Hello friends! Hope you are all well and keeping busy.
I have to show you this gorgeous speckled Iris. What a wonderful surprise it was today. I found it hiding in a corner along side the candy-tuft under the crab apple trees. Just a single stalk. It's been some time since we've spotted any volunteers in the garden quite as striking as this lovely ruffled beauty. Some furry little creature must have carried off a rhizome from another yard and buried it here. A small sweet miracle.
It's May and the garden is waking up and putting on her fancy frills. The peonies are ready to pop. The lilac is in bloom. Iris and hyacinth are cropping up here and there.
The girls have been busy planning the summer garden since February. They've moved the vegetable starts out of the kitchen and into the greenhouse and have replanted all sorts of things this past month. I've done a bit of weeding, but mostly I like to watch them take charge. Our home-school roots still run deep.
The early peas are nearly ready to pick. Peas should be easy to grow, but every year we are lucky to get any. Sometimes it's a vole that chews the main stem, sometimes it's slugs and sometimes it's worms. Therefore, we are always armed and ready with traps and pellets and sprays. However, this year a bird has got in the habit of pulling off the tiny flower buds! Sometimes you just cannot anticipate the weird turns nature will take no matter how much you prepare. Sometimes it's good, like my surprise Iris, and other times you can only scratch your head in wonder.
Such is life.
These past few months haven't been easy for anyone. Yesterday marked a year since my brother's passing from what was guessed to be bone cancer. The diagnosis was vague and perplexing. It's been hard to accept. He was younger, and my only sibling. He was also big and sturdy like an oak tree; full of health and vitality his whole life. Some things never make sense. I miss him so much.
I'm looking for the small rays of sunshine. A stitch here, a stitch there. Outside my backdoor, the crab apples just finished another spectacular bloom. Afterwards the petals floated down light as snowflakes and covered the soft spring grass. So very pretty and peaceful to watch. Then a mighty wind came along and swept them away. It's still coming in blasts this morning, tossing patio chairs into the flower beds. But, it's also blowing the clouds away and revealing beautiful blue skies. There's always a give and take it seems.
We are expecting 80 degrees today. Quite unusual, but I'm not complaining one bit. In fact, this gift of sunny weather is predicted to last throughout the weekend, so I imagine we will be out in the backyard for most of it, maybe a bit of lounging on the deck. We also have a woodland hike planned and I'm hoping to get some hanging flower baskets for the porches, a Mother's Day tradition. This one (above) was from 2013 and was one of my favorites. We hung it on the "PatternBee Porch Headquarters", that little room at the back of my house. The sight of it brought sheer happiness and the blooms lasted all through summer.
I love this picture. From this perspective it looks as though my house is buried up to the rafters in vegetation! Perspective is important. Because despite these uncertain times we find ourselves in--and feeling overwhelmed, there is much to be grateful for. I'm grateful for many things. Mostly my family and friends. Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the blogasphere and for your love and support all these years. It's very much appreciated. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and make meaningful memories where ever you are. Eventually, this too shall pass. Hopefully sooner than later. Take care and stay well dear friends.
