A Brief Blue Bloom Day

The sun came out on a frigid Bloom Day morning. It took a lot longer for me to get going. I did manage a short afternoon stroll to see what the freezing cold had done. Not bad I suppose. The daffodils looked relatively ok, but more cold in the low 20's is scheduled for next week.

The newly planted chionodoxa in the Great Lawn have started to bloom.

So far, no varmint has eaten them. I did see a deer out in the garden this evening but did not have the energy to get up and holler, "Get off my lawn." Let my lawn turn blue.

In the golden sunshine of a cold spring day.

Amazing Grace

I spent my 65th birthday in a hospital. Testing, testing, testing. I have not been feeling better. My shortness of breath has gotten so bad, so rapidly, I can't walk ten steps without having to stop and catch my breath. My right lung is partially collapsed. I'm on oxygen now. The tentative word was lung cancer. More tests were needed for the particulars. I can't breathe which means I can't work and had to call all my clients to let them know I would not be back this year.

The daffodils have had an amazing, way early, full bloom this spring. It has been nice to see it happen. A cold front with a dash of snow came through and the lows the next two days will be in the lower 20's. We shall see what is left when the cold is done with a spring that came too soon.

The new pulmonologist doctor from the start of my appointment today was not in the least bit willing to declare lung cancer from the previous test results she had seen. It could be something else. Really? There is hope. Happy Birthday to me. Testing, testing testing.

Tomorrow they are going to drain all the fluid off my right lung. Hopefully it will re-inflate. Friday they are going to stick a tube down my throat into my lungs to collect a bunch of samples. This is what I wanted. Action. Now. To find out what is going on to steal my breath away. Cancer has not been ruled out, but it is no longer the only option. 

The doctor and hospital staff were wonderful today, speeding things through a backed-up system for a patient clearly in distress. My family, friends and clients have all rallied around me to let me know I am loved and appreciated even with my faults. That is such an amazing gift. I have lived a charmed and blessed life in so very many ways. I have so much to be grateful for.

The Trout Lilies will open in the sunshine. Let me be the boy who cried cancer. I have gardens to tend. I can handle the embarrassment of a false alarm in exchange for the love and caring I have seen. Testing, testing, testing.

The Handiwork Of Bulbarella Stinze

Is sprinkled with blue glitter generously throughout. Click on a picture for a walk with the daffodils.

Daffodils In The Forest

The daffodils are at peak bloom. In a normal year that would happen closer to April 1st.

This is not going to be a normal year.

I wait for the flat light of a cloudy day to go for a walk in Bulbarella's garden next door. The early warm pushing them to full bloom has been nice. The full sunshine of cloudless days is bad for picture taking in the light and shadow that causes in a forest filled with daffodils. The sun may go out tomorrow.

Gully Washer

Oh, where have you been, my blue-eyed son? 

And where have you been, my darling young one?

I've stumbled on the side of 12 misty mountains
I've walked and I crawled on six crooked highways
I've stepped in the middle of seven sad forests
I've been out in front of a dozen dead oceans
I've been 10,000 miles in the mouth of a graveyard

And it's a hard, it's a hard

It's a hard, it's a hard
It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall

The Daffodils Begin

The warm continues with passing systems producing generous rains every few days. The daffodils are in full on bolt.

The deer ate every last crocus on the Great Lawn. A giant flower show was obliterated in the night. It is most annoying.

Daffodils are poisonous thank you very much.

There are some crocus left right beside the house.

The Trout Lily have started blooming too. They are spreading at an exponential rate and could become groundcover like in a few more years.

This is unusual for the first day of March. Normally I would expect just the foliage to be up and showing by the middle of the month.

I may see daffodils bloom this year that quite regularly get zapped by a winter storm. That is not out of the question at this point for sure, but for now it is more warm days out to the horizon. The daffodils are going for it.

In the land where the waters will carry me away.

Some Crocus Before They're Gone

We have been having a heat wave and the Witch Hazels and snowdrops have burned through and pretty much finished up their bloom. The crocus are rising fast. 

It is best to go have a look before they finish a hasty bloom or get eaten by the deer.

The Great Lawn is choke full of crocus bulbs in all colors.

Today was the first full bloom at 70 degrees for a high. That is too hot for February.

The crocus were enjoying it. I did too at work today. Spring is here. It is time to get back to work. If only I felt better. I'm going back to visit the doctor tomorrow.

The Great Lawn has been thoroughly doused with red hot pepper. Damn varmints! The good news is the crocus are multiplying very well. It seems as long as the flowers get pollinated, they can get eaten and the seed pods still develop below ground before coming up when they are ready for dispersal.

I saw lots of crocus today.

Then It Snowed

 

A Day Late For Bloom Day.

Yesterday was not a good day. I felt completely exhausted, unable to move, and spent the day napping on and off. I lost track of what day it was. It was Bloom Day and I slept through it. This sinus infection seems to be lifting, but it is not letting go easily. Rotating days of warm have set the bulbs in motion. Sunshine signals opening days.

These early crocus remind me to go have a look at the house next to the Catholic church in town that is a solid lawn of crocus. It is a sight to behold.

The sunshine encourages the snowdrops to open fully as well.

 

This is the beginning of many full Bloom Days to come.

The Witch Hazels are in bloom. It is interesting that they seem to have long petal and short petal years. Or I am imagining things.

I caught a sweet whiff of 'Arnold's Promise' passing by. That is a good sign. I am so over feeling sick.

More crocus arrive on a daily basis.

The damn deer eat my crocus. This year they will be getting a mouth full of hot pepper to go with my flowers.

The hellebore are in bloom too.

Next up will be the daffodils. They are rising in force. I'm running late on my chop and drop this year and spring is running a touch early. I need to feel better soon.