We’ve had a LOT of precipitation around Larrapin garden this month. It’s come in every form: sleet, a little snow, icy rain… Today it’s just pure rain (with possible thunderstorms) and may stay gray and wet all weekend. So today in the blog we’ll take a winter walk from a couple of weeks ago and stroll around the grounds at Larrapin Garden…
One of the two blue chairs, under the white oak. I’m not sure how this oak came to be this way — a giant trunk and then multiple trunks off that. I’ve wondered if it was a cut tree that resprouted, or a cluster of acorns that grew up together and joined. She’s a lovely tree, with a sister tree a few yards away that is similarly shaped.
I love my blue metal chairs. They are such an emblem of home for me. This particular set came from my Grandmother, which makes them all the more dear. The blue chairs seem lovely to me whatever the season. In summer they beckon the gardener to bring a big glass of iced tea and admire the garden while rocking gently in the cool seats. In winter, they are a reminder that spring comes next in the cycling of the year…
On the north side of the house there is this grouping of trees: pines and magnolias and everpresent oaks. The bigger magnolia on the right was here when we bought the place — artfully placed to block the back of a neighbor’s barn. (Even though it’s a lovely barn I’d love to have, we only see the back of it, so it’s ok to block it!) To continue the blocking job, we planted another one — the little one shown in the middle and I can’t think of the variety this moment– but it’s claim to fame is very soft fuzzy brown leaf underside that are just exquisite with the glossy green of the leaves. I also love the magnolia seedpods that fall on the ground looking rough and leathery, but closer inspection shows glossy red seeds, perfect as raindrops.
I’ll close with this view of the tattered remains of a prayer flag in the white oak. The string of prayer flags was a gift from my dear friend Marianne. They have been beautiful even as they fray and fade. The birds take some of the strings and I like to think of bird nests lined with prayer flags. Then I’ve started adding strips of red fabric with prayers written on them tied alongside the Tibetan ones. That’s a practice I plan to keep, even as I replace the flags that dissolve slowly in the weather..and that is how the prayers get prayed I think.
Hope you’ve enjoyed the winter walk. I have to credit “A Wildlife Gardener’s” blog post “Barleycorn in the Dead of Winter” for this post. Take a quick visit across the pond to visit her blog! Thanks for dropping by Larrapin Garden on a winter’s day.
5 Comments
Lovely photos and a beautiful garden! Thanks for visiting my blog and best of luck with your apples.
Dear Wildlife Gardener,
I love your blog! Thanks for doing it so that I can be more inspired! I’m delighted that you dropped by Larrapin for a vist.
all the best to you,
How very kind of you to have mentioned my blog 🙂
I am admiring your beautiful photographs, Roadrunner, whom I’ve never seen, except in cartoons, and the amazing trees you have. Lovely to have your grandma’s blue chair too 🙂
Jodi- so good to hear from you. The roadrunners have been amazing. I’d never lived within their range till now…actually, I was quite surprised to see them b/c I never dreamed that they would be in Arkansas.
If I ever figure out how to put a video up on this blog, I have a short clip of Ricky — the most personable of the three that we’ve seen — offering a lizard to our two dachsunds (with Ricky on one side of the fence and the weiners on the other) complete with Roadrunner tail wagging and his “gift” dance.
It’s still cold and rainy here but Ricky’s been to the picture windows already this morning — with a leaf in his beak — they like to carry stuff it seems, just in case they find a lady roadrunner I think! — he dropped the leaf though, to scoop up the poor earthworms washed up on the patio from all the rain!
Have a great day Jodi. I really enjoy reading your blog — keep up the great work!
What a lovely post–and blog–I found you via Blotanical, and am quite delighted. I’d never seen a photo of a real roadrunner (you know what I have in my mind’s eye for one, of course)…and your description of his behaviour cracked me right up. We have much more snow and cold that you, and hopefully spring (without any tornadoes) will come soon to your part of Arkansas!