Barbee's Blog: April 2010

We are having the usual series of Winter's returns that are locally referred to as: Redbud Winter, Dogwood Winter,and now Black Locust Winter, with Blackberry Winter just around the corner. Most folks hope Winter won't tarry too long; they do not like it when Winter comes back to visit Spring. Here's hoping Spring sends Winter (in all her snowy ermines) packing for good. This one will be a wild winter to remember, as they used to say: "One for the books." I wonder... did that mean for the records - a record breaker?

I have never been a sports fan. So, it is ironic how many sports events I watched on television this past winter into spring. You know I am surely sick if I watch them, and I was.

First there was the head and sinus cold. Several weeks later there was a flu-like virus (Yes, I had both flu shots which kept me out of the hospital, I think.) that hung on and on and on; as one blogger labeled it "the bad cold from 'the hot place'". I don't like being bored, but when I feel rotten, I tend to collapse, unable to do much, if anything. It is rather bad when one has to depend on television to stay sane, but that is where I turned. Sports was the only thing worth watching, and I don't even care for sports! I even watched one of our local university's football games; it took for evvvvvver! (We are better known for our basketball. I use that "we" very loosely - remember, I don't follow sports.)

Then basketball season was upon us. The University of Kentucky main campus is here in town. It rules the town. Newly arrived citizens are quizzed as to what color they bleed. The correct answer is: blue, Kentucky blue. Rather silly, don't you think, but the locals (and not so local) get a lot of fun and entertainment from it. The hype and competition is outrageous. The place goes wild!

The Olympic games were a life safer. From the opening ceremony through the closing ceremony, I watched every day and every night; I even watched hockey - both men's and women's - I still can't believe I did that. I learned about curling. I became conversant with which team played which teams. I learned athletes by name, first names, too! I cried when they cried. I laughed when they laughed. What would I have done without them all those days and nights.

Let me make a small correction: there were two nights in February that I did not watch Olympic games. Every year we watch the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show which is staged in Madison Square Gardens in New York City. It is televised for two nights, and is an historic sporting event reputed to be second oldest in the U.S., second only to the Kentucky Derby.

After the Olympic games, it was back to basketball for distraction. Both our women's and men's teams were having an outstanding year and went into final games which were frequently cliff-hangers. I do not know enough about it to write more. I got the impression they did very, very well, almost making it to the final game. Or, maybe they did, I can't remember. You can tell how impressed I was. But, everyone else was really excited.

And now, here we are back around. Football players and coaches are back in the news. And the holy day in Kentucky is upon us. The Kentucky Derby is always held the first Saturday in May. Is anything else happening in the world?! Hard to know around here. Keeneland Racetrack here in town runs first. Then, it is on to Louisville for the Derby.

Guess what! In September this year, Lexington is host town to the World Equestrian Games. Shades of the Olympics! Here we go again, and nothing, absolutely nothing! will be normal around here until that is over.

So much for sports. Here are some pretty pictures from the early spring garden. Now THAT, I do like.

Looks like University colors.
(They were really purple, not blue.)

A Sweet Thing

Helleborus "Lenten Rose"

Chionodoxa "Glory of the Snow"
Stars among the Muscari "Grape Hyacinths"

Toad house (hopefully)

Puschkinia "Striped Squill"
Floating in a sea of maturing Eranthis foliage.

Three photos of miniature Narcissus "Minnow"

The big guys looking south as usual.
Normal size "Daffodil" Narcissus.

An early crocus

Helleborus foetidus "Bear Claw"

The view in the header photo is the way The Garden at Crocker Croft has looked for several days. This has been the prettiest flowering spring I can remember. No frost and no rain, the good news, and the bad news. At least the flowers were not damaged. We have had clouds bringing very few soft, light rains that were not enough to measure, maybe three times in months. News is: We have received 50% of our normal rain fall. For tonight, they are issuing frost warnings. But, for now it is rather (make that, very) pretty. Here are some glimpses of what is out there before the frost hits tonight, if it does.

A neighbor cat. I call him Shadow.
I think he is of the Oriental Shorthair breed.

The foliage of these tulips reminds me of the sensuous curves in Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.

The warmth of the day made him drowsy.

This tulip has a rounded shaped flower. Squirrels replant them for me making them surprises where they sometimes pop up. Compare its shape with the lily flower form of the next ones, Queen of Sheba.