Daffy-down-dillies

It's around this time of year that I begin pining for spring. After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, winter begins to drag and I'm ready for some warmth, already! Douglas kindly gave me these potted daffodils to lessen my impatience. As each bud unfurls, it's a reminder that it won't be long now...

Signs of fall

Potted mums... mine are on the left, Douglas' on the right. Also note that they are dripping wet with October rain.


Apple-blackberry pie with REAL whipped cream, sprinkled with nutmeg. Luscious.


Out come my woolly yarns and halted projects are begun once again.


And of course the leaves are turning all kinds of vibrant, warm colors.


My handsome Irish husband digs out his flatcap and sweaters! I love it when he wears stuff like this. ;-)

Spring

I am finding that spring in Indiana consists of a torturous weather cycle. The weather will show signs of warming up to glorious temperatures, reaching highs in the mid-60s, only to be followed by immediate rain, which brings things back down to near-freezing again. Sigh! I am trusting this won't last forever. ;-)

When I do get the chance to walk outside, I enjoy all the cheerful daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips that have bloomed in our neighborhood yards. Many trees are budding and the magnolias look especially beautiful right now. How is spring progressing in your neck of the woods?

Reception

We had our reception at a family friend's Georgian-style home.


The lawn was set up with tables and chairs.


Guests were served tea,


along with sweets (strawberry macaroons, cream puffs, butterscotch scones, and cupcakes with rose petals)...


...and savories (cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad on mini-croissants, and open-faced roast beef tea sandwiches).



Douglas and I sat at a small table on the south-facing portico...


...but this didn't last long as we soon began greeting our guests, table by table.


And lest we forget the cake, here it is!


Complete with vintage cake topper from my grandmother's 1947 wedding.

A spotless rose

I much prefer old-fashioned garden flowers over what's available through the florist, so if I had my druthers I would have a bouquet of these fragrant lovelies on my wedding day. This little blossom came from the garden of a family friend, who says if her bush is still blooming in early October, I may have whatever roses I need for my wedding! I think it's rather a long-shot, but it sure would be nice.

Lilies

The Easter lilies my mom planted in March are blooming again:


But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

--I Corinthians 15:20-22

Lavender's blue

The munstead lavender plants in our herb garden are flourishing this year. They smell absolutely wonderful!

Ribbonwork

My mom made this pretty little sachet from a kit she ordered at HelenGibb.com. Helen's books tell us that ribbonwork had its heyday in the 1920s. There are some beautiful examples of vintage ribbonwork currently at Vintage Textile: garters and an evening coat.

Lily of the valley

Maybe someday we'll be able to transmit smells through the Internet, but until then, let me assure you that this little bundle of flowers from our backyard has the most heavenly scent!

April (snow) showers

Bouquet

Pink, white, and green -- my favorite floral colors!

September goldenrod

Peonies

Watercolors: a rose

Butterflies and zinnias

I took these photos last summer, actually. How many butterflies can you count in the second picture?

Speaking of photography, there is a rumbling in the ranks that we may be getting a new family camera soon. (All photos featured on my blog thus far, unless scanned, have been taken with my Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-S90, a 4.1 megapixel point-and-shoot.) I have been researching various digital SLR cameras, and have somewhat narrowed down the choices. Right now I'm looking at the Canon Rebel XTi or the Sony Alpha. They seem fairly comparable in price and features. Next, I want to compare available lenses for both cameras.

I have a bit of experience with shooting with an SLR camera, though my knowledge is very, very basic. It's enough to wade through online reviews, though. If any of you have any thoughts on these models (or would like to throw in a suggestion for something completely different), please feel free to leave a comment or drop me an e-mail.

June rose

"Oh, blushing buuuuuds of ever-blooming beeeeeauuuuty...."

(Points if you can tell me where the quotation's from. I've already given you a hint.)

Foxgloves

This is my foxglove plant, of which I am inordinately proud. (This pride is a little misplaced since I literally did nothing to bring this plant into being -- my parents, having pity on my failed attempt to grow foxgloves from seed, bought me two foxglove plants at a nursery near Clarkson, NE.)

As a girl, I picked up on foxgloves as a necessary component of English gardens from the way they consistently figured into Agatha Christie's plots (the short story "The Herb of Death" probably being the most well-known instance). What could be better? I have lovely blooms to look at, and also a means of poisoning my enemies should the need arise. ;)

Wild roses

These beauties are near our back fence. However, they do not compare to the lovely rambling red roses our neighbor Velda has growing all over her white picket fence and front doorstep. It's quite a sight!

Nebraska's Best-Kept Secrets, Part II

Another flower farm -- this one off of I-80, near Ogallala. The Petersons have planted hundreds of varieties of lilacs and will allow you to come and amble among the rows when the lilacs are in bloom (May). There are all shades of colors from deep purple to pure white, some scented and some not, and differently-shaped blossoms, too. Actually, the sheer amount of lilacs is almost overwhelming! If you're travelling along I-80 around this time of year, arrange to stop by and enjoy the lilacs.

Lily of the valley

Crabapple blossoms

Nebraska's Best-Kept Secrets, Part I

Many people who live around here are not aware that there is an old peony farm near Trumbull, NE (a small village off route 281). The people who live there, the Hohlens, will let you come and enjoy the peonies, and the best part is that they will sell you a dozen for $4! Last season (late May to early June), we visited twice. It is such a beautiful and peaceful spot, with thousands of peony blossoms to enjoy.


One of the many peony beds --




Please excuse the silly look on my face -- you'd probably look the same if you had an armload of gorgeous peonies!

Ah, bliss

Our crabapple tree is in a profusion of pink blossoms. Violets are popping up all over the lawn, ranging from deep purple to purest white. The lilacs and the lily-of-the-valley are thisclose to blooming.

I love spring!

Purple crocuses

These are the first blooms from our garden this spring.

A beautiful spring day

It's wonderfully sunny today, with the thermometer reaching 80 degrees! This morning I went out to inspect the green things that are shooting up out of the earth, accompanied by Basil the cat. He got into the spirit of the day by enthusiastically rolling around in the dirt. I did find buds on the lilac bushes and plenty of daffodil and tulip leaves that have come out of nowhere! There also appears to be some fresh green growth on my foxglove and woolly lamb's ear!

Peonies on my vanity

This faux peony arrangement was a St. Valentine's Day gift from my parents. They are my favorite shade of flower -- the most delicate blush of pink with a hint of cream and sunny yellow!

Valentine tulips

You may have noticed a recurring theme in the photos I take around our home -- I love flowers, especially when brought indoors in a pot or vase. I think it's a good idea to splurge on buying bouquets at this time of year, when winter is dragging. Early spring flowers, such as tulips, are wonderful, because they are a reminder that spring will come!

"The flowers that bloom in the spring (tra-la!)
Breathe promise of merry sunshine --
As we merrily dance and we sing, (tra-la!)
We welcome the hope that they bring (tra-la!)
Of a summer of roses and wine."

--from The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan (1885)

An early taste of spring

My family and I were delighted to receive this beautiful bouquet from a friend who works at a flower shop. Take a close look -- you can see lilies, hyacinth, snapdragons, heather, tulips -- all kinds of gorgeous flowers! She sent it over in thanks for our taking her to see the Moscow Festival Ballet's performance of Prokofiev's "Cinderella." What a blessing to have such a gracious friend!

Red geraniums

Narcissus

My mom has forced some narcissus bulbs, which just bloomed this past week. Every time I walk into the dining room, I can smell their scent!