Hyacinth

With the arrival of Spring and everything suddenly bursting into bloom, I've been lured from my drawing table out into the yard.  Living Things in every corner of the garden are screaming -- Prune me! Weed me! Mulch me! Dig me up!  Plant me! Water me!  And how about a little fertilizer over here?!  They always say to get the peas planted by St. Patrick's Day (almost made it) and put the crabgrass control down on the lawn before the forsythia blossoms fall (ha! nailed that one!)  The list goes on and on . . . As many of you know full well, this is a busy time of year for any gardener.  Let's see, it's been almost a week of working outside and the toll thus far is: two tick bites, two splinters from the old rake, poison ivy from cleaning up last year's dead vines, and a tiny puncture wound from turning the compost pile.  Not too bad . . .

I was at Lowe's two days ago and they had pots of hyacinths for $1.99.  Who can resist that?  The flower stalks were just coming up through the leathery leaves, like big, fat asparagus.  I thought to myself, aw man I should paint that!  I'll catch them right as they are starting to bloom - so pretty!  I set the pot on the back porch and promptly forgot about it.  Well, this evening when I came in from mowing the lawn, I happened to glance at the pot.  All three bulbs are in full bloom!  Just like that!

I'm still going to do a painting - or perhaps a colored pencil drawing, even though I missed my opportunity to capture that 'just about to bloom' phase. These are gorgeous, and can't you almost smell them?  Wow what a fragrance!!  If I can bring myself to stay indoors long enough to paint, and if I'm not overpowered by the scent, this should be quite lovely.  Stay tuned!