lily rama

They are hitting their big moment, their peak, the height of their majesty. I snipped off 589 spent lilies this morning, but of course that was yesterday's flower display. Today's is even more abundant. I expect I'll need two hours tomorrow to work my way through the fields. Will there be mosquitoes? In abundance. Will they deter me? No they will not. Lilies want admiration and they need help in putting their best face forward. I will give them that help.

This morning, I was in the fields by 6:30. I just barely finished by 8. I'll say this much about my early start: the light is so much gentler then. The flowers, too, are freshly opened. Vibrant, but gentle at the same time. You're probably skeptical. A lily is a lily. Except, for me, it is not. And photos are so important here! How else do I make peace with the fact that their beauty is so fleeting? Here you go then, my lilies and their bed-mates, on July 8th:

I was especially happy to see the beds at their finest today because my two friends who periodically share breakfast and actually a whole morning with me, are scheduled to come over today. For once, the flowers have an audience!

We sit out on the porch. It's just barely tolerable -- a bit warm, a bit muggy, but I put on the fan and we linger at the table for a good many hours. A privilege and a pleasure to spend a morning with these two!

And in the afternoon I go for a walk with my daughter. How is that for an unusual activity! We meet up at Owen Woods -- a nature conservancy area in Madison. It has a forest, it has a prairie, and it has paths. Enough to allow us to walk and catch up on details of the young family's week away. 

To me, this constitutes a busy day. So much so that I announce to Ed that I have little interest in making dinner. I pick up a couple of pizzas for us  -- a rare treat!

One last glance outside: at the phloxes, the gaura, the allium. And the lilies.

 

 

 with love...