Surviving Adversity

I had attempted to clear parts of the Greenbelt lot behind my house numerous times over the years, long before our current GreenFriends Greenbelt restoration project began. One day in March 2015, when Ramana and I were doing some clearing, we saw a glimpse of yellow among all of the invasive blackberry and ivy vines.

It seemed likely that the flowers were daffodils and I was determined to free them from their prison. I picked up my shears and headed towards them. Because of the uneven, sloped ground, and the invasive plants, I needed to create a path of twists and turns.

Once I arrived at my destination, I was gifted with some beautiful sights.

We started the GreenFriends Greenbelt Restoration project in September of 2016. When I saw the daffodils coming up in March 2017, I put some bright blue ribbon around them to decrease the likelihood of them being trampled. (The pile to the right of the daffodils is cut bamboo stacked on a drying rack.)

It may be my imagination, but when I saw the daffodils this year (March 2018) it seemed to me that they were more beautiful than ever before and had a sense of lightness and freedom.

By the time the daffodils emerge in March 2019, their surroundings will be clear of debris. I believe I will always view these flowers with a sense of respect and honor. Like ferns, they have survived being covered with blackberry and ivy vines for thirty or more years and are a striking example of living through adversity and thriving.

Amritapuri Gardens: School of Biotechnology

I took these photos when I was visiting the Amrita University School of Biotechnology. That part of the university is located in Vallikavu, the town across the backwaters from the ashram.

Can you find the bird?

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A Beautiful Flower

I walked through the ashram yesterday, looking for flowers that were new to me. I was intrigued by this one. I wonder if it is in the same family as a hibiscus. There are both similarities and differences.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Wordless Wednesday

To view the previous posts in this series click here.

Watching the Hummingbird

During the last week, the bee balm flowers in front of my house bloomed.

This morning, I stood looking out of my living room window and watched a hummingbird gathering nectar from the flowers.

The bird moved so fast.

At one point, it flew to the window where I was standing and for a few seconds looked at me! In that moment, the hummingbird seemed huge. Before I knew it, it was gone, leaving me with the memory of a special experience.

A Glorious Week

This is the week when the rhododendrons in my front yard are in full bloom.

Wordless Wednesday

Honoring Hanuman and Vishu

Yesterday, I attended a chant of the Hanuman Chalisa, a 40 verse poem that is believed to have been written by Tulsidas in the 16th century. I have loved that chant since the mid-nineties.

Wikipedia says this about Hanuman:

Lord Hanuman is an ardent devotee of Lord Sri Rama and is widely known for his unflinching devotion to Sri Rama. Hanuman is the symbol of strength and energy. He is said to be able to assume any form at will, wield the gada (including many celestial weapons), move mountains, dart through the air, seize the clouds and equally rival Garuda in swiftness of flight.

Lord Hanuman is worshiped as a deity with the ability to attain victory against evil and provide protection.

During the time in my life that I made tiny dolls of the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, one of the dolls I made was of Hanuman. The doll on the left side of the gallery below was my first Hanuman doll; I still keep it on my altar. Hanuman is usually depicted with Lord Rama or Lord Rama and Sita in his heart, but I put a photo of Amma in the heart of my Hanuman doll.

On my way to the Hanuman program yesterday, I stopped by a local nursery and bought two Oregon grape plants for my yard. They both had beautiful yellow blossoms. This morning, I realized that I had planted them in an area that has other yellow flowers and that yellow is the color that is most associated with Hanuman.

After writing the first draft of this post, I decided to work outside. I told the friend who was working with me about the yellow flowers. He reminded me that yellow is also the color of Vishu, a holiday that celebrates our deep connection with nature. Vishu was two days ago. Below is a photo of the flower most associated with Vishu, along with a message that Amma gave on that day.