Thursday, April 14, 2016

Five on Friday



On homesteads scattered across the prairie provinces of Canada, women planted lilac bushes near their homes. Lilacs are hardy plants, blooming reliably year after year, even as the old wooden houses fall into disrepair and lie neglected. Now, in many places, only the rows of trees and lilac bushes stand in witness to the hopes and dreams of those who once farmed the land.

The lilac bush in our garden is relatively new - not yet 15 years old. Its blooms increase each year, in spite of being moved around a fair bit. The blooms are just beginning to open. Such sweet fragrance.


Leaves emerge from the fig tree about the same time as tiny fruit. The larger fruit in the bottom of the photo is left from last fall - it didn't have time to ripen before cold weather set in. 



I received some new sock yarn (the grey and the variegated turquoise - 2 skeins of each) from Yarn Canada. I've just wound them into balls and am contemplating what I'll make with them. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the colours. I'm not an experienced knitter or crocheter at all, yet I enjoy small projects. What would you create?



A row of apple trees grew not far from my childhood home. In spring the blossoms were intoxicating - sweet smelling and luxuriant. My friends and I would cut branches to put into water, but the blossoms never lasted long. We used to climb up into the trees, too, and sit up high, surrounded by lovely fragrance.
Our apple trees are blooming and also sweet smelling, but they are the dwarf variety that will never support a climbing child (or Nana).


Strawberries, too, are blooming. We've discovered that letting them trail over the mulch underneath the apple trees and blueberry bushes results in healthy plants and keeps the slugs away so that we get more berries to eat. That's a very good thing!

The end of another week. It's felt long. Another term has ended and another begins on Monday. School in our province goes to the end of June. The term end means lots of grading of papers and a mad scramble on the part of students who have neglected to turn in their work. 

Over the weekend I hope to not only grade papers, but do some sewing and, if the weather cooperates, get out into the garden. We've had some much needed rain this week and the soil is soft and suitable for weeding or planting. I'd like to do both. 

Linking with Five on Friday, hosted by Amy of Love Made My Home. 

33 comments:

  1. Five gorgeous photos, Lorrie! The apple blossom is a wonderful sight... and you have lilacs blooming soon - I may explode from envy. :)
    Have a lovely weekend!

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  2. The scent of lilacs are so wonderful. I've often thought the same about seeing random flowers and bushes in long-neglected fields. Your yarn looks so soft - I'm thinking a hat or scarf to enjoy that softness. I hope you get the chance to do some gardening and sewing and that you are appreciated for your very important job of being an educator. x Karen

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  3. Your plant photos are fabulous Lorrie!!! Enjoy your weekend!

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  4. I love the idea of rows of lilacs blossoming along abandoned roads, such a romantic notion. I hope your grade papers are easy to mark and contain some good surprises :-)

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  5. Lilac has to be my favourite smell. I'm off to mulch my strawberries as soon as I get home. Hopefully your new term isn't too stressful. I certainly don't miss all that paperwork. Enjoy your weekend. B X

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  6. Wonderful sights from your garden!

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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  7. What lovely photos. My garden seems to be sadly lacking in flowers so far. The daffodils have gone over and the rest of my plants have yet to bloom. So thank you for sharing your delightful blossoms.

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  8. The blossom in your garden is awesome. Our fruit trees have only just produced some teeny tiny leaves. There are few pollinators out and about and I am glad there is no blossom yet.

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  9. Such beautiful photos, I love the lilac and its enchanting smell. Have a great weekend and hope you are able to get out into your garden.

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  10. Lilac is such a lovely shrub to have in the garden. I especially love the white variety.

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  11. Everything is growing so well. I just adore lilac trees and the smell, love to bring a few into the house too.

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  12. Strawberries prevent slugs? That's good to know. Maybe I should let them expand as far as they wish. I've tended to keep them trimmed back. Enjoy your lovely lilacs. They really are quite hardy. Mine have endured some less than intelligent prunings and still they hang in there.

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  13. Anonymous7:35 AM

    I've been happy to see my young lilac finally show well this year as opposed to the last few years. It sounds like we'll have good weather for being in the yard this weekend. I hope so. I hope you can get those papers graded and behind you. Blessings!

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  14. Such beautiful pictures. You certainly have an 'eye' for photography. Let's see, if I had that yarn, I'd make a cap.

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  15. I do love lilacs so much. We sadly had to cut down a hundred year old lilac this spring. We had babied it and tried to keep it going, but it decided it was time. In it's place we have planted a red bud tree, but happily the old lilac left us with new shoots nearby; so it will rise again. The spring garden is so beautiful to watch. Love your yarn too and will watch to see what you make. Love the strawberries in the garden too. Good luck with the grading and home projects this weekend.

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  16. Our white lilac is in bud but the stalwart mauve ones are a riot of colour.
    I love the fragrance but can never seem to keep them alive after picking so I enjoy them on the tree...Martha Stewart once mentioned smashing the woody stems before plunging them into water...I tired that and it did not work for me...do you have any hints?
    Hope you do get some time out in your garden...it sounds like the weather will be sunny and mild.

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  17. Lilac trees remind me of my childhood. We used to have a huge tree in the front garden which overhung the road and pavement on the other side of the hedge boundary, it never flowered for very long but it was so beautiful and the scent was intoxicating:)

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  18. Your pictures are gorgeous, I could almost smell the sweet fragrance of the blooms! I know you are glad to be on the home-run stretch of school, it is so hard to stay focused this time of year. My son is a senior and has senioritis, a little bit tired I think. We are encouraging him to stay focused until the end. Enjoy the lovely spring days... and I wish I had some of those lilacs blooming here! I need to find a friend who has some to dig up and plant :)

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  19. Anonymous4:23 PM

    Lilacs are some of my favorite flowers. Such beautiful color and scent. We had lilacs in NJ and need to plant some here. Congratulations on finishing the last term and starting a new one.

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  20. Lovely. Our lilac is about at the same stage as yours.

    I mostly knit or crochet baby blankets, scarves or hats. I'd like to learn more.

    Have a lovely weekend.

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  21. I had no idea that figs could grow that far north. I belong to a very exclusive cooking club, exclusive because we limit it to four members, and the other three have planted fig trees this year. I'm feeling left out, so must get out the catalog and get mine ordered. What will I do with the figs besides eat them fresh and make fig jam? It's all new to me. I thought figs were only to make Fig Newtons.

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  22. Your Lilac makes me think of my daughter's garden where her Lilacs will be in flower too I imagine. I usually just miss them as June and July seem to be the months when we visit.
    I just like looking at your balls of wool too. I can't crochet so if I was knitting it would probably be a scarf or a beanie type hat!
    That's interesting about Strawberry plants and slugs.
    Happy weekend Lorrie and not too much working.
    Shane

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  23. Beautiful floral shots, Lorrie! I'm currently going through a turquoise phase and have displayed my turquoise teacups on my tea table this month. Good luck with all the end-of-the-term marking!

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  24. Are you sewing? Your lilacs are so far ahead of ours. Here they bloom in May. I am anxious for them to bloom. I keep a close eye on the buds for the bushes are just outside my bathroom wind. Today it is very cold and rainy, which is supposed to turn to snow. I have the gas logs burning to warm up the house on this early chilled morning. The flowering trees have just opened, creating a profusion of color, but the snow will ruin them. The apple tree has buds, but they are not open yet. If they don't freeze, we will have apples. Hoping. Your yarn is splendid. I don't knit, but I'd like to make socks. Worm, wooly socks to keep my feet warm on these cold days. Enjoy your weekend.

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  25. Admiring your plant photos from UK.

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  26. I'm so happy that my lilac is beginning to bloom this week, earlier than usual, surely, although I'd have to look back through my blog to confirm that impression.
    Will you be making socks with the sock yarn? I've been turning out pair after pair, trying to use up some of the leftovers in my stash. . .

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  27. I can hardly wait for lilac season to come here and I was interested in seeing your fig tree. My little branch cutting was overwintered in the garage and I just put it outside yesterday since warm weather has arrived. One little fig started to form in fall but I pinched it off for the dormant stage, sure hope I get to see a fruit this year.

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  28. There is little to compare with the scent of a lilac in bloom ! :)

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  29. Lovely photos. I too am enjoying the lilacs - they are planted all over town and just yesterday we saw a hedge of lilacs that were not near any house - or any inhabited property. I thought about the plans that the person who planted them had for their life back at that time - all the joy they had in seeing their pretty flowers each spring. I'm thinking of getting some petunias today to spiff up the deck planters. Are you going to be as warm as we are the next few days? They are saying 72 degrees. And then back to rain and mid 50s - oh well, I'll enjoy the warmer days while they are here.

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  30. I can't wait to see what you create with that lovely yarn. Have a beautiful week amongst your lovely blooms.

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  31. Oh how I wish I could inhale the fragrance of the lilacs, Lorrie! There's nothing quite like their scent and I miss the aroma. We had them in Ohio and Michigan, but I've never seen them here in Texas. I look forward to seeing what you create with the yarn. Best of look with grading and the new term.

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  32. Lovely lovley photos and your stories that go,with them. Best wishes for your Dads recovery.
    Ox
    Dagmar

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  33. A lovely, calming post. The lilac is beautiful! I have always loved lilacs. The fact that settlers planted them with hope for their future, and now the lilacs are sometimes all that is left of their dreams was a sad testament. The figs and apples springing forth with new life...lovely also. I would make a scarf perhaps with the yarn.

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