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!

Mothers and roses

My son picked these flowers for me today... from my folder of photos on my computer! I asked him to help me with this special post. Mother's Day is celebrated today in many countries, including Brazil. Little fingers pointing to my computer screen and saying: "Momma I like these flowers" is priceless...

I am the guest today at Today's Flowers! The wonderful team there has this weekly meme to show wonderful flowers from all over the world.

La fiesta

Even though Cinco de mayo is not celebrated here, I have friends who have just moved to Mexico and I am thinking of them today... Both their kids attended the same preschool as mine, and the little girl was in same class as my four year-old son until a few days ago, when they left... just before the swine flu outbreak.

These pictures were taken at the International Festival last year and there was a kid whose father lives in Mexico and he sent the school a huge package with so many typical items.

Bottles with a purpose

A bouquet of freshly picked flowers (gerberas) and reused bottles.... This is how I decorate my place: with clean bottles of wine and olive oil...

A late contribution to Earth day... these flowers go to Today's Flowers that display the most gorgeous flowers around the world on a weekly basis.

I'll be the guest on May 10th, so watch that space!