Look what I found in the post today: dear Queenmothermamaw
sent me one of her very pretty, handpainted pictures.
A gift all the way from Kentucky to this distant corner of the UK.
Thank you so very much, dear QMM; as there won't be a
Mother's Day card in the post for me, this is a very welcome and beautiful substitute.
Gardener came this morning; we spent the whole day in the garden today, cutting back the dead growth on herbaceous plants, pruning roses, forking over various flower beds, cutting back spiraeas. some buddleias and elders.
We even had our first small bonfire to burn the prunings on the bare earth of a vegetable bed by the fruit cage.
Apart from the snowdrops which are still flowering profusely, there is very little to be seen in the garden. Daffodils are about three weeks late this year.
All I can show off at the moment are the Aconites and crocuses.
Even the earliest spring weeds, lesser celandine and purple-blue periwinkle have yet to show their faces.
Mothering Sunday
falls about now when Easter falls in early April.
On Mothering Sunday above all other
Every child should dine with its mother.
It has long been traditional - as at Worcester in 1644, for ' all children to meet at the head and chief of the family and have a feast'; and for children living away from home to visit their mothers and make them a present of money, a trinket, or some nice eatable'. Flowers are now the usual Mothering Sunday present, especially violets.
For you, Mum, wherever you may be.
To understand is to forgive.
Our garden is several weeks behind yours and I am itching to get out in it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing for QMM to do! And such a cute little girl in the painting...reminds me of the Sunbonnet Babies.
ReplyDeleteboy, I'm old.
I envy your having anything green or any other color! We are still drab and gray here. But the birds are returning! So my time will come!
So glad you got your painting. I did not give credit to the pattern maker but I could find no name. My art teacher is pretty sticky about that, but if no name, ok. You are more ambitious than I. It is still too windy and chilly to get out here yet.
ReplyDeleteQMM
No flowers anymore around here. We will have some when we go and buy some annuals to place in our planters, the rest of the acre is “as is” which is pine trees and weeds. Its good habitat for the squirrels, raccoons, rabbits and possums my husband says. We do have one wild rose left and a couple of azalea bushes.
ReplyDeleteThis was an enjoyable post..love those cyclamen and the bright cherry yellow! I helped my husband dig a trench to run an electric line today..but I kept looking at the yard and what's ahead. I do hope to grow something edible this coming growing season!!Last year had mostly flowers? Great peek at your world Friko!
ReplyDeleteOur cocuses (?croci) are giving a lovely display. Nothing else is. Daffs only about 4 ins high so far.
ReplyDeleteThose violets are simply beautiful - no flowers for me, but a lovely card from my my daughter
A lovely post, dear Friko. QMM's painting is a little gem and very thoughtful of her, indeed. Because of the day and because of your last line, I send you a hug.
ReplyDeleteHow thoughtful of QMM.
ReplyDeleteJust been for a walk around the village and it's great to see buds appearing at last. The sun is out and I'll bet my own mother is poodling about in her garden.
By the look of it, you're well prepared for the big bloom!
What a lovely gesture from QMM - and I can't think of anyone more deserving to receive it! Love those pics of blooms reaching for the light.
ReplyDeleteWe're still at the snowdrop bit . I'm hoping that something else will appear eventually . So it was lovely to see your flowers , especially the violets .
ReplyDeleteAs for Mother's Day cards . If I remembered at all , it was invariably on the wrong day , since we lived abroad . If she minded , she never said so , fortunately !
friko the flowers!!! what gifts!!!! i love your photo of the burning of the scrub as well. burning the scrub and forgiving - they do walk hand-in-hand. forgiving my parents for the real and imagined errors of their parenting was a huge piece for me. it allowed me to become much more of me, and for them to become much more of them. in the same way as burning scrub allows your garden to flourish even more. have a peaceful day. steven
ReplyDeleteHello Friko, It has been quite some time that I have looked you up and stopped by.....All that work in your garden makes me tired...but the flowers are well worth it...Isn't Mother Nature great and wonderous(that's my word)? They remind me of the Fruits Of The Spirit...beautiful stuff! lol, Shelia Poole
ReplyDeleteJust tried to imagine the smell and sound the fire did make, thank you for that.
ReplyDeleteIndeed a nice piece of art. May your start into the new week be just as nice.
Friko:
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you what I miss from your post:
I miss the first primroses, picking a bunch for my mother and putting them in a jam jar on the window sill.
I miss rolling in the field of bluebells by my house the scent clinging to me all day.
I miss Spring in Ireland.
XO
WWW
I so envy your flowers! It snowed six inches yesterday. I'm not sure spring is coming for us...
ReplyDeleteIn response to your comment on my post - the new template design does not lose your posts. (I was worried about the same thing, as I've never backed them up.) I'm sure you can find a template that uses your own picture. There are so many was to customize your template. But I really like yours the way you have it. :-)
Goodness, what an educational post - I always thought that Mother's Day was one of those modern made-up events designed to increase sales of flowers and chocolate! I shan't be so cynical about it in future.....
ReplyDeleteI think there is another poignant story in here somewhere.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see some colour - don't knock those aconites and cyclamen. Have you noticed that the air smells slightly different too - fresher perhaps?
thank you all for your kind comments and I hope we can all soon celebrate the beginning of Spring.
ReplyDelete