Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Life List Day 3 - Spring is Here with Flowers of Fear


Today is the first day of spring, and I rang it in by buying the flowers I've always feared most: Hydrangeas. I find them lovely, and they definitely say "spring." But every time I see them in the store, I think about how bad they'll look as they die. All those tiny petals. I just know they're going to have a lingering, messy death.

I usually buy tulips. Neat. Clean. They perish with a minimum of fuss.

I'm not sure what that says about me that I can't enjoy flowers without anticipating their demise. I'm sure it's some failure on my part to live in the moment.

I'm working on it.

Anyway, they DO look lovely.

For now.

4 comments:

Brigid said...

"I just know they're going to have a lingering, messy death"
Wrong, babe!
Fear not: Cut hydrangeas die slowly and ever so gently, at least in my experience.
Their vibrant color gradually fades to dusk but those petals won't fall as they dry out...
You're left with a lovely reminder of this vernal equinox for as long as you wish.
Whereas the exquisite lilacs I brought home from today's farmers' market were shedding tiny flower clusters even before I put them in a vase. Still, their scent suffuses the air with the very essence of spring, so they're worth it.
Lovelovelove your blog, brave Ms. Smolinski.

sramosobriant said...

I never understood my grandmother's predilection for plastic flowers until I read your post.

your friend,

Sandra

Marianne said...

Taking your fear to its logical extreme, you must fear spring because it leads to summer, which leads to fall, which leads to winter and winter is always a symbol of death. Except it leads to spring, which is only the beginning of the path back to deathly winter.

Me? I fear summer because my rent controlled apartment in the People's Republic of Santa Monica by the Sea turns into a blazing pizza oven. I can't bring flowers home because death ensues immediately. For me to enjoy something, it must fit in the refrigerator like watermelon and beer.

Fear not hydrangas, my friend. If they live long enough to enjoy a natural death, you are living in a most hospitable environment.

Major envy!
Marianne

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