Author Archives: Leslie Schultz

April 21, 2025 Context for Poem “Bayfield Revisited”

Posted on by
Reply
Bayfield, Wisconsin, 2023

The poem that resulted today is a bit of a stretch from the prompt word found in Rosendahl’s glossary, “unarmed.” What, I wondered, does this adjective have to do with plants? I learned that “armed” plants are those with thorns. From there–with a hop, skip, and a leap–I thought of the anniversary trip that Tim and I took two years ago to the place we serendiptiously found on our honeymoon, then later returned to as first home-buyers, but had not seen for many years. This time, the little house we had briefly owned was not to be seen from the street due to overgrown vegetation, and this reminded me very strongly at the time of the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, of the impentrable barrier of thorny brambles that repelled visitors.

From there, I thought of images from that summer–sails that remind me of thorns and, conversely, the statue of the unarmed woman, called “Flower in a Crannied Wall,” beloved by Frank Lloyd Wright and reproduced in several locations in his Spring Green, Wisconsin home, Taliesin.

Wishing you a fairy tale happy ending to a magical day, LESLIE

Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chaska, Minnesota

April 20, 2025 Happy Easter! & Context for Poem “Vines”

Posted on by
Reply
Painted Easter Egg Tucked into Labyrinth Stones & Scilla (Photo: Leslie Schultz, 2007)

Today, the words “trailing” and “twining” seemed a natural pair to me, and “tendrils” fit right in with these sororal twins both in terms of sound and sense. The accompanying photos from our garden show three plants: a Grandpa Ott morning glory, a winter squash, and a California poppy. The morning glory climbs, just as reliably as the sun does each morning. The squash, Tim finds, does better with a short trellis or fence to climb, too, rather than trailing on the ground in a more traditional garden plot, because then the fruit does not rot. The California poppy is not a twiner or a trailer by definition, but…its tendrils are so thin and flexible that it sometimes appears to be both.

Once I had selected the words, the title suggested itself, as did the long, skinny shape.

Wishing you a splendid Easter Sunday! LESLIE

California Poppies (Photo: Leslie Schultz, 2024)




April 19, 2025 Context for Poem “On Color”

Posted on by
Reply
(Photo by Gisela Fotografie; Pixabay)

I have heard it said that Minnesotans go mad for color in spring. It might be true. Tim and I have just purchased some terra cotta pots, glazed a deep cobalt blue, for the garden. I am envisioning them holding pansies and bright green sweet potato vines, but they cannot safely be planted yet because, well, it is Minnesota. Only the foolhardy plant tender annuals before May 15. (I know this from sad experience 🙁 .)

In any case, those pots alone, resting on the soft red bricks of the patio Tim made for me on our 10th anniversary, next to the now-greening grass and the sea of deep-blue scilla blooms, are a welcome pop of color all on their own.

Perhaps that is why one of the Rosendahl glossary terms for the letter “S” caught my eye this morning: “Sordid.” It is a word I know, of course, but in the metaphorical context of dirt: “sordid details” or “sordid deeds.” Here is Rosendahl’s gloss: “dirty in tint, chiefly applied when of a impure white.” That got me thinking about the subtle sophistication of such hues–not soiled but chic–and how I am missing that opportunity in our garden. Next time I plant tulip bulbs, I am going to seek out some with this lovely shades.

(Photo: margaret_1974 Pixabay)

Wishing you a spectacular day!

LESLIE

April 18, 2025 Context for Poem “Rhubarb”

Posted on by
Reply
Rain Clouds Yesterday to the West

It has been a long time since I have attempted an acrostic, but this rainy grey morning seemed like the time for it. (Doesn’t the pale line of cloud above look like the graceful edge of a leaf?) My inspiration was the kind and neighborly sharing–along with Tim’s gardening skills–that have led to a new border of rhubarb on the north edge of front garden. Tnak you, Tim! Thank you, Rich and Raymonde!

Our healthiest plants are those shared from the gardens of our neighbors. Perhaps this is true for you, too? A vigorous transplant is a great joy, and every time we see these gift plants we see the love behind them.

And thank you all for joining me on this April botanical journey!

LESLIE

April 17, 2025 Context for Poem “Encounter”

Posted on by
Reply
(Photo: PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay)

This was another day of searching on my own for an appropriate botanical candidate inspired by the letter “Q”, since Rosendahl did not have any entries for this letter of the alphabet.

I love both of these plants. Juglone in our garden (yes, those black walnuts) prohibit us from planting a quaking aspen, much as I would like to do that. Queen Anne’s lace can probably tough it out, but I have never seen seeds for sale or nursery plants, perhaps because here they are prevalent ditch flowers. Perhaps, someday, I will find some of those to admire up close and often.

In terms of poetry, each of these plants reminds me of a splendid often-read poem. I include links here, in case you want to refresh your own memory of them. The first, featuring Queen Anne’s lace, is the splendid “Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers” by Adrienne Rich. Until I sought out links for this post, I did not realize that this poem is having a moment–search on it and you’ll find many treasures, including a laudatory assessment from A. O. Scott of the New York Times from last month and YouTube videos of Rich reading her masterful work.

In a similar vein, from a much different poet, aspen trees always call to mind for me Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s 1832 masterpiece of Arthuriana, “The Lady of Shallott,” particularly these two lines:

Willows whiten, aspens quiver, 
Little breezes dusk and shiver...
(Photo: mcmacin; Pixabay)

Never before, or since, have I seen “dusk” used as a verb–just one detail that makes Tennyson’s incantatory poem continue to repay reading and rereading.

Wishing you splendid views today, everywhere you look--LESLIE