What a difference a day makes!

Twenty four little hours....

As bright and as glorious a day as it was yesterday, today was dark, dull and dreary, with very little natural light or colour.

So in desperation, I had to hunt deep into the heart of the poinsettia to find a little colour to brighten the day...


"The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is a culturally and commercially important plant species of the diverse spurge family that is indigenous to Mexico and Central America....

The Aztecs used the plant to produce red dye and as an antipyretic medication... Today it is known in Mexico as "La Flor de Noche Buena", meaning Christmas Eve Flower. In Spain, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and other Central America countries it is known as "Flor de Pascua" or "Pascua" meaning "Easter flower". In Chile and Peru, the plant became known as "Crown of the Andes"...

The plant's association with Christmas began in 16th century Mexico, where legend tells of a girl who was too poor to provide a gift for the celebration of Jesus' birthday. The tale goes that the child was inspired by an angel to gather weeds from the roadside and place them in front of the church altar. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations. The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red color represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus." Wikipedia