Sweet winter scents

Edgeworthia chrysantha

Edgeworthia, a small tree of Asian origin, grows in my garden. Each of the eight or nine years since I planted it, its blossoms have released their fresh, sweet scent in the January and February air, making a little song in my heart as I walk nearby.

Those tight white bud clusters that grow at the end of each stem began swelling up in the fall and have now begun opening, bright yellow, along the outer edges of the cluster. Yesterday afternoon I caught their fragrance for the first time this year ... ahhhhhhh.

Known commonly as Paperbush, Edgeworthia has been used in China and Japan to make high quality paper. I learned today from Ketzel Levine (http://www.npr.org/programs/talkingplants/profiles/edgeworthia.html) that Edgeworthia is also commonly known as Knot Plant, its branches being highly flexible and bendable. And that this lovely small tree may be found in hedgerows in southern China. As seasonal warmth increases, lovely, dark green, silver-undersided leaves up to 6 or 7 inches long and 2 inches wide will create a canopy over the tree's rounded top. I can easily imagine this environment as a welcome perch for birds seeking the cooling cover of such a hedgerow on a hot summer day.

Along with those stalwart little crocuses that are such welcome harbingers of the spring to come, Edgeworthia brings a quiet grace and beauty to my winter garden.

The magic begins

Springtime magic, that is. I know it's just late January, but the crocuses that have started blooming in my garden whisper spring to me. These 'firefly' crocuses are very petite, but they are also very strong, having withstood our seesawing temperatures (single digits to teens to 30s to 60s to 20s and so on) to produce beautiful wee blooms in the middle of January. I am so encouraged! Life fades and sleeps. Out of sight, roots dream and grow -- isn't it comforting to imagine roots' dreams, their persistence, their movement within dark, rich soil? Life awakens and moves toward the light again, stretching upward, full of potential. Over and over again, the sleeping, the dreaming, the awakening. Is this not a miracle?

Crocus sieberi 'firefly'

Impressions from January 20, 2009

I wasn't there in person, but while I was getting ready to view the inaugural ceremonies on the living room TV, I decided I wanted to record the events with my camera anyway -- this inauguration was too important, too moving, too joyful; I wanted to preserve it in some way. So I was a tourist -- an excited American citizen -- in my own living room. My pictures of pictures are impressionistic -- pixels by their very nature seem pointillist anyway, and the images beamed electronically on January 20th are now deeply impressed in my own mind and the minds of millions. They are powerful testimony to and affirmation of a turning point for our country and the world, as Barack Obama -- a wise, egalitarian leader of deep intelligence -- takes office. Let us all hold him in the Light.

Christmas passed ...

... much too quickly, and here it is January 21st, but I still want to post some photos from one of my favorite times of the year. It's always a challenge to catch every single one of us smiling with eyes open, but our Christmas 2008 family portrait comes pretty close.

Christmas tree magic

Part of the family at the Christmas Eve table

And at the kids' table

Getting to know you -- Susannah and Luke hold baby cousins Davis and Isaac as they get to know each other

Little Santas and Hannah try to figure out who the next gift is for, while Keith and Hunter are otherwise occupied

Appreciating an abundance of gifts


Little Santas everywhere

Reindeer too

And festive hairbows and caps

Family portrait, take 2 -- Happy New Year, one and all!

More Thanksgiving memories

On Thanksgiving Friday (was it really 7+ weeks ago?), we celebrated together at our house, again with lots of good food -- chili egg fritata, ham, green and fruit salads, croissants, and pumpkin muffins filled us up. Children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and friends came by to continue from Thursday a favorite holiday with us.

Hannah and Leila

Leila and Savannah

Shiloh

Hannah and Davis

Keith

Christy

Susannah and Isaac

Wanda and Tye

Luke

Duffy

Becky and Mac

The little boys (John, Jagger, Hunter)

The little girls (Carolina, Savannah, Amelia) and Casey