Summer's Grace

 #DailyFlowers

 It's been absolutely insane fortnight! Snowed under so much work that the brain was dead by the time the day got over. Even thinking of coining rhymes added to stress. Hence the beautiful shares were left unaddressed. Today, is a lighter day, work-wise, though I have been running around since the morning. But let's see if lines will flow, if meter will find its place, if words will weave magic. We had some leftovers last time... .Let's start with them

FOMO, she said she had
Guess, it must have been pretty bad
Loads of flowers she did share
'Twas more than 2-weeks fare
The blogger was pressed for time
Try as she might there were no rhymes
Held these back for another day
Hoping some magic would come this way

Roses at first all seemed to be
Some leaves didn't seem to agree
Lovely colors, blooms they are, that's for sure
Their very presence reassures

Tulips from Ria,
Brought forth tulips from Arti
A colorful flowery idea
In full gay abandon did they party
Such beautiful blossoms did brighten the space
Our summer days they did grace!

Hues of Pinks and shades of red
Make for merrily blossoming spreads
The colors it seems are meant to entice
Wonder how nature makes them so precise?

And then the blues, lavenders, purples made their entry
With the reds-pinks, they seem so complementary
Blooms proud, then timid and shy
Their sight offers a fitting reply

Flowers in all hues, shapes and sizes
So much grandeur makes for awesome surprises
Whites of all shades do blend
While yellows a cheery halo lend
Gentle mauve contrasts a sky so blue
While the Amaltas builds a nice view
Remembrances with flowers for furry friends are made
So, that they may forever frolic in the shade
Collages, powder puffs join the game
Nature's beauty they loudly proclaim

My Co-Contributors

Alka (1st 2 frames); Alka & Rachna; Ria & Arti; Shashi, Shantha, Vivek & June; Shashi, Shantha, June & Ranjona; UdayBaxi, Shantha, & Mala; UdayBaxi & Shantha; UdayBaxi & Shashi; UdayBaxi & Shalini; Shashi, Shalini & UdayBaxi; Shalini, Vivek & Shashi

Verily, it's the Lily!

 #DailyFlowers

The blogger is an editor professionally and is absolutely snowed under and exhausted. The last thing she wants to do is put fingers to the keyboard, but alas the blog demands obedience, loyalty and updates. A tired mind might produce tired rhymes so I apologize in advance for any/all mistakes & shortcomings. It is hot, high summer in India, but a couple of places the rain sneaked in and along with the earth, its denizens, flowers rejoiced. Also, Shalini bought a new phone, experimented with its camera on the ever-loved, always-talked about lily and set forth a round of lines/repartee. 

Shalini kicked off with:
Silly lily
Flowering at a drop
Of rain in this heat
And feeling neat
Caused a neat riposte from her hubby:
I'm dead beat,
To see this lily cheat,
While I to heaven bleat,
Against the Heat, the Heat, the Wretched Heat!!
The blogger chimed in with:
This wretched heat
has everybody deadbeat
dreaming of sheets,
oh, cooling sheets
of rain as it downward beats!
Vivek, not to be left behind, came in:
Congratulations for the new phone.
The Lily chose to
Bloom in the heat that
Is making us bleat
But also making rhymes neat,
Which is no mean feat

There were colors and blooms galore
And the tired mind wants even more
Morning glory, pansies, petunia, lupines, oleander
Have in right royal garb decided to in wander
Apply a healing and soothing balm
Give tired minds and long heated days some calm

Even more sprightly beauties are met
From Ria, Shashi, Shantha and Sumanji we get
Vibrant, radiant blossoms have come to play
Side by side a pleasing display
Nature's canvas is spread around
In colors joyous and profound

If there's a tale that the colors tell
This crimson cacti loudly rings the bell
The mogra did bloom despite the heat
While another sacrificed part of its leaf
Dogwood, bird of paradise & more did in parade
Creating a flowery arcade

Alongside frangipani, crown of thorns
The hills too came alive
Loudly trumpeting their flowery horns
Varied flowers did merrily jive

Another profusion of colors did pose
Such beauty it was difficult to compose
Who would hold center stage
Who would be on the side yet engage
Our minds, hearts and eyes to the full
Can we every deny the flowers pull?

Hibiscus of all types, for all seasons
Udayji & Alka am sure had their reasons
Rich and delicate blooms do preen
Wouldst thou tell the Hibiscus, it's not a queen?

Some pix will not show today
They will be framed another day
Rest assured they won't be lost
Aside they will not be tossed!

My Co-Contributors:

Lilies from Rachna and Shalini; Shantha, Alka & FreyaS; Ria, Shantha, Shashi, & Sumanji; UdayBaxiji, Shashi & Vivek; Rachna, Ranjona, Shalini & Shashi; June, Alka, Rina & Vee; UdayBaxiji & Alka.

Flowery Tales from Valleys & Dales

 #DailyFlowers

It is hot, hot, hot! And about to get hotter! The swimming pool heats up by 10am and you don't even want to step into it. Today was a mite better, it was breezy, still kinda is, so hopeful that coming days will also have a breezy feel. The flower hunting, pix-taking gang was active as usual and shared blooms galore, engaged in light hearted (or was it serious) poetic banter, upping the score. But, let's begin with

Of Roses on steroids
And rose look-a-likes
Of deep red beauties
That enliven the sight
Of gentle blooms
Driving away the gloom
Of flowery tales
From valleys and dales

An interesting tale of the lily
Whence upon the hunt went Vivek willy-nilly
Landed he on his neighbor's stoop
Seemed he was out of loop
And thence began a light banter
Shalini & Vivek did alternately canter
Weighty lines across the timeline
Bringing into play Gods most sublime
Any attempt to translate those lines
Would quite likely see me fined
My apologies to my non-Hindi speaking readers
I shall leave alone these leaders
But Shantha added two beauties dear
We cannot allow them to silently disappear
That lovely pink-red lights up the frame
Nature's radiance proudly proclaims

 

 

And back to the blazing summer heat we go
Thanks to awesome pinks putting on a fab show
Lovely hues so cooling
My tired mind is positively drooling
The Mussaenda philippica-Queen sirkit-Buddha's lamp
Places upon the frame its own unique stamp
The other pinks in its presence rejoice
We are spoiled by a variety for choice

The crab-apple tree that June did capture
Has a flowering arch that induces rapture
Botanical Gardens from Shantha came
While Shalini added countryside gardens into the game
Shashi added dogwood flowers
Colors from green to light pink they did shower

Back to the hills Shalini went
Her days in cool climes were spent
These boots were made for hanging, and that's what they do
Hang all around with beautiful flowers in them, too
At the war memorial she paid her respects
Beauty saluting sacrifice,  a couplet does direct
Our attention to lives laid down
Glory for the motherland is the crown

Not just in gardens is beauty found
Nature's abundance on highways is found
Wild spider flower and wild caranda play
Delicate white blooms their kingdom survey
The giant calla lily & spurred butterfly pea
Up the ante to a massive degree

 
 

When nature mimics the summer's heat
Blazing oranges, yellows cover every corner & street
A bloom-laden Gulmohar against the sky
Seems with others to offer a fiery reply

Colors gentle, colors wild
Preening gleefully like a child
A merry splash against the green
A sight never ending, a loving scene

My Co-Contributors

Shantha, Rachna & Shashi; Vivek & Shantha (poetic banter, Vivek & Shalini); Rachna, Alka & UdayBaxiji; Shalini, June, Shantha & Shashi; Shalini & UdayBaxiji; Shalini; UdayBaxiji (1st 2 frames); UdayBaxiji & Ria; Alka, Ranjona & Vivek; Shashi & Rachna; Shashi & Vivek