"My mind sees that I am nothing, my heart sees that I am everything, between these two poles my life unfolds."

Sunday, June 24, 2012

As I Lay Dreaming


I had a deep, satisfying sleep, but upon rising realized I should have spent the night in my garden instead. It was last June 24th, exactly one year ago, that my first poppy of the summer bloomed. I've been intently watching their progress this year and holding my breath... would there, could there be a chance that I'd get another June 24th season opening? It was looking very close yesterday and I have three followers who can vouch for me on this - you know who you are :) Well, this morning I was greeted with 3 poppies! They are so gorgeous and if you grow poppies yourself, you know how short-lived this beauty is; with petals like butterfly wings, they are here one moment and gone the next.


Summer set lip to earth's bosom bare,
And left the flushed print in a poppy there.
~Francis Thompson, "The Poppy," 1891


There were more miracles that took place while I dozed - it must have been yesterday's intense heat, followed by a cooling rain at some point through the night.


 Two peonies :)


The first few asters opened - still wet from the rain.


Two zucchini flowers :) These were NOT looking anywhere's near to opening yesterday. I planted two zucchini plants this year and it looks like I will be 'harvesting' hehe, close to 30 - maybe more, as they are just coming into flower. I picked up the pair of metal planters I have them in (they're much deeper - close to a foot- than this shot demonstrates) at an antique mall last summer.

Yet another reason I love to blog - how else would I have known June 24th would turn out to be a very significant day in history, lol! My blog is my diary (I've spared you the angst :) and journal - with pics!

41 comments:

  1. What a wonderful writer Francis Thompson was, to describe the poppy so well. Your pictures do his words justice because they are lovely too!

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    1. Thanks so much Francie! My love of poetry increases with each passing year.

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  2. It looks like everything is coming along beautifully. I just cannot get poppies to grow in our garden. I had them in our last garden, the countryside around us is full of them, but the only Poppy I have is the canine one!

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    1. Not sure why, but poppies seem to be the one thing I never have any problems with. They are growing so well that I actually need to split them up next spring. I just adore the name Poppy!

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  3. That 3rd picture of the poppy is absolutely amazing! ooh and that aster! Great pictures...

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    1. Thank you :) I find poppies to be amazing subjects to photograph. They just seem to glow.

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  4. I love poppies and your header photo is just stunning! Look how those gorgeous petals capture the sun's rays!

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    1. They sure do! Every year I take tons of pics when they first bloom and no two shots are alike - it's like standing on the seashore.

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  5. The colors on your poppy are stunning. The shades of deep orange and purple blend together like a well composed symphony. Sometimes I feel amazed at the things nature creates.

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    1. Thank you! And I completely agree - the perfection and design in nature is unreal.

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  6. Just beautiful, Jane. I love the images; they really show off what's going on in your garden. I have only one zucchini plant in my garden but it seems that it's growing in leaps and bounds. This is my first year growing veggies, so you can imagine how flattered I am by this. And I finally added a poppy plant. No flowers yet, but I am hopeful. Don't you just love asters? Those daisy-like flowers are just precious.

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    1. Thanks so much Martha :) Things are beginning to happen out here and once it starts, it's like a landslide. I had 4 things burst into bloom this morning - I was excitedly scurrying around my yard like a little rabbit, lol!! You'll probably have to wait till next year now to get any poppies - but it'll definitely be worth the wait.

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  7. I love poppies. Being in California, we get lots of them, sometimes growing wild!

    Peonies are up there among my very fav flowers. And zucchs among my favourite foods!

    Lovely pics.

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    1. Thanks Em :) I am pretty crazy about them - just wish they'd look their best for more than a few days - in fact, by late afternoon Monday, some of the petals already had white spots and were fading.

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  8. Dear Jane,
    Have you any idea how much I LOVE poppies!!! FANTASTIC flowers and I love your header photo.

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    1. Hi Kay, I think I can guess, lol!! Thank you :)

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  9. Yes,that header pic is gorgeous,Jane. What camera do you use? Have you been on the same course as Martha? Your pics are really stunning. I love those little asters as well, my local park is full of them and they always look so cheery.

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    1. Hi Sulky, my camera is nothing special - it's only a Sony Cybershot HD. It has a number of features (including manual settings) which I never use, but have plans of trying out. I did take a photography course quite a few years ago now. It was using a 35 mm and all film (remember that, lol!) was shot in black and white. I learned a lot, including composition and how to develop my own pics (which I enjoyed the best).

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  10. **HOW** do you take such gorgeous photos?? The header photo absolutely took my breath away!

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    1. Ahhh :) Thanks so much Dorothy. I really enjoy photography - it's one of my passions - all I can say is thank goodness for the digital age - I continually take tons of pics and every once in a while manage to glean a few good ones out of the mix.

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  11. Stunning pictures of your poppies. They are so rich and majestic looking. I'm sure your very happy.

    Peonies are a favourite of mine, they are one of the flowers my grandmother always had in her flower garden.

    Hope you like zucchini bread as you will be swamped with them once they start to mature. I love them raw with a dip and in stir fries.

    Your aster is so perfect and as always your photography is so well done, just like a magazine. Try and sell them for calendars/greeting cards etc.

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    1. Hi Lorene, I'm looking so forward to using my zucchini's in breads and also stir-frys :)
      Gee, I sure wish I could find someone willing to pay me for my pics... lol! I've thought of making up my own calendars as gifts though.

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  12. A great delight to see the new blooms, so pretty.

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    1. Yes, we are finally 'in bloom' and loving it!!

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  13. I love peonies :) Your photos are gorgeous Jane :)

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  14. The pictures are gorgeous I have photo envy for sure. You must have a green thumb your garden is really nice. Here we are struggling with no rain and the weeds you know they grow there best in a drought. Thank you for sharing such wonderful flowers.

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    1. Lack of rain makes it tough to grow much (except weeds :) - there's nothing that can replace rain - you can water from the hose, but it's never the same. Hopefully you'll get some appreciable precipitation soon - we've been very fortunate this year and it shows.

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  15. Maki są cudowne, tylko szkoda, że tak krótko ich kwiaty cieszą nas swoim widokiem. Zrobiłaś im cudowne zdjęcia, ale piwonia w kroplach deszczu też pięknie wygląda. Pozdrawiam.
    Macs are wonderful, just a pity that such a short time their flowers, we welcome your views. You made the wonderful pictures, but peony in drops of rain also looks beautiful. Yours.

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    1. Thanks Giga - I always love it when I can capture water droplets on petals.

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  16. Oh, they are so beautiful! Thank you for sharing these magical flowers with us. I didn't know the poppies didn't live long and their short life is contrasted with such fierce beauty--like little flames bursting into your garden, exclaiming with bright color contrasts. Peonies!! I love peonies--I think they are so romantic. They seem so precious and all the more jewel like with the dew still on them. :) I hope today brings more magical surprises in your garden! :)

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    1. Thank you so much and beautifully stated :) By late Monday afternoon, my poppies were already fading - they had white spots on their petals and the edges were brown. Thank goodness I have quite a few more yet to burst forth, but they will be gone with the wind in no time as well... Peonies strike me as a very classic, almost antiquey flower.

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  17. Amazing and beautiful flowers are growing in your garden, Jane! Not imaginary ones, but actual vivid true colors that illuminate your world...right in your very own garden; how awesome, is that?!

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    1. I know, it's an amazing gift Elisabeth, especially after a long winter :)

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  18. Gorgeous photographs Jane!! We used to have those glorious orange poppies down in Olds, but they seem to have disappeared--I think in part to my husband's propensity to apply Round-up to the weeds and deny that it kills the flowering plants too! I have lots of Iceland poppies up here and the multi-colored poppies. Did you know that there are male and female zucchini blooms?

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    1. Thanks Dianne :) I should seriously look into getting some Iceland poppies as well - they are very pretty and much shorter, (my Oriental ones sit at waist level) so you could tuck them in here and there around the yard. I didn't realize that about the zucchini blooms - this may sound like a ridiculous question - but would they be on the same plant? I'm going to take a closer look as my other plant has also bloomed.

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  19. Gorgeous photos! Love the poppies. And peonies are some of my favorite flowers.

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  20. Gorgeous photos Jane! I love peonies :)

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  21. Hi Jane..what a super beautiful post..gorgeous lush blooms...poetry and magic for my eyes and heart! Awesome...
    Victoria

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