Art of Red Ginger

Splashes of red

were so abundant throughout the gardens surrounding the Cabana I was staying at in Mexico. They were perched everywhere like soft red pine cones. I had no idea what they were but as far as I was concerned they were cheerful red, pops of joy.

I asked the gardener and discovered they were Red Ginger. Also known as  Alpinia purpurata, Pink Cone Ginger and Ostrich Plumes. In some countries it is known as Billy Goat's Foot and it is the national flower of Samoa. It thrives in partial shade and humid moist conditions and can grow 15 feet tall.

The red cone is not actually the flower of this plant. The flower is a tiny white blossom that grows at the tips of the red petals or bracts.

The bright red draws attention to the white blossoms.

It is not edible. However it was once worn as a lei

only by Hawaiian Royalty during important ceremonies. The leaves are used to make dyes that are pale yellow in color.

This week enjoy the beauty of Red Ginger.

Banana Artz

I have just recently returned from being a recluse in Mexico. I more or less, ate, drank and thought.

What I thought about was how I had gotten so far from things I enjoyed. How I had lost my way and how to get back.

While enjoying the day  I came across a banana tree. It was not upright and proud, waving it's green leaves about as if in celebration or maybe more like drunk girls gone wild on the dance floor.... "wave your arms in the air like you just don't care" style. It was tired, worn, not strong enough to carry its burden.  It looked like I felt. The stalk that contained the bananas was propped up. It was being tenderly helped by the kindness and concern of a gardener.

This banana tree inspired me, the mercy of the gardener inspired me.

I am also tended by a gardener. The Great Gardner of everything.

This week I present Bananas.

"Brazilian Landscape with anteater" (1649) by  Frans Janszoon Post. This painting is in The Alte Pinakothek an art museum situated in the Kunstareal in Munich, Germany. It shows  a banana tree alongside a palm tree on the right.