Bottle Bush

Thanks for today's gift of a blue wine bottle and the recent purchase of a red bottle of fancy water, my little bottle bush is blooming color.

Coming home has never been lovelier!

The Bubbler

A Sewanee junior wandered into the shop today, saying "I had to look around to see what kind of place has bubbles outside."

Finished with his looking, he went down the steps, out the door, and then re-entered with this question, "Do you have to pay 4.99 to play with the bubbles?"

"No," I assured him. "You can play with the bubbles for free. The wand is 4.99."

"Oh! Great!" he said.

Then he started bubbling and kept it up for well over an hour and a half. He, Marianne the gardener, and I talked about flowers and trees (he's a forestry major), and he greeted customers and strangers on the street. He kept up a running monologue of joy, and I loved having him share part of my day.

To the champion Bubbler of Sewanee, I say "Bravo!" and "Hoorah!"

The Buds

The promise of buds sprouting all over my dahlias -- one pink, one candy-striped -- tempts me like hidden Christmas packages.

Patience, I tell myself.

Meanwhile, I love the buds.

Luna Moth!

The luna moth flapping and fluttering at my study window will live only 7 days, but spent the evening with me, anchored to the window screen.
Wikipedia says, "Although rarely seen due to their very brief (1 week) adult lives, Luna Moths are considered common. As with all, the adults do not eat or have mouths. They emerge as adults solely to mate, and as such, only live approximately one week. They are more commonly seen at night."I count myself lucky, then, to have had such a beautiful night visitor.

A Day for Red and Orange

On aqua sky,
horse chestnut, Japanese maple,
burning bush berries
brand red silhouettes.

Looking Closely

Look closely for the surprises waiting everywhere.

The dusting of lime pollen on the inside of an iris petal.

The translucency of a wet iris petal glimpsed from below.

Most folks see the shape and think iris. I see it and think what's there, waiting to be seen?

A Pleasant Activity on a Blustery Afternoon

Just before the tornado siren blasted, I came home from CVS, with a packetful of photographs for greeting cards: a lovely way to spend a blustery afternoon.pictured: Dutchman's breeches, trout lily, pussy willow, cosmos and grasshopper, shooting star, wild iris, celandine poppy, jack-in-the-pulpit, hepatica, showy orchis, dahlia, crabapple