Early morning sunshine fled before a host of grey clouds.
No rain, but a chilly day.
A fire on the living room hearth has been welcome.
I've felt badly over the fate of the peonies, battered with rain just as they began to open.
J. had tied them up, otherwise they would surely be dashed flat to the ground.
I cut a large bunch of them and they sit in the splendor of the jade green McCoy vase--which is greener than the photo shows.
Bits and pieces of family belongings are here and there--things which G. and M. have brought in, papers and such which J. and I have strewed.
Thus, not to detract from the beauty of the flowers I used my camera's "macro" setting which enhanced the blooms, erased the background clutter, but left the flowers "floating" against a dark background.
Nan in a comment on a recent peony photo asked if I knew the poem Weeds and Peonies
by New Hampshire poet, Donald Hall.
I have several of his books and a collection of his late wife's poetry.
The Peony poem, written after the death of his wife, Jane Kenyon, is one I hadn't read.
You can read it at the link below.
The white peony which he describes is the one familiar to New England gardens, creamy white with a red tinge at its heart.
Strawberry production continues through the cooler weather.
J. picked these today.
We all ate our fill, then I prepared 5 qts for the freezer.
Grandson D. asked if I could make "strawberry jelly."
I told him I could manage jam or preserves--he replied, "JELLY!"
I can't imagine stewing the berries and then mashing them just for the juice.
The debate ended when we all needed to go out on errands.
I may put up some preserves as the strawberry season winds down.
thanks for taking the trouble to look at the blog.
ReplyDeleteAs for drafting etc, I am a do it as it comes type of person, I make the block and then just add as I feel appropriate. Sometimes the block stands on the shelf for ages before I add the next bit, I need to keep looking at it pondering, if you know what I mean.
I don't know how I do it, I often look at things I have made in the past and think to myself 'How did I do that'
I am thinking of putting some of my earlier work on for just that reason.
Love the peonies by the wasy,such beautiful flowers, isn't it a shame that they don't last long.
Briony
x
I'm envious of your strawberries, we can barely grow them and before the few that do grow are ripe something eats them.
ReplyDeleteI put some runner-plant strawberries in tubs this March, but fruit doesn't look to be great so a handful each it will have to be. I am SO envious of your hoard!
ReplyDeleteMy Paenies STILL aren't out, though they do have buds now.
Your flowers look amazing! I love the peonies, they are my favorite. What a crop of strawberries you have had. Yummy! I finally dug up my strawberry plants this year. Something always eats them before we can. I planted 3 blueberry bushes last year and they have leaves on them! I hope I really get some blueberries. Remember the VT ones? How I long to sit in the blueberry patch with my girls like I did as a kid.
ReplyDelete~Shanon
We had some unexpectedly heavy rain showers this week and I noticed many flowers mashed. Officially we are now in our dry season, so the rain took us by surprise.
ReplyDelete