Vine to Wine or Before the Beginning…

March 26, 2012

Everything has a beginning a middle and an end.

Sometimes the beginning is obscured by secrets or lies,

but it is still there, somewhere.

The middle is the fine tuning of intention.

If you are a grapevine, it's simple.

For humans it's fraught with trial and error.

The middle contains the maturing as well as the fumbling.

The end?

Well, the end is the end.

For grapes, it's quite simple and possibly delicious.

If you are a human, it's just about the biggest mystery there is –

besides of course the beginning, or right before the beginning…

You might say that the end isn't the very end and the beginning isn't the very beginning…

I guess that the middle is the only thing that we can know for sure!

Muscadine grape vines and wine at the Log Cabin Farm and Winery in Welaka, Florida.
Pollywogs Coming

March 23, 2012

The day after this close encounter there were little discs,

about half the size of a dime, floating in the pond.

Several days later,

they were swimming and the little pond was host to hundreds of tadpoles or pollywogs!

After a few weeks…

back legs, then front legs, and the tail disappears.

Before you know it, they are hopping out and about – tiny toads!

It's one of nature's greatest shows.
Sage, It Doesn’t Make You Wiser…

March 22, 2012

Sage has been around since ancient times and used for a variety of ailments over the centuries,

including in a potion to ward off the plague.

In this window box is one of the ornamental varieties of Salvia.

Modern Chinese herbalists have found that salvia miltiorrhiza helps to prevent heart attack and stroke

and may thwart bone loss and the development of Alzheimer's disease.

I was hoping to discover its ability to make one "sage"

but that doesn't seem to be in its dossier.

Oh well!

It is pretty and it does add flavor to life!
Looks Like…?

March 21, 2012

"Definitely looks like his father!"

Photo by Paula Post. Shot at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.
Happy Spring!

March 20, 2012

How tightly wrapped are you?

Will you unfold into something big and beautiful

when your time comes?

Most definitely!

Happy first day of Spring!
Hibiscus

March 19, 2012

Hibiscus, the state flower of Hawaii was once commonly called good night at noon

because it blossoms for only a short time!

I like that, "good night at noon!"

Some days are like that.

From the book Garden Flower Folklore by Laura C. Martin
Our Inner Hatchling

March 19, 2012

Nestlings are so very vulnerable.

This little one endured severe thunderstorms, only to be stalked by a crowd of noisy crows

and survived that too.

Nature provides lots of drama for her creatures.

Perhaps we all have a nestling within us…our inner hatchling.

It's the part of us that has come through the storms

and evaded or slayed the scary monsters –

sometimes with grace and other times not –

but through it all have come to trust the deep instinct to grow stronger and to thrive.

Spring is upon us – a good time to acknowledge our strengths

and our connection to the fragile new arrivals.

After all, we were once just like them.
Let’s Toast Our Friends

March 17, 2012

Let's all put on our dancin' shoes

And wear our shamrocks green

And toast our friends both here and there

And everywhere between.

Shamrocks in St. Augustine! We now have two Irish pubs in this Spanish town!
An Irish Blessing

March 16, 2012

Lucky stars above you,

Sunshine on your way,

Many friends to love you,

Joy in work and play.

Laughter to outweigh each care,

In your heart a song.

And gladness waiting everywhere

All your whole life long.

Shamrock flowers! (May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow!)
Toys in the Window

March 15, 2012

"Hey, who are you?"

"Take my picture, take my picture, ruffruffruff!"

"You are squishing me, Madam."

"Oh, Captain, you know you like it!"

"HELLO, Gorgeous!"

"Want a hug?"

"Don't you think I'm cute?"

"It's hot in here, can you get us out?"

"Ouch!"

"Oh, look down there, what is that?"

"I don't know, but it looks edible."

"Ow, I can't move my head."

Creative shop window in Old St. Augustine.