TODAY'S PHOTO -
Rose of Venezuela, from Brazil, in the American Orchid Society Gardens in Delray Beach, FL

These flowers are on a tree, which I totally missed in the first of my two visits to the Orchid Center last week. I absolutely loved the underside of the flower, as seen in the first photo above. The "wrapped" petals, or whatever they are, looked to me like soft fabric, giving off the feeling of an exquisite bow on a gift-wrapped present.

I also wanted you to see the front of the flower and was going to simply give you a link to it. I then decided to give it equal attention in today's issue of Picture to Ponder. It has a wonderfully alive starburst effect and I offer it to energize the remainder of your week.

NOTE - I went back to the Gardens last Friday to confirm, or not, the rainbow colors in the leaves of the Blood Banana Tree from last week. They were in fact simply green with maroon spots, as seen in the top picture on the banana leaves page I created. It was the sun shining through that brought out the invisible colors, or were they simply the colors of the sun?

SELF-REFLECTING QUERIES -
I have several thoughts as I wrap up this issue and I will leave you to create and further some of the queries.

The two views of the flower can be symbolic of the different sides of us as humans - the external views, or personnae we put out, without even covering all of our internal aspects and manifestations of them.

Do you have a soft and comforting side that you present to the public and another one with high energy? What comes up for you as you look at the two different Rose of Venezuela photos?

Also, I mentioned never having seen these flowers when I was in the Gardens two days earlier. Obviously I had not looked up when I was walking passed, nor had I looked down to pay attention to the "What's in Bloom" sign.

I invite you to, periodically this week, pause and look up, down, and all around and check to see if there are things there that you have never noticed. You can use the same exercise to look at all aspects or issues in your life with which you might be dealing.

As always, have fun with this.

NEW IN THE GIFT SHOP -

Last week's Rainbow Banana Leaf Click on notecard image to see prints, magnets and other products with this enhanced photo fromVol 2- Issue 14 of Picture to Ponder.

FOR WRITERS -
I have been participating in a very special writing workshop with seven other special women, facilitated by my amazing friend Julie Jordan Scott. I'm excited to share that there is another Sacred Sixty group forming. The first class starts on Thursday and there is still space in it.

If you are a woman, a writer, or wanna-be-one, who would appreciate the expanding and sharing of your writing and desires and being supported by a maximum of 8 women, in a treasured and intimate space, check out the SACRED SIXTY. (back to top of page)

SHARING READER COMMENTS -
Thank those of you who are responding to my invitation to post your responses to the past few issues on the Picture to Ponder Blog. I am delighted.

Several of the past few issues have new comments on them. Please check them out. It's merely a quick scroll down each of the issues, a click on COMMENTS and then your browser BACK button for some very insightful comments.

Insofar as posting comments, those of you with web sites can have the added option of the exposure of your name being linked to your URLs. I chose Typepad as the location for the blog - www.sheilafinkelstein.typepad.com/picture_to_ponder - because it is so easy to post comments.

When you go to the BLOG, you'll see the current issue and photo and a link at the end for Posting Comments. To see the photo ENLARGED at the same size you see it here, simply click on it.

Lastly, if posting on a blog is not your style, please continue to send your comments directly to me . Learning what you are experiencing means a lot. It is part of the reward of Picture to Ponder for me.

ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIBERS DESIRED -
If you you are enjoying PICTURE TO PONDER please pass your experiences of it on to your friends and colleagues and suggest that they, too, SUBSCRIBE.

Especial thanks to those of you who have been passing this on!

Inspirationally,


Sheila
sheila@eteletours.com
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© 2006 Sheila Finkelstein
http://www.eteletours.com/ptpintro.html

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