Welcoming May with Open Arms

I've always loved the month of May

because of the flowers

because it's my birthday,

I love it this year especially because three of the weeks in April

were difficult to get through.

I hurt my back moving heavy boxes around and spent far too long in a forced

rest with a heated pad in my back, pain-killers and several doctor's appointments.

I am pleased to say that the situation is much improved, but not yet perfect.

I missed two weeks of enjoying spring outside and when I went outside for my first walk,

the lilac was in bloom and the fresh, green leaves were on the trees!

The first thing I saw when I walked out the front door were the lilac bushes

in full bloom on the grassy patch near my building.

They smelled heavenly and the grass and tiny daisies under my feet felt wonderful!

The trees in my street were in blossom and the tiny leaves followed soon after.

My young Camellia bush had buds everywhere

and the buds opened to reveal soft red blooms

My balcony started to look very colourful

A big pot of tiny violas is filling out nicely

I picked a few to keep me company inside!

The first strawberry flowers are appearing in my window boxes

A pot of Lily-of-the-Valley for the first day of May

and some freshly picked pansies.

The two cards were for Easter and I keep them out for a long time because they're so pretty.

This little cherub sitting on a heart-shaped trinket container

was given to me by my grandson a while back.

I treasure the thoughtful gift and keep some earrings in it!

I got outside again in time to capture the last of the flowering blossom.

This one is in my street and I look forward to it every year.

These lovely pink ones are in my neighbourhood too.

My favourite apple is called Topaz and I eat one every single day.

I'm so happy that they can still be found at the market.

Do you have a favourite apple?

One day, I fancied some pancakes. These are made with three different kinds of gluten-free

flour, including chestnut and coconut flour.

I diced some ewe's cheese before folding them in half and then some avocado pear to garnish.

My favourite flower in the month of May is the peony.

They come in glorious colours and their petals get lighter and lighter as they mature.

Their centres are a wonder of details

The early morning light behind the pink petals makes them look like a watercolour painting.

I finally finished the edging on my latest crochet creation.

I mentioned it in April. 

It's Granny's Secret Garden and all the rounds in the middle represent

different flowers: a mixed border in the sixteen squares in the middle,

then come the blue and yellow forget-me-nots and then the soft red and pink cherry blossom.

The pattern is by Wool Thread Paint

and I have done my own personal colour scheme.

I made the heart garland a while back.

There is a new project on the go 

and 2022 is the year when I want to reduce my huge stash of yarns

 which seems to be taking over my apartment!

This pattern is called Spring Flower Blanket

I am aiming to crochet 64 big squares and join them together with a border.

This is a photo heavy blog entry as I'm catching up for the lost days of April.

I hope that spring is treating you well.

Whatever happens in our lives, especially the unexpected,

let's keep smiling and know that better times will return again. 

May Flowers

The blossoms have been wonderful since the end of April,

but May has brought a profusion of delicate flowers against deep blue skies.

Like this curtain of flowers.

The dark pink centres are a lovely contrast to the white petals of this ornamental cherry.

This one was taken just after a rain shower.

This little tree is in my street and I look forward to the blossom every single year.

These white Narcissus with the yellow centres was taken on an evening walk

in my neighbourhood.

Layers of pink petals so wonderful to see after the winter months.

More rain showers on this beautiful Iris growing in the planter

alongside the building I live in.

The Lilac bushes are still blooming

I managed to capture this Apple Blossom before the wind

blew away the gorgeous chunky petals.

I wonder if this will be a good year for apples?

How fresh the new spring green leaves are as they appear on all of the trees.

The Queen of queens for this month

has to be the luscious Peony.

I like to have them in a vase in my home during the whole of the month of May.

Aren't the petals just wonderful?

They start off  in a lovely deep, vibrant shade which  changes every day.

until they becomes a beautiful luminous creamy colour

and then finally white, before the petals start dropping.

A fallen petal and stamens on the tabletop.

Ruffles of peachy petals

and the last peony standing in the vase.

It will soon be time to get some more of these wondrous blooms.

Soft curves and colour create an abstract quality to the flowers

that bring me such joy all through the month of May.

We have had our fair share of rain this month with polar air blowing our way,

luckily there have been blue skies too!

The rain is needed as the level of the rivers and lakes was getting really low.

A beautiful basket of Hydrangeas arrived today

They have been sent by my thoughtful son in Canada

for Mother's Day this Sunday.

It always falls on the second Sunday during the month of May.

You can see the pretty accompanying card.

This lovely plant will be planted in a big pot on my balcony on Sunday!

Hydrangeas are my favourite plants to have on my balcony.

They flower the whole summer through.

A Milestone Birthday

May seems to be a busy month this year.

Celebrating my birthday on May 15th seemed  like a good time

to look back on those years when I was growing up.

This first photo dates back to when I was about three years' old.

It was certainly taken in a studio and the photo coloured afterwards.

My father liked to ride,

as soon as he thought I was big enough, he sat me on a pony.

Here I am, aged five, sitting on quite a highly-strung little pony

called "Mousie". I remember her well and how she liked to have her own way, 

which wasn't always the same way as her rider!

By the age of twelve, I was a fun-loving schoolgirl.

I still loved riding and had my own pony. A grey called Miss Muffet.

Then came the teenage years.

I was seventeen in this photo and quite dreamy and idealistic

and a tad romantic too.

I loved to read and went to the library a lot.

I kept a diary in my teen years, but kept none of these writings.

I wonder what I would think of them now?

I remember always wanting to see the best in people.

I think I was always striving to becoming someone better,

more compassionate, more understanding, more forgiving.

It became apparent to me, quite early on, that I was simply a work in progress

and that my life, in whatever form it took, would form the person

that I would become.

It isn't only life, and what happens to us, which forms us,

but how we react, digest and rise above it all which counts.

So besides all things philosophical,

there is the reality of how we live each moment,

with or without sunshine,

alone or in good company.

My birthday was not sunny and it was cold with heavy rain showers, 

but I spent it in good company with a breakfast out in a traditional, old-style

tea-room in the town of Lausanne.

Here is the little tea-room

We had a delicious Birchermuesli (they do the best in town)

and an Apple Turnover with coffee.

Look what caught our eye before we left the tea-room!

A Chocolate Truffle Cake

as light as a feather!

This little beauty came home with us for tea.

I was thinking about the important things in life and decided to make a collage

to give my children and grandson.

BE

Be amazed

Be joyful

Be playful

Be kind

Be thoughtful

Be loving

Be content

and most of all...

Be yourself!

Here is the last slice of birthday cake, so good with fresh raspberries.

The lovely peonies I received and three of my beautiful cards. 

The others stand in honour on my sideboard where I admire them every day!

I received very thoughtful and generous gifts from both my children

and a wonderfully detailed drawing from my grandson.

Today, the sun returned.

It feels so wonderfully joyful.

This is the scene that greeted me in my kitchen this morning.

Sunshine and blue skies

Sweet early morning birdsong

To nourish my soul.

All these simple things are so good for the morale, don't you think?