Sky & Scones

Saturday was a great day -- I made Strawberry Scones for breakfast. This recipe: Vegan Apricot Scones was easy and delicious. I changed it, used Strawberries instead and I will make these again.

Saturday was also my cousins surprise birthday and I got to help her celebrate. While out driving after going to my cousin's birthday party, I couldn't help stopping to take photos of the sky. It was magnificent, the weather was beautiful. Clouds attract me. I find them very appealing, especially these peaceful ones.

"You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds."

~Henry David Thoreau~

The trees are just starting to get that beautiful, soft, yellow-green haze of new growth about them. And there's plenty of new growth inside my home too. My little seedlings are waiting patiently for Spring, real Spring, so they can get planted in the garden. I'm hopeful that it will be soon.

Out of the Dust, Dirt, Earth -- New AND Beautiful Things!

It's been a sunny, Spring time, April gardening day today. Lovely Violas, re-seeded on their own from last year, surround my back door patio:

Luscious scented Lilacs at my back door patio:

Beautiful Things

All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
You are making me new

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us

You make me new, You are making me new
You make me new, You are making me new
~Gungor~

Echoes:

"I am making all things new...." Revelation 21:5
"He has made all things beautiful in His time...." Ecclesiastes 3:11

The glory of the One who moves all things
Penetrates the whole universe and shines
In one part more and in another less.
~Dante~, Divine Comedy

"The richness I achieve comes from nature, the source of my inspiration." ~Claude Monet~

See lovely nature photography, What's in bloom in April?, by Rosie at:

Still Inspired By Spring Pussy Willows

Salix Discolor -- American Willow -- Wikipedia

Spring is back again after a week or more of unseasonably record setting high temperatures. I'm still inspired by the Pussy Willows, a reminder of the new life soon to come. New Spring ATC and tag I made this week:

Pretty Pussy Willows

Growing in the hedges,
Smoothing with thy fairy wands,
Nature's ragged edges.
Lighting up the bushes
With thy touch of silver,
Thou art generous unto all,
Cheerful little giver.
Pretty Pussy Willows
Smile as if 'twere duty,
Is it marvel that we love,
Spring's first gift of beauty?
~unknown~

The Pussy Willow seem almost like little fury animals on the limbs -- sweet furry little kittens:

 I sometimes think the Pussy-Willows grey
Are Angel Kittens who have lost their way,
And every Bulrush on the river bank
A Cat-Tail from some lovely Cat astray.
~Oliver Herford~






Source: Illustration by Oliver Herford
Source: Poem by Oliver Herferd The Kitten's Garden of Verses

More vintage images of Pussy Willows from vintage books:

A vintage post card below from Little Birdie Blessings:

Pussy Willows below from the online book: Flowers From Here and There

Read the children's story: The Origin of the Pussy Willow from Overheard in Fairyland by Madge A. Bingham at The Baldwin Project

More Of My Watercolor Spring Time Pussy Willows

 

Stirrings and Hints of Spring

The Pussy Willows at the back of my neighbor's yard are beginning to unfold and open, I can see them over the fence -- one of the stirrings and hints of Spring. My watercolor of Pussy Willow and a poem by Kate L. Brown.
 

Pussy Willow

Pussy Willow wakened
From her winter nap,
For the frolic spring breeze
On her door would tap.

“It is chilly weather
Though the sun feels good.
I will wrap up warmly,
Wear my furry hood.”

Mistress Pussy Willow
Opened wide her door.
Never had the sunshine
Seemed so bright before.

Never had the brooklet
Seemed so full of cheer:
“Good morning, Pussy Willow,
Welcome to you, dear!!”

Never guest was quainter:
Pussy came to town
In a hood of silver gray,
And a coat of brown.

Happy little children
Cried with laugh and shout,
“Spring is coming, coming,

Pussy Willow’s out.”
~Kate L. Brown~

Pussy-Willow Time

That every footprint’s now a pool,
And every rut a river cool,
Are things light vernal hearts make nought of;
For mud time’s pussy-willow time
When tender-hearted bluebirds chime,
And unborn violets first are thought of.

 ~Robert Frost~

Betz White has a new way of having colorful Pussy Willow branches for an indoor arrangement.

Another Crochet Peony

My second crochet flower: "Peony 2"

My neighbors and I enjoy sharing and trading plants from our gardens. A neighbor gave me a start of her Peony some ten years ago and it grows in my backyard. The picture below was taken in the spring of 2007 -- the inspiration for my crochet flowers:

"The actual flower is the plant's highest fulfillment, and are not here exclusively for herbaria, 

county floras and plant geography: they are here first of all for delight."  

~John Ruskin~

Oak Trees, Acorn Collecting & Watercolor

Our neighborhood is filled with a variety of beautiful trees, especially Oak trees. One of the special treats each Autumn is collecting acorns. We've collected them nearly every year since my daughters were little. My husband planted one of our favorite Oaks, a Red Oak, in the easement of our front yard some 20 years ago. It has grown each year but it took some years to mature to where it finally has acorns. This year I've collected a huge bowl full of them. There are also White Oaks, Burr Oaks and Pin Oaks in our neighborhood so I never have to go far to find acorns. Just across the street from me is an old, old White Oak that is over 200+ (maybe closer to 300) years old. It was living there in that exact spot during the mid to late 1700's and American Revolutionary War. It has beautiful acorns this year too.

Much to my surprise, I learned of another old Oak tree that was living during the Revolutionary War too. Two years ago, a friend of ours was walking down town and found the tree. It has a marker with the dates 1787-1987 stating: "The National Arborist Association and the International Society of Arboriculture jointly recognize this significant tree in this Bicentennial year as having lived here at the time of the signing of our Constitution."  The discovery was news to me. I didn't know about this tree and I'm so glad our friend found it. My youngest daughter and I stopped by again two days ago to see if had acorns. It did and we got a nice bunch to bring home so now we have quite a collection to use for Autumn decorating. I'm even going to plant some to see if I can get some to grow. The acorns and leaves are always wonderful inspiration for art. I painted these today after looking through the leaves we pressed in old telephone books on Tuesday. Autumn is off to a beautiful start.

Baker Street White Oak

Acorns from the Baker Street White Oak in photo above:

I would love to see this ancient Oak tree some day: The Old Oak Tree of the Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church located in the graveyard.

From Waymarking:

This old oak was a sapling when Columbus discovered the Americas and already a full grown adult when Jamestown was settled in 1607. Famous English evangelists James Davenport and George Whitefield preached to over 3,000 people while standing under its branches in 1740. By the time of the Revolutionary War the oak was already nearly 400 years old and George Washington was said to have picnicked in its shade along with Lafayette and other officers.

In the 1930's in an effort to save it, a large cavity inside the tree was filled with 3 tons of concrete and the local water company installed 260 feet of steel rods and 1,500 feet of steel cables to support the weight of the tree's branches. It is reported to be one of the oldest white oak trees in the Western Hemisphere and its 156 foot spread is the widest of any tree in New Jersey.

The tree is currently on the property of The Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, which was built in 1829.

August Garden Color

Because of all the hot temperature we had in July my garden has grown slower this year. Now with a break in the temperature the plants have started to come out of their survival mode and there is a bit more color.

The fuchsia and white Zinnias are getting taller every day:

the Gerbera loves the sun and heat:

the Echinacea is thriving and Goldfinch are beginning to feast on the seeds:

the herbs:

Cinnamon Basil, Dill, Basil

are doing better too:

towering faithful Sunflowers are reaching their heights of 6 to 11 feet with more and more flowers getting ready to pop open any day now:

pretty pink Petunias are finally enjoying their sunshine:

trailing over the fence and on the ground in several places around my yard are my favorite "Grandpa Ott's" Morning Glories captured in the soft early morning light:

and the Tomato plants are getting more blossoms -- I even found some hidden fruit nestled beneath all the green foliage and one small ripe Tomato which is no longer on the vine!

If the cooler, normal temperature stays around for a while the rest of the Sunflowers should be blooming soon.

“But do life’s plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily 

duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life.” 

~Robert L. Stevenson~

Gray Days, Clouds, Rain and More Rain

Not complaining, just saying.........our street corner where we live......our view from on our front porch....

Violets From My Yard & Neighborhood

Violets from my yard and neighborhood have been inspiration for my spring art, photography and new blog header.

Down in a green and shady bed,
A modest violet grew;
Its stalk was bent, it hung its head
As if to hide from view.
And yet it was a lovely flower,
Its colour bright and fair;
It might have graced a rosy bower,
Instead of hiding there.

Yet thus it was content to bloom,
In modest tints arrayed;
And there diffused a sweet perfume,
Within the silent shade.

Then let me to the valley go
This pretty flower to see;
That I may also learn to grow
In sweet humility.

~Jane Taylor~
1783-1824
Colchester, England 

It's Trying To Be Spring!

 It's April and it's trying to be Spring. On the calendar it is Spring but it still feels like Winter. Easter will be here soon. Here is a beautiful free image from Graphics Fairy.


I love violets and our yard usually has some small wild ones growing. I'll be looking for them soon. They've inspired some of my Spring art coming soon.

O wind, where have you been,
That you blow so sweet?
Among the violets
Which blossom at your feet.

The honeysuckle waits
For Summer and for heat
But violets in the chilly Spring
Make the turf so sweet.'
~Christina Rosetti~

April

~Nathaniel Parker Willis~

"A violet by a mossy stone,
Half hidden from the eye,
Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky."
~Wordsworth~

I have found violets. April hath come on,
And the cool winds feel softer, and the rain
Falls in the beaded drops of summer-time.
You may hear birds at morning, and at eve
The tame dove lingers till the twilight falls,
Cooing upon the eaves, and drawing in
His beautiful, bright neck; and, from the hills,
A murmur, like the hoarseness of the sea,
Tells the release of waters, and the earth
Sends up a pleasant smell, and the dry leaves
Are lifted by the grass; and so I know
That Nature, with her delicate ear, hath heard
The drooping of the velvet foot of Spring.
Take of my violets! I found them where
The liquid south stole o'er them, on a bank
That leaned to running water. There's to me
A daintiness about these early flowers,
That touches me like poetry. They blow
With such a simple loveliness among
The common herbs of pasture, and breath out
Their lives so unobtrusively, like hearts
Whose beatings are too gentle for the world.
I love to go in the capricious days
Of April and hunt violets, when the rain
Is in the blue cups trembling, and they nod
So gracefully to the kisses of the wind.
It may be deemed too idle, but the young
Read nature like the manuscript of Heaven,
And call the flowers its poetry. Go out!
Ye spirits of habitual unrest,
And read it, when the "fever of the world"
Hath made your hearts impatient, and, if life
Hath yet one spring unpoisoned, it will be
Like a beguiling music to its flow,
And you will no more wonder that I love
To hunt for violets in the April-time.

The First Snow

The first snow of the season always brings excitement to a ordinary winter day. As long as the roads aren't too messy and unsafe I enjoy a white winter and having the ground entirely covered. We've only had our first real snow of the season in the past week -- a few inches with more possibly this weekend. 

The First Snow

How strange the new, soft silence in the air!

So still -- it seemed that we could almost hear

The snowflakes, ere we saw them, drifting down

As lilies from the wall of heaven might fall --

Making the whole world beautiful and fair;

Brightening the lonely roads, the meadows scar,

The garden-beds, the hedge-briers, rough and brown,

Dancing and whirling in their voiceless mirth,

As if half wild with joy, to reach the earth.

How strange the muffled sound of song, or call,,

Or echoing laughter, or faint sleigh-bells' chime?

Each heart keeps memory of such a time,

When, on some winter morn, we waked to know

The first sweet noiseless advent of the snow.

~Madeline S. Bridges~

The Turning of a Leaf....

"That night was the turning point in the season.
We had gone to bed in summer,
and we awoke in autumn; for summer 

passes into autumn in some imaginable
point of time like the turning of a leaf."

~Henry David Thoreau~

A Sweltering Summer But Sunflowers Are Growing

This has seemed like a long scorching, sweltering, suffocating summer. I've hibernated in the air conditioning. With little rain and plenty of heat, at the end of July, we've already had 14 days of 90  degree temperature, high humidity but only 2.5 inches of rain. Not like the two previous summers when we had only a total of 10 days of 90  degree temperature.

Part of my garden and a lot of my flowers have been in survival mode for several weeks. Some, the tomatoes in particular, are not doing well at all. Only Sunflowers, Zinnias and Pumpkins are growing strong. I've watered all the plants off and on to keep them from withering in this firecracker heat; the  irrigation system from last summer has been very useful again. The growings of the summer.....