The temperatures have done more plunging than soaring lately. Even so, the snow cover is gone here at the Lodge. (People in the North Country may not be done with frozen precipatation! Strong and hardy folk, they are--because they have to be to survive!)
Daffodils and crocus and violas are blooming all round the place, so at least my gardens look like spring even if the air seldom feels like it.
The photo above features the anemones, columbines, and primroses I cut from potted-up plants purchased yesterday. I'll be planting them in the ground sometime this week, along with a flowering almond shrub and a rhododendron. The next batch of bare-root roses--Louise Odier, a Bourbon and Camieux, a gallica, have not yet arrived. The other day I planted York & Lancaster (damask), Souvenir de Malmaison (Bourbon), and Tuscany (gallica).
I returned from my retreat Saturday night. On Palm Sunday the Bishop visited our church, to pray over (bless) the palms and preach and preside at the Eucharist and party with us. All the p's!
Luckily I had a quiet Monday to recover from all that activity and receive contractors giving an estimate on home improvements, followed by a busy Tuesday in Concord, then Manchester, then Concord, and another quiet--but very productive--today at the Lodge.
Because we love gardenias, I bought one for our Easter plant. I'll try to keep it going. My good fortune with "tropical" florist plants has previously failed me with gardenias, but I've got more skilled at indoor horticulture since the last one died on me! My mother's garden has an enormous gardenia bush--there used to be two of them. It's the Chap's favourite flower, which is why my wedding bouquet was entirely gardenias!
The scent from the single open bloom spreads all over the Lodge. Heavenly!
For me this Holy Week is a combination of solitude and socialising, labour and leisure. All the best to those whose faith traditions observe rituals this week.
No comments:
Post a Comment