18 May finds me rejoicing in Lilacs in Bishops Mills. I am struck by the contrast of the weathered branches of the old dead Sugar Maple and the cascading billows of sweet fresh Lilac bloom. The scent is exhilarating, especially at night, when it sweetens the soft spring darkness to the tune of whining Mosquitoes. Every spring I feel a little sad at Lilac time, because it passes so quickly, but at least this year I am commemorating it with a painting. Some day the old dead Maple will be taken down and cut up for firewood, so I feel satisfied to have painted that too, at its most picturesque, glorious with Lilacs.
All across eastern Ontario the landscape is now illuminated by blooming Lilac bushes - where they have been planted by people in towns and villages and around farm houses, and also where they have been propagated in bird droppings. In the wild these lovely introductions from Europe persist in shallow soil over bedrock where there is not too much competition from other bushes and trees.
This original painting is available for $275. For information on purchase and shipping, please contact me at karstad@pinicola.ca
Actually, they're not dispersed by Birds. Wikipedia says "The fruit is a dry, brown capsule, splitting in two at maturity to release the two winged seeds," and that's always been my understanding, though I've never actually looked at the mature seeds. That's why they're blown out onto our land behind the Pentecostal Church, rather than dispersed to everywhere as the Buckthorns are. It may be that they've seeded there because the open barren oldfield soil is in close proximity to the Lilacs, rather than separated from the seed source by lawns and gardens.
ReplyDeleteThis painting is beautiful!
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