashi, & Vee; UdayBaxi; Richard, Shalini & Ria; Shashi, Shalini, Ria & Vivek; Shashi; Shashi; Shashi & UdayBaxi; UdayBaxi; Deepak, UdayBaxi, Shashi, Shalini, &@Arjunjith5; @Subytweets, Vee, Shashi, & Deepak; Deepak, Vee & UdayBaxi