The sun is out today, but the air is cool, so we sat out on our porch, huddled in blankets, breathing the spring air laden with the delicate scent of lilacs and ate bagels and lox and celebrated Mother's Day.
The lilacs are in full bloom right now - bouquets filling our house. My husband bought me tiny starts of the exotic deep burgundy lilacs years ago on Mother's Day. The white ones were transplants from my neighbor (and wonderful friend) Sherri's garden and the pale purple ones are an old fashioned variety passed down to me from my mother's garden where huge bushes have grown for over 45 years.
They go back further than that though - my parents inherited starts from our neighbor Mr. Morgan. He and his wife were like grandparents to me throughout my childhood and scarcely a day would go by without me tripping along the path through the woods to share a cup of tea, some biscuits and stories with Mrs. Morgan or to follow Mr. Morgan around the chicken coups and his garden. Beautiful memories, lilacs, the Morgans, my parent's garden, Mother's Day.
Many years after Mr. Morgan passed away, we named our first son 'Morgan' in his honor. Only after announcing it, did I learn that Mr. Morgan's first name was Gilbert...
I love lilacs and these pictures revive my childhood. We had a pale lilac growing in our front garden, but the neighbourhood wilderness had white, deep purple as well as double blossomed ones. And we always filled the house with them. And as kids we could not resist picking off individual blossoms and sucking the nectar out of the little tubes. Oh, what memories!
ReplyDeleteI love lilacs and I envy you their sweet scent. I now live in South Carolina where lilacs do not flourish. I do, however, console myself with the scent of gardenias which do flourish here.
ReplyDeleteHappy mother's day.
KJ
Beverly, thanks for the lovely Mother's Day post. I could almost smell the lilacs, and I can't think of a better special breakfast than lox and bagels. Perfect.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day!
These are lovely photos and memories! I love lilacs and someday (probably when I arrive in heaven!) I'll live somewhere that lilacs will be happy! Right now, I'm in Texas and pretty happy with my roses. Thanks for the happy thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely stories, that turn these Lilacs into something extra specially special! And I bet Mr and Mrs Morgan would be so chuffed that even now their Lilacs bring you and your parents such pleasure. (Very cool twist on the name thing - love it!) I will be visiting a friend next weekend who has all three colours in her garden too and, although I'm pretty sure they don't have such great stories, I look forward to it because they do smell delicious.
ReplyDeleteHappy Mother's Day!
i miss the smell of lilacs. they bring back lovely memories of days spent lying in the garden, without a care in the world, many many springs ago.
ReplyDeleteOh Beverly I love the lilacs too. There fragrance is so stunning. Ours are gone by now (guess we were early with everything this year). I remember the story about Mr. Morgan so vivit when Morgan was born. And seen the place they lived I still wanna buy it. Tell your mom to hold on to it for me...Hope your Mother's day was wonderful even it this time it wasn't on Whidbey Island.
ReplyDeleteGreat memories and beautiful lilacs. Our small bush is blooming too.
ReplyDeleteHi Beverly. These lilacs are just beautiful and lush. The photos convey so much; love your ability to create these settings of warmth with objects...in this case lilacs. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat story too.