My New Love

I have a new love. It's called Instagram. I have 275 photos, 239 followers, and I am following 375 people. Every day I find myself looking for the orange conversation bubble that tells me who has made a comment, who likes my photos, and who is following me. Yes, I have let Facebook languish. But Instagram lets me publish my photos on Facebook, so everyone can still see what doing.

Tara Dulin's blog

Tara Dulin's blog

Japanese Garden

Now is the time to go to the Japanese Garden in Herman Park.  Everything is in bloom.  Azaleas, Camellias, Bridal Veil bushes scent wafts on the southern breezes.  Wisteria, the ubiquitous red bud, cherry and pear trees are all in bloom.  What I call "tulip trees," really a lavender cousin to the later blooming magnolia trees, are actually bloomed out--they are the first every year.
Winter is barely getting started here in Houston and spring bursts forth in February.  From here it's a down hill slope crashing into the heat of summer.  But its a fun slide if the north winds continue to blow through March and April.  Already bluebonnets are blooming around the neighborhood where neighbors have scattered the seeds back in October.
I am just thrilled whenever it rains because I know it will bring more green and more flowers.  Last summer was unbearable. But I guess not because we did bear it didn't we? Pictures to come.

Valentine

There is no greater love
 than this, that a man
 lay down his life
for his friends. Thanks,
 for that Jesus
St. Valentine didn't send a
card, or buy flowers,
He lay down
his life for his Jesus.
It gave me the idea
 this Valentine's Day,

I vacuumed the hall,
washed the car, drove
carpool, made dinner
and applied for Social
Security Benefits for my son.

Was it a romantic day of love?

It was chock full of love,
not flowers, stuffed bears
hearts and cards.
I confess I did
drive dark tree-lined
streets
to Papa John's for
a heart shaped pizza
for the kids, oh
and my mom let me
buy some candy "on her"...
but I believe today
was a milestone for me.

A day when I stopped
looking for others to
give me stuff to show
they loved me...
I simply loved.

Fall and Spring in my Yard All at Once

January, an undecisive month in Texas.  One day drips balmy and the next,  cold winter blasts. Fall arrived late and spring never left. These are the last leaves lingering

on my back patio...

A circle of stones and remnants of fall colors ring the tree.

 and in my pond...

And teetering on the edge, spring flowers bloom

fall and spring juxtapose

Flowers stretch along the front garden path

Sentries of spring guard my door

God's creation holds intricacies of design and bursts of color.