A Blow of Lavender

I went out to take this shot early this morning, but my camera battery was flat! Then searching my library of photos, I found I had taken the pic I wanted exactly one year ago.

Capture the scent of Summer, 

now, in this moment -

the herbs and roses,

lupin and sweet william,

new-cut hay-meadows

soft on the horizon.

Brush your hands 

through lavender, or rosemary;

breathe deep, and deeper,

for second time around

I might be deaf, or blind,

oblivious of my blow of lavender.

I whisper to myself,

"Will this Summer be my last?"

And hope it is not so.

I don't know why these words came to me last night, and why the scent of my lavender by the back door should cause me to lapse into such maudlin thoughts. Maybe the past week with its endless problems jump-started it; maybe the feeling that I need time to myself - I will make time, in snatches if need-be, this very morning; I want to make a fabric folder-cum-notebook into which grand-daughter KFM (she of my last two posts) can store all her good-will messages that even complete strangers have so kindly sent her. And then I'll pack a picnic tea and Raymond and I will drive somewhere quiet (some hope) for him to experiment with a new camera, whilst I will word-whisper and paint onto a concertina map, and my world will right itself again.

Whilst I was searching my photo files for lavender photos, Raymond was doing likewise through his - and found one taken some years ago, in a part of my herb garden that now no longer exists - a more compact variety that would be better placed by the back door than the one I actually have.

Even that plan will go awry if the camera does not arrive - we've paid for 'guaranteed Saturday morning delivery', but these days you never know. He's been searching the internet for weeks to find stock of this new model, and it will be wonderful for him to have it for Press Day at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show, where we are headed early on Monday.

Still-life for a magazine article

As this seems to have turned into a post about lavender, I could not resist including another photo that Raymond took for me when I was writing an article on - what? I've forgotten now, probably on herbs but I do remember going to great lengths to set up the shot in our guest bedroom, and having to create a backdrop so you could not see the usual clutter, or tell the pic was taken where it was. The lavender is true French lavender, brought back for me from Provence by our daughter. There, just writing about lavender has revived me, brought me to my senses. Here's to a productive weekend!

P.S. A plea: I know it is 'not done' to promote one's own blogs - but if you are a lover of books, please visit my newly created book blog: so far, just the introductory post and a site in the making, but the second, about actual books, is written and scheduled for this weekend, as soon as I have found (!) the books I want to mention, and taken pics. I would love it if you wanted to follow my journey, as I'll be bringing you news of new books as well as old, and info about authors and publishers. Another activity for which I am making time.