Flowers for a friend

These giant 'candles', which I've just discovered are Kahili, or Hedychium gardnerianum, belong to the ginger family. They pop up to greet us every year - and multiply each year too. Further down the garden there's a stand of orange candles, which are nearly over, but the yellow ones, and the white ginger behind them (extra photo) still have a ways to go. Each flower head is nearly a foot tall and has upward of 56 individual flowers, but as this one had laid down to ground level, I snapped it from the top.

Bad news today from a friend. She's off to Europe on Wednesday, where her son has been diagnosed with multiple serious problems - and her sister, here in Rio, has just discovered advanced colon cancer. She herself spent last year treating breast cancer. There are no words.