I’m home. I’m tired. I really liked that hotel bed – ours, as you know, needs to be replaced. It took me way too long to get to sleep last night and I have a lot to do today. One word: mowing. By the way, my husband changed the spark plug on the mower and, ta da, it works! I ran out of gas late yesterday afternoon and Don was at work. So this morning, I will be off to our local gas station. Since it is supposed to rain for most of the week ahead, I have to get all the mowing done today.
Don did mow, I don’t want you to think he didn’t. But he didn’t mow the back forty. That’s what I have to tackle today. I have all sorts of garden photos for you, but for today I thought I would concentrate on an unexpected benefit from the loss of the willow.
The clematis that is planted in front of the house has started blooming profusely. It’s been in this plot, between the boxwoods, for at least 6 years. Last year, I got one bloom. This year? Well, the evidence is right before your eyes. Clearly, it wasn’t getting enough sun. The willow was blocking the light.
Though I still miss my weeping willow terribly – I can’t even look at photos of the house where I can see it – this little miracle is of the ‘if you get lemons, make lemonade’ variety.
I have to prune the boxwoods a bit. I already started that yesterday. But this splash of, what would you call it? – magenta? – is a delightful surprise.
Have a lovely Sunday.
We always love being home, but why is there so much work to do? Darn.
Try to sit back a little, enjoy your garden and pet the doggies.
This is the perfect example of making lemonade out of lemons. We had a similar experience when a hurricane destroyed the woods behind our house. The Lemonade? Grass finally in the backyard and camellias that had never bloomed much before. Glad you are back home Claudia! Ann
Glad that you are home. I have a clematis the same color and it needs more sun as well.
You probably didn’t sleep well because of all that you are thinking that needs to be done. I bet your cozy cute cottage was a blessing for you.
Love the climatis. But nothing beats a good mattress.
Beautiful clematis! The only ones you see around here are the dark purples. I have one that I moved about 3 years ago and it has gone crazy with blooms. I noticed this week while I was working close to it that there is a mourning dove that has built a nest in it. Me, being the mother hen that I am, moved a bird feeder just off the eaves for her. Crazy, huh?
I hope you can get a new mattress soon. It is hard to spend all day working and then not be able to get a good night’s sleep.
Blessings to you-xo Diana
What a delightful surprise to come home to. The clematis, not the mowing. Enjoy settling in once again.
Beautiful! Life is so like that.
Such a lovely surprise to come home to! I love clematis and need to find a spot to grow one around here. Yard work and bad bed aside, a bet you are happy to be back at MHC.
Hugs,
Jill
You didn’t waste any time!! Off and running..Beautiful Clematis…yes, they need sunshine..Sorry about your Willow..they are indeed beautiful trees..Home is where the work is???
You didn’t waste any time!! Off and running..Beautiful Clematis…yes, they need sunshine..Sorry about your Willow..they are indeed beautiful trees..Home is where the work is???
Clematis
so lovely
the magenta lining
of the dark cloud
from weeping willow
:)
Your magenta clematis is a beautifully unexpected pop of color between the two boxwoods!
Glad that you are home, and getting back to normal again.
What a beautiful pitcher of lemonaide that clematis is…at least some good came of losing your wonderful tree.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
Claudia – we truly live lives in a parallel universe – or at least parallel states. I posted about my clematis today. Kerry changed the spark plug on our lawn mower today. The mower broke yesterday and he bought an air filter for it, hoping that would work. It didn’t. So he cleaned off a corroded spark plug and voila! All Kerry has heard me talk about for weeks is how I cannot get a good night’s sleep. I am so tired all the time that I’m actually going to bed early these days, hoping to get good, long periods of restful sleep. Instead I toss and turn on our 23+ year old lumpy mattress. And last, but not least, I was checking out boxwoods at Lowe’s today. Maybe someday we’ll be able to put some in at the front of the house. (Although I think we needa new mattress before we need shrubs.) Anyhow, it felt like dejavu reading your post today!… Donna
Such a pretty thing to come from the loss of the willow. It’s probably getting more ground water now too, clematis roots run deep.
Happy homecoming Claudia x
Dear Claudia,
What a stunning Clematis, I love it,so wonderful colour-it must be fantastic to see in your own garden.
Hope you can rest better and sweeter on a new madress sweet friend!
Hugs,Dorthe
Talk about rising from the ashes! That Clematis is a wonderful surprise, and such a lovely color. It reminds me of the story “The Giving Tree” … this is a gift your willow gave you in her absence!