Phagwa

a frenzy of colour
good overcometh evil
the dancers tale
--gillena cox


Internet image from http://www.traveljournals.net/pictures/l/20/206097-phagwa-festival-of-colors-saint-augustine-trinidad-and-tobago.jpg

Phagwa is celebrated on the first day of the full moon in the month of Phagun (February to early March).
It came to Trinidad and Tobago with the arrival of Indian indentureship in 1845. The origin of Phagwa or Holi can be traced to the Hindu holy scriptures Vishnu Purana in which there is the story of an evil King Hiranyakashipu who wanted to destroy his own son Prahalad for worshipping God instead of he, King Hiranyakashipu. According to the scriptures, Hiranyakashipu then made a plot with his sister Holika to destroy the child Prahalad by fire, for being disobedient to him. Instead, Holika perished in the inferno while Prahalad survived, thus establishing victory for good deeds over evil ones. more here

Hugs

grand babies make
great hug partners
so i've heard
--gillena cox


Internet image from funnyimages.blogcu.com/.../2862126

Millions and millions of years would still not give me half enough time to describe that tiny instant of all eternity when you put your arms around me and I put my arms around you. ~ Jacques Prévert
more quote garden Hug Quotes here

Bubbles

standing at the curb
i watch
the sheer delight
on his face
--gillena cox


Internet image; Franz van Mieris (1635-1681). "A Boy blowing Bubbles" from oldprints.wordpress.com/

...the fragile soap bubbles exist only for a blink of an eye. In this sense, soap bubbles are associated with the transience of life...more here

Pony Tails

who can comprehend
carefree days of youth who would
munch snacks all day long
--gillena cox


Internet image; 'New Forest Pony' - photographer Tina Phillips; from free digital photos.net;

Watering

watering the lawn...a 2009 haiga

The Mountain Side

the mountain side
blotched
i know which trees
are pink poui
--gillena cox





photos--gillena cox

Cutting Lent

photo taken in 2009; haiku written 2010

Lent is a period of abstinence spaning forty week days, starting the day after Carnival Tuesday. The start of the season is called Ash Wednesday, many christian devotees, particularly of the Catholic persuasion, on this day receive ashes drawn on the forehead as a sign of willingness to observe this penitence.
Children being the creative creatures that they are, find their own way of including themselves into the season; as a child at primary school (i attended the Chaguanas Government Primary School ) we did what was called 'cutting lent' this involved making a bet to stop doing some specefic thing, and included the vigilance of friends; when the decision to abstain from a particular act was declared, participants offered their pinkies (littlest finger) which was locked with someone also involved in the bet; then the fingers were pulled apart; this meant the bet was cut.
After that act, during the period of Lent if anyone was caught doing was offered up in the abtinence bet, eg eating icecream, or sweets; whatever was given up; then that person was in for a good slap with the reminder in one word LENT.
I'm sure there must have been other ways of cutting lent in other schools or in other areas, but thats how we did it at 'my school'


cutting lent
we crossed fingers
school days
--gillena cox

Dancing Feet

dancing feet
young and old to the rhythm
of carnival
--gillena cox

Exorcising

jour ouvert, or day open starts the Carnival, one of the essentials for this revellery is mud This traditional part of Carnival starts at around 2 in the morning;
Its Carnival Monday in Trinidad and Tobago

SEE ALSO 2007 Jouvert Renga

St Valentine's Day 2010

two blue birds
sunshine
Saint Valentine's day
--gillena cox

Blue Grey Tanager, also called blue Jean in Trinidad and Tobago

HAPPY ST VALENTINES DAY TO ALL LUNCH BREAK VISITORS
dark chocolates, red wine, all great gifts for this occasion

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, which is the USDA's method of measuring a food's capacity to fight harmful free radicals in our bodies...read more...

Natalie Cole 'I Wish You Love'

On February 14 coincidently Chinese New Year, Year of the Tiger and Valentine’s Day falls on the same date..read more...

February Furls

Cheers

i'm so glad we have
the chance to do this again
Cheers! on my birthday
--gillena cox

Sorrel, traditionally is a Christmas drink for Trinbagonians; however many returning Trinis, for the Carnival Season, travel albeit, with their 'sorrel appetities', in the expectation that their families and friends would have still, a little kept back sorrel in the fridge from Christmas


CHEERS!!! enjoy the 'Sorrel Drinks' jigsaw puzzle; click to mix and solve

The Childrens' Vibe

childrens' vibe
periwinkles and fireflies
masquerade
--gillena cox





7 Feb 2010; Children masqueraders through Western Main Road, St James, Trinidad

Standing Tall

This photo was taken in 2006 at the seaside in Matura,Trinidad; the haiku, is a 2010 added
Use this photo as an e greeting
See more photos from Matura here

A Moth

Rainbow Fades

February 2010

The February born shall find
Sincerity and peace of mind,
Freedom from passion and from care,
If they, the amethyst will wear.
--author unknown

According to legend, amethyst originated when Bacchus, the God of Wine, grew angry at mortals. He vowed the next mortal that crossed his path would be eaten by tigers. At that time, a beautiful young maiden named Amethyst was on her way to worship the Goddess Diana. Diana, knowing of Bacchus vow, turned Amethyst into a pillar of colorless quartz to protect her from the tigers. Bacchus, witnessing the miracle, repented and poured wine over Amethyst, staining her purple.

Amethyst is the birthstone for February; typically given on 4th, 6th and 17th wedding anniversaries.

A birthstone is a gift of a precious material (jewelry, mainly gemstones; themselves traditionally associated with various qualities) that symbolizes the month of birth in the Gregorian Calendar. It is sometimes also called birthday stone

Leonardo Da Vinci thought this gem could "dissipate evil thoughts and quicken the intelligence"

It is associated with celibacy and piety

This member of the quartz family gets its name from amethysts, the Greek word for sober.

Dark rich, royal colors of amethyst have been treasured by kings and queens for centuries and can be traced back to the Minoan period in Greece (c. 2500 B.C.). During the 15th century the French fleur-de-lis brooch could only be worn by the Royal family on ceremonial occasions.

One of the largest cut amethysts in the world is 343 carats and is housed at the National History Museum in London.

The two main sources of amethyst are Brazil and Zambia although it is also found in Uruguay, Russia, Sri Lanka, Mexico, and the US state of Arizona

Ah February the month of my birth
much love
gillena

MORE AT THESE SITES
more here
more here
more here