Posted by: Brenda Kula | January 7, 2009

Call me strange, but when I saw the backs of these pansies today, I envisioned ladies in their fine hats sitting at the symphony. Row upon row of pretty ladies listening in raptured bliss, the sound of wind chimes playing a whimsical melody.

I’m pretty enthused about what I’ve come to think of as “my ladies.” They start out slow, but as the day develops, like film in a dark room, the sun coaxes them out of their shyness and they gradually open up.

Sometimes they’re a bit tattered around the edges. Or they’re close to perfection.

Reminiscent of old-fashioned petticoats on a clothesline.

They are far from exotic. Just flats of pansies I bought down the road. But I have come to love their sweet pixy faces. Their expressive features.

They are the real troopers of the garden, when the temperatures are still quite chilly. And we feel more like cozying up with a quilt and a hot cup of coffee or cocoa. Waiting for the rhythm of the seasons to quicken its pace toward spring.

The animation in my yard is provided by the birds, filling up at the feeders.

They wait patiently as the birdbaths thaw each morning. Reflecting the tree branches above.

And a little bird gazes out the dining room window along with me.

Posted in Gardening & Nature | Tags: birds, gardening, pansies

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Responses

  1. They are lovely Brenda.

    By: tina on January 8, 2009

    at 12:43 am

  2. Love your pics today!

    Daine

    By: Diane ( Crafty Passions) on January 8, 2009

    at 12:43 am

  3. How many pots of pansies do you have Brenda? Did you get them at Blue Moon? I have GOT to go there one of these days!

    One of the things I love best about panises is their fragrance. When the sun hits them…oh my it is the most wonderful scent!!

    I am enjoying yellow finches right now. I have quite a few. Wish they would stay long enough for me to see their yellow color, but when spring appears they head off.

    By: Linda at Meadowview Thymes on January 8, 2009

    at 1:23 am

  4. Love the little yellow petticoat lady!

    What’s the top bird? Don’t think I have those.

    By: Stacey on January 8, 2009

    at 1:28 am

  5. Oh– now I see how to have a little bird and get a good photo! Get a painted bird! I don’t need to get pansies. I can just enjoy your beautiful photos.

    Hugs,

    CurtissAnn

    By: CurtissAnn on January 8, 2009

    at 2:07 am

  6. The pictures are lovely, and sso is your imagination of the ladies at the symphony:) and I love your quilts! Did you make them?

    Have a delightful evening!

    By: Beth on January 8, 2009

    at 3:09 am

  7. Have you ever been in a greenhouse full of pansies in bloom? The perfume they give off is just heavenly!

    By: Tamara on January 8, 2009

    at 7:17 am

  8. I’ve always thought pansies look like the big Scarlett O’Hara type hats.

    My bird bath has had ice on it every morning since we put it up. I sure am glad I went with copper.

    Your garden still looks great. I love your little bird watching over the yard with you.

    Gretchen

    By: Gretchen on January 8, 2009

    at 11:33 am

  9. Brenda:

    Your photos and words in this and your previous post are just beautiful. If you aren’t writing a book—you should.

    Thanks for your comment on my 100th post. You are entered in that drawing !

    Dana

    By: Dana on January 8, 2009

    at 1:33 pm

  10. Love your pansy parade, Brenda … one of my favorite flowers

    By: joey on January 8, 2009

    at 4:16 pm

  11. Brenda,

    Thank you again for your kind words to me! I am so happy to have a chance to be in life what I always wished I had! Hence my MIL feelings about “my” girls!

    What a great picture you painted of your garden ladies boldly wearing their brightly colored hats. I think a book could be written from that!

    xxMeredith

    By: meredith on January 8, 2009

    at 8:35 pm

  12. Those pansies are so cute! I need to get some planted! I have to go to Home Depot today so I think I’ll pick some up!

    I thought of you the other day when I noticed that my spring bulbs are starting to poke out of the soil! Yay!

    By: cindy~my romantic home on January 9, 2009

    at 7:25 pm

  13. HI Brenda…I just love the rich and vibrant colors of the blue/lavendar pansies…wow. I love the feeling they give me inside when I look at your photos of them. And say….you have enough quilts?? I really need to invest in 1 or 2 good heavy ones.

    **hugs**

    By: Alex on January 10, 2009

    at 5:38 pm

  14. I know what you mean about the weather! My husband took a wonderful shot of the 1 day of frosty trees we had (next day 70). You can see it on my blog: home&gardenharmony.blogspot.com.

    Love your pansy pics! Don’t they just smile at you?! The brightest smile in the winter landscape!

    By: Kristie on January 10, 2009

    at 10:19 pm

  15. Delightful! You have a poet’s soul, no doubt about it.

    By: Anne on January 12, 2009

    at 5:35 pm