Flowers for Mother's Day

Last night Ben and I sat out on the deck enjoying some wine, a few snacks, the lovely evening and each other's company.  The turkey vultures circled overhead as they returned to their roost a few blocks closer to the mountain, the hummingbirds made their distinct calls as they searched out nectar in the many flowers that are blooming now, and our neighbor's pond and waterfall, turned on now that the threat of frost and snow is officially over, burbled soothingly in the background.  

It was the first time the evening has been warm enough to sit on the deck and it was a welcome respite from a busy week.  

On Monday we had strong rainstorms all day which made delivering lunches for Meals on Wheels exciting and in the evening I went to the Front Range Contemporary Quilters meeting where I heard the South African artist  Rosalie Dace talk her amazing quilts. Tuesday was the Music Awards Banquet at school which required quite a bit of my time. Wednesday I had lunch with a friend and then we did some shopping for garden pots together.  Much of yesterday I was at the Boulder quilt guild meeting where I heard a local artist, Dorothy Raymond, speak about her artistic journey and enjoyed socializing and running the library.  

In between all this I've been gardening.

For the last few days I've been on a big push to, as Jim Crockett as the old PBS "Victory Garden" show used to say, "Get the plants in the ground!"  Now is the time to plant out here.  It's risky to plant until after Mother's Day and then we had rain,  and our growing season ends by the first of October, so it's now or never.  Ben has helped me dig out some old roses, move some poppies that were in the wrong place, and dig up the raised beds.  I've been weeding and planting a few herbs, a cherry tomato plant, and some annuals. 

  

This year I've been drawn to petunias, an annual that my mother loved to grow.   They are not my favorite flower since they aren't good for cutting and bringing into the house, but when I saw them at the flower center I immediately thought of my mom and knew that I had to have some.  I put some in a beautiful new planter right by the front door where they will get plenty of sun and where I can see them and remember her when I do.   It's a nice Mother's Day present for both her and me.