Tag Archives: Flowers

Isn’t That How Life Goes?

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The weatherman swore that rain would reach southern Ohio yesterday. Depending on who you listened to, it was an eighty to ninety percent probability. I drifted off to sleep Saturday night, excited at the prospects that rain would wash away the pollen, dust and fatigue that had settled in with the 100 plus heat index.

It was still dry when I woke up but it felt like rain. A stiff breeze bent tree limbs, rustling the leaves hard enough to make us think it was just minutes away. And then the breeze moved on, the promise of rain passed, leaving us feeling teased and cheated by Mother Nature. 

I waited all day, reading social media accounts of rain in areas all around. Friends sat on their porches and watched a downpour while others sent their kids out to play in a light shower. Finally, nearing bedtime, I filled my watering cans and headed out to water container plants and some of the younger plants that were looking a little pekid. 

And then it happened. Just after I surrendered to the idea that at least the grass would die before it needs mowing, I heard the hard knocking of a downpour against the windows. It was sudden, overflowing my aging gutters and reminding me of how badly they need to be replaced. It also reminded me of childhood summers when my folks kept a rain barrel and of hot days when my mother would wash my hair in the rain.

Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. The experience is refreshing. 

Isn’t that how life goes? 

You wait for the thing you have no control over but want most. And you wait and wait and wait some more only to not see your wishes realized. And just when you give up, life gives you the thing you hoped for. 

At least the rain came, even if it was a few hours late. A small river flowed through my backyard, washing away the dust and pollen and perhaps even the extreme heat for a little while. All the flowers got a good soaking thanks to Mother Nature’s generosity. It did cool off some. 

For all of this I am grateful.

Damp

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One of nature’s greatest gifts is when clouds gather and moisture falls to the ground. Whether it’s snow or rain, it feels like a genuine miracle particularly when it has been dry. I also like when rain cools off a hot day.

All the same, I’m ready to cry uncle. Holy cow. It has rained so much lately that I’m starting to mold. Worst of all, any nice weather we have seems to come during the workday. My free time has been very, very damp.

The good news is that the flowers (and weeds) love it. The weeds are quickly taking over but I have lots of roses, peonies and daisies blooming all side any number of plants that promise to flower soon.

Spring in Ohio can be incredibly wet and unpredictable. I hate to complain because it won’t be long before summer moves in and the sun leaves the earth parched and a lack of rain makes us long for moisture.

What’s it like in your neck of the woods?

After The Storm

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We had a series of thunderstorms Wednesday night that caused flash flooding in my community. The next morning I awoke to a bright, crisp sunrise. On this morning after the storm, raindrops were collected on the leaves and flower petals of plants beaten down with relentless force. Don’t worry. These plants will recover.

The storms came in waves Wednesday, each one stronger than the one before. It was a hot 87 degree day, significantly warmer than Ohio ought to be in mid April. Before it began, strong winds blew open a shed door. After we secured the shed, the wind suddenly slowed and gave us a moment to explore new developments around my yard before large raindrops began to fall. The old dogwood had bloomed and a nearby rhododendron is now loaded with large buds.

It was almost magical when Adam and I simultaneously spotted blooms on the lilac bush. This was special because it was a start that my dad retrieved for me from an enormous lilac in my grandparents’ old yard. One of Grandma’s lilac blooms now occupies the center of my kitchen table, giving off a spectacular fragrance. 

On this morning, puddles of water reflected a radiant rising sun. Things seemed cleaner and greener. The proverbial fresh start promised each year by this season we call Spring has finally been delivered. The birds know it too and they pass the word. Through the open windows of my house on the hill, whistles and chickadee dee dees came from all around. A distant mourning dove quietly reminded me that there will be another storm to weather on another day.

In that moment, I rejoiced in the light and air and the sights, sounds and textures of Spring. She had arrived bearing gifts but her stay will be brief as the unforgivingly humid and volatile Summer will soon move in, leaving these sweet, cool mornings a mere memory. 

After waxing poetic over the beauty of my morning, I heard from Adam whose night and day had been marred by flash flooding damage. Sadly, lots of people woke up yesterday morning to flood damage and clean up projects that will keep them busy for a long time. Spring can be just as temperamental and volatile as any other season, particularly where water is concerned. 

This just goes to show that what is an inspiring fresh start for me on the ridge can be a discouraging event for those who live in the valley.

As humans, we are created equally. Unfortunately, our events and our lives are not all the same. We don’t have the same experiences and we don’t all start from the same place. That’s easy to forget but important to remember. Let’s try doing that.

Daffodils In Fog

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Daffodils are the perfect harbingers of Spring. These brilliant yellow flowers pop against the fog like tiny balls of sunshine on the grayest of days.

They are a reminder to appreciate the smallest changes and, as they sway in the wind, reminders of how important it is to bend in difficult conditions rather than break with rigidity.

They offer so many life lessons and I am grateful for each and every one.

Resilience In Nature

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Nature never fails to surprise and fascinate me. Most of the flowers in my yard have died off with just a few late bloomers clinging to life. I went out before sunset last night to enjoy the crunch of leaves beneath my feet and to examine what’s left in the flower beds.

The flower beds have seen better days. It’s a lot of the usual suspects like mums and sedum, some coreopsis, a rose and some beautiful black eyed susans.

And then there was the flower pictured above. While most of the hostas are turning yellow and dying off, this one continues to flower and thrive. It reminds me of a fine lady, dolled up in a pretty dress.

Time in nature never disappoints. The world changes with each season, with each day and even each hour as the moving light alters the appearance of everything around.

Finding this single flower made my day better and made me marvel at its resilience, at how bravely it swayed in the Autumn breeze.

When in doubt, look to nature for all of life’s important lessons and skills. Resilience is keeping that flower going well into fall just as it will keep you going through the hard times.

This conversation reminds me of a quote I will leave you with today. Consider it food for thought and something to aspire to in your daily life.

“Live close to nature and your spirit will not be easily broken, for you learn something of patience and resilience. You will not grow restless, and you will never feel lonely.”

Ruskin Bond, Indian Author

Remembering Dawn

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Life is full of unexpected moments. The way a soft breeze rustles through the trees is one of my favorites. Encountering a flower you don’t recall planting is another.

Take this yellow day lily for example. I vaguely remember planting something there but was surprised and delighted to find this bright, showy flower reaching toward the sky last night.

These are the good things that come to us when they’re least expected. Then there are the tragedies, the astonishing shocks that change a life forever.

A good friend from work lost his wife unexpectedly this week. She was a vibrant human being, colorful, kind and fun to be around. She made people smile and made them feel good.

Her name was Dawn, an appropriate name for her personality. Dawn, that moment of daybreak when light first appears and the world awakens, is a perfect name for someone like her.

I rarely saw Dawn but every interaction was pleasant and it’s hard to imagine the world without her in it. I hate to think about how hard this must be for my friend.

Like most humans, I seek logic and understanding in situations where there is no logic to be found. Humans aren’t meant to live forever but it’s hard to believe dying so unexpectedly and reasonably young is the way it should be.

In times of trouble, I often look to nature for calm and for guidance. The day lily pictured above couldn’t have bloomed at a better time. It reminded me of Dawn – vibrant and colorful but not here forever.

We all should be so lucky to have such beauty – whether it be a person or a flower- in our lives.