Flower for the Day Hyacinth 3-8-24

The hyacinth bulbs popped the other day. They are amazing but enjoy them while you can. They are 

short lived and disappear in a blink.

Hyacinths come in many colors.

I love the purple the best.

In Greek Mythology Hyacinthus was a Spartan prince of remarkable beauty and a lover of the sun god Apollo. Hyacinthus visited all of Apollo's sacred lands with the god in a chariot drawn by swans. So fiercely was Apollo in love with Hyacinthus that he abandoned his sanctuary in Delphi to enjoy Hyacinthus' company by the river Eurotas. He taught Hyacinthus the use of the bow and the lyre, and the art of prophecy. 

One day, Apollo was teaching him the game of quoits. They decided to have a friendly competition by taking turns to throw the discus. Apollo threw first, with a strength so great that the discus split the clouds in the sky. Eager to retrieve the discus, Hyacinthus ran behind it to catch it. But as it hit the ground, the discus bounced back, hitting Hyacinthus' head and wounding him fatally. Apollo's face turned pale as he held his dying lover in his arms.^[15] He used all sorts of herbs and even tried giving ambrosia to heal Hyacinthus' wound, but it was futile, for he could not cure the wound inflicted by the Fates.  Apollo wept for Hyacinthus  and promised that he would always remind himself of Hyacinthus through his songs and the music of his lyre. He created a flower from Hyacinth's spilled blood, the hyacinth, and inscribed on its petals the words of lamentation, "AI AI" – "alas".

Don's Blog Continued Art Presentation 3-4-24

The Art of Jan Sessions

Untitled. Collage with acrylic in canvas.

The artist continues to go beyond the edge of the canvass.

Flower for the Day February Treasures 2-28-24

There has definitely been strange weather lately. Yesterday's 84 degree sunny day morphed overnight into

todays 28 degree sunny day. The flowers are confused. Here is what was up yesterday.

More crocuses.

and some surprise miniature iris coming up in the phlox bed.

And finally many new bouquets of daffodils.

I have to go find my winter coat.

Flower for the Day Amaryllis 2-26-24

Our yearly amaryllis explosion occurred over the week-end. I put these bulbs

in the garden over the summer where the long leaves feed power into the bulbs.

I bring them into the dark basement in the fall and bring them into the sun and water in 

February. 

Even after decades the flowers are spectacular.

Don's Blog Nephrolepsis exaltata 2-23-24

The Art of Jan Sessions 

Acrylic on canvass.

This large painting shows a Boston Fern. The inversion rivets your attention.

Don's Blog Notes from Egypt 2-21-24

Here is my Missouri Medicine editorial from May,1990, almost a quarter century ago.  

Don's Blog Untitled 2-129-24

The Art of Jan Sessions

'Untitled'  Collage on acrylic painted canvas board.

The artist is a master with hanging objects that take the viewer beyond the edges.

Don's Blog "A Blessing" 2-16-24

Here is a tender poem with an ending that will not leave you.

                     A Blessing 

Just off the highway to Rochester, Minnesota,

Twilight bounds softly forth on the grass.

And the eyes of those two Indian ponies

Darken with kindness.

They have come gladly out of the willows

To welcome my friend and me.

We step over the barbed wire into the pasture

Where they have been grazing all day, alone.

They ripple tensely, they can hardly contain their happiness   

That we have come.

They bow shyly as wet swans. They love each other.

There is no loneliness like theirs.   

At home once more,

They begin munching the young tufts of spring in the darkness.   

I would like to hold the slenderer one in my arms,

For she has walked over to me   

And nuzzled my left hand.   

She is black and white,

Her mane falls wild on her forehead,

And the light breeze moves me to caress her long ear

That is delicate as the skin over a girl's wrist.

Suddenly I realize

That if I stepped out of my body I would break

Into blossom.

James Wright

 

First Flower for the Day Crocus 2-14-24

It was the first week of February when our first crocuses bloomed, a real testament to our warm winter. Here is an image of it by my son Chris (chrissessionsphotography.com) from last week. The history of crocus cultivation dates back to the Bronze Age. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Aegean Minoans (2100-1600 B.C.) all grew crocus primarily as a source of saffron, used as a coloring agent or to flavor food.

Crocus-Minded
    

It takes courage

    to be crocus-minded.

God, I'd rather wait until June,
    Like wise roses,
    When the hazards of winter are safely behind,
    and I'm expected,
    and everything's ready for roses.
But crocuses?
    Highly irregular.
    Knifing through hard-frozen ground and snow,
         and sticking their necks out,
    because they believe in spring
     and have something personal
         and emphatic to say about it.
God, I am by nature rose-minded.
    Even when I have studied the situation here
    and know there are wrongs that need righting,
    affirmations that need stating,
    and know also that my speaking out may offend . . .
        for it rocks the boat . . .
    Well, I'd rather wait until June.
    Maybe later things will work themselves out,
    and we won't have to make an issue of it.
God, forgive,
    Wrongs don't work themselves out.
    Injustices and inequities and hurts don't just dissolve.
Somebody has to stick her neck out,
    Somebody who cares enough
        to think through
        and work through hard ground,
    because she believes
    and has something personal
        and emphatic to say about it.
Me God?
    Crocus-minded?
    Could it be that there are things that need to be said,
        and you want me to say them?
I pray for courage.

 Jo Sorely

---

Don's Blog Caring 2-14-24

Here is my editorial from Missouri Medicine in March of 1990 over 30 years ago. Please pardon the editorial marks.

You may let me know what you think.