Monday, March 26, 2012

Magnolia Monday

“Blue, green, grey, white, or black; smooth, ruffled, or mountainous; that ocean is not silent.”

~ H.P. Lovecraft, “The White Ship”


Last year I nearly missed the magnolia bloom. It was mid April when it was in full blossom (perhaps beyond) and Max told me that rain made him feel good. Two weeks ago the same bush fussed with buds and I've had my eye on it each day since. It doesn't last long--its innocent, blushing youth.

I don't much like March. The shrieking wind, premature flourish, spurious hope, inescapable fray and wilt. Moist, silky efflorescence plummets to its doom. Becomes earth. Anon. Sky. Heavens.

Black and white.

Grey is the illusion.

And then... 

Spring's noble, ancient magnolia persists! Sweet magnolia. Riding in like a white knight on its cloaked horse, lance clenched in hand. Awaken! Hear ye, hear ye: Spring is for the living!

Monday is for the living.

Today is for the living.

32 comments:

  1. 'premature flourish, spurious hope, inescapable fray and wilt.'

    Pitch-perfect articulation, Jayne. I'm impressed and grateful to have had the opportunity to enjoy those words.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I always mourn the loss of spring's early performers, Suze. Wish they could stick around--especially that magnolia. It's grand!

      Delete
    2. And you mourn them so eloquently.

      Jayne, thank you for your stabilizing spirit. I really appreciated your encouragement, yesterday.

      Delete
    3. You go, girl. I'm looking forward to checking out your A - Z progress. ;)

      Delete
  2. Wonderful post! I have actually come to appreciate March after the 32 straight days of 100-plus degrees here in Arizona last summer. But as you indicated, Jayne, there is life with the advent of the sun peeking through the clouds and this is a nice metaphor of life!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, I can see where you'd welcome March's cool winds, Michael. I hope spring sticks around for a while--I can't wait for this summer's humidity. ;)

      Delete
  3. Our spring is arriving in bits n pieces - the cherry blossoms and forsythia and tulip trees...so much I find myself smiling without realizing it :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh the cherry blossoms! We'll see them soon. The azalea, though, is beginning to glow purple. Smile on! :)

      Delete
  4. Thanks for the pick-me-up on a Monday!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. Can't stop it now, Bill. Take a walk through the Garden for me, will ya? ;)

      Delete
  6. "The shrieking wind, premature flourish, spurious hope, inescapable fray and wilt." Brilliant, apt description of March.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's a devil, she is, Susan. But what follows is a nice reprieve. :)

      Delete
  7. Magnolias are beautiful. I've always wanted to plant one but didn't think they'd survive our winter. But all that has changed. I should plant one. Great description of March, by the way. Today we had the shrieking winds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think they inspired the pinwheel, Yvonne. I always think of a paper pinwheel when mine blooms--delicate, pretty and whimsical. We still have the shrieking winds. Three days. Ack.

      Delete
  8. oh yes, welcome to march! the wind is shrieking on the maine coast, too, and the crocuses—that's all we have for flowers so far!—are closed up tightly. dry and cold, tuesday is also for the living.... ; )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. m- I hear our (our, ha) lake in Maine is still topped w/15 inches of ice. The fishing huts have been out all winter. Trucks driving from one end to the other. They're all eating well up there.

      My magnolia is slipping to the other side, now, too. Won't be long, though, before we're in full on color.

      Tuesday. ;)

      Delete
  9. Hi- Really liked your thoughts on the High Line on Susan's. The thoughts here are nice as well. I like the photo too. Stellata was always my fav. Softer textured and more reserved than Soulangiana. I miss zone 6 sometimes...."Today is for the living".. Yes!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan always has the most interesting posts. Lucky to have NYC at her disposal.

      Yes, the star magnolia is mine, too--it does well here, but doesn't bloom for long. Our house faces east and the beds in the front are shaded by noontime--I wonder if that's why??

      Thanks for stopping by Herringbone. :)

      Delete
  10. A Monday post!

    (But be careful. If you burn yourself out, I'll register no sympathy. You know better. :))

    It wouldn't be fair or even remotely accurate to say that here in N. Florida, magnolias are regarded the same way as (say) maples in New England. "Oh, them? Yeah, they're pretty!" But at this time of year all the horticultural buzz is about pollen, a topic which makes almost nobody happy. (At which point, relentlessly upbeat you will probably mention the beekeepers. Grrr.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Surprise! (No worries-I won't be burning myself out, I'm sure of that!) I wish I knew how to insert a photo in a comment--I'd show the world what today's magnolia looks like. It is in a significantly different state of mind. Or is that me? Well, I'm glad that your magnolias, at least, are not regarded as oaks. That would be quite sorry.

      We New Englanders are hungry for flowers up here! Always! Except me, who cannot take care of, well, a magnolia.

      Ack, pollen. It's all well and good until I'm in need of Zyrtec. Which will be soon, oh, yes. Bees. Sweet distilleries. ;)

      Delete
  11. Beautiful post.

    Here near Lake Michigan, we had a streak of several 85 degree days in a row causing many things to bloom prematurely. Some plants and trees are blooming nearly 6 weeks too early. Oddly, the trees seem very fragrant this year. Such a strange spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Loree- When the weeping cherry sprouts pink blossoms and the magnolia stubbornly hangs on to its last milky stars, there is no more denying spring. Same here--powerful scents! it's sure to be a unique spring, as we never had a winter. ;)

      Delete
  12. Really enjoyed this uplifting post, despite reading it on Wednesday.

    I like March, but probably only because it’s my birthday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey there BFKA--I hope this piece is good for any spring day. No, any day. And happy birthday, my friend. I hope there's a big bang of color for you across the pond--lovely way to celebrate a birthday. :)

      Delete
  13. Jayne, who could but love March after reading your poem—if March indeed inspires the Magnolia Blossom. This was gorgeous: "Spring's noble, ancient magnolia persists! Sweet magnolia. Riding in like a white knight on its cloaked horse, lance clenched in hand. Awaken! Hear ye, hear ye: Spring is for the living!"
    Oh my, Jayne...I believe I've been resurrected this achy Wednesday morning by the charging of the Magnolia Blossoms. Spring is for the living! Magnificent!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, March needs to inspire something other than mud, right, Leah?! Ha. We've actually not had so much mud. We haven't had so much precipitation, so low mud levels would follow... but my daughter slips on her wellies and heads for the brook to get her share of it. She will not be denied!

      So glad to you've been lifted by this, my dear Leah. The Charge of The Magnolia Blossoms. Ha! That's a good title. ;)

      Delete
  14. I remember that rain post! I loved it. And I love this post too, though Mondays are my Wednesdays, and Saturdays are my Mondays. So I suppose Saturdays are for living?
    I'm sure there are plenty who will agree with that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nessa- Haha! What ever do you do when we have to turn the clocks forward and back? I'd be so confused. Then again, since I work from home (for the most part), everyday could be my Saturday (I sure do try to make it so! ) except for the real Saturdays when the kids are home. Ya, that' right. I think. And yes, Saturdays are definitely for the living. ;)

      Delete
  15. Spring is a good time especially when im armed to the teeth with antihistamines heehee..
    Damn but it is nice to see dormancy in nature slowly become new life especially with the plants..those magnolias have to be the most beautiful display of all ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Same here, Dan. I am stocking up. But yes, who can argue the beauty of this season when nature boldly flourishes?! The magnolia's my favorite little darling. Wish I had one that lasted year round. But then, would I tire of him? ;)

    ReplyDelete