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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Lilacs and Butterflies and FFF


They're here!

Our lilacs are in full swing now
and every time you open a window
or step outside you are greeted with that 
wonderful heady lilac fragrance.

I close my eyes and I am taken back
to my Grandparents home in 
Canada
where they had the most beautiful
English style gardens.

They had two lilac bushes 
that would fill the air with that
beautiful scent that
would drift into the veranda where
I sometimes slept on weekends
and summer holidays.

Funny how a scent can do that...
take you back to a wonderful
memory.



For the last two days I have been
trying to photograph
our lilacs
and some beautiful
Monarch Butterflies that have
been flitting around the farm.

Unfortunately 
the wind was blowing so 
hard that the butterflies were
having a hard time trying to find a spot
to land where they would't get blown away!


I finally got a few photo's
but it wasn't easy.
The wind was so bad that in nearly 
every shot the lilacs are a blur!


The grove of Lilacs as you come onto
our farm. 
This grove is between the house 
 to the left and our south pasture. 


Here is a pretty Swallowtail
I found in the grove
behind the house.

It was very hard to get good lighting
as they were flitting all over
the place trying to find a 
calm landing place.


The lilacs aren't doing well this year.
I noticed that we don't have many blossoms
and they are faded and not as 
colorful and lush as last year.

I took a closer look at them
and I see that our late
frost killed some of the
buds before they opened.

Such a shame but that happened
the year we moved in.
A late frost had killed 
all the blossoms on the lilacs
and the fruit trees on the farm.

So no lovely lilacs or fruit that year
but last year which was our first spring
here on the farm we had an abundance
of everything!


The cottage is waiting for it's new
paint job
and the front porch is waiting for
steps and a sidewalk.






The door is waiting for it's 
new trim boards.

We did manage to get the 
porch swing up though!

Everything is on hold until
we get the picket fence up
and stained and the veggie
and flower gardens in.

There's just no rest for the weary!

I have to keep
reminding myself
that 
Rome wasn't built in a day.

It's not easy ;)


I'm linking up with 
Amy at Verde Farm for


So hop on over and 
check out all the other 
Farm Friends...
I know you'll have a ball.

I hope you all have a
WONDERFUL
Thursday, Friday
and 
Weekend!

Maura :)










35 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the butterfly and lilac pictures. We've had horrible winds too these last few days. It certainly does make it difficult to take pictures. It does sound like you have a lot of projects going on. I look forward to seeing the progress.

Teresa

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

i can just smell that lilac scent maura! your farm is so pretty, and although the blooms are not as vibrant, your landscaping is still so beautiful...there is an old telephone pole that gives off a smell that takes me wayyyy back to my baby years...it probably is from my grandparents old farmhouse as i always see their images when i smell it...happy spring!

Fishtail Cottage said...

Beautiful photo's of your lilac's and butterflies (almost sounds like it should be a Dolly Parton song?)lol ~ xoox, tracie

Julie Harward said...

I can hardly wait for them to bloom here...we won't get them until the very last of May or even into June. I too remember that smell and it takes me back to my grandma too. You have a lovely place, I would want to sit on that porch swing all day! :D

Liesl said...

Hi Maura! Those lilacs look stunning! I love your porch swing!

Kath said...

Lovely photos Maura, I just adore lilac. Luckily my neighbour has some, not far from my french doors, they will soon be in bloom.
We don't seem to have big porches here in England, probably because we don't have enough good weather, but I would love a porch-swing!

Sherry@The BarnQuiltStore Blog said...

Oh Maura! Lilacs are my very favorite flower & I miss them so! Here in GA, they aren't fond of our warmer winters. Thanks for the lovely photos, I can almost smell the fragrance!
♥'s
Sherry

Catherine said...

What lovely pictures of butterflies. I love to smell the lilacs.We palnted a white lilac for Romain's birth, but we have not had it for long, i also love white one's. I wish you a good weekend. Catherine

The Bear's Blog said...

Beautiful, there is nothing sweeter than the fragrance of lilacs.

Happy weekend, dear friend.

Hugs
All of Us

Vintage Gal said...

Your lilacs still look wonderful and I can just smell them ~ LOVE lilacs and butterflies ;-)

Jen said...

So Beautiful! I LOVE the smell of lilacs... I've got to get me some bushes this year!

Jamie Oliver (@va_grown) said...

Your pictures (of lilacs and everything in your sidebar!) are so lovely! We had lilacs in the yard growing up and I miss them so much! You're right about the smell just being EVERYWHERE this time of year. I have some lovely pictures of the butterflies on our butterfly bushes in the summer, but they don't come with that luscious scent.

Stopping by from Farm Friends Friday!

CIELO said...

I truly enjoyed the lovely walk.... still a while for spring to arrive here, so thanks for these pics! I especially liked the one with the butterfly above the lilacs... do come and show your lovely cottage at our Show Off Your Cottage Monday... we have a special party coming up!

Cielo

GardenOfDaisies said...

Your photos of the lilacs and butterflies are beautiful! I was just outside taking photos of my lilacs for a future post. I only have three bushes... wish I had a whole lane lined with them like you do.

Joelle said...

You are so lucky to have all those lilacs. We had a ton at my house growing up. They are my second favorite flower. First is the Stargazer lilly.I miss those lilacs.

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

Love the lilacs! My Nana had them in her backyard and I remember my and I going there to cut a few for the vases at home!
It is terribly windy here today! 50mph winds! And storms are on there way!
I love your porch swing! I would like to have one but then I have to decide what goes! The porch is becoming crowded!
Have a wonderful weekend. And thank you so very much for the anniversary card! I love it. Can't wait to show J!
xo, misha

Linda said...

Your lilacs are beautiful. I can smell them all the way here. We have a lilac bush, but they won't be in bloom till May.

Skogkjerring said...

Oh Maura, thank you so much for leaving a comment on my blog so I could find your lovely blog!!!!
We lived for several years in Kansas...for awhile with my parents and sister and then with my husband and Sarah was born in Kansas!! My grandmother lives in Haven and my aunt and uncle are in Preston, near Pratt. Which is where Sarah was born!! Small world eh??
I am going to need much more time to look around your blog, you have so many wonderful photos and animals and your cottage is adorable!! I'm terribly jealous of the lilacs...ours are not blooming yet, the snow just melted so I imagine maybe in a few weeks they might start budding??? I hope!!
Right now we have 18, 13 year old boys here for a belated birthday party for my son..so I'll close now but I'll definitely be back!!!
Have a great weekend!!
Amy@ Eventyrhus in Norway :-)

hilary@oldhousetruelove said...

your lilacs are amazing maura!!!!! i love when a scent brings on a happy memory. happy friday friend! )

Giga said...

Witam. Z przyjemnościa pobiegałam za motylami. A zapach bzu czułam siedząc na Twojej huśtawce. Pozdrawiam i miłego weekendu.

John Going Gently said...

your photographs are gettng BETTER and BETTER!

Sunray Gardens said...

Beautiful photos. The lane is just gorgeous with those lilacs and I love your home and the new work will set it off.
Cher
Goldenray Yorkies

Toni aka irishlas said...

We've still got a month or so before our lilacs bloom. And it is amazing what memories the scent of these beauties bring to mind!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Kim said...

Sure would love to wander up your lilac lane and cozy up on that comfy porch of yours. It just looks dreamy!

Robins in the Trundle Bed said...

Oh my how beautiful!!! We won't see lilacs until Memorial Day!!!
Sherrill

Ann-Marie ~ Brambly said...

I love the photos of your lilacs! The lilacs growing near the edge of the road are simply gorgeous! You live in such an idyllic setting...you must be so grateful.

Ann-Marie

Chris at Red Gate Farm said...

Hi Maura!

I've been waiting for the lilacs and they're finally here!!! We're still a few weeks from lilacs and I can hardly wait. We too had a late frost last year and it killed many of my lilac buds and ALL of the cherries :( Hopefully it will all work out this year!

I bet the new porch swing is coming in handy with your beautiful spring days...

~Chris

Ott, A. said...

Beautiful pictures. I can almost smell the aroma of those lilacs.

for the love of a house said...

we are "just" starting to bud out here so your photos are so exciting to see!! just beautiful!
your cottage is so wonderful and charming!!

happy weekend!
joan

Blooming Rose Musings said...

Just seeing your lovely photos has taken me back to my childhood and the lilacs I remember so well. I grew up on the east coast and the lilacs were heavenly. Now that I live in California we do have lilacs but they just don't have that same heavenly scent. Your photos are beautiful and it's so nice to see butterflies again.

Anonymous said...

Oh your lilacs are beautiful! Mine are just now getting their new growth and making buds.....don't they just smell so swoony!

Maura....we have been here seven years and we still are not finish!

Mary, Windy Meadows Farm said...

I love the fragrance of lilacs...ours are still several weeks away from bloom though, but it's oh-so nice to see yours. I can almost smell them...lovely photos! -Mary

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

hi maura! you won my giveaway. you didn't quite get it but you were the closest...come on over and leave me your email! thank you so much for partipating! hugs, kritter keeper

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Hi Maura
It's hard to be patient when there's so much to do. Last year was an extraordinary spring for us with everything 2 weeks ahead of time. This year we're back to normal and as a matter of fact, it's been snowing all day. :-(
Judith

Unknown said...

They're just beautiful Maura. And I can just imagine the smell is heavenly. I love bringing in some blooms to put beside my bed at night. Even if they only last an evening, it's always worth it.

And I just LOVE the capture of the butterflies in the lilacs!

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