Friday Thoughts of Roses, Birds, and Peonies

 

It was June, and the world smelled of roses.

The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside. Maud Hart Lovelace

The first roses are blooming in the garden. John Cabot, above, is one of the earliest. It's a thorny plant, a climber that we cut severely last year and moved due to the construction of a new patio. It seems to be recovering nicely, and should it develop the tall growth it previously had, we will train it along the fence which is at the back of our property. 

While I work in the garden, birds come and go. A bright male House Finch sat on a lilac branch and watched me for a few moments, giving me time to take a few photos of him. 

There is another bird who has discovered our garden, and I'm not so pleased about this one. It's a very cheeky American Robin who seems to think this is his property. He comes regularly and pecks at the strawberries. I planted pole beans this week and the very next day saw him peck them out of the ground. I've now covered the bean trellises in cloth to prevent him stealing the ones I replanted. 

Today I saw him perch on a blueberry branch and eye the berries up and down. He's just waiting for them to ripen. Something must be done for he is voracious. 

Our elderberry tree has grown very tall recently, and I hope it fills out a little. Meanwhile the lovely floral fragrance of the blossoms wafts across to where I weed sometimes, making the chore just a wee bit sweeter. 

I make Elderberry Cordial and we've enjoyed it on the rare hot afternoon with lots of ice in either water or club soda. I'm hoping there are plenty more hot summer days ahead, for just now there is a chill wind blowing in from the Pacific and over the past hour, clouds have covered the blue sky. 

As the roses begin to flower, the last of the peonies blooms. This is Sarah Bernhardt, who always shows up last. I don't mind, for I believe she is my favourite, pale pink with flashes of deeper colour here and there. 

Peonies are long-lived shrubs and can bloom for up to 100 seasons, hence their association with long marriages. I love their femininity and extravagant ruffles and can't get enough of them. I've taken photo after photo to try and capture their magic. 

Book news: 

My memoir, Life is Short but Wide, is now available via online platforms such as Amazon. I am still working on getting the print book available on Indigo (Canada), as only the e-book shows up for now. 

If you would like to support your local bookstore, the book can be ordered. Here's the information. The ISBN is not necessary but might help if there are difficulties.

Life is Short but Wide

Lorrie Orr

ISBN 978-1-0675121-0-1 

Also, for the month of June, I will send a signed copy to Canadian addresses, postage included. Just send an email to (lorrieorr @ gmail.com) without the spaces. 

Anyone who has purchased a book (throughout the month of June) is eligible to win this original matted (4 x 6 inches) watercolour. Just send me a quick email (or comment below) and I'll put your name into the hat for the draw. I will mail it anywhere in the world. 

Something to remember - we are all beautiful. When I taught, I would look at my students while they worked on an assignment and I would occasionally think of how beautiful they were, each one with unique gifts and talents, and years of life ahead of them. Youth has its beauty, as does each stage of life on up to old age. Think of the peony that continues to produce beauty throughout its long life.  

Tonight there's a birthday celebration for two darling granddaughters, born within a day of each other. Other than that the weekend will be fairly quiet, with gardening, housekeeping, and reading.