April Showers & Flowers

Of April, Geoffrey Chaucer said this:

He knew whereof he spake—er, spoke. I had an urge to take a pilgrimage around my yard this April morning to see how Aprill's shoures soote had bathed  the flowers in my yard in swich licour.

In mid-March, on a misty morning, one of my oak trees looked like this:

This morning, after last night's hard rain, an oak looked like this:

The dogwoods are in full bloom. Both the white. . . 

. . . and the pink.

Cats like to go on yard-pilgrimages, too.

On my pilgrimage, I encountered a few surprises. A cabbage core I tossed into a flower bed for compost last fall has sprouted. 

I thought the hostas died during last summer's dry spell. But they're back.

The romaine lettuce is back, too.

I was sure this chrysanthemum died during the winter, but I was wrong.

Tulips are in bloom—all colors of tulips.

Here's a different view of the tulip bed. That's the compost pile behind it.

In a different flower bed, Chloe tiptoes through the tulips.

The little white flowers in front of the house are blooming. I've forgotten their names.

Around the gazebo, my herbs, irises, and roses are taking off.

The wisteria is greening up and entwining around the gazebo.

Look how green the lawn is.

The day lily bed is a sea of green.

Whether you're a cat or a human, April is a good time to take a pilgrimage.

And if you'd prefer the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales as a rap, there's this:

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