The Easter lily is not a native flower, it was originally from Taiwan. It is a very tricky thing to get them to bloom in time for Easter since Easter is on a different day every year, it is always on the first Sunday following the first full moon of the vernal equinox. Keep in mind that the Easter lily is poisonous to cats! Do not give these plants to anyone who owns a cat. (Uh, I might have forgotten this and done this very thing, so...learn from my mistakes, won't you?)
The photo here is from a local church. I really liked the painting...
MUD PUDDLING! That is what the butterflies are doing here...they are getting nutrients from the wet soil. There were six butterflies here, all Eastern tiger swallowtails. They flew off just as Richard snapped the photo! (The Eastern tiger swallowtail is the state butterfly of Georgia, we think it might be the largest butterfly that we see.)
The mud might be good for nutrients but you can't beat a colorful flower for a great photo!
Of course, you have all heard of the passing of Prince Phillip. Do you know that the Queen sends a telegram to British citizens when they turn 100? So, Prince Phillip was just two months shy of getting that telegram. (And from what I have read, he would have gotten one. The Queen Mother did when she turned 100!) Queen Elizabeth also sends a telegram to those celebrating wedding anniversaries, at number 60, 65 and 70. Don't know about you but I think that is blooming marvelous! You all must have seen so many photos the past few days of Prince Phillip but I think one of my favorites is from a postage stamp that I saved from one of my packages from England...
Richard says that no matter what you think of the idea of royalty in 2021, no one can deny that Prince Phillip and the Queen have done everything that has been expected of them and have done so with grace and dignity for a lifetime.
65th Wedding Anniversary Card and Telegram. This was to Richard's aunt and uncle in 2015. (Delivered by courier in livery- which means a fancy uniform to me!) Update: I have been informed that they once were telegrams but now it is cards that the Queen sends out and they are delivered by mail, although from what I have read they are stamped "Special Delivery"!
Now, what song for this post? There can be only one!
It was sad that Prince Phillip died. He lived a full life and it felt like he would always be here.
ReplyDeleteHis funeral service was very moving.
DeleteGrace and dignity and not being self-obsessed, they are lovely role models for us all, in my way of thinking. I like the card from the Queen, very precious family keepsake, and Prince Philip looks so handsome on the stamp.
ReplyDeleteI only saw the photo of the stamp on one of the shows I saw on TV, it must not be very well known. Glad I had it to share here.
DeleteThe Queen must miss her husband terribly. After all, she has known him ever since she was a girl of 13. If you have been with someone for as long as they were a couple, the loss must be very hard to bear, even if you realistically know they won't be around forever.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that butterflies "eat" from the soil directly! Great pictures, as always.
A loss very hard to bear for the Queen, I should think very much so.
DeleteI am always looking out for butterflies. x
Always like your butterflies.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bob. We have some very fast butterflies but Richard is good at capturing their images.
DeleteI had no idea the Easter lilies came from Taiwan. They were often used in Churches at Easter, but I have not seen them here for a long time. What a great stamp you share - I have never seen that terrific photo. It think they had a great relationship with one another. Well said, Grace and Dignity is exactly what we have seen, and well done to both the Queen and her Prince.
ReplyDeleteThe growing of the lilies is interesting. The bulbs come from less than a dozen nurseries in California and Oregon and then, are shipped to nurseries in the USA and carefully tended in order for them to bloom by Easter. Grace and dignity is in short supply these days, it is something we need to look for.
DeleteIt's the beginning of the end of an era.
ReplyDeleteThe generation from World War 2, it is one that we lose more and more every day. The hardy generation is what Louis Zamperini liked to call it. "Hardy" is a good word.
DeleteYour lillies and butterflies are beautiful I didn't know about the Queens nickname so that's my something new today. They have always made such a beautiful couple, I think the epitome of loyalty. To the queen and country. May he R.I.P.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have read, she could not say her own name and that is how her family came to call her "Lillibet". Apparently, that is what Phillip called her. Since I thought that went along with my photos of lilies, I had to have it my title post.
DeletePeople can say what they want about the Monarchy but there is so little grace and class left in the world that I enjoy seeing traditions that exemplify those. I think that's part of the reason why Downton Abbey was so popular. I'm sure the loss of Her beloved husband is devastating but she will carry on with that grace for the public and grieve in private. I just hope the family can get back together even though Harry has moved to the states. Lots of healing to be done I think.
ReplyDeleteKeep Calm and Carry On...it's not just a poster, you know!
DeleteGrace...it's not a word you hear every day, is it? More is the pity!
My heart aches for his family and friends.
ReplyDeleteVery difficult it must be for them all, he seemed such a character, didn't he?
DeleteGreat Butterfly pictures.
ReplyDeleteNo telegrams these days, cards are delivered instead, about 5000 a year I'm told!
Thanks for your comment! I was going to type "card" but everything that I read said it was a telegram that was sent, so that is why I put it on here and yet...you see the evidence of what I know was received in England from the Queen looked like a card! How marvelous is it that these cards are sent out from the Queen! You know the people who deliver them to the grateful households? I wish I had THAT job!!
DeleteThey are delivered by the postman.
DeleteEven if it is just the postman, think how much joy it must bring to know you are delivering that card! Richard's Uncle was probably pulling my leg telling us the story of the man who delivered the message from the Queen. Perhaps he believed it himself. Never mind, no matter how they are sent, it's a wonderful thing. Nothing here if you get to 100!
DeleteOur church in Maryland always had a very large cross made of lilies for Easter. It was beautiful and the scent was lovely. I'm sure Queen Elizabeth's faith sustains her during this difficult time.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
OH! You have reminded me of this...at our church at Easter, we had a large cross that the children of the church were encouraged to bring flowers to decorate the cross. How marvelous it was to see children of all ages come forward and put one flower each onto the cross. It was lovely.
DeleteAs I wrote in my post a few days ago...Prince Philip's passing was not unexpected, but that is of no matter...it was very sad...very sad, indeed. An end of an era...changes lie ahead, and, sadly, I feel not for the better. Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh was his own man...his own person.
ReplyDeleteYour colour pics are colourfully beautiful! Take good care. :)
I am sure you saw his funeral yesterday on TV. I found it very moving. It is so very hard to lose a loved one.
DeleteSuch a nice image of the Queen and Prince on your postage stamp. They were so young.
ReplyDeleteI was very pleased to share that image from a postage stamp that I had saved. I only saw it on one TV show, I think they must have seen it on my blog! LOL. x
DeleteAtamasco is beautiful. I have not seen them here.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw that lily...it was at the very top of Panola Mountain, which is in a protected area and you can only get there on a guided hike. It was just past the blooming time, but there was one late bloomer and the lily was standing there in its pure white beauty, just waiting for me to admire it tremendously! You know I did.
DeleteThose atamasco lilies are so delicate and pretty. I really love the look of them.
ReplyDeletePhilip had a long and productive life, but darn! I wish he could have made it two more months. It's awesome that they sent out telegrams of celebration to people who reach 100 and cards to people celebrating their long achieved wedding anniversaries.
That photo of them en masse? We were so thrilled to find them blooming, near our hiking trail at Panola Mountain! Richard zoomed in to get that photo! Another comment here tells me that they are cards sent now, not telegrams but I know how thrilled the recipients must be however they get a message from the Queen!
Delete