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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Frog-Cups in New York City

Yesterday, I walked home after seeing my doctor. The weather was glorious, and I had just received the best news in my world—after nearly seven months of torture, I could go back to my regular diet! I needed to let some of the happiness dissipate into the streets of New York City before getting home, or my apartment would explode with bliss. Bliss bombs are lethal, I’m sure.

Spring is bright in New York. If you know what streets to walk, you’ll always find flowers and birds song painting the season in someone’s yard. I saw robins and crocuses, mourning doves and narcissuses, gangs of blue jays battling over birdfeeders… and when I was almost home, I noticed a tiny plot of frog-cups or Fritillaria meleagris. I love these flowers. And in all the decades I’ve lived in New York, I had never seen one. I accepted the Universe’s gift (the landscaper’s?) and went home grinning and giggling like a proper lunatic.

So… my beloved Toads, what does this mean for our 29th day of Poems in April? It’s perfectly clear: we will write a new poem that will include a flower named after an animal or a bird named after a flower. It makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Choose your format, but please keep the poem short. I want to read each entry (I’m selfish that way), but accomplishing that gets difficult when the pieces are lengthy.

Frog-Cups (shot rather poorly with my phone)

25 comments:

  1. I have frog-cups in my garden.. love them and the name in English is gorgeous. The frog-cup is actually the "county-flower" so we have to have a few under the old oak.

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  2. Magaly! I just saw these flowers for the first time at our local spring bulb show. I was so taken with their checkerboard pattern! Must have snapped 47 photos of them. And I did not know the common name is frog-cups. How have I never seen these before? And here you are writing about them. That's odd. Thank you!

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  3. Oh I love this prompt--I had a pre-written one for today, but now I am inspired to go wandering amidst my beloved flowers. I have grown the larger Fritallarias, called with the pompous common name of "Crown Imperials'--the bulbs have a..er...pungent...smell which supposedly repels gophers-- but not the guinea-hen flower(as its also called)I am off to find some flower-animals.

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  4. @Björn, I hope you delight us with some pictures of your garden. I'm always trying to live vicariously through some other people's blooms! ;-D

    @Marian, these flowers have so many names (and they are all so cool and intriguing). I love them because they look like they are going to a party, lol! How odd, indeed, that I wrote about them when you had just seen them for the first time.

    @Hedgewitch, can't wait to read the poetic yum you'll plant or pluck for us. Enjoy your search; when I wrote this, I suspected the looking for the perfect flower/bird would be have the fun. Every now and then, some of us need a reason to leave the house... ♥

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  5. oh yes i luv todays prompt; though i will be posting a bit late; errands, appointments and such like,
    through it all thinking, musing, thinking, musing...

    much love

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  6. Keep it short!! Great idea for the second to last day of the April marathon.

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  7. Enchanting! I know there is a Monkey Orchid...I have never seen these-how lovey! Thank you Magaly~

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  8. @Gillena, may the thinking and musing make the running of errands and appointment is bit fun.

    @Kerry, one more day!

    @Ella, can't wait to read your monkeys. ;-)

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  9. @magaly I wrote this one on frog-cups last year.. with a picture from my garden.

    https://brudberg.wordpress.com/2014/05/06/old-oak-for-dverse/

    I need to find a new poem though :-)

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  10. Well, somehow, after I wandered into the wolf'sbane, my poem seemed to lurch to the dark side--but I had tons of fun with it anyway. Will be by to read a bit later.

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  11. I already did the monkey one-today I went with the Cardinal Vine.

    http://ellasedge.blogspot.com/2013/01/vitamin-d-and-leap-frog.html

    Funny, I also went in Hollywood style, with the monkey~

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  12. I kept it as short as I could, Magaly...inspiring challenge, thank you and so glad for the great update from your doc! :)

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  13. Such relaxation, such fun. Thanks Magally and Toads.

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  14. *does a little dance and runs to read Ella's monkeys*

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  15. I had to look up a flower named like an animal. Found one. Here goes. - mosk

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  16. I had to go back and find an animal named after a plant.

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  17. Hey everyone,

    Sorry I am late! Wanted this poem to be perfect! Magaly, this ones for you! :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  18. Loved the prompt (it was a poem in itself), but had to have a bit of a rant... *sigh* Will get around to say hi and read tomorrow...

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  19. It's a pretty flower find, Magaly. I found two different ones walking on a college campus.
    One has an animal/plant name (dogwood) and the other I invented (Blue Beagle Iris).
    ..

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  20. I've been a bit disobedient this time — but I ALMOST follow the prompt.

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  21. I am going to write to this prompt. It might be a little late as I have been busy all day searching for an apartment in Brooklyn NYC for my son and his friends!! Via the Internet and i did hook up with a nice realtor. But any advice from you if be certainly willing to hear!

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  22. And I think the photo is great - it captures how top heavy they are.

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  23. I cheated. Hey, Margaret, waving at you from near Central Park. wishing you luck ~

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  24. Magali--I could not manage short--so sorry--don't feel obligated to read--

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