...said the spider to the fly...

a mouthful of spiders wren mama 's on her way to feed her young flying ants huddle together thorny place

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem

lotus seedpod

lotus seed pod viable for 90 years seeds rattle inside

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem

senses

.....kikobun with a soupçon of synesthesia

memory: the power of an odour it fills us up Blindfolded I walk through the garden, absorbing the smells of the plants I know so well. I turn right at the pungent touch of rosemary and sink to my knees by the salvia sage. Straight on for the sweet lingering scent of the yellow primula veris, the first pale yellow primroses to litter the ground with heavy tufts of their delight. Past the pond with the musty odour of still water, the fresh fragrance of the Beauty Bush [ Kolkwitzia] leaves me in no doubt where in my garden I am. I need no compass to find my blind way to the wall, from where I overlook the acres of grassland I can see in my mind's eye. A mixture of last year's June hay with fresh new growth coming up in a myriad of greens. containing depth earth lets itself be inhaled in one smell The shrub called Flowering Currant [ Ribes] wafts its sour scent and beckons me on to the greenhouse, where the contained warmth of the sun intensifies each and every flower's fragrance: the very first rosebud of the intensely flavoured rose called Rosa "Arthur Bell" and the hothouse lily with a slightly overwhelming scent. The freesias which have no business being in flower before the end of April, and the musty smell of the pelargoniums: not nice but indicating the presence of their glorious pink flowers. And not to be forgotten, this phlox divaricata, called "Clouds of Perfume" and giving language to the scent outdoing all others. bittersweet where it borders on taste, more honeysweet where you can feel it touching the very first sounds of Spring

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem

the wisdom of the cherry tree

offerings to the gods dotting the slopes of mountains saplings know the truth cypress smoke carries prayers to the gods ascetic training at their fleeting peak trees awash with pink petals Mount Yoshino knows best

Below the sport of double blossoms on our single flowered cherry tree.
Having said that, I reckon it was a double flowered tree to start with, which in part reverted back to singles.
It was planted before my time here. The tree must be at least 40 years old. These prunus trees are not long-lived. They wither away after about 40 years, and ours is definitely in the withering stage, sadly.

more

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem

breathless

breath - so precious rumbles in my chest may plum petals soothe

I picked up a chest infection since leaving the hospital last week. yet another hurdle to jump. beginning to feel sorry for myself well, just a little :-) My hand is still unsteady and the water colours look messy. Still. Things can only get better. My cherry blossom petals are snowing down steadily now, thanks to a flock of greedy goldfinches :-) Couldn't hold the camera still yet.

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem

I'M BACK!!!! Three weeks in intensive care after an unexpected operation. Wasn't supposed to survive it, but the surgeon took a chance on me and it came off. Very emotional time, not least from the love that surrounded me those three weeks. overwhelming and humbling. I so hope I can prove that I deserved all this care and efficiency. Tell you one thing: the NHS is simply terrific. My brain is only just getting back into gear. I shall need your cameraderie to help me through the aftermath. Learning to walk again and even type again is difficult. Please be with me for this. And thank you for the comments I found on my return, in the previous post.

Written for a prompt at CarpeDiem