We are not going to change the whole world, but we can change ourselves and feel free as birds. We can be serene even in the midst of calamities and, by our serenity, make others more tranquil. Serenity is contagious. ~Sri S. Satchidananda
The garden is waking up and I am a frequent visitor. When I cannot bear another word or warning of the world’s calamities, I step outside. A month ago, the world was white with snow. 
Then the March winds came and turned the sky blue. 
The robins and a pair of mourning doves are regular visitors to the birdbath and their songs ring out in a quiet world that has begun to bloom. The snowdrops appeared first, tiny clusters of white that nodded in the early spring sun and shrugged off the snow. The Tommy crocus (Crocus tommisinianus) appeared soon after, to the delight of a few early insects.
Now the hellebores are stealing the show. Some are named varieties with strong colors and sometimes doubled in form. (click any photo in the mosaic to see a full size image)
Others are chance seedlings of a few plants gifted to me by a friend many years ago. They seem to have crossed with the fancy ones and made some pretty color combinations. A few even lift their faces up to the spring sun.
Forsythia and Cornus mas (Cornelian cherry) are bearing their cheery yellow flowers while a few daffodils come into bloom.
I leave behind worry each time I step into the garden and embrace the serenity that I find there. May you find inspiration in the beauty around you and dream beautiful dreams.
My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful. ~Abram L. Urban
All photos and text ©2020 Lynn Emberg Purse, except where noted
composerinthegarden 
Today, Palm Sunday, I chose to escape the crippling fear of the world’s calamity by stopping by your garden so that I could exhale–if just for a moment. Three friends got COVID-19 two weeks ago. Two recovered but one died–alone and buried without a funeral. He was one of our great jazz pianists. Both children and grandson live in the major epicenters. Today one NYC resident dies every three minutes from the virus. I am consumed with worry. If you ever wonder if blogging about your garden helps humanity in any way, think of me…
Hope you and yours are doing well. Warmest Regards, ET
Oh my dear friend, I’m glad my garden nourished you. I am so sorry to hear of your loss and worries – I have filtered the news because of the crippling fear it engenders and spend more time in my garden instead. We are doing well here, we both are teaching all of our classes online and Angel is delighted to have us at home. I just posted a new soliloquy on the quiet in the garden; I will stop by to see you today.
You do the same for us, and I know we all appreciate it, this careful observation and connection with nature. Stay healthy, Lynn, and enjoy the respite. 🙂
Hi Lynn, just saw your comment today. Thank you and I hope you are staying healthy and safe too. I love being in my garden more than ever.
I bet!
Beautiful photos of your garden. Not much is blooming near us so I really appreciated seeing the beauty! Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by and commenting, Lisa – I just saw your comment today – sorry for the delay! I hope by now that you are getting some blooms.
Only a few sadly but soon they will
Come!
Good to see your lovely spring garden flowers, when some of ours are over in the UK. Flowers speak an international language of good-will.
Good to see you here, Richard. We’ve had a mild winter and a cold wet spring but just this week the garden is starting to green up – I love spring.
It comes as a surprise to see so much happening so early in Pennsylvania. I expected closer to what the first picture shows than to what the others do.
We had a very mild winter, Steve, and an early spring. Now we are in the usual freeze/thaw phase but being home every day promises a well-tended garden in the coming months, one upside in a very difficult time.
You can act out the last line in Voltaire’s “Candide”: “Il faut cultiver notre jardin.”
Words for the wise, Steve – yes, I must. 🙂
Thanks for posting these images, Lynn. They’re a welcome sight, now more than ever.
Thank you, Kerry – it helps to be in the garden. I hope you are getting out into nature too.
Hi Lynn. Wish I could say I was, but we have been asked to limit our excursions away from home to necessities only. Much as I’d like to classify it as such, I can’t justify such a claim for forays into nature right now.
We have a county park nearby that is still open for walking and biking, as long as people keep their distance. I thought perhaps you had somewhere near home where you can find retreat. Otherwise, the world is shut down here except for the necessities too.
There are places that are technically not closed but…the weather here has been atrocious and people are being discouraged from driving anywhere they don’t have to go. There’s not much within walking distance; there are a (very) few places, but between the weather and the fact that everyone is in the same boat (i.e. the few places within walking distance have a tendency to become crowded), it’s a difficult situation. If the weather ever improves I’ll check things out but I have a gnawing suspicion that the few available options represent exactly the kind of situation that needs to be avoided.
I wish you well, Kerry, along with everyone’s hope that things will improve sooner rather than later.
Lynn, always a joy and more even now days to see what you are up to in the good earth and jewel skies. Thank you for the quotes and photos. Yes, we all need to step outside, remember Divinity at work and play with such beauties.
Sorry that was garbled from hasty editing… meaning: “more even now”
I hope you are enjoying some beautiful time outside, Cynthia. Thank you as always for your kind words, your visits are always so welcome 🙂
I am– walks have not been stopped in Oregon…yet. I also have a a large balcony from which to view the mountains and skies, as we live amid many majestic trees! Listened to Bach this morning while watching the juncos eat.
Bach and birds sounds blissful, Cynthia – nurturing the spirit seems to nurture the body too.
Such a beautiful garden!
My Arizona cactus have just started to bloom. The desert has had a lot of rain – should be a wonderful spring show anytime now.
My Alberta garden is still under snow, I am told. Canada has said we should come back home now. Our risk analysis says we stay in the AZ sunshine for a while longer!
The desert in bloom is an awesome sight, Margy. I was in Phoenix in April one year after a rainy winter and wow! Enjoy that sunshine!
Those are lovely Hellebores. Ours are just on the verge of starting to bloom.
I love when the hellebores come out; I hope to see yours soon, Jason!
They have begun blooming, took a few pictures today.
What a lovely time – despite the times. All the better to have the private space of a garden in these times. So beautiful.
Thank you, Otto. The garden has definitely made a difference during this time. I hope you are well.
I am, thank you. Hope likewise.
Lovely shots of the hellebores.
Thank you, Tootlepedal – they are currently the stars of the garden.
How beautiful, I love those dark Hellebores. Your garden is a little behind ours, but then we don’t have the snow you have!
Aren’t they stunning? Hard to photograph though. We are always a bit behind you in the seasons – I’m so glad to see the hellebores appear and have some color to look at!
Beautiful flowers, Lynn, esp. the hellebores. Thank goodness for our gardens, source of rejuvenation and renewal.
Stay well.
I imagine your garden is beginning to awaken, Eliza. I’ve been so busy prepping my face to face classes to move online that I’m behind in visiting – I look forward to stopping by your place.
Oh, how beautiful and soothing, Lynn! Hopeful to see what may be happening here, eventually. I dream of your garden; it’s that magical to me.
I was thinking of you today. I wrote a little piece that went viral (!) and, among a zillion others, a composer contacted me and wants to set it to music. I thought, “Lynn would be able to advise me!”
These are hard days, but not without blessing. I yearn to get into my gardens and just be with them, in peace. I will picture you doing that, working your magic, staying well, and creating beauty! Love to you.
Kitty, so wonderful to have you stop by. I imagine you in your beautiful garden as well and the sound of the river nearby. What piece went viral???? So wonderful, post a link please 🙂 And more about someone wanting to set it to music – that doesn’t surprise you, you are a poet in your soul.
Kitty, is this yours? “And the people stayed home. . . “