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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Friday, February 13, 2009

CAMELLIAS


9 x 12 inch, Watercolor, St Germain. My own rendition of the Camellias.
Camellia means "flame of the heart, longing, adoration." The meaning is so fitting, with Valentine's Day when many flowers are given to friends and loved ones.
The previous owner of our house had planted a Camellia tree in the front yard. Since I live in Southern California the flowers on this tree start blooming soon after the New Year.
To me Camellias were just one among all flowers, until we one time unsuspectingly walked into a Camellia show held at the botanical garden in Palos Verdes, close to Long Beach. About a hundred growers shared their variety. The exhibit was quite spectacular.
On another occasion we visited the Huntington Library, known for its rose gardens, next to the internationally famed library. Most enjoyable is a walk through the lane with all kinds of Camellia trees. The flowers range from virgin white to several shades of pink to red hot, and even striped varieties. Also, later I found out that there has been a Camellia Society since 1945 in Fort Valley, Georgia.

I began this poem as this first Camelia started blooming by my window.





Camelia, keep alive
the flame of my heart
when winter's still ruling with iron grip
Today peering through the blinds
I see you swinging in the wind
blooming fiercely
Camellia tell me that
soon it will be Spring.

As coming out of hibernation
where winter nights stretched
till afternoon is left over
a moment for the sun
to wink at the mountains
dressed in snow
with her promise to come back longer,
tomorrow.

Were there really frozen ponds
drippings glazed by frost?
Snowflakes falling unendless,
icestorms cracking tree limbs,
or was it a long wordless dream?
Camelia, my first bloomer
I long for the new to come
Tomorrow will be spring.

23 comments:

Michelle said...

Beautiful!

Both the poem and the painting.

Jeannette StG said...

Thank you Michelle!
How do you manage to do that - you comment right away, but still you produce paintings, it seems effortlessly every few days??

DeniseinVA said...

A lovely post, I enjoyed your commentary, the photo, the painting and the poetry. All wonderful. Thank you for sharing them.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

Oh, they are just so beautiful!

Carol Murdock said...

Wonderful post! We have Camelia's here in Mississippi,I missed them when I lived in Tennessee. I tried to grow them there, but no success.

Reader Wil said...

Your watercolour is very refined and the colours are lovely soft and transparant! It's fitting for Valentine's Day. Thanks for your visit and comment.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Thanks so much for your visit and sweet comments. You have a lovely blog here, and I know Edward and I shall visit often. You are welcome at our place anytime!

Happy Valentine's Day To You!
From Us Both!

Michelle said...

Ahhh Jeannette, I am uploading work already done, I have added an explanation to the blog
Short version is, my work is coming very slowly now while I'm caring for my mother. Plenty of time for the computer, not much for the paintbrush :(

Silver said...

Always love pictures of flowers, greens, nature..
yes, and camellias are one of my favourite too.

smiles,
Silver

Jeannette StG said...

Denise, thank you for your appreciation, as I enjoy your recipes! Jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

Gary,
Creation is beautiful, isn't it? That is why athere are artists:) Thanks vor your visit.
Jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

To the writesporch
Did it have to do with the soil in TN that your camelias didn't grow? (I didn't research on what point and why they started writing camellias with one "l" instead of 2)

Jeannette StG said...

Readere Wil.
Thank you for your kind comments on the watercolor - always a pleasure to hear from you.
jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

Pamela,
Glad you feel at home at my blog, and I hope that you had an enjoyable Valentine's day - yes, visit often!
Jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

Michelle,
Inspiration and painting are difficult to concentrate on in-between other things, aren't they?
Jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

Dilver,
wow, you have more than one blog - I'm impressed! Thank you for "following."
Jeannette

Jeannette StG said...

Disclaimer from jeannette

Sorry, for the last typo, (as wel as the others!), the last comment is for Silver...

SILVER said...

:) got it, girl.

smiles..have a wonderful day, my new friend! Hope you've got lots of inspiration to paint as well.

Jeannette StG said...

Silver,
gobs of inspiration, but too little time :)
of course, that's better than the other way around, haha.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

A beautiful painting Jeanette. I love these in a garden.

Jeannette StG said...

Thank you Joan, if you like flowers, a few posts down I have a gallery, named "Celebrity Collection."
Also, under "Links to my Favorite Sites" on the right side,
click on www(dot)stgermainart(dot)com,
and you'll see some of my other paintings - whenever you have time - enjoy!

Tammie Lee said...

Your painting is lovely as is you poem.

Jeannette StG said...

Thank you Tammie Lee for your kind comment - the line in my poem "drippings glazed by frost" fits with the newest pics on your blog :)