I love rusty items in my garden
They show a passage of time
and a relenting
a retirement from purpose
Now they just
enjoy the wind and rain
and morning sunlight
A support for any vine that may
wander over to them
Still needed

This morning I found the first trillium
hidden in sweet woodruff
bathed in morning light
reaching for me

A beautiful morning in the garden. It's going to be 70 out today and I will be babysitting. Oh the itch to get out there and clean and clear...get ready for the new season of garden. Notice I didn't say gardening,but garden. It is my sanctuary, a place to go and be.

This bunny almost fooled me hiding in the dried flowers. He stood so still......what practice.

I will learn from him.

Oh, in case you don't know...this is Handsome....guardian of my yard...feral Cat- Local 26

Quick-get the camera!

Every year this pair walks through looking at my messy backyard for a place to nest. This morning he chased her around for about 10 minutes....literally chasing her. My husband was yelling at him to take charge! Finally they scooted away scared by you know who..Handsome! Last year this couple actually laid an egg.....but they abandoned it within a few days....too much traffic in my yard I guess. But who are the dummies back this year..looking for a condo!?!?

A walk in our Galena woods

In a silent walk through the woods
I stopped to take a break,sit a while
and just reflect on the stirring of the woodland floor
a spider dashed in front of me through the fallen leaves,
now dried versions of autumn's glory
But at my feet almost unnoticed
a pair of dull red feathers, from a cardinal
I almost bent to pick them up

But no, I left them... to return
to their creator like the rest
and walked on

Glory Glory

 The sky is such an important part of the garden
like a wonderfull set design
Where all the actors can be their best
or worst
But they are on stage,telling a story
...moving us
to feel
.....and leaving us always wanting to come back for more
I love theater
...curtain call last night!

The heavens declare the glory of God...

Looking up from the garden last night....what a master lighting guy!

BEGIN AGAIN A GARDEN JOURNAL

The garden journal

Yes, I used to keep those kind of journals too. But through the years I got busy with life and the journals were set aside....a sad mistake on my part. I have found a few hiding in that writing closet of mine and it thrills and saddens me all at the same time reading the entries of my past gardening life. I used to write down everything....including a list of birds and insects that I saw that day.....there used to be far more of them. Now I am lucky to see one warbler and a few walking sticks and praying mantis (although I sort of distain them..they ate my butterflies) and Oh yes, butterflies....their numbers and types have been dwindling too.
I wouldn't have these facts infront of me if not for these old journals. So I am resolved to keep a journal again. I will record weather,plants blooming and growing,birds visiting,insects-good and bad ones...soil concerns...weeds....and my thoughts while in my garden....my open bar of joy
 

steadfast crocus.....these little beauties can be missed if you don't take a walk outside and welcome them

Peonies....before I was a gardener I commited the hideous crime of pulling out a garden full...including some I have never seen the kind again.....I will spend the rest of my life repenting of this.....

          Pulmonaria....those magical changing colors and spotted leaves

Oh the joy of Bluebells!

 Death in the garden...

Sweeet woodruff and columbine....constants and blessings of the early spring garden

Aconites ...a wonderful welcomed flower of spring
I need to plant more

Bloodroot I rescued from a building site...the rest of them are all gone
forever

Johnny jump up
wanted to grow
all he needed was the sun
the rest was
within him

Even Autumn Joy sedum needs Spring.