Gentle Rains

We have just finished up five days in a row of rain.

This morning the sun is shining brightly and the dogs are having a play party outside to celebrate.

During the gray gentle days, I painted a sprig of my helleborus, cut from the garden. I think we got quite a few inches of badly needed rainfall. Yay! All the spring flowers are so happy and bright this morning.

I also planted the seeds for May planting in the garden. Heirloom tomato's, peppers, parsley....I am so missing the clumps of fresh parsley from the kitchen garden. Normally I have some all winter, but not this one, for some reason, they all root rotted.

Before the rains came in I sprinkled grass seed on the patchy dog trodden lawn. I had to laugh at myself staring at it the last five days, just watching the grass grow. Perfect timing...What a simple life I lead.

Not for much longer though, the rains have caused us to feel behind at work, there will be much catching up to do indeed. Fortunately, Matthew is available to help us 3 days a week most of this month, so we are one person stronger than we were last year at this time. Thanks Matt! 

I had a great time with the Highbrighten garden club on Thursday. Such a nice group of women they are. I spoke about night blooming plants and fragrance in the garden. My favorite subject!

I won't dribble on in this post...the sun is shining and I need to go outside and play~ 

Enjoy!

Blooming Abundance

It's official, Spring has sprung. So many species are in full bloom. The spring bulbs, the saucer magnolia, forsythia, the fruiting trees and hellebore's. Inside, my green Goddess Amaryllis is in her greenish white glory. 

Of course, we got frost last night...

It has been a chilly windy week, I wimped on working in the community garden yesterday. I should be digging and prepping the beds and planting potatoes this weekend, but the need to rest after working in the cold wind all week seemed more important. All day long, I told myself I should be sketching that amaryllis while it is so fresh.  But the amount of dirty laundry from a busy dirty week took precedence.  I also told myself I should be cleaning and hauling stuff to the salvation army, on & on I beat myself up with shoulds, took a long deep sleep and got very little done, just the basics. What is it with me? It is spring, I should be all gung ho and ready to rock and roll...My taxes are done, why don't I print them out and mail them, I should do the invoicing too. I should be writing a book. 

I just don't feel like it!

I want to watch the flowers bloom, I want to close my eyes and feel the warm sun streaming through the window while I dream. I want to snuggle in the bed with my big brown warm dog and listen to his comforting snores and grunts as he burrows in next to me. I want to be aware of what my dreams are trying to tell me.  I want to lose myself in a  movie about a beautiful road trip....I want to get rid of all my possessions, that I should be taking care of and go on an indefinite road trip myself. 

I finally shut my mind up towards evening and did sketch the beautiful Green Goddess, in between making dinner (which I burnt) and with Finn insisting I play ball till 9 pm. So it was not the most focused of sketching time, but I got it onto paper and a photograph, so I can work on it later and paint it someday. One less should on the list~

I feel like my attitude adjustment will come with the warm weather, when it truly arrives.  Patience, patience.....It is only two days into spring. My attitude mirrors the collective grumbling with the new administration...that we are only two months into!  What is up with our collective energy?  

In truth, all this blooming is telling me to just be, and enjoy the brief moment of celebration going on in nature. It is truly a wonder, and so short lived. I am surrounded by it's abundance and light. The work will get done.  In the meantime all around me, blossoms are nodding in the sunshine and wind. Just wishing I would smile at them.  I do, and as I stare and smile, the name of a fairy comes to me...she wants to be in my book, we converse about how the story will be told. So, as I do nothing, much is getting done. 

Full Moon Bloom

The Full Worm moon was full on March 10th.  

The day after it was full, all the Flowering Cherry, Bradford Pear and Saucer Magnolias were in full bloom. I had never in my life noticed that the spring blooms opened for the moon! 

We are now expecting snow...how frustrating. I am glad I photographed my camellia a few days ago. I planted it in front of my propane tank. I predict the camellia will cover it well in a few years.

Until today, I have been able to keep all the windows and doors open at last!  Finn has loved having the back door open so he can come and go. I cleaned up the gardens and his sandbox. Finn loves to sleep in the sandbox I inherited when I moved here. I haven't had the heart to tear it out, ugly as it is.  My granddaughter may want to play in it next time she visits.

The spring cleanup has begun in Blowing Rock as well. Though spring really comes a few weeks later there. Everyone is happy to be back outside. Finn is happy to be back to work with us. 

Tuesday, I was working in a small fenced in garden. A neighbor of one of our clients was walking her lab, Abbey. Finn always goes next door and 'borrows' Abbey's toys. He knows where the biscuits are hidden in her garage. Since Finn was cooped up, she offered to take Finn with her and Abbey to Lovers Leap. He came back with her an hour later, hot and tired and sooo happy.  That's what I love about being in Blowing Rock. Friendly people.

Saturday we worked in the community garden. Lot's of people are participating this year.

A group of women had a yoga circle before starting their work. It was lovely energy to work in.  After such a cold and hermit like winter it was good to see people again! I love the sound of voices of all ages, laughing and giggling in the gardens on a warm spring day.

I now have salad greens and peas in the ground. The soil work I did last year really made a difference in the richness of this years plots. I added all my beautiful leaf compost to my kitchen garden here at home. It was like brown velvet. It is newly planted with arugula and greens. The snow melting on the beds will be great for germination. I have Japanese red onions sprouting up from those I did not harvest last fall. Perfect!

From here on out, snow or not...spring is coming on rapidly....