Mary Pratte -- Asking for Forgiveness....

Hmmm, it has been very difficult these days to write this blog. The weather has completely messed things up, so, unlike last year, flowers bloom and are gone within a couple of days, they have suffered early on from a lack of rain, then tons of rain the other night, and, once in a while, the weather forecast for the next two weeks says temperatures will dip below zero (although why I would look at a 14 day forecast is beyond me - they have trouble saying if it is currently raining, so why would they be accurate 14 days hence?!?!).

I am having trouble keeping up! So welcome to my 'Asking for forgiveness’ post, with a few photos of flowers or other garden-related tidbits to tide you over until I can complete one of the five other posts I have started but left, unfinished, on my iPad. Let's hope there will not be too many of them....stay tuned...

How about a few Magnolia photos on this dreary day? If you have been out walking (I know, that's all we seem to do these days...) you have surely noticed the beautiful blooms of magnolias in gardens (mainly tucked away in slightly protected back yards, but tempting us with a glimpse of them peeking out towards the street), at the Experimental Farm, on the south side of the Norwegian Embassy (possibly the best around), or at the Beechwood Cemetery .... There are way more magnolias around Ottawa now than ever, thanks (dare I say 'thanks'?) to climate change and careful hybridizing, and the variety of colours is growing as well, with yellows now being seen on a regular basis, and many different pinks to add variety.

So, enjoy the pictures, and don't forget to send in photographs to Kelly. I know she would love to see your favourite magnolia!