Just Remember in the Winter

“Just remember in the winter, far beneath the winter snows, lies the seed that with the sun’s love in the spring becomes the rose.” -Amanda McBroom

summer 05846

“Won’t you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.” ― Richard Brinsley Sheridan

summer 05244

“However many years she lived, Mary always felt that she should never forget that first morning when her garden began to grow’.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

summer 05143

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”  – Abraham Lincoln  

summer 05445

“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.” ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

I’m just taking a moment to rejoice over the roses of last summer. I never got around to posting the pictures when the flowers were in bloom. But oh, seeing these now, I can almost smell the roses.

And my dear peonies!

mybday 03240

It almost feels like a stroll through the garden.

summer 06349

Thanks for visiting!

recital 03541

A Warm Winter Day

Partly sunny and 42 degrees — January doesn’t get much better than this in Minnesota.

arboretuminJan 05509

We soaked up the warmth at the Arboretum this afternoon — rebelling against winter by taking off our gloves now and then. One of us left her heavy winter coat at home, and another left her coat unbuttoned.

arboretuminJan 08512

arboretuminJan 06910

The girls took turns practicing with the camera.

arboretuminJan 096crop14

arboretuminJan 10616

arboretuminJan 02402

The greenhouse felt warm and lush. What a joy to be surrounded by real-live, green, growing plants with leaves! My youngest was determined to do some sketching, and she liked what she saw from this little bench. My oldest, who is studying botany this semester, liked that this is a “please touch” greenhouse, and she especially appreciated the orange trees and herbs.

I especially appreciated these blooms.

arboretuminJan 03104

Thank You, God, for the gift of this unseasonably warm January day!

arboretuminJan 10817

 

 

 

Captivating Crabapples Win the Day

After our near-meltdown lilac adventure yesterday, we came upon the captivating crabapple trees, all in bloom.

0002b

We saw white ones…

0021u

0001a

and light pink ones…

0010j

and dark pink ones.

0017q

They were all in bloom together beneath the bright blue sky.

0003c

The smell was also lovely, though not nearly as noticeable as the lilacs.

0006f

But perhaps the most glorious part of the crabapples in bloom was the abundance of petals. Beneath each tree was a large round carpet of fallen petals.

0016p

0019s

0022v

They felt more numerous than the confetti in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

0023w

So the girls gathered up a handful or two…

0024x

And tossed them high!

0026z

Also enjoying the beauty of the crabapples was one of our favorite local artists, Jane Ask, who captured the delightful blooms with her oil painting. What a gift to see her work in progress.

And so, with all due respect to the lovely lilacs, the captivating crabapples won the day!

Picnicking and Wilting Amongst the Blooming Lilacs

0001aToday was the first sunny weekday of our summer break, so we dashed off for a picnic lunch at the Arboretum because the lilacs are in bloom.

0004d

And anyone who has ever loved a lilac knows (1) the scent of the blooming lilac is the loveliest scent of all, and (2) lilacs don’t bloom very long!

0006f

0005e

The weather was sticky and hot — in the 80s — and most of the lilac blooms were just a smidge past their prime. But surely our noses never knew the difference.

0003c

If only my camera could capture the aroma. Don’t you wish someone would invent digital scents or scratch-and-sniff computer screens?

0002b

Did I mention it was hot and sunny? My youngest daughter nearly wilted. She and her sister found a favorite spot under the taller lilacs, but she made it clear that she was still wilting.

0007g

So, like any good gardener, I found some water for my little bloom and she perked right up!

0008h

0009i

For the record, no shoes were lost in the making of this blog post.

Goldfinches Galore

0005005

This spring we have been blessed with goldfinches galore.

0004004

Earlier today my oldest daughter counted 15 goldfinches on the feeders and on the patio below. They were more rampant than dandelions.

0006006

Of course, watching these cheerful little yellow birds come and go really brightens our day.

0007007

As I mentioned a few days ago, tulips also bring us joy. If you walked by our house, our tiny patch of tulips probably wouldn’t catch your eye. We only have a few. But they pose so nicely when I photograph them.

0003003

0002002

0001001

“Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness. O praise Him! Alleluia!” -Saint Francis of Assisi

Dancing with the Daffodils

0005005

Most of last week I spent chasing after girls as we ran to and from dance lessons, dress rehearsals, and dance concerts. It was all quite lovely, really, but this week we shifted gears and decided to chase a few flowers instead.

0021021

At the Arboretum my camera caught some dancing daffodils fluttering in the breeze of mid May.

0005005

Yes, some years we have daffodils in March, but not so this year.

0001001

0012012

Daffodils always remind me of this poem and this daffadowndilly day a few years ago.

After dancing among the daffodils, we tiptoed through the tulips.

0010010

This lonely little tulip was one of our favorites.

0008008

0007007

0011011

0006006

We do indeed have a slight obsession with tulips, which goes back several years.

0009009

The blooming azaleas were simply captivating, too. Azaleas always remind me of my husband’s grandma, who has such a lovely display of azaleas at her house in the spring.

0004004

0003003

0002002

What’s blooming in your neck of the woods?