St. Lucy’s Day

Nocturnal upon Saint Lucy ’s Day .

‘ T’is the year ’s midnight and it is the day , Lucy ’s who scarce who scarce seven hours herself unmasks;The sunlight is spent and now his flasksSend forth unclouded squibs , no ceaseless rays;The world ’s whole sap is sunk;The world-wide balm , th ’ hydroptic earth hath drunk , Whither as to the bed ’s feet , life is shrunk , Dead and interr’d , yet all these seem to laughCompared with me , who am their epitaph . ’John Donne . 1572 - 1631

Poor John Donne was feeling a shade depress when he wrote this verse form to lionise the inadequate Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , if ‘ celebrate ’ is quite the Scripture to habituate . Before Britain switch from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1752 , the 13th December mark the wintertime solstice . How this Clarence Shepard Day Jr. became associated with the Catholic Saint Lucy , I am not certain . No doubt the Nordic pagan goddess of light was adopted by the Catholics and conform to beseem their opinion . The Sicilian Saint Lucy met a befittingly gory end and is often depicted agree a dish containing her eyeballs , which were supposedly gouged out before her death . The Catholic Christian church enjoys a bit of ancestry and gore with its virgin apotheosis ’ myths . In Sweden , Saint Lucie ’s Day is celebrated as the one in which swooning issue to the earthly concern . I wish it would zip up . Today was one of those days when it never really got properly light at all . One feels that John Donne had a point .

To urge on myself up on Saint Lucy ’s Clarence Shepard Day Jr. I have been dreaming of summer . One day in June , proud gardeners in our village opened their garden to the public . Despite vowing never again to open my garden for the populace , I got catch up in the excitation and joined in . Visitors came from far and wide to nosy stave , ( sorry enjoy ) our gardens and more significantly to drink tea and eat patty . Garden opening has a way of concentrating the mind , so when the garden photographer , Guy Jordan come to take photos of the flurry of sprucing up , we hardly noticed him . With Guy ’s permission I am apportion the photos he accept of the garden .

Oh pricey , I ’m not certain about this first one ; the rainbow chard has gone to seed and scarecrow Chloris is not looking her best . The photo was accept before she sustain her blonde wig and pad bra . Guy was quite aim with my snail shells guarding eyeballs from the sharp spliff holding up the netting . A quick kisser of tea leaf , but no time for sitting about . TheLonicera nitidahedge is looking neat and tidy for once . I hack on great clod of theMahoniaso that people could get through the little path leading round the crowing pool . In the glasshouse myEpiphyllumwas throw its fleeting moment of glory .

I love the way Guy catch the light filtering through the offset ofAcer drummondii .

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He seemed to linger round the little pond .

give thanks you for the lovely photos Guy , a monitor of a bright summer ’s 24-hour interval . But , where are my beautiful roses ? Next twelvemonth , please remember my roses , the very essence of June .

front at the summer garden on a dreary December day is a great way to design for the coming season . Next year the ox eye daisies you see in the first picture will have disappeared . I have a labor planned for this area . So far it only survive in my mind and on survey on seedy bits of paper . But , oh what fun planning a new project is . There is nothing like it for the long sour winter days . I trust your Saint Lucy ’s Day is full of aspiration and exciting project too .

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28 Responses toSt. Lucy’s Day

Loved this place . I seem at it as….once you hit the short day of the year , each Clarence Day gets a arcminute longer of sunshine ! I enjoyed reading about the history of St. Lucy ’s Day and am slip by this one along !

Happy St. Lucy ’s Day ! I desire the Dominicus comes out for you presently . It has been incredibly mild around here lately , although it rained all solar day today . Love the scarecrow Chloris , as always !

I just put in a Lonicera nitida from a 4 - inch pot but , if it convey as swelled as yours , I ’m in trouble . I ’m glad you ’re already keep the turn in day length .

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It is so dependable to look back at the summertime garden in the depths of winter . It was dreary yesterday , we buy the farm to Canterbury to collect our sainted girl , but I ’m say it was a lovely day in Sussex . Your garden inspires me every time I see it Chloris . I have a design to make a raw border , but for now take to harness in my enthusiasm and concentrate on prefer bloodless goods and wall wakeful fittings for an sometime cottage . Any recommendations for the latter gratefully receive !

It ’s been rather dark and dismal here for some fourth dimension Chloris – I ca n’t remember when we last saw the sun 😦 I think you came up with the ideal solvent for inspire the spirits . I inquire what your newfangled project is . Look forth to all being revealed in due course .

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