Earth laughs in flowers

...says Ralph Waldo Emerson. Flowers, those that provide a dash of color, a burst of joy.

Flowers....if one were to ask me what is always included in my weekly grocery list(apart from the mundane milk and bread)...it would have to be the choicest bunch of seasonal flowers.

Growing up, I've always imagined being at a workplace with a flower on my desk. Something I'd change everyday. While that hasn't happened, I know that I will always have a fresh bunch of flowers to perk up my home. That much is assured.

The flowers are seasonal...from tulips to daisies to mums to lilies and carnations- my weekly trips to the grocery store accentuated by the last stop I make at the blooms section. Its the one thing that is different each week, its not definite or predictable. It could be a different color, a different species...either way they provide light up the place with the varied hues and perfumes.

Have you tried peonies? They smell lovely on the dining table. This week, in what seems like ages, I managed to find gladioli. These have a special fondness for me because they are available in plenty back home. The flower lady in Gandhi Bazar would always pick the freshest batch of gladioli for me(in a different color every time) and I'd pair it with something else...like a pack of daisies and make a bouquet of my own. Yes, gladioli and I go way back!

'When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.' says a Chinese proverb. Ya, go do just that. See how much a difference it makes.

Have a colorful weekend y'all!