Poetry Thursday - Dandelion

bright pom-poms appear

yellow cheer on the green grass

sunshine reflected

~ dandelion haiku by Aisling

April 30, 2009

photo by Aisling, 4/30/2009

Wordless Wednesday - Catchin' Some Rays

painted turtle

photo by Aisling, April 24, 2009

to see other Wordless Wednesday Offerings, go here.

Sunday Stroll - Rain-kissed

I walked, with rain falling all around me, through sodden grass and down a slick garden trail. The daffodils which have opened in the last several days are ragged from wind and storm, and dripping with rain.

Each cupped leaf in the garden is like a chalice, saving precious water for thirstier days.

This season is running past so swiftly... Soon the daffodils will be fading and tulips will be the most colorful stars in my garden.

For now, the daffodils, and hyacinth, and two early miniature tulips are brilliant and sunny, despite the overcast skies.

1) blue-light clematis leaf buds in butterfly garden 2) daffodil in herb garden 3) atypical daffodil 4, 5, 6) alchemilla mollis and lupine leaves 7) daydream tulip buds 8) red impression tulip bud 9)miniature yellow and red tulip 10) a little corner of the butterfly garden 11) the south end of the trail in the butterfly garden



all photos by Aisling, April 26, 2009

Sunday Stroll

April Rain Song

Let the rain kiss you
Let the rain beat upon your head
with silver liquid drops
Let the rain sing you a lullaby
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk
The rain makes running pools in the gutter
The rain plays a little sleep song on our roof at night
And I love the rain.

~Langston Hughes

The rain has been playing little "sleep songs" on our roof day and night since late, late on Friday. The grass is so green now and the brown earth drenched. I can't wait to see how the garden reacts to all this sustenance, once the clouds roll past!

If you have time to stroll today, and if your weather permits, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

Look who's strolling:
Mibsy at Classical Calling
Ruth at Musings of an Everyday Woman
Cloudhands at Uncarved Block
Margaret at Periodic Pearls
Me, here at The Quiet Country House
Tabbie at Tabbie's Garden
Jena at Becker Farms

...

Sunday Stroll - Splash

For much of the day, I've listened to the splish of raindrops on the window glass, and looked out at the rain splashing down on the parched earth of the garden. Here are a few splashes of color... I know these April showers will bring more.

1)jetfire narcissus 2) hyacinth 3) alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle) 4) acquilegia (columbine) 5)just a few more daffodils

all photos by Aisling, April 19, 2009

Sunday Stroll - Renewal

In this season of renewal, I decided to strike out in a slightly different direction for a brisk walk in wind and sunshine. I walked through fields that will be tall and green a few months from now, downhill toward the glittering lake where snow lingers in the shadowed eastern edge.

Last year's leaves hung like streamers from pale branches and the April breeze urged them to dance.

I left the lake and walked along the edge of the woods, where snow still lingers and a tiny stream rushes past me heading down toward the lake.

These images are still very brown and gray, perhaps looking more like autumn than spring... but there is something fresh and awake in the air - something quintessentially spring - leading us up the trail toward more colorful days.

...

photos by Aisling, April 12, 2009

Sunday Stroll Invitation

I Go Among Trees and Sit Still

I go among trees and sit still.

All my stirring becomes quiet

Around me like circles on water.

My tasks lie in their places

Where I left them, asleep like cattle…

Then what I am afraid of comes.

I live for a while in its sight.

What I fear in it leaves it,

And the fear of it leaves me.

It sings, and I hear its song.

By Wendell Berry from Sabbaths,

1987, North Point Press

If you have time to stroll today, or just to sit among the trees, please post about about it on your blog and then come back here with a comment and a link to your post. You may use the Sunday Stroll button at the top of this post on your post or side bar if you would like. I will add participant names to this post so other strollers can walk through your garden too.

...

Look who's strolling:

Cloudhands at Uncarved Block

Margaret at Periodic Pearls

Ruth at Musings of an Everyday Woman

Tabbie at Tabbie's Garden

Me here at The Quiet Country House

...

Lingering...

I read this on my box of green tea this morning, "The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboo, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things." ~ Kakuzo Okakura.

This post offers glimpses of some of the beautiful foolishness that we have been lingering in over the past few days. Evanescence is everywhere in spring... In the bouyancy of a kite rising to the blue sky, catkins bursting on willow trees, sunlight sparkling on the water. Even Maude forgets her years and frisks about, bouyant and joyful on a ramble to the lake with Tanka and Haiku.

The afternoon glow brightens everything on a sunny April day, until the beautiful moment when the sun's warmth melts across the western sky.

Kite, Sparkling Lake, Maude - by Haiku
PussyWilllows, Crocus, Sunset - by Aisling
All photos, April 7 - 10, 2009


...

Sunday Stroll - Looking Closely

Above, are Tulips in my front garden bed. Several varieties of tulip are emerging. I see these little rosy-hued green leaves with their frost-bitten tips and I think in shades of red, purple, pink, white, orange, or yellow... depending on where the leaves are peeking through.

Below, the first delicate chives are shooting up. I tasted a tiny blade today... my first "harvest" of 2009. lol!
Aquilegia (columbines) and poppies have appeared .. just young leaves but they add color and texture to the garden in pale red and vibrant green.



Crocus buds remained closed, as the sun hid behind a heavy veil of clouds all day. The first purple crowns of grape hyacinth (muscari) are appearing along the butterfly garden trail. Daffodil buds are plumping up all over the garden, and that first iris blossom is tattered and faded, but hanging in there. It even survived our 10 inch snow fall last weekend.

The snow still lingers in some places, but temperatures in the upper thirties for the past few days have slowly but surely melted most of last week's snowfall away. There are tiny bubbling springs and little freshets in low places that are dry most of the year.

Inside the Quiet Country House, a few things are blooming. The Poinsettia from Christmas is still brightening up the dining room. There are now some tulips blooming on the kitchen counter which I bought myself in honor of my first child's birthday (someone ought to buy the Mom a gift on her child's birthday, right?) Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I hope a little beauty has brightened your day!

... all photos by Aisling, April 5, 2009

For the birds

Each time I look outside my windows I see birds in these days of early spring. I watch blue jays swoop around boldly as I wash dishes. Turkeys in the front yard distract me as I sit down to the computer to do school work. Normally cheery robins look a bit worried as they hop about on the cold ground, looking as if they weren't counting on there still being snow when they returned to the north. Here are a few images... none of them good, many of them taken through window screens. The focus on several is blurred by the frenzy of falling snow. The flower photos are from yesterday when it was cold but sunnier.

I'd love to stay on line and catch up on blog reading, but I have much to do! We have a birthday in the family this week; my oldest daughter will be 19! Today is our party; just a quiet gathering here at home. I need to finish cleaning, bake a cake, and then my nine year old son is going to make a lazagna for his sister's birthday dinner. Wherever you are, however you're filling your hours, I wish you joy!

all photos by Aisling, April 2 & 3, 2009