This Fortnight's Entry

Poetry notes:

Not sure what got me off on a villanelle tangent, but off on one I am. First, a short guide to the Villanelle by Damon McLaughlin, including the world's most famous villanelle, Dylan Thomas' "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night; and also:

William Empson, Villanelle, and Missing Dates

Elizabeth Bishop, One Art

W.H. Auden, Villanelle

Garden notes:

The 'Miss Vain' crocuses started this week -- just in time for the cold snap and additional snow. Meh, they'll be OK. Daffodils are starting to push up, too.

Starting to put in orders to the nurseries. I'll be adding roses 'Zephirine Drouhin,' 'Gr�� an Aachen,' and 'Veilchenblau' this year if all goes according to plan. I think I will plant 'Veilchenblau' with sweet autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata) so that after the rose has its moment of glory in the early summer, there will be something to look forward to in the autumn. Also, if the rose loses all its leaves to blackspot or something (it is supposed to be hardy and healthy, but let's face it, Maryland summers are all about blackspot-friendly conditions) the clematis will help disguise the bare canes.

Still looking for a source for 'Great Maiden's Blush' and Rosa gallica versicolor. I know they're out there, but usually by the time I think about ordering them, they're sold out. I probably need to think about placing orders in January, but in January I'm never thinking of roses.

I think I want 'Honorine de Brabant' and 'Belle de Cr�cy' too, but I need to think about where I'll put them. I have places worked out for the three I've ordered.

What I really want is my own personal chipper-shredder with its own dedicated minion to operate it. I have a hell of a lot of oak leaves in my pond. Again.

verso - recto