What a week last week! But we made it to the other side, and are still standing. (Well, I’m standing fine, just not lying down so well, but that’s another injury story for another day.) I didn’t make my April daily writing challenge, but I did post something for 2/3 of the days of the month, so that was certainly an increase over February and March. I’m feeling a little more relaxed about the rest of May and the start of summer. We’re always busy, but I can feel a little bit of summer’s pull on me to slow down a bit and enjoy it more.
But back to last Wednesday – the weather was so beautiful and the days have been sunny and getting steadily warmer. The day ahead was SO full – I had work, plus Give Day tasks for We Stories, and bundling for the annual soiree and auction for F’s school. My schedule was packed from 5:30 am through at least 1:00 am the following morning, so I debated skipping the garden and having someone else handle the carpool that morning. But I couldn’t do it. I knew that my day (even a long one) would go so much better if we went, and so we did.
I let F pick our breakfast spot, and I ordered big and enjoyed every bite in anticipation of the day. We were a little rushed once we got to the garden, so we’ve decided to switch into summer mode and go for quicker breakfast options or bring food with us. The tulips are amazing right now, but will be probably be on their way out by tomorrow’s Wednesday visit, so I took as many photos of them as I could. The azaleas are starting to pop, so there is color everywhere you look.
There was enough of a breeze blowing to occasionally create a shower of white and pink blossoms across the landscape. Almost all of the tulips had blossoms resting inside of them.
We didn’t make it back to the secret paths, but tomorrow we’ll make sure to get back to the Japanese garden to see the dogwood trees and azaleas in all their glory. We’ve been walking to school again in the mornings, and it’s fun to watch our neighborhood yards come to life just like we watch this place for the same signs of spring and summer. The mornings are still cool, but it won’t last long. We’re enjoying it while we can.
Tulips always lift my spirits, and the garden energizes me and settles me at the same time. It was a week that took a lot of balancing to stay afloat, and I give a lot of credit to this place for helping me do it. We’re so lucky to have this spot to wander and reconnect.
Tulips are my favorite, but really, anything in bloom just lifts my spirits. Spring came suddenly to the Cape last week. It seemed that one day the trees were white and pink and beautiful. The grass is green at last and the birdsong is loud and sweet. If you haven’t read A.E. Housman’s “Loveliest of Trees”, you must. I teach it to my sophomores every year as the trees blossom in the hopes that they will remember to “look at things in bloom”.
Beautiful, thank you.