Saturday, March 31, 2018

Norton Helps Prepare Some Easter Flowers

Although we won't be home for Easter Sunday this year, I am still compelled to add a few festive touches to the house to mark the holiday.  So, bright and early this morning, Norton and I trotted down to the garden to snip away at some of the narcissi I had planted in mid-February. Anticipating, with a bit of luck, that most of them would have bloomed for Easter, it turns out, most of them had.

Chronica Domus
Planted on February 19, narcissus Cragford, an award-winning heirloom, 
is ready for picking
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Another heirloom variety that bloomed vigorously this year is the aptly named 
narcissus Cheerfulness 
Photo: Chronica Domus


It did not take long to fill my trug but I must admit, I did receive a little help from Norton.

Chronica Domus
Norton supervising in the cutting garden
Photo: Chronica Domus


As you can see below, the effort of picking a few narcissi was all a tad too much for dear Norton. Declaring he'd had quite enough of it all, he proceeded to plonk himself smack dab in the middle of the vegetable patch, exhausted it seems.

Chronica Domus
Gardening is so overrated!
Photo: Chronica Domus


Coming into the house via the back stairwell, Norton was obviously still very tired from his gardening escapades so I left him there, with the trug, while I nipped downstairs and around to the front garden to clip a few more blooms.

Chronica Domus
Norton takes a well-earned break
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Narcissus Thalia, my favorite of the whites, has been reliably blooming and multiplying in 
my front garden for several years
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Just a few Thalia to complete the morning's pickings
Photo: Chronica Domus

I had adequate blooms to make two cheery arrangements to place in the drawing room, with a handful left over for a third smaller arrangement that I placed in the kitchen.

Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
Here they are in situ
Photo: Chronica Domus


And, what would Easter be without a few chocolate treats to nibble upon?  Here are some chocolate eggs corralled in a favorite English Regency era teapot stand painted in a pleasing shade of orange to match the centers of narcissus Cragford.

Chronica Domus
Please, help yourself to a chocolate egg or two
Photo: Chronica Domus


My collection of various bird eggs round out the decorations in the drawing room.  Eggs are, after all, symbols of rebirth and renewal at Easter time.  A glass vessel below holds quail, araucana chicken, and partridge eggs ...

Chronica Domus

Photo: Chronica Domus

... and another holds a turkey egg, the egg of a scrub jay, and more delicately-shaded araucana chicken eggs.

Chronica Domus
Photo: Chronica Domus


Chronica Domus
A simple but pleasing Easter arrangement in the drawing room
Photo: Chronica Domus


Oh, and I almost forgot the funnest, and smallest, decoration in the house, a charming vintage hen and her chicks.  They grace a porcelain stand on the kitchen counter.  Don't you think Mrs. Hen and her brood look quite at home surrounded by ... more eggs!

Chronica Domus
Happy Easter Everyone!
Photo: Chronica Domus

Norton and I wish you all a very Happy Easter!


33 comments:

  1. Hello CD, Your daffodils are both delicate and cheerful. Your spring garden looks very inviting. Today it is ninety degrees Fahrenheit in my apartment, so it does not feel very much like spring!
    --Jim

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you all have much of a spring this year?

      Delete
    2. Hello Jim,

      Daffodils are my favorite flower (Sweet Peas are up there too), and I find myself planting more as each year goes by. I got lucky this year with their timing (although they did sit in the refrigerator chilling for six weeks before being popped into the ground). They make me happy.

      I feel for you being stuck in the heat indoors. Get yourself out for a walk and a cool drink pronto!

      Delete
  2. Hello CD and a Happy Easter to you and your brood, too! No eggs around here, and what a fine selection you have (and your chickadees are very sweet), nor narcissi - wrong hemisphere - but I made my first successful batch of Hot Cross Buns for Easter Sunday. No traditional fruits on hand so used the pantry surprises of dates, crystallised ginger and Persian barberries and do declare that a superior flavour assortment to the usual mix. It shall be my new go-to Festive Fare for Easter.

    Oh, doesn't Norton love the camera? Very hammy!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, please excuse my lack of manners! I did neglect to say that it's Vanessa here - I'm now wearing a new hat.

      Delete
    2. Hello Pipistrello,

      I agree, the narcissi are lovely but Norton is lovelier! He enjoys the role of Mother's Little Helper in the garden but I fear that sometimes I will accidentally step on his tail, or worse, as he tends to follow me about.

      Your Hot Cross Buns sound delicious especially with the dates, ginger and barberry combination. Please do share your recipe if you are inclined.

      Delete
    3. Oh, and hello Vanessa, I was wondering who Pipistrello was (a new follower, perhaps?). Glad you are here on board. May I call you Pipi?

      Delete
    4. Yes, you may call me Pipi if you like. Here is the link to the recipe I used - I didn't use the suggested amount of fruit as it seemed like quite a lot but next time I will. https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/fruity-hot-cross-buns

      Delete
    5. Hello again, Pipi! Thank you for returning to furnish me with such a delicious recipe. I shall certainly give this a shot but I first need to consult a conversion chart. I'm useless with grams vs. cups/spoons since moving to the United States.

      Delete
  3. Just spectacular! I love the narcissi, and can imagine their smell from here. Also the light you captured is gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lisa, so pleased you too enjoyed these pretty springtime blooms. Their aroma, would you believe, is tolerable, at least to my husband who is a tad persnickety about such things (he abhores the smell of narcissus Avalanche which I can only bring indoors when he's on a business trip and away from his olfactory senses).

      Delete
  4. Dear CD,
    Thank you for another lovely post. Norton! Also, your egg collection is lovely! Happy Easter.
    Stephanie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Stephanie,

      So pleased you enjoyed this post (although there was no table this year, sadly!).

      Yes, Norton certainly made his presence known when I took out the camera to capture a few snaps for this blog post. He's a complete ham!

      Happy (belated) Easter to you too.

      Delete
  5. Your egg collection is marvelous! The daffodils are gorgeous - lovely arrangement in the drawing room. Happy Easter!

    slf

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello slf, and a Happy (belated) Easter to you too!

      I've been collecting eggs for quite some time and I adore how they look so special when grouped together. Their colors, sizes, and shapes are fascinating to me. I have several large ones from birds such as Rhea, Emu, and Ostrich but they could not fit in my glass vessels this year. Of course, there was no problem nestling them in an enormous (and fun) punch bowl I used several years ago, which can be seen in the link below if you'd care to look:

      https://chronicadomus.blogspot.com/2015/04/pre-easter-dinner-preparations-and.html

      Delete
  6. Hello CD
    Your decorations are lovely (as always), but Norton completely stole the show this time.
    Wishing you and your family, a very Happy Easter
    Spud.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Spud,

      Thank you for the kind compliments on my Easter decoarations. Simple (and natural) is always a winning combination I find.

      Oh, and yes, Norton always steals the show. He's become quite a ham.

      Happy (belated) Easter to you!

      Delete
  7. Gorgeous blooms, CD. Our kitties never assist with household chores but they do like to observe as long as the chores do not interfere with naps in the sun or involve the dreaded vacuum cleaner. I regret to say it is snowing now in Concord MA. After a relatively mild weekend. Sometimes Spring is a reluctant guest in New England.
    Best,
    KL Gaylin

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello KL Gaylin,

      Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the springtime blooms. I felt particularly pleased with the outcome of my rather late bulb planting efforts this year and had kept my fingers crossed they'd be ready to pick in time for Easter Sunday. The recent rains helped for sure. I'm sorry to hear you are still receiving fresh snow in your part of the world. As much as I miss snow (from my days in England), I think I'd be sick of it by now (I think you are on your 4th Nor'easter now?).

      I need to train Norton with the household chores. He's a dabhand in the garden, of course, but useless in the kitchen. Not sure how he'd treat a vacuum cleaner, but can very well guess.

      Delete
  8. Norton is lovely. What beautiful flowers. Your place looks so lovely and calm. Xo

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    Replies
    1. Thank you kindly, Jen. Norton has come a very long way; from a hissing little feral kitten, found in a storm drain across the road from our house, to a hammy and playful pet cat. Wonders never cease.

      Delete
  9. The flowers and the eggs are just lovely. You have a nice touch with decorating. Happy belated Easter!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Granny Sue, and very kind of you so say so. Thank you for stopping by and visiting today!

      Delete
  10. Oh, to have such a plentiful supply of Narcissi! One day perhaps mine will multiply to that extent. Your Easter vignette is very attractive - I'd have had trouble avoiding the chocolate eggs had I been in the vicinity. Norton seems to celebrate his outing in the garden the same way my cat does, by rolling around in the nearest patch of warm earth available!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Kris Peterson,

      This year, I'm spoilt for choice in the narcissi department that's for sure! Growing them is a bit of a passion of mine and I tend to gravitate towards the older varieties. I find that they tend to happily multiply in my garden and return year upon year to delight and fill my vases. I am one lucky gal!

      PS: If we had spent the day at home yesterday, believe me, those chocolate eggs would have been gone in a jiffy!

      Delete
  11. Your daffodils are wonderful! :) Thanks for the chocolate egg... I only took one. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why, thank you! You're very good to take only just one, far better self-control than anyone in my household.

      Delete
  12. Oh what wonderful flowers for Eastertide. Daffodils are the perfect choice. Your helper in the shape of the beautiful Norton looks most capable. How considerate of him to warm the vegetable patch up. No doubt he will be sowing seeds later :)

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    Replies
    1. Hello Anna, and thank you.

      Daffs are a weakness of mine and give me much joy when they rear their cheery heads each spring. I have reached the point now where I am able to enjoy a longer blooming period due to the selections I've chosen to plant. Well, that and a bit of luck I suppose!

      Norton is ineeed quite a capable gardener now and yes, he'll be helpng to sow the spring vegetables over the next few weeks.

      Thank you for visiting and I do hope you come back again.

      Delete
  13. Happy belated easter but then there is greek easter this sunday right? Norton is tooo cute!! i did buy bulbs but honestly this weather is killing me and i am always so cold or unmotivated so the bulbs are still in the garage - i just can't CD. I really can't muster the energy but the grape hyacinths in my kitchen window have bloomed even though they were there fro last year and really neglected...this has been the toughest winter ever that you did well by not visiting LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Naomi,

      I feel for you with regards to rallying around your bulbs and actually getting out there and actually getting them planted. I ordered mine months ago and they've been sitting in my basement, in their box, for a ridiculously long time. I feared I may have missed the boat on their planting time but lo and behold, a month in the refrigerator to chill did its magic. It only took six weeks from planting to blooming this year, and I'm chuffed to pieces with the results.

      If the bitter cold and snow is too much for you, may I suggest tossing all of your bulbs into a huge planter and keeping it in your garage until the weather warms up. Good luck with that Ms. Greenfingers!

      Oh, and even with the cold and snow, I have missed my visit to London this winter. I'm overdue and longing to get back.

      Delete
  14. Narcissis GSL, after a passel of Pimms, did some Nortonian repose gyrations/quick nap in lounge chair at a Garden Party before rudely awakened by downpour before dashing indoors and greeted by cheers and Hot Toddy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did I ever tell you how much I love Pimms, GSL? It's the quintessentially British summer drink, and drink it I do! Perhaps a tad too much at times. Cheers to you too!

      Delete

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