#FestivalofSpring 2024

Spring Festival 2024: Finale: Ready For Summer

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

We may have another month until summer officially begins. The rains may have returned the temperatures here back to the 50’s, but the gardens know the Spring is almost past and the summer is upon us.

The lupine is fully in bloom.

The Korean lilac has fully blossomed.

The tomatoes and the summer squash are in. The garden beds are ready to begin producing.

The daisies are about to open.

Even the hostas are giving attention to the coming of the warmth. Yesterday I caught the fragrance of the black locust trees mixed in with the scent of basil and mint. That is a sure sign of the passing of Spring into summer.

Photo by Nikola Tomau0161iu0107 on Pexels.com

I found two large patches of wild oregano growing where I was weed whacking another sign of what is to come. As we close out this FESTIVAL OF SPRING CHALLENGE HOSTED BY DAWN, what does it look like in your part of the world when Spring passes into summer? SHARE A PICTURE!

Festival of Spring 2024 Week # 10

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

I AM WRITING THIS POST IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S FESTIVAL OF SPRING CHALLENGE.

Spring is about new things coming into the world. Today our new furniture arrives for the living room. My grandson, Sevy approved especially when he realized the seats went up with the push of a button.

We have been working on the gardens for weeks now, and they are really starting to come together. Today I pruned back this hydrangea so we could see the hostess.

I pulled up some of these daffodils so that we could plan them in a new space in the fall. Soon the lilies will be in bloom and this garden will be filled with color.

I just added this lupine to bring a bit more Spring color to the garden

This was the last year I was giving this Korean lilac before I pulled it up once and for all. It is flowering beautifully this year.

The irises will probably be out for Memorial Day

Joe and Kristine started filling the raised beds with soil for our vegetables. I put in the squash and the basil today.

WHAT DOES YOUR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND LOOK LIKE?

FESTIVAL OF SPRING 2024 WEEK # 9 FIESTAS AND FLOWERS

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S FESTIVAL OF SPRING 2024 CHALLENGE. CHECK IT OUT HERE.

Well even here in the frozen North we are finally into the full throes of Spring. The nights are still cool, but the days are getting warmer. The air is now filled with the smell of lilac and lily of the valley which I have in my garden in abundance.

The dandelions and the daffodils have all but gone by.

But the paper whites are now in full bloom. I am getting ready to make my next Spring arrangement for the dining table from some of these and a bit of Japanese Knot Weed.

And the battle against the brush has now begun. I mowed the whole lawn yesterday and my clipper and weed whacker batteries are charging as we speak.

You know its Spring when the festivals begin! My son and daughter-in-law treated me to my first ever Filippino Boodle Fight, a traditional feast and party. The food is served on banana leaves. It is tradition to stand around the table and just pick food off the table and eat as you fellowship, but in honor of their American guests table settings were provided.

My grandson danced all night long. Here he is with his Mom.

You Know It’s Spring When…

/ joseph elon lillie / 3 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S FESTIVAL OF SPRING 2024 WEEK#8. You can see all the festival contributions by clicking that link.

You know it is Spring when all the churches have their “All Church Spring Cleaning Gathering.”

Ours was today, and the congregation showed up!

We planted the front prayer garden.

We trimmed the bushes in the front and on the sides of the church.

We power washed the North side of the church and the back deck getting that ready for sealing.

We raked the playground.

We put in some base board.

We sanded the men’s bathroom getting it ready for painting.

We Spring cleaned the children’s closets.

It was a very productive Spring cleaning.

Festival of Spring 2024 Week 7

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

HERE WE ARE WEEK NUMBER 7 ALREADY OF THIS TWELVE WEEK CHALLENGE FROM DAWN.

After you are done reading here, you can check out Dawn’s post and the posts of her other contributors by clicking the capitalized link above.

The nights here are still really chilly, but the days are getting warmer (up into the sixties anyway). I know Spring has arrived when the dandelions begin to bloom.

The Mayflowers are a sure sign too.

and the forsythia.

There is a. certain light that comes in the evenings at this time of year. It is refreshing. It makes me want to garden and clean things. That is bow spring makes me feel. HOW DOES SPRING MAKE YOU FEEL?

SPRING FESTIVAL WEEK #2: AN ICY SPRING

/ joseph elon lillie / 2 Comments

THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S SPRING FESTIVAL CHALLENGE. CHECK IT OUT!

Once again New England has not disappointed. Spring has given me some beautiful photos….just not of flowers.

Holy Week started out with an ice storm that put many of our congregants in the dark. While the Vicarage never lost power, the towns directly North of us were without power for almost forty-eight hours.

It was a chilly start to the week, but not without its beauty.

…and the ice made a beautiful backdrop for our Palm Sunday parade.

The Spring rains have come now. The ice has melted away, possibly for the last time. The temperature is now in the forties. Maybe this next week we will see some actual budding in the trees. I know the birds are anxious for Spring. I can hear it in their songs.