Thursday, May 29, 2008

I wander'd lonely as a cloud

I stayed home sick today, sniffling and adding to an ever-mounting pile of tissues, sucking on a few warm cups of Theraflu, reading between brief snoozes on my couch, and trying not to get too stir-crazy. Hence, this wandering post...

I read the poem "Daffodils" by Wordsworth somewhat recently, but I think that today, as I was housebound, I really understood this perfect stanza celebrating the memory of a host of sprightly golden daffodils:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

Not only do I have to rely on my memory of such lovely plants. I have a few in my immediate surroundings that, through the power of modern digital photography, I will share with you here.

First of all, I have an update on my window garden project that I have been nursing with kind words and daily watering. They are growing! Miracles of all miracles. Basil slowly coming, coriander growing like a weed, and mint slowly poking up out of the soil (thyme has already had its time, coming up quickly and withering away within days). Have a look for yourself.





Violets are one of my favorite houseplants, but I haven't always had the best of luck growing them... that is until I came to Estonia. Ironically enough, the then small plant was a get-well present when I caught the flu during my first months in Estonia. Since then I have repotted it twice and it has bloomed nearly incessantly. This violet is a centerpiece in my home. If only it could traverse the great pond this summer in my bags. I will have to capture its soothing and endearing character in my memory for future days when I need to recall such pleasant environs.



One last sprinkle of color splashes my room with joy. A fitting gift from my students at the university, these gorgeous pink blossoms exude joy, success, and celebration. It will be a fine memory of my Tartu days to store away.




... and then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils. ~ William Wordsworth, Daffodils (1804)

1 comment:

Cris said...

Hey Jenn. Lovely plants. Isn't it amazing what a little green can do? Tyler and I have been planting veggie boxes with everything you have already mentioned along with multiple types of tomatoes, red onions, and jalapeƱos.

When Tyler and I moved from the West Coast to Indiana, the only plant we brought with us was the African Violet Tyler once gave me before we started dating as a gift for taking care of his other plants. Our plant did not fare well in the cab of our moving truck; however, we clipped a number of leaves off of the original plant, put them in water (just like you may have done with a potato in elementary school), planted the leaves once roots began to grow, and now we have at least four different violet plants, each one stemming from one leaf of the original plant. Tyler suggested you could try putting a leaf of your violet in a barely damp washcloth for the journey and then put it in water as soon as you can. It might be fun to give it a try. Imagine if it succeeds and you will have brought your violet home with you! :)

Hurry up and get back here, will you? We miss you!

Cris and Tyler

What is that noise encircling our home?

Screeching around our home, the cicadas that come with the onset of the rainy season sound like an army of broken hard drives droning in fr...