Ice on branches

The changing scenario in this land -USA- constantly fascinates me. With every change in the temperature, season, wind or cloud the scenario changes. In the few months that I have been here, I have seen Nature going from verdant green to glowing orange to bare essentials.
And today I pull up the blinds on my window I peer out and hold my breath.

Small icicles hang from the branches that brush against my window pane. The gentle drops catch the sun and make a naughty sparkle. A particularly sharp glitter catches my eye. And I run to get the camera.

And while I am admiring the beauty of it all, my daughter braves the chill winds as she struggles to scrape the ice off the car.

The doors are stuck, the windscreen has frosted and the mirror has icicles 4 inches long ... that my grandson is thrilled to pluck off one by one!

As the day progresses the sun weaves its magic on the shiny crystals. The tree opposite my balcony acquires a dainty radiance in frank contrast to the steel like rigidity of the pine tree close at hand.

I enjoy it all from the warm comforts of my heated home.

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Stinking white flowers

Hey ... I am not being rude. I am just telling you.............
We brought this planter with ready-to-grow bulbs and placed it on the window sill and watched it with pride as it grew long green stalks, and sprouted pretty white flowers.

small smelly flowers

Then we walked around the house saying there is something rotting in the house...
we cleaned the trash cans
flushed toilets
cleared kitchen drains
looked suspiciously at each other
Then the three of us walked into the room, looked at the pretty bunch on the window sill and said
yeowww this flower stinks!!!

Paperwhite Narcissus Flowers

But there must be many winged guys, who take one whiff of this fragrance  .... rub their hands, smack their lips and go mmmm yummm yumm ........  and dive straight towards the stinking white flowers!!
Read more about stinking flowers here

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Do you know someone you like to gift this one??  wink!

Happy New Year

Wish you all a very happy new year. May 2013 bring us all peace and plenty.
Plenty of work,
plenty of family time,
plenty of good friendships,
plenty of hugs and
plenty of watchable programs on TV.

They said things about 20-12-2012 and then 12-12-2012, and now there is talk that it is 2013 with emphasis on thirteen.
This is 2013 only in the Gregorian Calendar. But we have other calendars. We have the Hindu, the Islamic, the Persian, the Chinese, the Hebrew... the list is endless
there are calendars based on the sun movement, and those based on the moon.
In none of these, this year is thirteen!!!
And the earth perhaps uses a calendar of its own... and for the earth 2013 was over quite a long time ago...
So, have a great 2013.

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