Monday, April 24, 2017

While I Was Coughing

At the end of March I caught the flu. Ten days or so later, I staggered outside on wobbly legs to find that while I'd been indoors coughing and sleeping, leaves had appeared on the lilac bushes. Around the corner, in someone's shady yard, rivers of scilla flowed in impossible blue, and daffodils were beginning to open. Forsythia bushes which had lain low all winter had suddenly burst into yellow flame. It was like the bit in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy falls asleep in a whirling grey-and-white world and wakes up to glorious Technicolor.


Lovage was sprouting in the kitchen bed, and a small forest of tarragon had appeared in the doorstep planter. The chives were marching out reinforcements, ready to contest the tarragon for garden domination.


And I found a tiny clump of scilla in the bit of wasteland behind the house, in a space normally home to only daylilies, nettles, and burdock. I don't know how the scilla came there, but finding it was like stumbling on hidden treasure.



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The week before Easter, some spring storms rolled through, dropping a goodly amount of rain and turning the grass overnight from hesitant green to a vivid, flaming emerald. (Can emeralds flame? I don't know how else to describe such an intensity of greenness.) The first dandelion bloomed a few days later - and when the dandelions come, can violets be far behind? :)

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Easter Sunday was so beautifully sunny and warm that I had to take a ride, wobbly legs notwithstanding. (Wait. Is that a pun?)

I saw trees waving delicately-clad branches against the sky:


Fascinating new leaves and catkins (and a rather mysterious conelike object):


Verges glowing green:


A fencepost decorated with a barbed-wire wreath:


And red-twig dogwood caught in the act of slipping into its new spring outfit:



I was hoping for wildflowers, but didn't find any on this ride. Perhaps on the next one....

A belated Happy Easter to you all!

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13 comments:

  1. Looks like spring came while you were sick, hope you're better now.

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  2. Hi Sue! Nice to read you. Enjoy spring. We are supposed to get snow tomorrow. NOOOOO! Not again. However, the weather has been very nice for most of the time. And yes, emerald can flame! Regula

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  3. Glad you were able to finally get out and enjoy Spring's emergence. Such a beautiful time of the year when everything is waking up and bursting forth. Take care!

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  4. There's nothing like the bright green of spring. Hope you're feeling better now.

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  5. Oh sweet friend, I am glad you are better. ((hugs)). I loved your pictures. I always enjoy tagging along with you on your adventures. Any new crochet/knit designs coming up? Wishing you a most lovely day sweet friend.

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  6. Influenza is a horrible disease and I hope that you will be fully recovered very soon. Sending hugs.

    Your flowers are just beautiful and your surroundings are looking good too. The colour in your header is stunning!

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  7. Oh, I hope you'll soon be perfectly well again. I am glad that you were well enough for a bicycle ride. It looks like spring has truly sprung in your part of the world. Healing thoughts and prayers are going your way. Blessings, Betsy

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  8. So sorry that you have had the flu, Sue! That makes me blue! (I can rhyme!)
    Speaking of BLUE, that flower, what did you call it, scilla? That is GORGEOUS, if I stumbled on that, I would let out such a holler!
    Hope you will be much better soon! xx

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  9. I think almost all of had that horrible flu! I'm glad you're better! I enjoyed all of the growing things you found. I really like the spring green of the new leaves against that blue sky! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  10. How wonderful that spring was there to greet you after your flu. I hope you will soon be feeling like your old self again. I love all those tiny new leaves that come in spring!

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  11. Always enjoy your photos, but the barbed wire wreath on the post was my favorite this time. 😘Linda@Wetcreek Blog

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  12. I had your blog up and was scrolling back trying to get caught up with your news when your comment came through [great minds... :) ] It is always a treat to see the world through your lens and words when you have a chance to put together a post in your busy life. It will be fun to see what you get to share with us in five or six months since you set up my expectations that projects are in the works. I'm glad that you are feeling better and have been able to get out and about. It is a joy to see the colors of spring around you...those red branches! I will check out the link you sent me. Thanks, Sue. xx

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  13. A belated Happy Easter to you too, sorry you have been ill and hope you are now fully recovered, your photo's are beautiful. :) x

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