FOTD, August 4, Balloon Flower

Cee’s Flower of the Day challenge always gives us the opportunity to share the different flowers we see. I got hooked on these beauties last year so I planted some more this year – balloon flowers. It’s an odd name for a flower, but I am guessing they get that name from their shape right before the bloom opens, as they do look like a hot air balloon.

Once they open, they kind of look like a balloon that just burst with the pointed edges rolled back – probably more like a five pointed star.

And purple, regardless of shade, is always an acceptable color.

When enjoying the beauty of flowers, I am reminded of the beauty of kindness. It is a gift that we can share wherever we go with mankind, animals, and even plants.

Always Be kind…to all kinds.

WRITEPHOTO, Racoon

KL Caley has given us a fun photo to write about which brings back many memories of the racoons we fed in when living in the country of Florida as a child.

Dinner Time

‘Scuse me there dear friend, can you spare us a bite

My mate is quite tired while tending the tyke

And water is needed, for washing that bite

Proper washing is a must before taking a bite

Check out the directions to WRITE PHOTO and join in on the fun! If you know anything about racoons, they wash everything before they eat it of water is available.

Remember the beauty of wildlife and be kind with it. They are trying as hard as we are to survive in this crazy world.

FOTD, August 1, Bouquet

Cee’s fun Flower of the Day Challenge allows us to go in various directions so, today I give you a bouquet…

I am retired but work part-time at the church doing small things. One of our members brought in this bouquet Sunday for fellowship hour. A time after the service where we socialize with each other over coffee and sweets. Since I did not make it to service, I did not see the flowers on Sunday but they placed them in m y office for me to enjoy during the week. And Monday I walked into an amazing smell. I am including some close up shots for you to enjoy each of the individuals blooms from the bouquet. First are the Spider Lilies – the one responsible for the majority of the fragrance.

Then the hydrangeas and cluster flowers gave a supportive background for the other show-off flowers.

One of the eyecatchers I believe to be a gladiolus but regardless of it’s name, it’s color is beautiful.

But my favorite of the bouquet is a plain white lily, that really is not plain at all. It seems to be a flower in a flower in a flower. The petals a four layers thick and the yellow pollen sprinkled down them give them an amazing look. This view from the side shows you the multiple layers of ruffled elegance.

The beauty of flowers awakens inside of us a peace and calm feeling that we stop momentarily to enjoy. This beauty and peace reminds of the home that awaits us and a kindness that has been shown us throughout our lives – even during hard times. So, I challenge you to share that kindness with others and help this world be a better place.

August Colors Challenge

City Sonnet has a fun photo challenge for each day of the month where you get to share pictures as you play along. Today’s challenge is favorite color and that is a challenge in itself for I love all colors. But I think perhaps a soft creamy yellow is near the top of the list. It’s a happy color and we should always have things around us that make us happy. When I bought my house, the kitchen was a busy multi-color paisley wallpaper. Way too bust for a kitchen, so I repainted it in soft yellow to help calm the room. A kitchen should always be happy and calm because creations of deliciousness can never come from chaos.

Then you can use small accents of brighter colors to add a splash of personality. As I finished writing this post, I realized I used the wreath as a favorite color earlier this year, so I guess yellow is definitely a favorite color.

In closing, I remind you of the color of Kindness. While we think kindness has no color, it has a hue of brightness that we should share wherever we go.

FOTD, July 31, & Encouragement

Cee creates an amazing challenge using flowers with her FOTD post and many of us join in on the fun. This evening, I want to stretch that challenge with encouragement from a weed.

Due to the excessive heat we have had this summer, I have not been able to work much in my yard the last few weeks, and as usual, the weeds have taken over. But Friday I started the weed whacker and took care of business. One weed I left as it was covered in interesting looking buds and today they are opening.

You can see from my thumb how very tiny this cluster of flowers is. I took out my camera with the macro lens and got a closer shot to show you the intricacies.

Here you can see the super tiny flowers bunched together to make the cluster of color.

What I want everyone who reads this to really see and understand is that each of us is just this beautiful, just this intricate, and just this much loved as we were created. If God goes to the trouble to do this for a tiny flower, even an unwanted weed type flower, think of how much more precious you are to God when he created you in His image. So don’t let anyone tell you that you are not loved, that you are not special, or that you are not needed. Because God never makes junk, He always makes a masterpiece.

So smile knowing you are special and remember to smile and be kind to others who may not realize how special they are.

FOTD, July 26, The Peace Garden

At our church, we have several small gardens that surround the building and are taken care of by certain individuals, families, or certain classes. The Peace Garden has been the focus of one of our families that work in it at different times of the year to prune, mulch, plant and of course to enjoy. It is located on the corner by the driveway to the parking lot so it gets seen by many people – even those who do not come to our church.

The lilies in this garden are extraordinary. This crazy triple digit heat does not seem to bother them. This first one is kind of a peachy orange with a pink blush in the center of the petals and a bright yellow center. I love the ruffled edges.

The other lily in the garden is a bold maroon red with a bright yellow center.

Here we have three blooms on one stalk. Beautiful.

On the backside of this garden are happy yellow cone flowers.

There are brick walkways that wind through this small garden to help those who enjoy gardens, a way to relax and enjoy its beauty while feeling its peace.

For many, flowers and gardens have a way to reach down inside of us to help us relax and enjoy the beauty God intended. So, I remind you to enjoy the beauty around you and to always be kind. Being kind has a beauty all on its own.

FOTD, July 20, Lily (again)

As Cee shares her lily picture, I too am sharing the lilies that are around our church. These lilies are orangey-yellow with dark orange accents, kind of a standard color but still pretty. I love how every other petal is a different color and the ruffles always add to their beauty.

Come join in on the beauty you see with other flower lovers and have a happy flower day. And as always, I remind you of the happiness and beauty of kindness.

Reena’s Xploration Challenge, Rain

Use the word rain in any form to share your thoughts.

Alternatively, here is a picture which is experimental on Unsplash.

I stand alone

dying from thirst

No rain

While parts of our world are in the wet season and have too much rain, some areas are desperately needing rain, real and spiritual.

Whether it be actual rain you need or spiritual rain you need, kindness during that season always brings a light of hope. May kindness rain down on you quenching the thirst from hard times.

Acceptance of Love

In reading my devotion from Billy Graham’s Daily Devotions this morning, I learned a new concept of Christ’s love that I never thought of before. Billy Graham said…

A gift is not a gift unless it is accepted. God has given you His Son, but ownership is conditional on acceptance. God does not force His gift on us, but He asks us to receive by faith the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. Billy Graham

While I have long ago accepted Christ as my savior, I never really thought about that if you don’t accept Him as a gift, you don’t get to have Him. There have been tangible gifts through the years that I have refused, and I never connected the dots of God’s love, mercy, patience, or guidance as being a gift I would refuse.

A person who deliberately refuses God’s offer of love, mercy, and forgiveness is lost. Most people gratefully receive a gift when given in love. The greatest sin that a person can commit is to refuse God’s love. Billy Graham

I am creating this post not to make anyone feel uncomfortable in their own beliefs but to help anyone realize the beauty, compassion, love, and understanding that is available for accepting the gift from God of his one and only son Jesus Christ.

Remember to always share kindness with others as He has been kind to you.

FOTD, July 19, Portulaca

Portulaca is a type of flowering plant in the Portulacaceae family that is also known as the moss rose as it does resemble a small rose. The flower size is not larger than 4 inches but its vibrant color makes up for the small size.

You can see that in the flower box, they are more widely scattered than tall with succulent-type leaves. On closer view their mix of colors can make you smile.

The bees were very busy this morning with their little legs being covered in the all important pollen. Below are some closeups of individual bloom colors and their bee friends.