The last month has been cold and dark so there have been many hours spent by the fire and reading by lamp light...reading gardening books, magazines and simply dreaming about the possibilities of the spring to come.
The extended freezes we've experienced have taken their toll on the garden and the gardener.
This month I'm forced to be a bit more creative when it comes to blooms in my garden...I'm going to have to fudge a bit and offer blooms in my life instead...Carol at
May Dreams Gardens hosts this meme on the 15th of each month and it's a wonderful chance to see what is blooming in other gardens around the world.
We spent a few days in Colorado recently and I was immediately smitten with the charm of Steamboat. Three feet of snow fell during our stay but life went on and the spots of color amidst the snow were so vibrant.
Here we spot a favorite bloom walking amidst the snow flakes. We were walking along the Yampa River which runs through downtown Steamboat. At the time we were visiting, they had already had over 300 inches of snow. As we walked it was as if we were in a cocoon - it was so quiet and there was such peace along the river.
In such a stark environment I was reminded of how we find color and richness in our lives through our relationships. As gardeners with nurturing instincts, we are cultivating more than just flowers.
Another favorite bloom bombing down the mountain...can't you sense the quiet?
(Photo taken by my husband with his phone)
While strolling downtown Steamboat, my daughter found an adorable headband with felt flowers attached. We tried our hand at making the blooms last weekend. This photo shows our first attempts. The little blue flower in the lower right corner will have a seed bead attached to the center before it's glued to the headband. The larger charcoal flower (top) will be attached to a hat.
To make the charcoal flower you can find directions
here. To make the blue flower, just cut a thin strip of felt and roll it tight. Add a touch of fabric glue to the end and secure. Cut out the leaf shapes and glue them to the back of the flower. Next, cut a small circle of felt the size of the flower and glue it to the back of the flower. This secures the flower and leaves together and gives a neat, finished appearance. Add a bead to the center if you'd like. Such an easy way to add some blooms to your life!
After spending several hours this weekend cleaning up the debris left behind from all the cold weather, I was certain there wasn't one thing blooming in my yard. I had thoroughly been over every inch of the garden and had seen nothing.
Even the violets had given up in the freezes, leaving behind these spent blooms. Before writing this blog I had always taken pictures of my plants when they were vibrant and healthy. Writing the blog has taught me to slow down and capture images during less desirable times in the garden and I have to admit most of my favorite pictures are these types of shots. Maybe because they are less expected and imperfect?
As I came down the stairs this morning, I caught a glimpse of soft petals moving in the light (warm, {yippee}) breeze...
thus learning another lesson...don't give up on something just because it looks a little worse for wear...it may still have a little something left to offer you.
Hoping you have a happy bloom day!
