creating 2nd chances...

...for the christmas cactus plant - and us

this is a 2-fold, 2nd chance thingy... because of one of those oops kind of incidents caused by me - boo!

i knew that soon - the cactus was going to be giving up its 2nd round of life - it always does this time of year after the holiday season - so i was looking at this particular plant - searching for new buds - the new life it would be bringing forth...

well, in my exuberance - can you just about sense what's coming? - i got a wee bit careless, turned the tiniest amount to the left and the planter went flying - so did the plant - into the air - onto the floor... scattered everywhere - i yelped, yes i did - not that it solved anything, so i'm not sure why i did it - but i felt so bad for the cactus - all splayed out, roots dangling - branches broken off - i was nearly in tears - for this is a plant i've had about 5 years - it's always done very well in terms of blooming for me -

so my dismay regarding my own clumsiness was overwhelming - i mean really? but i scurried around quickly to gather up all the bits and pieces - carefully tucking - replanting and potting them, saying soothing words about how this wasn't a big thing at all for it - in fact, sometimes a little amount of pruning can be a wonderful thing for a plant - can make it more hardy - how this mishap would have it coming back stronger than ever... though i was whispering those words to it - i was wondering if it would be so... i suspect christmas cactus plants are pretty hardy - so don't believe this is the end of the world for it - not really...

because sure enough - i've been forgiven... as it appears from this lovely blossom...  as i was gently tending to the plant - i noticed, there underneath some branches - was this small bloom - glorious of sight - newly opened... seems as though the cactus is more resilent than i'd originally imagined - not that i'd ever recommend tossing it to and fro on a regular basis by any means - or doing anything else to uproot it - however, knowing it's hardy - can handle my clumsiness - is good news...  has even produced a couple more wonderful blossoms to enjoy -

it made me ponder - which is the 2-fold thingy today - about the many 2nd chances we all are given in life... the do-overs we get - some we might realize right off - others maybe we don't recognize at all, yet they're there - and aren't we glad for them - those opportunities - the moments we have to do it again - to take it over - try one more time - because someone believed in us - had faith in who we are - stood up for us - perhaps broke or stretched a rule for us... 2nd chances are a good thing in life - they help us to stand strong - to have courage - to reach out when we might have given up... can you think of any 2nd chances you've had or been given - times that have made a difference? because those are moments which have made for...

a

happy day.....

duck formation...

...up in the sky

yes - yes, it is... ducks - not birds - not geese...

ducks, my friends! how often do we see this, i ask...

typically, it is geese in formation - i see flying through the air - circling around my little lake - looking to land... or perhaps pigeons - maybe starlings... but ducks? so rare to see them coming in, in a group, let alone couples! - usually i tend to see them straggling in one-by-one - on their own - as if they're oh, so independent...

  so it was that i was doing a 2-step, quick dance in the snow - watching them high in the blue sky - their bodies appearing almost white through my lens...

so then i questioned - but they circled twice - i caught them the entire way - holding my breath - then letting it out in tiny exclamations of joy... as they landed 2-footed in the snow on the lake -

what unusual rareness - catching ducks in flight, then making their tour of landing prowess - what joy...


happy day.....

a valentine heart...

...for you today

yes, you - whomever you might be - visiting my little blog on this valentines day... whether you have a special someone - or are simply single - i wish you a blessed day - full of joy, peace, love and special moments...

valentines day celebrations have been around for a very long time - there are a lot of myths - some mystery - a bit of legend - that all surrounds this holiday... and everyone probably has a slightly different take on how it came to be - i mean, there are even 3 different saints named valentine that the catholic church recognizes - boo! to go into all the various fables and potential truths - would take waaaay too much time and space - and i'm too lazy to cover it all - so i'll merely highlight some of the more interesting facts:


-valentine greetings were popular as far back as the middle ages

-pope gelasius declared february 14 st. valentine's day

-written valentines didn't appear until after 1400

-the oldest known valentine still in existence today - was a poem written in 1415 by charles, duke of orleans, to his wife - while he was imprisoned in the tower of london following his capture at the battle of agincourt

-approximately 150 million valentine's day cards are exchanged annually


were you one of those 150 million this year? did you contribute to this long-time tradition with a loved one or sweetheart - one which also includes the giving of flowers and chocolate...

happy day.....

family portrait...

...of ducks
.
.
.
.

who couldn't quite get their act together -

 

they dillied - they dallied...

 

they tarried around the little lake - they couldn't decide if they wanted to be in the water - or should they be on the ice... is it really worth it to have this portrait done...  there was a whole lotta quackin' happenin'... 'til they got 'rounded up - and waddled half in, half out - so it appears that they're standing on water... clever duckies - when really there's a layer of ice underneath 'em...

 

in the end - they managed to group around together - the way most families do in these situations - most dislike having their portraits taken (i know this may be a gross generalization) - it's a fuss, a bother - who said it has to be done anyway - is it really necessary... do we have to get dressed up - where's aunt betty... ho-hum...

 

personally, i believe it's important to capture family time on film - kiddos grow up too fast - precious moments you forget but would like to remember - it's a way to look back - reflect - laugh over - bond together...  share the what dids, what might have beens, what could bes in life - and ultimately, make for way more than...

 

one

 

happy day.....

a pigeon's life...

how do you perceive the pigeon?  aka - morning dove, rock dove and/or any other kind of dove, perhaps...

some think pigeons are a pain - a nuisance - bothersome...  i tend to disagree, believing pigeons are quite pretty in their own right.  plus, i'm certain they play a vital role in the whole eco-system of the planet!  there are different varieties - myriad colorings as well, with shades of green - purple - blue - gray...  they make the coolest sounds ever: cooing around you if you don't bother them - and if you listen closely, their wings will sing to you as they fly...  making this glorious sound of fluttering that once you get to know it, will always be recognizable to you wherever you are - wherever you go...

as i was visiting my little lake the other day - pigeons were out in abundance - flying here and there... funny to observe them attempting to navigate their way around the frozen sections of water - as they skidded, slipped and slid on the ice trying to maintain balance...

as they finally succeeded in their ultimate goal - quenching thirst...

and demonstrating - in the animal kingdom - there does exist kindness, compassion and a willingness to share with others - for there is plenty to go around...

what a wonderful example to set - one we all should follow...

happy day.....