Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. ~Geoffrey B. Charlesworth
Spring has suddenly unfolded herself, transforming from a few bright flowers lost in a brown sea of last year’s leaves to a rich tapestry of green punctuated by full bouquets.
Green leaves of every size and shape have sprung up, fresh and new.
New flowers open every day, making the morning stroll through the garden a journey of discovery.
The earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
After a long winter of dreary days and muted colors, the textures and forms of spring make me feel as if I’ve stepped into the land of Oz, from a black and white world into a land of vibrant color.
Near a birdbath set into the ground,
I found a tiny bird nest – it may have blown out of a tree during yesterday’s wild winds. 
On May 1, two of my compositions will be featured on our university’s weekly A Little Friday Night Music concert series on YouTube. If you are free on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 P.M. (eastern daylight time), please tune in and enjoy the concert performance of selections from Watershed and Arcadian Tone Poems, both pieces inspired by my love of nature. I will be there in the live chat to answer questions and comments during the concert. The video will remain on YouTube thereafter, so you can tune in anytime.
May you enjoy the sights and sounds of spring, wherever you find yourself. Stay safe, stay well, stay strong.
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature — the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter. ~Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
composerinthegarden 
Oh, Spring, yes. Spring! Who doesn’t love spring? Particularly when it transcends into something as beautiful as your garden.
Thank you for your kind words, Otto – the garden is a conversation between me and Mother Nature 🙂
It’s always wonderful to see how your garden is doing!
Thank you, Tracy – it is a lush year here!
A friend just sent me this link, which seems right up your alley.
https://www.boredpanda.com/tulip-garden-keukenhof-photography-albert-dros/
Thank you for the link Steve – visual poetry to be sure 🙂
Thank you for sharing your music, and congratulations on having it performed in this venue. I watched the video and enjoyed the music.
Thank you, Jason, for taking the time to listen! So appreciated 🙂
It IS a very lush tapestry, your garden. I missed the concert, too. You created so much texture with just a handful of musicians – the erhu is a nice counterpart to the other instruments. The gently rolling music is very lyrical. In the second piece, how difficult it is to see those empty chairs! But we have to do what we can. I like making the sax the centerpiece; it has such a great voice. That musician is good!!! I love the solo at the beginning of the 2nd movement (?) – around 13:40. The space is filled!
It’s good to include the conifer with the foliage photos. 🙂 Putting Bella Coola over those Forget-me-nots was brilliant – what a pretty combination. What a poignant find the old bird’s nest is (hopefully old!). Did you tuck it somewhere special? The Silent Spring quote is a gem. As usual, you have given us a bountiful array of treats. Thank you.
Ah, Lynn, your comments are always so filled with attention to detail – you cannot imagine how much I treasure your visits. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the music – I find it difficult to differentiate the music from the garden – all of a piece to me, a world of texture and color and rhythm. 🙂
Synaesthesia here we come! 😉 It’s really good to know that you feel that way about the comments before I question myself about going on, and on… thanks again for all the treats in this post. I would say I hope you’re enjoying the garden, etc. but I KNOW it!
I’m sorry that I missed the concert live, but I enjoyed it tonight. Your garden and music dance beautifully together.
No worries, Audrey – they were one and the same. Thank you for taking the time to listen!
I just watched the video of last night’s concert. Bravo! Bravissimo! What a joyously wonderful sound. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Gene – I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! The Music School has been wonderful in presenting this concert series and I was thrilled to be included. As always, it is good to hear from you 🙂
I looked at the ostrich ferns and could sort of imagine an ostrich.
Speaking of Oz, I watched the movie all the way through recently for the first time in decades. I’d never noticed the cleverness in many of the song lyrics. The movie may have been aimed primarily at children but there was no watering down of the language in the songs.
I heard the erhu as a female voice.
Steve, Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite movies. Growing up, I watched it on our B&W TV; my parents got a color TV when I was 20, imagine my shock and surprise when that door opened into OZ and a world of color!
Thanks for listening Steve. Yes, like the theremin, the erhu has a female voice quality to it . Adam is a master of the instrument and asked to play that movement on erhu. since the note range was similar to cello – I’m glad I agreed. 🙂
A delightful opening quote chosen by a composer and gardener, Lynn. We’re so glad there’s been no ‘Silent Spring’ this year. Birdsong adds such a beautiful extra to a garden, Thank you for sharing you photos and music. I love the calming greens in your garden. They do make the colours ‘laugh and sing’.
Thank you, Richard – I love the greens too, so welcome after a long winter. I know how much you love birdsong – it has been exceptional here this year too. Even the wood thrush is back with its distinctive song.
The concert is past my bedtime unfortunately.
Never fear, tootlepedal, the concert is now posted permanently if you are inclined to visit 🙂
Spring is playing a lovely tune on you and your garden. 🙂
Thank you, Susan – the perfect response 🙂
Lynn, the garden looks as glorious as ever, such a sanctuary.
Will look forward to hearing your music. Thank you; what a treat!
Kitty, it just exploded into color after a few days of rain. And thank you again for coming to the “concert” 🙂
It was a joy. Thank you.
It’s that time of year, though spring has been rather late in northeast Illinois in 2020. Has that been the case out your way as well?
I will make every effort to tune in live tomorrow evening, but if I can’t make it I’ll definitely check out an “encore” performance.
It did come late, Kerry – it was very cold here for a week, with some frost damage, so a lot of growth and bloom was delayed. All this color emerged in the past few days.
No worries; I’ve been told that the video will be posted there “forever”.
Looking forward to the music! And I love the spring compositions of green textures as much as a riot of flowers.
Thank you, Bernadette – these concerts have been so enjoyable. Enjoy our beautiful spring!