It is Easter Sunday and I find myself making liquid hand soap after giving myself a haircut. Strange days, indeed. My haircut seemingly turned out better than the hand soap. Oddly, there is none in stores. Hand soap, or haircuts for that matter.
I decided pastels were necessary for Easter and cut flowers accordingly. The Bromeliad in the middle is from a couple of weeks ago and has faded to pale yellow. The glass pitcher is a wedding gift – possibly its second use after nearly thirty years. My 27th wedding anniversary is Friday and I can say with confidence we are not going out for dinner. The good news is I found a rack of lamb online and my husband makes a great Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb!!
It is interesting to take the temperature (not literally) of gardeners. There is a lethargy encompassing us all, I think. I wonder if it is intentional – in the cosmic sense. Having spent many decades picking up the pieces after land development – is Mother Nature saying Pause and Reflect? I am feeling that and would love to know what the rest of the world it thinking.
A close up:
Shell Ginger (Zerumbet alpinia) appears in pink. The aging Bromeliad is Little Harv Aechmea. The chartreuse and white flowers are from Lotusleaf Begonia (Begonia nelumbifolia). Foliage – the ferns, Asian Sword Ferns, yard trash; varigated leaves ‘Java White’ Copperleaf (Acalphya wilkesiana “Java White”) the other green foliage is from Firecracker Plant (Russelia spp.) no firecrackers yet.
Spend some time in the sunshine, it will lift your spirits.
To see more vases visit Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com
The Shrub Queen 
I am so envious of your Shell Ginger. Hopefully, mine will finally bloom this year after two years of freezing. As far as gardening, I’m going full speed. Over the last 4 to 5 years I had many life events that kept me from keeping the garden standards up. I have years of oxalis to dig.
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Batten down, Oxalis. I have a lot of Oxalis in the rabbit ridden veg garden. The Shell Ginger has had a good year, there are still buds and I have cut it back quite a bit.
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Nice! I like the drape of ginger on left and asparagus/begonia on right.
I’ve seen a few cases of lethargy, which I suspect is a form of depression. This lockdown is very trying to say the least! I have to force myself to get outside and do some work, but always glad when I do.
Clients are starting to call wanting work done, which is good, but wearing a mask is a pain, IMO. If no one is around, I don’t have to wear one. A good reason to work alone, ha!
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Thanks, Eliza. I agree, getting outside clears the lethargy and the weeds! Good to have clients calling and I am still fooling around with making masks, trying for comfort with glasses and glasses plus hearing aids for my husband.
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Every one of your arrangements including shell ginger is a winner in my book. That we’re still having such supply-chain issues is a source of constant frustration but I’m glad you managed to get provisions for your special dinner. Congratulations on your anniversary and best wishes!
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Thank you, Kris – still working on supplies but things seem a bit better here. There was chicken at the grocery store.
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What adventures you have been having – cutting hair and making soap! And I am wishing I could join you for that anniversary dinner as that rack of lamb sounds yummy, but three’s a crowd, I suppose! Your pastel vase does seem to suggest pause and reflect and for those of us with gardens and/or who live in the countryside it is easier to take time and reflect on nature, much harder for those in built-up areas and gardenless flats. I am indeed conscious of every blessing
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The blessing of a garden is something I am truly grateful for….moving things around as many local nurseries closed. Hoping to find soap, my homemade version is not so great.
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Beautiful! I love the Shell Ginger in particular among the huge array of textures. Have a happy anniversary!
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Thanks, Susie. Still working on the dinner! Food takes forever now.
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Wow, such a pretty and exotic mix. I love your flowers. Do hope you have had a happy Easter. Stay safe. All the best. Karen
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Thank you, Karen – a lot of what you grow seems exotic to me!
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I really like the greens in this arrangement – very apt for Easter as everything is starting to green up here. 😃 It is a bit like everything is in slow motion here. I am always very aware of the changes in nature through the seasons, but this year especially I am looking hard for those changes and literally watching things grow. (My tomato seedlings are the main focus today!) 😉
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Yay, Tomatoes!! I have one last vine going, it gets too hot in summer here for them to pollinate. Thanks – it feels like slow motion to me as well.
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I’m with all the others and especially like the shell ginger. I don’t think I’ll run out of soup because I have lots of little bars from when we travel to Europe. The are usually hard milled and last forever.
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I may need to borrow some soap! I can trade you a Shell Ginger.
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Congratulations and have a great day! Hand soap — well, its scarcity at this time makes a lot more sense than other items people are hoarding. Good luck making the hand soap.
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