Music for a rainy day -

It's Easter and, as always, I get that feeling of childhood days preparing and

celebrating another special Christian holiday. It was different back then but

my memories are still very clear.

This morning I'm listening to English music I love so much,

Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia On A Theme By ThomasTallis" 

and "Fantasia On Greensleeves" with Sir John Barbirolli. 

 In my mind I clearly see pictures of the Spring landscape I grew up in, 

the coast of Devon, Dartmoor tors, rolling dairy farms, banks of yellow

 primroses, thatched cottages and storybook villages.

 This music makes me quite homesick but also brings me joy. . . . . . and

 always hope that I will get home 'one more time.'

Of course several more times would be even better!

It's turned quite cold again here and those early sunny really warm

 Spring days have disappeared. We are remaining close to home as rain

 is falling all day. Tomorrow we hope to celebrate Easter Sunday in

 sunshine. . . .and I will enjoy choosing which Easter bonnet to wear!

HAPPY EASTER DEAR READERS

I told you . . . . . . . .

. . . . . more garden stories would be shared soon!

Parsley & Nikko Blue hydrangea

So, this morning after heavy rain yesterday afternoon and through the night

 hours, I woke later than usual as it was dark and dreary outside. I had

 nothing planned which required more than a good mug of fresh coffee, 

waterproof shoes, and my phone. I stepped onto sopping wet grass - 

looking much greener and healthier for hours of rain - and just walked 

around the house snapping away at what I considered pretty and colorful,

 though most plants and shrubs were dripping and bending. . . . .especially

 the heavy mophead blue hydrangeas.

This is my one lace-cap hydrangea, named Twist and Shout. 

Several years old now, it has pushed through the split rail fence into

 my neighbor's garden - fortunately he doesn't mind!

The big bright green tree centered in the background, is my Celeste fig.

Many of you already know the story of this tree. Planted from a gallon pot 

many years back, and now after several major prunings - including a

 professional one last year when it got totally out of hand - is still huge and 

always the talk of the neighborhood! Looks like plenty of figs now popping

 out for later picking, usually in late July into August.

I so love this beautiful tree. It holds bird feeders, nesting boxes, now and

 then a woven nest is cradled in the branches, lanterns glow in the evening

 hours. It's massive circumference shades a bird bath, azaleas, and a new

 hydrangea will be planted under it soon. . . . . and bluebells and daffodils

have a happy place to thrive in springtime.

Endless Summer hydrangea - huge again despite a good pruning late last winter.

Pots of herbs are coming along well - above the early planting of basil, 

parsley, sage and dill seeds, below the later planted small pots of the

 same seeds alongside an old pot of mint. Pots holding Morning glories

 and Moonflowers already climbing up the fishing line I tied to the

 porch to give them a leg up!

Another Endless Summer - far too big really - but loaded with blooms

 some of which I'll cut and dry later perhaps. The acer is also in need of 

a professional pruning, removing some lower branches to open it up and

 make it look more ornamental  - we've been awaiting our tree guy for

 weeks - so hopefully he'll show up soon.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Chilly morning in April -

 ........but the sun is shining and there is so much to be thankful for.

A busy day ahead once it warms up. Last night was the second night in a row with close to freezing temperatures - so unexpected this late in April and following that mini heatwave we experienced recently.  I pulled the new pots of hydrangeas awaiting planting, the hanging Boston ferns etc. onto the front porch and covered all with sheets - couldn't do anything with the large growing shrubs so they were left to fend off the chill best they could.  

A quick walk around this morning and all looks saved rather than frost-bitten thankfully. The garden is full of life with many squirrels, Chippy the chipmunk is stuffing his cheeks, Northern flicker showing his long tongue at the suet cake, a  sparrow rests on the snowball bush, and an ever-sweet Mourning dove is enjoying a sunny morning drink. The Spanish bluebells are fading but still standing sturdy and proud. The new plants have been moved out into the sunshine..........tomorrow heavy rain is expected so no watering needed today. Most of my seeds are planted - lots of vining Moonflowers and Morning glories in pots, along with summertime cooking herbs. I may be moving them to the porch tonight so they won't be drowned tomorrow!

Sunday morning - more tulips!

European starlings braved the foggy morning - even a lone Brown-headed cowbird

 showed up for breakfast. It's warmer, calm, but so dreary and more rain coming.

Tomorrow March arrives, called 'Martius' by the Romans, from the god Mars.

It received the name 'Hlyd Monath', i.e. loud or stormy month, from the 

Anglo-Saxons.

March days of note

March 1st - St.David

March 12th - St.Gregory

March 17th - St.Patrick

March 25th - Lady Day

This weekend I gathered up white tulips at LIDL - there were

 just two bunches. . . . . . .I brought them both home.

Clean and bright, they will welcome a new month. . . . .let's all

 hope it will be a better one.

Enjoy your Sunday.

Many thanks for all the kind comments on my 14th blog anniversary 

yesterday - you are all wonderful friends.

Spring weather in the southeast -

When the white fog rolls in and mixes with the blanketing yellow

 pollen, the garden takes on an otherworldly feeling.

Early morning veiled and faded.

Spring can't decide whether to be kind or cruel.

Teased over the weekend with a little of this and a little of that -

mix of fog, rain, clouds, chill, warmth, and late day peeks of sunshine.

Today arrived with a dire forecast which includes the possibility

of severe storm activity including tornadoes!  

The temperature will reach 82F this afternoon and then only dip

 to 67F during the night - not a good sign.

Maybe battening down the hatches today is a good idea - and

 wishing we lived some place else!!!

Faded views from the garden.

Hanging in there......................

Brrrr, it has been cold!

A few extremely chilly nights have passed, now we should return to

 warmer days. I see no more sub-freezing night temps heading this way. 
Floating bed sheets and tablecloths over the hydrangea bushes is over.

Perhaps spring is truly on the way here in the southeast.

These mama squirrels will be happy up their trees.  Busy for sure raising
 the babies we know are now tucked in those nests in the tops of the oaks.

Tails certainly come in handy for balancing acts - and always

 seem at their bushiness at this time of year. 

Perhaps they became snug blankets for the naked babies on

 those recent cold nights - just a thought!

Wrapping up . . . . . . . . . . . .

March roared in like a lion!
Yesterday trees came down around the neighborhood, 
some people lost power.

It's chilly again this week as we prepare to leave.

The very strong winds from the big Nor'easter (hope all my friends up
 north are OK) reached here in the southeast - no snow thankfully - and
 getting out by plane come Monday should be OK, fingers crossed.
Cold and blustery today but the sun was bright.

Things happen. Thoughts run rampant.

Our heating system went on the blink, it was cold downstairs.  

Now repaired we can go without worrying the house is too cold. 

We shut off the water at the main always when leaving on an extended trip.

Our kindly neighborhood 'watchdogs', family members, and assorted

 friends who check on everything for us are alerted . . . . . . . and alert!

Bob did the first grass mowing of the year this week - a manicured lawn
 always looks good. Sadly, I may miss seeing my bluebells and my
 tulips bloom if the weather warms up whilst we're gone. 

I noticed the wood pile is really low - on the list for when we return -

Order a cord of firewood so it will be seasoned by next autumn/winter.
Always planning ahead.

Winter blankets, throws, duvets are still scattered on beds and furniture - a

 reminder that spring cleaning awaits in April/May. . . . . . . . . after the heavy pollen

 season we experience here in The City of Oaks.

Today hair and nails taken care of. A goodbye lunch with granddaughter Jasmin,
then back home to wash bed linen while Bob was on a ladder getting twigs off the 
roof - dangerous!
Helped Bob pack - if YOU have a man who's a good packer you're fortunate!
Completing my packing tomorrow.
Quick meal tonight - tuna stuffed baked potatoes with salad.
An excellent Australian Shiraz to finish up. . . . . a little TV, then an early night.

The landscape will be completely different when we return - Spring will have

 sprung and the many lovely greens of the new season will have enveloped
 the neighborhood. 

Exciting to go away and see new places, but always wonderful to come home again.

Curtain Up. . . . . . . I have it covered!

Was it worth it?

The packing, shipping, wondering, waiting, hoping. . . . . 

. . . . . and the quite large expenditure!

I have the slip covers back from their journey to the West coast dyer!

Can't show you quite yet as we are away for the weekend. 

I did take them out of the box before leaving - they are grey now, dark

 charcoal grey - somewhat darker than I was expecting, but hoping they will look

 good once on the furniture with my antique linen pillows and some new colorful

 pillows.

 I'm shopping today. . . . . . . . .at Charlotte's IKEA, we don't have one yet in our city.

I'm also going to look for a rug there, and of course will check out other Spring items

 for the house and garden.

I'll be back with more news once home again. Right now all we're wishing for

is very little snow and ice so we can drive home safely to Raleigh tomorrow.

 Come on, it's almost Spring. . . . . .what is happening with North Carolina

 weather all of a sudden!

Gone but still lovely. . . . . . . .

Do you know how to give tender loving care to your fading spring daffodils and narcissus?
Any blooms you didn't cut and bring into the house for color and enjoyment, may now be shriveled, wrinkled, and dried on their sturdy stems, though of course still surrounded by their healthy green leaves.

We know we should do no drastic pruning immediately after blooming - the daffodil bulbs require nutrition from the stems and leaves if they are to naturalize and keep returning year after year. You have to allow all the greenery to turn yellow before the final trimming - perhaps a couple of months from now. Never tie the dying leaves in bunches in hopes of hiding them - that's a huge no-no! This weekend I read in the local newspaper garden section that it's also best to cut off just the actual flower head, not all the way down to the base of the stem which is what I have often done in years past. This is also a good time to add a couple of inches of good compost around the plants, working it into the soil. You can leave your bulbs in the ground, or in pots if you grew them there, until next year - they only require digging up and keeping dry if you plan to move and want to take them with you - something I would consider if that day ever comes!

Of course you now get a few photos - because I think they are still lovely in a different way before popping them, along with some purple pansies that have seen better days, into the bin ready for their next garden effort. . . . . . . making lovely compost.

Next are the tulips, some are just coming into bloom, and the bluebells are just showing buds. As for shrubs, all of my azaleas are now opening their buds. Easter should be very colorful around here, as long as this cold spell, which started today and will continue for a couple of days, isn't too severe. After the recent spell of warm, balmy weather, the first day of Spring has been quite chilly here in the southeast.