Saturday, December 3, 2011

Joy & Poppieeeeeeeeees!!!!!!

O.K., so I know I'm a little off season here, but showing off Christmas decorations and such is going to take some time with the contents of two closets and a large book cabinet strewn about my little one bedroom. This will be the third day of Dave, the electrician, being here. I will perhaps get into that in another post!

So, to the poppies ... I love them. They are so delicate ... (They would never have survived the crazy winds we have had here in Southern California this week!) and the different varieties hold different memories and attach themselves to different places in my mind.

Orange California poppies remind me of Sunday drives and road trips growing up in California, listening to 8 track tapes in my Dad's '66 GTO. I'd look out the window and point them out and think how important they were, our state flower, that it was illegal to pick them! That was what I was told anyway. I'm not sure if it's even true.

The red poppies remind me of Umbria and especially Assisi ... bits of red painted among the olive trees.

The giant white Matilija poppies? Ojai and my sister's giant poppy plant next to her driveway that blooms every spring and welcomes you to her home.

Poppies look like joy to me. Little reminders of bits of happiness, sometimes found in unexpected places. Funny that the Wicked Witch of the West would use them against Dorothy and her pals, but you know, a little nap along your travels isn't really a bad thing. ;)


California Poppies
watercolor 2010




From joy I came,
For joy I live,
and in Thy sacred joy
I shall melt again.

~Paramahansa Yogananda


California Poppy in Ojai



Dorothy and her pals getting ready for a nap...
(The ones with a heartbeat that is!)




Poppies
Assisi, Italy





I have merged, like the bird, with the bright air,
And my thought flies to the place by the bo-tree.

Being, not doing, is my first joy.

~Theodore Roethke
Finding Deep Joy

Matilija Poppies, The Ojai Foundation 2011







The really happy person
is one who can enjoy the scenery when on a detour.

Anon






Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

~Mother Teresa


Hope this weekend brings you unexpected joy and blessings!

20 comments:

Cristina Deboni said...

Stupendo tutto, dal disegno alle foto e quante varietà di papaveri! L'ultima mi piace molto, sembra un quadro. Ciao Cri : )

Don said...

Hey, now I'm feeling good again!

Joyce said...

Joy and poppies go hand and hand for me! It is funny how we both were on the same path of joy and MT. :)
Did you take a photo of your wrapping? It sounded pretty. xo

MYSTELIOS said...

Very interesting and helpful post especially your hand-writing about the Joy and Poppies !!!
Have a very calm and peaceful weekend !!!

Candy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Candy said...

Definitely joy!

Is Dave, the electrician, anything like Eldin, the painter?:)

JANE MINTER said...

really like your poppy painting colbalt ...glad you're ok

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

WOW. That last quote was the perfect ending for this sweet and poetical post dearest!!!! HEY! HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A BLUE POPPY????? I cannot remember where they grow, but I saw them in a horticultural magazine this summer. STUNNING COBALT BLUE!!!!!

Merci mille fois for coming to visit with me yesterday!!! Anita

Cobalt Violet said...

Thanks guys for the responses! :)
Joyce I think I took pics with a film camera... I should find them!
Candy you are funny! He does remind me of him but isn't around so much!
Anita I haven't seen the blue! I need to go on a hunt!

Loree said...

Those Assisi poppies are just like ours. I love them too. They are so delicate and pretty. I have never seen white poppies before but our red poppies also come in a lovely shade of purple.

Karena said...

How beautiful! I adore the watercolor of the poppies of course!!

Thank you so much for entering my Holiday Giveaways. More to come!

Tis the Season!

xoxo

Karena
Art by Karena

A Brush with Color said...

Love your oozy painting and these vibrant poppies!

Victoria said...

Gorgeous!! What a spectacular tribute to poppies...I love them too..so poetic and enchanting! Gorgoeus photos and art...brilliant!
Victoria

jane said...

these are all beautiful! especially your water color. now... more about dave ;)
x

LE CHEMIN DES GRANDS JARDINS said...

Mes fleurs préférées avec lesquelles je compose des installations land art à la belle saison.

Très beau blog que le tiens,

Félicitations.

Roger

Marty said...

I love poppies too ! I had a lot of california poppies in my garden, so beautiful and nothing to do, they grow alone! I love your post !

Dr. Mohamed said...

Thanks for sharing the beautiful, joyful images :)

Raul Rentero said...

bellísimas imágenes, las flores siempre son síntoma de alegría y bienestar
un abrazo!
Raúl

spacedlaw said...

I love poppies, their frailty, their colour.

corine said...

love your poppies!