Lily-of-the-Valley

Every year when May rolls around I check on my Lily of the Valley, another favorite, when it comes for a brief visit. These bell-shaped blooms are delicate and delightfully scented hidden and set off among their large dark-green protective leaves. When I was a little girl I remember the bottle of perfume "Lily-of-the-Valley" with its large gold nob, that my mother carefully kept in her top dresser drawer. She kept it in its beautiful box with a picture of the flower and its name embossed on it. This, especially in the 1940's, was such a treasure given to her by her Uncle Isaac.

The Bible also speaks about this flower when referring to Jesus:

"I am a rose of sharon,
a lily of the valleys." Song of Songs 2:1

The Fern

These two ferns are one and the same plant. Yes, you'd think I'd learned my lesson about not over fertilizing or putting delicate plants outdoors too soon after a winter indoors. Well both happened this spring and to my dismay the fern that was to grace my front bench is relegated to a lesser spot until it sports new growth. This will take some time but it will be lush and full once more when I take it in before the first frost after Thanksgiving. This fern is part of one that my mother had in her home. She always had a fern and I really want to keep this one too although it's rather messy inside and I can't wait to take it out again in early spring.

First Rose

How surprised I was late this afternoon while making my tour of the yard after two days of rain, I noticed a fully opened floribunda rose safely tucked in among the foliage of this enormous rose bush. Next to it a bud nestled among the verdant leaves, ready to open in a day or two. Inspite of so much rain the rose buds are opening. This floribunda, old as it is and having endured several moves, is now in a perfect spot-sheltered and warm against the south side of the house. As it has grown over the years, it is pushing its way onto the walkway and after a heavy summer rain has occasionally collapsed forward since I have only a rather flimsy trellis keeping some of the back branches in place. Watch for another picture of this rose bush in mid July when it will be loaded with blooms. The rose - what a beautiful name for a beautiful flower. Sometimes Jesus is referred to as "The Rose of Sharon" (Song of Songs 2:1)

While Al and I were travelling in the Holy Land three years ago, together with my sister and husband, we stopped in the beautiful Sharon Valley enroute to Galilee. As we noticed the lovely roses there, we immediately burst into song recalling the song we'd been taught in our church's girls choir many years ago:

"Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom within my heart.
Beauty of Thy truth and holiness impart;
That where'er I go, my life may shed abroad,
Fragrance of the knowledge, of the love of God.

Jesus, blessed Jesus,
Rose of Sharon, Rose of Sharon...
Bloom in radiance and in love within my heart!"




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Rhubarb Custard Pie

My one trusty rhubarb plant had grown tall with some very thick stalks. It was time - and so I made up my favorite pie dough recipe, rolled it out on a large cookie tray and proceeded to bring the rhubarb in from a far corner of the garden. Lush and fresh, I got eight cups of the crunchy tart fruit (Is it a fruit?)

This required adjusting my recipe and so I did. I used cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the custard, along with the egg yolks. This worked well and Al thanked me since I poured out some custard in a separate casserole dish for him to enjoy sans crust - since he is wheat and gluten intolerant, baked it and had so much pie that we shared it with neighbors and family. Very tasty.

Afternoon Sun-Better late than never!

After a day and a half of rain, and quite a bit of it, it was exciting to see the sun break through even if only for so briefly around 7 pm today. It always reminds me of what my mother used to say in low German, more to herself than to anyone else, about the sun making its late appearance: "Dann kjemt danoch tou gouda latzt de Sonn!"
I dashed out to the front deck to get a picture of the long shadows on the roadway. The sun didn't hang around long, a couple of minutes but it was glorious all the same. Of course there's always tomorrow when we are being promised sunshine.

Lilacs

Lilacs are among my favourite spring flowers. But then each flower in its own way is a favourite. I think it's the memories the fragrance of these impressive blooms conjure up in my mind that make them doubly beautiful.

The lilac bush is one that can endure the prairie cold through winter and it's in the prairies that these bushes first enthralled me. The fragrance is still intoxicating. These blooms are from Jenn's tree in her back yard - I don't have one in my garden! Oh these spring flowers are beautiful!

Spring Garden at our house. It's been a cold spring but the greenery is lush and the early blooms love it. No bedding plants out yet.

Here now is the rhodo I took late afternoon on Mother's Day.

Flowers for Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. We always associate Mother's Day with flowers, for one. I have lovely tulips on my dining room table from Jennifer for Mother's Day. I love flowers. They speak to me somehow, with all their gorgeous showy blooms of every color and shape. How much fun God must have had "dreaming up" these gorgeous creations. As I was observing how my huge red rhododendron was opening up I noticed the variegated red and almost a yellowy green burgeoning buds opening up into true-red blooms. Lovely!

The hibiscus which I've included here is not in my garden! I took that earlier this year on our visit to Mexico.

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers.