Things I like {The late winter edition}

You guys the Daphne is OUT and it is GLORIOUS. Wish you could smell outside my front door at the moment, the heady scent hits you and carries on the wind all around the south side of the house. I don’t have any tips on how to grow it other than it thrives on neglect, gets no sun from March to September and has VERY cold feet.

I’m thrilled that I get to enjoy it and am filling the house and visitors to the house with posies. I hope that one day the girls will smell it wherever they are and will be reminded of their home when they were young girls.

Speaking of flowers, I have bunches of blossom cut from the snow pears all over the place. Did you know that a month or so back I cut some dead sticks because I liked the look of them and then because they were over the fire and it was warm inside, the bloomed. And now the flowers have turned to leaves. It never fails to impress me that inside those dead sticks are the spring blooms and bright leaves of summer.

There’s been plenty of birthdays around here lately, my Dad, me, my Step Mum and mother in law this week…plenty of excuses to make an Anne.

The fire has been on NON STOP and boy has it been cold over last weekend – I think the coldest we have had in all our time of living here. The wind has been arctic. Oh those August winds are real bastards. Thanks goodness there are jonquils to make up for it.

And bounties of lemons from friends trees. Want some ideas on what to cook with lemons? Have a look at this post. Personally I think a margarita will do the trick every time.

Maggie and Frank have been flat out.

Although I must say that Maggie is actually busy through the day with her babies. I come across these scenes most days, babies in various states of being bathed, fed, put to bed and you better NOT mess with packing these up. THIS IS SERIOUS BUSINESS.

Mum made me this cushion for my birthday (knitted it) and said it’s extra cosy for when I want a hug from my Mum. 3 or 41, we all still need our Mum’s don’t we?

My Mum’s favourite flower is a forget me not and look what I spied in our driveway today. Whenever I see one I say “forget-me-not, how could I?” they will always remind me of her.

And the jewel on the crown on the late winter garden right now? The hellebore! A messy bastard that is a joy to look at in depths of cold winter. Look at these special double bloomers!

I pick them and sometimes they last, and sometimes they don’t. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. They drop mess everywhere and they are beautiful to look at. I will forever be grateful to the person who planted them in my garden, on they live, all these years later.

What are you liking this Tuesday?
What’s blooming in your garden?
Or in your vases at home?

Comments

  1. Nothing blooming here except for stomach bugs and colds… I love that knitted pillow though! Hug from mum – must make some for my girls!

  2. love.tea.kitty says

    ive not a green thumb and love seeing all your blooms….

  3. Oh – the daphne and the beautiful light on the doll photo – prettiest photos of the week 😍 Love your photo stories!

  4. As a “young” 59 year old who has just retired, loving life and who nows lives in an amazing apartment with a magnificent view of the ocean, just adores your posts from the heart which bring back beautiful memories of a big family house, a husband (who I still have!) and two beautiful boys (now grown up). Family and the small things are everything!!!!

  5. As a “young” 59 year old who has just retired, loving life and who nows lives in an amazing apartment with a magnificent view of the ocean, just adores your posts from the heart which bring back beautiful memories of a big family house, a husband (who I still have!) and two beautiful boys (now grown up). Family and the small things are everything!!!!

  6. I’m one of those kids who grew up with Daphne at the front door. Now every time i smell it i am taken back to walking up the stairs and into mum’s kitchen while the glass all fogged up because it was so bloody cold. I also remember lugging dried out cow manure from the paddocks to fertilise Daphne, not such a fragrant memory. I have Sweet Peas blooming in my garden [taking over the vegie patch] and love having and giving big bunches of them. I have a gorgeous vase called Frida, it has a sweet little face at the top, so when I pop the sweet peas in she has the best Dame Edna purple ‘sweet pea’ hair. x

  7. I love this time of year as everything is in bud and some little flowers are showing their little faces.
    We have camellias, Daphne, jonquils, daffodils, hellebores all blooming at the moment, plus a lemon tree that is bursting at the seems.
    Our magnolia is covered in bud and i am
    Waiting ever so patiently for our wisteria to show her purple glory.
    Spring is almost here and as much as I love winter I’m so over her!!

  8. I miss my Daphne – best smell ever!!

  9. Ohh I look forward to this time of year in your garden! Ahh your daphne bush must be a beauty. I was lucky enough to smell one in person at Port Arthur TAS recently, tucked away in the garden. My senses sniffed out the little darling! Such a treat!

  10. thanks beth!
    this is all a bit nostalgic for me!
    omg daphne and hellebores oh and forget me nots! what! … mum grew them! … always miss mum, she was such a gardener!
    maggie looks so ensconced on that lounge chair … that is a great looking chair!
    all good things! much love mx

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