Saturday, November 5, 2011

Spring surprise

Have you ever discovered something beautiful right under your nose?
The big palm trees at the apartment block where I live are flowering. I don't recall them doing this last year, but then again, they are in a corner of the garden where I don't usually venture.
My neighbour said, 'Have you seen the yellow flowers?'
'No.'
I pass them each day as I walk down the stairwell. My eyes however, are focussed on the stairs as they turn to the left, and I had failed to look right. Had I done so, this is what I would have seen.
What glorious, fulsome bunches they are.
They begin feathery, and then fill out, like ripe fruit. 
From now on, I'll be watching, fascinated to see what colour berries they produce, and how their cycle unfolds.
 It's good to keep an eye on the steps, especially after having a fall. It's also good to remember to stop and look out, through the glass panels of the stairwell, and into the hidden garden; and to walk around to the other side sometimes, and feast on views like this one. How could I have missed such magic!

11 comments:

Marja said...

Very nice I've never seen these flowers before.
I like the feathery part. Amazing how much beauty we miss as we are to much focussed on other things

Juliet said...

Thank you Marja; I like the feathery stage too - like little yellow ferns.

Hilary said...

Hi Juliet .. they are beautiful and it will be interesting to see their development - do you know what they are? The strelitzia's are gorgeous - have always loved them .. have a good week .. cheers Hilary

Unknown said...

I love the surprise element.. we need one another to remind to see. They are lovely at the feathery stage and then the ripeness of berries. Beautiful.

Marilyn & Jeff said...

These are gorgeous flowers, I have never seen palm flowers like these. Yes, we must all remember to look where we are going ...but also to stop and really look around us to see the beauty.

I have enjoyed going viewing your posts and love the quote:
"Each flower is a soul opening out to nature"

Anonymous said...

I think that there are such wondrous things, right before our very eyes, just waiting for the right moment for us to see them. What a beautiful discovery for you, Juliet, and what a delight that you share them here. I'm so glad to have time to finally catch up and to see this tonight. Yea!

Juliet said...

Thank you all, for your comments. It's a pleasure to share this discovery with you.

Anne Ruffell said...

I love the flowers and also those wonderful orange spikey blooms which are also found in South Africa at this time of year. This morning my yoga teacher was talking about the importance of being grounded and how one can do this through nature - and that is what you are doing by seeing so many amazing things around you and sharing them with us. I am so enjoying your plants and trees bursting into life as the days here get greyer and gloomier with the advent of winter.

Juliet said...

Thank you Anne, and nice to have you visiting again.

Helma said...

Hi Juliet,

what a beautiful flower in the palm. Here in Holland we do not have palm trees and it is still preliminary spring break from the winter :-) We need to stand still.

Warm Greetings from Holland by Helma

Juliet said...

Thanks for visiting, Helma, from so far away. I'm glad you could 'borrow' a little bit of our spring.