April Begins with Sunshine

 

I hope you all had an enjoyable Easter. I love the celebration of the Resurrection, full of hope and joy. 

We had a crowd over for dinner on Easter Sunday - 14 of us. The weather cooperated beautifully for an egg hunt before sitting down to the table. For the preceding weeks I saved all the egg shells I used, cracking just the tops and gently prying a minimum of shell loose - just enough that the egg could drop out. I rinsed the shells and then hot glued them together in a circle and filled each shell with water and a tiny posy. It's an idea I saw online. Simple and fun. 

"Spring is singing in my blood today, and the lure of April is 

abroad on the air. I'm seeing visions and dreaming dreams,...That's 

because the wind is from the west. I do love the west wind. It sings 

of hope and gladness..."

L. M. Montgomery

Fawn Lilies (erythronium) are blooming like stars in the woods. I've been taking more walks without my camera, but I was determined to capture these short-lived beauties, and off I set, my camera dangling by its strap. 

I must crouch low to the ground to capture the showy side of the lilies, for they are shy things. Do the insects crawling around underneath the lilies ever look up to see the intricate beauty above them? 

In the same patch of woods where the fawn lilies bloom, an old apple tree is just beginning to produce blossoms, and several unknown prunus trees are bright with creamy-petalled flowers filled with gold-tipped stamens. I stood under the tree looking up into the blue sky. A trio of Chestnut-Backed Chickadees flitted among the branches, not bothered by me at all. They were busy chattering to themselves, perhaps remarking on the warm afternoon, and where to find the best nest-building materials. 

I coloured eggs late last week, put them into a carton in the fridge, and promptly forgot about them. No pretty display this year. Yesterday I peeled some of them, halved them, and placed them on leftover roasted asparagus.

A warm Bechamel sauce and grated Gouda cheese covered the eggs nicely before sliding the dish into the oven. A perfect simple supper for the two of us, along with salad, and buttered carrots. 

I had my hair cut today and am so happy with my new hairdresser. She listens to my inadequate explanation of what I want and then creates something lovely. My hair feels bouncy and alive. Isn't it amazing how our hair can influence the way we feel about ourselves and our day? 

"Spring has a special effect on us in the valley. The whole 

beautiful world invites us out, and we have an urge to wander. The gentle, rolling hills, the clear, winding brooks, the bright, rushing streams: all are filled with the rhythm of life and we 

move with it too."

Gladys Taber, Stillmeadow Calendar

As Spring comes into her own in April, I wish you days of sunshine and increasing warmth, gentle rainfall, and not too much wind. That's what I'm wishing for myself, too. 

On a Quiet April Morning

I'm thinking about Easter and the preparations for the weekend. Heart and home. Yesterday, after school, my eldest granddaughter and I made some bags of Muddy Buddies as treats for our Easter celebration. We enjoyed chatting and playing together, and she stayed for dinner with us. Now 8, she is growing up so quickly and I cherish the time I have with her, and with each of my other grandchildren. 

The quiet of this morning is more to do with the soft and steady drizzle of rain and the gray skies than with what's going on in my head. There things are flying around with wild abandon as I make lists and flit from one item on my to-do list to another. Just now, as I sit in my chair and watch the rain fall and listen to the quiet of the house my mind calms. It would be a good day for curling up with a book, or some stitching, and a cup of tea. That will have to wait. 

The fawn lilies are now in bloom in the woods, mostly white, floating like stars just above the mossy ground. I spied a clump of pink fawn lilies in the rain. Erythronium revolutum. I believe I prefer the white ones. These lilies are native to the west coast of North America. There's always a little leap of internal joy when I see them emerge from their flat, spotted, close to the ground leaves. 

Last weekend's Lemon Tart. This is a close version of the recipe I used, from Laura Calder. It's not too sweet with a decided lemon flavour and just enough pucker to satisfy. I made a press-in shortbread crust, baked blind, that worked well. 

Last night, after I took Adria home, the evening light beckoned me to the garden. I cut lemon balm - it's a bit invasive, but I let it stay because it can fill in gaps nicely in the garden, and transplants well. Maybe too well. On my walk the other evening I picked the first sprig of lilac. Lilacs will be the next flower to rush into spring. 

It seems to me that spring is full of hurry. The flowers tumble over themselves, all in a commotion to bloom. Snowdrops barely fade before crocus and daffodil and muscari and hyacinth rush upon the scene, closely followed by tulips and anemones. Now the cornflowers are forming blooms, and tight rose buds will emerge. It's unstoppable. Hooray for relentless spring. 
I feel like I can't keep up. I'd like to enjoy each one longer, if I could, but no, we move on to the next beautiful thing. The bustle can be exhausting! 

A bunch of spray roses came home with me from grocery shopping yesterday. I thought they were pinker than they are, but the soft blush is still very pretty. I lit a candle this morning, thanks to the rain. 

We'll be celebrating our Easter dinner as a family on Saturday evening this year. That's what works best for in-laws. It's always good to be flexible even if it means tradition sometimes needs to be tweaked a little. Dinner will include a baked ham with TWO sauces - raisin sauce and sweet mustard sauce - because it's TRADITION. Scalloped potatoes, probably some broccoli, bright carrots, and a fresh green salad. Dessert is still not decided. I'm debating between chocolate mousse and an orange chiffon cake. When I put the question to Adria yesterday, she said, "why not both?" Smart girl, that one. 

Thanks for reading this rather rambling post. I wish you all a most joyous Easter as we remember the sacrifice of Christ, and the triumph of the Resurrection. 

Every Year is More Beautiful

Spring has shown her sweet side in the past two days. Sun mixed with cloud, no wind to speak of, and gentle warmth that pours like honey onto my head.

We walk, late afternoon or early evening, through house-lined streets where tulips and daffodils nod their pretty heads and airy riots of pink cover bare branches. 

Along the path through the woods creamy fawn lilies (Erythronium) shine like stars. Only by crouching low do we see the details of stamens and pistils. She's a shy flower that charms and entices the passerby to take a closer look. 

Miner's Lettuce (Montia Perfoliata) grows in these woods, too. An edible plant, its crunchy sweet leaves and stems make a fine salad. I pick just one round leaf from a plant growing on a steep bank, tucked into a tree stump where I know a dog wouldn't have graced with his presence. 

We stop to admire the magnificence of a magnolia tree in bloom for a few moments. 

"Everything is blooming most recklessly, if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of night," wrote Rainer Maria Rilke. Rather than shrieking, I rather think it would be music, a harmony of richness, tentative at first, then swelling into fullness. 

Returning home, I notice the rhododendron in the front garden that bloomed not at all last year is getting ready to put on a show.

How quickly the days and weeks and months pass. Term three is ended; one more to go. I love my job and interacting with students, but I'm pulled homewards, too. When I arrive home there's never enough time or energy to do the things I'd like to do. I know it's a matter of adjusting expectations, but I want it all.

John Burroughs wrote "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see." I'd like to teach for two more years and then retire. Again. 

In my garden the blueberries are forming flowers, each one, if pollinated, and watered, will grow into a round fat berry that will roll into my bucket with a little tug of my fingers.

A little patch, very small, of violets has seeded itself under a rosebush. I hope it spreads a little more each year. 

I feel a little blue just now, for no reason in particular. I've been thinking about people I love who are hurting, and of the uncertainty of life. I find some comfort in Tolkien's words, 

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater." 

Rosemary in bloom in the late afternoon sunshine. 

I've always found the book of Psalms comforting. David wrote so honestly about his feelings. He whined, complained, grouched, despaired, and then turned towards his God. "All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you" he writes. How comforting to be known.  

What a rambling post this has turned out to be. It's like a rather aimless walk. I'll close here with a question for you. When blue days come, what do you do? 

How Digital are You?

I read about people checking their weather app for the temperature. Really? What's wrong with an old-fashioned thermometer? We have one mounted outside the kitchen window, and it gets checked throughout the day. 



How do I know if I've had a good night's sleep? I feel energized, ready to greet the day. And these days, the mirror tells me if I'm rested or not, and it does.not.lie. Ever. 

E-reader or paper? I'm all for paper, as the overflowing bookshelves in our house might tell you. On a long trip (such as last summer's) I read on my tablet/computer. It was okay, but let me turn paper pages when I can.

Recipes? I'm ambivalent. The tried and true ones in my books and recipe box are often referred to, however, if I'm browsing for something different, I'll use my computer as often as a cookbook or magazine. 

Phone numbers? I confess that whereas I used to know a lot of numbers by memory, I now know about three. That bothers me occasionally.

Library books? I love using the on-line catalogue to search for books, place a hold, and then go and pick them up. 

Photography? I'm all for digital. I never worry about how much film I might be wasting with lousy photos. Editing is fun. Aren't these fawn lilies, seen during a weekend walk in the woods, ever so pretty? I'll enjoy nature in its natural state rather than watch a program on television. 

How digital am I? No idea, but probably somewhere between a complete Luddite and a techno-geek. How about you?

Blooms in the Forest

Rain dripped in the early morning. By the time I got up, it had stopped. I met a friend at the base of Mt. Doug and together we walked along the trail at the bottom of this urban park, then climbed up to the top. The view was grey. 

On the forest floor, however, the colours are intense. A fawn lily looks shyly downwards as droplets bead on her petals.

I recently purchased Adobe Photoshop Elements. The learning curve is steep. Very steep. There is a lot of online support and it will take me some time to figure out enough to feel comfortable.

Miner's Lettuce (claytonia perfoliata) is an edible green that is found throughout Vancouver Island. It's crisp and juicy, and if you can find it growing outside of a park, it makes a crunchy addition to a green salad. As you might guess from its common name, it was eaten by gold miners during the Gold Rush to prevent scurvy. 

I was surprised to see the Henderson Shooting Stars in bloom already. It's an early spring, again. 

Tomorrow is Good Friday and Easter weekend is upon us. Tuesday I'll be back at school. These two weeks have gone by in a flash - not everything on my list was accomplished - but there were hikes and family times and those are most important.

There will be remembrance on Good Friday and many preparations on Saturday - Paska buns to bake, an Easter egg hunt to organize, a guest room to prepare, and dinner to concoct.

We'll be having:

Baked Ham

Raisin Sauce AND Sweet Mustard Sauce

Scalloped Potatoes

Grated Carrot Salad

Roasted Asparagus

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Black Forest Torte

There are two sauces because, after all, it's TRADITION. What's on your menu for the weekend?

I wish all of my readers the joy and hope of Easter.