May we all be as lucky as the sailors who took to the sea
on the ship protected by this strong and gentle woman.
May the storms that surprise us, swiftly run their course
and fair winds bring us safely home.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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!
-
"Definitely looks like his father!"
Photo by Paula Post. Shot at the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine.
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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, 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
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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 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!
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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!)
Lainesblog Thinking Out Loud
Gleanings From Living Long
