Color Coincidence

“Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? No.”

Pablo Picasso

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Musings in June

The month of June, in many parts of the world, spells vacations and flowers. It  marks the beginning of the months when flowers are blooming bright and strong, courtesy of the summer sun.

Flowers are one of nature’s finest gifts to us. They not only enliven the home, but can also improve our emotional health. Behavioral research shows that the presence of flowers in one’s surroundings triggers happy emotions in both men and women.

Flowers have a long-term positive effect on a person’s mood, and being in the presence of flowers promote increased contact with family and friends.

Talking about flowers, I have observed that it is not so common nowadays to find people with floral names. Some time back, we could come across or meet people named Rose, Lily, Daisy or Dahlia. I guess today, these names sound old-fashioned, and maybe uncool to some.

It’s the same in my Malay culture, although I think the floral names went out of style earlier than the Anglo-Saxon ones.  Names like Melati or Melur (jasmine)and Cempaka (frangipani, also know as plumeria)  are now associated with ancient times or what we call zaman purba. And for some people, these names often recall fictional characters in Malay movies and novels set in the old days. If you are a fan of old Malay movies, perhaps these names remind you, as they do for me, of actress Latifah Omar who was so good in her roles as the kampung (village) beauty.

The best things about flowers is that they are a universal language of beauty. And so, I’m sharing photos of flowers from both sides of the Pacific. The daisy  and godetia are from my garden in California, and the other two were taken at a beach resort in Bintan Island, Indonesia.

I love these daisies for the cheery color, and the flowers bloom continuously.

The spider lily could be found in many gardens in my old neighborhood in Singapore. But with development, they were not easily seen. I first heard the name of the flower when I was a kid. It fired up my imagination as I began to wonder and imagine that the spider had a hand in creating or weaving the flower. Thus, when I saw the lily in Bintan, it was charmingly nostalgic.

Flowers and water: an unbeatable combination for tranquility.

I discovered the godetia flowers this year. It is actually a wildflower, and the pink hue adds a sparkle to the garden.

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