Saturday, April 23, 2011

Triumphs and Tragedies

Welcome to another week of Triumphs and Tragedies.  As seems to be the case a lot recently the weather is playing a big role in the ups and downs of my garden.  The first tragedy occurred Thursday morning.  The last day of the work week before the long weekend and what did I wake up to.


It began snowing Wednesday evening and I had hoped it would melt by the next morning but it did not.  Instead it rained and then froze.


Each branch on this potentilla shrub is completely encased in ice.  Very pretty to look at but not so great for gardening.  Or driving for that matter.  To quote the radio announcer that morning, "we have snow, we have ice, we have freezing rain.  The only thing we don't have is dry pavement".

I came home Thursday night to a pleasant surprise.  This week's triumph comes courtesy of two fellow garden bloggers.  Kate from High Altitude Gardening took a trip to Italy this past February.  More than a trip really, as she spent a month living and working there.  Those of us reading along got to enjoy her travels vicariously which was a treat.  Italian seeds made it back in her luggage and Kate kindly thought of us fellow bloggers and sent them out into the world.  I'm very much looking forward to planting my italian carrots and radichio Kate, thank you!

A second parcel also arrived this Thursday from Sharon Lovejoy of Sunflower House and a Little Green Island.  Sharon recently started the Grimy Hands Girls Club and as a charter member I received a lovely package from Sharon including lettuce seeds and illustrated notepaper.  

So many wonderful gifts came in the mail this week!
So what initially looked like a dreary start to the weekend turned around quite quickly.  Happy holiday wishes and have a lovely weekend.


14 comments:

Laurrie said...

Such sweet mail treats to cheer up a blankin' horrid weather day. Bad days can end well, and I'm glad yours did.

Jess said...

Happy Easter Marguerite!

Casa Mariposa said...

I received seeds from Sharon, too! It was wonderful. :o) I have zinnia seeds. Hopefully, your snow will melt soon. You need some spring!

Janet/Plantaliscious said...

Snow? Really?! How unfair... Thank goodness for packages filled with promise. I love getting seeds in the post. Hope Spring starts properly for you soon.

Island Threads said...

happy easter Marguerite, snow at easter is always a downer I hope it soon goes and stays away until the end of the year for you, I hope your potentilla survives, it is amazing how small touches of kindness can cheer us so quickly, Frances

One said...

Oh dear! Still snowing? Some days, the temperature here can be close to 40 degree Celsius. If only I could transfer some heat over...

It's always a joy to receive mails with seeds. Something different from the usual bills. :)

Jane said...

I think your weather improved a bit the last couple of days from other blogs I've been reading - thank goodness! Around here farmers are chomping at the bit wanting to get into their fields but it's too wet with the huge snow melt off and so many days of rain.
Do you know the real name of the flowers in my header? My mom just called them "crazies". They're flowering all over the place right now.

Johanna said...

Yuck on the snow and ice. I hope it's all melted away by now. We had a beautiful day here and I took the boys out for another hike :)
Hugs

Northern Beauty Seeker said...

Hope the sun found you over the Easter weekend.


Love the little Easter candle. :)

Jean Campbell said...

Speaking of gifts, I got a package in the mail today and it was triumphantly all in one piece, the lovely glass ornament I won. Thank you. I'll display it and make pics soon.

Marguerite said...

Laurrie - luckily the whole weekend ended well. the snow melted and the sun came out. It was a shaky start but boy it was lovely by the end.

Jess- Happy Easter to you too! hope the bunny paid you a visit.

Casa Mariposa - wasn't that a wonderful package to get in the mail. Nothing like seeds to make me smile.

Janet - It was funny here. After the snow and cold temperatures the weather began to change. Friday was windy and chilly, Saturday a bit warmer, Sunday back to chilly but by Monday, wow. What a magnificent day it was. I think spring arrived. Even saw my first bee of the season although I think I woke him from his sleep when he tumbled out of some weeds I was pulling.

Frances - Those potentilla are tough, I have no worries for them. There's 3 shrubs in the yard and they take all kinds of abuse from cats playing in them, inadvertantly chewed up by lawn mowers and weed whackers, snow, wind. The ice will likely break some stems but they seem to recover quite quickly.

One - Oh yes, seeds are better than bills any day!

Jane - I looked at the header but can't be quite sure. I think they're a bulb considering when they're blooming. Possibly siberian squill (which I'm growing for the first time right now but they haven't bloomed yet so I can't compare). could also be a bluebell/hyacinth of some sort. A closer look at the foliage and the open flower might help identify it.

Johanna - so nice you have time for long walks now. Hope you enjoyed a wonderful easter weekend.

Ms.S - Thank you! It too was a gift. I'm a member of our local Women's Institute and we have 'secret pals' throughout the year who drop off little gifts here and there. These sweet duckies showed up on my porch this weekend.

NellJean - YAH!!! I thought I packed it well enough but you never know with the post. so glad to hear it reached it's destination.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello there Marguerite : )
I love your header picture !
I can sympathize with the icy weather and how it has encased the garden .. every few years we have it here too .. plus I have lived in Nova Scotia a few times and know the weather can be very dicy on the east coast.
I marveled at Kate's stay in Italy too .. what a great experience and she is a very generous gardener to share her bounty ! wink wink
If it ever stops raining here I will post more pictures of the solar powered birdbath fountain .. it was so neat when it worked I can't wait to see the sun again so it will show off ? haha
Joy

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Hi dear,

Sorry about your tragedies, but happy about your joys. Glad you liked the Grimy Hands Girls' Club packet from me. Well, lettuce likes cool weather, but NOT snow and ice...better wait.

Sending a hug,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Anonymous said...

I consider snow in late April cruel and unusual punishment (well, maybe not as unusual as I like to pretend). Even those of us who love winter are heartily sick of it by April! I hope it has all melted. I still have icy remains of snowbanks along the driveway and by the side of the road in Maine. -Jean