And then comes the first burst of sunny daffodils, the dash of scarlet tulips, the royalty of purple/lavender lilacs, the delicate blush of dogwoods--LIFE! Is it any wonder that Spring is my very favorite season?! Any wonder that daffodil and lilac compete for my favorite colors?
Today was an absolutely lovely day, so we decided to drive the Loudon Lake Dogwood Trail this afternoon. (I am NOT a gardener, but I much enjoy seeing the work of gardeners.) Not far from home, I spotted a row of blossoming lilac bushes. Ken agreed to stop for pictures as long as he didn't have to be the one with the camera. I intended not even to get out of the car, but I couldn't resist the temptation to bury my face in the lavender clusters and inhale deeply. Just then a breeze wafted the heavenly fragrance toward the open door of the car and I heard Ken sigh, "Ah-h-h-h-h-h, wow!"
Lilacs always remind me of two stories: My mom LOVED lilacs and long wished for her very own lilac bush. One year for Mother's Day, I ordered two bushes from some seed company and had them shipped to her ready to plant and guaranteed to grow. Since she lived in an apartment, she didn't really have anywhere to plant them, but my brother, who lived nearby, agreed to plant them at his house. Since she often visited there, she would see them and could gather some clippings when they were blooming. I don't remember if he forgot to tell the kids or what (I was living out of state), but before the fledgling bushes had opportunity to mature, they were mowed down and unable to make a comeback. Eventually the scrawny, brown remnants of the bushes were removed, roots and all. What remained were two grassy, scooped-out places in the ground.
A year or so later, I returned to live in PA and spent most evenings at my brother's. They were gracious enough to allow me to use their computer as well as their washer and dryer. In an attempt not to disrupt their own schedule with these "machines," I used them late evening/early morning (as in after they had gone to bed), then saw myself out. Because I didn't want to arouse them from sleep to "outen the light" or allow the porch light to burn through the night, I never turned it on to illumine the few yards to my car.
Although I knew exactly where those scooped-out places were and usually successfully skirted them, I cannot tell you how many times I stepped in one or the other and twisted my ankle. I didn't always fall, but without fail, while I flung my arms trying to regain my balance, every last thing I was carrying went airborne!! Then the fun was hobbling around in the dark trying to retrieve ALL articles of clothing that had been freshly laundered or my scattered books, papers and notes for the upcoming day's classes. My brother's expression of sympathy was a sorry, a grin and a chuckle (or should I say a sorry grin and a chuckle?! lol). He teased me again and again that I had no one to blame but myself since I had sent the lilac bushes responsible for the scooped-out places!
The other lilacs story is about my mother-in-law: On the property across the street from their house were HUGE lilac bushes, some white, some lavender and purple. When these bushes bloomed the spring that Ken and I were dating, she listened as I exclaimed over them, coveted them, and wished for my own someday. From her kitchen window, she pointed out her slender lilac bush in the side yard which was to bloom this spring for the very first time.
I'll skip the l-o-n-g story that landed me in the hospital that spring with a very severe case of double pneumonia (5 short weeks before our wedding--totally irrelevant info, but I thought you should know that, lol). One day when she came to visit me (hey, you're getting ahead of me!), she held a vase of lilacs!! She had clipped all three lilac clusters and given them to me. I was so happy to receive them, so humbled that she would do that for me, and so sad that she couldn't enjoy them on her bush. I don't remember now, but I probably cried. I was so nervous about having a mother-in-law and here she was doing something so sacrificial for me. (No, I have no sad mother-in-law tales to tell.)
Okay, back to today... Apparently we were too eager for signs of Spring because we found most of the color only in bud form. The few already-blooming trees and flowers, however, were simply beautiful. Enjoy! :) (Tip: Click on the photo to see it in a larger size.)
I have no idea what kind of tree this is. The pink blossoms look like mini carnations or tiny tissue-paper flowers or petite "snowballs." I had the window down but didn't notice any fragrance. I didn't get out of the car to sniff them, so I have no idea if they are fragrant or not.
Here's a closer look.
I was surprised to notice wisteria several times today. We have driven the trail at least a half dozen times over the years, but today was the first I noticed it.
Wisteria always reminds me of a story too, but this one is about my brother Tim (I have permission to share this). Not long after he married Ruth, they were visiting her parents and Tim was clearing away some brush along side the house for them. Certain that the thick vine wrapped around one of the trees would eventually kill the tree, he went to work chopping it and pulling it down. When his father-in-law came by and observed what he was doing, he quipped, "You might have some explaining to do to your mother-in-law." Tim asked why. Father-in-law finished, "That's her favorite flower you're chopping down." Thankfully Tim had started chopping above his head and pulling the vine down rather than working from the ground up!
He tells me that he didn't have any 'splaining to do, no trouble from his mother-in-law. She later told him she thought it had more flowers on it after he had trimmed it back.
