Think Spring!

Well, here is a first! There's so much to say but I really don't want to say much.

I do feel, though, that I should apologize for being such a silent bloggy friend for the past couple of months. I've been in a cacoon!!! There is so much going on in me - in my brain and in my heart - and soooo many things that I'm learning - I have my finger in an awful lot of pies and all that - and, I think that it's getting rather crowded in here and I may just start poking my way out of the cryssalis any day, now. But, not quite yet, please! Just.... in the meantime... if you would... er... be patient and don't forget about me! heh. ;-) =]

There is one thing that I would like to share, though. (Besides dreams of my garden, last spring, I mean.)

Every spring, I find myself listening to chamber music and, last year, at about this time, I discovered a new (to me) composer - Joaquin Turina. He's sort of a cross between Debussy and Ravel and his music is completely engaging and deeply charming. Indeed, I secretly suspect that he's their long lost cousin! Here is a link to the CD with my best loved version by the Damocles trio that I've been listening to almost non-stop.  My favorite movement, at the moment, is the second movement of his quartet in a minor.

So, I've been in the cocoon with earbuds on and this is the music that I've been so happily steeped in as I've been creating these images!

...and, then, there's my garden.... =]

 

Happy spring dreams to you all!

xo

P.S.

I you do like Ravel and are interested in a charismatic performance....

Joaquin Turina Piano Quartet in a minor op. 67, 2nd mvmnt.

;-)

Sharing a Meal

I am always filled with admiration for those of you who, not only have wonderful adventures, but have the time after it all to blog about it. At the moment, I'm caught in an avalanche of exciting things that I want to share and it's those very things making me too busy to have the moment to settle down to put the posts together. Life is just too ridiculously good! Anyway, my parents were out for three weeks and we had adventures galore. Then, the moment they left, it was out to tend the garden..... and, well, I've hardly come indoors, since. I can't wait to share about the beautiful orchid that I bought myself as an early birthday present and the air plant (it's the most curious thing). There have been dinner parties - museums and art centers - roses blooming - visits to the nurseries for plants - inspiration - Oh, just lots of shtuff going on!

Well, today, finally, I wanted to share what happened on Mother's day (yes, three weeks ago...)

My darling sister and I have figured out a beautiful thing! She cooks the gourmet meal and I set the table and clean the house. It's very fun entertaining but with half the work. Clever, eh? =D

There she is.....

On the menu was:

~ amuse bouche: herbed goat cheese in a rosemary, cracker crumb crust and fig jam.

~ spring greens with a lemon and honey vinaigrette with grilled salmon, orange slices and almond slivers that were roasted in a truffle oil and seasoned with chipotle.

~ crepes filled with sauteed spinach and mushrooms with a mornay sauce.

~ we cleansed our palates with lemon sorbet.

~ Rib eye (that had been cooked the French way ;-) - wrapped in bacon) with a Madeira reduction with glazed carrots (heaven!!!) and whipped potato.

and for dessert....

~ tranchetto

I had had the idea to use lots of crystal and glass on the table with some soft and simple flowers and, well, ..... I kind of got carried away. We dined in a sparkling forest of crystal. It shimmered in the afternoon sun and came alive with the candlelight, as dusk fell.

Then, on my parents last evening here, we were discussing having fish with an herb butter for their last meal, when my sister remembered.... she forgot the tarragon and parsley butter on the meat - gasp and drat!!!  It was a quietly muted and rainy evening - we lit the candles again - half of us had fish and the other half, rib eye, again. Two wonderfully wonderful and leisurely dinners that included lots of laughter and extremely pleasant conversation.

It's a wonderful thing to share a meal together!

xo

Irises and potato guns

 Lliam - 3:50:59  Showing mom the potato gun that he'd spent the afternoon making with dad and partner for science project on trajectory. (Who IS that 'Rambo' of a kid? I don't even recognize him.)

Click!

 

Lliam - 3:51:15 (16 seconds later)   After discovery that fumes from the not quite dried, yet, glue can make said potato gun go off like a cannon. (Notice absence of little brother and chicken who split when they heard the kaboom.)

If I were a real photo journalist, I would have caught the mayhem in between but, alas, I'm simply a laughing mother.....

Yup, I know that kid, after all!

Then, I went back to contemplating the huge swath of much anticipated blue iris that are, finally, blooming in this second year of my replanted-garden-that-was-moved-from-the-parsonage. They didn't do much, last year, but grow and spread.

...and, it turns out.... they're yellow.

but, some of them are blue...

 

(Please excuse the mess, I've weeded but can't find the rake or the broom.)

Anyway!

I bought some yellow irises ten years ago but I thought they were extinct....

Yes! I definitely recognize this family, now.

I wonder if that black iris that I thought had dwindled out is around here, somewhere....

note: Tom has found the rake! I repeat! Tom has found the rake! He said that we just needed to think like a young teen boy. He said that I need to ask the question, "if I was a young teen boy using a rake, what would I do with it when I was done with it?" His answer: I would fling it and leave it. Last job was spring lawn clean up with the little tractor and trailer. It got flung in the trailer and, then, when they needed the trailer for something else, they flung it out on the far side of the shed where the tractor gets parked and, then, they completely forgot it ever even existed! (Hence, the very genuine blank looks when I asked if they knew where any of the rakes were. "Rake? What rake? We have a rake? What's a rake?")

Out like an.....ummm.....a lion.....er.....still!

Alrighty, firstly, if you please, click on this and, at the end, you can tell me if this doesn't sound just like spring bird song? =]

(It goes with the post....=])

 

While many of you are posting about your brightly colorful spring gardens, here in Vermont, we're only just enjoying the blustery beginnings of spring. A sudden burst of summery weather in March absolutely annihilated the snow and sprung us into the growing season quite suddenly. Indeed, in March, while everyone was reminding each other that, "ayuh! For sure we could still get three feet of snow in April," we were, in fact, enjoying green grass, growing gardens and eighty-plus degree weather.  (That's twenty seven-plus for you Celsius people.) In short, summer!

It's been absolutely wonderful!

However, as March left us, so did the hot weather, but there's not been an April Shower to be had, this month! Instead, for weeks, now, it's been absolutely blustering wind! It's green and beginning, though, with lovely cool temperatures.

I love Spring! So light and bright! Such a time of new beginning, indeed! I never quite understood it when I lived in ever-sunny California. It's such an indescribable joy after the cold and dark winter. No wonder there's so much poetry written about it - honestly!

With the still slightly chilly and brisk weather, we've been outside soaking in the sun and, then, running back inside to warm up our toes, stiff fingers and nipped noses. I've been having incredible fun cooking seasonal and warming foods and playing at being a food photographer (but that's a story for another post. ;-)) All the while, I've been listening to sparkling, intimate chamber music - especially Mozart - and we've simply been enjoying day after quiet day of clear blue skies and something new and delicately growing, every time we look. All the while, that wind puffs and pushes and blows and blusters and howls around us - roaring like a lion down the hill.

Remember? This is just the end of February....

Then, the beginning of March and considering cleaning up the garden detritus.... (isn't it pretty, still, though? =])

Then, what a surprise! I completely don't remember planting crocus!

Two constant gardening friends... very curious!

 

and, this CD contains two of the most achingly, gorgeously, exquisitely played chords ever expressed! Thank you, Mr. Barenboim forever and ever for giving them to us!!!

In the meantime, I just know that the gentle lamb of spring is right around the corner, somewhere, here! But, there's no rush! We love you spring - stay and rest awhile!