Full Bloom...

It was "full bloom" week in the gardens this week, and interestingly enough, more of a full bloom than usual. Monday, the word spread that this was the time to journey down the hill and take in the magnificence of the spring color, so Tuesday, at lunch, I made the stroll down to the bridge, delighted in the low calm water level that clears the view of the sandbars and eddies. After shuffling across in the way that leads to the least bouncing in the suspension, I was welcomed by the scent of masses of flowers in bloom. It's nothing like the "floral" scents of deodorizers and room "fresheners". This is a delicate waft of sweet over the other presence of moist earth, occasional mold ( It's Houston, after all.), and maybe the slightest occasional touch of some commercial mosquito repellant. It is Houston, after all. Thankfully, the chill in the air has kept those nasty little buggers away. It seemed, on Tuesday, that the grounds were in place for a spectacular special event for this weekend's Azalea Trail.

There were not only multiple varieties of azaleas all blooming together - which does not always happen, but the dogwood and bulb flowers were out. They always seem to bloom earlier than the azaleas. There were still plenty of camellias in bloom, and the gardeners had planted paperwhites by the hundreds along the driveway to the cottage. Those had burst forth from inches-tall plants the week before, into fully blooming bouquets of brilliant white. The butterfly garden was thick with all different varieties of multiple pinks and purples and reds.

Then, came the cold chill of the north wind...and the rain... And after the summer's drought, we never are ones to begrudge a good shower, but if only...if only...if only these could have waited -- or at least not taken over this three-day weekend. Full Bloom not only applies to the flowers, but to the year-long, and most recent efforts of those involved to have everthing ready for the public to enjoy. It is somewhat heartbreaking, but part of life, that some of the things we work so hard to achieve just, through no fault of our own, don't manage to come to fruition in the manner in which we had hoped.

The birds are singing outside though. They seem very happy!