Paper flower - Bouganvilleas in bloom

Please click to enlarge.

This climbing vine is a native to Brazil, known as bouganvillea or paper flower, it was named after Louis Antoine de Bougainville, an admiral in the French Navy who discovered the plant here in 1768. The colorful bracts around the flowers can be pink, orange, red, purple, white, yellow... The white-cream flowers are very small and can go almost unnoticed.

You can grow bouganvilleas along a wall and you may consider pots too, but they prefer warm weather. They are blooming now where I live. In fact, they bloom almost year round!

You can see more flower photos from all over at Today's Flowers, please pay a visit and show your flowers too!

African violets are blooming around the house

My first African violet was a birthday present a long time ago and I remember it bloomed all the time. When I was in college I used to buy African violets of all colors and of course I did not take care of them, but I soon found out that they grow and bloom better if you do not water them often! That's the type of flower you want to have if you do not have time to water a plant on schedule or travel a lot. They do not miss water, but they love indirect sunlight.

My purple African violet bloomed with two different shades of purple this time as you can see on first picture, the second picture shows how it bloomed last year... maybe because now I added African violet food?

This is my entry for Today's Flowers, an event for flower lovers that runs every Sunday.

Olympic baloons to celebrate 08/08/08!!!

Have fun watching the Olympic games!

Celebrate the date 08/08/08!!!

A real B&W wedding picture

My grandparents got married in 1928, and they would be celebrating their 80th anniversary this year... I'm so glad I got to spend so much time with them and live close to them for so many years. When I left for the US to be an exchange student my grandpa said he would probably not see me again... so when I came back a year later, there he was, and he lived to the age of 86! Life is so short... and we live a hurried life...

My thought for the day is: take a deep breath and un-hurry, take a break to enjoy things that are important, make a pause to pray and thank God for the gift of life!

For more pictures featuring the color black, please visit Anna Carson Photography blog.

A church vitral

This image is filled with memories of my childhood... the church we attended had beautiful vitrals that were even distracting to a child. Going back to my hometown now with my camera gives me the chance to focus on the beautiful surroundings and places that are so dear to me.

This is part of Project black that Anna Carson is hosting. There are many other blogs participating and you can join in the fun!

A black sombrero

A black and white sombrero made in felter and embroidered with beads caught everyone's attention during the International festival we attended a few days ago.

This is my contribution to Anna's Project Black.

Shiny black

Shiny black... two wheels... I tried to learn how to ride a bike many times, but I don't think I ever got the right bike for a beginner. Well, it was a dirt bike, no electric start, you have to kick start it... and so on. I still hope I will learn how to ride a bike, a regular bike... even though I love dirt bikes!

I shot this bike last week on our way to a friend's campsite and this is my entry for Project Black at Anna's blog. I had no idea black would make a such good theme for photograpy!

Brazil and Japan - 100-year friendship

A friendship that started 100 years ago when the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the port of Santos aboard the steamship Kasato Maru on June 18, 1908. Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito is visiting the country to take part in the celebrations. An anniversary that certainly has a significant role in our country today.

Blue barn doors

A barn with blue doors... the look of the distressed wood walls against the freshly painted doors brings me back to reality to tell me I am not in the last century... My grandparents lived nearby and I can only imagine what life was like in the 40's when my grandmother had 6 kids and my grandfather was the manager of this place. My dad has so many stories to tell about this farm where he spent his childhood...

If you are enjoying the Blue Project that Anna created, please visit her blog for more blue pictures!

A blue bench is so inviting

This picture was taken at this farm which is mostly painted blue! That's where my dad grew up. I would love to be able to go there again and have some quiet time, read a book or just sit down and enjoy the sounds of nature!

If you like blue, please visit Anna's blog to find out more blogs that have joined this adventure!

A blue coffee mill or grinder

One of my chores as a child was to grind coffee, not an easy task, so my siblings and I took turns, and we did not always did it for fun because we did not drink coffee at the time... It was a rough chore and I'm glad it did not affect our love for coffee today as we are all heavy coffee drinkers at home!

This old coffee mill was at display during the International Day held at my youngest son's preschool. I have a grinder that my dad gave me a long time ago, but it is black. Today I use an electric one...

For more fun blue stuff, please visit Anna's blog!

Jump!

The weather here is good all year round and beautiful blue skies motivate outdoor parties with inflatables slides and even a trampoline.

I think blue is my favorite color. You can see more people blogging blue on Anna's Project Blue.

An old school desk painted blue

The old school desk reminds me of my own rural school back in 1976. This one does not have the ink well holes.

My mother-in-law had them painted in blue and I love to sit there and chat. There are a couple of desks in the porch that has white and blue rails.

Please visit Anna's Project Blue to see how the world keeps spinning blue in many other blogs.

Patience... now!

During a morning walk I saw this butterfly trying to fly and I believe it had just emerged from its chrysalis. It took me about 10 minutes to get shots of the open wings, as they flap so fast and stay closed for a long time afterwards, and all I needed was a small action, the butterfly to move its wings! That was a test of patience, which is not one of my best abilities...

This reminds me of certain events that depend on some small actions we take that can really make a difference in our lives or someone else's life and can be compared to the controversial "butterfly effect".

I wrote down this list of small gestures of love that can make a difference and I want to share it with you:

• Call an old friend I haven't heard in ages, or write an e-mail
• Remember special dates
  
• Babysit for a couple or single parent who hasn't been out for a while...
• Confirm my love for my husband and kids every day
  
• Pick up a neighbor's paper when he/she is away for a few days
• Welcome a new neighbor with a treat
• Read a devotional or pray together with someone who needs support
• Encourage someone who's depressed
• Make my place pretty and tidy
  
• Or... just smile at someone, hold a door, say nice words, think twice before letting the word out...
  

This list could go on and on... Hope you all have a nice day!

My first Mother's Day

I became a mom ten years ago and my oldest son was only a week old... time flies... Yes, he turned 10 this week... The other day we were shopping for Winter clothes and he wanted to try on the clothes alone in the dressing room. I told him I'd be waiting at the cashier... lost count of how many times I turned around to check if he was coming...

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 (NLT)