MEMORIES OF FLOWERS

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What better to think about and plan while the weather remains wet and stormy, and yet we feel that the new gardening year will soon enough be upon us. Flowers, wild and cultivated, beautiful and colourful, reminding us of summer, of sunshine and warmth.

Looking back at many of the flowers we had in the garden last year, I know that some of them I will certainly repeat this time around. The sweetpeas gave us such pleasure, we picked bunch after bunch, the scent was heavenly and made for a very cheerful breakfast table, so that is a definite Yes. The coriander and oregano  are also a definite Yes! These are herbs my kitchen simply cannot do without, and the flowers, though small are pretty, when plentiful they can be used as part of a herbal flower decoration. The nasturtiums are always there also, I sow them yearly, they are pretty for their flowers but I also use both leaf and flower in salads, or I might eat some of the leaves while walking in the garden. As for the hydrangea, I have four different bushes growing, a deep lapis lazuli blue one, a pretty pink one, and two pure white ones. Some years ago I tried to change the colour of one of my white hydrangeas with a product I bought in the garden centre, but I did not succeed, and it did not matter, I will try again some time. The Ph of the soil here in my raised beds is 7, so total balance between alkaline and acid, and the colour depends on the Ph of the soil.
Marigolds grew profusely in the garden last summer, they just kept on flowering, I like the orange types, they are definitely on the list for this season also.  The poppies are self seeding, they are beautiful and great for the bees and other flying creatures, but they do have a habit of coming up among the vegetables and become too large sometimes.  The fuchsia flowers are seen all over West Cork, in a good year some of the hedgerows are coloured red with them, lovely.  They flower from May onwards, and might still be in flower in November.  I have them only at the back of the garden, in the hedge.

The big bright yellow flower was going to be a lovely round pumpkin, only last summer all my pumpkins rotted, so while the promise was there in the flower, it did not come to fruition.   The blackberry flowers are frilly and white, they also just form part of the hedge and I let them grow mainly for the bees and butterflies.  It is great to see all the insects and butterflies come and feed in the garden.

Finally after about three years my wall flowers have started to produce lots of dark rose velvety flowers, nice, and they give off a faint scent, it brings me memories of gardens and flowers in another period of my life, precious memories of flowers.

PUMPKIN
BLACKBERRY
FUCHSIA
HYDRANGIA
WALLFLOWER
NASTIRTIUM
SWEETPEA
CORIANDER
DOUBLE POPPI
OREGANO
BITTER GOURD
PETUNIA

A WATERY WINTER SUN

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The garden’s trees as seen through a rain drenched window today. And a watery sunshine illuminating the rain and storm clouds in the early evening sky.


The Rainy Day by Rabindranath Tagore

Sullen clouds are gathering fast over the black fringe of the
forest.
O child, do not go out!
The palm trees in a row by the lake are smiting their heads
against the dismal sky; the crows with their dragged wings are
silent on the tamarind branches, and the eastern bank of the river
is haunted by a deepening gloom.
Our cow is lowing loud, ties at the fence.
O child, wait here till I bring her into the stall.
Men have crowded into the flooded field to catch the fishes
as they escape from the overflowing ponds; the rain-water is
running in rills through the narrow lanes like a laughing boy who
has run away from his mother to tease her.
Listen, someone is shouting for the boatman at the ford.
O child, the daylight is dim, and the crossing at the ferry
is closed.
The sky seems to ride fast upon the madly rushing rain; the
water in the river is loud and impatient; women have hastened home
early from the Ganges with their filled pitchers.
The evening lamps must be made ready.
O child, do not go out!
The road to the market is desolate, the lane to the river is
slippery. The wind is roaring and struggling among the bamboo
branches like a wild beast tangled in a net.

YEAR 2015 ENDING

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“It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.”
― Paulo Coelho, The Zahir

End of year 2015 in nature
End of year 2015 in nature

But in the ending of one year is the beginning of another, and I’m spending these last days of 2015 to reflect over the last few months, and to make goals for 2016, it’s exciting, and it’s wonderful. Saying goodbye to some things that I’m leaving behind and looking forward to plans for the months ahead.

2016 is hopefully going to be a year of friends for me, making time for my friends, meeting over coffee, making a point of giving them a ring.
And it’s going to be a year of yoga, back into my yoga practice on a daily basis, and enjoying. It’s also going to be a year of more walks. Because during 2015 I got my life back, the condition that I was diagnosed with three years ago and that robbed me of so much energy I’m now able to manage and has quietened down so much, yes I’ve got my life back and I’m so thankful for that.

And I’m looking forward to a lot of blogging, and reading lots of interesting blogs of all of you, and so much more.

So much to be thankful for.

A SCATTERING OF MEMORIES

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At mid winter time

a fresh new cone on our little Korean fir tree

a snowy landscape during one of the colder winters some years ago

a star coming straight from India

dear friends all over the world

the library where I worked

our once delightful cat ‘Goldberg’ licking the cream, a special  treat

our bird table under snow

and candles in the fireplace.

Great memories, lots of people in there too, times spent with my family, in India with the children of the orphanage, with friends, always wishing for a more peaceful world.  Enjoying walks in nature, exchanging gifts, listening to beautiful music, and just generally having a wonderful time.  Mid-winter is a magical time, it’s lovely when it comes around.

So I would like to wish all my dear friends, followers, and everyone, Peace, Joy, and happiness at this time and always.

Blessings all year round.

CHRISTMAS GREENERY

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I went picking some greenery to make a wreath and flower piece this afternoon, close by there is a boreen ( Irish word for a little pathway with lots of greenery), and during the year I saw lots of ivy growing there, some of which won’t be damaged by a little pruning, so I set out to cut some and bring it in for decoration. There was ivy with lots of the most beautiful berries, some quite dark and bright green. There was also quite a bit of gorse in flower, these bright yellow flowers are usually open end of January but already they are fully in bloom. Then I spotted some of the last Hawthorn berries, the birds have so much food in this mild winter that there are many berries left for them. The beautiful red berries stand out lovely against the dark green of the foliage. At home I raided some of our cotoneaster hedge very profuse with fruits this year, and I picked some ivy and holly from along the hedges.

I know that I am too late to make an advent wreath which is what I normally would do but that is for the four Sundays before Christmas, so I will just make a wreath for the front door, and a piece for the dining room table. Candles and greenery do make it for me around this time of the year, and pine cones!

Tomorrow is mid-winter and the days will start to lengthen, this winter more than most has been very dark, we will all welcome the light again.

CHRISTMAS GREENERY

THE HOMELESS WOMAN

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I dream of a world where old and homeless people are cherished and cared for by all those around them, and where those elderly people give of their wisdom to the younger generation, nourishing them too.
I am sure that humankind is capable of this without exception.

Then we won’t have to see these sad and homeless elderly walking the city’s streets, begging.

This, the woman with the sad face, she was not getting a good response to her begging – I wondered what her story was? How she ended up homeless, she could barely walk or stand on her legs. A taxi driver told me those begging in the street are the homeless. Suffering a sad and lonely existence.

I wish her warmth and sustenance over the cold winter nights, and all like her.

SOLID AND INTERESTING

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While being driven through the late night lit up streets of the city the above thoughts went through my mind, the buildings solid and heavy, the serious looking people, the streets wide and straight, it all gave the impression of things being grounded.  Solid.
I loved it straight away and my extended walk around the old town of Pest did not disappoint the next day. I immediately noticed that even though the buildings appeared ‘heavy’ they were far from it. A variety of architectural styles;  neo-classical, neo-renaissance, neo-baroque, and  art nouveau.  Many beautiful buildings to be seen. I visited the St. Stefan Basilica first, all around it there were Christmas market stalls, the ambience was very pleasant. The basilica was impressive, the lightning gave just the right feel for the beautiful arches, capitals, the cupola, and other features, I took quite a few photos. When leaving, as I walked down the steps the bells rang out over the town, a sound that I truly love and enjoyed.
I wandered around part of the old town, looking up more than down and was amazed and delighted to see the ornate windows everywhere, again I tried to document some of these features as I’m quite fascinated by them.
This was only a three day visit to Budapest, we did not get to see the other part of the city which is called Buda and is across the river Danube. But we will return in May next year, looking forward to see and find out more.

As for the people, lovely and very polite, but more about that in another blog.  And plenty more photos too.  I’ve sure come away with nice memories.