In A Vase On Monday ~ "Singing In The Rain"

It was one of those mornings where there was a constant background noise of dripping outside. There was evidence of rain in the night which then returned on and off. Fortunately it was just in slight drizzle form so it didn't stop me from completing the task in hand. I have been tidying up my potted collection of named snowdrops and getting them back into some semblance of alphabetical order. I'm sure that they play musical snowdrops when my back is turned. It brightened up as the day went on so much so that there were some patches of blue sky and a hint of weak sunshine. The dripping noise gave way to the gentle flutter of yet more descending leaves. Job done I turned my thoughts as to what I could pick for this week's 'In A Vase On Monday'.

I didn't have to think for long. These chrysanthemums have been strutting their stuff for a couple of weeks or so now. The plant was gift from a fellow allotment plot neighbour, who is also the most talented of cake makers and just as generous with cake gifts as with plant gifts. Earlier in the year he persuaded me to take a cutting of what he thought was a creamy coloured chrysanthemum! Obviously a case of mistaken identity. It's not a colour that I would have chosen myself but these very yellow flowers have certainly been sparkling on dull November days. I'm not sure whether this particular chrysanthemum is hardy but if it comes through the winter it will make the journey from my cold frame to the allotment.

The vase in the shape of a milk jug was another charity shop find. It's probably difficult to see as the photo was taken in fading light but it is decorated with a seasonal band of oak leaves and acorns.

Thanks to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' for adding song and sparkle to Mondays.

In A Vase On Monday ~ "Three Is A Magic Number"

This week Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden' has invited fellow bloggers to join in the third anniversary celebrations of her inspirational 'In A Vase On Monday' meme . I travelled back home yesterday after spending a long weekend in Cumbria. Daylight hours were gone by the time I got home so I apologise for being late joining in the party. I was looking back on my blog posts this morning wondering when I assembled my first vase, which as it turns out was not until the middle of April 2014! I wrote then that :

"I've enjoyed this meme but have not participated up to now, the main reason being that I do not pick many flowers to bring into the house. Maybe the odd snowdrop posy will make it indoors in the winter and then throughout the summer bunches of sweet peas picked from the allotment come home with me two or three times a week. Other than that I have never really made a habit of picking flowers for the house."

My initial vase came about by what turned out to be a most happy accident but since then I have actively sought to put vases together and now look forward to Mondays. It dawned upon me eventually that I've always had a cutting garden of sorts at the allotment. As well as the stalwart sweet pea wigwams, there have always been odds and ends of annuals growing on the plot. These pickings together with perennial flowers from the garden usually combine together to fill my vases whenever I'm able to join in. Over the last few months I've lost my blogging mojo, mainly because of ongoing family matters, which have consumed a lot of my time as well as my energy. 'In A Vase On Monday' has provided an invaluable lifeline as far as my blog is concerned, so Cathy I owe you a huge and most heartfelt thank you for keeping my blog ticking over ♥︎ xxx

This week's third anniversary tribute comprises :

• A trio of milk bottle vases bought on holiday this summer with 'In A Vase On Monday' in mind.
• A trio of flowers namely three stems of persicaria amplexis 'Firetail', six stems of the annual scabiosa stellata 'Sternkugel' and a stem of 'New Dawn' roses. Unfortunately I was unable to find a rose stem bearing any multiple of three.
• A trio of 'Wee-B- Little' pumpkins for some seasonal decoration, which I've squirrelled away, as part of my autumnal store cupboard. My cupboard sadly is sadly not as prolific as the wonderful bursting to the seams dresser in Jill Barklems's illustration from 'Autumn Story', a copy of which is is nestled behind my vases.

Thanks for giving us so much pleasure Cathy and long may 'In A Vase On Monday' thrive and prosper. You are an absolute star ⭐️

"One Night Of Wind"

"One thing alone changes rapidly at this time of year, and that is the colour of the leaves on the trees. They are as bright as flowers, and replace in gaiety the fruit we have gathered from the garden. But even this change is slow as compared with the rush of spring, when the leaves burst from their bud and clothe the trees in a flash of time. Since the beginning of September the leaves have been turning, varying in date with tree and weather. Weeks of calm will keep the leaves on the trees, as though they were forgetting to fall. They will be torn off in one night of wind. All the leaves by now have returned their sap to the tree, except the undramatic walnut which, like the ash, refuses to end it year in a blaze of colour, and lingers until the frosts strip off the leaves and scatter them at its base in a dirty, blackish green heap. The garden now is riotous in colour, in graduations of yellow and gold, bronze and crimson. We are reconciled at this moment to our smoke-grey, for it is an unequalled foil to these flaming leaves "

~  words from 'Four Hedges' by Clare Leighton.

~  illustration by Lena Anderson.

That "one night of wind" arrived in Cumbria on Friday night. Spending what will probably be the last weekend of the year in our caravan, I was awoken by a tremendous noise of the wind in the early hours. It took a long time to go back to sleep as the roof was hammered by falling autumnal debris. Come morning I peeked out of the door to see that in just one night almost all the glowing red leaves on my little acer had been stripped from the tree. Has that significant one night of wind arrived in your neck of the woods yet?