Intoxicating In More Ways Than One in Everyday Ramblings

On a reconnaissance mission yesterday morning over in my old neighborhood for a future Trails Club hike we wended our way through so many gorgeous front gardens. It was such a delight and I thought this whole combination was particularly lovely and representative of the area in general. Happy Easter!

They have more sun over there and the Dogwoods are in full bloom, where they are just coming on over here. The blossoms are difficult to shoot because of the way they work with light but in the last few days I have been particularly fascinated in the cupped way the blooms unfold as they open. I have tried a number of pictures but am not happy with any of them. It is a Learn by Doing exercise.

In the difficult to capture with a camera category, the rhododendrons out front are in absolute peak bloom this morning. The bushes have been growing since I have lived here the last almost ten years and are now taller than me, so almost 6 feet. As my place is built into a hill, they go up and I can fully see them (not just the tops) from my living room. The buds start out pink but they open to white.

The flowers surround me when I stand out in my patio well and look up. It is very hard to describe but being in this specific place experiencing this abundance of lacy delicate new whiteness does something to me emotionally.

It brings out a tenderness.

Kind of like when one sees a baby or a puppy but it is broader than that. I feel a softening, a vulnerability, almost a sigh.

This world is so harsh, so violent, so disordered and often breathtakingly cruel. These attacks in Sri Lanka, the revelations of the Mueller report of criminal self-dealing, ineptitude and corruption and on and on, we need to take a break and revel in the fragrance of spring, the dappled light and cooler temperature of fall.

I mentioned to Mrs. Sherlock that my hair person had told me about a beauty supple place that might have old-fashioned hair barrettes that I was looking for to help with some semblance of control while my totally unruly wavy hair grows out and she said she could take me there but she wanted to stop by another nursery. One I didn’t even know was there.

As I had been to the gym before we walked and was over 20,000 steps I decided to hang out in the car with Frida while she went into the nursery. The people watching was fun and I had a book to read so the fact that she took awhile was fine.

When she came out she had a couple of gifts for me. This adorable doormat made out of recycled coconut shells and hand dyed orange with a cat face in the bottom corner and hello in script and a small plant.

The plant was lemon catnip.

As I had purchased toys that come rolled in catnip or little catnip bags and the cats had basically been indifferent to I was thinking no problem.

When I got home the cats were quite interested in the door mat so I left the plant on the dining room table and went off to do my grocery shopping.

Oh no you might think!

But when I got home the plant was where I had left it and the cats were their usual curious affectionate selves.

Diego wanted to schmooze and is pretty adorable. He sits on something waist high and the reaches out with a paw basically walking up me with his front paws until they are on my shoulder. He wants me to pick him up and hold him. So I did that in the middle of putting the groceries away.

In the process, we inadvertently bumped the catnip plant. I put him down and continued with my unpacking and a few minutes later the plant was on it’s side and I had two intoxicated felines rolling around on my dining room table!

The catnip plant is now out in the patio well, it survived, the doormat is out in the vestibule where it looks good and calm has been restored.

Just in time to enjoy the full expression of this blissfully colorful and rich season that is upon us.

Last updated April 22, 2019