With love

 

Be you! 

On my way home I see clusters of snowdrops blooming. They are singing loudly and their song follows me all the way home. I go out into my garden to look at the ones there. They are smaller and not that many. They remind me though of how I got to have them. 

With love!

It was this time of year, many years ago now. My daughter, about 5 at the time, came home happy and smiling. In her hand she had a bunch of snowdrops. "I know you like these!" she said and handed them to me. Little did she know she had accidentally picked them up with bulbs, roots and all. 

I took them out in the garden and planted them near the hedge. Every year I see them and they give me a really warm feeling inside and a big smile on my face. They were brought to me with love! 

Be happy!

This plant gives us a very happy feeling every year, as it is the first one to appear in January here in Scotland. It tells us spring is going to come, and soon, or at least that is what a lot of us hope. 

That is enough!

I thought I would draw one, using different techniques I have learnt, but did not realise that this small, quite simple and modest flower was a lot harder to capture on paper that I had thought. I give it many attempts, but then realise it is okay. It is enough. Then I remember what this little beauty told me. "Just be you. That is enough."

                               

Agnetha Blomberg McCormack · Snowdrops 170226.m4a

Thank you for reminding me, lovely snowdrop! 

Thank you for reminding me of many different things! 

And welcome back again! Always a pleasure to meet you! 

Agnetha 🥀

And more to come

Bringing joy

In January I meet this beautiful flower, a little daisy. It is singing and bubbling with life, preparing for spring. Joyful and happy. 

"See me, hear me, let me bring you joy!"

A ray of light

I usually have these small daisies on my lawn - sometimes they look like a ray of light when I look out. This time I started thinking of what they are called in Swedish. I keep saying mini-daisies, mini prästkragar, but I'm sure they must have a proper Swedish name. So after meeting and hearing this gorgeous daisy, I decide to find out. Then there it is: tusensköna. That is a thousand beauty if translated. I agree, they are lovely - and when they get together they create something that looks divine, that ray of light on the lawn. 

Missing

I had help cutting the grass and the man once pointed out I was the only one of his customers that did not try and get rid of these small white flowers. He too thought they looked beautiful as they grew in the grass. Nowadays I miss having that many of them. I have no idea why they are not growing and thriving on my lawn anymore, just a few scattered around. I miss them, miss my lawn full of light.

This daisy has helped me try a new way of painting, using Chinese ink, brushes and rice paper. 

 

Loud and happy

This one is singing loudly though. Join her if you can! 

Agnetha Blomberg McCormack · Early daisy 170126.m4a

Thank you lovely tusensköna! 

Agnetha 🥀

Anticipation

 

It is coming

When heading for the shops, I had to stop near a tree. The house sparrows were making sure I saw them. They also made sure I heard them. 

"We are here. We are waiting too. We know it's coming. We know!"

Then they sang a bit more, chirping away, but not to me any longer. Just getting on with their business. 

The promise

When I came home again, I went outside. I stayed still, felt the air and the energies. There it was - the promise of spring coming. 

This is the part of year I find totally amazing every year. Being Swedish I know January as mid-winter. It is a hard part of the winter, as the holidays are over and the darkness, snow, ice and cold temperatures are hard to cope with, they left me feeling empty and almost desperate for sunshine and greens growing. Here in Scotland this happens in January and February, life returns. Today I saw snowdrops blooming in sunshine. I have plants growing to meet the sun. Makes me grateful and happy every year. 

Sing, sing, sing!

Therefore you lovely birds: sing as loud as you can! I love you! 

Agnetha Blomberg McCormack · Gråsparv 030226.m4a'

Thank you house sparrow for bringing so much hope! 

Agnetha 🥀