Stop. Breathe. Lean in. Take a whiff.
The first peony bloom appeared yesterday; a little earlier than usual, due, I suppose, to the unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve been having.
Be still my heart.
This particular bush (we have two) is under what used to be a small tree – a shag hickory – but is now, after several years, a much taller and bigger tree. The result is that for the last two summers, there have been only a few buds on this bush. Not enough sun. I could try moving the bush, but I don’t like to mess with peonies. This one has been in the same location for years and years.
What a beauty. The scent is simply incredible, heady and more than a wee bit addictive.
I look forward to this small window of time in the spring when my favorite flower blooms. It’s going to rain for the next few days, and the buds on the other bush are about to open, so I have a feeling I’m going to be running outside to rescue them. Peonies are easily beaten down to the ground by heavy rain.
They’ll just have to come inside.
To Kill a Mockingbird was on TCM last night, but I didn’t watch it. I’d just seen it recently and I’m very careful about how much I watch it. I don’t want it to lose its magic and if I watch it too frequently it will become less powerful – at least, for me. Heck, I own two copies and I never watch them for the same reason. So, I opted out and we watched the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on HBO. Quite a contrast, don’t you think?
We did watch another favorite, The Third Man, on Friday night. Beautifully directed, beautifully photographed. Black and white, highlights and shadows, dark and rainy streets. Orson Welles. Joseph Cotton, Trevor Howard. What else do I need to say? It’s a great movie. And the music, the theme! Played on a zither, the music is haunting and stays with you for days.
Also blooming on the property: Rocket, or Dame’s Rocket, or Sweet Rocket. Rocket is a wildflower that springs up on the edges of the woods. It has a lovely scent. Some call it an invasive weed, but one man’s weed is another man’s flower. I love them. I haven’t found them invasive at all and their appearance is always welcome here at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.
Usually purple or white, this is the first time I’ve seen this combination of the two.
It can be confused with wild phlox, but phlox has five petals and rocket has four. (I just learned that little bit of information yesterday.)
Isn’t it pretty?
I’m finishing up The Whisperers by John Connolly (what a writer!) and will then tackle my next review book, Disclaimer by Renee Knight, which has been getting a lot of buzz. I look forward to it, but I wish those who write blurbs would not say things like “in the tradition of Gone Girl.”
I didn’t like Gone Girl, as you well know. As a matter of fact, I disliked it intensely.
So I just have to ignore those things and start the book with an open mind, erasing the words “Gone” and “Girl” from my brain.
There. It’s erased.
Happy Sunday.
Enjoying your blog!
Sharon Hannah’s creek farm
Thank you so much, Sharon. Welcome!
Loved the great pictures of the peonies. We had some lovely ones in the garden in our home in Illinois. They are missed since we retired and moved to Arizona. The pictures brought back very pleasant memories. Cindy
I bet you miss them! Peonies, like lilacs, need a hard freeze. I missed them when I was living in California.
I love peonies. They’re a flower you can get lost in. They don’t last very long here — but I guess that just makes us appreciate them more.
I think you’re right. They have such a short bloom period. Maybe so much beauty can only last a short while!
My peonies are almost done. I hate to see them go so quickly. I have vases of them all oover the house. They smell wonderful!
They sure do! Heavenly!
Gorgeous peonies. We have some in our garden together with some tiger-lilies and I think both must be very hardy types to live this far north. I am definitely suffering from “flower envy’ as spring has only very recently arrived in these parts. Mind you, it’s not June until..um..tomorrow?
Yes, but you’ll get to enjoy those flowers when ours have come and gone!
I have to research peonies. I think there are varieties that may do well in my temperate climate. There is hardly ever a hard freeze here. I was flipping channels and found the second Thin Man movie yesterday, so I watched it. Though I have the entire movie series as well as others on DVD, I like to go slowly too and not watch them too much. Currently, we’re going thru the entire Poirot catalog, after having finished the entire Inspector Morse. Trying to decide this summer’s DVD marathon…it may be MASH or Frasier. I know for movies, it will probably be the Star Wars franchise.
If you watch Frasier, you’ll see Don on a couple of the episodes.
I love Inspector Morse!
Do you or does Don remember the names of the episodes he was in?! We will surely look for him!
I love when the peonies bloom! Stunning flower! I didn’t watch To Kill A Mockingbird last night either, as I too had seen it not long ago. I’m reading a pretty good book I got at the library recently. Just a slow Sunday I think.
Linda
It’s unbelievably humid here, with rain coming, so it will be a slow Sunday here, as well!
Beautiful peonies! My neighbor planted a bunch near the lot line…just for me…wasn’t that sweet? So, I enjoy hers immensely! (I have a garden planted for her too…but it doesn’t have peonies!) I’m wondering…can you divide peonies? Could you start a portion somewhere in the sunshine? Or would that be too risky to the original clump? I’m going to putz in the garden today…it needs some putzing! And, it’s cool here…60’s! Enjoy your Sunday! ;)
Very nice for you and your neighbor to share plants, or at least the view of plants.
I think you can divide peonies, Chris did, as you can read below. I’m just plain nervous about it, especially since the tree is smack dab in the middle of them.
Donnamae is right, it is quite cool here today. My peonies aren’t opened yet, but they are close! I’m actually glad they didn’t open yet as we had several days of rain. And like with lilacs, the heavy rain can beat the peonies right to the ground showing no mercy. No rain is in the forecast now for several days.
I DID divide and transplant some peonies about 3 years ago. Those are also about to bloom for the first time since being moved. They were planted here about 50 years ago by my in-laws who built this house, and I am so thankful the transplanted group will happily bloom again soon!! I was quite worried about the result of that move for the past few years. Success at last! Enjoy those beautiful blooms……..
Oh, it’s so hot and humid here today. The kind of humidity that happens before a big thunderstorm. Dark and cloudy and just plain yucky.
You’re brave for dividing and transplanting the peonies. These have been here for many years and I’m nervous about trying to dig them out when there is a tree in the middle of the peonies.
I hated Gone Girl. The book and the movie! I thought the story and the people were atrocious and I am so surprised it was so popular.
My peonies haven’t opened yet, but almost!
Me too. I got so mad when I read the book that I actually threw it across the room!
Beautiful flowers. Even the wild ones. Anything invasive, send it my way. We need things that easily grow. :) Ha! You make me laugh there at the end. I hope the book turns out to be better than what you’ve erased from your mind. :) Best wishes, Tammy
If I could get away with sending you some, I would. I don’t know how well they would do in your heat, though! They seem to like shady, coolish places.
The flowers around here surprise me too! The Peonies are pretty. Not much to watch in the way of movies with hd /antennae now days- but the Rangers hosted Boston yesterday and it was televised so naturally… I watched!
Reading a book on my Kindle- first book I’ve downloaded that wasn’t free.
Taking it is easy today… Enjoying the sunshine.
Have a good one!
I didn’t watch the game but I read today that Boston played very badly. Bad Red Sox! I hope they shape it up and soon!
Oh what a beautiful bloom..it would be so wonderful if we could put our noses up to the screen and smell their heavenly scent..I’m sure that will be possible someday but I don’t think it will be in our lifetime..I know you will enjoy having some of them inside with you to save them from the rain..As I told you the rocket is blooming beautifully here..I have never seen a mixed color one before either..I think I will take a walk along the creek and have a closer look this evening (too hot now)..that is if it doesn’t rain too hard..I agree that they shouldn’t compare new books to previous ones..better to form your own opinion..Have a nice relaxing Sunday afternoon!
That mixed color is a first for me, too. I wonder if it’s just a fluke? Hmmm.
Stunning photographs, as always, Claudia. I love your close-ups. It’s like looking at the real thing.
My peonies are almost finished. The display was wonderfully lush this year. I have dark pink (just like yours, above), light pink, a light pink single, which looks like a tropical flower, and a white. They were planted by the previous owner, making them nearly thirty years old.
What are Scout’s plans for the day?
These were planted by a previous owner, too. There have been several owners, so I have no idea how long they’ve been there, but I would think at least 30 years, if not more.
Scout’s plans seem to be centered around sleeping. It’s so humid here today, and that always saps her energy.
The peonies are lovely. Mine bloomed a few weeks ago and all the remains is that lush green foliage. They were beautiful and full this year. But now the magnolias are in full bloom and that lemony scent is on the breezes. They are wonderful in a large shallow bowl in a table in the house, too. Whether indoor or out, the bloom only lasts about 2 days so I have no guilt in picking them to enjoy inside.
I am relieved to know that I am not alone in not liking Gone Girl. Have you ever watched or read A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle? Both the book and BBC production were great. I found the videos on YouTube and/or the library. John Thaw plays Peter and does a fine job.
Oh magnolias! Lucky you. I have read A Year in Provence, but I don’t think I’ve seen the BBC production. I love John Thaw, so I will look for it – maybe on Netflix? Thanks for the recommendation.
It’s a very cool day here today and, after some needed rain, I’ll have to see how my peonies have fared. Soon they’ll bloom. I fully appreciate your fondness for them, Claudia. Thank you for the tip regarding how to distinguish phlox from Dame’s Rocket. I was once corrected (in a nice way) when I said how beautiful the phlox was in the woods.
Karen
I knew they were called Rocket, but I also heard they were called wild phlox, so this year I decided to research the darned thing and that is what I discovered. 4 petals vs. 5 petals. I imagine many of us think they might be phlox – they look so much like the phlox that grows in my garden.
Hi, lovely post Claudia. In the second photo I swear that peony is posing for you! Listening to thunder here, just in from checking out some holly hock seeds that I had saved from two years ago…they are sprouting! xxoo
I imagine we’re going to get some thunder, too. It sure looks like it’s going to storm. Yay for your hollyhock seeds!
Happy Sunday to you Claudia! Gorgeous peonies! I’ve never grown those. Might have to try.
Judy
Are you back from your trip? I hope it was without stress and weather problems, my friend.
I have peonies that I have moved with me on every move we have made. They were my mother’s and she passed in 1985. I always leave part of the plant for the new owner of my home! They are easy to move, just remember to be sure there is an “eye” in the root you are moving. Good advice from my Mom. Being in Texas this Spring has sure made me miss my flowers! I also have some tulip bulbs that she gave me several years before she passed and also fragrant violets coming from my Great Grandmother via my Mom!
Thanks so much for the tip! Is there a preferred time of the year to move them?
Spring or Fall, although I have been known to move them in July heat. Just be sure to keep roots moist! BTW-Love your blog and writing style.
I forget. Is it that you didn’t like GONE GIRL, the book…or did you not like the movie…or both?
I read the book and initially found it intriguing but then felt it descended into camp. The end wasn’t so bad I thought…however implausible it is…as told by the male lead. I read it quite a while ago and I haven’t seen the movie yet. From stills I’ve seen, or from seeing her on the red carpet, I didn’t think the blonde actress they picked for the movie was the right choice but, again, I haven’t seen the film…so how can I even have an opinion!
What I did watch this weekend on pay-per-view, which I never do, is the badly-bashed movie with Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Cooper called SERENA. A period piece set in 1929; timber/logging camp in the Smoky Mountains. I’d really looked forward to seeing it before it got tossed under the rug, greatly-panned, under-promoted and shot straight to video. It’s quite atmospheric but the scenes aren’t edited well; it’s choppy and confusing. They apparently deviated greatly from the popular novel with the screenplay and there was simply no character development. It’s not a ‘happy’ movie. I was frustrated when it ended but I find I’m thinking a lot about it the next day. It could have been great…one of the period ‘epics.’ It should have been great. But none of the elements worked, even the star power. I intend to watch it again, just to make sure I didn’t miss something. I do think Bradley Cooper is a terrific actor. In this role, though, his Boston?Carolinian? accent bugged me. And his character was such a messed-up guy.
I did the same thing you did. I had even set up in advance to record Mockingbird. Then, just as it was beginning to record, I hit delete. I have to be in the right frame of mind, the right mood, without distraction; it has to be an EVENT for me to watch that movie.