In Bloom (Garden pic spam)
Went to the farmer's market Wednesday and picked up loads of flowers, both for home and otherwise. There were so many lovely things that it was tough to pick and choose! I may just be feeling particularly appreciative this year, but I'd swear that things are blooming in exceptionally productive and beautiful way this year. At any rate, I picked up a hanging basket, some ivy geraniums (white and pale violet-pink), a mixed flat of lobelia (all violet blues and pinks and purples) and a flat of these really striking Merlin Blue Morn petunias, which look like they'll bloom insanely well. Yesterday, Mom and I took some of the flowers to the cemetery, and we spent the afternoon sprucing up my grandparents' graves and planting. It sounds strange to say that we had a good time, but we did--there's something meditative and soothing about gardening, at least for me, and there's also something deeply satisfying about working to make sure the grave site is not only tidy, but pretty. The last of my grandparents passed away nearly a decade ago, but I feel closer to them when I make sure that their final resting place is not only tidy, but pretty. It may not be much in the grand scheme of things, but it's what I can do now to pay tribute to all that they did for me, and it's a nice opportunity to remember them. I only wish I'd been able to know them as an adult.
I planted the remaining flowers in my garden today, and although they won't be ready for their close-ups until they've had a few weeks to grow and fill out, I snapped some pictures of two other things that are making me feel inordinately happy: a pot of Sweet Williams from last year that managed to survive the winter and are now thriving, and my grandmother's clematis. She could never get it to do much of anything; after years in the same location, it had barely grown and had only produced one bloom. This year, I finally managed to have a bit of success with it, as you can see.
And a close-up of one of the blossoms:
And the Sweet Williams, which have really taken off in the last two weeks:
I adore this time of year. Everything's green and growing and flowering... what's not to love?
Okay, and now I'm off to scrub off and try to get the dirt out from under my nails, because I'm going out tonight for pre-Birthday celebrations. Tomorrow's the day, but it seems like everybody else already had plans for it, so everything was shifted to today. We're going out to have drinks and small plates and yummy Italian food on the lake shore, the sun is out and there are soft breezes blowing, so I foresee a good time to be had by all. I had the "OMG!I'm turning 30" freakout a few months ago, so by now, I've got it all out of my system, and I'm just ready to have fun. :D
I planted the remaining flowers in my garden today, and although they won't be ready for their close-ups until they've had a few weeks to grow and fill out, I snapped some pictures of two other things that are making me feel inordinately happy: a pot of Sweet Williams from last year that managed to survive the winter and are now thriving, and my grandmother's clematis. She could never get it to do much of anything; after years in the same location, it had barely grown and had only produced one bloom. This year, I finally managed to have a bit of success with it, as you can see.
And a close-up of one of the blossoms:
And the Sweet Williams, which have really taken off in the last two weeks:
I adore this time of year. Everything's green and growing and flowering... what's not to love?
Okay, and now I'm off to scrub off and try to get the dirt out from under my nails, because I'm going out tonight for pre-Birthday celebrations. Tomorrow's the day, but it seems like everybody else already had plans for it, so everything was shifted to today. We're going out to have drinks and small plates and yummy Italian food on the lake shore, the sun is out and there are soft breezes blowing, so I foresee a good time to be had by all. I had the "OMG!I'm turning 30" freakout a few months ago, so by now, I've got it all out of my system, and I'm just ready to have fun. :D