Friday, April 23, 2010

early lilacs & dogwood

It’s been amazing this spring to see how early everything is blooming. The Japanese dogwood, which would usually be in early bloom around now, is nearly finished—it’s been in bloom for nearly two weeks. I need to get a good shot of them before they’re gone.

The lilac bush. Oh my! It’s normally supposed to bloom around Mothers Day around here, but our lilac bush is in full bloom right now—it bloomed around April 18. The bush is pretty far from the porch, which is where the office is, but with the window open I can smell them, it’s like smelling hope and joy and warm memories and sadness. More than anything else, the smell of lilacs make me think of my mother and my early childhood spending time in Wyandotte at my grandfather’s house and in Detroit with my dad’s parents, with the huge, old lilac shrubs everywhere. A time like no other.

This is only the second time our lilac bush has bloomed—they take about five years to get established and it bloomed at about two years old in 2008, then not last year. This year, it’s magnificent, especially for such a young plant. I was so excited when Stanley told me they were in bloom—I can’t see them from the house. We planted another tiny lilac in the middle of the yard two years ago and hopefully that one will survive and will be one we can see from inside the house.

lilac in bloom, April 20, 2010
We planted this lilac bush about four or five years ago. (click to enlarge)

closeup of lilac in bloom April 20, 2010
Here is a closeup, though the color is much richer than this—the petals are in the direct sun so everything is sunwashed. (click to enlarge)

Everything is so lush. The pollen count is through the roof and we’re feeling it for sure—I’m in a fog for a while and it takes a while to get my eyes open in the morning. But it’s such a pretty spring.

monsarda tulip and bleeding hearts
This is the only one of these tulips left—I need to plant more, but they’ve been hard to find. The bleeding hearts is early this year too. (click to enlarge)

Riley had her first birthday on April 21, and David’s is on May 1. Trying to decide just the right gifts for each of them. I don’t know just when we’ll get to Michigan for our spring visit yet, but I’m looking forward to it so I can see for myself how all the grands are doing.

James Fleming holding great granddaughter Riley Downey , April 20, 2010, at the Toledo Zoo
Here is Great Grand Papa Jim holding Riley on their trip, with Jamie and Kristine, to the Toledo Zoo. They went to that zoo instead of the Detroit Zoo because Papa Jim had never been there. (click to enlarge)

posted by lee on 04/23/10 at 03:59 AM
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