A few weeks ago I visited my father in Massachusetts.

As I walked to his front door I noticed a large tree limb on the ground;

a victim of one of the blizzards.

On my second walk by the fallen limb, I noticed all the buds.

It was 18 degrees outside; I was shivering and thinking about spring.

Looking at the tree limb, I had a sudden impulse to snip branch after branch with my cold, bare hands and stuff the branches into the back of my car.

To some, I probably looked like a madwoman.

My plan was to force them to blossom at my house.

Instant Spring!

Later I wondered whether the branches would ever bloom since

the limb was severed several weeks earlier.

But the tree was in its winter hibernation.

So I recut the branches when I got back home,

smashed the ends with a hammer to help the branches draw in the water,

and just when I was thinking nothing would happen,

I saw a change.

I was not sure what flowers would emerge from the woody stems.

My father has not lived in this apartment for a long time, so I am not familiar with all the trees.

The apartment building is an old school building that dates back to the early 20th century.

It was converted to apartments years ago.

This tree is outside my father's living room window.

I vaguely remembered pretty flowers.

Now these lovely flowers have blossomed in my kitchen.

Check out these beautiful apple blossoms.

A perfect tree to grow outside a school.

In fact, I have always thought

that my father's apartment was the principal's office,

because of the high ceilings, large windows and steps in the apartment.

(I imagine these steps led to the principal's inner sanctum.)

Makes sense that an apple tree would be just outside the principal's window.

These flowers make me smile each morning when I stumble downstairs

to feed the dog before dawn

and

again

each night when I come home

from a long day,

well after sunset.

The beauty of nature and its power to impress, surprise, delight

is amazing.

Spring is coming

as soon as the floods end...

rivers are raging,

roofs are leaking,

basements are wet

but the grass will be green

and the trees will be strong

and the flowers will be abundant.

Patience.

oh i couldn't; i just ate a grape.

One of my all-time best finds

gorgeous chandelier

from the 19th century

Got it at a local country auction.

It was the 2nd to last item

on a rainy summer day

almost 16 years ago.

Miss Is was still in the stroller

most everyone had left

I had very little competition

luckily

because I didn't have a lot to spend

S O L D

to me

the winning bidder

It gets a little dusty so I rigged up this clever cleaning apparatus

much better than the last cleaning technique

when I laid the chandelier carefully on the ground

close up of the grapes and leaves

the purple glass is beautiful

Here is where it hangs

with the haying picture that I love so much.

There is a story behind everything you see

in this photo.

This may be the beginning of treasure posts.

I thought about this chandelier when I saw this on

Pigtown Design

A treasure recently spotted by PD

PD commented that this would look nice in a garden.

Yes, I agree.

I have been admiring just such a garden in my neck of the woods

at this wonderful little antique

you can see two fun chandeliers hanging in their garden

look carefully

do you see the pulley system

how ingenious for the candles

another view

The second chandelier has twigs winding all over it

I do not know the people who live here

nor have I ever driven by when the candles are burning.

It must be lovely.

Dining under the stars, with the sounds of the garden

and candles flickering overhead.

Snowdrops

a sure sign that winter is almost over...

Stepping outside last Saturday I was greeted by the wonderful fresh smell of spring.

It was a bright morning with just the right nip in the air.

And look what I noticed in the garden.

These snowdrops came from Bavaria by way of 

Cincinnatti, then Wellesley, and now they are in my garden in Wilton.

My sister's in-laws emigrated to the USA from Germany in the 50's.

They tucked a few snowdrops deep in their luggage

to have some of their homeland in their new country.

The snowdrops thrived in Cincinnati and multiplied and multiplied.

Any Gardeners out there?  Check out the picture above - 

do the small white oval bulbs with short stems look right to you?  

Should they be above ground like that?

Opa brings more bulbs for the east coast garden whenever he visits.

One day I admired them and by the time I was ready to leave

Polly had dug up a stash for me to take back to Wilton.

I planted them about three years ago.

This is the first spring that I have seen them.

I thought they died.

A metaphor for life right now; 

don't give up, give everything a chance, 

a little bit of nurturing, maybe a slow start, 

and just when you think its done and gone,

it awakens.

Patience.