IRIS- Mighty May Blooms & Birthdays

Amidst the Grape vine and the Hostas...

Avidly glowing bright and blue shows
Angelic face of my pride Iris
Another May... has come she says!
May, is a month of many a Birth-
Days to remember... from my Grandpa who
Lays at our Lord's feet having same Birth-
Day as my dear brother,then my nephew...
And my Mother(in-law) Agnes who loves
Handling my plants- cropping, clipping
And suprising even shocking me at times...In-
Tending Only Good- May GOD Bless 'em All!-By VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

AIR SHOW-Kaleido

Nightly, Sky, Sunny & Foresty...

Perched Up in Perfect Pose....

Watch them In Flight...
Stretch Wings in Air...
So Effortlessly...
Swooping by Teasingly...
Chasing Your Worries Away....

Light Hearted, You Too...

Soar Up....Up... and-

Sense Connected.... to Our Creator!

Throne Of North Carolina Jasmine

Splashy but, Shady Seclusion... Swathed in Simmering-Gold, A

Soothing Site'N Sight .....

Swaying about Serenely...

Spewing Sweet Scent...

.....In a Splash of Spring!

Strewn with Strings of yellow...


Swept in Stormy wind...

Still Smiling, Splendidly...

Sunny or Snowy...

....Staying Steel-green,

Showing off...

.....in a Splash of Spring!

-by VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

We call em' weeds?

I think they are cute!

As a young botanist, I had always wondered about the issue-whether weeds are friends or foe?

Are they NOT pretty? YOU be the judge!

They remind me of displaced people, trying to survive!

Beautiful in their own right, but less appreciated because they put roots where we do not want them to be!

Weeds! Do they deserve the stigma that comes with what we call them?

Spring Buzz Around My Garden

Life Springs in My Garden


--by VeeraMahal FRANKLINMarch has marched on with snow storms rivaling white Christmas scenes. Once, within a matter of an hour our backyard was transformed into a scenic painting on a Christmas postcard. We do welcome the occasional snow in the south, knowing very well it is not here to stay more than a day or two. Like a beautiful dream it would all vanish once the morning sun is out shining bright.

Kids enjoyed throwing snow balls while Maggie our lab was trying to intercept and devour them. Of course Maggie's ancestors hail from the ice cold lands of Canada. No wonder she loves the snow and wants to plant her foot prints in the snow before anyone of us does. You can see how she is enjoying it, running up and down the yard!

As soon as the snow was gone the weeds were trying to take over- but my little garden-angel made them look magical. If you look closely, they do have cute flowers and the only problem is that they grow where we do not want them to. Some times I wonder whether to give them a space because some small white butterflies seem to love these plants that we call weeds!

Spring is on…. Spring is on!

Life seems to spring around our garden. The plum we planted six years ago and the peach I added only last year showed buds, within days after the snowstorm. The resilience of the flora is amazing. Not that the fauna is lagging behind. Just as I was crouched down to snap the peach blossoms, I heard a thud and was amazed to see a royal visitor. Perched regally on my favorite old tree this majestic bird of prey captivated me. But, the blogger in me alerted me to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity and I managed to shoot a picture of this historic moment.

I believe it is a hawk!

If you look carefully, you can see the twig she or he broke off my tree. This was the first time I ever saw one in our yard. Now I see the pair swooping down so majestically, only to pick up twigs and what not, to build their nest in the pine tree next door. While I am admiring this majestic pair, I have mixed feelings and fear for the freedom of the song birds visiting my feeder.

Praise Hymn

Praise at The Highest Pitch!

Happy Easter everyone!

We did have a great Easter-despite the fact our kids are little grown up for Easter egg hunt. It is great to have the kids come home for spring break - to just relax, chat, cook and eat together. The weather was so great and sunny; the kids even grilled some salmon out in the porch.


Today as we were going to church, I got a glimpse of my sons-they did look very handsome in their formal suits with tie. Just a few years back, I remember having a big tug-a-war before church because, my older son would not wear anything other than a rip/torn denim with a worn out T’shirt. Being parents we felt helpless and very upset. Today, he had been bugging his younger sister that she should wear dress-not jeans and sweater. She looked cute in her dress, too. Troubles, big and small at all phases of life are learning experience -children and parents do grow together wiser and closer, but with a wider boundary.


The church was packed and as usual we just made it in time. That meant we had to stand throughout the mass. It didn’t matter-I felt very happy to be there with my family thanking God, singing his Glory at high pitch. My son “J” nudged at me signaling “keep it down”, I nudged him back which meant “it is alright to give HIM Thanks and Praise (including singing at high pitch).” I felt like the child I once was who believed that higher your singing-pitch is, higher and faster your prayer gets to God.


Just then the usher stopped by and requested us, as a family, to bring the Gifts and the Holy sacraments to “The Alter”. What an honor-especially, at the Easter morning service when the church is overflowing with so many beautiful and most deserving families? The child in me-my soul, jumped with joy-"See…See, HE heard you, heard you sing at high pitch!" I felt so blessed carrying the gifts and Holy sacraments with my family to “The Alter”-it was as if God was telling me “I did hear you my child!” I guess, HE does want me to sing at my highest pitch and keep nudging back to my son “J.”
-by VeeraMahal FRANKLIN

My KaleidoParakeets

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These are my Parakeets-B'Day present from my son "J" two years back. They are cute,very lively and intelligent!