focus on life–week 7–beauty of flowers

Thank you all for your comments last week on my sweet kitty Roxy.  I loved how much fur came about from that prompt.

Continuing on this week, Sally offered up the prompt to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of flowers.  My first thought was I would be visiting a friend and her new baby so of course I would bring flowers. Twist of fate, they were unavailable for a visit (I’ll leave the reason private for them).   So I considered getting flowers just for myself to enjoy and photograph, but as the week drew closer to the 14th the cheapskate in me took over.  Buy flowers around Valentine’s day ?!? Nope, not for me. 

Back to basics, I thought about a time when I enjoyed flowers the most.  First and foremost would be my wedding day.  My mum, aunt and I did all the flowers ourselves.  I think I’ll save those for another day though.   Thinking back to my childhood there was my first trip to Trinidad where the beauty of flowers was truly overwhelming, like nothing I had ever seen before.



This is part of my Aunt and Uncle’s orchid garden.  My dad took these pictures on their last trip, a few years ago.  The orchids, being air plants, are very happy on these clay pipes that really loomed large when I was four but I guess they are about four feet high.  Below you get a better view of the freedom the roots enjoy this way.



Of course that all just sets the stage for the main star, the flower!



I’m pretty sure these more purple ones are in a separate plot.  Really it’s ones that were an even richer purple that I remember specifically.  My dad had great shots of them from our trip in 1984, that ended up as enlargements in our guest room growing up.  Alas, those particular shots weren’t digital… and not easy for my Dad to dig up and share on short notice :) but I think these shots – all taken by him – are pretty darn good.  I can almost feel the humidity!



My Uncle tended this garden lovingly for roughly 40 years.  He was part of the Orchid Society and displayed at the annual orchid show.  He died at the start of this month, peacefully, after many years suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.  I had last seen him mid 90s, before any sign of illness, and remember him as a quiet and friendly man – who loved orchids.

Looking forward to seeing all the beauty of flowers you all have to share as each week the pictures are so inspiring.  Join me in heading over to Sally’s blog for all the links.

Oh but before you go… Could I trouble you for a vote?

A local photographer is running a contest for a free headshot, the idea, prove that you need it and have people vote for you.  I kept to the rules and selected a photo I have used as a bio shot before.  Here is the picture and the original it was cropped from.  I am hiding the identity of the sweet baby I was holding (not mine) and I’m not even sure really who took the photo for me!  So as you can see I could really put a professional shot to good use.  Would you be so kind to vote for me? I really appreciate your support.