Cleaning in spring

Apparently there's uncertainty around the derivation of the term spring cleaning.  Some say it's associated with the Iranian Nowruz (Persian new year) which falls on the first day of spring.  Others claim an association with the Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the springtime festival of Passovar.   Traditionally, the Catholic church thoroughly cleans the church altar and everything associated with it on Maundy Thursday, the day before Good Friday, in the Spring.  The practical nature of these customs seems rooted in the fact that in the northern hemisphere, spring time happens to be warm enough to open the windows to let the dust out and still cool enough to avoid flying insects.  The fact that it appears to be a widespread common practice proves yet again that we are all just one and the same.

That was a long preamble to my story of cleaning the gutters and pruning the climbing Hydrangea on the front of the house.  This is one of the worst jobs in the gardening calendar.  The next step in that process is shredding and mulching...which never seems to stop.

Before the drudgery started, I wandered around the garden to see what had opened up since yesterday.  These fine specimens are growing by the pond near the kitchen.

The daffodil experience continues down by the creek (Rio Millbank)...I love the early morning light...in fact, there's something about that time of day that appeals to me...the potential for great things...and no-one has pissed me off yet