Little Blooms of Hope

   After the snow and icy weather last month, February has come in as if to say "Hey!  I am spring!  All you plants need to perk up and look alive!"  Well, a lot of the plants and trees are like "Really now?  We are hurting and you want us to be perky?"  So...most continue to look dismally harmed.  The citrus trees really took a beating.  There is not much of a way to protect 20 to 30 ft tall trees and, yes, the grapefruit trees are that tall.  The orange trees are around 10 ft tall but were not "coverable" either. The cold was a bit much for all of the trees and the damage is showing in the form of brown and dropped leaves.  It is saddening that such beauty that the snow brought to the Bayou has dealt a blow on what is here year round. 

  As I wandered the hillside surveying the damaged trees, my heart gave a little leap of happiness seeing a tiny cluster of blooms.  Not everything had perished!  No, not citrus blooms (thankfully) but rather the paperwhite narcissus.  These cold hardy plants were not daunted at all by the 14 degree temperatures and have now brought hope back to the gardens.  I know it is beyond most folks thinking that I can find immense joy in the simple bloom of a lily that is a annual occurrence but, to my way of thinking, any bit of beauty means there is hope that things will soon be back to normal.  Paperwhites are said to represent the coming of spring so maybe soon things will not seem so grim.

  The cleanup of damaged gardens is in full swing as is the cleanup of fallen leaves.  The leaves will be ground and returned to the gardens as mulch.  Hopefully, what was seen as damage can help with the regrowth.  Also, hopefully, this bout of springlike weather will not encourage the off-season blooming that often happens after ice storms.  I would have preferred that February had stayed chilly and let things have a dormant stage before pushing them into a premature revival state.  Slow down, plants.  Take your time.  Let the healing be the number one priority.

Hunting for Bright Spots

   It has been a sort of mopey week for me.  Mark has been sick with a particularly rough cold, the week started with nasty weather and the grandkids were not able to be here for Christmas yet again.  Today, the decorations came down and are stowed away for another year.  This is so unlike me as I usually love the holidays and all the trappings that go along with them.  But....it is done.  Things around the Little Bayou House look "back to normal" and I can now go about my days without fretting over lights going out on the tree or pine cones bouncing off the stairway garland.  

  Slipping out the back door, I eased my way around to the Frog Pond.  The citrus trees are almost bare of their fruit now and the leaves have dropped from the peach and plum trees.  Well, this looks a mite drab! I was thinking I should just head back indoors but, then, I spied the small white blooms of the Paperwhite Narcissus.  Each and every time I see the plants in bloom, I think of Mom. She loved the blooms and would often pick a nice bouquet for the table.  While I think they are pretty, I prefer to leave them outdoors.  Mom loved the scent.  I find it....umm....well, not to my liking.   

  Not only did Mom like the blooms for their scent, she claimed that they were a sign that winter would not last forever.  I suppose?  But, to be honest, I really would like some "winter".  When it is Christmas week and the ACs are running full blast, it makes me wonder if the Paperwhites are a wee bit confused.  

  Finding the Paperwhites in bloom did lift my spirits even if only for a few moments.  They brought a flood of happy memories of my childhood and being with Mom.  Goodness, I miss those days.  Life was so much easier.  

Pretty, Pretty Narcissus!

  As I was out and about this morning, a strange scent caught my attention.  Since there was a slight easterly breeze, I followed the wafting aroma to find that the Paperwhite Narcissus were blooming.  My thoughts immediately flowed to Mom and her love for these blossoms.  She always stated that they were a sign that winter would not last forever.  Well, in this case, winter has not even really showed its face so the blossoms are early.  They seem to be a bit confused by our summer-like weather.  While it is true that the blooms represent a "new birth" and "purity" with their snow white petals and easy to sprout bulbs, there is a far deeper legend that hides with the plant.

  It seems that the name Narcissus comes from the Greek word for narcotic.  It refers to the almost "addictive" (not really but ok) scent of the blossoms.  It is also tied to a mythical young man by the same name.  It seems that Narcissus was so very handsome that he could not help admiring his beauty whenever he had the chance.  He would venture down to the lake to peer into the glassy waters where he eventually fell in love with his very own reflection.  Then, he literally fell into the lake and drowned.  (hmm?)  Immediately, the Paperwhite Narcissus plants popped out of the ground and bloomed.  Alrighty, then.  This legend is how we came to use the word narcissistic when referring to someone who is self-obsessed.  

  All of this deal with Narcissus made me giggle when I saw an add for Paperwhite Narcissus this evening.  "Great gift!" was how they touted the plant.  While I would be more than happy to receive another plant, one has to wonder about the meaning behind such a gift.  Is the plant given as a reminder of a new beginning or is there an ulterior motive saying "Hey, you are an egoist and need to change before it is too late"?  I, personally, like the flowers simply because they usually bloom when nothing else in the gardens are and because Mom liked them.  

  ~Did you know that there is a difference between an egoist and an egotist?  Yep, both define characteristics that are similar but there is a big difference.  An egotist is self absorbed but feels superior to others in some way.  An egoist simply is preoccupied with his (her) self but does not necessarily feel above others.  Now, aren't you glad I cleared up that for you?

Sweet Scents of the Garden!

Mark and I have a habit of strolling about the gardens every evening.  Not that there is a whole lot to see during this time of year but once in a while we are pleasantly surprised by some plant or critter.  This might be by a rabbit scared by our presence but unmoving as to not draw our attention, by some plant starting to sprout through the ground or by some bud starting to unfurl.  Our walk yesterday evening was interrupted by a glorious aroma!  We had just rounded the corner by the huge grapefruit trees and stopped for a moment by the kumquat tree.  Mark was grabbing a snack from the tree when I got a whiff of something delightful!  My mind raced back in time to my childhood and the large circle driveway at the old farm place!  It was there that I first recall the spicy scent of the Paperwhite Narcissus.  Pop always had a myriad of flowers planted in the beds around the driveway.  Each season brought forth a new array of blooms!  I never recall this area being bleak and bare.

Mom always loved these flowers..not because of their striking beauty..(with which some will argue calling them plain.) but because they were harbingers of spring.  She knew that once the Paperwhites started blooming, warmer days would soon be the rule.  I suppose the main reason I am so fond of the plant is it was one of her favorites.  As matter of fact, the little cluster of bulbs that I have are direct descendants of hers!  Years ago when Mark and I built this house, I dug up a couple of bulbs from the old farm place and transplanted them here.  Each year, I promise to take better care of them by moving them in a happier place than under the citrus trees but I humbly admit that I am negligent in my duties.  The poor plants do what they can to survive and always manage to bring a smile.  *I promise to transplant the Paperwhite Narcissus bulbs this year!!!*

Anyway, our walk was highly pleasurable...Mark's simply because our ambling took us past the kumquat trees and mine merely because of the Paperwhites and happy memories!