Frozen fireworks in mid-air is an accurate description of three structures in this copper coloured vase, but it wasn’t these that I first noticed when I photographed.
It was the first sunlight of the morning and my fascination was more with the shadows than the objects. There is the inside and outside to see. The far right has the shadow of the bottlebrush tree outside while the jug and plant material inside is outlined twice on the left. Our low morning sun coming in. An artwork of its own.
Now for these natural geometrical spheres known as umbels. They were picked from the garden not this year, but here the plant is in October 2026.
The alium plant as it is in the garden now and the alium seed head picked last year or the year before… can I remember?
Same uniform radius in three dimensions from a single central point satisfies the pure mathematic equation for a sphere. A firework in shape but a rigid, stark, clean skeleton.
What else in the garden is like this alium? The agapanthus is blooming really late and we will soon have frost as the temperatures are dropping. I may try and give it some shelter this winter which I didn’t last year.
This plant has struggled this summer as it is in a pot. Apparently the roots pull away from the sides when it is baked by the sun so even when it is watered the water runs down the sides. This autumn with showers now and then the plant has experienced conditions for it to start taking up water to bloom and so here it is. It really should be in seed.
Now for something different spoken of in 425 BC and then again found in manuscripts AD 130.
The first thoughts are expressed in questions by Malachi:
‘ But who may endure the day of His coming? And who will stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap.’ ( What is that? A strong ancient alkaline bleach made from plants like saltwort or glasswort and used to clean wool. It was used outside ancient cities because the process smelt bad.)
And then how does this continue in Malachi the last book of the Old Testament.
God speaking: ‘ And I will come near to you to judgement; and I will be swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and those who oppress the widow and fatherless, and turn the stranger away from their right, and those that don’t fear me says the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not.’
And then John speaks in the last book of the New Testament:
‘ And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to what they had done.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every person according to their works. And death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.’
Revelation 20: 11 – 15
It is interesting that ‘ death and hell’ are destroyed. Then God speaks again:
‘ Behold, I make all things new… It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to them that are thirsty the fountain of the water of life freely and those who overcome will inherit all things, and I will be their God and they will be my child. But the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, liars will have their part in the lake of fire which is the second death.’ Revelations 21: 5-8
This is serious reading. If the Bible has authority for you, if God is feared by you, it would be wise to accept that there is judgement because put simply grace exists only where there is judgement. Accept Christ’s gracious offer to stand in your place at the judgement. Grace will bring change and renew you. You will feel a strong presence of the Holy Spirit and you will have peace.
These are not just words they are an experience.
Take care,
Sandy 🙂