Lemon Basil

 Basil...it means King in Greek.

- Christmas began in the heart of God; it is complete only when it reaches the heart of man -

 For weeks, I have been searching with much difficulty for the perfect flower to feature this December, to close this year meaningfully. It has been quite a strenuous year for me but thank God, it ended beautifully.
Thus, I present to you the Lemon Basil to conclude the year 2012.

 Never regret anything you have done with a sincere affection; nothing is lost that is born of the heart. - Basil Rathbone -

 This year started off majestically for me, with a tour around Europe. Work demanded more of my time and tolerance, but I endured. My dad braved a couple of surgeries and is recovering superbly, Praise God. Furthermore, I have a teenage daughter.....enough said!!!!!

This year ended contentedly...for the love of a family is life's greatest blessing.

 A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds.

A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship and he who plants kindness gathers love. - St Basil -

 Lemon Basil, a wonderfully fragrant and deliciously fresh herb, is a symbol of love.

Love has no desire but to fulfill itself; to melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night; to wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving 
- Kahlil Gibran -

Around the world...

Italian suitors signaled their love by courting with a sprig of basil in their hair.

When a boy accepts a sprig of basil from a girl in Romania, love and marriage is in the air.

In Mexico, the basil is carried around in the hope of returning a lover's roving eye!

Love is the flower of life

- D. H Lawrence -

A new year is unfolding - like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within.

 - Anonymous -

Another year is blushing at sunrise

Dear Lord, let it be as long as you promise to be with us

I pray for another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace

Another year of gladness in Your presence

Whatever coming days may bring

It matters not, our hands in Thine

For we shall continue to live in Your strength, love, and grace

I pray for peace, for light, and for hope for the new year

May we all step into the unknown with confidence, positive thoughts and love for one another.

- I am the new year, I am an unspoiled page in your book of time -

Milano Pink Chrysanthemum

The Chrysanthemum is November's birth flower. November is also my Dad's birth month.

I chose the Milano Pink Chrysanthemums this time around simply because pink represents joy and youthfulness. If you know my Dad in person, he is all that! 

Cheerfulness is the very flower of health...Japanese Proverb

The Chrysanthemum symbolizes optimism and joy...

two very important life characteristics I learnt from my Dad.

A sense of humour is indeed armour.  Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life

- Hugh Sidey -

The Mums also show that Scorpions are focused and very active people. In other words, Dad, the flowers are saying that you are a workaholic and can never sit still!!!

Especially for Scorpions, this flower indicates there are many layers of you! Yup, my Dad is the Jack of all Trades AND the Master of all :) 

In the Chinese culture, the Mums signifies life at ease. 

Having Mums at home means having good luck around you at all times. My Dad is a great believer in luck...he finds that the harder he works, the more he has of it!!!

Only a dad, with a tired face,

Coming home from the daily race,

Bringing little of gold or fame,

To show how well he has played the game,

But glad in his heart that his own rejoice

To see him come, and to hear his voice.

Only a dad, but he gives his all

To smooth the way for his children small,

Doing, with courage stern and grim,

The deeds that his father did for him.

This is the line that for him I pen,

Only a dad, but the best of men.

- Edgar Albert Guest -

Happy 75th Birthday, Daddy!

Red Button Ginger

WOW, another year is almost done... it is time again to reflect on our lives...

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward...Soren Kierkegaard

The Red Button Ginger Flower symbolizes fiery passion and strength; 

Just what you and I need in our daily living: How to continue our passion for life, how to understand and face our challenges with strength, and how to maintain peace and happiness within our inner selves. 

The ginger is known to be a cure-all for any ailment for as long as I remember...from ginger tea to ginger candy...but it is more of a comforting ingredient for my life. 

What is reflection?

Reflection is the flower of the mind, giving out wholesome fragrance but revelry is the same flower, when rank and running to seed... Desiderius Erasmus

#1 Focus your thoughts on your experiences. 

#2 Gain greater understanding of your actions, feelings, thoughts.

#3 Become more aware of knowledge and skills that were developed.

#4 Identify your strengths for personal development

#5 Recognize your weaknesses and learn from them

#6 Now you are a little more ready for the future!

After looking back on experiences, pondering over them, learning from them...

DO YOU UNDERSTAND YOURSELF BETTER? 

I love to reflect whenever I get a chance to do so. It encourages me to be aware of my thoughts and feelings, and to relate it to my daily life. As if after drinking a cup of hot ginger tea, I feel rejuvenated after a moment of silence and reflection... with new insights, new understanding, new goals, and a "refreshed" meaning for living.

We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise we harden 
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe -

Texas Sage

One of the famous Texan sayings is "Nobody ever drowns in sweat!" It is so true when it comes to this beautiful and mysterious (to me) flower named the Texas Sage.

I have studied this flower for a few years now and it blooms happily in the hot sun and literally disappears when the raindrops come down on it! Took me a few months to find its name and boy was I happy to realize that I have a little Texas in my garden!

I haven't quite decided on what is the true color of a Texas Sage flower because it appears purple at one angle and at other angles, it could be lilac or magenta or dark pink. Whatever it is...this flower represents majesty, royalty and mystery...a pure beauty...I LOVE IT!

September has been all about hard work and stress and last minute responsibilities piled onto my shoulders...just my luck!

Texas Sage teaches me ...  Every day do something that will inch me closer to a better tomorrow.

Texas Sage points out to me...when we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life, or in the life of another.

Texas Sage reminds me...that for every disciplined effort, there is a multiple reward.

Texas Sage advices me...that we are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Texas Sage points out to me...that the difference between try and triumph is a little umph!

I am making a pact with myself today...to not be defined by my past. Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all my hard work is not what I get for it, but what I become for it!

My wonderful Texas Sage tree in my front garden... I get to look out my window and admire it and it reminds me every day that I am one tough cookie, just like itself :)