Friday, June 23, 2006

For Bess, who understands that the world cannot possibly create enough peonies to make one woman fully happy (but that we should continue to try anyway)...

heaven

Just as the deep fuchsia peonies have started to drop their petals, the pink ones are starting to open up. I keep going outside and burying my face in these flowers to catch just one more whiff of their heavenly fragrance. Why must peonies bloom so briefly?

Enough distraction. Back to work!

The writing continues. I appreciate all your words of wisdom and advice. My so-called "rational mind" knows that everything is right where it's supposed to be. But the irrational mind, ah, that's a different story.

In celebration of having conquered the chapters on sheep and angora goats, and having received four truly stunning finished garments from two Mystery Designers (oh how I wish I could post pictures here), I spent the afternoon dreaming of buying an apartment in Paris.

And tonight, if I manage to conquer Mount Cashmere Goatius, I celebrate with a fish burger from the Country View Drive In—a summertime tradition up in these parts. Life doesn't get much better than this, I say.

p.s.-More delphiniums for Mary

12 comments:

Mary said...

Still jealous of your delphiniums. I do have peonies, but they finished a month ago, so it's nice to see them again on your blog. :-) More delphinium pictures, please!

Unknown said...

Your wish is my command!

Margaret said...

Dear Heart,

You can post peonies for me anytime. I have 8 plants in my garden, and 3 hardy rose bushes (in the foothills of the Cdn Rockies, after all) -- both are in bloom/bud now, and I'm in heaven!

Mary said...

Okay, I'm officially in Delphinium heaven! Thanks Clara! :-)

Marfa's Mewsings said...

Sweet one,
Could you hear me ooohing & aaahing over those photos?
The next door neighbor's peach tree has overshadowed the only peony bush in the yard & in the fall, I shall move it!
And hey, maybe by next Spring, I'll even have a digital camera & can show you a photo of what the blooms are like on it, or as Jon Stewart says, maybe not ^..^
XOXO

Amie said...

Will you still love me if I confess I don't care for Peonies?

Yours are truly gorgeous, but my mother has the Peony that ate Manhattan next to the walkway to get to the front door, which means that from March through September, if it rains anywhere closer than Detroit, it is impossible to get to the front door without being drenched - those puppies hold their water better than camels. Then all summer long you're stuck in a deluge of peony goo and ants.

Now, what are you doing conjegating verbs on my blog - get back to writing!!!

Unknown said...

(Gasp... wheeze... stumble...) I... I... guess I can handle your dislike of peonies. My father isn't fond of them either. And on Saturday night mine fell prey to an intense downpour. Even with hoops that could eat Manhattan, the poor babies dipped their head and some even broke. Nature sure is tough.

Mary said...

Well, in Amie's defense, peonies can break your heart. They take what seems like ages for the buds to finally open, and then when they do, they flop over and loll on the ground unless you have them caged, and if it rains while they're lolling on the ground, well, the blooms are mush. They're one of those fleeting joys of spring, I guess....

Now the flowering plant that I think is most overrated is the Gladiolus. 11 months of debris-catching leaves for barely a week of blooms. Not worth it.

Bess said...

No NO! Gladiolas are proof that there is such a thing as love. I will send you my story about me and Mama and the Gladiolas.

But while you and Amie are saying poTAHtoes, we poTAHto sayers will just quietly smile with patience and acceptance.

And we'll take all your extra peonies.

Beautiful flowers, Missy Clara

maniacalmultitasker said...

Just adore peonies too!
Love touching the buds just before they burst into bloom.... so soft!
Do have both kinds? herbaceous and tree?

Margaret said...

Clara, if you get an apt. in Paris we can visit each other by train when we move to Italy!

We are going for another visit this October and DH seriously wants to look at houses while we are there! He wouldn't mind moving where his family is, but if I'm moving that far I feel I should pick the town, right? So we will go to Sorrento, just up from the Amali coast and I'll have a nice big Lemon tree in our yard! And you all will have a standing invite to come visit!

Martheme

Anonymous said...

Visit schmisit... that's where the next KR retreat will be held. Party at Martheme's house! Wow, a move to Italy... that's big news! What would happen to Inspirations Yarn?