It is Blooming Friday and I offer the last of my Snow Blossom Walk. To see other blooms snowy and not visit Katarina's Roses and Stuff. We start out on the North side of the gardens and walk through the middle, stepping past Rock Maple, Apple, Sedum and Hydrangea, pausing to admire Milkweed laden with a heavy snow coat. Our stallion-like Native Cherry stands in the background wearing a thin white blanket. Moving past the old veggie garden and Blue bird house I recall the happy animated times of flashing blue wings coming and going and the fledglings peeping out the perfect round hole . . . their window to this new world. I knew then each had to be piggy backing on the other in order to reach the opening and smiled to think of what they must feel, seeing outside the box for the first time. Just past the bird house, the cut flower beds and where the peonies ran down the hill, we carefully make our way under the old apple tree and down into the blueberry fields. You can see how I was in denial about winter finally finishing off the fall, for my chairs now require digging out before they can be moved into storage. You will see more, but in fairness two days before this, it was 60 degrees and I was cutting down briars and sumac on the hillside. Still no harm done if I hurry, for wood and metal can bear a bit of wet and cold. The photo after the coated chairs and apples, illustrates the northerly sweep of this storm, for all the trunks of trees are blasted white on their north side. The Weeping Cherry wears it well and the white gown reveals a lovely figure. Looking up at the old Rock Maples the sun casts a warm glow, but turning and looking down the hill towards the blueberries and birch it feels colder. A bit further down and looking back up again, the framed landscape holds room for Magnolias, Hydrangea with Apple branching into the picture. Lets walk back up into the sunlight . . . as we go note the cupcake like rock before a large blueberry bush and a silly shadow saying hi! The sun paints full blue shadows of hydrangea snow blooms too. Walking past the (try not to notice) hammock with its cool comforter and past the Weeping Cherry to its other dry side, we enter the south Tree Swallow's field. An old apple stands atop a rock outcropping like a Bonsai surveying the open field and bird houses. Carey hill looks on from the eastern distance, into a field of silence and perhaps misses, as I do, the fluid flights of the Tree Swallows. I am sure you are weary from this long cold walk, so heading back I will just share the view from under the oldest apple of the gardens, directing your gaze towards the shrubberies and trees all lined in white. The Magnolia stellata shows off her white snow blossoms nearly as lovely as her soft spring blooms and just behind the house lilacs normally purple are all abloom in . . . yes . . . more white. The table and chairs seem so timeless, as to bring to my mind at least, a form of Alice's wonderland and I leave you with my very own Mad Hatter. I hope I have not kept you too long and that you enjoyed the last of my Snow Blossom Walk.
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