Thursday, May 27, 2010

Skywatch Friday

A variety of skies in the Similkameen this week....

On the 21at a brilliant rainbow with pots of gold at both ends!




Showers in the distant hills

Painterly early morning sky


A gentle sunrise


Moody, brooding skies that turned on the taps of heaven...




For more interesting sky pictures visit here at Skywatch Friday.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Morning in the Garden.

I am late waking, and when my eyes do open I quickly slip out of bed and meet Caspar at the bedroom door, - legs crossed!

I carry him down the stairs and he heaves a gentle sigh of relief...   I carry him up the stairs, put him on the couch and he curls around himself and begins to snore gently. I push the button on the coffee maker and decide not to go back to bed.

It is so quiet and still in the sweet morning air, - too early for birds, - the sun is hiding behind the eastern hills, every morning rising a little further north.  Miss Callie and I take coffee on the deck, camera at the ready as we contemplate the valley and the long shadows where the sun strikes the top of K mountain.

Eventually I wander down the garden path, looking with great satisfaction at the cleared and ordered space around the lilies, and the good start I have made at demolishing the ubiquitous mint bed.  When it is cleared of every small iota of white root I plan to plant a yellow rose in its place.

I note the first pink peony unfurling its sails along a veritable sea of bobbing buds.


There is only one lone poppy in bloom, but the iris have grown tall and stately and very, very beautiful.




The peony tree is past its best shelf date, but who can deny its slightly blowzy mature beauty.


The pretty pink climbing rose takes pride of place for now.


Along with the new blooms on the clematis.


I wander off into the pasture, keeping an eye out for the homing pigeon who first came to visit last week, and who I thought had left for home after a long day's rest.  However, he has not yet become oriented and stops in two or three times a day to nibble a little corn and have a drink of water.


Morning shadows across the green meadow, and the hawthorn tree is opening its pale pink blooms.


Callie has joined me, and we linger by the fence awhile where the meadow rue marks Miss Roo's grave, - she who could not settle here but yearned for the Lost garden and lost her life returning to it.  

I see how nice the new growth is on the evergreens we brought with us when we moved and think that perhaps this will be the year they 'release' and are no longer babies but grow straight and tall and true.



I look back at the house and feel blessed to be here...


under this painterly sky and with this lovely small garden to lose myself in, with dirt on my hands and the wonderful fragrance of the green things growing - to say nothing of the challenge of the sea holly and the violets and the Chinese lantern and the yarrow and the lamb's ears who all have this passionate wanderlust and love to move house each spring, putting down roots  and nudging their new neighbours to make room for themselves.

I see that the flax is gradually opening its heavenly blue eyes, with fresh bits of sky to decorate today's garden. 


The sun rose over the hill a while ago, and now it's time to go and start the day indoors.


I turn for a last look at the garden


those cool shadows on the hills which still wear their springtime greenery



and I really don't think, - I just feel the blessed presence of it all.
ABC Wednesday

The letter for this week is S

S is for Sonata

Here is Artur Rubinstein playing the 3rd movement of Beethoven's Opus 57 Appassionata Sonata, Allegro Non Troppo.

Enjoy this lovely interlude of passionate music......



For more interpretations of the letter S visit ABC Wednesday here, with thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt and her faithful helpers.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Day of Pentecost

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."  Acts


Today we celebrated Pentecost  with a spirit of joy, the wearing of red to represent the cloven tongues of fire, the awareness of the Spirit which permeates the world with love, balloons, the doves of peace, lovely music and a birthday cake for the Church (which, ironically, in these days is being so grievously assaulted by zealot atheists).


Among the hymns we sang was this beautiful and haunting music written by Daniel Iverson in 1926, both words and the tune, ' Living God'.



A small congregation (sigh) - big Rodeo weekend here in the Similkameen and a Cowboy Church under a big striped tent!

Pentecost is an important festival in the life of the Christian Church, but unlike Christmas and Easter it has not yet been secularized or even recognized.......and yet its message of the Spirit of love and peace and grace is so vital to the survival of our civilization, and even of our species.


Whitsun Day



by Christina Rossetti

'When the Day of Pentecost was fully come'

At sound as of rushing wind, and sight as of fire,
Lo flesh and blood made spirit and fiery flame,
Ambassadors in Christ's and the Father's Name,
To woo back a world's desire.

These men chose death for their life and shame for their boast,
For fear courage, for doubt intuition of faith,
Chose love that is strong as death and stronger than death
In the power of the Holy Ghost.