Photo by Mayah
I have two huge bird-of-paradise plants in my front yard. whenever they bloom, the hummingbirds come to sip the nectar leaking out of the flowers. Once, a hummingbird gave me a good dressing down--it's voice was harsh and shrill--I'd never heard them chirp before! because I was standing between it and the last bloom of the season. Apologizing to it, I stepped out of its way; the bird flew right for the bloom and started feeding. Bird-of-paradise are originally from Africa, and are really an herb; the nectar is good medicine, tastes great!
Just found this link--synchronicity that I'm writing about hummingbirds, and bird-of-paradise nectar being good medicine?
http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/hummingbird.htm
"Joy
Life is a wonderland of delight -
darting from one flower to another,
tasting the sweet nectar and
radiating the colors of the rainbow.
Hummingbird a symbol for accomplishing that
which seems impossible.
It can teach you how to find the
miracle of joyful living in your own life.
Hummingbird medicine is herbal; it shows us how to use flowers for healing.
They teach us how to draw life essence from flowers
and create your own medicines.
This totem reminds us to explore the past and extract the sweetness from it.
It can help you find joy and sweetness in any situation.
Grab joy as swiftly as you can.
Hummingbird reminds us to find the joy in what we do and to sing it out."
http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/hummingbird.htm