Shades of Green

"Summer afternoon--summer afternoon;
to me those have always been the two
most beautiful words in the English language."
                      ~Henry James

   The summer is more than half over and August days are hoarded like a bright treasure - every moment of sunshine, every still evening, every chance to say that today was a beautiful summer's day is precious. I love to take walks in the late afternoon or evening. I am fortunate to live close to a sprawling park and my favourite path takes me along a ridge-line overlooking a valley of trees. I love the view from that path of the canopy of trees and fields. Green is the colour of summer for me. My home is filled with flowers and while green isn't one of my signature colours I do like to incorporate it here and there. You will usually see it in the delicate painted leaves on a piece of antique china, a framed floral, or washed across the gilding of a French mirror. I recently bought a small gorgeous green Florentine chest which I gave to my sister who I've mentioned before has a love for brighter colours. The Limoges cracker jar with pink roses was a gift from a friend and is a beautiful statement piece. When the Fall arrives I will look at my touches of green and wistfully remember the loveliness of summer...