Something About Tulips

paintings by Laura Trevey

There's a certain sorrow in me as I watch long awaited flowers turning blowsy and then fading. We wait so long for their blooms, their visit seems so brief, and then it's over for another year. In particular, I'm thinking about tulips today. Tulips aren't the greatest choice for my gardens. Squirrels dig up and eat the bulbs; deer browse the early shoots (including flower buds); sometimes they just disappear. I have a couple of clumps that are, ironically, the first bulbs I planted here in Woodstock soon after my return in 2003. And so far, they return each year: big, bright pink, very tall, and very, very welcome.

I came across the paintings by Laura Trevey after she put out a call for work to consider for inclusion in her lovey blog "Bright, Bold and Beautiful." She included a couple of my brighter flower pieces in her blog posting today. I was honored and happy that she chose to do this (and some very nice comments were left, too.) Her blog is just bursting with bright, colorful images--something to really brighten your day (including her paintings)--so do have a look!

I chose two of Laura's painting of tulips to include here. For me, these images capture both the beauty of the tulips AND the idea that they are beginning to fade away. The paintings inspired me to go into the garden on a photo hunt: to see what I could capture of my own fading tulips. These flowers are nearly finished. A strong, hot wind was blowing. The afternoon sun was just brilliant, but thankfully, there was bright shade under the Linden tree. It's something about tulips....