Lilacs...

A faint smell of lilac filled the air. There was always lilac in this part of town.

Where there were grandmothers, there was always lilac.

-- Laura Miller

The lilacs were planted along the fence between the young orchard and a grassy paddock. Old and overgrown when we moved in, pruning them went onto my gardening list. But come spring when they burst into glorious bloom and scent, I drew a line through the task. I'd never had lilacs before, and just anticipating their arrival each spring made me happy.

Over the years, the old shrubs died out, replaced by eager young plants that grew out of the sturdy rootstocks. Some years they bloomed better than others, but they always thrived.

But they've never been as beautiful as they are this year. All four shrubs were loaded with blooms, and for once the weather stayed calm and clear. No windstorm or rain to cut the season short.