Rainy April Morning in Upstate NY

Siberian Squill, closed against the rain.

It rained all night and all day today. Saturday. Planting day. And the new onion sets sat on the kitchen table, waiting patiently to be tucked into the earth.

Oh well. Tomorrow's supposed to be a lovely day.

Around 8 am, it stopped raining for a while, and I wandered the yard, replete with spring bulbs popping up everywhere, dripping with rain. This morning, it was more than "Wet Knees Photos," it was "sopping" knees. ;o)

The light was dim, but the flowers were too enticing to ignore.  

Spots of color peeked up from all corners of the yard. The borders around the house, dozens of perennial gardens... so spotty that I wished I'd put them all together in one big showy plot. But it was fun walking from flower to flower to find something new around each corner. 

Pink Hyacinths

White Hyacinths, tinted blue with Photoshop 

Forsythia Blossom 

 Some of the daffodils are out - these are planed en masse on the north side of my barn. This daffodil was a bit too heavy with the rain it soaked up. It should perk up tomorrow in the sunshine.

The tulips are almost all budding. I found this beauty at the most developed stage. Can you see the faint blush of color on its tightly closed petals? 

 The peonies emerged, bright with promise.

I wandered around the far back, the area where I dug up the Japanese Knotweed jungle a few years ago and opened it up to the ancient curving edge of old apple trees. Last year I planted more fruit trees back there, near my older cherry trees. I put in some nectarines (new for us!), a white mulberry, and this Lapins cherry. I can't wait to harvest the sweet, mouthwatering cherries this summer!   
 

The squirrels had fun all winter with the nuts from my black walnut trees. I found shells like these all over the yard today. Here are a few fun photos - note the rain water in the third one.

I ended up at the cottonwood trees - that trio of old wise men I wrote the haiku about on Arbor Day. Remember?  http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976969629

Anyway, I found more interesting subjects to capture - a dried limb that fell from one of them, here;

Then I came upon a plethora of Cottonwood tree flowers on the damp, mossy soil in our old horse paddock. Connie and Asteric (our Morgans) used to rest beneath these trees for shade. Aren't these flowers beautiful? I fell in love with the colors and designs of nature. 

Thanks for joining me on my rainy jaunt around the garden. We'll see what comes up next week!

If you've enjoyed these photos, please stop by my LeGarde Msytery website for many albums of natural images set in the Genesee Valley (as are the mysteries), excerpts from my novels, readers' feedback, reviews, recommended reading by me, and links to other writing sites. 

www.legardemysteries.com

www.mooremysteries.com

www.aaronlazar.blogspot.com

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If you've enjoyed these photos, please stop by my LeGarde Mystery website for many albums of natural images set in the Genesee Valley (as are the mysteries), excerpts from my novels, readers' feedback, reviews, recommended reading by me, and links to other writing sites. 

www.legardemysteries.com

www.mooremysteries.com

www.aaronlazar.blogspot.com

Aaron Paul Lazar resides in Upstate New York with his wife, three daughters, two grandsons, mother-in-law, dog, and four cats.  After writing in the early morning hours, he works as an electrophotographic engineer at NexPress Solutions Inc, in Rochester, New York.  Additional passions include vegetable, fruit, and flower gardening; preparing large family feasts; photographing his family, gardens, and the breathtakingly beautiful Genesee Valley; cross-country skiing across the rolling hills; playing a distinctly amateur level of piano, and spending “time” with the French Impressionists whenever possible.  Although he adored raising his three delightful daughters, Mr. Lazar finds grandfathering his “two little buddies” to be one of the finest experiences of his life.

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In addition to receiving publishing contracts for Double Forte', Upstaged, Tremolo:cry of the loon, The Green Marble, and Mazurka,

Mr. Lazar writes "Seedlings," a monthly column featured in Bob Burdick's The Back Room, A Cozy Retreat for Writers & Readers newsletter and the Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine (FMAM).  It was also debuted in the Mysteryfiction.net literary newsletter entitled "Voice in the Dark." in the September 2006 issue. Numerous articles on writing have been published by writers' sites such as Absolute Write. His short essay, "Word Paintings" was included in the 2007 Bylines Writers' Desk Calendar. Check out the Great Mystery and Suspense Magazine for the flash fiction piece, "Follow the Leader."