Vibrant Drums, Flowers do Thrum!

  #DailyFlowers

This month of January is very strange, it is wandering all over the grange. One day it is hot and humid, the other it is breezy and nippy. Seems the weather can't make up its mind. And there's work, which can't make up its mind either. Does it want to amble in or race in. I wish they would make up their minds. But in the midst of all these not-made-up-my-mind-types, there are some sureties... flowers, glorious flowers, songs of hope, colors dazzling ....

And then there is Shashi, who gathers together flowers that symbolize hope along with the hope stones that his neighbors decorate their mailboxes with: Back to work meaning strangers putting hopeful messages in their mailboxes with painted flowers; #DailyFlowers Yay! It's Thursday & #DailyFlowers cherishing the flowers that I can see

Stones and flowers of hope
Nature extends a beautiful scope
As the world and people slowly emerge
Covid vaccines, the new year, new beginnings converge
Full many a thought is yet to fully bloom
We are totally ready and willing to get off Zoom!

The others are not far behind, Sai as is his wont brought forth A star burst of colors for #dailyflowers & A Rose a day

Star shaped bunches along with roses deep pink
The two of Nature's bounty do deeply drink
The bougainvillea, a plant that is hardy
Lovely roses that are never tardy
Together they come to bring forth smiles
Vibrant and beautiful they go miles

Shalini's Mum's mums still going strong. Day 12 and counting :) & Vivek with ‘Mum’s’ the word. Amazing longevity. Different flower but almost matching today’s colour theme. Home grown rose.  Good morning

Over 12 days ago, Shalini was given Mums by her Dad and Mum
Lovely yellows they have us marching to their drum
And then there was Vivek with dazzling roses yellow
From across the country they sing a cheery Hello!

A field of mustard flowers... forgot to click a picture without us in the frame and now you have to pay the price for that! Borrowed plumage for today!  Meenakshi Mehta was kind enough to share these beauties from her balcony. Hope this brings some cheer on this cold morning

Borrowed flowers and mustard fields
Blossoms brilliant orange and plentiful yellow yields
You would think they would not mesh
But each in its place brings forth feelings fresh
Friends don't mind sharing and the couple is quite daring
Deep & light oranges against the railing,  duo with harvest a-trailing

Borrowed pic here too. Thank mother Nature, one can borrow all we want without fear of being declared NPA. A cousin of the flower I posted yesterday! Good morning

Vìvek still roamed the neighborhood borrowing flowers
But then they have such strong powers
And then he found a flower smug alongside a baby bud
That little bud would have made an amazing nose stud

Can anything be nicer that dewdrops on a flower
Droplets of water that their love do shower
On petals that hold them lovingly and fast
Loath to let go even as the sun's rays march past

Purples make their presence felt
Beautiful shades to make hearts melt
From deep to light, to gentle mauve
These blooms are sturdy and suave

My Co-Contributors

Shashi, Sai, Shalini & Vivek, Shalini, Vivek, Vishnu and Rina (Shalini's sister)

Of Flowery and Other Worlds

 #DailyFlowers

The PTB (powers that be) at my workplace said January is an easy month, nothing much happens, you can take it easy. Yep! That's why in floated 2 gargantuan docs (220 and 319 pgs/slides) that have me turning cross-eyed and my brains being scrambled. Well, the flowers have provided nice colorful distractions, so let's pay them their due

Shashi is living in deep winter times and changing his walk directions. Doing so has netted him some gains, which he duly shared with us: #DailyFlowers I was overjoyed and thrilled, seeing these flowers walking to a different area than usual. #hope Despite the cold these flowers symbolize that seasons are beautiful and beauty and color will always be back.

Purple and yellow stars abound
A beautiful sight although earth bound
They met Shashi and gladdened his heart
And he brought to us the majesty of Nature's art

And as if the earth itself was rejoicing it put forth delightful pinks, shared both by Shinjini (Fresh from Chacha’s farm. Happy Sunday, folks!) and Vishnu (Sunday shots from the garden)

A profusion of purples and pinks dominates today
It is as if these colors have decided it is their day
Lohri's (& pongal & makar sakranti) round the corner bringing the 1st hint of spring
A promise that hard winters may pass off soon and ease to our hearts bring

 

Shalini went a-missing for two days, and Vivek brought in a beauty deep: Another one from the neighborhood series. Good morning, have a great Sunday

On the terrace railing a vibrant deep purple blue
Against the white of the wall, it is a show-worthy hue
Climbing up and trailing its way down
It is quite aptly the home's crown

And then came flowers more, especially those that winter defy
Speckles of yellow and violet  that catch the viewer's eye
They seem sheltered behind a fence
Protected from rowdy elements
The pleasure they give and we are getting
From flowers behind a netting
Yes, it's a strange setting
But they do not mind as they grow
In winter times put on an encouraging show

And from Vishnu came: Red and Purple blossoms...., Colorful flowers certainly warms up heart and Purple for the in-house Wordsworth; This is a fresh and a first time bloom

Fresh and First time blooms...
Oh the power of nature's loom
Look what gems she has sent forth
Among winter treasures  they have high worth

 Vivek has a bougainvillea itch
Time and time again he does switch
Gets them from highways, roads and lanes
But you have to grant they make for colorful refrains

And today:  This flower has a beautiful side view too. The magical interaction of sunlight and stem (biology wasn’t my forte) has created the illusion of a mystical beam. Good morning #DailyFlowers 

What wonders does the side view hide
Do you think there's another world inside
Hidden from our eyes, sunlight peeking through
Is there a saucer in there with an other-worldly crew?

From Sai, Good morning! Gold hiding up the tree; The first thought I had when I took this pic was that looks like an  expensive dish

Sai found gold hiding up the tree
He says people climb up to grab it since it's free
And then he captured what looks like an expensive dish
Bright yellows against the green good for making a wish

Shalini re-merged after two days with this pix

Slender stems and equally slender leaves
Are teamed with flowers of thin pink sleeves
Against it a dark black-grey avian friend
A close survey of his domain he pretends

My Co-Contributors

Shashi, Shinjini & Vishnu, Vivek, Shashi, Vishnu, Vivek, Sai and Shalini

 

 

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