Scented Spring

The dampness from the morning dew seeped through my felt clogs and socks to cool my toes as I wandered the grass carpets amongst the trees of Patterson Garden early this morning.  The beauty and stillness overtakes you and somehow drowns out the noise of cars just beyond the entrance.   The garden is a place where nature shelters you from the everyday, where robins freely dance and a hawk suns itself on a stump. 

There are many trees - large and small, young and old and in between - to catch your eye. But it was the blossoms which assaulted my senses - eyes glued to their beauty and smell absorbing their various and mingled scents. 

The apple blossoms are majestic in their abundance, the plum blossoms are now few, the mayday not yet profuse, the chokecherry beautiful in it's simplicity and, as has been their place for a hundred years now on prairies farms and village fences, the yellow honeysuckle to guard the entrance.  Meanwhile, in spite of it's youth, a small lilac blooms and adds to the mixture of scent and beauty.

As I left I joined the long queue of vehicles transporting us to our work places - but in my spirit was a pleasantness which I carried through the work day and later as I walked the halls of St Paul's hospital, wandered through a stuffy book store and as my husband insisted on a renovation scouting trip to the "north end" which ensnared us in rush hour traffic for an hour.  

I've downloaded my photos now and share the beauty of the blossoms, now, as I sit by an open window glancing often at the tops of the trees waving in the breeze and the clouds passing by - but still relishing in the scented spring and hoping it will continue on for some days to come.

The "May Long-Weekend" is here!

The May Long-Weekend:

The four days we 'long' for during the thaws and freezings of April.

Hoping that this weekend will bring sunshine and warm days which will linger for the next 4 months.

Hoping that our trips to the garden markets will not be in vain - that no late frost will touch our precious seedlings, cool our seed so they will not germinate,  and that  the already glorious blooms we have purchased in an effort to bring colour to our yards will continue to bloom all summer long.

Today started with a pleasant trip on our vespas to the farmer's market where we sat in the sun and had breakfast - coffee and muffin. Then we were off to purchase our usual supplies - bread, muffins,  tomatoes, and cucumbers. We meandered home stopping to sit by the river, then visiting the art supply shop to pick up a watercolour painting pad - very handy for sketches such as this one which I did before work one morning this week.  I love to sit by the river and I thought it might be good to sketch the Victoria or Traffic Bridge as they recently named it, before it is dismantled.

A rather rough sketch of the bridge and far shore while sitting above the walkways at river landing.

The rest of the day was spent in the garden raking, digging, planting and planning. Thankfully our niece came by to help with the last of the raking and Doug loaded it all up and took it to the city compost site.

Now, as I sit here a cool air is coming through the window, my face and lips still feel the effects of sun and wind, and I feel like it has been a day well spent. I did not need to plan, I did not need to 'think', I did not read or figure things out - quite simply, my mind rested and for that I was grateful.  Sometimes my mind says, "Enough!" and an unease settles in until I can find that place where silence reigns and where I find myself at home in nature.

"Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life" 
~ Rachel Carson

“To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.”

~ Simone Weil

Canada Geese in a flooded slough.

Where the prairie changes to the rolling parklands...just north of Turtleford

A Quote I read earlier this week and am including, just because it is one of the many quotes which say things which I 'think' but don't know how to 'say' and because it causes me to ponder and pondering, like relaxing in nature, is good for the soul.

“I think there is no suffering greater than what is caused by the doubts of those who want to believe. I know what torment this is, but I can only see it, in myself anyway, as the process by which faith is deepened. A faith that just accepts is a child's faith and all right for children, but eventually you have to grow religiously as every other way, though some never do.

What people don't realize is how much religion costs. They think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross. It is much harder to believe than not to believe. If you feel you can't believe, you must at least do this: keep an open mind. Keep it open toward faith, keep wanting it, keep asking for it, and leave the rest to God. ”

The Habit of Being: Letters of Flannery O'Connor, Flannery O'Connor