We buried our kitty's ashes along our garden path last weekend. I feel more tied to this small plot of land than I ever thought possible and my garden feels even more sacred now.
We usually get a day return from London to Ryde Pier for a paddle in the sea and a crab sandwich. This time my oldest school friend and I spent a night and 2 days roaming childhood haunts. The old churchyard where we could no longer see the smuggler’s gravestone with the ship on it. The ancient ‘lovers lane’ between the coast ant the golf course, with trickling springs and a pooh sticks bridge. In the evening we walked the causeway across the harbour to the dunes and the duver and up the secret path of fresh, green wild garlic to the pub on the green where it was Steak night’. Walked back and the next morning we woke up to all the pictures, one of which showed the Northern Lights over the pub on the green. No matter, the second day we visited my great grandparents’ garden and it was still magical.
We lay on our backs and watched the Aurora light up our dark skies as we were staying away in the country . Bats appeared and disappeared moths flitted as we lay in the silence seeing something I saw in Scotland as a child commonly but much more blushing in greens .🌿we saw the stars each eve and walked with skylarks singing and the brown field hares for company -visiting an ancient spring for a blessing of and to water venerated and held in this rare little well house leaving an offering of hawthorn |pink Campion | forget -me -nots & ferns on its weathered doorway 🌱🍃🌺
I made my husband go with me to find the Northern Lights, driving until we escaped the artificial lights of the city. They were faint here, and red, but once my eyes adjusted—wow! Especially the flickering. I can see why ancient people thought they were spirits. It affected me more than the eclipse did. I even felt like I was fluttering, flickering, and undulating inside for several days.
loved reading your little narrative, Lia! I had no idea of the lights and was stubbornly snuggled fast asleep.
This week has been grey skies but the wonderful lush green that gets right up your nose has me wishing my daily walk could go on forever! I've noticed one type of blossom fade while another one takes it's place in bloom, the first roses have burst out and I'm getting prepared to plant my courgettes out this weekend hopefully!
On Friday I went for a bike ride in the sun (my third since learning to cycle last year!!) and picked up some disposable BBQs, grilled burgers and drank aperol spritz in the park, then my friend said the aurora app was pinging and did we want to drive out to the beach when it got dark... and so we did! It was the most magical early summer evening. The sense of occasion of dozens of people standing in the dark staring at the sky was its own kind of magic, and the northern lights out on a spectacular show - the kind we might well never see again here. Like you Lia, I'm so glad somebody dragged me out!
Rose buds unfurling into heavy blooms. The time and care taken to prune and feed has been worth it for the simple delight and wonder of the natural beauty of the magical rose on my garage wall.
I was cross because I missed the lights, then the plans I had for a family weekend evaporated when everyone had other ideas and were out and about with their own things to do. So, I grabbed binoculars, and went for a walk in the woods and by the river on my own. And it was glorious. Loads of birds, bluebells, wild flowers and sunshine. I stopped and took my time, and came back with the grumpiness lifted.
slug patrol - they ate the first beans I planted out completely, and ravaged the courgettes, I tried gathering them up and rehoming them over the bridge, next came beer traps, water bottle protection for plants, they got underneath. So I've resorted to the organic slug pellets, sorry slugs. I'm happy to share with you but not for you to eat the lot.
the first blue of love in a mist flowers are appearing in the frothy greenness, I have a mass of them that seeded late last summer and overwintered despite frost and are ready to go.
Christmas cactus flowering abundantly, both of them!
Ah Lia what a gently amazing birthday week you’ve had and to be able to appreciate, express and share it so beautifully, thank you! And belated birthday greetings
Wow, that was some Australian adventure Lia! And that time with your son must have been magical. This week there have been lots of damsel flies appearing round the garden pond, the blackbirds have been particularly noticeable and new flowers opening every day.
I absolutely love this blog but feel I don't do it justice because of the weather interruptions in my everyday life. We have had an unusually warm spring that has kept us outside preparing for the summer ahead. In Alaska we have to try to be one step ahead of mother nature and at times tease her a bit so that we can fully maximize our growing season. But in doing so many times we can miss the true beauty that is going on around us. Thus is my little wonder story. Coming home from a walk my husband pointed out a mess of dried winter grasses that had blown into our entry alcove. He immediately stated that he was going to clean it up. So the next day he did just that and came into the house to proudly state that I needed to go out and see what he had accomplished. I obliged by going out to the front porch and noticed that indeed that grass was all gone but then for some reason and just by chance I looked up and there on the front door ledge and against the stain glass windows was a beautiful nest. I couldn't help myself but I yelled “You built a nest!” “Oh wow a beautiful nest!”, by which my husband dumbfounded said , “What?” When he came out and looked up there it was a beautiful Robin's nest. For me this was a moment of realization that we work so hard with our eyes down on the ground digging, clearing and just working so very hard no matter what the job is and we forget to look up and observe the true miracle that is happening above us and around us. Now we are totally enjoying this little robin family as they set on the nest preparing for new life. And yes we are not using our front door for now....
Seeing the northern lights on your birthday is the best, most special gift! You must feel very blessed from the experience…
We buried our kitty's ashes along our garden path last weekend. I feel more tied to this small plot of land than I ever thought possible and my garden feels even more sacred now.
We usually get a day return from London to Ryde Pier for a paddle in the sea and a crab sandwich. This time my oldest school friend and I spent a night and 2 days roaming childhood haunts. The old churchyard where we could no longer see the smuggler’s gravestone with the ship on it. The ancient ‘lovers lane’ between the coast ant the golf course, with trickling springs and a pooh sticks bridge. In the evening we walked the causeway across the harbour to the dunes and the duver and up the secret path of fresh, green wild garlic to the pub on the green where it was Steak night’. Walked back and the next morning we woke up to all the pictures, one of which showed the Northern Lights over the pub on the green. No matter, the second day we visited my great grandparents’ garden and it was still magical.
Ducklings on my friend's pond
We lay on our backs and watched the Aurora light up our dark skies as we were staying away in the country . Bats appeared and disappeared moths flitted as we lay in the silence seeing something I saw in Scotland as a child commonly but much more blushing in greens .🌿we saw the stars each eve and walked with skylarks singing and the brown field hares for company -visiting an ancient spring for a blessing of and to water venerated and held in this rare little well house leaving an offering of hawthorn |pink Campion | forget -me -nots & ferns on its weathered doorway 🌱🍃🌺
Lilac, and the first rose of the season.
The first roses in flower
mine too!
I made my husband go with me to find the Northern Lights, driving until we escaped the artificial lights of the city. They were faint here, and red, but once my eyes adjusted—wow! Especially the flickering. I can see why ancient people thought they were spirits. It affected me more than the eclipse did. I even felt like I was fluttering, flickering, and undulating inside for several days.
loved reading your little narrative, Lia! I had no idea of the lights and was stubbornly snuggled fast asleep.
This week has been grey skies but the wonderful lush green that gets right up your nose has me wishing my daily walk could go on forever! I've noticed one type of blossom fade while another one takes it's place in bloom, the first roses have burst out and I'm getting prepared to plant my courgettes out this weekend hopefully!
Mmmm that green up the nose!
On Friday I went for a bike ride in the sun (my third since learning to cycle last year!!) and picked up some disposable BBQs, grilled burgers and drank aperol spritz in the park, then my friend said the aurora app was pinging and did we want to drive out to the beach when it got dark... and so we did! It was the most magical early summer evening. The sense of occasion of dozens of people standing in the dark staring at the sky was its own kind of magic, and the northern lights out on a spectacular show - the kind we might well never see again here. Like you Lia, I'm so glad somebody dragged me out!
Rose buds unfurling into heavy blooms. The time and care taken to prune and feed has been worth it for the simple delight and wonder of the natural beauty of the magical rose on my garage wall.
I was cross because I missed the lights, then the plans I had for a family weekend evaporated when everyone had other ideas and were out and about with their own things to do. So, I grabbed binoculars, and went for a walk in the woods and by the river on my own. And it was glorious. Loads of birds, bluebells, wild flowers and sunshine. I stopped and took my time, and came back with the grumpiness lifted.
Ugh! I’ve had grumpiness too
slug patrol - they ate the first beans I planted out completely, and ravaged the courgettes, I tried gathering them up and rehoming them over the bridge, next came beer traps, water bottle protection for plants, they got underneath. So I've resorted to the organic slug pellets, sorry slugs. I'm happy to share with you but not for you to eat the lot.
the first blue of love in a mist flowers are appearing in the frothy greenness, I have a mass of them that seeded late last summer and overwintered despite frost and are ready to go.
Christmas cactus flowering abundantly, both of them!
Ah Lia what a gently amazing birthday week you’ve had and to be able to appreciate, express and share it so beautifully, thank you! And belated birthday greetings
Wow, that was some Australian adventure Lia! And that time with your son must have been magical. This week there have been lots of damsel flies appearing round the garden pond, the blackbirds have been particularly noticeable and new flowers opening every day.
I absolutely love this blog but feel I don't do it justice because of the weather interruptions in my everyday life. We have had an unusually warm spring that has kept us outside preparing for the summer ahead. In Alaska we have to try to be one step ahead of mother nature and at times tease her a bit so that we can fully maximize our growing season. But in doing so many times we can miss the true beauty that is going on around us. Thus is my little wonder story. Coming home from a walk my husband pointed out a mess of dried winter grasses that had blown into our entry alcove. He immediately stated that he was going to clean it up. So the next day he did just that and came into the house to proudly state that I needed to go out and see what he had accomplished. I obliged by going out to the front porch and noticed that indeed that grass was all gone but then for some reason and just by chance I looked up and there on the front door ledge and against the stain glass windows was a beautiful nest. I couldn't help myself but I yelled “You built a nest!” “Oh wow a beautiful nest!”, by which my husband dumbfounded said , “What?” When he came out and looked up there it was a beautiful Robin's nest. For me this was a moment of realization that we work so hard with our eyes down on the ground digging, clearing and just working so very hard no matter what the job is and we forget to look up and observe the true miracle that is happening above us and around us. Now we are totally enjoying this little robin family as they set on the nest preparing for new life. And yes we are not using our front door for now....
This is a beautiful story Nancy