A Flower Album

Please come with me to visit my "garden"! At first glance as you walk into my two small yards you might very well ask, Helloo? where are your flowers? But come closer and you will see that there are many different types!

We'll leave the roses and irises alone since I've showed them off in recent weeks. But not to worry, more photos of them are forthcoming in the next few weeks and months when they will be at the height of their beauty! There are five buds on one pink rose bush, one on the orange rose bush and...well, I'm just sayin'. Let's start in the front yard next to the house. Check out one of my two colors of miniature roses. This one is a deep red and is getting old but I think that just adds to its beauty-makes it look rather velvety, don't you think?

Over in the corner is a purple-leafed decorative plant which produces this tiny half-inch flower. Its name is Purple Heart.

Here's an interesting bunch of flowers! They belong to the aloe

plant. That's right, I have my own supply of this good stuff.

The late afternoon sunshine was the perfect setting for this

photo.

Now on we go to the back yard...

I have several plants of this cute little flower called a

kalanchoe. It's the easiest thing to care for, does well in

total sun or total shade, survives with almost no water

or drowned in water...I mean, how easy can it get for

those of us who do not have a very green thumb?!

Here you see this flower in red, yellow and fushcia.

Some have single petals and some have multiple ones.

Here's another little flower whose name is not known by me

but she is one perfect little beauty. Her leaves are groups of

three heart-shaped leaves. Oh, the exquisite detail God puts

into His creation!

You'd love this one! It's a type of orchid with cascading strands

of miniature orchids. I bought it on a trip three years ago and

this is the best it has ever produced!

The fragrance of these little beauties was enough to almost knock

out my dear husband who had to transfer them to a more distant

location so that they wouldn't distract them while he studied

(that's his study window behind the plant). Can you imagine?

Oh, this is flower power at its best!

I'm all about close-ups, so lets get a closer look at these...

Last, but not least, I would like to show, in memorium, our poinsettia tree which was removed from the backyard a

couple weeks ago because it was getting too big, not for its

own good, but for ours! My husband was afraid that the root system might damage our nearby water pipes. But Miss

Poinsettia put out a spectacular final display which I leave

here for you to see. A good reminder that Christmas is just

around the corner!

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created." (Revelation 4:11)

Scene Through An Open Door

It caught my attention every time I glanced that way...the pot of sunflowers that I could see from where I sat in church. At that morning hour the sun was usually shining through the window, so it enhanced the beauty of the flowers...
Seeing them through the slightly opened door seemed to add to their beauty. It was as if the Lord was saying "Look through those open doors of opportunity, I have beautiful things waiting for you. Trust Me."

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit..." (I Corinthians 2:10,11)
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)

Primavera!

That means Spring here in south Brazil. She was gracious on her first day here with us, giving us sunshine and gentle breezes...a bit unlike the preceeding days. I love Spring, whether here or in my beloved North Carolina. The bursting forth of new life or the promise of it is something that warms the heart and soul and is a delight to the eyes. The colors of varied types of flowers would put Crayola crayons to shame.

I will be posting more of my flower photos over the next month, I'm sure, but for now here are two of my roses-

The last rose of winter...

...and the first

rose(bud) of Spring.







I leave you with this beautiful Biblical description

of this most lovely of seasons:

"For, lo, the winter is past;

The rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth;

The time of the singing of birds is come,

And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land; The fig-tree ripeneth her green figs,

And the vines are in blossom;

They give forth their fragrance.

Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away."

(Song of Solomon 2:11-13

Gratitude

"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving." (Psalm 69:30)

"The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.'' (Psalm 126:3)

Mighty Waters

I was going through some favorite photos this morning and came across this one...
...taken in 2008 when we visited Iguaçu Falls for the first time, on the border where Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina meet. As I looked at this again and remembered the incredible power of that sight, I was reminded of different verses which speak of the power of water, two of which I place here. Interestingly, there IS Someone and something that is more powerful still than water like this. That is so amazing and wonderful! And available to all.
"The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea." (Psalm 93:4)
"Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it..." (Song of Solomon 8:7)

Saturday Luxury

Saturday isn't necessarily my favorite day but I do like the clean-sheet-feeling on Saturday night when I go to bed. The exercise of putting clean sheets on the bed is worth the "ahhh..." I feel when I slide into bed that night. There they are, the clean smell, the smoothness, the soft feel of years-old sheets on my skin, the delicious comfiness that only a clean bed can give.
After I smooth out the final layer I like to stand back and admire the bed and the room. On this particular day I noticed the sunshine-and the breeze blowing the curtains...

Such is the good life, filled with simple luxuries. They don't cost any money, just a moment of our time to take notice.

"Obrigada, Senhor!"

Photo Cards

One of my ongoing blessings is making cards with photos that I have taken. It has gradually developed over the past two or three years, not a money-making venture but I do sell them.

The joy of noticing details of God's creation, especially in flowers, is a special delight. Certainly therapeutic! And then to form greeting and note cards from them is an extra something that brings me joy.

I'm thankful for my little 6-yr-old camera (I'm actually borrowing it from my dear hubby). Even though it lacks some desirable features of the newer cameras, it's doing the job, and that keeps me happy.

This morning I took this picture in a friend's yard, thinking of a future card. Is it ok for one? My answer is "yes"!

Orchids In The Apple Tree

Do I even need to say anything? The beauty of these little orchids is amazing! But that's what every mother says about each new baby, right? *smile* They began blooming out a few days ago, the first time since I placed the plant in the apple tree over a year ago. I've had the apple tree for about 7 years and it has never produced its own fruit so maybe this is a pretty good substitute until it can figure out how to produce! Everything in life doesn't have to have a "lesson", but if there's one here...I'm not sure what it is. But one photo is just not enough, here are some more. Look at how tightly Miss Orchid clings to Mr. Apple Tree! From the first buds...

...to the last blooms,

my orchids have been

a thing of daily delight.

"He hath made everything beautiful in His time..."

(Ecclesiastes 3:11)