Wednesday, March 7, 2012

A Dribble of White

We define objects by contrast.  We know hot from cold, light from dark, smooth from rough.  If everything were smooth, tan, and monotone, there would be little meaning.

Dribbled with white


My mother-in-law loved contrast:  black and white was her favorite color combination for clothing.  Brilliant flowers in the garden made her coo with pleasure. Planning which blooms accented best the ones snuggled next was a delight for her spring.  One principle she followed in plotting out the plantings was to mix in "a dribble of white."  The contrast made all the flowers look smarter.

Moms love pink

All philosophical wanderings aside, remembering the importance of contrast at this time of year while one moment I'm bundled up for winter and then next working in shirt sleeves helps define the Things I get to do today.








So Mom Nature's been talking to my mother-in-law and this morning decided to accent the first flowers of spring by dusting them all with "a dribble of white." The delicate crystals kissed all the garden, but only the flowers remembered it long enough to sit for their portraits. Sweetly stunning, indeed. Both these moms know what they're doing.


6 comments:

  1. I so wish some of that white would dribble over here. I still haven't given up on a snow day.

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    1. How much do you need? 6 inches? A foot? I'll send it right over. Your part is to see yourself snuggled in at home by the fire, cup of tea in hand, without a care in the world (for at least 10 minutes). Pretending is THE best!

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  2. Yes they do! Love this entry. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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    1. My pleasure, through and through.

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    2. oh, i can tell all you Northwesterners haven't really had to deal with snow in quite a while!!! nor have i THIS winter, but last winter was a very different story, and winters in New England are mostly like last winter, not this winter. the first few snows aren't bad unless they are blizzards; they may even remain white for two days!!! after that, ughlies all winter! every thing dirty, snow brown (or yellow, thank you dog walkers and Robbie), roads icy and slushy, walkway just icy. i wonder during those first snow falls: if i just fell down on purpose on the slick icy sidewalk now, would that take off the curse of an old/middle-aged woman falling and breaking and i will not fall for the rest of the winter? then there's the snowplows that plow your driveway back in after you and your neighbors have jollily helped each other shovel out. no one offers to do it a second time that same day, including me. i won't go on about snow being around forever, people steadily getting more surly as winter and snow continues. i'll just say, you lucky folks who think snow is so great: look at Mt. Hood, or Mt.Ranier, or the Three Sisters, or Shasta, or any snow-covered mountain close at hand, sigh and long for that view, but not for the actuality of snow itself. no no no. enjoy Andrea's pictures and her mother-in-law's desire for "a dribble of white." as for me and my house, we will get our dribble of white on our PJs on warm mornings we drink heartily of cold cold milk!

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    3. Well spoken! Hear! Hear! Only in dribbles does it shine so brightly in our minds.

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