Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Aglow in Yellow


It's the last week of March and the Cretan countryside is aglow in yellow. Above, clouds covered the sun, seconds before I took this photo, but the round, cheery flowers, like millions of little light bulbs, brightened the scene for me, so that I could capture the tiny church in all its radiant illumination.


This blossoming pear tree is one
 of many in the immediate vicinity. 


Its silky, white flowers are a soft contrast to the yellow 
  saturation that dominates the petal population at present.



These adorable daisies arrived in patches about a week ago. They're the first bunch of beauties I encounter on my walk around the village. Don't they look like those animated suns in kids' drawings? I can almost see their sweet, smiley faces and hear their childlike voices bidding me 'Good morning' in unison. 


'Good morning, daisies'.


Meanwhile, white mustard (Sinapsis alba L, belonging to the Brassicaceae family) is at its peak right now. I read here, that, 'while the table condiment mustard does indeed come from the mustard seed, the leaves, flowers, seed pods and roots are also edible.'. The young leaves, in particular, are used to flavour mixed salads.



I have been wandering through meadows of these lemony toned lovelies for years; who knew that they are packed with a peppery spice and provide a host of therapeutic qualities from treating ailments like bronchitis and pneumonia to alleviating arthritis?!


Indoors, a favourite flower of mine, my beloved freesia, take centre stage on a doily that resembles yet another sun, this one lacy and delicate. This fragrant posy is part of a bigger bouquet given to me by my sweet friend, Fotini, for my birthday, last week. She has several pots blooming on her balcony. Interestingly, her name, 'Fotini' is derived from the Greek, φως (phos), meaning 'light'. This bunch so beautifies the house with its glowing, yellow bulb-like petals and that scent!

 

And thank you, my sweet readers for visiting
   and for all of your thoughtful birthday wishes!
Have a wonderful week!

xoxo
Poppy 

Sharing at:
The Art of Home-making Mondays
Amaze Me Monday
Inspire Me Monday
Mosaic Monday
Tuesdays at Our Home
Home Sweet Home
Feathered Nest Friday
 

41 comments:

  1. Dear Poppy, one of your photos made me think of "follow the yellow brick road", which you can imagine has been on my mind lately!

    One could get quite drunk on the yellows of your world from daisies and mustard and their elegant friend freesia. You must be afloat in sensory beauty when you go for your daily walks. If a yellow balloon were tied to your wrist by a white silk ribbon the color of pear blossoms you might just be lifted off the ground and fly over your own yellow brick road!

    I'll picture you that way today, sweet friend, with the scent of freesia dabbed behind your ears,

    Dewena

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  2. Good morning, dear Poppy! I love your Good Morning Daisies, and your photos are just gorgeous! A magical post! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  3. Your "Morning Poppy" flowers are the best!! Thank you for the morning chuckle!! :)

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  4. All the shades of yellow are to be found on your daily walk, Poppy, what a delight it must be to be met with such sunshiny days! Love the daisies and your four leaf clover shaped mosaic.

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  5. Wow Poppy ... the landscape looks stunningly beautiful!
    Lovely photos ... enjoy your week!
    Ruby

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  6. Yellow flowers always make me smile! Spots of sunshine on earth....even now when we live where the sun always shines, they still fill me with the same delight daffodils brought when they showed me that we'd made it through another gray winter in Oregon. So lots and lots of smiles here in this beautiful post... thank you for this!

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  7. Awsome white and yellow flowers! It's a delight to see these flowers both outdoors, and indoors (freesia in the vase).Your pictures are of professional quality.

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  8. Since childhood, daisies have always been my favorite flowers. They look so cheerful! You have so much beauty in your region to photograph, I'm envious.
    Brenda

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  9. What breathtaking photos! So happy are the colors. Happy week to you!

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  10. My dear sweet Poppy, the photo's are stunning and I loved seeing all the beautiful flowers. They are truly amazing. What wonderful walks to see all this beauty. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

    Hope your doing great - have a wonderful rest of the week.

    Hugs,
    Mary

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  11. Hi Poppy, gosh Crete is sooo.... beautiful in spring! I love the first photo with the little church and the yellow mustard is illuminating everything!
    Your little freesia posy is lovely in its simplicity!
    Thanks for this cheerful post!
    Christina

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  12. Such perfect beauty ! PFlowers are truly one of Gods BEST !!

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    1. Hi Cindy,

      Thanks for visiting! Wanted to visit, you, too; have you got a blog? Tried emailing, but you came up as a 'no-reply' blogger and your Google Page doesn't provide either. Please email me re: the above if you see this.

      Thanks,
      Poppy

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  13. These photos look like paintings, with the exception of the 'morning daisies'. How cute are they my creative friend :).

    I agree with Dewena about the 'yellow brick road'. It's so stunning it almost doesn't look real.

    (I'm glad you're back with your 'muse'.)

    xxx

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  14. Poppy I so appreciated these beautiful photos as I sit here with white patches of snow still on the ground, pining for Spring blossoms. Thank you ☺

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  15. The first picture with the church, is absolutely stunning! Incredible depth of field, and no shadows either, you got the picture at the perfect moment! It is a beauty! And oh, the colors and shades of yellow you have, simply, absolutely glorious! I feel your joy, as you walk, and I think I heard the flowers whispering your name too :) There is a chorus and a rhythm in their happy faces that always speaks deeply to my heart. Thank you for sharing the glorious yellows today.. I needed it, as my world is currently quite gray and brown around me :) Hugs!

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  16. What gorgeous pictures! So much sunny yellow. My favorite flower is the daisy but I have never seen those. I want them in my garden but I think I am just dreaming since they are probably wild and only grow in Greece!

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  17. Oh Poppy...these wonderful "yellows" that you have captured make me smile...especially when you added the cute little faces and word bubbles! I have seen mustard growing in fields too and always think how lovely it is! I remember chewing on it when I was a kid and tasting it's tartness! Have a blessed day, my friend!

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  18. "morning my poppy!"
    the views. oh the views! a balm for my very soul.
    thank you.
    xo♥

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  19. Such beautiful views and flowers... fairytale beauty. The view of the hills takes my breath away . Have a beautiful week. xoxo

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  20. What a treat this post was on this dreary rainy day here. Loved seeing all the flowers and greenery.

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  21. Dear Poppy
    The mustard seed flowers welcoming Spring in all her glory!
    Like Dewena, I especially love the photo of the 'yellow pathway' and yes it reminded me of the yellow brick road!
    I followed your link and enjoyed learning all about it too!
    Crete looks such a beautiful island with its mountains, valleys and blue, blue sky!

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  22. Ps - I meant to say Happy Birthday' dear Poppy! Mine was the week before!
    Shane xx

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  23. A lovely sun shiny post Poppy! So bright and cheery to see all the flowers in bloom there. The yellow flower path between the rows of trees reminds me of the dandelions that grow in profusion between the apple trees in the orchard in spring before they mow them. They keep them for the bees until the blossoms have opened. Have a lovely week. XX Pam

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  24. Poppy, what a beautiful post. Your photos are so crisp and show off your subjects well. I love when I see the fields of mustard. They make me know that spring is right around the corner. We have , what I have always called white mustard, and they actually have white flowers. I have just called the yellow, yellow mustard. Are they one in the same?..Happy blue skies to you..Judy

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    1. Hi Judy,

      When researching this flower, I first looked up the Greek translation, which led me to the following link below, where I learned that, despite its yellow hue, it is, indeed, called white mustard. Cannot find anything on 'yellow mustard', the flower or your white mustard flower. Perhaps when the seeds of the white mustard flower (Sinapsis alba L) are ground, they are white. Just a guess.

      Thanks for stopping by and for your query. Please let me know what you find out about the white flowers in your neck of the woods!

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_mustard#Distribution

      Poppy:)

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  25. can't wait to try some yellow in this summer's salad. i wonder how many more plants we trample that would be health to our skin and bones if we only knew!
    Your photos are like a golden spring stroll. stunning!

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  26. The yellows of the countryside are beautiful and what an extra benefit that the plants have good health benefits too! I also love the table w/ the doily and the flowers..so pretty. :)

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  27. Spring is very much yellow in Brittany, with different flowers, but we also have mustard!

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  28. Poppy spring is here and in full bloom. I get so happy when I see all that yellow out in the fields. Its like a happy invasion. Happy belated Birthday!

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  29. I loved how you turned the daisies into cartoons! Cutest thing I've seen all day.

    It's gorgeous there right now and your photos are amazing, Poppy!

    xo,
    rue

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  30. What a beautiful countryside you live in. Gorgeous photos. Sorry I missed your birthday so Happy Belated Birthday.

    Judy

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  31. I used to visit Crete in september but now I know this is the month! So beautiful!
    Have a happy weekend and take care...
    Titti

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  32. Everything is so lovely for spring.

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  33. You live in a beautiful place. Hugs, LJ

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  34. Happy Belated Birthday Poppy
    Your home and neighbourhood is looking wonderful in this blanket of yellow. I can imagine the fragrance in your home from the bouquet of freesias.
    Have a fabulous weekend
    Helen xx

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  35. Wow, such beautiful photos. I loved seeing the view of your countryside and the beautiful flowers. Have a wonderful and colorful spring :)
    Yasemen

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  36. It all looks so beautiful, Poppy. Exotic and familiar at the same time. Why didn't I think of talking to the flowers?
    Amalia
    xo

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  37. I will visit Crete in august again, lovely! The best place on earth :)
    Have a sunny sunday, take care...
    Titti

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  38. So pretty! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  39. I find the colour yellow so pretty and then I have to turn right around and say for whatever odd reason...when I photograph anything yellow, flowers, birds, no matter what, they seem to dull on my view screen. I hardly ever show them on my shares. I am impressed as to how crisp and beautiful yours show up. I may have to try again and maybe click a sharp, or slight HDR button and see what happens. Thank you always for your love~ Hugs

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Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate hearing from all of you! Have a great day!