Tuesday, April 12, 2022

ANOTHER SPRING...

 






As I sometimes do,

 looking back one year 

to see if our world has changed any

 and if so, how much? 

 Looking back to last spring 

there are huge similarities and small differences.




Lilacs in the guest room, 2020



I chose two posts from last spring.  

If you would like to read them

 just click (here) and  (here) .

This post falls right between the two

 as far as date is concerned

 but if you squint just a little  

you can see how similar they all are. 

 I am still talking about flowers, I am still talking about staying close to home 

and I am still talking about Trader Joe's. 

 Physical appearances haven't changed 

much either for me. 

 I still wear a mask even though 

I have been boosted twice. 

 The big difference now is that there are not many others doing the same 

and physical distancing is truly

 a thing of the past .

Sorry to say 

but the counts are going up again.




Lilacs in time for Easter, 2022



Beautiful lilacs are once again

 blooming in the garden. 

 Their scent fills the air 

and their presence is spectacular. 

 As I have found over the last few years, 

I am very allergic to the things 

that are so glorious about this 

graceful and beautiful flower, 

so they make a short appearance somewhere in the Cottage 

and then are banished out

 to the front porch

 for all that pass by to admire.

 (We had rain the day after I picked these and now the bush is
 a straggling mess).





I have only been to Trader Joe's

 once in the past year. 

 I have been depending on faux flowers

 to cheer up the Cottage in all this time.  

This is becoming a way of life for me 

and, as I said in those posts one year ago, 

I find that even though

 I would never have thought 

that it would be this way 

for this amount of time,

 I am not finding it too unpleasant. 

 As most of you will find out one day,

 there comes an age 

when you can become comfortable 

with how life plays out 

and be content to take it one day at a time. 

 It is a hard feeling to describe accurately

 but seems to be one of the perks of

 the "golden years".




Lilacs, 2021


Meanwhile,

 as the saying goes in the workshop,

 an apple a day...





...keeps the doctor away and...





 
...Glory to the Ukraine.



Hope you all are keeping well 

and are finding someone special 

to share this

 beautiful springtime sunshine with...





...Judy...





Lilacs, 2019


Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda


I would like to thank Linda

 for featuring my last week's post 

on Love Your Creativity. 

I am always so honored.




18 comments:

  1. I am right there with you trying to see what changes are happening this Spring from last year. Not much except we are having crazy weather. Mr. Winter some days and Spring some days. Mr. Winter needs to leave us. Today it is 70 and we are so excited here in Illinois to have that nice weather. Oh I cannot wait to see Lilacs blooming here. I miss my lilac trees from the old house. The fragrance they gave off when the windows were open was heavenly. Happy Easter early Judy. Enjoy. xoxo Kris

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    1. Thanks so much, Kris. We had rain yesterday and then, I think, the coldest night since winter. Our butterfly bush which was hit so hard by the last snow storm we had and all the branches were broken, now the new shoots have arrived and they all froze last night. Hope they come out of it..Happy Easter to you and family..xxoJudy

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  2. Loving all of the lilac pics! Our lilacs dont bloom until May here in Michigan. Love their scent. Janice

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    1. Thanks so much, Janice. Wow, there is nothing better than the scent of a lilac but they immediately stuff me up and I am sneezing for days..Hate it!! because I love them so much..Happy Wednesday..xxoJudy

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  3. Hi Judy, love seeing your beautiful Lilacs arranged in your pretty vignettes. They really are special flowers. I have a lilac by my living room window that is so old it stretches up to the window upstairs in my sewing room, so I love to leave the window open to scent the rooms. It will be a while before they bloom here, though. We are having a return to winter here in Washington state. I can relate to the idea of being content with letting life play out the way it wants to. I think that when we are younger, we have the disillusioned idea that we really can control things. Haha! Now we know it is a waste of worry. We are wearing masks still, too, despite everyone throwing caution to the wind. Nobody talks about the million souls we lost during the pandemic anymore. It's just unfathomable to me. It's been quite a time and I am still trying to process it and life just keeps throwing more and more at us. But we are survivors, aren't we? Love your artwork, Judy, it is so pretty. Enjoy these fickle spring days with your sweet little buddy. Hugs xo Karen

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    1. Thanks so much, Karen. Seems like you and I do think along the same lines. It is heart breaking to think of all that were lost, most probably didn't need to be. Seeing all the news about Ukraine is heart breaking also. Right about now it seems that old age is a good thing (but not always)!! Stay well and Happy Easter, my friend..xxoJudy

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  4. A lovely post, Judy. I'm not allergie to lilacs but they do set me off a bit. I'll bring them in the house but they probably won't be right by my face! Every photo is a gem. Wishing you a lovely week.

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    1. Thanks so much, Jeanie. I wish I could have them around in the house but over the years it has gotten worse. I do love them though..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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  5. I love your lilacs and you create beautiful bouquets. I have one large lilac and am disappointed most years with very sparse blooms. I planted a lilac , Blue Skies, that is supposed to do well here in California. Your pup is a cutie. I still wear a mask when shopping, and when I meet in a small group for Bible study we don't wear masks, not required. It is a bit of a challenge re-entering the world. Be well.

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    1. Thanks so much Terra. I love lilacs too and have always enjoyed them in bouquets, but these last few years things have changed and I don't like it, as I love them so much. I don't always do it, but I try to cut them back right after they are through blooming and they come back nicely the next year usually. The only people I will get around are my 3 girl friends that I know have had all the shots. If you have been vaccinated you don't have to wear a mask, but I don't trust anyone to tell the truth unless I know them personally..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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  6. Judy, your lilacs remind me of warm spring days when the neighbor would give me lilacs with their stems wrapped in tin foil to bring home to my mom. I can still smell them...mmmm. We were at the bank today and I counted the masked faces. There were 5 out of 8 covered up, including us. It's such a mixed bag, since they're no longer required, but we still do. I hope you have a Happy Easter!! xo

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    1. Thanks so much, Kim. The lilacs were so beautiful here this year, but after a rain and cold spell, they aren't fairing too well..I guess the solution for nowadays is, just think of yourself and give everybody else a very wide berth..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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  7. Your lilacs are beautiful! Mine are still just budding. I wish they lasted longer! But I am so glad that winter is done. We are lucky to have early warmth here in the Southwest but the temps still vary a lot and we have WIND for a long time in spring. Stay well! J.

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    1. Thanks so much, Jacqueline. The lilacs are just about through now thanks to some rain and cold nights. I guess spring is beginning, at least I hope so. I saw there were fires around New Mexico. Hope not too close to you..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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  8. those lilacs are so lovely. They don't bloom until May here is sw Missouri. I have so many things I'd love to get out this year. Lilacs, peonies, and some Fall bulbs for spring flowers. Just have to keep the wildlife from eating them! Have a wonderful Easter Weekend, Judy!

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    1. Thanks so much, Debra. The lilacs were really beautiful this year but rain the other night and then really cold weather about ruined them. I remember as a child my mom having such trouble in the garden with deer and rabbits. We live in town so not much bother with them now, but snails and I don't like to put anything out because of the dogs..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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  9. Judy, thank you very much for your kind comment on my blog. We sure miss our old Rowdy, but we truly are grateful for all the time that we had with him!!
    So many differences this year in our gardens as opposed to last year. We have certainly gotten more snow and rain in the last six months, than in the previous two years that we have lived here. Our lilacs are looking like they survived, but we won't see blossoms until May, or so.
    Our daffodils are doing great, and the tulips are just beginning to bloom. This last storm knocked our bleeding heart for a loop, but it will be ok and take off again once temps start warming up later this week.

    Good job on your paintings! You're are improving and the painting are so cheerful and pretty! Practice makes progress :)

    Smiles :)
    ~K.

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    1. Thanks so much, Kerin. We know how devastating it is to lose a beloved pet. We always say we are not going to get anymore, but it seems to be a hard thing to do. Dogs bring so much happiness when they come into your life. We have had some strange weather around here too, mostly just really cold. The last rain got my lilacs good but they have been blooming for a time so maybe that is how it is supposed to be. I am anxious to see if our crepe myrtle comes out of the trauma it went through during our one and only snow storm..Happy Easter..xxoJudy

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy