Wednesday, July 11, 2012

AN 'AVALANCHE' OF IBIS, WINTERSWEET MEANDERINGS


We have had an 'avalanche' of ibis around the farm over the last couple of weeks, searching for grubs and insects. They look like something from Alfred Hitchcock, or perhaps from outer space, quite amazing.



On coming home from NZ I discovered the most wonderful scent in my daughter's garden..I tracked it down to a large shrub, one of my very favourites, wintersweet or chimonanthus praecox. It has the most divine scent, on a very ordinary shrub and as the leaves turn and drop, the waxy, creamy flowers appear. this bush is almost a tree and I have been able to pick large pieces of it but even a small sprig can waft around a room. every where I have lived I have planted one, without a lot of success, perhaps not flowering whilst we lived together or just turning up their toes. they don't like drought when they are young either...I don't like it either!!
However I now have one growing thanks to a very thoughtful daughter and son-in-law and it does have flowers, delicious. It is a scent from my own growing up, very reminiscent of my mother who like me had many favourites, whatever it was at the time was the all time favourite. This trait seems to be a family gene as it has passed down to the next generation as well! I so wish you could all smell it too.  


I love the shadows, the play of light here, a glimpse of Kate's [greedyforcolour] woodshed from her bathroom window. Just something pretty to leave you with today. Have a lovely day....always.....yesterday seemed so full of other's problems that the big one and I sat over lunch being grateful and determined to enjoy all that we have.

1 comment:

  1. I can almost smell the wintersweet now - mine is coming to an end but now the daphne has burst into full swing!

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