04.17.07 JUST A REMINDER...

...that color is a gift. In addition to the gaudy magnificence of garden flowers, I remember that plants have historically been the source of much of the color in our lives. Madder, Rubria tinctorium; woad, Isatis tinctoria; and weld, Reseda lutola; provided the dyes red, blue, and yellow (as well as their many combinations, green, mauve, etc.) for coloring fiber for textiles.

04.05.07 FRUIT TREES BLOSSOM

The weather has turned cold again. I don't mind, it slows down the mad rush of spring. Warm weather can accelerate two weeks of cool spring weather into an afternoon and the next thing you know the lilac and the iris are blooming! In the garden the fruit trees begin to bloom, these photos show their progress. The cherries are first, then the pears, and finally the apples. We are still at a high risk of frost and so I can understand the reluctance of the different trees to show their fragile finery to the bees.