Some flowering quince for you today. That particular bush has more flowers on it this year than I’ve ever seen. It’s quite beautiful (but thorny.) I took photos of the lilac buds and a robin’s egg I found on the driveway, but it was so breezy yesterday that everything was moving, so nothing was in focus.
I found the robin’s egg in the middle of the driveway. It had been dropped and you could see the yoke inside. I suppose some bird stole it. It made me sad.
Also found in the course of raking out the area where the weeping willow used to be: the long missing cap to the gas tank on our lawnmower. We looked and looked for it at the time it went missing and couldn’t find it. So now we have a replacement should we ever lose the current cap that we had to buy two years ago.
We’ve been working a lot outside, I started cleaning out the area where the weeping willow once stood and, much to my surprise, Don jumped in and really did a great job of getting rid of much of the stump and digging out brambles. I got distracted by our neighbor across the street who came over to say hello after the long winter. Right before that, our next door neighbor drove down his driveway and we said hello to him. It’s always this way – everyone sort of retreats for the winter and then we reemerge in the spring. It was great catching up with Laura. We are so lucky to have them for neighbors.
I’ve been raking out more of the garden beds, trimming brambles/wild roses (which grow alarmingly quickly,) yanking little intruders in the big garden bed. I do a little every day. On Monday, we did too much, and then I did even more yesterday, so today is for rest.
We had below freezing temperatures overnight and will tonight, as well. Then, it looks like we’ll stay on the warmer side. I have yet to do anything on the porch – the only summery thing I’ve done is to add the cushion to the glider. No potted flowers or hanging plants yet and I’m thankful there aren’t or I would have been hauling them inside last night.
Today is the 10th anniversary of my mom’s passing. Ten years. How can that be? I miss her so much.
Love you, Mom.
Stay safe.
You reminded me to check my lilac bush and it has beautiful blooms so thanks for the reminder! It’s been too chilly to work outside here and my weeds are going crazy. You and Don have more ambition than me! :)
Well, I can only do so much a day before my back hurts, so I have to keep at it in small increments.
Stay safe, Ellen.
It’s been very windy here for the last several days. So even if the temperature gauge registers 67….it feels cold. I still have a bit of clean up today…hopefully, I can finish that part up today. I still have some transplanting to do before I can see if any new perennials are needed. We picked up sticks in the yard yesterday again…then Jim mowed. The lawn really needed that. And I needed to smell that smell!
Sorry to hear about the robin’s egg….that’s always heartbreaking to me. Your quince is so pretty. Do the flowers last awhile?
Well, guess I’ve procrastinated long enough…the garden awaits. Enjoy your day! ;)
Yes, much to my surprise, it’s windy here again! Lately, every day, even if it starts out calm, turns windy.
Yes, the flowers last a few weeks.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Your flowering quince blossom is gorgeous, your reward for a cold, rainy spring. You and Don worked hard in the garden. Enjoy your “day off”. Sad about the robin’s egg. We have robins build a nest every year in our porch eave. We try not to use the front door until they have flown the coop. We”re never too old to want our moms. Enjoy all your memories of her. Hugs, Elaine
Thank you so much, Elaine.
Stay safe.
Always look forward to your annual posting of the beautiful red quince. I always admired the one my M-I-L had by her back patio and we tried several times to grow a start, but would never take. Reminds me of the purple lilac bush at our last house, it was a start from my M-I-L and it grew into a fabulous specimen. Sadly, the new owners cut it down along w/ most of the cedars, took out my ivy island and even dug up the lily-of-the-valley amongst other plants. Sigh.
Thanks again for sharing your quince! Its such a happy bloom!
This quince has been here for many years – it was here when we moved in almost 19 years ago.
I think if I ever move, I do not want to know what the new owners have done with the property. It would be too much to handle.
Stay safe, Chris.
Windy here too and cold so I’ve limited outdoor work yet. That quince bloom is a gorgeous color. My limited time outside has allowed me to reconnect with some neighbors too. It’s funny how we all sort of hibernate from each other all winter but then see and talk to each other all spring, summer and fall.
We’re looking for replacements for the arbor vitae we lost the end of January and have settled on something that can either be a large shrub or an ornamental tree. It’s called Seven Sons Flower Temple of Bloom. How’s that for a mouthful? We’re going to train it as a tree. Supposedly it blooms in the summer, not spring, and turns beautiful colors in the fall. In winter the trunk behaves like a birch and sort of “exfoliates.”
Take care,
Kay
Windy again here today. EVERY day!
I’ve never heard of that tree/bush. I’ll have to look it up!
Stay safe, Kay.
sending a hug … because it’s very hard having to miss someone, isn’t it? i hope happy memories help fill the gap until you and your mother, father and brother see each other in heaven.
and it is sad to see bird eggs on the ground, too.
wondering how that gas cap for your lawn mower fell off out there? whatever, glad you found it.
that quince is beautiful. it’s great you could spend so much time outdoors. hope today you can take it easy.
don’t know if she’s given birth or is close to it, but we have a mama squirrel now coming to my parents’ deck. sunday she sat by the tray feeder for a long time, stocking up on a mix of two mixes of birdseed. she sat on the top railing and repeatedly reached out to the tray feeder (which is on a shepherd’s hook so wind and the creatures cause it to swing a fair bit), grabbed a side of the tray and got some food. she looked like she was doing push-ups for holding onto the tray, leaning in to eat food and her back toes very tightly gripping the railing, before pushing the tray away to sit back down on the railing, over and over and over again for probably close to an hour. my sister went to the basement and through a window took a video and, from the underside, we could then see the squirrel’s belly and other proof that this is “pearl”, not “earl”, and that she’s either expecting a litter or has a nest of kits somewhere nearby. then pearl got brave, jumped into the feeder and sat there eating for another half-hour. no blue jay, dove or other bird could move her (good for her!) so they gave up and ate what was on the deck. :) we’ve seen lots of baby cows (calves, i know, but i still call them baby cows) and some baby sheep on recent rides into the countryside. all very sweet.
need to get going on some things, though had an extra-busy morning so i’d like to take it easy. oh, well.
hope you all have a great day. stay safe!
kathy
Pearl sounds like she’s eating for several babies or, if she’s had the babies, she’s needs lots of sustenance in order to take care of their needs.
Stay safe, Kathy.
It was the tenth anniversary of my father’s passing last week so I can empathise with how you’re feeling.
I have a bit of garden mystery. I planted tulip bulbs in a container and because of the incessant rain which I know tulips don’t like, I have left them in the greenhouse until they started to flower bringing them out last weekend.
I looked at them yesterday and there’s another plant growing in the pot. I didn’t recognise it plus I always cover any open container with holly leaves to deter the pesky squirrels.
This morning, another one has appeared! Two friends came over this afternoon and both said they’re lilies!
I’ve never grown lilies due to their toxicity for cats so I have had to move the pot off the patio and further into the garden where mine can’t access.
They must have been mixed in with the tulip bulbs when I bought them.
Happy Wednesday
Wow! Yes, that must be what happened! A mystery indeed!
It doesn’t matter how many years our parents have been gone – we still miss them every day.
Stay safe, Dee Dee.
Such a beautiful quince flower. You captured it perfectly, Claudia.
I know how deeply you feel about family, Claudia. Hope your day is filled with memories of your Mom.
Missing loved ones becomes a part of one’s being. It’s always there and gets nudged into a larger feeling when reminded. I’m doing the final cleaning out of my husband’s music memorabilia, mostly Beach Boys items. A friend who has connections with the fandom agreed to sell and give away most of the things with which I am ready to part. I’m creating a scrapbook or two from the things I’m keeping….mostly autographed photos, back stage passes, letters, etc. Being a Beach Boys mega-fan and eventually friend was a huge part of his life, but over and over again, I find letters to him from fellow fans and friends that allude to how much he talked about my daughters and me, that we were first and foremost in his life…. a bittersweet reminder that he loved us so much and shared how he felt about us to others.
How wonderful that you are able to read these letters that attest to how much your husband loved you and your daughters, Wendy. That is priceless.
Much love,
Claudia
It sounds like nice progress outside. That quince is really lovely. My neighborhood is the same — when the sun comes out and the weather warms we start to see and talk with each other again. More walks, more garden work. It’s like all the connections reopen.
I’m on the day after cataract surgery and it goes well but I have to wear these sunglasses inside and out (or an eye patch). With the glasses I can fit them over my other glasses and more or less see the computer and print well enough to get by. But it’s dark!
Time to go for a walk. It’s only in the 40s but time to cherish the sun.
I’m glad the surgery went well, Jeanie. Take care.
Stay safe.