A Day So Perfect You Want to Cry

The poet asked, what is so rare as a day in June, but today was a rare day in May. Norm and I went to Forest Park to visit the Art Museum, which is free on Fridays. Our destination was the special exhibit, "Quilts in a Material World." Photography was not allowed, so I'm posting some overdue pictures of some of our spring flowers instead.
The collection of quilts was stunning, with examples from as early as the mid 1700s from the Winterthur Collection. The park was stunning too: people basking in the sun, golfing, walking dogs, paddling on the lakes. Every tree is a verdant green; it was calm and clear and the perfect temperature: 72 degrees. A day to savor for sure.

The lovely bicolor Iris, above, was already in our yard when we moved here in 2001, but it has multiplied tremendously. The purple and white hybrid columbine at right has established itself from a plant we set out three or four years ago.

This pale lavender beauty shows up in more than one spot in the back yard. Lois, who lived here before, or her gardener, picked some lovely varieties. Since these photos were taken, more varieties of iris have appeared, including a yellow and brown one and a dark purple one, as well as the blue-and-white that we got from Norm's mom years ago. I'm always relieved when it appears. One mystery: although we used to have some yellow iris, none are blooming this year. I guess they are on sabbatical.

Much earlier in the month, our azaleas bloomed so fully it looked like they were on fire. Last year all of the buds were lost to the Easter freeze, so we have greeted every flowering plant this year with the kind of joy you reserve for survivors. The rest of this weekend we will be getting ready for and participating in a giant antique, craft and flea market known as the Gypsy Caravan. I've posted more information about it on the Compton Cares Update blog, since any proceeds our church makes from our booth will benefit the accessibility project's fund. If you are in St. Louis on Monday, stop in to our space in Lot C at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and say howdy.