One Flower Wednesday April 11 2012 with what's blooming

Here in the States, we are zooming up on our income tax filing deadline.  This year it will be Tuesday, April 17.  Usually tax day falls on the15th, but whenever the 15th falls on the week-end, taxes are due the following Monday.  However, Monday, the 16th is "Emancipation Day" in the District of Columbia (DC), so our due date is moved to the 17th.  In the past, I was unaware of this holiday.  In 2012, this holiday marks the sesquicentennial (150th) anniversary of President Lincoln's signing of the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act.  He signed this about 9 months before his famous national Emancipation Proclamation.  This act freed about 3,100 enslaved persons in the District, and is the only case in which the federal government compensated the owners for the emancipation of their formerly enslaved persons.  Since DC is where our Federal government meets and this a Distrcit holiday, we all get an extra day to get those taxes (or extensions) filed! 

But, now to my weekly One Flower Wednesday check -in; again, just a single row flower (after all, I am most busy getting my client's work done for 4/17 tax deadline.) 


Hexi in Miss Kim Lilac

 Making these hexi's still delights me!  Go on over to Karen's blog for links to the whole group's hexi postings:  One Flower Wednesday linky party.

I only wish you could experience the heavenly fragrance of Miss Kim.  There are not many lilacs that thrive down here in zone 7, but she does!  Here's another close up of a blossom...

I took some photos from a distance, but her blossoms look all washed out.  She is absolutely covered in blossoms.

I posted about my Lady Banks rose a while back when she was just opening and now here she is in her full glory...

This photo shows a bit of her shape

This one more clearly shows how covered in blossoms she is.  Plus, I see she has overtaken my tomato stake which needs painting.

Here's wishing you a great week, with a bit of extra time for those who need to get their returns filed! 

A Most Holy Time

Last night, as a Christian, I went to Church and celebrated Maundy Thursday... the annual commemoration of Jesus' institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion, which of course is integrally related with the Jewish celebration of the first night of the 7 day (sometimes 8) season of Pesach (Hebrew) or "Passover" in English.  Both faiths engage in rituals to remind us of slavery and liberation, bondage and freedom... hard won liberation and freedom.  Today is Good Friday for Christians and at sunset, Pesach begins.  Here are a couple of websites I found informative as I learn more about the living roots of my faith tradition:  Judaism 101: and chabad.org  One aspect I find most interesting is the removal of all items in the home considered to be "Chametz" which culminates in this wonderful ceremony The Search  Not everyone finds celemony and ritual uplifting, but I love them as means of demonstrating my willingness to submit to the will of God, to nurture my desire for Him and to participate with God in my spiritual formation.  So next year, I will add to my Lenten disciplines a literal and symbolic practice of shedding "chametz"; a deep spring cleaning to be sure! 

May you and your family deeply experience the promise of this season!

As a parting gift, some photos of my second (and happier) tree peony.