Thursday, January 15, 2009

"ALL SEASONS SHALL BE SWEET TO THEE ... " ~ BLOOM DAY BLESSINGS

~ Cacto de Navidad
(Christmas Cactus)

~ Cyclamen, Cymbidium orchid, Ivy, Christmas Cactus



" ... All seasons shall be sweet to thee,
Whether the summer clothes the general earth
With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing
Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch
Of mossy apple-tree, while the night thatch
Smokes in the sun-thaw ..."
~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge



31 comments:

beckie said...

Joey, your blooms are a breat of spring! As I sit here looking at -3 temps outside at noon, it warms the heart to see such beauty.

Great quote, even though I am finding it hard to enjoy this season any longer. :}

Roses and Lilacs said...

Joey, what a lovely, soft picture of the Christmas cactus bloom. I have one on my kitchen windowsill. Still blooming and so welcome to my winter weary eyes.
Marnie

Anonymous said...

Coleridge was a genius. :) Lovely, lovely photo montages, Joey.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic blooms for GBBD Joey! I love Astromerias!

Shelley said...

THese photos of these beautiful blooms are warming me up!

Bren Haas said...

Just want I needed to warm me up! Thank you my dear friend.

Gail said...

Joey,

Lovely, lovely lovely! The flowers and your photos are wonderful! Keep warm and take care...gail

Catherine said...

Joey~you are making me dream of Spring with the beautiful captures of your indoor flowers! All so beautiful...I love Alstroemeria! :)
My Christmas cactus didn't bloom this year :( sometimes it surprises me and blooms around Easter. I love the Samuel Coleridge quote! Another beautiful post bloggin sis'!
Hugs
Cat

Anonymous said...

Joey,
Our indoor plants will see us through until spring.
Donna

Rose said...

Such a beautiful photo, Joey--the cactus blossoms look so delicate. Thanks for finding such a great quote--it's hard to enjoy winter on a day like this, but it makes spring--when it comes--that much more appreciated.

Colleen Vanderlinden said...

Just beautiful, Joey! Visiting your blog is like getting a tiny bit of spring into this absolutely freezing day :-)

Unknown said...

these are exquisite, Joey. As I've whined elsewhere, I have nothing in bloom right now except frost on the stainedglass window, and that doesn't count. I may have to buy some fresh flowers tomorrow to cope with the lack of blossoms in the house. It's too cold to buy plants right now.

Rusty in Miami said...

Beautiful pictures Joey, I am started a new blog about my pictures, so now everywhere I go, I take my new camera. Someday I hope to take pictures like you

joey said...

Hi dear Beckie ~ I need ' my friends' to sustain me.

Happy for me, this guy doesn't seem to want to quit, Marnie! I must admit, it was a gift to 'self' in early December.

I agree, Nancy .. . a gifted pen for sure. Thanks for the kind words ... stay warm and do hope our nasty weather isn't headed your way but I fear a good portion of the map is, one way or another, suffering our woes!

Astromerias are easy to love, Racquel. Have you noticed when cut, seem to last forever!

Thanks Shellmo & Bren ~ whatever it takes to keep us warm is a good thing!

As you know, it's amazing how flowers can bring welcome sunshine into our lives, Gail :) Thank you.

Hearing from you warms my heart, dear Cat ... thank you for your delightful visits. (As I confessed above to Marie, my Christmas cactus was NOT a rebloomer but 'gift to self' in early December.

How true, Donna! Surrounded by an outside tundra, we must get what we can to sustain us until glorous Spring!

Don't hold your breath, dear Rose, but spring will come ... it always does. Until then, thankfully we have many good friends to hold our hands and cheer us on :)

Thanks dear Colleen ~ starting way too early in November, this has already been a LONG WINTER with, as you know, another FUN forecast for the weekend ... YIPPEE!

Many frost patterns look like flowers, Jodi ... I would count them for bloom day! I can live without many luxuries but when I no longer can cut from the garden (excluding greens & decorative twigs), for indoor happiness and peace, I MUST be surrounded by plants & flowers that fill me with great joy ... and at least 1 orchid in bloom :)

joey said...

Hi Rusty! Thank you for your kind words ~ I have visited and seen your lovely posts. You have a great eye and already know the secret ... keep that camera near :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Joey, such good thoughts for winter chilling cold. We are setting records here, 7F right now with wind chills taking us to the minus. No snow cover means our poor plants are getting blasted. The brave birds are still at the feeders though, and the intrepid gardener must keep the seed flowing for them, it is sweet still.
Frances

joey said...

Record breaking temps here also, Frances ... all schools closed. I'm entertaining 40-50 tomorrow eve (6-8 in of snow expected) so, like the birds, I must brave the chill and head out gathering more 'seed' and flowers.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

Truly pretty in pink and a nice pick-me-up. Thanks!!

marmee said...

i really love alstroemeriaums. i had them in my wedding bouquet. they are bright and cheery.
we are having our own artic blast with no snow. stay warm my friend.

inadvertent farmer said...

That first picture made me catch my breath...oh it is marvelous!!!

joey said...

Thanks Monica ~ I agree, pink is cheery, especially with all the white surrounding snow. Have you had enough of this Arctic blast :)

I agree, Marmee. Alstroemeria are not only beautiful but seem to last forever ...your wedding bouquet must have been lovely (I carried lily-of-the-valley). This weather is somethin' else, isn't it! Seems to be record-breaking everywhere and we sure have our share of snow ... want some :)

How sweet, Kim! Thanks. I love it too. It must be very happy 'cause it's still going strong :)

OldRoses said...

Is that your Christmas cactus? How do you get it to bloom. Mine never does.

joey said...

Yes Old Roses, it's my Christmas Cactus but ... hush ... I bought it in full bloom, a gift to 'self' in early December! The true test to my 'green thumb' will be ... reblooming photos next December :)

Carol Michel said...

Beautiful blooms, beautiful verse. Thanks for joining in for bloom day!

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Kerri said...

The combination of beauty in your photos and wonderful verse by Coleridge is very soothing, dear Joey.
You have such a gift for putting together lovely posts!
The beautiful blooms sustain us, don't they? That Christmas cactus is gorgeous and your collage is so colorful and pretty. Thank you!

joey said...

... and thank you for hosting, Carol. What a turn out!

Thanks dear Kerri ~ indeed, beautiful blooms do sustain us through this long winter!

Kylee Baumle said...

Joey, the first photo is ethereal! And the Alstroemeria...a huge favorite of mine. I'm overwintering mine for the second time. It seems to be doing better this winter than last.

joey said...

Thanks Kylee ~ I most impressed with your green thumb since I've never grown alstroemeria but love them in a cut bouquet, that seems to last forever!

Marysol said...

You're so artsy-fartsy.

As always, lovely images. But the first one reminds me of a Degas ballerina painting. Do you see it?
Of course you do.

Nancy at EmbroideryIt.com said...

I love the photos on your blog! I'll have to stop back for the recipes.
Blessings,
Nancy
www.basketmasterweavings.blogspot.com

joey said...

Dear, dear Marysol ~ always as sweet as the artful masterpieces created in your kitchen :) Actually, my daughter and I did see the Degas exhibit at Detroit Institute of Arts ... loved it!

Thank you for the visit and kind words, Nancy ~ please do return.