Tropical Santa Claus

A local mall brings Santa to the tropics for a vacation and he seems to be enjoying the high temperatures this Summer.

Orchids

Orchids can be found in different sizes, shapes, colors and scents... and they are fascinating. With all these qualities they still have a reputation as being finicky and hard to grow. I say it is a myth...

To see more flowers, please go Today's Flowers blog.

Giving Thanks

And flowers...

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High" (Psalm 7:17)

Red Roses

Roses are beautiful, a favorite flower for many occasions throughout time. When I look at roses I see perfection, beauty and fragrance. Like roses I hope that my heart flows a sweet smelling fragrance to those who approach me.

Pease visit Today's Flowers to see more flowers from around the world.

Have a seat on a railroad sleeper

A quiet time... leads me to benches, to a garden where I can sit and relax... this bench is near a friend's neighbor and it seemed just like the perfect place to sit and do nothing.

Say it with pink hydrangeas

Flowers speak of love, friendship, gratitude, simpathy, forgiveness, respect, gentleness... Flowers express feelings. When I send flowers, I also send my love, I send a smile on a face, and a gesture of how much I care.

To see more flowers, please visit Today's Flowers, there are flowers there from all over the world that will make you smile.

A reflection over coffee

Coffee beans

I grew up in a family of coffee lovers. My grandfather planted coffee and so did my dad. Nowadays my father-in-law grows coffee, so when it comes to starting a conversation, we don't talk ask about the weather, we ask for a cup of coffee...

But what do I thirst more than coffee? As a mom I want to make a difference in our children's lives and that their lives have a purpose... that even being ordinary people they can accomplish extraordinary things for God!

Glorious bushes

The beautiful house dated 1924 and built by Letonians who immigrated to Brazil long time ago has near the front porch this faboulous shrub called Glory bush (manaca-da-serra - Tibouchina mutabilis). The reason we visited the Lethonian colony is that we have friends there, we enjoyed some wonderful traditional food and drinks.

This is my contribution to Today's Flowers this week.

Our sweet 15

Today we celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary... We feel gratitude for the blessings in our lives...

Full bloom

The holiday cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) is actually known in Brazil as May flower, because it blooms in May, when it is Fall here. I have had this plant for about 15 years. All you need to do to keep it going is to water once a week and after it blooms, when the flowers dry out, cut the end leaves, this will make the cactus grow stronger and you can use the cut leaves to propagate new plants.
Today's Flower blog, the blog that keeps full blooms around the globe is celebrating its first anniversary. Please stop by to say hello and check the wonderful blogs that join in every week.

Country chapels along the country road

Small chapels along the road... For over ten years over holidays and vacations we saw this beautiful landscape. Some time ago we decided to take the same road and we found out that everything looked just the way it was the last time we visited, and that was about five years ago...

Hydrangeas

Starting with a small blossom they grow into beautiful flowers. Hydrangeas or hortensias have been a part of my life since I was a little girl. My cousins grew them in the garden and their beautiful color, shape and size amazed me every time I came to visit.

Please visit Today's Flowers to see what is blooming around the world.

Perfect pansies

Valentine's Day in Brazil is June 12th and for Today's Flowers I am adding these pansies, because the Portuguese word for pansy is literally "perfect love" (amor perfeito).

We have different stories, and no matter how simple or elaborate, may love and joy grow more each day in our lives...

Please visit Today's Flowers to see more perfect flowers blooming around the world.

Lavender

Tiny and naturally fragrant. Lavender flowers... these are not from my garden, not yet. I have a pot of lavender growing in my balcony and I found out the plant started to look better when I moved the pot under a glass table that has my other plants.

Can anyone tell me what type of lavender is pictured here? English, French, Spanish, none of them? Thank you.

PLease visit Today's Flowers to see what is blooming around the globe.

A light for my path

Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

These are the words that came to my mind when I "developed" this picture after visiting a home decor exihibition recently. It was getting dark, we were tired, and the woman wouldn't come out of the way, then I shot... and I have to admit that I appreciate the fact that she stood there. Sometimes life takes turns for the better or for the worse, and we want to be in control, but then we find out later that God had better plans in store for us...

Sleeping beauty

Another small flower... Sleeping grass, touch-me-not and sensitive are some popular names for this shrinking plant (mimosa pudica L. - known as dormideira in Portuguese). My kids were playing in an open field when they found the sleeping grass... and they had so much fun touching the leaves to see them fold.

To see more beautiful flowers, please visit Today's Flowers.

Handmade bird feeders

A local artist created these ceramic bird feeders and the birds... they look so happy standing there.

A really small flower

A delicate small flower spotted during a weekend walk with my family. All that grass around it made me think it was a grass floret, not sure though.

This is my contribution to Today's Flowers. To see more flowers and visit other blogs, please pay a visit to them.

A duck tale

Ducks in a quiet afternoon. I could just sit there forever taking pictures of them, but then they decided to jump... and I wasn't fast enough to capture the exact moment they jumped!