A Story - "Cards" and Blue Scilla, Fuschia, Dutchman's Breetches, White Crocus, Glory-of-the-Snow

A story

Cards

Marsha blinkered her view so she only saw the birthday cards in the rack.  Beside her, a young mother scanned the Mother's Day cards.

"You are always there for me with your precious love," the mother read.

"That's just right for Grandma," she confided to her baby snug in her wrap.

Marsha's throat choked painfully.  A shudder rippled through her chest as the agony of her loss shivered through her.  Quickly she grabbed a birthday card.  Her heart do-looped anguish as she struggled to the cash.  The image was chiselled in her mind.

Her mother slamming the door, gone forever.

The blue scillas are a treat to see in the spring.  They are easy to grow and naturalize. Because they are a small bulb growing only about 4" high, they are never a bother no matter where they appear. The blue is so striking that it gives a strong pop of colour even though the plants are small.

Last summer I bought 4 fuchsias and they bloomed nicely all season.  I decided to try to overwinter them in the basement which is usually about 10C.  All the leaves fell off which was fine as I wanted the plants to go dormant.  I barely watered them. Now I have pruned them , watered them more but still not a lot, and have started giving them time on the deck.  If frost is likely, I bring them inside at night. They look very bare...

but the plants have lots of leaves starting to grow.

Hopefully in a couple of months it will be full of flowers like last summer.

Dutchman's breetches, which are native to my zone 4 area, come up very early. The feathery greyish green leaves are lovely.

You can see by the flowers that they are related to Bleeding Heart.

I thought this cluster of white crocus looked very pretty in the sun.  The purplish stems and orange stamens are so cheerful against the vibrant white.

I have been increasing my collection of Glory-of-the-Snow (chionodoxa) as the chipmunks don't eat them.

Their star-shaped flowers are like little fireworks in the spring garden.

 So nice to see the spring flowers and to hear the frogs croaking away.  Lots of birds especially in the mornings and some mourning cloak butterflies are drifting around.