Tag Archives: Flowers

Earth dreaming

The Snow Moon will shine tonight. Whether or not we will see it or just more falling snow is still unknown. There was much snow this week; much more than I cared to shovel. But shovel we do. Dig out the heat pump and shovel a path to the bird feeders. Then there is the driveway to consider. Normally we don’t consider it too much any more; Joe plows for us. Except when his rig breaks down, like it did yesterday morning leaving us with 14 inches or so to contemplate today. So we shoveled and chopped ice and made phone calls and repeated the process. Then the phone rang and our new neighbor offered to come with his tractor. Such blessed relief!

Today I learned the proverb, “St Valentine brings the keys of roots.” Within it is the thought that this is the day when plants start growing. Last week I noticed a slight swelling of the magnolia buds and I found this… a snowdrop! It is now blanketed with deep snow but its bravery was a sign of the earth dreaming Spring!

5th Day of Christmas

My mom grew one of these for many, many years. She always called it Christmas Cactus*. I took cuttings from her plant about 15 years ago. It is not the most beautiful plant – until it blooms each winter. It usually is a bit neglected and then I go into care mode and it rewards my feeble efforts with flower love.

* Schlumbergera truncata – I think!

Christmas Day

It was to be a quiet Christmas Day for two. We decided to splurge on the drive and spend time in the beauty of Longwood Gardens. We were a bit surprised at the number of folks with the same plan. From the voices traveling around us, many were far from homes in other countries.

It has been a number of years since we visited and always there are cameras. This year it seemed that at least half our fellow travelers were using other kinds of devices.

Progress into the conservatory was slow as so many groups and couples posed every few feet.

I had taken my camera so I was caught up in capturing everything I could see when I suddenly realized the camera was flashing its low battery signal.

And it came to me – my battery was low too and I needed to recharge: breathing fragrance, looking deeply into plants, enjoying the laughter, marveling at the gardeners work,

walking slowly, holding hands, watching sunlight fade and lights glow from trees sharing dinner, walking in cold, crisp air, recharging, rejoicing!

We had seen stars shining, nature singing! Singing the praises of their Lord and Creator this Christmas Day! Joyous Holidays to you!

Autumn color

These hydrangeas spend their summer in cool blue bloom, then change their wardrobe with the season just like magic!

Our trees tend to be a bit monochromatic fading into pale green and gold or just oak brown so I really enjoy the lasting color changing in these plants to compliment them.

We had a glorious drive to a farm stand through fields of grains harvested and fields of soybeans and fields corn still waiting. And although we went for apples, it was the pumpkins and other squash that steal the show with color and form. White, orange, blue, pink…

Pink!

And such shapes to stir imaginations – Cinderella’s pumpkin – ah, for a fairy godmother to touch this one!

Back in our own yard, I find a few soft golden fern fronds.

Sarah Helen Whitman wrote A Still Day in Autumn, it begins –

I love to wander through the woodlands hoary, In the soft light of an autumnal day, When summer gathers up her robes of glory, And, like a dream of beauty, glides away.

And so October ends and the freshness of a new month stretches out before us bringing ever changing days.

A fancy gift

Many years my older sister gifts me with a lovely perennial plant to try in my garden. Last year she found one with my name. How fun is that? The name of this beauty is “Dublin Elaine” which is rather a play on words as the flower itself is a double and it is also considered a re-bloomer – a double season. This daylily is now blooming after most of the others have finished so it is quite spectacular showing off its fancy ruffled edges in the mostly green border.

I caught this bloom today in early morning sun; so beautiful!

Queenly beauty for only a day

Such beauty for only a few hours and then gone. This year the day lilies have had quite a bloom season. Each day in the garden is so different. I have found it very difficult to photograph this red Pardon Me, but this light was about perfect for it. So many bloom stalks and buds this year will make it a joy for some time yet.

This blosson just looks so happy to be spending itself for its Creator’s pleasure.

The last of the Gentle Shepherd blooms for this year, so exquisite!

The common orange daylily. Common only because they are plentiful; this orange is always a welcome sight along the highways and I tuck some along the edges of the hedgerow here. One somehow got to be front and center in the daylily bed where it makes quite a statement and makes me smile.

The Stella D’Oro’s are finished for now. I hope they will re-bloom this year, they don’t always.

Consider how the wild flowers grow. they do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.Luke 12:27

Peony Spring

The white blossom seemed like an explosion of petals, its golden heart glowing in the early morning light. Then later, pink blooms open and I blink memory seeing little girl tutus in the frills.

Considering the lily in the field

In my garden this must surely be the lily of the field — fleur de lis — Iris.

I love all the variety of my garden and wild-land but there is something about the tall bearded iris, so elegant and stately and truly arrayed in great beauty. Lavenders, blues and a sweet yellow bloom here. The day I open the curtains and see their amazing blooms open is a wonder-day. I really try to consider all that lives around me, even the color and variety of leaves and bird song and sometimes I could burst with the wonderment of it all. I hope never to grow tired of the seeing and hope to see more; my camera helps me to do that, magnifying amazing details.

My garden tending seems so trivial, so unimportant compared to the great delight my eyes feed my soul from this harvest of beauty.

Sitting at the kitchen table now, I look out and catch sight of one leaf which turns joyfully, dancing on a breeze only it feels; its companions still. I understand its tiny heart.

Black & White Morning Rise

I opened my eyes and felt a confusion as the world seemed black & white on a day promised sunshine.

I had to go in search of the color.

And looking outward I saw a floral firework display against the sodden green.

Such intricate beauty and color – sought and found!

The lilies of my field

I consider how they grow…”they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” Matt. 6:28-29

So true, for such a small investment of my time and effort, they bloom glory. For one day.

I consider that a bloom could be an analogy for each life. In the view of millennia, we each are a bloom to open in magnificent splendor for our day. Be luminous where you are planted; the world needs the color and wonder of you!