Come in to my garden, Maud, it’s the first day of Spring

The first of September; the first day of spring.

Spring, for me, is about colour and light; riotous colour and brilliant, intense, shimmering, shiny light against thin-blue, water-colour skies.

Good morning and welcome, precious Spring 🙂

First Look at the First Day of Spring

First Look at the First Day of Spring

It’s your official birthday.  I heard the birds herald it at dawn. My table has been strewn, in your honour, with the profusion of abundant colours you bring to your season each year. Happy Birthday, dear Spring.

The first day of September is also the anniversary of my grandmother’s death. Her name was Maud. She loved her spring garden, especially the freesias. And, in my memories, she always had cut flowers, from her garden, arranged in a beautiful vase, on the dining table.

I am very glad she died on the first day of spring because it means that, each year, we  have a lovely day on which to remember her.

Me and my Nana

Me and my Nana

She was a busy person and much better at attending to her garden than I am with mine. It was a simple garden, typical of that time and I can still hear her say “I must  get in to the garden.”  And off she would go, to the garden.

Garden, La Glaciere, Concarneau

Garden, La Glaciere, Concarneau

The Garden is a painting by New Zealand artist, Sydney Lough Thompson. It is a favourite of mine. You will find a proper view of the painting here http://christchurchartgallery.org.nz/collection/objects/87-23/  In her young days, my grandmother worked, for a while, as a maid ( I think) at a hotel in the Blue Mountains, near Sydney, Australia. The maid in the Garden of the painting sometimes makes me think of my grandmother.

© silkannthreades

75 thoughts on “Come in to my garden, Maud, it’s the first day of Spring

  1. Cynthia Reyes

    I love this all over again! And since we just recently had our first day of spring (the world really is upside down) it makes for perfect reading at this time.

    Reply
      1. mmmarzipan

        True. I had to explain to my toddler that I was a little sad when the blossoms went away this year, but that they’d be back next year and it would be a special time when they returned.

        Reply
  2. Clanmother

    A beautiful tribute to your grandmother. There is a constancy about time – it moves ever forward. For Canada, September marks the emergence of autumn, which, for me, has always been a time of reflection. It gives me comfort to know that there is spring somewhere in this world.
    “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
    ― Pablo Neruda

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Oh, I hope I have not brought on too many traumatic memories! We did not sing it at school but we did have the lace-ups and posture control. White socks, not beige. Chunky calves as well and hair, of a certain length, tied back in correct ribbon colours.

      Reply
      1. teamgloria

        we enjoy the trauma actually

        a strange set of memories

        *quicklooktocamera*

        yes!

        hair above collarbone Tied Back.

        ours always had a kink on the right that escaped the elastic brown band – unlike the Nordic Girls who had straight thin hair that stayed inside tortoiseshell clips impressively

        Reply
      1. lizzierosejewellery

        They were, the bouquet was all lilac colours and I had lilac and white freesias. I don’t think I’ve got a photo here (all my prints are in Portugal) but maybe my dad sent one recently as he has started scanning all his old slides and prints! Will check. Anyway, you can imagine the bouquet smelled lovely!

        Reply
        1. Gallivanta Post author

          It would be lovely to see, if you do have a photo. A good subject for a Friday Flasback 😉 I don’t wear much perfume, but the last one I had was freesia scented and I adored it.

        2. lizzierosejewellery

          Oh, the pressure’s on to find one! I think M&S used to make a freesia scented perfume – wonder if they still do. I would love a room spray or candle that was freesia scented too…

        3. lizzierosejewellery

          Wow what lot of perfumes containing freesia. The only one I’ve worn is J’adore but that’s finished now… I love Crabtree & Evelyn products – I will pop in to a store here and see if it’s still in production. Thanks.

        4. Gallivanta Post author

          So funny! I was going to say that the one I know and which I wouldn’t mind again is j’adore. I can’t even remember how long ago it is since I wore that! I don’t know if it would still suit me. Next time I am in town I must have a perfume testing session.

  3. Pingback: Floral Prints | silkannthreades

  4. vsperry

    How wonderful to have a grandmother who would actually hold you and talk about gardening. My grandmother would have rather held her dogs (although that was forbidden as they were mostly hunting dogs). And my memories of my grandmother in the garden are limited to her having the maid give me a glass jar with soapy water and telling me to go pick the Japanese Beetles and flick them into the jar. Ugh.

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Ugh! But I am instantly curious about that method of bug extermination. I think it’s called “digital control” or something like that. My grandmother was a lovely person to be with, but I am actually rather surprised to see her holding me. I don’t remember her as a cuddling, hugging, holding type of grandmother at all. But, she was loving and reliable and always there and happy to let me be me. By the way, did you see my post on the Bull? Every time I see a sculpture around town, I think of you and your work 🙂

      Reply
  5. tiny lessons blog

    What a precious picture of you and Nana! It’s wonderful to remember her on the first day of spring…and you had made a wonderful festive table! Were those lemons in one of the bowls? We love lemons and buy them in “bulk” so I have that kind of bowl on my counter quite often 🙂

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      It is a precious picture 🙂 I have not looked at it closely before and I am still trying to understand what I have on my baby feet!!!! Yes, I have lemons in the crystal bowl. It’s a good time for lemons and I am using them a lot at the moment. And, even if I weren’t using them, I would have them just because they are beautiful look at 🙂

      Reply
  6. Mrs. P

    Hooray for Spring! Lovely poem about spring and wonderful memories of Nana…what a great way to start the new season.

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Yes, hooray. It’s probably the one season ‘beginning’ that I do celebrate. I should treat the seasons equally. I must work on that; teach myself to love the arrival of winter, for example. That will be hard work 😦

      Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Thank you 🙂 We are blessed to be able to put good things on our table. I am thankful for that every day. My grandmother was a great cook and her table was always bountiful.

      Reply
      1. Tracy Rhynas

        To be honest our spring has been a little chilly so far – a last bite from winter before we say our goodbyes! But is steadily warming up each day and it is noticably lighter in the evenings and mornings, so happy days!

        Reply
        1. Gallivanta Post author

          We have a very chilly spring day today; a very cold wind, lots of rain and some hail (and possibly snow) expected this afternoon. But ,yes ,the days are lighter and I love that.

  7. Forest So Green

    Happy Spring to you. Your photos are so cheerful and a wonderful tribute to you grandmother. My grandmother also wore those dresses made of fabric with flowers 🙂 Annie

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Yes, Annie! Looking at the photo, I remembered so clearly those flower print dresses. My grandmother also had her flower print dress for morning when she did most of her household work and cooking and, then, in the afternoon, she wore a nicer, better flower print dress. She didn’t flop around in her pyjamas like her lazy grandaughter!!!!

      Reply
  8. utesmile

    You always decorate your table so beautiful. What a gift you have. Enjoy Spring , as we as going into Autumn soon. It is already cooler in the mornings and day, but the sun is shining. Your gran loved the garden as you do, lovely memories of her.

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Thanks Ute. My decorations were more haphazard than usual but I thought they were appropriate for spring which is full of unexpected surprises. At the moment, I am thinking that spring is probably the most chaotic season; leaves and flowers burst open and there are different colours everywhere.

      Reply
  9. YellowCable

    That is a nicely arranged table. Lovely. The seat also looks real comfy and must be great to sit and look out to your green lawn or watching outside weather in action.

    That is a great way to relate the day of your grandmother’s death. It will definitely be you fond memory.

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      You are quite right about my seat. It is very very comfortable and I love to sit there and look at the garden and the birds. Sometimes my little dog jumps up on my lap and we sit there together enjoying the view.

      Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Thank you for your kind words. The photo of me and my grandmother made me smile; she is small and I am such a mighty big baby. It can’t have been easy to carry me around 🙂

      Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      Thank you. I hope you managed to see the good view of the painting. Apparently the artist was well known for his work with colour and light, and it is those aspects that I love about this particular painting. I have a poster of the painting and I took a photo of it to show another dimension of light on the scene.

      Reply
  10. Heather in Arles

    I woke up in an odd mood, I don’t know why. But this beauty and loving thoughts snapped me right out of it. Merci! And Happy Spring to you…

    Reply
    1. Gallivanta Post author

      So pleased. Perhaps we are both feeling the change of the seasons although it is only the ‘official’ first day of the changeover and not the equinox. I am still thinking about your lovely post about Van Gogh; it was a perfect farewell to your summer.

      Reply

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