Down, But Not Out

A summer spent pacing the corridors of the hospital,

No time for the garden or the computer.

Two of my children battling serious illnesses...

Makes me want to close my eyes and weep.

I hang on to the strength of family and friends,

I remember the past and reach for the future,

I cherish each ray of light.

Day After Day

Day after day

The lily unfurls new petals

And greets the sun

With petals of charm

And colours of joy

Content to exist

In her resilient way

For just one day

Reminding me

All ends have beginnings

All beginnings have ends

Let the lily

Be our teacher

Give each day

All you've got

Be open

Be joyous

Have faith

Shine

Know that today will end

As tomorrow begins

Be grateful

For each day

Day after day

Crazy In Love

Crazy in love

or

In love with crazy :)

I can't help it...  I love my crazy-looking monarda!

Whether they're dancing out to greet me with a sideways smile

Or trying to scare me with their bright red tentacles

They always tip their Mad-Hatter hats

in my direction

Sometimes I get a surprise "hat-in-a-hat!"

They are more Halloween...

Than Halloween itself

(Mr. Hitchcock would be proud :)

They gather in my garden

in unplanned drifting clusters

But infatuated as I am

I only have eyes (and camera) for one at a time

My first love was Mr. Red

But lately...

This fuscia-purpley one has caught my eye

Unless -

I see this candy-pink fluffy creature

Which is a stunning hot-pink before it fully opens

And now there is a new temptress in my garden 

Monarda Bradburiana is her name

(I could fall for her too)

Oh, what the heck

I'll be crazy in love

with them all!

The Fairy's Tutu

The fairies are dancing

How nimbly they bound

They flit over grass tops

They touch not the ground

Their skirts are bright purple

Made of flutter and frou

Fairy ballerinas

In their flower tutus

~

Inspired by the poem: The Fairy Dance

By: Carolina Eliza Scott

Birthday Gifts

My garden has given me

The prettiest birthday candle ever -

A geranium bud

A few months ago, my husband ordered my birthday gift online.

It was a Canon Macro Lens EF 100mm 1:2.8

It was supposed to remain in its package until today...

Yeah, right.

I've been using it, well, learning how to use it ever since I received it :)

It has opened my eyes to a whole new world of beauty

So, this year I'm celebrating:
A love of learning

Seeing things anew

And being eternally fascinated with nature

My heart lives in the garden :)