not so much

last May

Last year at this time we were preparing for the Jen and Jay's baby shower. Our yard was at its most spectacular in May. Ivy rose up over the fence and draped down into the flowers.  Lilacs and clematis and roses and poppies and all kinds of bulbs bloomed in profusion.  And herbs-thyme and lavender and chives came back every year. May burst into the calendar with color and fragrance and lush green growth everywhere. 

Not so much this year. 

Although we were in a hotel until December, although we had to replace all of the utilities in our house-mostly out of our own pocket- and although the community we live in still sports boarded up businesses and many, many families are still 'outsourced' due to Hurricane Sandy, I still expected spring to come and make everything look brighter. 

Not so much this year. 

today

And although this is mainly cosmetic, and I fear that you will think me trite, I am one of those people who believes that gardens make the world a better place. And it saddens me that the space we put so much work and love into is the place that bears the visible scars of Sandy. It took years and years of work and resources to make our space a sanctuary for us in the summer. May and June particularly sparkled.
And here we are at the beginning again and our little house, befreft of her springtime jewels looks like the pauper that she is.

hope

There are some blooms and some bulbs pushing their way up into the sunlight. The lilac bush has a sparse showing and the peonies look like they may come back, so there is hope. More and more people are moving back into their homes, although some will never return.

 For us, it will be a long way back.