The Day Before the Day Before

I noticed this year that there are names for the days leading up to Christmas and to New Years.  I don't remember hearing this expression so often before - 'the eve of Christmas Eve'. We're approaching 'the eve of New Year's Eve'. There are a few celebrations to mark this day and make for more fun in the lead up to the New Year.  'Eve of the Eve 2016' is a Chicago fundraiser. Nokomis East in Minneapolis has a 'Night before New Year's Eve' party for the family.  Vancouver has an Annual Fake New Years Eve the night before "Nye". Here's someone who has thought of these sorts of things.  William Powers writes: "...get through one more day 'n that'll lead to tomorrow and tomorrow's tomorrow like today's the day before yesterday's tomorrow's tomorrow and that was the day before the day the day before's tomorrow." I usually wait till winter to process the wisteria pictures.  Then the the screen is an explosion of floral exuberance in contrast to the minimalist snowscape outside.  I got to a few this week, so can celebrate the Wisteria Collection as part of the year in review.

Niagara's Continuing Blossoms…June Flowers

I walked about my neighbourhood earlier in the week and took some photos of the lilac tree next door.  While it is shaped like a bush, it is the size of a lilac tree - more than 10 feet high.  Here's a multiple exposure of the blossoms.

Then I returned to the Vineland Research Station to check on the Paulownia Tree, also known as Empress Tree, but it isn't going to bloom, given the difficult winter we had.  I got a big surprise, as the Cherry Grove was in full bloom - with the leaves out.  I had seen it 2 weeks ago and there was sporadic blossoms, so I had assumed it was winter damage as well.  

The Vineland Research Station was originally a gift of Moses F. Rittenhouse in 1906, and has been contributing to the development of tender fruit varieties for decades.  It has turned its attention to include the wine and greenhouse industries in the last 10 years.  Today, there's a winery located on site - Foreign Affair.