Of Neigbors' Flowers & Hope Stones

 #DailyFlowers

This month sure has been strange, weather has played merry puck across the range. Mumbai saw rains and smog, Delhi was layered under a deep fog. Cold rain battered people and farmers on borders, while the US Capitol saw rampage and disorder. But still flowers stayed strong, on mailboxes they sang heartening songs.

From Shashi: #DailyFlowers of love and hope line the mailboxes on my street;  Another painted flower on a neighborhood mail box to cheer people passing by

 Flowers of love and hope lining mailboxes on the street
Beautiful splashes of color do residents on walks greet
Purples, yellows, pinks, greens and more light up the day
As more and more of nature is brought into play
Human imagination puts colors on display
Colorful spells harbingers of lightness
Little stones of brightness
Filling passing hearts with gladness
A sprinkle of color on winter morns
Let all artistry toot its horns

Vivek has used flower-hunting to his advantage, he takes pix, this blog features them and he gets lovely cups of chai from grateful neighbors... he has 2 in that series here: From a friend’s balcony. Good morning #DailyFlowers; Another one in the ‘neighborhood’ series  Good morning 

Methinks to Vivek we must grant
A flower series with a neighborhood slant
And thanks via him must be sent
To all those who their gorgeous blooms lend

But it is not just Vivek who goes a flower-hunting; Shalini joins him every now and then: From a neighbor's pot, sharing without permission. Anju had shared this on the colony #WA group. Her caption said "These are my first aloe vera flowers." 

Flowers blooming on the aloe vera plant
Like tiny birds who their heads to one side slant
They are framed by a deeper bougainvillea pink
It seems that the two plants of each other do deeply drink

Before this one, she seemed to have discovered a love for stuccoes and pillars, "climbers and creepers"

Climbers and creepers on stuccoes and grills
Colors that eyes see and the heart thrills
Flowers, flowers everywhere
Nature surrounds us with a lot of care

And before that she went visiting history: A rain-drenched monument and a flowering bush.... Safdarjang's tomb made for a picturesque backdrop for today's flowers.

Thanks to Shalini for this capture
Visits to Safdarjung's tomb were of a different nature
Past and present come together
Flowers and monument hold fort never mind the weather

And before this Shashi brought in some more rain drenched flowers: More Rain Flowers as #DailyFlowers

Bright yellow as raincoats used to be
Making us look like so many bumble bees
As we traipsed and puddled our way to school
While raindrops speckled flowers and created small water pools

 Taken while traveling the same NH44. Obviously there was no back seat driving today  Good morning #DailyFlowers

 Isn't it funny how the brightest colors on highways bloom
It is as if Mother Nature has decided to cut into the exhausted grey & gloom
These wonders to us did Vivek finally bring
Hearts and souls rejoice and with these flowers sing

My Co-Contributors

Shashi, Vivek, Shalini, Shashi, and Vivek

 

Rain-speckled Blooms

 #DailyFlowers

 Oh, well... it is time to put fingers to the keyboard again... and prepare another post. Let's begin without much ado... It's been raining across North India and the chill is setting in, and flowers well, they seem to be doing ok at the moment; our farmers are another tale... 

Anyway, Shashi began today with: #DailyFlowers I couldn't wait to post this. This morning, ventured out and outside a office building, we found these flowers. I jumped with joy. What a delight these flowers were. Their beauty enhanced by the rain drops. Colors that helped us remember that if the sun is not up

So, what if the sun is not up
Raindrop decorated flowers fill the cup
Cause happiness and joyful jumps
The day with glorious gorgeousness then pumps
Love the brilliant blue across the green
Oh how raindrops on the flower do preen
Then there was this glorious pink queen
With fine lines on her dainty petals seen
Met in Circa 2016 in the US Botanical Gardens
Her beauty hearts does fill and gladden

Before that he shared a vivid scape: Yay! Let's do this #DailyFlowers! Everyone sharing a photo of flowers and @Kirti a creative verse factory and a group that knows how to make people smile. Thanks.

Real life or painting
Am still myself acquainting
Looks like a hillside maze
With some hidden ways
The plots do shine
Laid out in a fine design 

And then there was my cousin, who sent me a flower with great love

When nature with colors plays
It puts on vibrant displays
Here's one with yellow and pink
Believe me I did very hard blink
Wondered if someone had paint sprayed
Or if mother nature had mischief played

And Shalini one day pitched in with: New year bouquet from my parents...did that make you smile? I was smiling ear to ear when they brought it :)

New year bouquet that brings forth smiles
From parents with love it goes miles
Mums from Dad and Mum, can you that beat
Nothing else needed for the day to be complete
This next bunch didn't mean to compete
But difficult to resist the beauty that I did meet
Two different yellows from across the world
Intense beauty for us bloomed, dangled and twirled

Methinks Vivek got taken in with the before and after series going round on #Twitter

Of beauties on- and off-duty
Vivek spied two cuties
He did bring them to the fore
Now I want some more

Little starlets were also shared by him
White flowers with light pink rims
They bring to mind the old style nine-gem ear rings
Seeing these memories do begin to sing

Bougainvilleas from yesterday. It was hazy so the color isn’t as bright as what the naked eye saw. Used filter in the second pic. Good morning 

Then yesterday he went on the NH44 motoring
There he found more Bougainvilleas flowering
Their pix he did want to stop and take
But his missus would not let him make that mistake
On a high speed road, it would not have been safe
Wise she was though he  at the restrain did chafe 

 This breathtaking shot comes from my friend Sunnila who lives in California but had gone to New Zealand for a holiday. The debate about lupins being a nuisance environmentally continues but meanwhile they give us beautiful vistas...

Shalini yesterday back to New Zealand went
Some beauties her Californian friend did send
Purples and pinks stand true and tall
Environmental nuisance or not, the vista holds us in thrall

This post began with rain drenched flowers from the US, only fair we close it with some from India: It's been raining here in Delhi too and these are flowers clicked by my sister, Rina, in her house after the rains. Good morning, #DailyFlowers

 Blossoms of pink
Did from raindrops deeply drink
Some on their petals did hold
Nature's pure watery gold

 My Co-Contributors

Shashi, Rachna, Shalini & Jola, Vivek and Shalini

Flowery Warmth for Wintry Days

 #DailyFlowers

Well 2021 has come in and strangely enough the weather has been kind of reminiscent of early December evenings even in Mumbai. It is breezy and there's a definite nip in the air! But nature-wise this is the best season as flowers bloom aplenty

And flowers are not just those that nature puts forth, every flower whether created, recreated or copied brings forth vibrancy, gorgeousness and a long-lasting beauty. This blogger received a beautiful New Year gift from @DerajBoutique, which is shared here

Magic lies in the sender's wishes
The absolute warmth and caring that it dishes
This lovely handmade card
Tells us with good friends around, life is not so hard

Shashi honored the blogger with his very kind words: Hi everyone in the #DailyFlowers community. Among the good things of 2020, it was your sharing of beautiful flowers everyday. You all shared a greater wealth beyond anything, that is your good spirits. @Kirti did a wonderful job with verses. This was on a neighbors mail box.

Whether as nature intended or human re-creations
Flowers bring forth a plethora of emotions
Joy, love, peace, harmony, all lessons we learn
As we meet them at every turn

Shalini decided to visit a nursery: Rajdhani nursery had these hibiscus in different shades...I remember "studying" the flower for our botany class in school. All I remember are the names of parts - stamen, stigma, style, sepals, etc. And that's the end of today's gyanvardhan :-p

Once a humble red flower
Varied hues today it does on us shower
Raised from just a wayside shrub
To the garden's pride of place and conversation hub

Vivek had time on his hands so decided to pick up the brush and paint: Having time on my hands I decided to paint the windows.

Free time brought a painter to the fore
Brush met window and a design to adore
Was etched onto the frame
Where white and yellow stepped up the game

As usual Shashi began the day, with memories that will bloom again: Have a great Sunday #DailyFlowers

Baby pinks lovingly in a bowl placed
The room they so very graciously graced
Their hues soothing and soft
Ensure our spirits through the day stay aloft

Shalini to a winter wedding went and surprises instead of food focused on flowers instead: Delhi winter weddings have these awesome lamps for heat in an outdoor setting. But thanks to #DailyFlowers, my attention was on the flower arrangement there! Have a great #SundayMorning!

Flowers are always the focal point
To everything else offering a natural counterpoint
You would think among the wedding finery, they would in the background fade
But flowers with their vibrancy can put to shame any shade

This gorgeous purple facing the sun
Looks like its having great fun
Vivek did it long admire
To share with us was his desire
The photographer couldn't wait
His composition is quite great

Archana some more roses shared
These lovely colors have well in winter fared
Pinks, oranges do mightily grow
In Indian winters, they put on a dazzling show

From pinks and oranges, we come to bright yellows
Resting places and honey givers are these gorgeous fellows
Nature's tiny creatures, two bees can be seen
One quite openly, the other you need to carefully screen

My Co-Contributors

Jan 2: @DerajBoutique and @priyashmita; Shashi, Shalini, Vivek

Jan 3: Shashi, Shalini, Vivek, Archana, Rachna & Kakul

 

Step Right in, 2021!

   #DailyFlowers

HAPPY 2021 & Welcome New Decade!

And the much awaited turnover has happened and 2021 is here; a new year, the start of a new decade and with it come hopes and dreams

Yay! We did 2021 in ring
This year n decade goodness shall bring
Upsets set right, humanity powerfully bright
Health, family, togetherness, freedoms all set to right
Like gorgeous flowers that always bloom
Life in 2021 shall shed its gloom
Recover we will, for we are strong
Come join in and let's sing along

Shashi says Happy new Year with a flower rangoli, as did Shalini, but Shashi first

This year will be flower blessed
Corona will be defeated
Humans will be less stressed
Lives will regain strength and new wonders created
Words and worlds will heal
Like these glorious flowers and lit lamp
Laughter, love and oneness will peal
And beauty shall once again reinforce its stamp

Shalini: Taking the cue from @shashib here's an old picture of us, but one that reflects our attitude to 2021 - hopeful but wary! Looking forward to more flowers and rhymes, and good times, in 2021! #DailyFlowers Happy New Year

Like the flowers in this gorgeous floor painting
Life comes a full circle
A new year, new dreams and hopes
A prayer that we shall not hit slippery slopes
Like a merry stream with cares it will flow and gurgle
As with friends old and new we shall be ourselves acquainting

A collage made by Asmita, of the flowers in our garden. Gardening is now her passion (thanks to the lockdown) As for me, I am content watching them grow and the missus glow.

Flowers do beautifully grow
When the missus on them love does bestow
Vivek is content to watch his garden grow and missus glow
Here's hoping this year too will put on a magical show!

On the first day of a new year, this gorgeousness from my Chachi’s farm. #DailyFlowers and Happy 2021, everyone!

She doesn't always contribute, but she does brings in gems
And today, she  brings in delicate pinks on slender stems
Borrowed from the aunt's farm
A true beauty that does indeed us all charm

My Co-Contributors

Me and Rachna; Shashi; Shalini; Vivek; and Shinjini