“That which we elect to surround ourselves with becomes the museum of our soul and the archive of our experiences.” ~ Thomas Jefferson

 

Zinnias in our garden ~ summer, 2018.

“A garden is a friend you can visit anytime.” ~ unknown

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~ Charles W. Eliot

“Where words leave off, music begins.” ~ Heinrich Heine

“The days come and go but they say nothing, and if we do not use the gifts they bring, they carry them silently away.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear friends, perhaps the post this morning stems from my becoming a wee bit older, and the fact my husband is about to have a milestone birthday in June.  However, I do believe ‘what and who’ we surround ourselves with is so important.  For me, the garden, books and beautiful music are the best of friends and the greatest company.  Now and again, I think it is beneficial for each of us to remember the ‘gifts the days bring’ and to do everything possible to keep them from being ‘carried silently away.’   So with that being said, know…

 

I wish you and yours a beautiful day.

And, may the week ahead bring you kind people,

moments of joy, and blue skies.

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

Images: Michael S. Lambiotte and tumblr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.” ~ Princess Diana

“My Mother, my friend so dear,
Throughout my life, you’re always near.
A tender smile to guide my way,
You’re the sunshine to light my day.” ~ Unknown

In 1907, Anna Jarvis began a campaign to establish a Mother’s Day celebration in the United States.  Ms. Jarvis persuaded her mother’s church, St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, to celebrate Mother’s Day on the second anniversary of her mother’s death.  This was the second Sunday of May 1908.  Ms. Jarvis sent 500 white carnations to the church, hoping the flowers would be distributed to all mothers in attendance and in the community.   

By the next year, Mother’s Day was celebrated in Philadelphia, where Ms. Jarvis made her home.  Following this celebration, she and her supporters began to write to ministers, businessmen, and politicians trying to establish a national Mother’s Day.  They were successful and by 1911 Mother’s Day was celebrated in almost every state.  Furthermore, in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made the official announcement proclaiming Mother’s Day as a national holiday which was to be observed each year on the second Sunday of May.

Additionally, the gift of the white carnations on that Sunday in 1908 began the tradition of gifting flowers on Mother’s Day.  In general, carnations express love, fascination, and distinction.  White carnations suggest pure love, while pink carnations carry the greatest significance, beginning with the belief they first appeared on earth from the Virgin Mary’s tears ~ making them the symbol of a mother’s undying love.

“Of all the special joys in life,
The big ones and the small,
A mother’s love and tenderness
Is the greatest of them all.” ~ Unknown

“Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.” ~ Unknown

“The love of a mother is the veil of a softer light between the heart and the heavenly Father.” ~ Samuel Taylor Coleridge

“Men are what their mothers made them.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I will fight for my children on any level so they can reach their potential as human beings and in their public duties.” ~ Princess Diana

 

“Remember when you go into the world to keep your eyes and ears wide open.  And to be kind.  Love one another.  Take care of each other.  Tell the truth.  Always do your best…

Explore new paths and have fun.  Know that you are loved like crazy.  Give thanks for all your blessings.

Above all else, LOVE and you will do wonderful things in this world.” ~ Rebecca Puig

 

“It may be possible to gild pure gold, but who can make his mother more beautiful?” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

Dear friends, wishing all mothers a beautiful and love-filled day.  You are honored, loved, and appreciated for everything you do to make our world a better place.  And, these same wishes go to all the women who have spent their time and love mentoring and teaching those who are not their own.  You make a difference in the lives of many children.

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

 

Images:  via tumblr and pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The spring came suddenly, bursting upon the world as a child bursts into a room, with a laugh and a shout and hands full of flowers.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

While here in North Central West Virginia, spring is slowly unfolding into all her magnificent glory,  I know there are several places in the U.S. and Canada still watching winter trying to leave.  So I hope these images and lovely words will be reassuring if spring is slow in making her way to your corner of the world.

The Year’s at the Spring, by Robert Browning

 

“The year’s at the spring,
And day’s at the morn;
Morning’s at seven;
The hill-side’s dew-pearled;
The lark’s on the wing;
The snail’s on the thorn;
God’s in his Heaven—
All’s right with the world!”

“Spring is God’s way of saying, ‘One more time!’ ” ~ Robert Orben

Wishing you and yours love, peace, and joy.

And, a day which is Heaven-sent. 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

Notes:  Images via tumblr

“Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever.” – Walt Disney

Somewhere in France.

Good morning, dear friends.  The words from Mr. Disney are some of my most favorite.  They always encourage me to remember my dreams, such as my dream of visiting France.  The beauty and culture of the awe-inspiring country truly tugs at my heart and I do hope to visit her one day. 

But, there are many other things which make my heart sing.  Gorgeous blooms, the magnificent beauty of nature, and expressive words written in such a way so as to move one to tears, are just a few things of which will forever hold my heart.

“Beauty hath strange power.” ~ John Milton

 

“The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience.” ~ Emily Dickinson

Whenever I come upon a beautiful gate, I always wonder what lies beyond.  Do you?  Surely, there will be exquisite blooms.

 

“A flower’s appeal is in its contradictions – so delicate in form yet- strong in fragrance, so small in size yet big in beauty, so short in life yet long on effect. ~ Adabella Radici

 

I always wonder if I may meet a plant I have not grown, or perhaps simply see examples of ones I dearly love.

Maybe I will see an unexpected planting with a lovely color combination.  Or, a stunning design…

such as a beautiful French Parterre.  If you are not familiar with the garden design term parterre, it means a garden within a garden.   And, in my opinion, they are beautiful.  Lots of work, but beautiful.

And, I can become giddy when I see a pretty piece of statuary, almost hidden.  I like to think perhaps, it was placed in such a heavenly spot by the angels and not by man.

 

“Sometimes the beauty is so deep it pierces us with longing. For what? For life as it was meant to be. Beauty reminds us of an Eden we have never known, but somehow our hearts were created for.” ~  Stasi Eldredge

 

Along with all the glorious beauty of nature, there are also beautiful people who inspire me.  Two quite famous souls who never fail me are…

Alexandra Stoddard, who wrote, “When you experience true beauty, you find yourself being lifted by the wings of harmony.”

Whenever I need a lift or a nudge, I always turn to Alexandra Stoddard.  She not only had a marvelous career as an interior designer, but she is a gifted writer.  She has the unique ability to write in a way that makes one stop and truly think about her words, thereby offering great inspiration.  Alexandra has traveled the world and is passionate about beauty.  She continues to write from her home in Connecticut.

And…

Charles Faudree who wrote, “My greatest hope is that when I’m gone, people will remember I created something beautiful.”  

Charles Faudree created amazing beauty.  Sadly, the world lost him a few years ago, but his legacy of the beauty he created still lives on.  He is most famous for his remarkable talent of mixing objects, patterns, and colors which created rooms with vibrant personalities and unmatched beauty.  Mr. Faudree worked throughout the United States and Europe and was the author of several wonderfully informative books on French Country design.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Pablo Picasso

And of course, art makes my heart happy.  Because we are all different, the art which speaks to us will, therefore, be different for each of us.  Two of my favorite artists are Claude Monet and Roger Mühl.

The Artist’s Garden at Giverny, by Claude Monet

The work of Claude Monet truly makes my heart pound.  When Monet wrote, “Put your hand in mine and let us help one another to see things better,” I felt as though he was talking to me.  He wanted me to pay attention to beauty. He took my hand and helped my eyes open wide to nature and the gifts of many talented souls. 

And the work of Roger Mühl almost makes me weak in the knees.  What he can do with color is captivating.  He lived and worked in Mougins, France until his death in 2008.  Mühl was dear friends with Alexandra Stoddard and her husband Peter Brown.  

Village Le Matin, by Roger Mühl

The color in this piece, which hangs in our upstairs hallway, makes me so happy.  It and two others similar, greet me many times throughout the day.

“We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.  And the human race is filled with passion.  And medicine, law, business, engineering ~ these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life.  But poetry, beauty, romance, love ~ these are what we stay alive for.” ~ Robin Williams

Princess Cathy, Tree Peony.  She is about to open in our garden.

In closing, I hope you have enjoyed your visit this morning.  I would love to hear the things which touch your heart and make it sing.  What and who makes you weak in the knees?  We all need things and people who inspire us and keep us moving forward.   As said by Robin Williams ~ “… poetry, beauty, romance, and love are what we stay alive for.”  May you always be inspired to let your imagination wander and create dreams you treasure.  Because they may come true. 

 

Wishing you beautiful spring days, full of joy and laughter!

 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

Images: via Pinterest, tumblr, Michael S. Lambiotte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty.” ~ Joseph Addison

“How my heart gladdened, as the light of spring came from the sun, with zephyrs, and with showers, waking the earth to beauty, and the woods to music.” ~ James G. Percival

 

Dear friends, wishing you and yours a day of beauty and joy.

And…

Au Revoir, 

Sandra

 

 

Image: via Tumblr

The tree in the photo is a Golden Rain Tree.

 

 

“Loveliest of trees, the cherry now is hung with bloom along the bough, and stands about the woodland ride Wearing white for Eastertide.” ~ A. E. Housman

 

Dear friends, wishing you and all those you love a beautiful and peaceful Easter.

May your hearts and homes be filled with abundant blessings.

And most of all …

May you rejoice in this glorious and Holy day. 

 

 

Joyeuse Pâques,

Sandra

 

 

Notes: Images, via tumblr

Translation of Joyeuse Pâques, Happy Easter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good morning, my dear friends.  Today, I would like to share a piece which came to me by the way of my mom.  She included it in a box of irises she sent to me, probably in the early 1970’s.  Mom loved to spend time in used book stores and she found the piece in an old garden book.  Gardening teaches us many lessons and this lovely piece, in my opinion, speaks well to the parallel of the garden to our lives.  It was not titled and the author unknown.  So, I titled it ~ A Gardeners Thoughts.  I believe it to be lovely Sunday morning reading, hope you will think so too.

A Gardeners Thoughts ~ unknown

“For me, gardening is a form of prayer. Most people have an awareness of life and death, but few have an awareness of life, death, and life again. Gardeners do though.

Bulbs come up every spring. Then in winter, it looks like there’s nothing there, no hope for life ever again. Then, Hallelujah! Next spring they’re back even fuller. Perennials ~ same thing.

Annuals have a slightly different lesson. Annuals really do die, but they broadcast seeds before they go. Where there was only one calendula the year before, there will be ten this year, and one day, they will fill every empty space in your garden. Annuals are a lesson in the difference one living thing, plant or person, can make, and how their presence resonates long after they’re gone. There again, the effects are not immediate. There is always the winter. And when you consider the garden as a whole, well, winter is a time to reflect, a time to dream. It gives you time to ask the big questions…

Gardening is an affirmation of divine timing. Some years, in early spring, my enthusiasm takes an ugly turn, and I seemingly believe I can make spring happen earlier than it normally would, if I just work hard enough, if I till enough, compost enough, harden off seedlings earlier than I normally would. In the end, I wind up with twelve flats of dead seedlings. Then I direct seed a couple months later, and with much less effort, everything grows into the full glory it was destined to encompass. ‘To everything, there is a season.’  Amen.”

 

“Who loves a garden, his Eden keeps.” ~ A. B. Alcott

 

 

Wishing you and yours a glorious spring day and week ahead.

And…

May you discover great joy in the beauty and miracle of the season.

Thanks so much for your visit!

 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

Images:  via tumblr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“One daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few.” ~ William Wordsworth

Narcissus ‘Billy Graham’ ~ Division 2 Daffodil, Large-cupped ~ Blooms, mid to late season

Good morning, dear friends.  As you probably guessed this post is about daffodils.  Therefore, as my opening photo, I had to show you my favorite daffodil ~ ‘Billy Graham.’  The beautiful combination of its soft yellow petals and the pink cup is unusual, and to me, very pretty.  You will also notice it has a soft cream halo around the cup.  It is a stunning addition to any garden. 

Daffodil, the flower which symbolizes friendship.

Today, I want to share some of what I have learned throughout my gardening life about daffodils.  Much of this post is information I had the good fortune to learn during the time I was involved in garden club.  Specifically, my experiences from entering horticulture exhibits in flower shows. As you will see, there is much to know about daffodils.  

Now, perhaps you are wondering why I am sharing such detailed information.  Certainly, you won’t need to know this information or need to know which daffodil belongs to which division ~ unless you’re a botanist, daffodil collector (yes, there are daffodil collectors), or planning to enter the horticulture division of flower shows. However, seeing the full range of possibilities is certain to inspire you.  Perhaps you may see a division new to you and decide you simply must have a few.  So, find your coffee or tea and let’s begin our ‘dance through the daffodils.’  I will be anxious to hear those which you have decided you ‘can’t live without.’

Division 2 ~ Large-Cupped Daffodils

One flower to a stem; corona (“cup”) more than one-third, but less than equal to the length of the perianth segments (“petals”).

Example:  Lovey Avalon

Narcissus, ‘Avalon’ ~ Blooms, Mid Season

Avalon is a beauty and always produces an abundance of blooms.

Division 3 ~ Small-Cupped Daffodils

One flower to a stem; corona (“cup”) not more than one-third the length of the perianth segments (“petals”).

Example:  ‘Eliot Ming’

Narcissus, ‘Eliot Ming’ ~ Blooms, Mid Season

Division 4 ~ Double Daffodils

One or more flowers to a stem, with doubling of the perianth segments or the corona or both.

Example: Cheerful ‘Tahiti’ (a favorite of my husband).

Narcissus, ‘Tahiti’ ~ Blooms, Mid to Late Season

Look closely at the petals of Tahiti.  This photo is wonderful as it shows the petals as they really appear ~ almost like crepe paper.

Division 5 ~ Triandrus Daffodils
Characteristics ~ Usually two or more pendent flowers to a stem; perianth segments reflexed.

Example:  ‘Moonlight Sensation’

Narcissus, ‘Moonlight Sensation’ ~ Blooms, Late Season

Division 6 ~ Cyclamineus Daffodils

Characteristics ~ one flower to a stem; perianth segments significantly reflexed; flower at an acute angle to the stem, with a very short pedicel (“neck”).

Example:  ‘Wisley’

Narcissus, ‘Wisley’ ~ Blooms, Early to Mid Season

Division 10 – Bulbocodium Hybrid Daffodils
Characteristics:  Usually one flower to a stem; perianth segments insignificant compared with the dominant trumpet.  This daffodil has a hoop-like shape and has grass-like foliage.  It is a great selection for rock gardens.

Example:  ‘White Petticoat’

Narcissus, ‘White Petticoat’ ~ Blooms, Mid Season

Division 11a – Split-Cupped Collar Daffodils
Split-corona daffodils with the corona segments opposite the perianth segments; the corona segments usually in two whorls of three.

Example:  ‘Drama Queen’

Narcissus, ‘Drama Queen’ ~ Blooms, Late Season

Division 11b – Split-Cupped PapillonDaffodils
Split-corona daffodils with the corona segments alternate to the perianth segments; the corona segments usually in a single whorl of six.

Example:  ‘Lemon Beauty’

Narcissus, ‘Lemon Beauty’ ~ Blooms, Mid to Late Season

‘Lemon Beauty’ is a stand out in the garden.

Division 12 ~ Daffodils not fitting any of the above definitions.  

I can’t imagine what would ever be in this division, unless it would be a new daffodil not yet named or assigned to a division.

Division 13 ~ Wild species of daffodils without names.

“Daffodils are yellow trumpets of spring.” ~ Richard L. Ratliff

A clump of wild daffodils.

Most wild daffodils are a pale yellow, with a darker trumpet.  The plant grows from a bulb and the flowers produce seeds.  When germinated it may take five to seven years to produce a flower.   Wild daffodils are not to be confused with heirloom daffodils, such as one may see in the countryside where old homes stand or once stood.   We have an heirloom cultivar ~ Rip van Winkle.  He came from my husband’s great grandparents home place in Western, Pennsylvania.   He appears in records from 1881.  I love his green swirls.

Heirloom Narcissus(1881), ‘Rip van Winkle’ ~ Blooms Mid Season

In closing, I do hope this post has not been ‘information overload.’  However, I wanted you to see examples from all the divisions just in case there was a type of cultivar you were unfamiliar with and would like to possibly grow in your garden.  At the end of the post, you will find reputable sources I have ordered from for years and I believe you will enjoy perusing through the selections they have to offer.   And, you may want to check them out soon, as many of the special bulbs sell out quickly. Should you be in need of a little nudge to begin your planning, I believe you will find plenty of inspiration here. 

And in closing, I opened this post with my favorite daffodil. I will close with my mom’s favorite.  Mom knew her blooms and she always said, “White in the garden is the little black dress.”

Narcissus, ‘Mount Hood’~ Division 1, Trumpet

‘Mount Hood’ was awarded the Garden Merit Award by the Royal Horticulture Society and the coveted Wister Award by the American Daffodil Society.  A vase of these daffodils is stunningly beautiful.

“Then my heart with pleasure fills and dances with the daffodils.” ~ William Wordsworth

Dear Friends,  thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you have enjoyed your visit.  Most of all, I hope you have seen something new and beautiful you want to add to your garden.  

Know, I am wishing you glorious days ~ “Dancing With The Daffodils.”

 

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

 

Notes:  Narcissus is the botanical name for daffodil.  The two are used interchangeably.

Sources for Daffodils:

1. White Flower Farm ~ http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/
2. Brent and Becky’s Bulbs ~ http://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/
3. John Scheepers ~ https://www.johnscheepers.com/
4.  Old House Gardens (a wonderful source for heirloom bulbs and plants) https://oldhousegardens.com/

Images: catalogs of White Flower Farm, John Scheepers, and Old House Gardens

 

“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try.” ~ John F. Kennedy

Good morning, dear friends.  As you know, my ‘Sunday Thoughts’ are something I consider lovely for us to tuck away in our hearts.  An image or thought we can draw from if our week becomes weary.  My post today is a piece I read many years ago.  To me, it is awe inspiring. I treasure it and hope you will too. (Be sure to read my notes at the end of this post.)

“One at a Time,” by Jaroldeen Edwards

It was a bleak, rainy day, and I had no desire to make the drive from the beach to the cold mountain at Lake Arrowhead where my daughter Carolyn lived.  

A week earlier, she had called and insisted that I come see the daffodils some woman had planted at the top of the mountain.  So, here I was, reluctantly making the two-hour journey.

By the time I saw how thick the fog was on the winding road toward the summit, it was too far to go back, so I inched my way up the perilous Rim of the World Highway to my daughter’s house.

“I am not driving another inch!”  I announced.  “I’ll stay and have lunch, but as soon as the fog lifts, I’m heading back down.”

“But I need you to drive me to the garage to pick up my car,” Carolyn said.  “Can’t we at least do that?”

“How far is it?”  I asked cautiously.  “About three minutes,” she answered.  “I’ll drive.  I’m used to it.”

She grinned.  “This is a detour.”

We were back on the mountain road, in fog like thick veils.  Nothing could be worth this, I thought.  But it was too late to turn back.  We turned down a narrow track into a parking lot beside a little stone church.  The fog was beginning to lift a little, and gray, watery sunshine was trying to peek through.

Carolyn got out of the car and I reluctantly followed.  The path we followed was thick with old pine needles.  Dark evergreens towered over us, and the mountain sloped sharply away to the right.

Gradually, the peace and silence of the place began to relax my mind.  Just then, we turned a corner, and I gasped in amazement.  From the top of the mountain, sloping down for several acres across folds and valleys, between the trees and bushes, following the terrain, were rivers of daffodils in radiant bloom.  Every hue of the color yellow ~ from the palest ivory to the deepest lemon to the most vivid salmon-orange ~ blazed like a carpet before us.

It looked as though the sun had tipped over and spilled gold in rivulets down the mountainside.  At the center of this wild color cascaded a waterfall of purple hyacinth.  Throughout the garden were little meditation platforms graced with barrels of coral-colored tulips.  And, as if this bonanza of color were not enough, over the heads of the daffodils Western bluebirds darted and frolicked, their magenta breasts and sapphire wings like a flutter of jewels.

A riot of questions filled my mind:  Who created such beauty ~ such a magnificent garden?  Why?  Why here, in this out-of-the-way place?  How?

As we approached the mountain home that stood in the center of the property, we saw a sign:  Answers to the Questions I Know You are Asking.

The first answer was One Woman ~ Two Hands, Two Feet, and Very Little Brain.  The second was One at a Time.  The third, Started in 1958.

As we drove back home, I was silent.  I was so moved by what we had seen I could scarcely speak.  “She changed the world,” I finally said, “one bulb at a time.  Just think.  She started almost forty years ago.  And the world is forever different and better because she did a little bit with consistent effort.”  

The wonder of it would not let me go.  “Imagine ~ if I had had a vision and had worked at it, just a little bit every day for all those lost years, what might I have accomplished by now?”

Carolyn looked at me sideways, smiling.  “Start tomorrow,” she said.  “Better yet, start today.”

“Flowers are love’s truest language.” ~ Park Benjamin

 

Wishing you and yours a day of joy and peace.  

And…

Every time you see a daffodil, I hope you will remember a lovely piece of inspiration tucked away in your heart.  

Au Revoir,

Sandra

 

Notes: 

Images:  Pinterest