All week I’ve been heartsick. The April 15th Boston Marathon Bombings and the subsequent Lock-down of Metropolitan Boston yesterday have been a distraction to say the least. Last Monday felt like a truly spring day –night temps were above freezing and days without the need for a heavy coat, hat and scarf. Trees and shrubs budding, spring bulbs flowering in the warmer southern exposures, winter’s siege seemed to finally lifting. It was a great day for the marathon—not too hot or cold.
Indeed celebration was in the air, until–until our peace was ruptured. And, I was experiencing how it feels like to live in war torn countries. (As an aside, there’s a great song that always make me thoughtful—Loudon Wainwright III ‘s –‘Pretty Good Day’. ) See lyrics at end of this blog.
We humans use flowers to show sympathy—impromptu roadside tributes feature layers of them. Indeed there’s a mounding memorial to the dead and wounded in Boston at the closed street intersection. Something about their beauty gives us some solace—not lightness but some solace. I found myself buying a second bouquet this week of brightly hued blooms. Outside I looked for and treasured the emerging early spring flowering bulbs and perennials I enjoy yearly.
Here’s a couple of the flowering plants I photographed but not all that I savored. It’s pouring rain outside, so I can’t take better photos today. Hopefully you’ll get the beauty of the moment from these images of the early spring flowering tree Star Magnolia and the blue spring bulb Scilla.
Following are the lyrics from Loudon Wainwright III – Pretty Good Day
I slept through the night, I got through to the dawn
I flipped a switch and the light went on
I got out of bed and I put some clothes on
Oh, it’s a pretty good day so far
I turned the tap, there was cold, there was hot
I put on my coat to go to the shop
I stepped outside and I didn’t get shot
Oh, it’s a pretty good day so far
I didn’t hear any sirens or explosions
No murders coming in from those heavy guns
No UN tanks and I didn’t see one
It’s a pretty good day so far
No snipers in windows taking a peak
No people panic, running scared through the streets
I didn’t see any bodies without arms, legs or feet
It’s a pretty good day
There was plasma bandages and electricity
Food, wood and water and the air was smoke free
No camera crews from my TV
It was all such a strange sight to be home
Nobody was frightened, wounded, hungry or cold
And the children seemed normal, they didn’t look old
It’s a pretty good day so far
I walked through a park, you would not believe it
There in the park, there were a few trees left
And on some branches, there were a few leaves
I slept through the night, I got through to the dawn
I flipped the switch and the light went on
I wrote down my dream, I made it this song
Oh, it’s a pretty good day so far
A sad and sorrowful time for Bostonians, Maria. It’s amazing how we turn to flowers for words and actions we cannot express fully. They seem to just touch the right place and hit the right note. We all feel so hopeless in the face of such horrible acts and the sorrow they bring.
Do hope your spring weather continues to improve. Love those little blue scillia.
Julie
Thank you Julie for your thoughts and good wishes. The blue scillia are wonderful. Right now I’m looking at early red tulips paired with Mertensia …have to get a photo of them!
Maria
Yes please. Would love to see.