Spring is Around the Corner and Other Fine Tidbits

While I babysit Penelope and work on my 2nd round of edits, I keep saying to myself that Spring is around the corner. It’s my way of keeping myself going. Lately I’ve been fascinated by planting. I’m terrible with plants. I have a purple thumb and they wither in my presence. The flowers I love most I can usually buy a few stalks of to put in a vase and brighten my house. I have three favorites: lilacs, peonies, and wisteria.

It’s primarily the fragrance of these flowers that attract me.  I think I may plant a lilac bush in my yard.  I really should.  Nothing inspires me like lilacs or peonies.  When I very small, my family lived for a short time in upstate New York.  I was in kindergarten and was not allowed to cross the street.

The Victorian house across the street had the most wonderful garden.  I remember the lilacs and the peonies there and flowers I could not name.

My mom was very busy trying to pack and take care of my new baby sister.  She thought I was playing in the backyard of the house like I always did.  I was an amazingly good girl.  Most of the time.

I crossed the street.  The house was owned by a silver haired lady.  She invited me in for tea.  I went and the house was beautiful, furnished in Victorian style.  That was the first time I heard a harpischord.

I drank tea and nibbled her homemade cookies, while she played the harpischord and showed me photos of her grandchildren that never came to visit.  I was very sad for her and when I could I crossed the street to visit.

I know that was a very bad thing to do, and anything could have happened.   Fortunately she was a good woman and nothing bad happened to me, and when my family moved away she became one of my favorite memories.  Everytime spring comes around, I think of her wonderful garden.

We’re expecting snow tomorrow and I already have had enough with my springtime dreaming.  I still have ice and snow in my yard from the last storm.  I saw this cookie on Pinterest that sort of summed up my feelings as well as looking delicious.  LOL

A special thank you to the folks at Pinterest for the flower photos too.

-Susan

Susan Hanniford Crowley

http://www.susanhannifordcrowley.com

Filed under: Settings, Susan Hanniford Crowley, Writer's Life