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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Shades of What's to Come -2011


 Summer is waning when the hydrangeas start to turn color.  It is no secret that August is bittersweet to me. Especially this summer, as our beautiful summer weather really began at the beginning of August.   
 And, as I have said in past, this month should be my favourite month of the season, maybe even the year - it is my birthday month, my daughter's, my dear Dad's and my god-mother's as well. But no, I always start to feel sad once I flip the calendar to August.   It signals the coming end of summer, and in this beautiful, green but rainy valley I start dreaming of summer in January.  I wish summer could last six months long and they would be all June & July!  That is when summer is in full swing.  My favourite time.
I pout at the end of each summer, but here is one tradition that makes it a bit sweeter. At the end of season, usually in September I cut a nice selection of hydrangeas that have already started to turn color -  meaning that they will dry nicely.  The bunch below are all mop-heads - all originally blue but now turning green, grey and some even a nice mauve-grey.






I plan to refill one of my favourite baskets.  The basket shown here is at least thirty years old! Purchased in the early 1980's in Vancouver's Chinatown. I love this basket. Wicker baskets are a great investment -  always useful, alot more attractive than a plastic tote for storing household items, and don't be afraid to give them a wash! Mild soap and water, a good rinse with a hose... let them dry in the sun if you can and lastly, give your basket a good wipe down with some lemon oil polish.  Your basket will look like new!
See, here is the same basket - left - circa 1985, in our son Ryan's room - filled with stuffed animals.
Here is my favourite basket, all freshly filled with this year's crop of dried hydrangeas. This is an early fall tradition. It helps me 'cross over' from summer into fall a little.  And while I love fresh flowers better than dried ones - this arrangement is very pretty. It does help take the sting out of the end of August.

4 comments:

Lysa said...

I LOVE hydrangea but sadly I trimmed mine all back so no blooms this year. But now if I need to see some I can just pop onto your blog for a fix!

Someone told me you can cut hydrangea's and put the cuttings in the ground and they will grow. Do you know if that is true or not?

Carol Browne said...

Our hydrangeas are going gangbusters this year! Hooray. I also love hydrangeas. I had them in my wedding bouquet.

Too bad bouquets are just for weddings. I think we should start an everyday bouquet and take them with us everywhere! On the bus...to work...to quilting bee...

Darlene Barnes Rosner said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darlene Barnes Rosner said...

Lysa ! OK A BIG BUNCH for you at the August meeting!

Carol - I like your idea! rather Victorian, carrying a bouquet wherever we go.... but I like it!