Ferns Unfurling

Is there anything fresher and more gorgeous than the look of fiddleheads as they unfurl skywards to become fern fronds?

In AnTEAcipation

I am looking forward to attending a very special event this coming Saturday. And I will be in need of a hat, in fact the very hat that you see pictured here. And just what event in this day and age would require wearing a hat, let alone such a hat as this one? Why, a Victorian Tea of course. Hats will abound just as surely as the tulips have started to bloom. And I will be ready ... with my hat. The hat that I added these flowers to in anticipation. Isn’t it a shame that there aren’t more events that positively call out for a lovely hat?

Random Arranging

Usually when I cut flowers to bring in for an arrangement, I take great care to cut what I think will work together to make a nice display. I turn to the cupboard where I keep all my vases and containers, well actually there are now two cupboards where I keep my ever-growing collection, and I pause to determine just which one will be the most perfect. Which one complements the flowers in terms of scale? Do I want the colour to contrast or be in harmony? What style of vessel works best with the feel of the arrangement I have in mind? Eventually, sometimes after trying several, I make my choice and then the fun creative part of arranging flowers takes place.

But the other evening, I heard that it was going to be cold overnight, very cold, so I went out after dinner and cut a little of this and a little of that... just in case. I’d rather have a lovely sampling, albeit somewhat random, safely inside with me than risk losing them all overnight. And since I had other things to attend to, I grabbed two largish vases and plunked half the blooms in one and half in the other. With not much more thought than that. And while I do tend to favor informal simple arrangements, I have never been quite as spontaneous and free as this before. But you know, both bunches look quite charming, and certainly very cheery. With blooms this beautiful perhaps there is no way that they wouldn’t look nice!

Split Personality

Lovely delicious scones, slice them in half and spread with butter and jam or devonshire cream. More often than not, scones come out of the oven with a split ready made down the middle. How do they know to do that? Just last night I was reading a book that mostly takes place in a Tea Room and the author referred to these scones as "Devonshire Splits" ... for obvious reasons.

It's All In the Details

There's another church beside the church I mentioned yesterday. This lovely grey stone building was built in 1872 and it is filled with great English Gothic details. But is wasn't those stone details that drew my eye. It was the red doors with its iron ornamentation and the ivy-coloured window with the fancy grill work.

Underlining with Tulips

We've been having some really lovely spring weather this year. The tulips are starting to bloom but the days have stayed cool enough so that spring hasn't jumped straight into summer as it seems to some years. This bed of brilliant red tulips underlines the grey stone church so beautifully. It was a lovely sight as I walked up the hill from work.

Making the Case for Ferns

The Victorians love of ferns was greatly encouraged by the invention of the Wardian case, by Nathaniel Ward in 1834. Originally used to ship living plants and seeds long distances, decorative versions adorned Victorian parlors and were ideal environments to house ferns. My Wardian case is a simple and unassuming one.

Forsythia Stars

After Thursday's post about the green yellow crayon, is it any wonder that I was drawn to these forsythia blooms? This winter was kind and the forsythia bushes are filled with yellow stars that give a burst of colour that really packs a punch.

Chasing Away the Chills

On a cool and dreary rainy day what better time is there to invite someone for afternoon tea? I'm just about to pour us a cup, won't you join me?

What's in a Name?

Thanks to friend M. and her box of Crayola crayons, I now have a photo of the green yellow crayon I was mentioning yesterday. In English it's labelled "green yellow" but in French it's "jaune-vert". No matter the name, the colour is the colour of spring buds.

Spring Green

We’re at that stage in spring when the buds on the trees are poised to burst forth. The bright light green of these buds, just before they unfurl, is such a lovely fresh shade. And if you’re not careful, a moment of distraction can cause you to miss the moment altogether. It seems that in a blink of an eye the spring buds unfurl into leaves and the time to notice is gone for yet another year. So stop and take a look while you can, enjoy this brief encounter.

Wikipedia says that spring green is the colour on the colour wheel “that is precisely halfway between cyan and green” and that the complementary colour of spring green is rose. It also reports that the “first recorded use of spring green as a color name in English was in 1766.”

But I think that spring green is more like the Crayola crayon that’s labeled “green-yellow,” created in 1949.

Umbrella Stands

Despite the lack of April showers so far, I thought it was time to trade the boot tray beside the front door for an umbrella stand. It started me thinking about the different containers around the house that could be used for the purpose. As long as it's waterproof, there really are no limits to what you can press into service. Even an old rain boot that my sons have outgrown! But I'm also thinking that a large watering can could also give a spring-like vibe.

Vimy Ridge Day

Vimy Ridge Day. The 65 doves in flight at the left were released during the ceremony today at the War Memorial.

Lest We Forget.

Easter Arrangement

A sweet wee arrangement for our Easter dinner table. How lucky that I had cushions of scilla in bloom that could be pressed into service. Although it looks a fair size here, it is only about 6 inches wide.

Etched With Time

What a thoroughly enjoyable day I had today, spending time with friend D. in her lovely log home. A portion of it was a one-room schoolhouse, many years ago. Every surface is etched with time's markings, lending every inch character and charm, speaking volumes about its history. Whichever direction you point a camera, a photo lies in wait, here are just a few.