Shared Blooms

 #DailyFlowers

 The months march on, August is ending, September waiting round the corner and life goes on. Sometimes the work week is easy at times tougher than tough! We humans are a strange lot: we grumble when we have too much free time & less work and groan and moan when there's too much! In the nearly 3 decades that I have been working, there must have been at the max a 80-odd weeks where work and free time were perfectly balanced. And in the midst of this madness, history and the current met, smiled, shared blooms

The city of Hyderabad, ancient & modern
How many feet these paths have trodden
At one the Nizam's palace, thence the NPA
The cradles of administration, law & order
There went Shalini Social Media to re-order
Explain with hubby the intricacies of this space
Allow cadet officers a step ahead in the race
Alongside, the gardens did flourish
Their residents brilliant hues do nourish

Some more travels that she did undertake
Pix from there she did bring for us to partake
A red multi-layered house did she spy
Green gables, reddish pots too did catch the eye
Along with her a contributor rare
Brought in beauteous fare

One of our members always on his mind has food
Was apt that the red & whites reminded him of something good
But he also brought forth the mogra's tale
Alone or in company this beauty's intricate detail
Meant that it was adored and did prevail
Along with surprises that Coriander did spring
As its flowers did Scharada's close attention bring

There were more surprises in store
The red bottle brush upped the score
The fruiting bush created quite a sight
Delicious guavas showed their might

Our most prolific contributors this blog complete
Daily, magical beauties form stupendous treats
How do I separate one from the other
They seem to be having a friendly competition rather
Their gems totally astound
The collections are quite profound
Lost I get sometimes for rhymes
Their beauty loudly chimes
For me to be silent, offer them up for praise
So that all may on them lovingly gaze

Yellows, oranges, pinks and white
Colors in combination always delight
For more, violets, fuchsias do well meld
Readers of this blog are truly be-spelled
Some gems from contributors new
While the old hold true

My Co-Contributors

Shalini; Shalini & Nimmypal; Vivek & Scharada; Scharada; Shashi & FreyaS; Shantha; UdayBaxiji, Shashi & Devlina; UdayBaxiji, Subytweets & Shantha; Vivek, UdayBaxiji & Shalini; DrManish, Battrebeet  & Shantha; DrManish & Devlina; DrManish, Shantha & AdityaDSingh.

Mountain Trips for Flowery Posts

#DailyFlowers

The blogger was delayed, almost by a fortnight! While the contributors are mighty generous and patient, they are not above or beyond nudging the blogger. Usually,  by sharing rhymes and lines which remind me that I am being remiss. Well, Shalini sent in 2 sets in this interval and I did promise that she would lead the post, so here goes:

For the group
I took a trip
To a mountain tip
For I was told
There'd be flowers and behold!
Flowers to the left of me
Flowers to the right of me
And flowers in front of me :)
And if that wasn't enough, she today chimed in with
We scour far and wide
We beg and borrow
So that on the morrow
We have some posts
For our most
Beloved bard...
How was the "bard" to let the lines go, responded with this amiable flow
Your hard work shall be rewarded
Due courtesy awarded
The post shall likely start with your lines
The blogger will have a hard time making others shine
The WiFi is back, up & running
To be posted on, pics are a gunning
Give the poor bard some time
To conjure up some pretty rhymes
Blooms she brought from hither & thither
From a friend's garden too for us to consider
Whites speckled with orange-yellows
Altogether making the frame mellow

Truth be told
Let the blogger be bold
Was tempted to lead with Shantha's beauties
But then was reminded of my duties
A promise made must be kept
So others were aside swept
But now it is their turn
Blooms whose glories we must discern
In the same way, that our contributor selects,
Photographs and then collects
Streaming them through the week
These are flowers majestic, not at all meek

 I did think Udayji was on a yellow streak
But then in he did these oranges & pinks sneak
But the yellows definitely ruled the day
They soothed my tired brain and helped it stay
On course to complete my work
For that I cannot shirk
But was I glad to meet colors brilliant
Their presence makes this blog so resilient
Udayji casts his net far and wide
Through this he takes us along for the ride
Other colors mingled in with pride
Nature her palette well applied

 

Neither the Hibiscus nor the Lily will let go
They are determined to make most of their show
But we the viewers don't really mind
They are two flowers uniquely designed
To capture minds hearts and souls
Each superbly playing their roles

Still more glories on the scene do blaze
Their shapes, sizes, definitions do us amaze
Succulents, frangipani, roses, yet more do in stray
All in all, what a merry display
Nature's arranged glories
Or office bouquet stories
Pinks on shrubs and trees
While godly petals the tree frees
All harbingers of times and seasons to come
Festivals, celebrations, add to the fun
Also, in this time fell the birthday of a contributor dear
He brings to us beauties from far and near
Usually in bunches of four
Nature's goodness he does on us pour
A fervent wish we for him raise
Happiness, grace, love, joyous abundance stays
In his life today & forever
Success glaze all his endeavors

A Rakhi moon,  rain-drenched alamanda & phlox
Play together brilliantly this frame to stock
Lil moments of greatness from the pix takers
We could call them the shakers and makers
Of lovely tales that this blog doth tell
As it rings its weekly/fortnightly bell

It's been raining for days on end
To fungi mischief the weather itself lends
Trust Vivek to home into their show
From there into childhood memories flow
Of dogs, their pees and creative designs
That they must have executed to leave signs
That were discovered by curious kids
Who likened them to comfy steps
That squirrels could use to get ahead

My Co-Contributors

Shalini (Both frames; 1st set via Anurag Mishra-ji from the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand); Shantha (both frames); UdayBaxiji (1st two frames); UdayBaxiji, Shalini & Shashi; Shashi & UdayBaxiji; June, Shalini, FreyaS, & @Vagabond42; June, Vivek & DrManish; Scharada & Shalini; Shashi, Vivek, June, UdayBaxiji & Vee (via Dhanya); Shashi & Vivek; Shashi & Shalini; Shashi & DrManish; Vivek, Shalini & Shashi.

Beauteous Glories & Vivid Stories

 #DailyFlowers

The  month's gone, where, how, I don't know, but July is on its way out! Rains have descended across the country; as usual there's been havoc in many places and in others nature/greenery have heaved a sigh of relief. Last year, this time I was on a tatting-shuttle run determined to make Mom lace hankies. This time round have been bitten by the crocheting bug; let's see how that works out! On this blog, there are some flowers that keep on repeating. My cousin just sent a bunch of pix, have used some, have held some back... but Hibiscus, Roses and yes the lilies... make their presence felt and how

Can one say lilies in spate
Or would that not be so great
A description for these beauteous glories
That pop up every now & then with vivid stories
Rain lilies, spider lilies, fortnightly lilies
More and more lilies!

There will be more lilies to come
But it's time for Roses to have their fun
Lovely hues that sparkle in their frame
A confederate Rose increases their fame
Delicate whites add to the delight
Hope the arrangement is just right

A spot of color she said
Seemed like glorious profusion instead
Yellows and bright pinks did merrily play
Along with green came to say
Choose your colors, we'll choose the day
Will decide when we want to reign & hold sway
From near and far did come beauties
Jauntily blooming, fulfilling their duties

Gems from Shantha as only she can bring
The sight of these makes my heart sing
Must say, one reminded me of a spider's face
The other brought to mind daintily crocheted lace

Scharada-ji's garden is bringing forth surprises
When she's almost given up, bestows prizes
A plant she thought was dead and gone
Burst into delightful blue-purple song
Then ahead of season came Dahlia to the fore
And Devlina with that brilliant Hibiscus delivered the more
Shashi's daughter in his steps does walk
Early one morning, she brought us this wonder to gawk
The simple ones were not left behind
They for daily soothing are designed

Her contributions were delayed
In time to the blog not relayed
Then in she sent this gorgeous one
It gets to have its run
Flowers in offering to the lords
From gardens come mellifluous chords

The tale would be incomplete
If the promised Hibiscus we did not meet
How can it be set aside and let go
When its glory sets the blog aglow!

My Co-Contributors

Dr.Manish, Rachna, & FreyaS; Shalini & Shantha; Vivek, Shashi & Shantha; LillianL & Gauri; Alka, Bina-di (via Reena from Dublin), Shashi, & Shalini; June, Shantha, UdayBaxiji, Alka, Rachna, & Bina-di (via Reena from Dublin); Shantha; Shantha, Scharada, Shashi & Devlina; Shalini, Vivek, Alka & @Vagabond42; June, June's Sister, Shantha & @DrVW30.

A Grinning Rosebush

 #DailyFlowers

 Monsoons are well and truly entrenched in Mumbai; we've been having rains for consecutive days now: low lying areas get flooded, traffic gets disrupted, movement becomes difficult, people start talking about the city's undying spirit and yes clothes take 2 and more days to dry! And in the midst of all this, Mom's daycare maid's gone on leave to attend to her Ma! Can't say no, although things become tougher when she's not around! But mothers are mothers and daughters need to take care of them! And over this interval (between last post and now), gems have flown in as usual. So, without further ado, what say we get going?

Periwinkles sweet does Shashi bring into meet
With tiny bejeweled raindrops the day to greet
A platter of flowery dough
And roses that are fragile yet tough
With the moon shining up there in the sky
Starry nights coming oh so nigh
And grinning from ear to ear
Says Vivek's rosebush to the rain
You, I don't fear!
Wouldst thou please visit again?

Seems the Hibiscus streak is still running strong
Udayji brought in some more to add to the song
Sparkling whites, yellows, oranges, reds do frolic
In their wholesomeness, are pretty symbolic

From Shantha come colors delightful
Each wondrous, more than an eyeful
A riot of blooms standing merrily tall
Across a wide spectrum, they hold us in thrall

From the US more lilies do come
They seem to be marching to their own drum
Yellow-speckled reds do in chime
Contrasting with all the green ever so sublime

It is considered an invasive pest
But is in Nature's grandest colors dressed
A delicate globe does also arrive
Makes it tough to easily describe
Neighbor's gardens & walks add to the spree
Colors in joyous abandon & glee

A burst of color dances through
A medley that encourages repeated view
Gay blooms that decorate their spaces
Easily winning imagined races
Potted Bougainvillea and neighbor's treasures
Allow us to enjoy these bountiful pleasures

 

My Co-Contributors

Vivek, Shalini & Shashi;  UdayBaxiji; Shantha; June, Shashi & Lillian; Vivek, Shantha, Shashi & Shalini; Shashi & Shalini; Shalini, UdayBaxiji, June & Shashi; Shalini & Vivek

Energizing Beauty!

 #DailyFlowers

The post is due, so the fingers begin their dance on the keyboard and the brain starts to both scatter and collect thoughts, experiences and more. Words jingle-jangle hurriedly to form sensible compilations to accurately portray nature's majesty. In the midst of all this come Mom's memories of days and gardens gone by. As many of you would know, Sunday was a tough day for her. When she finally stabilized flowers seem to be a calming influence. She talked of the round garden near their Lahore home, of the many gardeners who took care of lawns/gardens first at the Minto Road (Delhi) house, then the Allahabad kothi and the many houses/homes across Dad's various service postings! There are 3 flowers she holds dear: jaba (hibiscus), gulab (rose) and for some reason, the sweet pea creeper. Bougainvillea occupies the latter portion of memories. More on her flower memories in another post!

Since Hibiscus is a favorite flower
And contributors do continue to it shower
On this blog with great generosity
Only fair that it is made a priority
And lead the post today
Allow it to have its dominance & sway
Even posed with lovely European gems
It raises the beauty of all stems
A path straight to greatness it does show
As all blooms fall into a merry flow

June's lilies are merrily coming along
Prompting the creation of many a song
That sings their praises to the sky
Her shares bring them near to delight the eye
From the Northeast comes a visual feast
True beauties & wildflowers released
Even as they their last chords do play
Majesty they still convey
Fuchsia brilliance boggles the mind
A hue exquisitely designed

This particular group acts as a soothing balm
To a fractured mind adds a degree of calm
Blooms in this frame are an energizing touch
Nature's beauty juxtaposed as such

Varied beauties shining bright
Across the world, wondrous delights
Blooms in the desert so majestic
They elevate the blooms domestic

From the northern hills these come
With their songs the blooms thrum
Ranjona & Shalini these treasures share
Of their glory, many are unaware

Still many more blooms put on their show
In tandem with each other they sway & flow
Colors brilliants, colors mild
Coloring alike the minds of adults & child
The wave of freshness that they bring
Alongside, our hearts do sing
Songs unwritten, but of one note
Songs not sung by rote
Sung in praise, to Nature raised
As she lovingly our lives does grace

My Co-Contributors

Scharada, June, Vivek, Shalini, Shashi & Devlina; Jola, Vivek & Scharada; June, Shantha, Shalini, & Vivek (Veronika); @Hiway, Scharada, Shantha; June, Jola, Shashi, Shantha & Ranjona; Vivek, Shalini & Shashi; Jola, AdityaDSingh, Shantha, Shalini & Devlina; Ranjona & Shalini; Shashi, Jola, Shantha & Shalini; Shantha, Shashi & Jola; Scharada, Vivek & Shantha