Not Enough Credit, FOTD, SMM

On any given plant that flowers, it is the bloom that gets all the credit of beauty, delicacies, fragrance and I could go on. But the leaves are what feed the the blooms, protect them, give them a stage where they are the center of the attraction. So today’s post is a tribute to the beauty of the leaves of one of my violets blooming like its spring. This tie in with Irene’s Sunshine Monday Macro and Cee’s Flower of the Day.

IMG_20191201_081918 — Thick fuzzy leaves with deep veins and a rough bumpy texture.

This is proof for people as well, we all are different and special and add character to the whole when we work together in beauty of our strengths.

May we in the season of giving, give of ourselves and come together with our strengths to show the beauty God created when he created us. Give kindness when its least expected and watch the lights ignite in their eyes.

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Fly After Honey? SMM

I have heard the saying of flies after honey but I always think of them after the sugars on our plates. Do they really go after honey in flowers? Apparently as my dianthus was covered.

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Come join in on the fun of Monday Macros with Heaven’s Sunshine and share the fun with macros.

And as a reminder for the start of the day, always find ways to be kind. A smile, hug or sweet hello.

Sunshine’s Monday Macro, Babies

Irene Tron of Heaven’s Sunshine has a marvelous challenge to play with macros on Mondays, so come play along.

My entry for today is a baby spider plant. A friend was giving a bunch away so I took a couple. We will see how it goes. My variegated ones do not make babies for some reason although they they multiply thickly in the pot.

IMG_20190921_230537 — New spider plant baby

Interesting that the leaf foliage has started but yet the white bloom is still a tiny tiny bud. new life is always exciting even in plants. I just hope my banana tree revives. I will post pictures if new leaves appear.

Remember how precious all of life is and treat all living creations with tenderness and care…and some with caution. Try to reflect the love and grace given you by God, to reach out to others to help them feel the love only God can give and try to always be kind.

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FOTD, 9/13/19 Violets

Come join in on the beauty of flowers around you with Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Scatter your kindness & smiles on others as the flowers scatter their beauty with us.

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FOTD, Some Still Beautiful

My flowers have been exceptional this year. Don’t know if it was because of the wet spring we had or what but I have enjoyed them.

IMG_20190831_142549 — Zinnia in the flower box outside my bedroom

Flowers make me smile. Smiling makes me feel happy. Happiness creates ability to share kindness. May we always have flowers somewhere so that we can always be kind.

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I love Cee’s challenge of Flower of the Day. Come join in.

Fall is Coming, Flowers Leaving, FOTD

As fall is coming upon is our beautiful outdoor gardens are beginning to fade. I am enjoying the last few flowers but see the chilly nights are starting to take their toll.

IMG_20190831_142436 — Some are fading but some still going strong

With the change of the seasons, enjoy each beauty they bring. Let the beauty you find reflect the love of the season, the love of the color change, the love of Christ and always be kind.

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New Found Life, FOTD

Cee’s wonderful challenge of Flower of the Day has been fun for me as my yard this year was really good. The first full summer of retirement so I got to play a lot in the dirt. The flower below I can not remember its name but in the spring it was full and hanging off all sides of the hanging basket. The blooms are about the size of my pinky nail but they cover the hanging basket. The summer heat was a detriment for it but now that the early touches of fall are in the air, it is making a come back.

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Take this flower’s determination to survive to heart and don’t let the heat of life drain you. Jesus never promised it would be easy, he just said it would be worth it, so hang on. And share that desire with others to hang on and it will bring smiles and light back into their world. And as always, be kind.

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And watch the kindness you share spread…like ripples in a pond.

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Sunshine’s Monday Macro

This beauty was found none other than…Lowes. Worse than the candy store to me. But what an awesome shot.

I am still amazed at what my phone camera can do for closeups but I miss a lot of distant shots, just not enough detail.

Heaven’s Sunshine created a fun new post for us all to see the details of this world close up with Sunshine’s Macro Monday. Come join in on the fun.

And as always, remember to be kind…we can always be kind.

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Leaf Color, FOTD

I find the leaves of plants almost as interesting as the flowers themselves. They are varying shades of green sometimes with other colors mixed in, some are thick, some are thin, pointed or rounded, fuzzy and slick. It shows the artistry of God in creation.

But my violets, which are always consistent, have a leaf of inconsistency and I though it interesting as its had the same amount of sunlight it always gets.

Even the leaf with its back facing us is correctly colored.

Its like it didn’t receive an even amount of chlorophyll.

Come join on on Cee’s Flower of the Day and share the beauty or curiosity that you find. And as you share here with beauty, remember the smiles they bring and share that in kindness as all things should be treated kindly. It makes life sweeter.

BOTD/FOTD Combo

Since they both happened pretty much because of preparing for a solution of a problem, I figured we could post them on the same post. The problem was – needed more bird food, the solution – go to Lowes and while we are there you know we have to look at all the pretty flowers….I was very good…I did not buy flowers this time.

im1 However I did buy dirt for re-potting a house plant. But here is the beauty for Flower of the Day. Evidently you plant roses in the fall…who knew? Not me.

IMG_20190822_122147 — Was slightly disappointed as it had no fragrance that I could tell

Still experimenting with what the birds seem to like the best. I know the thistle seeds are a favorite for the Goldfinches. Cardinal’s love the back oil sunflower seeds but they come with peanuts which draw the squirrels. But the squirrels like the sunflowers seeds as well. The safflower seeds were a big hit with the finches and squirrels don’t like them but the birds make a mess by scattering them too much on the ground but… that brought in the morning doves. Oh well. We will just keep playing to see what shows up. For now enjoy lunch time.

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All creatures great and small. It is the Lord God who made them all. And while that is technically not said in the scripture it is reference throughout the scriptures and God is the creator of all things. So enjoy all of creation, use caution when necessary, and let the things He loves remind you of just how much He loves you. Then let that love go out and ripple in waves of kindness wherever you go creating joy as it moves.

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Cee and Granny both have fun challenges we c an add to at any time, so enjoy.