From India we return to Jacksonville and later Saint Augustine as we move in June. With the help of a friend, I start a flower ministry at church for the sick, hurting, or anyone needing cheering up or encouraging. What a joy to cheer so many dear ones and use my gifts and passion for flowers. Enjoy the rest of these shots!
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India. Show all posts
Sunday, January 13, 2013
2012 - The Year in Flowers
We started 2012 in Bangalore, India with my husband's family. The first picture is a bouquet that was presented to us with much pomp and circumstance. Imagine dignitaries and a Kollywood (this is NOT misspelled!) star seeing us off to our visit to mountainous Coorg. A wild ride with curious monkeys looking on. Atop the mountains we were in tea fields - my dream! We stayed at a coffee plantation on my first to India, so now it's complete! Next, notice the beautiful chalk drawings on the pavement by my talented sister-in law, Premila. She also, like is a tradition in India, designs flower arrangements as heads of flowers and petals floating on water. These arrangements are placed next to the front door of your dwelling. Another common practice is to have large clay pots lined up against your home or around your patio so to enjoy every variety of flower, vegetable or herb for cooking or medicinal purposes. Derick's mom and Premila take wonderful care of these plants as you see Amma's yellow sunflower on her terrace looking out. This blue and white bowl is my attempt to re-create these beautiful Indian water arrangements. We all love flowers!!!









From India we return to Jacksonville and later Saint Augustine as we move in June. With the help of a friend, I start a flower ministry at church for the sick, hurting, or anyone needing cheering up or encouraging. What a joy to cheer so many dear ones and use my gifts and passion for flowers. Enjoy the rest of these shots!




















I heard it once said that when God created the world, He laughed in flowers. I believe it and am the richer for it. Thank you for laughing too!! I'll see you in 2013 in the next post!
From India we return to Jacksonville and later Saint Augustine as we move in June. With the help of a friend, I start a flower ministry at church for the sick, hurting, or anyone needing cheering up or encouraging. What a joy to cheer so many dear ones and use my gifts and passion for flowers. Enjoy the rest of these shots!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Diwali - Festival of Lights
Shoes off
Enter holy
Glamour and sparkle of dress
Bangles
Anklets
Laughter
Jokes in Telugu
I smile
Gents one room
Ladies another
Children in the middle
We keep it that way
I honor Amma
Spoken language doesn't translate
I kiss her cheek
She understands
Food
Glorious food!
Intricate combinations of spices
Indian cooking
Tangy tamarind rice
Spicy finger cucumbers with coconut
Crunchy onion bhajis
Sour curds
Sambar
This one is special
My tongue probes the mystery
Is is dry mango?
Befuddled
I seek she who created
She laughs
It’s simple really
She unravels the mystery
My tongue still questions
Amazing
Indian sweets
The ordinary dressed up in
Ghee, cream, sugar, rose water,
Cardamom and bits of nuts
Carrots
Dal
Sooji
Bread
An Indian bride
Silk, henna and jewels...
Confectionery of pure beauty
Pride of Indian cooking
We discuss recipes
Swap ideas
We want to recreate culinary memories
That dish from that restaurant
Mama’s specialty
Scenes from childhood
Stew of ideas and memories
Stir into each dish
And me, the “foreigner”,
Became “one of us”
because “nothing is too spicy”
Kids emerge
Promise made of spewed lights
We rush into the cold night
A light spectacle
Tantalize young and old.
Gingerly I hold a sparkler
Always afraid of fire
Big Loud explosions!
Bright showers of color.
Spinning furious chameleon tops.
Flaming fireballs shoot.
The Grand Finale spirals
Rocket and Boom!
An umbrella of colored stars
Explode leaves me breathless
Smoke clears
We enter the house
Bushes are covered in jeweled lights
Our saris brush by all sparkle
We carry the light too
Lights in constellations
Bursting momentary lights
Electric lights
Candle light - serenest of all
We are lights
We reflect that Greater Light
The Creator of all lights
He whispers to us:
“Let your light shine
before others....” Matt. 5:16
He says, “I am the Light
of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12
I stop
Wonder
Now it is dark
He is The Light
“So we thank Thee that
darkness reminds us of light.
O Light Invisible, we give Thee Thanks
for Thy great glory.”
T. S. Eliot The Choruses from the Rock
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