Life in the Bristolwood

As I was reading my friend, Ruth’s blog, I was reminded by her picture of Asters that I had planted some last year on the side of the house.  Since many of the plants I put there just don’t seem to thrive, I thought perhaps I had better see how my Asters were doing.

I went outside, and looked.  The place where they were supposed to be was now growing tiny little Columbine plants.  Another loss.  I love those bright little purple Asters, and looked forward to seeing them again. I was told they were perennials, after all.

Feeling sad, I looked up towards the woods when I spotted WILD Asters!  I completely forgot about THOSE Asters that show up, faithfully, year after year!

Well, of course, one thing leads to yet another, so I went into the house and got a pair of scissors. These Asters, with their beautiful purple fringelike petals, and bright golden yellow centers, were too pretty to not bring a few inside!  I checked and there were many more, so I didn’t mind cutting a few.  And, of course, goldenrod looks so marvelous with the flowers. So, snip…snip…

I am unsure what the other yellow flowers are that grow EVERYWHERE, but their bright yellow flowers look very much like dandelions.  These flowers grow nearly 2 or 3 feet tall and are just so pretty on the back hill.  And so, I decided that I would create a little “nosegay” of flowers.  I was sure I had saved some cute little jars in the kitchen cabinet that I could place the little arrangement in.

As I looked in the cabinets, I couldn’t find one single small jar! Michelle looked through her things as well, and she couldn’t find anything small enough either! So,  as my eyes fell on a water bottle, I did a bit of “surgery” on it, and voila! The perfect little vase!

I took my little bouquet outside to photograph it, as I loved the colors and wanted to preserve them to look at in the winter when the pallette pales…Michelle saw me taking photographs, and she asked if she might try, too!

I was so absorbed, watching Michelle work with my big Nikon camera. She took to it right away. Suddenly, she asked me to wait a minute….she trudged off towards the garage and re-emerged with an old wooden box clutched in her hand.  She walked up the hill behind the house, asking me if I would mind bringing the little bouquet of flowers.

This is her “take” on my arrangement.  Very pretty, isn’t it?