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.

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.

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.

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.

A white bloom, a red bloom beside it, and a yellow bloom with a bee friend.

Rosey pinks with their bee friends and a light pink below.

This bloom really shows the rose like quality of the bloom.

As you enjoy the simple beauty of these blooms, remember the beauty of kindness.

Always Be Kind!

FOTD, July 18, Lily

I love surprises. Especially flower surprises that just show up from a random bird dropping of seed. This is a flower bed doomed for destruction and restructuring so I have not really done much with it this year but now I had a bulb that will need saving and replanting.

I had one similar last year in my front yard but it did not come back this year. Maybe it moved to the back where it gets more sun.

Both blooms are exquisite with ruffled edges, bright yellow centers, and a pinkish color to the petals. Join in with Cee’s Flower of the day and share the beauty you see.

And as always, remember to be kind. The beauty of kindness is more important that the beauty of any flower.

Always Be Kind!

FOTD, July 16, A Redo

A few days ago I posted a flower that was upended before opening by a storm. I was hoping it would bloom inside. So today I thought I would show you the bloom as it did finally fully open. I give you a burnt red-orange sunflower…never seen this color before.

I tried several angles to show off the color but this seemed to be the best shot. The petals almost look brown but looking close you can see the orange. And the pollen is bright yellow and long. You can see in the closeup below how long the pollen stems are plus it gives you a closeup of the petal color.

Flowers can be an amazing journey as you visit gardens or try “mystery” seed packets like what this one came from. The bloom size is not huge but its effect is.

Have a beautiful quiet Sunday and remember to be kind.

Of Flowers and Flying Things

I am always amazed at the types of flying visitors that visit my yard and the flowers that I plant. I think I am most amazed at how many house flies seem to like flowers…at least I think they are house flies. I looked up flies and was amazed and the number of types of this little pest. I think that is why this one visitor is there…waiting on a fly to land so he gets a meal…

But the flies seem persistent with their blue-green color. When I was a kid we had a name for these but being online, we don’t want to use that kind of language, but I think you get my drift.

But we also have many types of bees that come visit, bumble bees, honey bees, and some type of tiny bee. This sunflower has a small bumble bee and one of the tiny type bees. This little guy’s legs are covered with pollen crystals.

Then we have the flying creatures that always bring about a smile…

Goldfinches are loving my sunflowers this year and then the Mourning Doves are always stopping by the feeder. Having a pair that visit you regularly is a sign of Love Peace and Hope. I am always up for those feelings.

Other visitors are around as well…

The nature that is close by in our yards should be enjoyed and not forgotten about for their presence is what makes our gardens flourish.

And as always, I remind you to be kind. Let it flourish from you as well and see the vast difference it can make.

Always Be Kind!

FOTD, July 6, Yard Fun

This first part of the summer, here in the Midwest, was excessively hot. so many of the seeds planted have not shown their beauty, specifically the sunflowers. What the heat didn’t kill, the squirrels dug up. So no 12 foot tall sunflowers this year. However, I do have some dropped seeds the birds left behind from last years crop that are trying to come up, so we will see. So far 5 foot height is the standard.

A fun one is coming up through the slinky I put on my birdfeeder post two years ago to discourage the squirrels. That works by the way.

This is the one the goldfinches love because they can sit on the slinky. The one in the middle of the yard is light yellow. I think it was called a lemon sunflower.

The front of my house is filled with various types and colors of flowers. A mixture of lilies, petunias, impatients, coreopsis and verbena spread their smiles of happiness as they sway in the breeze.

The smiles of summer through the flowers we see are good reminders to share our own smiles with others who need to see them. Smiles are infectious and a good way to share kindness. So, smile often and share kindness.