Spring is in the Air

My dear friends,

thank you for all your prayers and good wishes

I am honoured to have such wonderful friends.

I feel much better and

I am back at work, taking it easy though.

Walking to work,

I see little daffodills trying to come through.

What a joy to see.

I can hear birds singing and chirping,

What a joy to hear.

I am very grateful to be able to experience the first signs of Spring.

Nature brings new life and is healing.

Enjoying these little beauties make me feel happy.

Do you have any signs of Spring where you live?

 

My Christmas cactus

Last year in December I bought a Christmas Cactus as a gift for someone.

Before I could give it, all buds fell off so I kept it.

Over Spring Summer and Autumn I left it outside in the garden.

In September I noticed that it is forming many buds.

When it got colder in November I took it in.

Watching it every day with joy the buds got bigger.

Today is a very happy day!

They are opening:

 

 

What wonderful display, a beautiful red!

I am so overjoyed.

 

Flowers do make the world laugh!

Kew Gardens Virtual Smile

Kew Gardens

my favourite garden has been closed due to the circumstances.

I miss going there so much.

They have now re -opened with limited visitors going in

and you have to book a time slot.

Unfortunately I have to take the train to get there and

I am not quite prepared to do that just yet.

So I went through my pictures from previous visits

and enjoyed a stroll through.

Here is what I found:

(pictures previously not published, taken by me in Kew Gardens)

 

Something Red

2.9.18

2.9.18

2.9.18

… it does say Red Dragon…..  🙂

Something yellow

Something pink

and something smelly

smelly

smelly

smelly

Yes, it was really smelly. What an amazing plant.

Hope you enjoyed my little walk through time, colours and the garden.

 

Please click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Pictures are from visits during the last 2 years.

 

Kew Gardens 11th Smile – by Day

Kew – Indonesian Orchid Festival …

by day this time.

Specially after Winter

it is great to see such a splash of colours.

So vibrant

Here are some more of the many pictures I took by day.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

Kew Gardens 10th Smile

Kew – Indonesian Orchid Festival …

by night.

As last year Kew Gardens had Orchid Festival.

This time all Orchids come from Indonesia.

New this year was for me :

I got a slot for Orchids by night.

A different experience which was fantastic.

Not only I see all Orchids

submersed in different lights

also there were Indonesian dancers, music,

food tasters (we had a great Indonesian soup and Ginger Tea)

and a wonderful atmosphere.

Enjoy some of the pictures I took.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Dancers

A great visit

I will I go by day again soon.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

Beautifully Simple

The new year has started

and I try to make life simple, beautiful and happy.

Often we complicate life and it is not necessary.

Make it simple

enjoy the long hugs

the walks in the fresh air

the sunrise

the flowers along the road

sitting in peace

a chat with a friend

a smile for a stranger

feeling the breeze in your hair.

 

Have a beautifully simple Day!

and

Have a simply beautiful Day!

 

My hometown Gem

The town/suburb I grew up in has some hidden gems.

There is this beautiful old house, I only recently discovered.

It is hidden behind a newer building.

 

It is from 1689

 

The details

 

Beautifully done with carvings and tiles.

 

 

 

Look at those detailed tiles.

I lived there for 23 years and only discovered this now.

Well, at least now I walk around with my eyes open 🙂

 

Kew Gardens 9th Smile

Kew – not always blossoms …

What a great tree!

 

I love the wide and colourful variety

of grasses bending in the wind.

 

…and some lovely house leek,

and very old Bonsai Trees.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

Kew Gardens 8th Smile

Kew – a destination always worth it.

When ever you go,

it is exciting.

Every time there are different plants blooming,

there are more plants to discover and

I can practice and take pictures with my new phone camera.

You can never get tired of this beautiful Garden.

Some close ups

Rose

Waterlily

Lotus

Kew

Kew

Kew

This red ….

In the Alpine house

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

Fruit

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

 

Kew Gardens 7th Smile

On a beautiful day another visit to Kew Gardens.

There is currently

an exhibition of Dale Chihuly‘s Glass Art in the midst of all plants.

It was a brilliant day with so much to see.

It started off with this amazing glass art sculpture.

While you walk around with me

you see his radiant colours of those glass art pieces

in the midst of plants in Kew.

They fit in so well.

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.