Five on Friday: Paying Attention

I did a quick reconnaissance of the garden this morning - there is so much growth just now - and the Mountain Cornflowers are having their heyday. I'll let them go, but they are crowding other plants, like the roses, and will have to be severely pulled back soon. They self-seed, so I know I'll see them again in a few weeks. I love them because of their feathery blue petals and that entrancing and precise webbing on the calyx. 

We often walk in the evenings, especially now with the light lingering until almost 9 pm. As we arrived home in the gloaming recently, we noticed a small greenish bird hopping in the front flower bed. I had never seen such a bird before and tried to take a few photos with my phone. The bird hopped furiously, trying to stay ahead of me (and succeeding), and finally disappeared into the lavender, but not before we saw a very orange tuft sprouting from his head, as if he were having a very bad hair day. 

I looked in my trusty bird book and identified him as an Orange-Crowned Warbler. That orange tuft ruffles up when the bird is flustered. I did a quick watercolour sketch later. The birds apparently nest on the ground and I wonder if there is a nest in the lavender. 

The first radishes. Aren't they lovely. It always amazes me that from tiny black seeds come these gorgeous red and white edibles. I've been snacking on them lately, and there are plenty more to come. Radish greens are edible, but can be strong-tasting. I'm planning to make some radish leaf pesto and see how that tastes. 

I baked bread yesterday. The angle of the photo is not by chance - there are two slices missing from the loaf in the back. Eating that first crusty slice of freshly baked bread with butter is such a treat. Tim adds a little honey to his slice. 

We followed the rainbow on last night's walk. It was ahead of us all the way, and at one point Tim noticed the other end curving over houses and trees just behind us. How beautiful the world is. Spring has never been my favourite season - too capricious for me - but this year I am delighting in it. April, in spite of the world situation, has been filled with sunny days and little rain that has made the earth sprout such amazing and colourful growth. I just can't get enough of it. 

Now the lilacs begin. Such a delicate, haunting scent, evocative of simple homes and homesteads in remote prairies or clearings where women of long ago planted a lilac bush beside the door, something pretty in a hard existence. Now the homes are abandoned, disintegrating into the ground, but often the lilac remains, a silent memory of times past. 

Other things are growing in my garden. I will need to provide support for the snap peas soon; the upright poles are in place for me to add the string. Beets and spinach finally decided to make an appearance, along with another seeding of lettuce. In the house my tomato seedlings are coming along well. The strawberries are blooming their little hearts out and we look forward to fresh sweet berries in a few weeks. 

Rain will fall over the weekend, so garden time might be spotty or not happen at all. If so, I'll sew, or read, or stitch. There are no grand plans for the weekend, and each day slips quietly by. Are you settling into this quiet life as I am? My mood varies, but I am mostly content. Is your garden delighting you? Oh dear, this is more than Five for this Friday. I lost count awhile back. I'll do better next time.

Take care, stay well.