April in the Garden

It is a warm and sunny morning.  Blue skies, - the sound of sandhill cranes flying through the valley, skirting the friendly clouds,

I am out early, with no other commitments than to feel the warm earth on my hands, and a half a dozen amaryllis that need a summer home.

I find a lovely big pot, loosen the soil, add a handful of promising fertilizing pellets and top it up with some beautiful black crumbly composted earth; into which I scoop out little bowls and lay the bulbs and their long trailing roots, patting them tenderly and wishing them a nice summer in whatever weather might come and nurture them.

Yesterday I made myself a nice cheese sandwich, and took a cup of coffee and a bowl of yogurt out for lunch on the lawn, but today I had a Philharmonic concert from Berlin to watch and listen to at eleven o'clock.  Gorgeous Shumann, a marvelous Mozart and then some rousing Strauss.

So after tending to the amaryllis I made a tour of my little garden spot, - marveling at how quickly things are growing and coming into bud and blossom, and here are some of the things that Callie and I found growing.

Mostly tulips and aconites in bloom right now, but the early peonies have pink buds

and the poppies and delphinium  are reaching skywards.

And some people have early lilacs blooming, filling their yards with

heavenly scent.  Mine are on the verge.....

There is a great plethora of that particular kind of violet

that doesn't bloom, but seeds itself in every available bit of space,

crowding around the feet of all the perennials.  It seems to

have taken the place of the Great Chinese Lantern Railway

(which is present, but in decent bounds)

and I spend a lot of time pulling it out by its shallow roots

and filling the compost bins.

The hills are greening nicely, and I noticed coming home from Penticton the

other day that the Black Eyed Susans are beginning

to decorate the hillsides.

I am taking the trip across the Pass on Sunday, to a birthday party,

and will have a fine opportunity to take pictures

as a dear DIL is driving.

Oh, - and did I tell you I heard a Meadowlark singing across the way,

towards the creek!!!!

And here is the 'new-bed-last-year' where I am going to plant lilies and freesia tomorrow!