Tulip time!

I just love them. No other words necessary!

 

A belated anniversary moodling

Next spring's bulbs (178 of them)

When the leaves change and we reach Autumn Equinox, these Simple Moodlings close another year. Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking to start my online moodling (love letters to the world) at harvest time, when there's so much to do in the garden before that first frost, which seems to be arriving late this year thanks (but no thanks) to climate change. It's definitely not the best time to be marking a moodle-versary, with produce to process, spring bulbs to plant, and a garden to put to bed.

But at the same time, it's a season for slowing down and taking stock. The colours change, the days get shorter, and my spirit starts to relax into a deeper awareness of light and darkness, warmth and coolness, and the gift of time in general. As I watch the squirrels tucking our oak tree's acorns away for the winter, I am tucking away summer memories, and relishing the good muscle aches from spreading compost and collecting leaves to make next year's good black humus.

Life is a never ending cycle, and seeing the leaves fall in this covid season brings to mind the many losses and changes created by this pandemic. I think of all those we have lost to the virus, people who are slowly recovering from its effects, our medical people who are struggling to move forward as our healthcare system is being overwhelmed, and I wonder, at times, how our world will continue to function. Some days it's hard to imagine. But we keep on going.

On this feast of St. Francis, at this time when so many are so seriously ill with covid and there are still so many on our planet to be protected from it -- especially those with no access to vaccines, and children under 12 -- I ask the little saint of simplicity to pray for us, that we all do the right thing, not only for ourselves, but for our world as a whole. As I move into this 12th year of online moodling, I wish all my readers safe journeys through the darker months ahead.

May we all have the resilience of the bulbs I've buried deep in my front yard, and emerge into next spring's sunshine after a period of protecting the vulnerable through our patience, perseverance... and peace.

Spring beauty

It's been two weeks since my last visit to Butchart Gardens with my best friend, and I was always going to post these pictures, but I've been MIG (missing in garden) since I got home. Two weeks ago, not much was happening in my own yard, but now my tulips are in full bloom, as you can see on the picture at the top of Simple Moodlings right now. Of course, I don't have the incredibly interesting varieties found in Butchart, and in Edmonton, we can't grow the kinds of rhododendrons you find in BC, so I'll post a few pictures from Butchart for you to enjoy, and enjoy the blossoms on my own pear tree in the meantime...

Good tired

It's been a week of hard work to put in the garden and get the yard in shape. At the end of every day, I drag myself into the house to put myself to bed. But my Tai chi through the winter has paid off in that I have yet to be stiff from all the digging, hauling and planting... just my feet are tired!

Here's what's been happening in our yard...

The tulips I dreamed of all winter did not disappoint...

The Emily Carr rosebush that Lee gave me 

for my birthday started to bloom...

My generous guy also built and installed two raised bed boxes

(for the pumpkins and zucchinis that need more space 

than our back garden has to offer) and he also 

moved two yards of compost around...

Jay's Mother's Day present found a home among the flowers...

The vegetable garden was planted 

and staked, ready for tall stuff like 

scarlet runner beans and snow peas.

I just need to spread fresh straw for 

pathways and strawberries...

And there's been garden salad every night...

It feels good to know that everything is finally planted, our greenhouse is empty and shut down until September, and we're just waiting for sun, rain and the growth of good things. I love this season of great potential and God's beauty ever ancient and new. To all my fellow gardeners, blessings on your efforts!

Tulip time!

Finally! The tulips have stopped shivering and are opening their petals to the sun. And I'm loving every minute of it. So are my girls, who took some gorgeous pictures this weekend... So I'll start with a few tulip shots from today, give a little garden report, and end with Suzanna's close-ups, which are so pretty!

Sunny friends... and a clematis showing signs of life...

I don't remember planting these two...

The sitting stone gives a view of several varieties
(this near one is a blueberry sundae)

One of these years, my river of tulips will really look like one...

Candystripers, I think...

Elsewhere in the yard...

Tomatoes are hardening off...

Leaf lettuce is coming along...

All 50 of the new strawberry plants are doing fine in their eggshell covered beds
(to keep the slugs away)

The asparagus might amount to something someday...

And after a lot of work (thanks Mom!)
the raspberries and honeyberries will soon join the Saskatoon berries!

And best of all, the pear tree is in bloom, only a week later than usual...

I love spring, and all its potential!